NOTICE TO ON-DEMAND WORSHIPPERS
In order to expedite posting the worship services here on our website, we are reducing the transcript to just the scriptures used and the message. Holy Communion is offered every Sunday. If you are worshipping with us online whether during the live-cast or through on-demand viewing, you are encouraged to have bread and juice or wine available as you watch the service and to participate in communion just as if you are present with us.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
God, open us to hear and receive your scriptures today as you would have us hear them, understand them as you would have us understand them, and to act upon them as you would have us act upon them.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
*Scriptures this morning are from the NRSV.
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
Galatians 4:4-7
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.
And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
Luke 2:22-40
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed–and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.
At that moment she came and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
L: The scriptures of God for the people of God.
A: Thanks be to God.
Message – Do You Hear What I Hear?*
Rev. Val
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer, and may you see fit to use me as a vessel from which you pour out your Divine Word.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Most of you are probably familiar with the carol, “Do you hear what I hear?” It’s a song about listening. As we prepare to cross the threshold tonight of the new year and considering this past year, being a listener might be a good thing. To tune into the music that is playing around us all the time, the music of the spheres, the music of heaven or of creation itself. Do you hear it?
Some of us are given musical abilities while others of us are given the gift of appreciation of musical ability. In other words, we’re given the gift of listening and appreciating what we hear while also appreciating those who can play or perform. One I used to listen to was my great grandmother. She could play piano, like it was a part of her. I know she would say she hadn’t kept up with it and wasn’t as good as she was, and I wouldn’t argue with her. But I also knew it took practice to be good. She lived in California, and we lived on the high plains, so I never saw her practice. I just saw her play. I mean, it never seemed like it was hard, like she was straining or struggling or working at it, though she may have. But it never looked like it, and rarely sounded like it. She just played. She practiced playing, and I practiced listening.
Listening doesn’t get you many admirers, not like playing does. Yet it is essential for the life or the Spirit. This Sunday after Christmas, or Watchnight service, we get to hear the story of a professional listener. A man who dedicated his life to listening. And then when the time came, he played. He sang the song he’d been listening for. He sat down to play the tune he learned by ear.
The stories of Simeon and Anna are important. We need them. We needed to listen for a while. We need to catch the tune, to follow the rhythms. Simeon learned how to listen. His name, Simeon, means “heard,” believe it or not. It was what he was born to do. So, he did. He listened; day and night he listened. He was listening for the future. He was listening for hope, the consolation of Israel, Luke tells us. He was listening for that which would bring peace, that which would bring light. He listened. Day after day, he went to the temple to listen. He heard the cries of the people. He heard the songs of the loud, happy, celebratory prayers that seemed so brash but goodhearted anyway. He heard the ritual prayers, spoken sometimes as though they had lost their meaning, and sometimes as though the meaning was so deep it resonated through the souls of those who prayed. He heard the wordless prayers that were wept from swollen and reddened eyes, wrung out of twisted scraps of cloth between hands gnarled with pain and fear. He heard the proud and grateful prayers of people who knew how blessed they were. He heard them and wept and laughed with them. He heard them all.
But Simeon heard even more because Simeon learned to listened deeper. He heard the responses. He heard the sighs of the Spirit as it flowed like wisps of comfort into the hearts of the hopeless and broken. He heard the soothing song of blessing as it played on hearts less in tune than his, but aware, nonetheless, somehow. He heard the invitation of the God he loved: to follow, to obey, to keep close and stay awake, to watch and listen. He heard the commandment not as a hammer on a cymbal, but as a finger plucking a string. He heard; somehow, he heard.
Then, that day, he heard the music shift into a higher key, a note of anticipation fulfilled, a baton pointed, a new singer taking the stage. And he followed the Director’s gaze. And welcomed the One who comes.
Then Simeon, who lived a life of listening, became a teacher of the song he knew. He sang into the hearts of those who came carrying more than they knew. His song was a gift to the church. Called the “Nunc Dimittis” from the first words of the song in Latin, “Now let” your servant depart in peace. We’ve always thought that he was saying it was time to die. Because Luke told us that Simeon was promised that he wouldn’t die until he heard what he was listening for. But maybe he is simply saying, “I’m done listening. I’ve heard all I need to hear. I’ve heard the voice of the one who sings a song of salvation, who chants the chorus of redemption. My ears are full.”
