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DECEMBER SERMON SERIES: "MARY CHRISTMAS - Mary: Woman of Sorrow" - December 20, 2015 - Senior Pastor Scott Christenson

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St. Paul's Lutheran Church Orange, CA

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one of the most touching Christmas stories that I've ever read I was written a few years ago by a syndicated on this named Greg Romo and I'd like to begin today by Sherry and Greg's Christmas Story with you  you writes my Vivid Christmas Memories around my father when I was six he braved the snowstorm one Christmas Eve taking two buses can walking almost a mile just so he could surprise me with a puppy several years later we trudged home together after a midnight Christmas keep service through a blizzard the snow Sparkle like a million diamonds as its world through the air and drifted along the side of the road when I was growing up we always celebrated Christmas Day at my aunt's house she was a great cook  her special Muse included fresh ham stuffed turkey potato casserole laced with mozzarella and covered with breadcrumbs and Chestnut pie topped with whipped cream those memories are priceless but the events of Christmas day in 1996 overshadowed them all  that morning are two sons were opening their gifts under the tree in the living room while carols play in the background the Aromas of bacon coffee and Nutmeg and cinnamon laced French toast wafted through the house as my cooked breakfast  the telephone rang and she answered it with a cheerful hello Merry Christmas long silence  suddenly my wife gasp oh no  Greg it's your parents neighbor he says your dad fell and he can't get up  she handed me the telephone  my knees grew weaker as I listen to the details daddy been getting dressed for church that morning when he lost his balance while putting on a pair of trousers he fell over backwards into bathroom and now he couldn't move I jumped into the car for the 20 minute drive to my parents apartment and by the time I dad was in an ambulance he was lying on a stretcher his neck in a brace he broke his neck didney I whispered  we're not sure but we think so the attendant replied  the ambulance brought dad to St closest hospital in Paterson while I gathered a few of Mom's belongings and drove her back to our home what happened to that nice man kiosked  mom was suffering from Alzheimer's disease the nice man was her husband dad promise to love Mom and to care for her in sickness and in health until death do us part  he was doing his best to live up to that promise did made almost 50 years ago is mom's condition and we're Cindy couldn't care for her alone anymore he sold their home in New York need a move to West Milford the weekend before Thanksgiving so they would be closer to us those plans had just changed forever after I got Mom settled in her home I drove to the hospital dad had already been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit he was on his check his head locked into a position by a metal frame that had been screwed into his skull hi son you said forcing a smile  what a Christmas present this was  he has tell Mom and the grandchildren were doing and then he said when I'm up and around in a few days we'll get together and celebrate Christmas  I leaned over and kissed him and told him I'll be back momentarily I walked into the adjacent waiting room  he doesn't know how badly he's hurt I thought as tears welled up in my eyes finally to doctors appeared in the doorway they're Grim faces told the story dad died two days later his last words to me as he struggled for breath were you're not my little boy anymore take care of Mom none of my aunts and uncles attended his funeral they doll past hey years earlier  mom wasn't there either  we decided it was better for her to believe that the nice man had simply gone away the people at the nursing home where she now lived where nice people also when dad died what does me died with him I lost the last person on this Earth with whom I could share my childhood Christmas Memories and today is I remember that Christmas Eve when he walked into the kitchen with a puppy in his arms or our walk home together from church in the snow storm I am reminded how much I miss him  that's quite a story even though we may not have experienced exactly what a Greg Romo did that terrible Christmas I think he Express his thoughts and emotions that men does sheer today can relate to because you know the for many people the hardest thing about the Christmas season is not the stress and frenzy and difficult family Dynamics to navigate or all the many things to do for many the most difficult part of the holidays is that brings feelings of a deep sadness and emptiness of the Soul what's supposed to be a time of great joy can in fact be a time of great grief for some and maybe it's been that way for you to this year and if Christmas seems more like something to be endured than to be enjoyed this year I want invite you to listen to everything Greg Rummel wrote  she left out a little part that he wrote at the beginning  I didn't pay much attention to it self the first time I read it but the second time I read it it's really stood out to me  just before telling this terrible story about his dad he wrote these words  you said we all long for the perfect holiday is the year ends in the new one begin to savor the peace and joy of the Season we must reconcile the disappointments the tragedies of the past year and deed are in your lifetime as well as the Triumph large and small  the words that really struck me where were the words to savor the peace and joy of the season  she Greg Rumble story is not just a sad story it's also an odd sort of story  me can you imagine this pipe all the terrible memories that Christmas now brings still believes that he can save her the peace and joy of the season in fact he doesn't just believe that he can do that he does do that I don't you wonder how in the world that can be I read that story and I can't help but think about the story of Simeon from Luke 2 that we read Because much like Greg Ramos free it's a true story and it's both sad and a little odd  show me a meets up with Mary and Joseph turn the temple and he has the day of his life I mean I picture him just like this smiling and laughing and dancing and singing and this is the odd part  the reason he's smiling and laughing and dancing and singing is because