Theological Status: Critical Concern
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Thyatira
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
Why strictly "Mark & Avoid"?
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This church's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This church's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
🧐 Overview
Sermon Summary: Using the movie 'Home Alone,' this sermon attempts to connect the feeling of peace with the work of justice. It argues that to find personal and communal wholeness, we must actively work for justice and seek reconciliation. However, the message dangerously suggests that peace is something we 'make' or 'earn' through our efforts, rather than a gift received from God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Big Idea: If we want to know peace as God brings it, we have to be willing to know and work for justice, not just in society, but in our own personal lives. [00:32:47 ▶️ 📄]
Pastoral Analysis: This sermon presents a fundamentally flawed soteriology. By positing that peace is the result of human works of justice ('If we want to know peace... we have to be willing to... work for justice'), it inverts the gospel order. It functionally teaches a synergistic or works-based model for achieving spiritual wholeness, which obscures the finished work of Christ and places the burden of reconciliation on the sinner. This is a form of legalism that cannot produce true, lasting peace with God.
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Thyatira — The sermon promotes a seductive teaching that peace is achieved through human works of justice, leading believers away from reliance on Christ's finished work.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Fundamentally in Error
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Soteriology | ❌ FAIL | The sermon teaches that peace (wholeness/reconciliation) is achieved through human works of justice and personal effort ('peace is something that we make'). This is a synergistic framework that makes peace conditional upon human action, rather than a gift of God received by grace alone through faith in Christ's finished work. |
| Bibliology | ✅ PASS | The sermon references Scripture as an authoritative source, but its application is flawed. |
| Hermeneutic | ❌ FAIL | The hermeneutic is anthropocentric. It uses the text as a pretext to promote a message of human-centered effort, where man's work for justice becomes the mechanism for achieving peace, rather than God's grace in Christ. |
| Theology Proper | ⚠️ WEAK | While not explicitly heretical, the sermon's focus on human agency functionally diminishes God's sovereignty and monergistic work in salvation and sanctification. God's role is reduced to that of a guide, rather than the author and finisher of our faith. |
| Sacramentology | ⚪ N/A | Communion was not observed in the provided transcript. |
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
Primary Text: Isaiah 11:1-10 (Topical (Safe))
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 10 | Referenced: 4 | Alluded: 1
Passages Read Aloud:
Key References: Luke 4, Luke 2, Luke 1, Genesis
Christological Connection: None (Moralistic): Christ is presented as the Prince of Peace and the ultimate model for justice, but the primary mechanism for the congregation to achieve peace (wholeness/shalom) is through human effort, action, and 'making the first move' toward justice and reconciliation (0:40:54, 0:42:31). This shifts the focus from Christ's finished work to human imperative.
🧱 Sermon Outline
- Defining Peace as Wholeness and the Need for Justice [00:26:27 ▶️ 📄] : The speaker defines biblical peace (shalom) as wholeness, not the absence of conflict, and introduces the concept that justice is central to God's story.
- The Messiah Brings Justice (Isaiah 11) [00:29:28 ▶️ 📄] : Analysis of Isaiah 11, showing that the Messiah will judge impartially, create justice for the poor, and only then will the vision of the peaceable kingdom be realized.
- The Home Alone Illustration: Injustice and Reconciliation [00:35:19 ▶️ 📄] : Using Kevin McAllister and Old Man Marley to illustrate personal injustice and the necessity of making the first move toward reconciliation to achieve peace.
- Conclusion: Living into Justice and Peace [00:40:03 ▶️ 📄] : A final call to action, stating that peace is not a wish but a present reality achieved by working for justice and allowing Jesus to be born in us.
🗝️ Key Topics & Themes
- Justice : The consistent goal of the Kingdom of God; doing what is right for the poor and oppressed.
- Peace : Defined as wholeness (shalom), achieved through the work of justice and reconciliation.
- Reconciliation : The act of making the first move to restore relationships, exemplified by Marley and Kevin.
- Advent : The season of waiting for the coming of the Prince of Peace.
✅ Commendations
Homiletics | Effective Definition of Peace
At 00:27:02 ▶️ 📄, you correctly define the biblical concept of peace not merely as an absence of conflict, but as the presence of 'wholeness' (shalom). This is a strong and helpful starting point for the congregation.
Pastoral Theology | Desire for Tangible Faith
The impulse to connect the internal reality of faith with the external work of justice is commendable. The desire to see believers engage with the needs of the poor and oppressed is a biblical one.
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🔴 Synergistic Soteriology (Works-Based Peace)
Root Cause: Semi-Pelagianism / Synergism. This error teaches that salvation is a cooperative effort between God and man. By making the experience of peace conditional upon man's willingness to 'work for justice,' the sermon assumes man has the inherent ability to initiate the actions that lead to spiritual wholeness, which denies the doctrine of total depravity and undermines salvation by grace alone.
"If we want to know peace as God brings it, we have to be willing to know and work for justice in our lives." [00:33:47 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Scripture teaches that peace with God is not something we achieve, but something we receive. 'Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:1). Our works of justice do not create this peace; they flow from it. We are 'created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them' (Ephesians 2:10). Peace is also a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), not a product of human willpower.
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:08:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
You have to sing the last line.
[00:08:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
And Monica.
[00:08:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
We are so glad you're here.
[00:08:26] Welcome to Williamson's Chapel United Methodist Church's 930 worship service.
[00:08:32] Welcome to those of you here in person today and those of you watching online.
[00:08:37] It's kind of a foggy, cold morning today, so those of you who braved that to get out here, we're certainly glad you did.
[00:08:44] This worship service, as in all of our worship services, are meaningful and
[00:08:49] We are so glad that you are here to experience those with us today.
[00:08:53] My name is Monica Humple.
[00:08:54] I'm the Associate Pastor of Engagement.
[00:08:56] And after worship today, if you are new or newer, this is your first time here, maybe you've been coming for just a little while, and you want to know more about
[00:09:06] Church, its ministries, its missions.
[00:09:08] Maybe you're curious about the share Christmas signs you see up all over the place.
[00:09:13] I want to tell you more about that.
[00:09:14] So after worship today, I'm going to be at a little cart right to the left, right behind the Christmas tree out in the lobby area.
[00:09:20] Come say hi to me after worship.
[00:09:21] I have a gift for you just for being here today, and I want to answer any questions you have.
[00:09:26] And more importantly, I just want to say hello and Merry Christmas and
[00:09:29] Shake your hand in person so I hope to see you there.
[00:09:32] We have a QR code up on the screen right here.
[00:09:36] So if you're not able to stick around after worship, please take just a moment and scan that.
[00:09:40] Just let us know you're here and then you can ask your questions that way.
[00:09:44] But either way, guys, what a beautiful Advent morning to be together in the house of God.
[00:09:49] So let us continue to worship together.
[00:09:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Good morning church.
[00:09:53] My name is Carrie Wright.
[00:09:54] I am the worship leader.
[00:09:55] Eli, you can come on up.
