Belmont United Methodist Church
Sermon on December 21, 2008

Scripture – Luke 1:26-38
Title – Good News in Terror

     Christmas is supposed to be the season of the blessing. We hear Christmas carol coming out of radio and TV. Last month I shared listening to Luther Vandross’ “Have Yourself a Little Merry Christmas.” This month I just enjoyed myself listening to his singing, “O Come Emmanuel” Oh what a voice. People go to the shopping mall to buy presents for their family and children. When I went to Target a few weeks ago, I had to spend almost 15 minutes searching for a parking spot. As I shared in my sermon last month, some people become excited about the Christmas presents, reunion with family, Christmas food, Christmas movie, or Christmas spirit. Of course, we as church wait for the coming of Christ who was humbly born in manger.
     While we are filled with joy and excitement in Christmas, we also hear news that the economy of the United States seems to be worse next year. We hear everyday that people are being laid off from their work everyday. The treasury of relief has spent $350 billions for the past two months. However, we hear that the economy does not seem to get better. I do not know if there are some people in our church or in this neighborhood who are being affected by the economic situation of this country. We just never know. People question if another Depression has come. As you know, there are lots of international students in Boston. Many of them are financially supported by their family in their countries. And they are also victims of this economic depression. Due to the rising exchange rate, many of them are choosing to go back to their country. I do not know about you but when we keep hearing bad news, we do not want to listen to them anymore. When we hear news too bad, we just try not to believe them. For the past centuries, the United States has been the strongest, wealthiest, and powerful country in the world. And when the citizens keep hearing this frustrating news about the economy, they raise question, “Is this really happening?”
     When we hear the story about the angel, Gabriel, appearing to Mary telling her that she would be pregnant with the Son of God, we believe that this story is one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. However, when we read it again more carefully, we find something in this text that may terrify us. Let’s read the Bible in our context. One day the angel of God appeared to one of our girls in church, telling her that “Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God. You will conceive and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.” If you are parents of the girl, what would you say? Will you respond, “Thank you Lord for choosing our daughter. We are so blessed with your promise.” Or will you say, “Oh, No. My daughter is still a teenager, Lord. She has not finished her education. How about marriage? Oh, No. She is just not ready for it.” “Lord, I hope you choose another one to bear the Son of God, but not my daughter.” I do not know about you, if I were the parent, I would be concerned about the future of my daughter.
     Think about her future, reputation, friends, job, education, and well-being. I am not a mother so forgive me if I am wrong. But I think that giving birth does not take just a will, but our whole being. It takes courage. It takes sacrifice. It takes surrender. In a way, giving birth is like a war. Recently I read an essay on the website, “This I believe.” Susan from Seattle shares her essay on birth comparing between giving birth and war. She says, “Many women might argue that giving birth, that laborious process of breathing in and surrendering to the successive and repeated contractions of life, is like death. I believe that a woman's final push of human life from her interior to the exterior world is a profound moment of connection with the wonder of life. I suspect that men who go to war discover what women learn from giving birth: appreciation for the value of life comes with a heavy price.”
I am not a husband either, so I cannot speak for all husbands. But I can imagine the anxiety, nervousness, and fear of husband when his wife goes to the emergency room to give birth to his baby. If you still remember that moment, weren’t you so praying that God would protect both your wife and your baby? See, everything is at risk. You may be excited to see your baby, but you may get terrified to see the pain and suffering of your wife. “Oh, God is this really happening?” Can you imagine now what the angel of God was asking from Mary? Gabriel was asking for her total surrender to God. Her total dependence on God. Her total trust in the salvafic plan of God through her Son.
     In her times, having a baby without getting married was shame to her family and tribe. Do you remember that Joseph tried to divorce her when he found out that Mary was pregnant? There are many things that tell us, “No, Mary you cannot get pregnant.” Science may tell us, “Virgin cannot conceive and have a baby.” Her society would tell her, “Virgin having a baby brings disgrace to her family.” Our society would tell her, “Mary, No. You gotta at least finish the High School.” When many things say ‘No!” to her, the angel says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” “Nothing will be impossible with God.” Do you believe in this? If you have experienced something difficulty in your life, when was the last time that you said, “Lord, I believe that nothing is impossible with you.” When your family, friends, or neighbors were going through depression, loss, or grief, have you told them, “Nothing is impossible with us.”
     Our youth group has a great relationship with church in New Orleans. As many of you remember, Hurricane Katrina hit from the central Florida to Texas leaving such severe damage. Especially 80% of New Orleans was flooded with water for weeks. Almost 1800 people lost their life in the hurricane and flood. When people in New Orleans were suffering, people in other areas were searching for those who were responsible for this. Some would say that the global warming caused the Hurricane Katrina. Some Christians and ministers blamed the homosexual people for this hurricane, as they believe that Sodom and Gomorah were destroyed by God’s anger against the homosexual people in those cities. Some people were blaming the government for the failed the levee system that caused more damage.
     When people were searching for those to blame, there were people who stepped out to help those who were suffering. The seminarians in Boston University decided to gather donations from local stores and send them to the victims of Katrina. I still remember going from shop to shop with my best friend, Daniel Moral, asking for generosity. Some people gave us money. Some gave food cans. Some gave clothes. We gave thanks to God for the good will in people who were willing to share with others. When I came to Belmont this July, I found out that the youth group had done such great works helping the churches in New Orleans. During the summer, we sent the chairs in sanctuary to them. Even though no one told them do so, the girls in youth group are voluntarily planning for another trip to New Orleans next year to help them, and also organizing fundraising program to help them with the failed pluming system. I heard that Geoffrey is planning to go to New Orleans with his friend instead of taking rest during the winter break. When nothing good seemed possibly to be found in the Hurricane Katrina, we hear lots of people praying for those victimized, help them with foods, clothes, and donations, and physically go down there to help them.
     Like Virgin Mary gave herself away to bear the Son of God, some people sacrifice their time, sacrifice their vacation, and sacrifice their finance in order to participate in the plan of God to help those who cry out for help. When they do that, we witness to the good news in the midst of terror. The news that Virgin Mary would bear a son is not terrifying news, but good news. The news that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans is not just terrifying news anymore. But in the midst of rebuilding, we hear hope, care, and love. When we hear the news that economy of the U.S. is going bad, it is not just terrifying news anymore. Because there are people who pray to God and who try their best to overcome this situation. The coming of Christ is telling us, “Nothing will be impossible with God.” You may say, “Lord, I cannot do it!” “Lord, I am too weak!” “Lord, I do not have faith!” Beloved, maybe we cannot do it, but God can do it. We may fail and stumble, but God does not fail.
     How do I know that God does not fail? I have a friend of mine who I studied with at Yale last year. We have been friends since the college in Korea. As young fresh men in college, we did many things together such as skipping exams and playing basketball. He married in the fall of 2005. He and his wife wanted to have their baby so bad. They kept trying and trying and one year later, his wife was pregnant. But she miscarried the baby later. It was terrifying news for them. Can you imagine how traumatic the experience was to this couple? One his wife had a miscarriage, they could not have a baby. I know how hard they tried to have a baby last year. I still remember his face filled with grief and concern all the time. However, this couple always encouraged each other and prayed and worshipped in their house every night. Now, it has been three years since the miscarriage of the baby. And he called me two days ago, “Hey, friend. My wife is pregnant.” I said to him, “Praise God! Praise God!”

Thanks be to God for whom nothing is impossible.
Thanks be to God who turns our sorrow and grief into joy and praise.
Thanks be to God who is coming to this world as a baby.