Unto Us a Child is Born: Everlasting Father

We continue in the season of Advent, the weeks leading up to the celebration of Jesus’ birth, a time to focus upon waiting, preparing and hoping, as we recall the historic birth of Jesus, and await the return of Christ in the fullness of time. We can also train our hearts and minds to look for and expect to see Christ entering our world in the here and now in between.
Each week we will focus upon one of the ways that Jesus, born a baby, brings into the world what we truly need. This week we focus upon Jesus as "Everlasting Father."
We can pause and reflect in our own seasons of waiting and hoping the world now, waiting for Jesus the Christ to return to bring heaven fully to earth and waiting to see glimpses of Christ among us now to sustain us.  "Unto Us a Child is Born"  is a four week series inspired by Isaiah 9:6 and made famous in Handel's "Messiah."
Led by Pastor Carolyn Hetrick and Pastor Scott Schul of Grace Lutheran Church, State College, PA, each week features breath prayer, music and reflection before sending you out with grace.

Today's music: "Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759)
"Messiah" oratorio, HWV 56 (1741) [Edition of the 1752 version I]
Part 1 - chorus:  "For unto us a Child is born"
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge
The Brandenburg Consort, Stephen Cleobury (conductor)

"Of the Father's Love Begotten," by Judy Nishimura combines the timelessness of this ancient chant with a quiet sense of joy.  Laurel Sanders, flute. Recorded for use by Grace Lutheran Church of State College, PA and used with publisher permission:  Copyright © 2019. ALRY Publications LLC, www.alrypublications.com.

To learn more about our ministries at Grace Lutheran Church, visit glcpa.org.

Transcript

“Unto Us a Child is Born: Everlasting Father"  Episode 3
PC: Welcome to Pocketful of Grace, a podcast of Grace Lutheran Church in State College, Pennsylvania. I’m Pastor Carolyn Hetrick and I am joined by my colleague, Pastor Scott Schul. 
PS: We continue in the season of Advent, the weeks leading up to the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Across four weeks, we focus upon waiting, and preparing and hoping, as we recall the historic birth of Jesus, and await the return of Christ in the fullness of time. We also train our hearts and minds to look for and expect to see Christ entering our world in the here and now in between. Today we focus upon the third of the phrases in Isaiah’s birth announcement, “Everlasting Father” or “Eternal Father.” 
PC: The Hebrew word for this is “Avi’ad. “Avi” being father and “’ad” being eternal. This particular word only occurred once in the Hebrew Scriptures. Isaiah 9:6 provided the only use of the word Avi’ad.
Aviad was not just describing someone who continued on indefinitely, it was meant to imply that this kind of Father continually supported and upheld their children forever. Aviad was a good, unshakable parent who supported their children no matter how far they’ve strayed. This was YHWH, the Creator God who loved their children even when they did not love in return. God’s love was the kind of love that was unyielding, unstoppable, and endless. Scripture tells us that God wants safety and protection for us like a good parent would. 
PS: Let’s get close to this God with a breath prayer based upon Psalm 63:8. As we breathe in, we’ll say “I cling to you” and as we breathe out, we’ll say, “your hand keeps me safe.” Let’s do that three times. 
PC: I have been very blessed that “avi’ad” very much describes my earthly father. I know this is not always the case. My Dad supported me and would tell me sometimes, “Take it from me, you don’t have to do this the hard way. Trust me, I know.” And sometimes he had to set boundaries that he knew were good for me even though at the time, I didn’t see it that way. One of the other things I remember is the times my Dad would try to tell me not to do this life alone. “Why didn’t you come to me?” We sure see a lot of that from God to God’s people in Scripture. God wanting us to remember that our relationship is so much deeper than any mere setback. 
As my Dad has advanced in his dementia, it has very much felt like I was losing this feeling of a good unshakable parent. I have leaned in more closely to the constancy of God as Father and discovered the beauty of this aspect more deeply. Things that I would have gone to my Dad about, I now go to God the Father, as Jesus called him, “Abba,” which means “Daddy.” And though it has taken time, this has become much more natural for me. 
Today as you reflect, we invite you to consider your own earthly father or another mentor, and then take another moment and reflect upon the qualities of God as not only Father, or maybe even “Daddy,” but also as eternally present for us. 
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION

PS: There is something a little confusing about saying Jesus is Everlasting Father, when typically we understand Jesus usually in language as the Son. How can Isaiah ask us to imagine Jesus also as Father? Well, in one sense, Isaiah, though a prophet for the one yet to come was probably not thinking Trinity at all. Isaiah in his time was more likely thinking of an ideal human king as messiah, as savior. Over time people came to see this prophecy as pointing to Christ. Until the time when John the Baptist will say of Jesus, “This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke.” And of course, God is also three persons in one.  Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John “the Father and I are one.” For us today , we can tap into “Eternal Father” best perhaps by recalling passages where we see Jesus acting in the true loving parental aspect of God and pointing us to see God as loving parent and interact with God this way.
PC: Jesus saw the multitudes, and was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. OR when Jesus called His disciples and said, ‘I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.’ There are the many times Jesus refers to his followers as little children, drawing them closer to learn something more deeply and taking time to do what he can to help them learn and grow. And times Jesus gives them words to carry when he will not be there and reminders of who they should be, and who they should not be when he tells them, “not so with you” just like my Dad did. 
PS: And of course there is the story of the prodigal son. Can you picture the despair of the father as he watches child disobey, disrespect and even disconnect altogether from him? Every day he scanned the horizon hoping maybe today is the day his prayers are answered until the glorious reunion where the father is far less concerned about what the son has to say and far more interested in the fact he returned. No one can stray too far. 
Or the time Jesus insisted that little children come to him. Others tried to push them away and say they were not worth the time. Jesus clearly shows that no one is too insignificant, 
And ultimately from the cross he will tell two thieves, “today you will be with me in paradise.” No one is unforgiven even when they didn’t apologize. Nothing can separate us from that love. That’s an everlasting Father. 
The baby whose birth we will again celebrate becomes the man who tells these stories, stories we can cherish and cling to, that remind us who Jesus is, why Jesus came among us and why we say there is good news of great joy. Jesus is not just a super but human ruler, he is God with skin on, embodying everything the prophet said and more. 
Perhaps you can spend some time this week in gratitude for God’s love and care shown in Jesus to you. Or maybe you need that loving parental way of God now. Either way, we can be thankful for times we are cared for, especially when we have felt alone or unappreciated or anxious. How ever you need to encounter Jesus this day, let’s close with our breath prayer again this day. As we breathe in, we’ll say, “I cling to you” and as we breathe out, we’ll say, “your hand keeps me safe.” Let’s do that three times.
Lord Jesus, be our Everlasting Father, hold us in your loving hands forever. Amen, Come Lord Jesus!
OUTRO: 
PS: Join us each week through Christmas for another episode of “Unto Us a Child is Born.” Next week we will focus upon Jesus as “Prince of Peace.” 
Looking for community? Why not join us for our Christmas Dinner this week starting at 5 pm in Harkins Hall. Put on your favorite holiday gear and bring a friend- there’s always plenty to share. 
Like to sing? Join us on December 17th at Good Day Café for Cookies, Cocoa and Caroling at from 6-7:30 pm. Wear that tacky sweater, Christmas light necklaces or those reindeer antlers, and join us as we spread joy. Open to anyone and everyone- why not bring a friend? We’ll provide the jingle bells and song sheets and the cookies and cocoa are on us! 
Our Sunday worship in person is held at 8, 9 and 10:30 am. You can also listen to our 10:30 service live on Bigfoot Country Legends or Watch our livestream at 10:30 or later by going to our website, glcpa.org and click “WATCH.” 
Our website also has all our worship and activities. You can also download our free glcpa app to have Grace on the Go wherever your journey takes you. 
PC: No matter how we gather, friends, remember Christ is born for you. Take care, Beloveds.