[00:09:57] We're going to get ready for our Advent lighting in just a minute.
[00:10:00] You, I hope, got, when you came in, a ticket.
[00:10:03] We are doing a series on movies.
[00:10:07] We were hardcore in all of our themes all the way through the fall, and we wanted to think about a little bit lighter, but also how does the Advent time, that time frame,
[00:10:20] Getting Us Till Christmas.
[00:10:22] How does that impact our lives?
[00:10:24] And if you are like most families, like mine, you're running around trying to get all the things done, right?
[00:10:31] You're trying to make it happen.
[00:10:32] And we experienced that.
[00:10:33] You got a little bit of Home Alone this morning.
[00:10:36] And kids who are very sad about that, don't worry.
[00:10:38] There's more Home Alone coming.
[00:10:40] It will happen.
[00:10:40] There's more movie coming.
[00:10:42] I heard earlier, are we watching Home Alone today?
[00:10:45] And I said, yes.
[00:10:46] Not the whole thing.
[00:10:47] And they said, yes!
[00:10:48] I'm very excited about Home Alone.
[00:10:50] So if you're thinking about that movie of the chaos of this family trying to get out on their Christmas vacation and forgetting somebody.
[00:11:00] Don't you feel like that sometimes?
[00:11:01] I might forget something.
[00:11:03] I'm going to forget to bring a gift.
[00:11:04] I was supposed to do blah, blah, blah, whatever the things are.
[00:11:09] And so today we're talking about peace.
[00:11:11] Where do we find peace in the midst of this?
[00:11:16] Because you can't change it.
[00:11:17] You can't make it go away necessarily, but we can focus on the peace.
[00:11:22] Last week was hope and this week is peace.
[00:11:26] And part of that peace and hope and joy came last night when we got to celebrate with our children as they led our musical.
[00:11:34] It was a fantastic night.
[00:11:36] If you missed it, hopefully you'll get to see some of those pictures that are going around on Facebook.
[00:11:40] And thank you to all of our children who did just an amazing job proclaiming the word to us last night.
[00:11:46] So as we begin, I invite you to let the presence of Christ settle into your spirit.
[00:11:54] And to hear these words as we light the second candle this week.
[00:11:59] Will you stand please?
[00:12:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]:
The one who will rule Israel is from of old, from the ancient days.
[00:12:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
The one on whom we wait is from the most unexpected place, from Bethlehem.
[00:12:12] The shepherd's mother is in labor.
[00:12:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]:
The whole world cries out with her in labor pains.
[00:12:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We need the shepherd to stand and feed his flock.
[00:12:21] For the whole world is groaning in need of God's peace.
[00:12:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]:
We light the peace candle this week because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
[00:12:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
In Jesus, we shall live securely as Christ's peace extends to the ends of the earth.
[00:12:39] God of Peace, you send us the Prince of Peace.
[00:12:44] We long for his peace to rule in our lives and relationships.
[00:12:50] We yearn for every corner of your world to be subject to your peace.
[00:12:57] We eagerly await the days when your whole flock will live in the security of your peace.
[00:13:05] May we, through the power of your Spirit, shine in the peace of Christ in the darkness.
[00:13:13] In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:13:16] Amen.
[00:13:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free.
[00:13:45] From our fears and sins release us Let us find our rest in Thee Israel's strength and consolation Hope of all the earth Thou art
[00:14:12] Dear desire of every nation, Joy of all mankind,
[00:14:40] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:14:54] Amen.
[00:15:43] You draw the hearts of shepherds You draw the hearts of kings And even as a baby You were changing everything You called me to Your kingdom Before Your lips could speak And even as a baby You were reaching out for me
[00:17:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
You may be seated.
[00:17:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You may have been given one of these cards.
[00:17:22] Hopefully you picked up one of these cards on your way into worship this morning.
[00:17:27] Which one side is all of the activities we have during Advent and Christmas.
[00:17:33] A lot of great stuff happening.
[00:17:35] And the other side explains the tree we see in the narthex, our generosity tree.
[00:17:40] and just on your way out between service this morning or in the next couple of weeks just take a look at all the tags on the ornaments you see the explanation there about how you can give a gift in this season to
[00:17:56] Purchase an ornament but what's behind that is us expressing why we are giving what God has done and is doing through Williamson's Chapel take a look at those tags and what I love about that is there's a variety of things variety of different ministries and things we do here music ministry adult education children and youth our pastoral care we offer just a number of different things on that are
[00:18:22] why people have been blessed and why people give we give not out of a sense of duty or obligation but out of joyful loving response to all that God has done is doing and will do for us and is doing in and through the life of Williamson's Chapel just one quick example last night our children
[00:18:47] But on the Christmas program, Dr. Newhart.
[00:18:50] And it was outstanding.
[00:18:52] It was amazing.
[00:18:58] We do things like that because of the gifts and tithes and offerings you give.
[00:19:03] That is true of everything else you see on this list and so many other things besides what's on these cards.
[00:19:10] So first of all, in regards to that, I want to say thank you for your generosity.
[00:19:14] I want to encourage you to continue giving and responding to God's generosity through your giving.
[00:19:22] But also I want to invite and encourage you
[00:19:24] To add to the generosity tree and add to that list of whys that we see out there in the narthex.
[00:19:31] You see on the screen a number for the generosity tree but there's also a screen for the offering, I hope, with a QR code for giving to the church.
[00:19:41] Back one slide.
[00:19:42] There it is.
[00:19:43] You can scan that QR code or drop your offering in the baskets.
[00:19:46] They're getting ready to come by or mail it to the church office.
[00:19:53] Either way, we want to say thank you for how you're responding to what God is doing here at Williamson's.
[00:20:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]:
of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow the snow well I'm
[00:20:45] Dreaming of a white Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days, may your days, may your days be merry and white And may all your Christmases be white
[00:21:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_12]:
Well, I'm dreaming of a wild Christmas Just like the ones I used to know Where the treetops glisten And children listen to hear
[00:21:40] Three bells in the snow, the snow Well, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm a-dreaming of a wine Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days, may your days be all merry and bright
[00:22:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]:
And may all your Christmases be wine.
[00:22:17] And may all your Christmases be wine.
[00:22:25] And may all your Christmases be wine.
[00:22:35] Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
[00:23:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
The scripture today comes from Isaiah 11 verses 1 through 10.
[00:23:18] A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
[00:23:26] The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
[00:23:37] His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
[00:23:39] He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth.
[00:23:51] He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
[00:23:57] Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
[00:24:03] The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
[00:24:07] The calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them.
[00:24:12] The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
[00:24:19] The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
[00:24:27] They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
[00:24:35] On the day of the Root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples.
[00:24:39] The nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
[00:24:43] The word of God for all people.
[00:24:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Well, good morning, church.
[00:24:59] It's good to see y'all as I'm hanging out here in the Home Alone house.
[00:25:03] I hope no criminals come running in here because that would be bad.
[00:25:09] My name is Pastor Tony Ruth.
