Debra K. Brazzel - "God's Surprises" (January 5, 1992)

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	(soft choir music)	0:00
-	Good morning.	0:54
	Welcome to Duke Chapel on this	0:55
	second Sunday after Christmas, Epiphany Sunday.	0:57
	We're glad that you are able to be with us this morning	1:00
	and hope this will be the start	1:03
	of a wonderful new year for you.	1:04
	We're happy to welcome this morning	1:07
	to the chapel, the Raleigh Boychoir	1:09
	and its director, Mr. Thomas E. Sibley.	1:11
	They are going to be making an adjustment	1:15
	in their anthem selection.	1:18
	They'll sing the Angel Carol, arranged by Audrey Snyder	1:20
	as the anthem, instead of the one printed in your bulletin.	1:24
	Let us continue our worship together with the greeting.	1:27
	Please stand.	1:30
	The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.	1:38
Congregation	And also with you.	1:41
-	The splendor of Christ shines upon us.	1:43
Congregation	Praise the Lord.	1:47
	(organ music)	1:49
	♪ Angels we have heard on high ♪	2:18
	♪ Sweetly singing o'er the plains ♪	2:22
	♪ And the mountains in reply ♪	2:27
	♪ Echoing their joyous strains ♪	2:32
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	2:37
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	2:51
	♪ Shepherds why this jubilee? ♪	3:08
	♪ Why your joyous strains prolong? ♪	3:13
	♪ Say what may the tidings be ♪	3:18
	♪ Which inspire your heavenly song? ♪	3:23
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	3:27
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	3:42
	♪ Come to Bethlehem and see ♪	3:59
	♪ Christ whose birth the angels sing ♪	4:04
	♪ Come adore on bended knee ♪	4:09
	♪ Christ the Lord, the newborn king ♪	4:13
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	4:18
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	4:32
	♪ See within a manger laid ♪	4:59
	♪ Whom the choirs of angels praise ♪	5:03
	♪ Mary, Joseph lend your aid ♪	5:08
	♪ While our hearts in love we raise ♪	5:13
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	5:18
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	5:33
-	Let us pray.	5:52
	Oh God of mystery and wonder,	5:55
	we praise you for the birth of your son, Jesus.	5:58
	Like the shepherds, may we bow before him.	6:02
	Like the angels, may we sing hallelujah.	6:06
	Like the magi, may we find our way by the star of Bethlehem	6:10
	and offer our finest treasures,	6:16
	even our lives, to him who through his life	6:19
	and death made eternal life possible for us,	6:23
	in whose name we pray.	6:29
	Amen.	6:31
	Would you be seated?	6:32
-	Let us pray together the prayer for illumination.	6:43
All	Open our hearts and minds,	6:47
	oh God, by the power of your holy spirit	6:49
	so that as the word is read and proclaimed	6:53
	we might hear with joy what you say to us this day.	6:56
	Amen.	7:00
-	The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah,	7:02
	chapter 60, starting with the first verse.	7:05
	"Arise, shine, for your light has come	7:09
	"and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.	7:14
	"For darkness shall cover the earth	7:18
	"and thick darkness the peoples.	7:20
	"But the Lord will arise upon you	7:23
	"and his glory will appear over you.	7:24
	"Nations will come to your light	7:27
	"and kings to the brightness of your dawn.	7:29
	"Lift up your eyes and look around.	7:33
	"They all gather together.	7:35
	"They come to you.	7:37
	"Your son shall come from far away	7:39
	"and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms.	7:42
	"Then you shall see and be radiant.	7:46
	"Your heart shall thrill and rejoice	7:49
	"because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you.	7:52
	"The wealth of the nations shall come to you.	7:55
	"A multitude of camels shall cover you.	7:59
	"The young camels of Midian and Ephah	8:02
	"and those from Sheba shall come.	8:05
	"They shall bring gold and frankincense	8:07
	"and proclaim the praise of the Lord."	8:10
	This is the word of the Lord.	8:13
	[All] Thanks be to God.	8:14
-	Will you stand and let us read responsively	8:24
	Psalm 72, found on page 795 and 6 of your hymnal.	8:27
	"Give the king your justice, oh God."	8:41
Congregation	"And your righteousness to your son".	8:45
-	"May he judge your people with righteousness."	8:48
Congregation	"And your poor with justice."	8:51
-	"Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people	8:54
	"and the hills in righteousness."	8:57
