{"id":2513,"date":"2022-12-24T17:38:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-25T01:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/?p=2513"},"modified":"2023-03-07T13:23:27","modified_gmt":"2023-03-07T21:23:27","slug":"be-not-afraid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/?p=2513","title":{"rendered":"Be Not Afraid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In the Christmas story, angels tell Mary, Joseph and later the Shepherds, \u201cDo not be afraid.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Something wonderful but challenging is happening, the old order is disturbed.\u00a0\u00a0If we wish to change our lives or change the world around us we must accept risk, suffer uncertainty, and go to the place where \u201chopes and fears are met.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/OBpHcw4JgaQ\">Watch a video of this worship service<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, to give her the news that she had found favor with God and would soon become pregnant by the Holy Spirit, the angel said, \u201cGreetings, favored one!&nbsp;&nbsp;The Lord is with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hearing this, according to Luke, Mary, \u201cwas much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, \u201cthe angel said to her, \u2018Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.&nbsp;&nbsp;And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The angel comes with good news.&nbsp;&nbsp;But Mary is confused and the angel needs to reassure her.&nbsp;&nbsp;\u201cDo not be afraid,\u201d says the angel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the carol, \u201cGo Tell it on the Mountain\u201d the second verse tells us, \u201cWhen lo! Above the earth, rang out the angel chorus that hailed the baby\u2019s birth,\u201d \u201cthe shepherds,\u201d according to the carol, \u201cfeared and trembled.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The reading from Luke gives us the scene this way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. &nbsp;An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Terrified, by the angel and by the glory of the Lord shinning around them.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fear and trembling.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not amazed, thrilled, or inspired by the angel who has come with good news that will bring great joy to all the people, but terrified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An angel appears to Joseph, too, in the part of the Christmas story recorded in Matthew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joseph learns that the woman he loves, the woman he has promised to marry, but hasn\u2019t married yet, is pregnant.&nbsp;&nbsp;He doesn\u2019t want to raise another man\u2019s child, nor expose Mary to public disgrace, so he plans to divorce her, \u201cquietly\u201d says Matthew.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph.&nbsp;&nbsp;This angel comes in a dream.&nbsp;&nbsp;And the first words of the angel are, \u201cJoseph, son of David, do not be afraid.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;In this case, the angel means, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because this child is not another man\u2019s child but is God incarnate come to save his people from their sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is good news.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mary will be provided for, and Joseph\u2019s honor preserved.&nbsp;&nbsp;It\u2019s strange news, very strange, but also very good news.&nbsp;&nbsp;The angels in the Christmas story have only good news to deliver, to Mary, to Joseph, to the shepherds, the best news possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;So why is everyone so frightened?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It may be that the appearance of the angel itself is the frightening thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Angels are described in various ways in the Bible, from looking so much like a human being that we don\u2019t recognize them amongst us, to some very strange beings we would definitely notice:&nbsp;&nbsp;angels completely covered with eyes, angels having four wings or occasionally six, angels sometimes with four faces like a lion, an ox, a human, and an eagle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those appearances would be terrifying.&nbsp;&nbsp;And even if they looked as angels are depicted in renaissance paintings, and in the angels on top of a Christmas tree, the sudden appearance of an otherworldly being in your room, in the sky, or even in a dream, would be frightening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But something else is frightening, too, about the angel\u2019s visit.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not how they look, but what they say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The angel tells Mary that she\u2019s about to become pregnant, but not by her intended husband or by any other man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The angel tells Joseph that the woman he intends to marry will be the mother of God, and their son, which he will be partly responsible for raising, well save all humanity from sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The angel tells the shepherds that the long-promised Messiah has finally arrived, meaning the holy war that will establish God\u2019s kingdom on Earth is about to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is all good news, presumably.&nbsp;&nbsp;But it\u2019s frightening, too.&nbsp;&nbsp;Too much.&nbsp;&nbsp;Too strange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn\u2019t the life Mary and Joseph had imagined for themselves:&nbsp;&nbsp;a modest life as a carpenter in Nazareth.&nbsp;&nbsp;This isn\u2019t the life that the shepherds had imagined for themselves:&nbsp;&nbsp;that this would be the generation when the Messiah appeared.&nbsp;&nbsp;If the prophecies were true the entire social order was about to be overturned.&nbsp;&nbsp;That may be welcome news, but it\u2019s scary, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mary may have wondered what exactly the Lord was about to ask of her, and whether she had an option to say \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t hear news of that magnitude in our lives, fortunately, I\u2019m going to say.&nbsp;&nbsp;But we do hear news, now and then, that for us personally has that big news affect:&nbsp;&nbsp;after the news our lives will change, the old order is about to be exchanged for something new.&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe not \u201cthe world is about to change.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;But certainly \u201cyour world is about to change.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe not human history is about to change.&nbsp;&nbsp;But suddenly, \u201cyour story is about to change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your child comes out to you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Your job is moving to Nashville.&nbsp;&nbsp;That stomach pain turns out to be more serious than just indigestion.&nbsp;&nbsp;COVID hits.&nbsp;&nbsp;There\u2019s conflict in the church.&nbsp;&nbsp;There\u2019s a war in Ukraine.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bottom drops out of the housing market.&nbsp;&nbsp;You get the part.&nbsp;&nbsp;You get accepted to your first choice college.&nbsp;&nbsp;The woman of your dreams says Yes.&nbsp;&nbsp;The baby arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it\u2019s news this large it hardly matters whether it\u2019s good news or bad, our response, like the response from Mary and Joseph and the shepherds is like their response.