Redirecting Obedience – Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, and the third Advent candle symbolizes love.  The Rev. Will McLeane, our Pastor of Spiritual Formation is delivering the sermon, and the text from Matthew about the revelation to Joseph that his pregnant fiancé, Mary would bear a son conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Rev. Will points out that this is certainly the season for decisions, such as what gift to get for whom, how to spend our seasonal time, but also, for some of us, there are serious decisions such as whether to take a different direction in our vocation.  If we feel distressed with decision-making Joseph must have been stressed, having a fiancé who is pregnant, but not by him.  The legal requirement in that time was divorce, but in a dream Joseph is told that the father is the Holy Spirit and the baby to be born is to be called Jesus.  So Joseph and Mary make the decision to follow God’s guidance.  We need to recognize where, in our own lives, we resist God’s call and understand that obedience to God can be freeing.  The result of Joseph’s decision is “Emmanuel,” “God with us!” 

(NOTE:  Emphasizing the importance of the Word, the video begins with the scripture reading, but if you want, you can scroll back to the beginning of the service in the video – the entire service is available.)