What Can I Give Him, a sermon for Christmas Eve

The Nativity by Gari Melchers
The Nativity by Gari Melchers

Offered Saturday, 12/24/22 at Coronado Community United Methodist Church, New Smyrna Beach Florida.

We bring ourselves to the Christmas story.  

In 1872, Christina Rossetti brought herself to the Christmas story and wrote a beautiful poem called Heaven Cannot Hold Him. You might know it as In the Bleak Midwinter.

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain,
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty —
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom Angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and Archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air;
But only His Mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a Shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

We bring ourselves to the Christmas story. Where Christina Rossetti lived in England, the winter was cold and it snowed. In the time of year when Jesus was born, it wasn’t cold or snowing in the Holy Land. If so, the shepherds would not have been out in the fields with lambs and sheep.

If you ever have the chance to go to Bethlehem, I encourage you to do so. It’s a moving and complicated place. It’s not very far from Jerusalem, just a couple of miles. There’s a wall built around Bethlehem. In some places, it’s an electric fence and in others is a 26-foot-tall concrete barrier. You’re forced to pass through checkpoints with armed guards to enter and exit Bethlehem because it’s Palestinian territory. Some of Bethlehem’s residents refer to their home as the world’s largest open-air prison because their travel is severely restricted.

There’s a beautiful place, really my favorite place in Bethlehem, called The Shepherd’s Field. There’s a system of caves all over the area. When it became too cold, or when it became too dangerous, the shepherds would bring the sheep into these caves. It was a place where the shepherd could literally lie across the threshold of the cave so that sheep would be inside and trouble would be outside. The shepherds were the door, the gate. In Bethlehem, you can visit one of these caves.

When Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem there’s no room in the guest room. There weren’t any hotels like there are today. There were guest rooms in homes, and they were already full because of the census.

Mary and Joseph weren’t finally offered lodging in a stable or barn. It was probably a cave. In that cave, there wasn’t a wooden manger. The place where they would put the hay or feed for the animals was usually a worn or carved spot in the rock of the cave.

After the long journey and no guest room and the bearing and the birthing, Mary and Joseph are exhausted. This is one of the reasons why I love Gari Melchers’painting of the nativity. Mary’s getting some much-needed rest and Joseph looks overwhelmed by this little, tiny, special child.

I imagine them asking the question, “What can I give him?”

What can I give him who’s God with us?

What can I give him who’s God in the flesh?

What can I give him?

How can I be the mother of God?

How can I be the foster father of God?

What can I give him?

We think a great deal about gift giving at Christmas time. What can I give my loved ones to show them how much I care? What can I give my coworkers? What can I give my neighbor? What can I give the postal worker?

What do I have to give? There are times in our lives when it feels very full, and we have something to give. Last year at this time, our first grandchild had just been born. I have a picture of her a couple of weeks old in front of this Christmas tree. She’s now a year old.

Last year saw us moving to New Smyrna Beach. Last year saw us buying a house. Last year saw our younger daughter married. Life was very, very full and it felt like I had something to give.

This year is different. My father died at the beginning of September after a decade of suffering from Alzheimer’s and then hurricane Ian hit. So many folks in our area lost everything. We had folks saying, “I wish the storm had taken me.” We had folks saying, “I never dreamed I would be starting over at this point in my life.” Months later and they’re still wrestling with contractors and permitting and insurance and trying to figure it out.

At the beginning of September dad died, and at the end of September hurricane Ian hit, and at the beginning of November, my mom died. She had cancer. Then hurricane Nicole hit and then last week my husband was in the hospital for five days. He’s here tonight and we’re grateful.

Sometimes it feels like I have something to give and there are times when it feels like I have absolutely nothing to give. I am spent. I’m tired. I’m overwhelmed.

I don’t know where tonight finds you. If you are feeling full like you have much to give or if you’re feeling empty. Wherever you are, it’s okay. You’re wanted and you’re welcome.

This year, I read a prayer from a friend and it said “let my wound be your manger.” That’s what I’ve been holding on to to give to you tonight. Sometimes we feel full, and we have much to give and sometimes we feel empty and we feel like we have nothing to give, but what we’re really celebrating at Christmas is our God who gives. Our God who gives and gives and gives and gives and comes. Who makes a home with us in the midst of Roman occupation, in the midst of not enough room, in the midst of pain and birth, in the midst of wondering.

Tonight, you may be saying, “Jesus, I can give you my heart because it feels full.” I invite you to also say, “I can give you my heart because it’s broken, because it’s wounded, because it’s wondering.” God smiles at this gift too because it’s honest.

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You and those you love are welcome to worship with us in person on Sundays at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. You’ll also find recordings of our 9:30 AM services on YouTube.

