SURPRISING JOY!

Scripture Text: Luke 1:39-45

This story comes from a pastor in St. Louis. There was a beautification committee being formed at the church and Pastor Hill was trying to find the right person to head it up. Thumbing through his rolodex, he came across Betty Schilling. She’d be great for the job. So Pastor Hill picked up the phone and called Betty. The phone rang and rang and rang, just as Pastor Hill was about to put the phone down, the receiver on the other end was picked up.

“Hello,” said the little boy.

“Hi, this is Pastor Hill. Is your mom home?”

“She can’t come to the phone right now. She’s busy.”

Pastor Hill asked, “Can I speak to your dad, then?”

“No, he’s busy too.”

Pastor Hill, knowing the little boy had a sister, asked, “Can I speak with your sister, please?”

“Sorry, she can’t come to the phone either.”

Pastor Hill was curious as to what was going on. So he asked, “What’s everyone so busy doing?”

The little boy chuckled, “They’re looking for me.”

I suspect rushing around looking for the little boy is something that we all know a thing or two about – and I don’t mean children. In this holiday season, we scurry from store to store buying more gifts, bigger gifts for family and friends. The commercial Christmas means running from party to party until we collapse on Christmas Day. It’s a chaotic pace of grand proportions – equal to that of Clark W. Griswold’s lighting extravaganza – which leaves Advent preparations trailing in the snow. This time of year has become busier than ever with little relief in sight.

In our text this morning, the fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear the story of the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth. These two pregnant women of Jesus and John exchange greetings that are unique to say the least – little John leaping in the womb. The narrative affirms the announcement of Gabriel’s words to young Mary regarding the child in her womb.

What must that whole experience have been like for Mary? Are there any parents present this morning in the congregation? What was it like when you were expecting your first child? If anyone felt that it was simple and relaxing, then I want to speak with you after worship. I know Laura and I were busy trying to get things done. There was the nursery to decorate, doctor’s appointments to keep, Lamaze classes to attend, people wanted to see us, and a host of other activities. We were running, running, running! Does that resonate with anyone else?

Now, of course, Mary didn’t do all the things that we do today, but I imagine she had her own hectic schedule to maintain. After Mary’s visit from Gabriel, the text states, “She set out and went with haste.” In addition to everything else in her world, Mary receives this holy message and hurries to Zechariah’s house to speak with Elizabeth. It appears Mary is one busy girl.

As soon as Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice, baby John leaps for joy inside her womb. This is the beginning of John’s and Jesus’ ministry together. Elizabeth is moved to exclaim, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Elizabeth announces in her very own way, the same message as Gabriel, that God is working through Mary to bring about a blessing to all the world. The Lord is preparing Mary to share the gift of Immanuel – “God with us.”

When we view this story as a whole, and not in these fragmented sections, we see that there was quite a bit happening and that this was a busy time. Yet, in the midst of such chaos the surprising joy of peaceful praise is present. We hear Mary’s song – the Magnificat – followed by three months of Mary and Elizabeth being together to support one another. Then the surprising joy of God’s promise and blessing in the birth of our Savior arrives.

Today is a busy day! For many of you, Christmas Eve is a flurry of activity between going to church, traveling to spend time with family and opening up gifts. It’s also a busy day for me. In a large church like ours I will be here for four worship services. The day began at 9:00 a.m. in preparation for this service. I’ll dash home at 5:30 p.m. to grab a bite to eat before coming back at 9:00 p.m. tonight. My guess is the day will end around midnight.

I admit this afternoon will be a wild spectacle between the two family Christmas pageants. The number of people coming through this door will make my head spin. I’ll probably be walking one way while talking to someone else going in the opposite direction more than once. I’ll mix up a few names by the end of the night. But thankfully my meal will be at home and not Fazoli’s or Hardee’s this year.

Interestingly, though, in spite of the busy day and the controlled chaos, there is a sense of peace. Through worship and praise, I am grounded and centered in God’s word made flesh in the Christ-child that overcomes all the things that might be a distraction. It’s difficult to describe how even when everything is swirling around you there is an inner serenity that pervades your whole being. What a surprising joy to encounter the glorious stillness of this day amidst the busyness. Ironic how that happens! However, when God entered this world through the birth of Jesus Christ everything was turned upside-down, and made mysteriously paradoxical.

I believe Mary (and Elizabeth) probably experienced the surprising joy of God’s glory amidst the busyness. These two pregnant women were able to welcome and receive the holy message in the face of everything around them. They are a model of discipleship for the way in which we can embrace the stillness in spite of the busyness; they are a model of discipleship for the way in which we can receive the blessed gift of the baby Jesus regardless of the events and activities bombarding us.

My hope and prayer is that each one of us experiences the surprising joy that God offers in this season and in every season. May each one of us be filled with the holy presence of this surprising joy to support and sustain us on the pilgrimage.

So hear the good news: we don’t have to rush around searching for the little boy because we have already found him. He is the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger. He is the surprising joy in life that keeps us Christ-centered when everything else is chaotic. Thanks be to God for the gift of the baby Jesus! Amen.

Sermon preached by Reverend Kevin P. Gregory at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Appleton, Wisconsin on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2006.