CORINTH

Sermon Notes

“#Blessed”

December 14, 2025

 

(Psalm 100, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 1:47-55)

    

     An interesting local organ story: In 1902 the Methodist church in Bangor purchased and installed a pipe organ from the Lake Ave. Baptist Church in Rochester, NY.  This pipe organ served the church faithfully until 1962, when the Bangor church moved from Pine Street to Essex Street.  The organ was idle until the Orono United Methodist church purchased and installed it in their church in 1977.  Between the two churches, the pipe organ was dormant and fell into disrepair, even suffering from vandalism.  It took a ton of work, care and expertise to move and install this historic organ.  But since 1977 the organ has been filling the sanctuary in Orono with beautiful music.  My mother, Barbara, has been playing this organ faithfully every Sunday morning for the past 48 years.  What makes this instrument magnificent?  Because it’s being used.  Used for God’s purposes.  Just like Mary.

     In today’s reading from Luke, Mary rejoices at being used as an instrument for God’s purposes.  She is described as “highly favored.”  Why?  Is she from a wealthy, influential family?  No-she is highly favored because God knows her heart; she is blessed because she is willing to be used for God’s mighty purposes.

     Paul is in a spirit of rejoicing as well as indicated by the words from Philippians this morning.  Even though he is writing from jail, he feels blessed as he witnesses a church serving faithfully, willing to be used as God’s instrument despite difficulty amidst some persecution.  Even Paul, in prison, shares words indicating he feels blessed despite his circumstances, because he is aware of God’s presence in his life, that even from prison he is able to be used for God’s purposes.  He has not been set aside; he is being used.

     Psalm 100 is thought to be a song people would sing as they carried an offering of gratitude into the temple.  They are celebrating God’s faithfulness to their ancestors, which served as evidence of God’s faithfulness to them in the present day.  They are a people acknowledging that they are being used as an instrument for God’s presence.

     Today we light the 3rd Advent candle, the pink candle, as we remember Mary’s joy at God favoring her, using her for a holy purpose.  Mary feels blessed.  How about you?  Perhaps we’re looking for blessings in the wrong places.  The definition of blessed according to the dictionary on my desk is: “To be made holy; consecrated.”  Being blessed is less about wealth, possessions, positions.  No, we learn today that being blessed is about allowing God to use as sacred, consecrated instruments.  It is then we will feel truly….blessed.