[00:25:11] My husband Wes and I are the senior co-pastors here.
[00:25:13] And if you are visiting with us for the first time, we're so glad that you're here.
[00:25:17] If you're worshiping with us online, we're so glad that you've joined us in worship this morning.
[00:25:21] We're going to have a good time today thinking a little bit about one of my favorite Christmas movies, Home Alone.
[00:25:27] But before we do that, I want to invite everybody to just take a deep breath in and let's pray.
[00:25:31] Deep breath in.
[00:25:33] And breathe it out.
[00:25:37] Let's do that again because I need to.
[00:25:38] Deep breath in.
[00:25:40] Breathe it out.
[00:25:45] Holy God, this season we need you to come and to remind us about our deep need and why you really came into the world.
[00:25:55] To remind us that it's less about the presence and more about our need for a Savior that brings us wholeness.
[00:26:04] Our Savior that works justice in the world.
[00:26:07] Our Savior that brings us hope and joy and love that can quench every thirst of our heart.
[00:26:15] So would you, Lord, please help us make a little space for you this season.
[00:26:22] In the name of Jesus we pray.
[00:26:24] Amen.
[00:26:27] I remember this protest song, this sign, in my childhood.
[00:26:31] I actually had to look up its origins because I didn't know it, the roots of this no justice, no peace protest.
[00:26:37] They lie in racial injustice and systemic racism, protests against those things, all the way back to the 1980s.
[00:26:46] You can interpret this sign, no justice, no peace, several ways.
[00:26:49] The least charitable is that until there is justice, we're going to keep creating conflict.
[00:26:55] The more appropriate is that there can be no peace, or as the Bible understands that word, wholeness.
[00:27:02] Not the absence of conflict, but the presence of wholeness.
[00:27:06] There can be no wholeness in the world until systems that cause a lack of wholeness for anyone are addressed.
[00:27:16] That second understanding is sort of like the African concept of Ubuntu that says that your humanity and my humanity are deeply connected to one another and to the extent that you are dehumanized, I am dehumanized.
[00:27:31] So I have to care about your humanity if I want to care about mine.
[00:27:37] Justice, friends, is central to the story of God redeeming the world.
[00:27:44] Can't read the Bible and not see a call to justice.
[00:27:48] It's one of the most consistent goals of the kingdom of God in the scripture.
[00:27:52] A place where there is no need for war.
[00:27:54] Remember that?
[00:27:54] Wes read that scripture just last week.
[00:27:57] When we will bend our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks.
[00:28:01] That longing for a place where there is no war and there is no conflict and there is no need for people to kill one another.
[00:28:10] That is our great hope.
[00:28:13] A place where Jesus says there is good news to the poor and release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind and liberty to all who are oppressed.
[00:28:24] That's Luke chapter 4 or if you prefer it out of the Christmas story just go to Luke chapter 2 where Mary sings he has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.
[00:28:34] He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
[00:28:39] The truth is that human sin has introduced injustice into our world.
[00:28:47] There are plenty of people in our world and right here in Mooresville that do not have the basics of shelter, food, and clothing and dignity that they need.
[00:29:01] There are plenty of people around the world and right here in Mooresville who are not treated equally.
[00:29:08] Those who seek to do harm to other people, they tend to proliferate.
[00:29:14] And sometimes, honestly, we are on the receiving end of injustice, and other times, friends, we are participants, perpetrators, and often unwitting beneficiaries of injustice in this world.
[00:29:28] Isaiah chapter 11 speaks of a coming Messiah, one from the line of David, the son of Jesse.
[00:29:35] Who filled with God's Spirit will be a prophet with wisdom and understanding.
[00:29:42] A teller of truth with wisdom and understanding.
[00:29:46] He will be a king with counsel and might.
[00:29:50] He will be a priest full of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
[00:29:56] This Messiah will judge not with the ways of the world, not by what his eyes can see or what his ears can hear, but he will judge the people impartially, the way the Scripture says that God looked at David and saw his heart.
[00:30:16] God's Messiah will do what is right for the poor,
[00:30:21] The weak, the meek, the lowly.
[00:30:24] He will level the playing field for the needy.
[00:30:27] In short, the Messiah will create justice.
[00:30:33] And only after justice comes, friends, does the vision of peace become to be realized.
[00:30:40] That's also right there in Isaiah.
[00:30:42] The world becomes whole at peace with the reign of God's Messiah.
[00:30:47] And in that time, things that are natural enemies will live together without needing to destroy one another.
[00:30:55] The lion and the lamb.
[00:30:58] It says the child will play over the hole of the asp, but asp is a snake.
[00:31:02] I'm just telling you that's evil.
[00:31:03] They're in the Bible.
[00:31:04] Right there in Genesis.
[00:31:07] The idea that you would let your child play over a snake den.
[00:31:11] Can you imagine?
[00:31:14] That you'll be willing to put your hand into a place where you know that there are snakes, not worried that they're going to bite you or harm you in any way.
[00:31:23] It's called the peaceable kingdom where the whole world is reconciled to God and at peace.
[00:31:31] Children will be safe with no enemies.
[00:31:34] As Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, sings in Luke chapter 1, God has shown us mercy so that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and in righteousness all our days.
[00:31:51] By the tender mercy of our God, sings Zechariah, the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[00:32:08] I love that.
[00:32:10] It acknowledges that peace, wholeness within ourselves, between us and other people in the world, that's hard.
[00:32:18] And we need to be guided into it by God's faithful, righteous hand.
[00:32:25] We will not reach peace or justice without the way of Jesus and His work and His power at work within us.
[00:32:37] Think of it like this companion to the first, no justice, no peace.
[00:32:42] No justice, no peace.
[00:32:47] In other words, if we want to know, understand, be livers into what peace is as God brings it, we have to be willing to know, understand, and work for justice, not just in society, but in our own personal lives.
[00:33:07] All those places where we are not at peace with ourselves.
[00:33:11] We're still fighting with ourselves.
[00:33:13] Are you still fighting with yourself, friends?
[00:33:19] Still not at peace with the choices maybe you've made in your life or the things, the injustices that have come your way and happened to you?
[00:33:26] Not at peace with a lack of reconciliation you have with another person in your life?
[00:33:32] Not at peace with the decisions you've made?
[00:33:34] Not at peace in your community?
[00:33:38] If we want to know peace as God brings it, we have to be willing to know and work for justice in our lives.
[00:33:47] Peace, friends, does not just come because we sit around willing ourselves to feel it.
[00:33:52] Lord, I'm just going to feel peace today.
[00:33:55] My memories yesterday on Facebook,
[00:33:58] So funny.
[00:34:00] This would have been, I don't know, 15 years ago or more.
[00:34:05] The first post that I had made, it must have been early morning on a Sunday morning, and it said, I am making a decision to live in peace and not be rattled by things.
[00:34:16] And then the next post said, was after worship that morning, and it said, about 15 minutes after I made that first post, I totally remember this morning, I went to go look at my sermon and I lost the whole last half of my sermon on a Sunday morning.