© 2022 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

The Candy Cane Sermon, Luke 2.8-20

The Candy Cane Sermon
Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Offered Sunday, 12/25/22 at Coronado Community United Methodist Church, New Smyrna Beach Florida.

God is constantly speaking, reaching out with wisdom, encouragement, and invitations. Yet, many of us have trouble hearing from God. We’d like an angel with a clear message. Well, maybe not, they’re fearsome. How about a classic red phone hotline?

There are classic spiritual practices to help us hear from God. One is Visio Divina –             Latin for sacred seeing. Visio as in vision. Divina as in divine.

When practicing Visio Divina, we allow our hearts and imaginations to look at something deeply while listening for what the Holy Spirit has to say to us. You may have practiced this before without even knowing it. Have you ever stopped to watch a sunset, investigate a flower, or ponder a beautiful piece of art?

Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.”

There are four main movements to Visio Divina – Attention, Connection, Invitation to Action, and Prayer.

Attention – Let’s say you’re looking at a sunset. What specifically about the sunset captures your attention? A cloud formation? A color? The speed of the sunset? The wind?

Connection – How is what you’re noticing making a connection for you. It could be a connection to a situation you’re struggling with, a line from scripture, an attribute of God, an answer you’re seeking, etc.

Invitation to Action – How will your day be different because of this experience? Do you hear the Spirit inviting you to start or stop something, to say or not say something?

Prayer – Continue the conversation with God.

VISIO DIVINA – A CANDY CANE

Fun Facts:

  • Guess how many candy canes are sold in the US annually? 1.76 Billion
  • Candy canes are said to have originated in the 1670s at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The choirmaster gave sugar sticks to the boys’ choir to keep them quiet during Christmas services. They were eventually bent so they could be hung on Christmas trees.
  • It’s thought a German immigrant debuted the treats in Ohio in 1847.
  • In the early 1900s, the red/white stripes were added along with the peppermint flavoring. A real candy cane is white with alternating red stripes, a bold stripe alternating with a stripe of three strands.

Find a real candy cane and spend a few moments looking at it deeply. Since it’s delicious, you could also enjoy tasting it. What captures your attention? Where is it making connections? As you quiet yourself and open yourself, are you hearing any invitations?

Last week, I spent time with a candy cane making a list of items that caught my attention. It was more a mental exercise than a spiritual practice. As I practiced an actual Visio Divina with it today, the sweetness caught my attention. This reminded me that God wants good things for me and the world. God is working for good. I heard an invitation to allow myself to trust God even more as I make my way into the new year.

I’d love to hear about your experience with the Holy Spirit speaking through a candy cane. Leave a comment below.

1. The Color White – lamb’s wool, Lamb of God, purity, holiness, sinless, cleansing, virgin birth. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” The song Jesus Paid it All says, “sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.”

2. The Color Red – blood, sacrifice, Passover, crucifixion

3. Stripes – flogging. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his stripes we are healed.”

One Stripe – We believe there is One True Living God, no others. This is confirmed in the Ten Commandments and in the Shema, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. And as for you, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Three stripes – Trinity, the Magi brought three gifts to baby Jesus

4. Mint – In the time of Christ, horsemint was used for medicine and tithing. It grows wild, with large course leaves. Horsemint does not taste like peppermint.

5. Sweet – Psalm 119:103 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

6. Shaped like the letter J for Jesus. My friend Macon said it reminded him of a fishhook. Jesus invites us to leave our nets and to follow, to be his disciples and “fish” for people.”

7. Shaped like a shepherd’s crook – Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Jesus sits on the throne of his ancestor David, who was also a Shepherd. The lowly shepherds were told of the birth of the Messiah, not those with power, money, and position.

8. The candy is hard – God’s promises are solid, a steadfast and strong foundation.

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You and those you love are welcome to worship with us in person on Sundays at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. You’ll also find recordings of our 9:30 AM service on YouTube.

© 2022 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Worship and Sermon Resources for Thanksgiving

thanksgiving-i-chronicles

WORSHIP RESOURCES
A Prayer for Thanksgiving- Most Blessed, Most Beautiful Christ
This prayer may be voiced by one person, two persons, or one person and the congregation.

God of Abundance, Provision, and Plenty
A prayer based on Genesis 13

A Steward’s Prayer
A prayer based on Matthew 24:42-51

Your Eternal Goodness
A prayer of thanksgiving and praise based on Psalm 65

Make Us Your Sanctuary
A prayer based on Ezekiel 37:26, “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will bless them and multiply them and will set my sanctuary among them forevermore.”

