December 24, 2023, Advent 4: ”Impossible!”

In Mary's time, things were difficult for the denizens of Palestine. The Romans had brought order and a modicum of peace, but it was enforced at the point of a sword. And the Romans were only the latest in a long line of empires. From the time of the Assyrians in the late 8th century, the inhabitants of Israel and Judah had suffered under foreign subjugation. God's ancient promise to King David of an eternal kingdom may have rung empty. However, God showed God's faithfulness in a surprising way, not just to the long-dead David, but to God's people of every time and place. How does God keep promises of life and shalom, even in our contemporary world that sees so little of either? On December 24, Pastor David preaches two sermons. The first for the fourth Sunday of Advent (9:30 a.m.) is "Impossible!" based on 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 and Luke 1:26-38.