[00:34:33] And I cobbled something together and I walked into the sanctuary and no joke, the district superintendent showed up for worship that Sunday.
[00:34:43] If you don't know who that is, that's my boss.
[00:34:46] So you lost half your project, had to cobble it together and your boss showed up.
[00:34:50] No pressure.
[00:34:52] So turns out just saying, I have decided to be at peace did not work out for me.
[00:35:01] If we can't just will ourselves into it, it happens because we walk in its way.
[00:35:08] We don't just live in peace, we know it, friends, deeply, personally, in the living of our days by the power and the strength of God.
[00:35:19] If anyone in the movies at Christmastime knows injustice, friends, it is Kevin McAllister.
[00:35:26] Overlooked, discounted, literally miscounted.
[00:35:30] and left behind at Christmas at eight years old.
[00:35:33] Expected to defend and protect the family home against two career criminals, terrible criminals, but all the same career criminals.
[00:35:41] Let's be honest for a minute.
[00:35:43] In the beginning of that movie, Kevin is a little bit of a brat.
[00:35:47] I mean, as little brothers go, he's really up there.
[00:35:53] And frankly, he is way too cheeky with his parents for my taste.
[00:35:57] How about y'all?
[00:35:58] I'm like, hmm.
[00:36:00] But being forgotten and left behind when everybody else goes to Paris feels like a pretty unjust punishment for being a bratty eight-year-old.
[00:36:10] I am really glad that Kevin is a little bit more like Wes than he is like me.
[00:36:16] Wes got left behind at church one Sunday morning.
[00:36:19] His parents went on, they both had two cars, and they were both going over to Mama's house after church, as they always did for lunch, and Wes got left behind.
[00:36:29] And Wes's response was to sit down on the steps, because he figured they'd remember and come back and get him.
[00:36:35] Which is sort of what Kevin does.
[00:36:36] If that had been me, y'all, I would have been freaking out, like knocking on all the neighbors' doors, sobbing in tears.
[00:36:42] Wes was probably just sitting there twiddling his thumbs, like, it's going to be alright, everybody will come back.
[00:36:47] Not me, that's not how I would have handled that.
[00:36:49] I would not have survived this whole thing, this home alone thing.
[00:36:54] Turns out, Kevin's a pretty resourceful little guy.
[00:36:57] Who gets to the store for his needs, navigates the dangers of a kid alone with a lot of savvy.
[00:37:03] And while frankly when you watch the movie the violence sort of pushes the limits of belief, I mean y'all honestly, Marv would have died with the iron to the face.
[00:37:11] And Harry with the blowtorch thing, it would have been all over.
[00:37:15] But it's a fun ride rocking around the Christmas tree with Kevin, isn't it?
[00:37:19] And who among us hasn't been moved when the mom on the plane realizes that she forgot him and calls out his name?
[00:37:27] And when little Kevin gets his own Christmas tree and decorates it, hangs up everybody's stockings, and wraps up presents just waiting for them to come back, praying that his Christmas wish to have his family back would be fulfilled?
[00:37:41] I think the heart of that story
[00:37:44] Really, the point that we're supposed to get out of it happens when Kevin hangs out with a guy named Marley, the scary old man next door.
[00:37:52] Do y'all remember him?
[00:37:54] At the beginning of the movie, Kevin and his brothers peek out the window at their neighbor, old man Marley, and older brother Buzz tells Kevin this wild story about how Marley killed his family.
[00:38:05] And this remains in Kevin's head when he later encounters Marley first at the grocery store and then at the church.
[00:38:11] And he finds out that Marley is not what other people assume that he is.
[00:38:16] The encounter, I think, has something to teach us about peace and justice.
[00:38:20] So let's have a look.
[00:38:22] You're welcome.
[00:38:23] She's occupied for two hours this afternoon.
[00:38:27] So it turns out, friends, Kevin and Marley have more in common than they thought, right?
[00:38:33] Marley is unjustly judged and ostracized.
[00:38:37] Kevin is unjustly left alone and vulnerable.
[00:38:40] How interesting it is that Marley, the outcast, is the only one in this movie who seems to be paying attention and then taking action to reach out to this child who is very clearly alone.
[00:38:54] In their conversation in that little church pew, listening to the choir sing, both of them acknowledge that they've got to take some responsibility for their plight.
[00:39:03] And both of them offer mercy and encouragement to one another.
[00:39:07] Marley says church is the place to be if you're feeling bad about yourself.
[00:39:11] I've been a pain, right?
[00:39:12] Says Kevin.
[00:39:14] I really like my family even if I say I don't.
[00:39:17] Marley says of his own family, you can hurt them and they can hurt you.
[00:39:22] Both are honest enough to say that they played a part in the injustice that befalls them.
[00:39:29] Marley, it turns out, is estranged from his family and his son.
[00:39:33] They said the sort of things it's hard to take back and fear of being rejected keeps them apart.
[00:39:39] Because you're never too old, Marley says, to be afraid.
[00:39:43] Not just children feel vulnerable and meek, friends.
[00:39:48] Kevin tells Marley to call his son because the way out is to make the first move.
[00:39:54] I don't care how mad I was, Kevin says.
[00:39:56] I'd talk to my dad, especially at the holidays.
[00:40:00] Friends, peace begins in the movement toward justice and reconciliation.
[00:40:07] Kevin leaves this meeting with Marley and almost successfully defends his home but ends up in a real pickle caught by Marv and Harry hanging on a hook on the back of a door in the house next door and Marley shows up to save him.
[00:40:24] The truth about that movie, friends, is not that Kevin successfully defended his house, it's that Marley saved him.
[00:40:32] And the next day, Kevin's mom arrives home first and she says, I'm so sorry, Kevin.
[00:40:39] So precious their embrace, right?
[00:40:42] And then we see Kevin go to the window and he looks out at Marley giving his son and his son's family, greeting them with an embrace because Marley made the first move.
[00:40:54] Peace comes at the end of the movie after both of them take action to make peace, to do justice.
[00:41:03] So what's the lesson for you and me, followers of the Prince of Peace?
[00:41:07] Friends, we know this Messiah who is the Prophet, the Priest, the King.
[00:41:11] He's coming to the world and His name is Jesus.
[00:41:14] He is the Prince of Peace and He comes to build a just world and a peaceable kingdom and to invite us into it and we know
[00:41:22] that the world is longing both for justice and for peace that cannot come, friends, just because we put up a Christmas tree and sung some carols and lifted up our candles in this dark sanctuary on Christmas Eve.
[00:41:38] What are the things that keep us from being whole in ourselves and in our relationship and in the world?
[00:41:48] Where do you and I need to do a little confession and forgiveness?
[00:41:53] Where do we need to see and acknowledge the things that are in the way?
[00:41:58] The injustice that we have participated in, benefited from, perpetrated, that's happened to us even.
[00:42:08] And let Jesus be born and grow in us, making a kingdom for Him in our own soul.
[00:42:16] See, justice is something that we do.
[00:42:19] It's something that we work for.
[00:42:21] It's something that we participate in by acknowledging our part in the injustice and our need for a Savior to help set us free.
[00:42:31] And peace is something that we make by putting one foot in front of the other, seeking to be reconciled, to notice the child who is alone and in need, the poor and the meek that are longing for a good news, a good word of hope in their life.
[00:42:47] and neither happened, neither justice nor peace, happened without the coming of Jesus into the world.
[00:42:54] Jesus has come and he is coming back and that is the good news of Advent.
[00:42:58] Peace, wholeness, reconciliation, justice, these things are not just wishes and hopes, they are a present reality that we live into, that we live into as Jesus is born in us and guides our steps.
[00:43:17] By the tender mercy of our God the dawn from on high will break upon us to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[00:43:31] In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
[00:43:34] Amen.
[00:43:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Hi, we're so glad that you chose to worship with us this morning for our second Sunday of Advent where we lit the candle on the Advent wreath for peace.
[00:43:48] We talked about one of the most fun Christmas movies ever, Home Alone, and I love that scene.
[00:43:55] I'm not a huge fan of the Home Alone Christmas movies, to be honest.
[00:43:59] of all the Christmas movies that's probably my one that's probably the bottom of my list I don't know if it's my least but probably at the bottom of my list but all that to say that scene that they shared today and the church really is one of my favorite scenes if I had to watch the movie and it really does remind us about
[00:44:16] The importance of finding peace in the midst of the chaos of the season and I hope you're able to do that for yourself.
[00:44:23] A couple of reminders because this is the holiday season, this is the Christmas Advent season and we have a lot happening here at Williamson's Chapel and we want you to come be a part of what's going on here.
[00:44:34] So just a quick reminder to put in your calendar, next Sunday which would be
[00:44:41] The 14th, thank you, the 14th of December, we have Messiah here at Williamson's Chapel at 5 o'clock p.m. 575 Brawley School Road in Mooresville, North Carolina.
[00:44:56] Come join us.
[00:44:57] This is not just our vocalists and musicians performing Messiah.
[00:45:03] These are folks from all over the area who are coming to give a
[00:45:09] We do hope you'll come and this is a great opportunity by the way if you are one of our folks here at Williamson's Chapel this is a great opportunity to invite someone to come with you.
[00:45:37] All of our events during the Advent season and all during the year are open to anyone who wants to come be a part of it.
[00:45:44] We really hope you'll come join us next Sunday.
[00:45:47] And next Sunday morning we'll be right here again, so come see us then.
You have to sing the last line.
[00:08:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
And Monica.
[00:08:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
We are so glad you're here.
[00:08:26] Welcome to Williamson's Chapel United Methodist Church's 930 worship service.
[00:08:32] Welcome to those of you here in person today and those of you watching online.
[00:08:37] It's kind of a foggy, cold morning today, so those of you who braved that to get out here, we're certainly glad you did.
[00:08:44] This worship service, as in all of our worship services, are meaningful and
[00:08:49] We are so glad that you are here to experience those with us today.
[00:08:53] My name is Monica Humple.
[00:08:54] I'm the Associate Pastor of Engagement.
[00:08:56] And after worship today, if you are new or newer, this is your first time here, maybe you've been coming for just a little while, and you want to know more about
[00:09:06] Church, its ministries, its missions.
[00:09:08] Maybe you're curious about the share Christmas signs you see up all over the place.
[00:09:13] I want to tell you more about that.
[00:09:14] So after worship today, I'm going to be at a little cart right to the left, right behind the Christmas tree out in the lobby area.
[00:09:20] Come say hi to me after worship.
[00:09:21] I have a gift for you just for being here today, and I want to answer any questions you have.
[00:09:26] And more importantly, I just want to say hello and Merry Christmas and
[00:09:29] Shake your hand in person so I hope to see you there.
[00:09:32] We have a QR code up on the screen right here.
[00:09:36] So if you're not able to stick around after worship, please take just a moment and scan that.
[00:09:40] Just let us know you're here and then you can ask your questions that way.
[00:09:44] But either way, guys, what a beautiful Advent morning to be together in the house of God.
[00:09:49] So let us continue to worship together.
[00:09:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Good morning church.
[00:09:53] My name is Carrie Wright.
[00:09:54] I am the worship leader.
[00:09:55] Eli, you can come on up.
[00:09:57] We're going to get ready for our Advent lighting in just a minute.
[00:10:00] You, I hope, got, when you came in, a ticket.
[00:10:03] We are doing a series on movies.
[00:10:07] We were hardcore in all of our themes all the way through the fall, and we wanted to think about a little bit lighter, but also how does the Advent time, that time frame,
[00:10:20] Getting Us Till Christmas.
[00:10:22] How does that impact our lives?
[00:10:24] And if you are like most families, like mine, you're running around trying to get all the things done, right?
[00:10:31] You're trying to make it happen.
[00:10:32] And we experienced that.
[00:10:33] You got a little bit of Home Alone this morning.
[00:10:36] And kids who are very sad about that, don't worry.
[00:10:38] There's more Home Alone coming.
[00:10:40] It will happen.
[00:10:40] There's more movie coming.
[00:10:42] I heard earlier, are we watching Home Alone today?
[00:10:45] And I said, yes.
[00:10:46] Not the whole thing.
[00:10:47] And they said, yes!
[00:10:48] I'm very excited about Home Alone.
[00:10:50] So if you're thinking about that movie of the chaos of this family trying to get out on their Christmas vacation and forgetting somebody.
[00:11:00] Don't you feel like that sometimes?
[00:11:01] I might forget something.
[00:11:03] I'm going to forget to bring a gift.
[00:11:04] I was supposed to do blah, blah, blah, whatever the things are.
[00:11:09] And so today we're talking about peace.
[00:11:11] Where do we find peace in the midst of this?
[00:11:16] Because you can't change it.
[00:11:17] You can't make it go away necessarily, but we can focus on the peace.
[00:11:22] Last week was hope and this week is peace.
[00:11:26] And part of that peace and hope and joy came last night when we got to celebrate with our children as they led our musical.
[00:11:34] It was a fantastic night.
[00:11:36] If you missed it, hopefully you'll get to see some of those pictures that are going around on Facebook.
[00:11:40] And thank you to all of our children who did just an amazing job proclaiming the word to us last night.
[00:11:46] So as we begin, I invite you to let the presence of Christ settle into your spirit.
[00:11:54] And to hear these words as we light the second candle this week.
[00:11:59] Will you stand please?
[00:12:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]:
The one who will rule Israel is from of old, from the ancient days.
[00:12:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
The one on whom we wait is from the most unexpected place, from Bethlehem.
[00:12:12] The shepherd's mother is in labor.
[00:12:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]:
The whole world cries out with her in labor pains.
[00:12:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We need the shepherd to stand and feed his flock.
[00:12:21] For the whole world is groaning in need of God's peace.
[00:12:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]:
We light the peace candle this week because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
[00:12:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
In Jesus, we shall live securely as Christ's peace extends to the ends of the earth.
[00:12:39] God of Peace, you send us the Prince of Peace.
[00:12:44] We long for his peace to rule in our lives and relationships.
[00:12:50] We yearn for every corner of your world to be subject to your peace.
[00:12:57] We eagerly await the days when your whole flock will live in the security of your peace.
[00:13:05] May we, through the power of your Spirit, shine in the peace of Christ in the darkness.
[00:13:13] In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:13:16] Amen.
[00:13:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free.
[00:13:45] From our fears and sins release us Let us find our rest in Thee Israel's strength and consolation Hope of all the earth Thou art
[00:14:12] Dear desire of every nation, Joy of all mankind,
[00:14:40] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:14:54] Amen.
[00:15:43] You draw the hearts of shepherds You draw the hearts of kings And even as a baby You were changing everything You called me to Your kingdom Before Your lips could speak And even as a baby You were reaching out for me
[00:17:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
You may be seated.
[00:17:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You may have been given one of these cards.
[00:17:22] Hopefully you picked up one of these cards on your way into worship this morning.
[00:17:27] Which one side is all of the activities we have during Advent and Christmas.
[00:17:33] A lot of great stuff happening.
[00:17:35] And the other side explains the tree we see in the narthex, our generosity tree.
[00:17:40] and just on your way out between service this morning or in the next couple of weeks just take a look at all the tags on the ornaments you see the explanation there about how you can give a gift in this season to
[00:17:56] Purchase an ornament but what's behind that is us expressing why we are giving what God has done and is doing through Williamson's Chapel take a look at those tags and what I love about that is there's a variety of things variety of different ministries and things we do here music ministry adult education children and youth our pastoral care we offer just a number of different things on that are
[00:18:22] why people have been blessed and why people give we give not out of a sense of duty or obligation but out of joyful loving response to all that God has done is doing and will do for us and is doing in and through the life of Williamson's Chapel just one quick example last night our children
[00:18:47] But on the Christmas program, Dr. Newhart.
[00:18:50] And it was outstanding.
[00:18:52] It was amazing.
[00:18:58] We do things like that because of the gifts and tithes and offerings you give.
[00:19:03] That is true of everything else you see on this list and so many other things besides what's on these cards.
[00:19:10] So first of all, in regards to that, I want to say thank you for your generosity.
[00:19:14] I want to encourage you to continue giving and responding to God's generosity through your giving.
[00:19:22] But also I want to invite and encourage you
[00:19:24] To add to the generosity tree and add to that list of whys that we see out there in the narthex.
[00:19:31] You see on the screen a number for the generosity tree but there's also a screen for the offering, I hope, with a QR code for giving to the church.
[00:19:41] Back one slide.
[00:19:42] There it is.
[00:19:43] You can scan that QR code or drop your offering in the baskets.
[00:19:46] They're getting ready to come by or mail it to the church office.
[00:19:53] Either way, we want to say thank you for how you're responding to what God is doing here at Williamson's.
[00:20:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]:
of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow the snow well I'm
[00:20:45] Dreaming of a white Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days, may your days, may your days be merry and white And may all your Christmases be white
[00:21:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_12]:
Well, I'm dreaming of a wild Christmas Just like the ones I used to know Where the treetops glisten And children listen to hear
[00:21:40] Three bells in the snow, the snow Well, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm a-dreaming of a wine Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days, may your days be all merry and bright
[00:22:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]:
And may all your Christmases be wine.
[00:22:17] And may all your Christmases be wine.
[00:22:25] And may all your Christmases be wine.
[00:22:35] Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
[00:23:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
The scripture today comes from Isaiah 11 verses 1 through 10.
[00:23:18] A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
[00:23:26] The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
[00:23:37] His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
[00:23:39] He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth.
[00:23:51] He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
[00:23:57] Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
[00:24:03] The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
[00:24:07] The calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them.
[00:24:12] The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
[00:24:19] The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
[00:24:27] They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
[00:24:35] On the day of the Root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples.
[00:24:39] The nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
[00:24:43] The word of God for all people.
[00:24:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Well, good morning, church.
[00:24:59] It's good to see y'all as I'm hanging out here in the Home Alone house.
[00:25:03] I hope no criminals come running in here because that would be bad.
[00:25:09] My name is Pastor Tony Ruth.
[00:25:11] My husband Wes and I are the senior co-pastors here.
[00:25:13] And if you are visiting with us for the first time, we're so glad that you're here.
[00:25:17] If you're worshiping with us online, we're so glad that you've joined us in worship this morning.
[00:25:21] We're going to have a good time today thinking a little bit about one of my favorite Christmas movies, Home Alone.
[00:25:27] But before we do that, I want to invite everybody to just take a deep breath in and let's pray.
[00:25:31] Deep breath in.
[00:25:33] And breathe it out.
[00:25:37] Let's do that again because I need to.
[00:25:38] Deep breath in.
[00:25:40] Breathe it out.
[00:25:45] Holy God, this season we need you to come and to remind us about our deep need and why you really came into the world.
[00:25:55] To remind us that it's less about the presence and more about our need for a Savior that brings us wholeness.
[00:26:04] Our Savior that works justice in the world.
[00:26:07] Our Savior that brings us hope and joy and love that can quench every thirst of our heart.
[00:26:15] So would you, Lord, please help us make a little space for you this season.
[00:26:22] In the name of Jesus we pray.
[00:26:24] Amen.
[00:26:27] I remember this protest song, this sign, in my childhood.
[00:26:31] I actually had to look up its origins because I didn't know it, the roots of this no justice, no peace protest.
[00:26:37] They lie in racial injustice and systemic racism, protests against those things, all the way back to the 1980s.
[00:26:46] You can interpret this sign, no justice, no peace, several ways.
[00:26:49] The least charitable is that until there is justice, we're going to keep creating conflict.
[00:26:55] The more appropriate is that there can be no peace, or as the Bible understands that word, wholeness.
[00:27:02] Not the absence of conflict, but the presence of wholeness.
[00:27:06] There can be no wholeness in the world until systems that cause a lack of wholeness for anyone are addressed.
[00:27:16] That second understanding is sort of like the African concept of Ubuntu that says that your humanity and my humanity are deeply connected to one another and to the extent that you are dehumanized, I am dehumanized.
[00:27:31] So I have to care about your humanity if I want to care about mine.
[00:27:37] Justice, friends, is central to the story of God redeeming the world.
[00:27:44] Can't read the Bible and not see a call to justice.
[00:27:48] It's one of the most consistent goals of the kingdom of God in the scripture.
[00:27:52] A place where there is no need for war.
[00:27:54] Remember that?
[00:27:54] Wes read that scripture just last week.
[00:27:57] When we will bend our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks.
[00:28:01] That longing for a place where there is no war and there is no conflict and there is no need for people to kill one another.
