December 9, 2007
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The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church Pr. Per Inge Vik Matt 3,1-12 Prepare the way! Last week we experienced the traffic chaos and the delays that occur in Minnesota when there comes a lot of snow! But during the next night, the snowplow crews were on the spot and nicely cleared at least the main roads, while the secondary roads can be quite impassable for several days. It’s a good thing that there are road workers, we are quite dependent upon them! It is advent time. I heard about some nuns in Jesus’ town of birth, Bethlehem who got a special call from God in the time of advent. They were to “be Maria”. They were to take on the role of the mother-to-be who expects her child. All Christians have a calling to give room, and prepare for Jesus’ coming. A pregnant woman doesn’t need to do anything in order to let her child grow. Nothing except eating healthy food and keeping in shape. She is not the one who makes the baby grow. She only lets it grow. She carries the child, and makes herself ready for its arrival. The time of advent is about preparing the way for the Lord. Make ready for Jesus. For his arrival. How is your advent time? What fills your mind, now in the middle of December? Our family is privileged in that we expect visitors from Norway for Christmas. When the number of people in a house is more than doubled for a couple of weeks, there is much to be prepared. We make the house ready, plan practical things and program for our Christmas guests. On the spiritual level the weeks we are in now, are meant for preparing the way for the Lord. Make ready for Jesus. For his coming. John the Baptist can help us. He is an advent person. He is the greatest and most important of the road workers for the Messiah. All the prophets during many centuries had been part of the same. John is the last prophet, the last person in the old covenant. Think back to the nuns in Bethlehem. They experienced a calling to be like Maria. The one who carried our Savior to this earth. In her way, she cleared the way for the Lord, by carrying him under her heart, and gave him birth to our world. What kind of hindrances are to be cleared away so people today can meet God? What makes it difficult to believe in Jesus and follow him? What kind of barriers must be taken away? In ourselves, in others? Is it our wealth, our materialism, that make us blind? Is it stress and hassle that make us resistant? Is it bad habits that prevent people from being where God reveals himself? Dear listener, today I want to place myself together with John the Baptist and say: The one we are expecting, - I am not worthy to untie his sandals -, he is on his way. He comes to be together with us. Not only in an unknown future. But he comes here and now! Through the word that is proclaimed. In the fellowship of all sinners that need grace, he comes with forgiveness and restoration. His baptism is a baptism with Holy Spirit and fire. The spirit that comforts and strengthens. The fire that cleanses and heats. Those are the tools he uses to let us into his kingdom. Hear this: every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So bear fruit worthy of repentance! Our calling, is together with John to be road workers. How can we take part in removing hindrances for others? Let us be conscious of how we live, and how we talk, so we do not shadow or close the way to Jesus for anybody. Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, who was, is and shall always be one true God from eternity to eternity. (Congregation responds:) Amen!
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The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church · 924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 · (612)874-0716 |