I Didn’t Expect to Sing that Song

We too often read the Bible in a monotone manner, missing the dynamics of the story. We miss the painful low moments of grief. We miss the jubilant shouts of praise. This week, we are learning from the poetic and musical responses to the original Christmas story. People respond differently to Christmas, both in the past and today. What is it to embrace the unexpected movement of God with language that elevates into music?

This is our third week in our series, An Unexpected Christmas. Advent is a season of anticipation for the light that emerges in the darkness. We anticipate hope in the midst of despair. We anticipate faith in the mist of wandering. We anticipate love in the midst of hate. While we anticipate God’s transformative work, we acknowledge that God’s ways are often difficult to predict even when we’re anticipating them. As we read the biblical story of the events leading up to the birth of Jesus, we read of people’s responses to God’s unexpected ways. This Advent, facing a year full of dashed expectations, let us continue the tradition of hopeful anticipation.

Sermon preached by Pastor Dallas Flippin on Sunday, December 13, 2020.

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