[00:28:10] That is our great hope.
[00:28:13] A place where Jesus says there is good news to the poor and release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind and liberty to all who are oppressed.
[00:28:24] That's Luke chapter 4 or if you prefer it out of the Christmas story just go to Luke chapter 2 where Mary sings he has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.
[00:28:34] He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
[00:28:39] The truth is that human sin has introduced injustice into our world.
[00:28:47] There are plenty of people in our world and right here in Mooresville that do not have the basics of shelter, food, and clothing and dignity that they need.
[00:29:01] There are plenty of people around the world and right here in Mooresville who are not treated equally.
[00:29:08] Those who seek to do harm to other people, they tend to proliferate.
[00:29:14] And sometimes, honestly, we are on the receiving end of injustice, and other times, friends, we are participants, perpetrators, and often unwitting beneficiaries of injustice in this world.
[00:29:28] Isaiah chapter 11 speaks of a coming Messiah, one from the line of David, the son of Jesse.
[00:29:35] Who filled with God's Spirit will be a prophet with wisdom and understanding.
[00:29:42] A teller of truth with wisdom and understanding.
[00:29:46] He will be a king with counsel and might.
[00:29:50] He will be a priest full of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
[00:29:56] This Messiah will judge not with the ways of the world, not by what his eyes can see or what his ears can hear, but he will judge the people impartially, the way the Scripture says that God looked at David and saw his heart.
[00:30:16] God's Messiah will do what is right for the poor,
[00:30:21] The weak, the meek, the lowly.
[00:30:24] He will level the playing field for the needy.
[00:30:27] In short, the Messiah will create justice.
[00:30:33] And only after justice comes, friends, does the vision of peace become to be realized.
[00:30:40] That's also right there in Isaiah.
[00:30:42] The world becomes whole at peace with the reign of God's Messiah.
[00:30:47] And in that time, things that are natural enemies will live together without needing to destroy one another.
[00:30:55] The lion and the lamb.
[00:30:58] It says the child will play over the hole of the asp, but asp is a snake.
[00:31:02] I'm just telling you that's evil.
[00:31:03] They're in the Bible.
[00:31:04] Right there in Genesis.
[00:31:07] The idea that you would let your child play over a snake den.
[00:31:11] Can you imagine?
[00:31:14] That you'll be willing to put your hand into a place where you know that there are snakes, not worried that they're going to bite you or harm you in any way.
[00:31:23] It's called the peaceable kingdom where the whole world is reconciled to God and at peace.
[00:31:31] Children will be safe with no enemies.
[00:31:34] As Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, sings in Luke chapter 1, God has shown us mercy so that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and in righteousness all our days.
[00:31:51] By the tender mercy of our God, sings Zechariah, the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[00:32:08] I love that.
[00:32:10] It acknowledges that peace, wholeness within ourselves, between us and other people in the world, that's hard.
[00:32:18] And we need to be guided into it by God's faithful, righteous hand.
[00:32:25] We will not reach peace or justice without the way of Jesus and His work and His power at work within us.
[00:32:37] Think of it like this companion to the first, no justice, no peace.
[00:32:42] No justice, no peace.
[00:32:47] In other words, if we want to know, understand, be livers into what peace is as God brings it, we have to be willing to know, understand, and work for justice, not just in society, but in our own personal lives.
[00:33:07] All those places where we are not at peace with ourselves.
[00:33:11] We're still fighting with ourselves.
[00:33:13] Are you still fighting with yourself, friends?
[00:33:19] Still not at peace with the choices maybe you've made in your life or the things, the injustices that have come your way and happened to you?
[00:33:26] Not at peace with a lack of reconciliation you have with another person in your life?
[00:33:32] Not at peace with the decisions you've made?
[00:33:34] Not at peace in your community?
[00:33:38] If we want to know peace as God brings it, we have to be willing to know and work for justice in our lives.
[00:33:47] Peace, friends, does not just come because we sit around willing ourselves to feel it.
[00:33:52] Lord, I'm just going to feel peace today.
[00:33:55] My memories yesterday on Facebook,
[00:33:58] So funny.
[00:34:00] This would have been, I don't know, 15 years ago or more.
[00:34:05] The first post that I had made, it must have been early morning on a Sunday morning, and it said, I am making a decision to live in peace and not be rattled by things.
[00:34:16] And then the next post said, was after worship that morning, and it said, about 15 minutes after I made that first post, I totally remember this morning, I went to go look at my sermon and I lost the whole last half of my sermon on a Sunday morning.
[00:34:33] And I cobbled something together and I walked into the sanctuary and no joke, the district superintendent showed up for worship that Sunday.
[00:34:43] If you don't know who that is, that's my boss.
[00:34:46] So you lost half your project, had to cobble it together and your boss showed up.
[00:34:50] No pressure.
[00:34:52] So turns out just saying, I have decided to be at peace did not work out for me.
[00:35:01] If we can't just will ourselves into it, it happens because we walk in its way.
[00:35:08] We don't just live in peace, we know it, friends, deeply, personally, in the living of our days by the power and the strength of God.
[00:35:19] If anyone in the movies at Christmastime knows injustice, friends, it is Kevin McAllister.
[00:35:26] Overlooked, discounted, literally miscounted.
[00:35:30] and left behind at Christmas at eight years old.
[00:35:33] Expected to defend and protect the family home against two career criminals, terrible criminals, but all the same career criminals.
[00:35:41] Let's be honest for a minute.
[00:35:43] In the beginning of that movie, Kevin is a little bit of a brat.
[00:35:47] I mean, as little brothers go, he's really up there.
[00:35:53] And frankly, he is way too cheeky with his parents for my taste.
[00:35:57] How about y'all?
[00:35:58] I'm like, hmm.
[00:36:00] But being forgotten and left behind when everybody else goes to Paris feels like a pretty unjust punishment for being a bratty eight-year-old.
[00:36:10] I am really glad that Kevin is a little bit more like Wes than he is like me.
[00:36:16] Wes got left behind at church one Sunday morning.
[00:36:19] His parents went on, they both had two cars, and they were both going over to Mama's house after church, as they always did for lunch, and Wes got left behind.
[00:36:29] And Wes's response was to sit down on the steps, because he figured they'd remember and come back and get him.
[00:36:35] Which is sort of what Kevin does.
[00:36:36] If that had been me, y'all, I would have been freaking out, like knocking on all the neighbors' doors, sobbing in tears.
[00:36:42] Wes was probably just sitting there twiddling his thumbs, like, it's going to be alright, everybody will come back.
[00:36:47] Not me, that's not how I would have handled that.
[00:36:49] I would not have survived this whole thing, this home alone thing.
[00:36:54] Turns out, Kevin's a pretty resourceful little guy.
[00:36:57] Who gets to the store for his needs, navigates the dangers of a kid alone with a lot of savvy.
[00:37:03] And while frankly when you watch the movie the violence sort of pushes the limits of belief, I mean y'all honestly, Marv would have died with the iron to the face.
