Preacher Slyish Rose

Okay, so, yes,  I am a Christian. I go to a small traditional southern Episcopalian church where everyone is family (not really, but it feels pretty darn close!) Well yesterday, the 30th and the first Sunday after Christmas, our Preacher was going to be out of town visiting relatives for Christmas, and so he asked me to deliver the message (also called the sermon or homily.) I just LOVE public speaking! And being able to have the opportunity to teach about Jesus Christ just made my world and taught me so much! It was a sermon about Advent and waiting and how important it is to remain positive amidst all the anxiety! I wrote it myself (its completely original) and does have a few joking comedic parts and parts that relate to my personal life. I hop you enjoy it! Here it is:

All right now raise your hand if you just LOVE waiting…

Now raise your hand if you love opening presents Christmas morning… Uh, I mean celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ…

Exactly. That waiting period just isn’t fun! The positive people reminding themselves that Christmas will be here soon. The negative people constantly announcing their dread of the wait, when secretly everybody dreads the wait, some just only choose not to show it! And trust me, hearing someone say, “I love Advent!” is a lie if I have ever heard one! Too much suspense and mystery maybe; Too much question and unclearness as to if everything will turn out exactly as planned! Will you get everything you want? Hopefully. Will the food be cooked perfectly? Hopefully. Will the relatives visit as planned? Well… hope may vary… but still you get the point! Notice what word was always used. Hope.

What do you think was the one thing that Joseph and Mary had that cold night as they searched for nourishment in Jerusalem? It was hope. Think of how flustered and confused they must had been! An Angel of God had appeared to them in their dreams and announced that young Mary was conceiving the Messiah, Son of God. I will be the first to admit that I, and almost everybody I know, would have been VERY concerned and flustered, and definitely would not have had positivity and hope as the first thing on our minds! But instead, Mary grounded herself in her faith, gave birth to child, and the waiting time was over. But hope got her through it.

Though, this may be a very positive example. How many times have you been on a car trip and a child NOT ask “Are we there yet?” that’s right: never. Don’t even attempt to pretend that every single adult in here is not thinking, “Well are the trees still moving? We aren’t any closer than when you asked 10 seconds ago!” I have STILL yet to go on a car trip from our home to the gas station where one of my siblings, maybe even sometimes me, doesn’t ask “the question.”

How about standing in line for rides at amusement parks? You know the kind that twist around the building seemingly a thousand times and that move at the rate of my mother in the morning time before she downs her can of caffeine-filled Starbucks Vanilla Mocha Latte. As we twist through the lines, at this snail’s pace, they again ask, “Are we almost to the front?” “Well let’s see… you asked a minute ago, and we have moved 2 feet… so NO.” Of coarse you don’t say that out loud to your peppy, excited child. These times we could all probably stand a little bit more hope, tolerance, and patience… Or a lot.

You can just remember the phrase “Good things come to those who wait.” Have you ever once waited all of December with a smile on your face for Christmas NOT to come? No. Patience brings reward. Tolerance brings prize. Hope brings an answer. Advent brought us Baby Jesus! Without one, you cannot have the other! Pain brings accolade and suffrage brings tribute. 

It was said in today’s gospel, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” This ‘true light’ is also known as Jesus Christ. Before his birth, the world was dark, shadowy, and gloomy, waiting for a light to guide them.  Though, in the long run, all that time in the dark, was worth a life in the light. It was worth having your prize or reward - having Jesus Christ.

But do you think that that is what everyone else was thinking when teenaged Virgin Mary claimed she was conceived with God’s son, Emmanuel? Most likely not. Should they have had faith in God’s plan? Sure! But they still probably didn’t. In such confusion, it was really hard for them to keep on the positive side! When caught up in the anxiety of waiting, it is hard for ANYBODY to keep on the positive side, including any of us.

It said in the book of James 4:7-8, “Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the Earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient, strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

This metaphorical verse expresses that the Lord, the mighty one, is going to be here SOON! He is coming, so no longer let the burden of negativity bring you down. Strengthen your hearts in love, and wait for this greatness to come upon you. Wait patiently and with kindness in your heart. But still, to gain the reward of the great Prince of Peace, you must wait.

Now we are not just broadly speaking of Christmas, and the coming of Baby Jesus, but of all circumstances where you have just been waiting and waiting… and, thus far, nothing is happening! Maybe the boss is offering a big promotion at work! You have worked so hard, you are never late to your job, and you KNOW that you deserve this promotion far more than anyone else… but then you just don’t get it. You may ask God, “Why? I needed that promotion! I wanted it so badly and I deserved it more than anybody else!”

But in those times when you doubt the Lord’s plan, remind yourself that the Lord has good things in store for all who deserve it, and with goodness comes reward. You must always keep your patience, tolerance, and hope nearby, because they are the only things that can help you. Amen.

I really REALLY hope you enjoyed it! I would really like feedback! I delivered the message just yesterday, and it was extremely well interpreted, so I hope that you guys  like it just as much! Feedback PLEASE! 

-Slyish Rose(: