The Second Sunday of Advent – Luke 1:57-80

(Watch past sermons on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hope-United-Methodist-Church-116517175038771)

This Advent we are exploring with the metaphor of home. Last week we talked about what ‘home’ means to you and what it would look like if you imagined the kingdom of God on earth as an image of home, and what are you homesick for.

Today we will talk about laying the foundation. You know how important the foundation is when you build a house. I don’t have an example of construction concepts, but how about the children’s story, the three little pigs. I’ll remind you briefly. There was a mother pig who had three little pigs and she tells them it’s time to leave the house and do their best whatever they do. They start building their own houses. The first little pig chooses bundles of straw to build a house. And it was done quickly in a day. The rest of the pigs don’t think that is steady. So the second little pig chooses a bundle of sticks and builds a house in three days. And they don’t understand why the third pig spends such a long time to build the house working hard with bricks. Then finally the third pig also finished his house. Then later a wolf came and blew away the two houses that were built with straw and sticks. Then, the pigs ran to the third pig’s house built with bricks. And they were safe there because the wolf couldn’t blow down the house.

Thinking of this well known story, we may want to ask, what would we build our house with, where would our life be grounded on. Of course, we want it to be with something strong and safe. On our life journey, we might have some times that we feel secure and stable just like living in a house built with bricks. Also we might have had some times that we are shaken, blown away by conflicts, concerns, questions or fears. Think about what would a foundation being built with bricks for your life look like? When or How would you feel firm and steady?