[00:37:11] And Harry with the blowtorch thing, it would have been all over.
[00:37:15] But it's a fun ride rocking around the Christmas tree with Kevin, isn't it?
[00:37:19] And who among us hasn't been moved when the mom on the plane realizes that she forgot him and calls out his name?
[00:37:27] And when little Kevin gets his own Christmas tree and decorates it, hangs up everybody's stockings, and wraps up presents just waiting for them to come back, praying that his Christmas wish to have his family back would be fulfilled?
[00:37:41] I think the heart of that story
[00:37:44] Really, the point that we're supposed to get out of it happens when Kevin hangs out with a guy named Marley, the scary old man next door.
[00:37:52] Do y'all remember him?
[00:37:54] At the beginning of the movie, Kevin and his brothers peek out the window at their neighbor, old man Marley, and older brother Buzz tells Kevin this wild story about how Marley killed his family.
[00:38:05] And this remains in Kevin's head when he later encounters Marley first at the grocery store and then at the church.
[00:38:11] And he finds out that Marley is not what other people assume that he is.
[00:38:16] The encounter, I think, has something to teach us about peace and justice.
[00:38:20] So let's have a look.
[00:38:22] You're welcome.
[00:38:23] She's occupied for two hours this afternoon.
[00:38:27] So it turns out, friends, Kevin and Marley have more in common than they thought, right?
[00:38:33] Marley is unjustly judged and ostracized.
[00:38:37] Kevin is unjustly left alone and vulnerable.
[00:38:40] How interesting it is that Marley, the outcast, is the only one in this movie who seems to be paying attention and then taking action to reach out to this child who is very clearly alone.
[00:38:54] In their conversation in that little church pew, listening to the choir sing, both of them acknowledge that they've got to take some responsibility for their plight.
[00:39:03] And both of them offer mercy and encouragement to one another.
[00:39:07] Marley says church is the place to be if you're feeling bad about yourself.
[00:39:11] I've been a pain, right?
[00:39:12] Says Kevin.
[00:39:14] I really like my family even if I say I don't.
[00:39:17] Marley says of his own family, you can hurt them and they can hurt you.
[00:39:22] Both are honest enough to say that they played a part in the injustice that befalls them.
[00:39:29] Marley, it turns out, is estranged from his family and his son.
[00:39:33] They said the sort of things it's hard to take back and fear of being rejected keeps them apart.
[00:39:39] Because you're never too old, Marley says, to be afraid.
[00:39:43] Not just children feel vulnerable and meek, friends.
[00:39:48] Kevin tells Marley to call his son because the way out is to make the first move.
[00:39:54] I don't care how mad I was, Kevin says.
[00:39:56] I'd talk to my dad, especially at the holidays.
[00:40:00] Friends, peace begins in the movement toward justice and reconciliation.
[00:40:07] Kevin leaves this meeting with Marley and almost successfully defends his home but ends up in a real pickle caught by Marv and Harry hanging on a hook on the back of a door in the house next door and Marley shows up to save him.
[00:40:24] The truth about that movie, friends, is not that Kevin successfully defended his house, it's that Marley saved him.
[00:40:32] And the next day, Kevin's mom arrives home first and she says, I'm so sorry, Kevin.
[00:40:39] So precious their embrace, right?
[00:40:42] And then we see Kevin go to the window and he looks out at Marley giving his son and his son's family, greeting them with an embrace because Marley made the first move.
[00:40:54] Peace comes at the end of the movie after both of them take action to make peace, to do justice.
[00:41:03] So what's the lesson for you and me, followers of the Prince of Peace?
[00:41:07] Friends, we know this Messiah who is the Prophet, the Priest, the King.
[00:41:11] He's coming to the world and His name is Jesus.
[00:41:14] He is the Prince of Peace and He comes to build a just world and a peaceable kingdom and to invite us into it and we know
[00:41:22] that the world is longing both for justice and for peace that cannot come, friends, just because we put up a Christmas tree and sung some carols and lifted up our candles in this dark sanctuary on Christmas Eve.
[00:41:38] What are the things that keep us from being whole in ourselves and in our relationship and in the world?
[00:41:48] Where do you and I need to do a little confession and forgiveness?
[00:41:53] Where do we need to see and acknowledge the things that are in the way?
[00:41:58] The injustice that we have participated in, benefited from, perpetrated, that's happened to us even.
[00:42:08] And let Jesus be born and grow in us, making a kingdom for Him in our own soul.
[00:42:16] See, justice is something that we do.
[00:42:19] It's something that we work for.
[00:42:21] It's something that we participate in by acknowledging our part in the injustice and our need for a Savior to help set us free.
[00:42:31] And peace is something that we make by putting one foot in front of the other, seeking to be reconciled, to notice the child who is alone and in need, the poor and the meek that are longing for a good news, a good word of hope in their life.
[00:42:47] and neither happened, neither justice nor peace, happened without the coming of Jesus into the world.
[00:42:54] Jesus has come and he is coming back and that is the good news of Advent.
[00:42:58] Peace, wholeness, reconciliation, justice, these things are not just wishes and hopes, they are a present reality that we live into, that we live into as Jesus is born in us and guides our steps.
[00:43:17] By the tender mercy of our God the dawn from on high will break upon us to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[00:43:31] In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
[00:43:34] Amen.
[00:43:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Hi, we're so glad that you chose to worship with us this morning for our second Sunday of Advent where we lit the candle on the Advent wreath for peace.
[00:43:48] We talked about one of the most fun Christmas movies ever, Home Alone, and I love that scene.
[00:43:55] I'm not a huge fan of the Home Alone Christmas movies, to be honest.
[00:43:59] of all the Christmas movies that's probably my one that's probably the bottom of my list I don't know if it's my least but probably at the bottom of my list but all that to say that scene that they shared today and the church really is one of my favorite scenes if I had to watch the movie and it really does remind us about
[00:44:16] The importance of finding peace in the midst of the chaos of the season and I hope you're able to do that for yourself.
[00:44:23] A couple of reminders because this is the holiday season, this is the Christmas Advent season and we have a lot happening here at Williamson's Chapel and we want you to come be a part of what's going on here.
[00:44:34] So just a quick reminder to put in your calendar, next Sunday which would be
[00:44:41] The 14th, thank you, the 14th of December, we have Messiah here at Williamson's Chapel at 5 o'clock p.m. 575 Brawley School Road in Mooresville, North Carolina.
[00:44:56] Come join us.
[00:44:57] This is not just our vocalists and musicians performing Messiah.
[00:45:03] These are folks from all over the area who are coming to give a
[00:45:09] We do hope you'll come and this is a great opportunity by the way if you are one of our folks here at Williamson's Chapel this is a great opportunity to invite someone to come with you.
[00:45:37] All of our events during the Advent season and all during the year are open to anyone who wants to come be a part of it.
[00:45:44] We really hope you'll come join us next Sunday.
[00:45:47] And next Sunday morning we'll be right here again, so come see us then.