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fear and trembling.&nbsp;&nbsp;Resistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Grumbling, not gratitude.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because who wants our world to change?&nbsp;&nbsp;Who\u2019s prepared for that new life?&nbsp;&nbsp;Mary and Joseph were doing OK.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Plans for marriage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Plans to start a family when they were ready.&nbsp;&nbsp;Their lives ahead of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;It isn\u2019t just the angel that\u2019s frightening.&nbsp;&nbsp;It\u2019s the realization that every part of their lives has just been upended.&nbsp;&nbsp;And although the angel re-assures them, it\u2019s still Mary and Joseph who have to deal with the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shepherds were OK.&nbsp;&nbsp;A quiet night under the stars.&nbsp;&nbsp;The murmuring sheep.&nbsp;&nbsp;Everything was comfortable.&nbsp;&nbsp;Everything was cozy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then, Wham!&nbsp;&nbsp;Angels!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I sympathize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I also wonder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When, in our lives, do we settle for the comfortable and the cozy, when something else, something more, is available?&nbsp;&nbsp;When do we push away the needful change, because of the anxiety change brings?&nbsp;&nbsp;When is great, good news, offered to us, and because it comes at us too bright and too loud and we weren\u2019t expecting it, our fear and trembling causes us to push it away?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet isn\u2019t the spiritual journey about change?&nbsp;&nbsp;Aren\u2019t we here because we long for transformation?&nbsp;&nbsp;We want to be better, to be stronger, to be more healthy, to be more loving and tolerant and compassionate, more creative, more helpful, more beautiful in body and soul, more successful in our material lives and in our soul-work.&nbsp;&nbsp;We want to know more, to be more involved, to have more joy, be more effective, to know more peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every element on that list calls for us to change.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet when change is offered, we refuse.&nbsp;&nbsp;When the time of transformation is announced, we resist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And all that we want for ourselves, we want for the world around us, too.&nbsp;&nbsp;We do want the world to change.&nbsp;&nbsp;The world needs saving from its sin.&nbsp;&nbsp;The \u201cworldly din\u201d as the carol says, needs quieting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We desire change, all the time, everywhere.&nbsp;&nbsp;We pray for change.&nbsp;&nbsp;We long for change.&nbsp;&nbsp;We even work for change.&nbsp;&nbsp;But when the way of change is finally opened to us, we respond with fear.&nbsp;&nbsp;It\u2019s too much.&nbsp;&nbsp;We retreat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I would be afraid, too, if an angel appeared in my bedroom or in the sky above the Hollywood Hills.&nbsp;&nbsp;That\u2019s the way of angels.&nbsp;&nbsp;And they know by now the first words out of their mouths need to be:&nbsp;&nbsp;\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But then.&nbsp;&nbsp;Once the fear response has eased, we need to take a deep breath and listen to what the angel says.&nbsp;&nbsp;We need to consider, without fear.&nbsp;&nbsp;To be curious.&nbsp;&nbsp;To \u201cponder\u201d as Mary does when Gabriel gives her the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feeling fear is the human response to big news of big change coming.&nbsp;&nbsp;It\u2019s OK to be fearful of change.&nbsp;&nbsp;But if we\u2019re too quick to say, \u201cNo thank you\u201d and turn away.&nbsp;&nbsp;We may miss the opportunity for the good change, the good news, we need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our instinct is to resist.&nbsp;&nbsp;To cling to what we have, even if it isn\u2019t bringing us joy.&nbsp;&nbsp;To cling to the old, even if the new way is coming and we\u2019ll soon be left behind.&nbsp;&nbsp;Resistance is natural.&nbsp;&nbsp;But it isn\u2019t the change we should resist.&nbsp;&nbsp;We should resist the urge to go back to our undisturbed dreams.&nbsp;&nbsp;We should resist the urge to look away from the sky and back to our familiar sheep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joseph and Mary felt justifiably afraid of the new lives offered to them.&nbsp;&nbsp;They could have followed their fear, gotten their divorce and followed that sad story to its sad conclusion.&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead, they went to Bethlehem and witnessed the change of history.&nbsp;&nbsp;Go to Bethlehem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shepherds felt justifiably afraid of the angel chorus.&nbsp;&nbsp;They could have disbelieved and stayed with the sheep.&nbsp;Instead, they said, \u201cLet\u2019s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Angels will appear in our lives, too.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes looking so much like humans we won\u2019t recognize them.&nbsp;&nbsp;Angels will appear telling us of good news that will bring great joy, if only we see the opportunity and take it, or accept the change and embrace it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Go to Bethlehem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The announcement will make us feel whatever we feel.&nbsp;&nbsp;That\u2019s OK.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perhaps fear.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perhaps gladness.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perhaps annoyance, or doubt.&nbsp;&nbsp;\u201cWhen love is felt or fear is known,\u201d said Max Coots in our opening words.&nbsp;&nbsp;That\u2019s the sign of an angel appearance.&nbsp;&nbsp;\u201cWhen something sacred is sensed in soil or sky.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mark the time.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Find your friends and say, \u201cI had the weirdest dream last night.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;Or ask your friends, \u201cI think I\u2019m going to say yes to this change.&nbsp;&nbsp;What do you think?\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\u201cRespond with thought or prayer or smile or grief.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;And then go.&nbsp;&nbsp;Trust the scary angel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Go.&nbsp;&nbsp;Go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go to Bethlehem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Christmas story, angels tell Mary, Joseph and later the Shepherds, \u201cDo not be afraid.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Something wonderful but challenging is&hellip; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/?p=2513\">Read more <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Be Not Afraid<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons","category-writing"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2513"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2632,"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513\/revisions\/2632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhmcd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}