Congregation	"May he defend the cause	9:01
	"of the poor of the people and give deliverance	9:03
	"to the needy and crush the oppressor."	9:06
-	"May he live while the sun endures,	9:09
	"and as long as the moon throughout all generations."	9:13
Congregation	"May he be like rain that falls	9:18
	"on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth."	9:20
-	"In his days may righteousness flourish	9:25
	"and peace abound, 'til the moon be no more."	9:28
-	"May he have dominion from sea to sea	9:33
	"and from the river to the ends of the earth."	9:36
-	"May his foes bow down before him	9:39
	"and his enemies lick the dust.	9:42
	"May the kings of Tarshish and of the Isles	9:45
	"render him tribute.	9:48
	"May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring him gifts."	9:50
Congregation	"May all kings fall down before him	9:55
	"all nations serve him."	9:58
-	"For he delivers the needy when they call,	10:01
	the poor and those who have no helper."	10:04
Congregation	"He has pity on the weak and needy."	10:08
Speaker	"And he saves the lives of the needy."	10:11
Congregation	"From oppression and violence	10:15
	"he redeems their life, and precious	10:17
	is their blood in his sight."	10:20
	(commanding organ music)	10:23
	(congregation sings hymn)	10:32
-	You may be seated.	11:22
	This reading is from Paul's letter to the Ephesians,	11:29
	the third chapter beginning with the first verse.	11:32
	"This is the reason that I, Paul,	11:35
	"am a prisoner for Christ Jesus	11:38
	"for the sake of you Gentiles.	11:40
	"For surely you have already heard of the commission	11:43
	"of God's grace that was given me for you	11:46
	"and how the ministry was made known to me by revelation.	11:49
	"As I wrote above in a few words,	11:53
	"a reading of which will enable you	11:55
	"to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.	11:57
	"In the former generations the mystery was not made known	12:01
	"to humankind, as it has now been revealed	12:04
	"to his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit.	12:08
	"That is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs,	12:12
	"members of the same body, and sharers in the promise	12:15
	"in Christ Jesus through the gospel.	12:18
	"Of this gospel I have become a servant,	12:21
	"according to the gift of God's grace	12:24
	"that was given to me by working of his power.	12:26
	"Although I am the very least of all the saints,	12:31
	"this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles	12:34
	"the news of the boundless riches of Christ	12:37
	"and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery,	12:40
	"hidden for ages in God, who created all things	12:45
	"so that through the church, the wisdom of God	12:49
	"in its rich variety might now be made known	12:52
	"to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.	12:55
	"This was in accordance with the eternal purpose	12:59
	"that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,	13:02
	"in whom we have access to God	13:06
	"in boldness and confidence, through faith in him."	13:09
	This is the word of the Lord.	13:13
Congregation	Thanks be to God.	13:16
	(organ music)	13:32
-	[Raleigh Boychoir] ♪ Angels we have heard on high	13:37
	♪ Sweetly singing o'er the plain ♪	13:41
	♪ And the mountains in reply ♪	13:45
	♪ Echoing their joyous strains ♪	13:50
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	13:54
	♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo ♪	14:07
	♪ Shepherds hear the angels' song ♪	14:25
	♪ Tidings of great joy they bring ♪	14:29
	♪ Come to join the happy throng ♪	14:34
	♪ (Lyrics unclear) ♪	14:38
	♪ Gloria in excelsis deo ♪	14:43
	♪ Gloria in excelsis deo ♪	14:56
	♪ Angels we have heard on high ♪	15:15
	♪ Gloria ♪	15:19
-	The gospel reading is taken from the second chapter	15:38
	of Matthew, beginning at the first verse.	15:41
	"Jesus was born at Bethlehem in Judea	15:44
	"during the reign of Herod.	15:47
	"After his birth, astrologers from the east	15:49
	"arrived in Jerusalem asking,	15:52
	"'where is the child who is to be born King of the Jews?	15:54
	"'We observed the rising of his star,	15:58
	"'and we have come to pay him homage.'	16:00
	"King Herod was greatly perturbed when he heard this,	16:04
	"and so was the whole of Jerusalem.	16:07
	"He called a meeting of the chief priests and lawyers	16:11
	"of the Jewish people, and put before them the question,	16:14