he just gotten some news from God  and what is the news  the news is he's going to die he's going to die soon  that's kind of odd isn't it many read little further down to verse 34 and it gets odder still is Sue me and says to Mary about her baby Jesus of this child is destined to cause the fall turn rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed and a sword will pierce her own soul to  assuming of course is talking about the agony that Mary will have to endure many years later save on her little baby becomes a man she will have to watch him go to the cross of Calvary and endure horrific suffering to save the gold from Sand  but what strikes me as odd about these words as how it looked introduces them verse 34 says this then Simeon blessed them and said to marry these things we think about that. That's a blessing  your child will cause many to fall he will be spoken grandstand the sword will pierce your own soul too that's a blessing that kind of blessing makes you long for a curse another story kind of true story in a sad story 10 short of an odd story  1970s Horatio spafford was a Chicago lawyer he invested most of his money in real estate and he was financially devastated by the great Chicago fire of 1871 shortly before the fire his son died tragically so true years later spafford and his family desperately needed some rest and so he planned the trip to Europe with his wife and four remaining children  some last-minute business matters came up however and not wanting to waste any more tickets than necessary spafford put his wife and daughters on a ship sailing for Great Britain and he promised that he would take another ship himself in a few days and come and meet up with them days later the ship carrying his wife and daughters was struck by another ship it sank to the bottom of the ocean all four of his remaining children drowned life was saved and she sent him the devastating news in the two-word cable  shaved alone Horatio spafford immediately got on the next ship to meet his grieving wife and he came to the place where all is remaining children were lost he went back to his cabin and he began to rights you might expect a man in those kind of circumstances to be writing a suicide note perhaps  instead words that would become the lyrics of one of Chris and Dums most treasured hymns in the midst of unimaginable Reef  Horatio spafford wrote when peace like a river attendeth my way when Sorrows like sea billows troll whatever my lot Val has taught me to say it is well  it Is Well with My Soul friends how do you explain these bizarre stories explain a man who finds he can Savor the peace and joy of the very day his father died  how do you explain a man who sings dances and laughs and smiles on the day he receives a death sentence from God  how do you explain a woman who receives the news the piercing of her own soul as a blessing  how to explain a man who loses all he possesses and nearly everyone he loved still says it Is Well with My Soul there's only one explanation all of the stories while very diverse and time and circumstances have something in common  I mean credible message of Hope encouragement from God for you today and especially for those of you who are struggling this Christmas season is that you can Savor the peace and joy of this season also you can call yourself blessed you can sing it Is Well with My Soul no matter what your circumstances are if you share with them what they all had in common I didn't tell you how Greg rumbles story began I also didn't tell you how it ends  this is how the story of his father's death actually ends he writes today as I remember that Christmas Eve as he walked into the kitchen with a puppy in his arms and our walk home together from church in the snow storm I am reminded how much I miss him  but then I am also reminded of God the Father's Promise to me through his little boy Jesus Christ that he would be, father of the fatherless  and my grief is comforted by a piece surpasses all understanding the stories are all different but they all mentioned two things first the very real presence of Jesus Christ Simeon and Mary held him in their own arms and yet Christ's presence was no less real to Greg Romo who realize that the words of almighty God we're a personal promise to him it was equally real to Horatio spafford on that boat  he was overcome by an unimaginable grief and yet in that very he was equally overcome by a Living Hope  has she remember that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and have shed his own blood for my soul  they all mentioned Jesus coincidentally they all mentioned peace Simeon could say Sovereign Lord as you have promised you now dismiss your 17 piece  Horatio spafford would sing peace like a river attendeth my way now  Greg Rama woodwright my grief is comforted by a peace that surpasses all understanding and again we ask how you say such things in these circumstances  well they could say it because that is precisely what Jesus Christ came to Earth to do he said himself through Isaiah that he came not just to live the perfect life that we never live not simply to Die the death that we deserve to die because of our sin and not only to rise again and give us eternal life no Christ came he to bind up the Brokenhearted to Proclaim freedom for the captives and release from Darkness for the prisoners to Proclaim the year of the Lord's favor to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of Ashes the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a Garment of Praise instead of a spirit of despair those are beautifully poetic words aren't they friends don't think for one moment but that's all that they are  the Lord Jesus does what he says  that's you did for Simeon  that's what he did for Mary  that's what he did for Horatio spafford and Greg Rummel it's what he's done for me is upon millions of people throughout the ages who have called upon his name  and it's what he'd like to do for you too let's bow our heads and pray Lord Jesus  help us to discern your presence Among Us help us to know your peace no matter what circumstances are  help us to experience the hope that only you can give  not just at Christmas but every day we ask it in your name I'm in

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DECEMBER SERMON SERIES: "MARY CHRISTMAS - Mary: Woman of Sorrow" - December 20, 2015 - Senior Pastor Scott Christenson

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