"Going to Come"
So…
Someone is shouting!
Years ago, I went to a gathering of Presbyterian pastors from all over the country who were thinking about ways to get their congregations more involved in evangelism.
It was a small group and the conversation was all about how congregations and individuals from them, could be invitational with their faith.
How could we help people catch the fire and the joy of sharing the good news of Jesus among us!
By-the-way, there will be some invitational cards coming for all of us to share with family, friends and neighbors about our Christmas Eve services.
You can start thinking now about who you should invite!
But back to the story…
We were meeting in Oklahoma City with the Associate Pastor from one of the Presbyterian churches there, and at one point he said the most incredible thing.
We were talking about doing things to grow the faith community.
And he shared that they had just had a wonderful event where all kinds of people came and visited the church, and he said it was so good, the whole community would, “like to shout”!
Say what?
It turned out that “like to shout” was a slang affirmation, kind of like “amen”, or “hallelujah” or “alright” or “ye-ha”!
“Like to shout” signifies excitement or enthusiasm, a situation or condition where it’s all good!
We all kind of laughed, but reading today’s scripture lesson, it all came back to me.
Mark, in his gospel is reminding us of the words of Isaiah, that there would come someone who would announce the immanent arrival of the Messiah!
And he would be shouting, “get the road ready, make the path straight, for the Lord, the Messiah is coming”!
And I don’t know how John the Baptist - who was this messenger Isaiah talked about - did his shouting. Maybe he yelling; maybe not.
But I gotta say, my internal image of the Isaiah reading is a lot like what happens when a big dignitary, like the President, for example, comes to town!
A big lineup of secret service cars and police motorcycles and police cars and sirens. And lots of people shouting, “Get out of the way!
Here he comes! Get off the streets!” Lots of bullhorns, and officials talking through big PA systems.
Not much like the image that probably should be burned in our brains of Jesus humble entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey.
Not much like the image of a tiny baby laying in a straw-lined feeding trough with Mary and Joseph, and possibly some very cute, but smelly animals.
Of course…
If you knew who he was - wouldn’t you yell “like to shout”!
Yeah! This is it! This is so cool!
The holy incarnate presence of God in our midst - not as the totally aloof presence of universe-level royalty, untouchable, perfect beyond approach, a king whose mere presence sends us diving to the floor in abject terror…
But a Messiah so approachable that most of us just can’t wait for that day that we get to hug the Lord and Savior we have loved and served our whole lives.
One for whom our whole existence wants to shout!
Advent and Christmas time is all about wanting to shout, all about the child who has come to Bethlehem and the return of the King who will sum it all up and bring it all to its conclusion.
It is also a time when we remember!
Christmases long ago perhaps, but especially those who were there and are not now.
So, it is good that we take time to honor the memory of those we have loved and lost and intentionally entrust them again to a God whom we know has welcomed them home!
Don’t be afraid to remember.
And don’t be afraid to celebrate, for in it all, there is much for us to “like to shout”.
Amen.