He may be done listening, but he isn’t done singing. He has to teach the song to those who will sing it. And his colleague, Anna, teaches it to all who are around them, running from one to another to make sure they sing. You can’t stand silent in this worship service; you can’t have closed lips for this hymn. Doesn’t matter whether you think you can sing or not. We need to learn the tune. The falling and the rising, the major and the minor key, that which makes us smile and that which evokes a tear. We need to sing. Might as well, our inner thoughts are revealed anyway. Simeon says so. And he ought to know. He’s been listening to those inner thoughts his whole life. And now he sings the song he learned by ear.
It takes time to learn to listen, but it is worth the effort. The Spirit rested on Simeon, Luke says, rested. Not stirred up, not agitated or poked or prodded, but rested. Maybe if we listen more to the Spirit, the voice of God, we might know rest like Jesus promised. But we can also learn to sing, to play by ear.
Paul learned that song, and he sang it every chance he got. He sang it in the fourth chapter of Galatians. He sang about God sending the Son, about redemption and adoption. He sang to us as children, with the Spirit in our hearts crying “Abba.” He sang to us as those set free, as heirs of the promise. It was one his favorites, a greatest hit he sang again and again.
Isaiah sang the song, too. His song is a fashion song, garments of salvation and robes of righteousness. We look as if we’re going to a wedding. We look like a garden in full bloom. We look like a chorus of praise singing in the heavenly choir, serenading the whole world. When Isaiah says “sing,” we can’t keep silent. Sing until everyone notices, sing until everyone hears. And what they need to hear is not us, not our song, but the composer, the conductor, the source of our music. The beauty of the proclamation of our lives is a pointer to the ongoing presence of the God for whom we sing.
I’ve spent a lot of time listening this past year. Countless hours listening to people who have been rejected by the church, and to people who have chosen … almost always for good reason … to reject the church. Many have been hurt, abused, discriminated against, chastised for having questions and doubts, or have become disillusioned.
I’ve also listened to people … including other pastors … who’ve become so consumed by their fears they have convinced themselves God fears everything they fear.
Listening takes practice but listening to hear … not to react … but to really hear … is vital if we’re sincere about loving one another as we are loved. I haven’t reached Simeon’s level of singing their songs back to them, but some of them realize I’m listening, I think, and that brings them some comfort.
This has been a tumultuous year for each of us and for so many others … a year full of ups and downs, good and bad, light and darkness. But … if we take a moment, though, and listen to it … listen for the sweet notes of the ups and the mellow tones of the lessons learned from the downs, then …
Then we can sing in the new year. Then we can sing a song of invitation, a song of welcome, a love song for everyone we meet … yes, even the folks that snarl and don’t love us back.
Then we can commit to being the sign of God’s presence at work in our world. Then we can declare as Wesley did in his Covenant prayer “I am no longer my own, but yours.” Then we can ask God to assign our parts, to rehearse us, to direct us so that we can be the choir that is needed in the cacophonous time. Let us learn to be listeners, like Simeon and let our proclamation be the tear of joy that rolls down our face when we hear the music of the One who comes in those we listen to.
Praise be to God, now and forever.
Amen.
Credits:
- Unless listed below, all works cited within the text above.
- *Adapted in full from “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Preaching Notes, Discipleship Ministries Worship Planning Series, December 31, 2023.
Copyright Disclaimer: Under §107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for educational purposes. No copyright infringement is intended. All rights belong to their respective owners.
If you are able, please consider making an offering or paying your tithes through our secure online service provided by Tithe.ly. It’s safe. It’s free. It will help us continue ministry at Union Grove. Just visit https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=65149a30-5d42-11ee-90fc-1260ab546d11 and follow the instruction for making your offering. You may be prompted to create an account with them. There is no fee for the account or for making your offering through Tithe.ly.
If you are not comfortable using a debit or credit card online, you can mail your offerings/tithes to:
Union Grove UMC
1151 Lane Drive
Friendsville, TN 37737
Please be sure to make your checks payable to "Union Grove UMC Friendsville".
Please note that 100% of offerings received during or from Second Sunday Community of Faith gatherings are redistributed to relevant community and national organizations. If you are making an offering after viewing a Second Sunday gathering, please designate "Second Sunday" (from the drop down menu on Tithe.ly or on the Memo line of your check) so we can ensure your offering is distributed accordingly.
For more information on how our offering receipts are used and our designated funds, please visit "For Those Who Are Able" on the menu bar at the top or bottom of this page.