Prayer Litany for Thanksgiving
This worship resource includes verses of the hymn All Creatures of Our God and King plus time for silent reflection and prayer.

Thanksgiving Reflection
For centuries, Christians have been reading scripture, followed by a time of prayer. Thanksgiving Reflection is designed in this way, with readings from Deuteronomy 8 followed by prayer prompts for silent reflection. The sequence could be printed or projected on a screen. The post also includes a beautiful altar table display idea for a Thanksgiving or Harvest themed worship service.

Call to Worship: Way, Truth, Life

Your Eternal Goodness, a prayer of thanksgiving and praise based on Psalm 65

SERMON RESOURCES
Enough, A Thanksgiving Message from Psalm 23

A Thanksgiving Reflection Based on Deuteronomy 8

Gratitude and Glory Sightings, a Thanksgiving Message (Luke 13)

A Reflection on Three Psalms of Thanksgiving (Psalms 75, 106, 136)

Satisfying and Silencing: A Reflection and Prayer for Thanksgiving based on Psalm 65
The prayer in this resource is for a solo voice with a congregational response. It could also be a prayer in two voices.

Daily Bread (Matthew 6)
A sermon from a sermon series on The Lord’s Prayer

Prayers, Quotes, and Reflections on Gratitude

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You are welcome to use any/all of these resources in a worship setting with proper attribution. (by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, http://www.revlisad.com) Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish any of these resources in any form.

Worship Resources based on Mark 6.14-29

coptic icon john the baptist

Coptic Icon of St. John the Baptist

1. PRAYER: Choices by Lisa Degrenia
Holy One,
Your word provides examples
Examples to follow and examples to avoid

You do not sugarcoat life
You reveal the destructive consequences
of vain, self-serving lives
You reveal the vicious injustice
of fear-full, pride-full, impulsive choices

We call on your mercy and healing
for faith-full living
Grant us a compassionate, courageous, teachable spirits,
so we may choose your way and life
no matter the cost

In Jesus’ name we trust and pray
Amen

2. QUOTE: by Wendell Berry
Sowing the seed, my hand is one with the earth.
Wanting the seed to grow, my mind is one with the light.
Hoeing the crop, my hands are one with the rain.
Having cared for the plants, my mind is one with the air.
Hungry and trusting, my mind is one with the earth.
Eating the fruit, my body is one with the earth

3. SERMON: by Lisa Degrenia

3. PRAYER: Calm Our Hearts by Lisa Degrenia
God our Refuge, calm our hearts when evil abounds
They run to lonesome places, screaming an alarm
Calm our hearts so we can find you above the fear

God our Strength, calm our hearts when evil abounds
They race to revenge, pounding with anger
Calm our hearts so we can hear you above the hammering

God our Help, calm our hearts when evil abounds
They rush to human strength, grasping for control
Calm our hearts so we can hold
to your way, your truth, and your life

Calm our hearts so they may beat in unison with yours
So healing may flow into all brokenness
So hope may fill all devastation
So compassion and peace and unity may rise up among all people

God our Strength, our Refuge, our Help
We entrust our lives to you
We step forward with you in your saving work
Amen

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© 2021 You are welcome to use the original portions of this work in a worship setting with proper attribution. (by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, http://www.revlisad.com) Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

The Story of the Scars, a Sermon for Easter Sunday

The Story of the Scars, a Sermon for Easter Sunday
Scripture: John 20:1-20; Isaiah 53:5

Offered Sunday, 4/4/2021 via Facebook Live at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota Florida.

Gates of heaven joke

Mary goes to the tomb early in the morning. Can you imagine the conversation that’s happening the rest of the day! Jesus shows up in the evening. He shows up with “Peace be with you.” He shows up with his scars.                                

Where they nailed his hands and feet. Where they pierced his side with a spear. Where they slapped him and pulled out his beard. Where the flogged him on his back. Where they placed a crown of thorns on his head.

Every one of his scars tells a story- Injustice. Betrayal. Denial. Grace. Truth. Love. Victory.                  

What scars have you brought with you today? What stories do they tell?

Maybe they aren’t scars yet,  maybe they’re still wounds.

Scott Erickson, quote adapted. It starts with our own wounds. Because to bring your own wounds is to ask the Divine “Are you involved in my life at all?” Then we will encounter the wounds of those we love, and ask “are You here too?” Friends, strangers, every wound in the world begs the same question…. IS NEWNESS POSSIBLE?

Yes, newness is possible. This is the story of Jesus’ scars.

Isaiah 53:5, NIV UK. He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; (wrongdoings) the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

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You can find us live on Facebook Sundays at 9 AM and 10:30 AM, and Wednesdays at 8 AM.

© 2021 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.