God Be With You

• Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Candle of LOVEon 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16  and  selections from Luke 1, the Annunciation and the Magnificat. 

www.FirstChurchBville@gmail.com  @FirstUMCBville  @kerrfunk

• Child checkup at pediatrician. The doctor peers into ears and throat, asking if Mickey Mouse or Elmo may be in there. (no). Doctor listens to heart, wondering if Barney is in there.
“Barney is on my socks, Jesus is in my heart.”

• Where DOES Jesus live?

• David to Nathan: I should build God a house.
Nathan: God Be With You.
(Nathan seeks God… God speaks to Nathan:
Tell David I got this. I will make my house among his line.)

• David was a man of God, chosen, a man after God’s heart;
David had good intentions and even consulted advisor,
but it turns out David was wrong about what God wanted
and how best to serve God.

• Where does God live? What is “church”?
House of God? A building? 

It’s people. It’s the word of God alive.
It’s people seeking God’s direction and acting.
And it’s the gift of God.
(good news! What resources do you need to BE house of God?)

• Would you rather a new building (&funds)
or an additional generation of God-loving disciples?

To which do we direct our efforts?

• Therefore open your hearts.
Accept and nurture the word of God, living in your heart.
As Mary did: angel said Long ago I promised David I’d bless the world through him, and I’m fulfilling that promise to the world in you right now. And Mary praised.

• Open. Accept. Nurture. And don’t forget to consult advisors.

Thanks be to God for the gift God gives, and that he lives in us.

• Hymn 130 God Will Take Care of You

2 Samuel 7:1-11      Common English Bible (CEB)

7 When the king was settled in his palace, and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, ² the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look! I’m living in a cedar palace, but God’s chest is housed in a tent!”

³ Nathan said to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you are thinking, because the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But that very night the Lord’s word came to Nathan: ⁵ Go to my servant David and tell him: This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build the temple for me to live in. ⁶ In fact, I haven’t lived in a temple from the day I brought Israel out of Egypt until now. Instead, I have been traveling around in a tent and in a dwelling. ⁷ Throughout my traveling around with the Israelites, did I ever ask any of Israel’s tribal leaders I appointed to shepherd my people: Why haven’t you built me a cedar temple?

⁸ So then, say this to my servant David: This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be leader over my people Israel. ⁹ I’ve been with you wherever you’ve gone, and I’ve eliminated all your enemies before you. Now I will make your name great—like the name of the greatest people on earth. ¹⁰ I’m going to provide a place for my people Israel, and plant them so that they may live there and no longer be disturbed. Cruel people will no longer trouble them, as they had been earlier, ¹¹ when I appointed leaders over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

And the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make a dynasty for you.

¹⁶ Your dynasty and your kingdom will be secured forever before me. Your throne will be established forever.