	"'Where is it that the Messiah is to be born?'	16:18
	"'At Bethlehem in Judea', they replied,	16:22
	"and they referred him to the prophecy	16:25
	"which reads, 'Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,	16:27
	"'you are far from the least	16:31
	"'in the eyes of the rulers of Judah.	16:33
	"'For out of you shall come a leader	16:36
	"'to be the shepherd of my people, Israel.'	16:38
	"Herod next called the astrologers to meet him in private	16:42
	"and ascertain from them the time	16:46
	"when the star had appeared.	16:48
	"He then sent them on to Bethlehem and said,	16:50
	"'Go and make careful inquiry for the child.	16:53
	"'When you have found him, report to me	16:58
	"'so that I may go myself and pay him homage.'	17:01
	"They set out at the king's bidding,	17:05
	"and the star which they had seen at its rising	17:08
	"went ahead of them until it stopped	17:11
	"above the place where the child lay.	17:14
	"At the sight of the star, they were overjoyed.	17:17
	"Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary	17:20
	"his mother, and bowed to the ground in homage to him.	17:24
	"Then they opened their treasures	17:29
	"and offered him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh.	17:31
	"And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod,	17:38
	"they returned home another way."	17:42
	This is the word of the Lord.	17:46
All	Thanks be to God.	17:49
-	December 30th, 1991.	17:53
	The last issue of the year.	17:57
	The cover story of Time Magazine	18:00
	is the search for Mary.	18:04
	The story that follows tells of	18:06
	pilgrimages all over the world,	18:08
	at Lourdes, France, in Knock, Ireland,	18:11
	at Fatima, Portugal, and Czestochowa, Poland,	18:16
	at Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, even at Emmitsburg, Maryland,	18:20
	more than 17 million people a year	18:26
	journeying to shrines, hoping to get a glance	18:30
	of the virgin Mary, hoping to see,	18:34
	to touch holiness.	18:38
	Appearances of the virgin were sighted during the past year	18:41
	by six peasants in Yugoslavia, by a church caretaker	18:45
	in Nicaragua, by a 12-year-old in the Ukraine,	18:50
	by a Mexican immigrant in California.	18:55
	You can even call a hotline in Alabama	18:59
	by dialing 1-800-MOM-MARY to find out	19:02
	the virgin's latest message.	19:07
	At Lookout Mountain outside of Denver,	19:10
	six thousand people gaze up at the heavens,	19:13
	awaiting for the virgin to reveal herself.	19:17
	One woman's eyes are permanently damaged	19:20
	from looking directly at the sun.	19:23
	Miracle or hoax?	19:27
	Manifestation of God in the mother of God	19:30
	or wishful thinking?	19:35
	As the Time article says, the realm of the miraculous	19:38
	sometimes lies just across the border	19:42
	from the fanatical or the tacky.	19:45
	Miracles may turn into roadside tourist traps.	19:48
	And yet, the longing for and searching for the divine	19:53
	is an impulse as old as humankind.	19:58
	The Bible is a book filled with the history	20:02
	of the revelation of God and its consequences	20:04
	for the community of faith.	20:08
	Throughout history, God has revealed God's own self	20:10
	to human beings through dreams,	20:14
	visions, prophecies,	20:18
	nature, and finally God's own son.	20:21
	God leaves no one without a sign,	20:26
	if only we have eyes to see.	20:29
	Our story today is about the Epiphany.	20:33
	God's own being made manifest, where the divine	20:37
	bridges the gap between the infinite and the finite,	20:41
	where holiness becomes real and the distance between God	20:45
	and human beings vanishes.	20:49
	We can not bridge the chasm between us and God,	20:53
	but Jesus Christ can and often does in surprising ways.	20:57
	In our Biblical story, God chose outsiders, foreigners,	21:03
	with no prestige or standing in the community of faith,	21:08
	to witness the revelation of God's own self.	21:13
	Perhaps because they were outsiders, they were chosen.	21:17
	Perhaps they were chosen because they were searching	21:21
	for something missing in their lives,	21:24
	and were open to God's manifestation,	21:27
	or perhaps they were chosen because they saw the sign,	21:30
	revealed to them as a star in the sky	21:34
	and were willing to follow to see where it would lead them.	21:37
	In the last years of Herod's reign in Jerusalem,	21:41
	Herod receives these strange visitors from and eastern land,	21:45
	and they cause him a great deal of anxiety.	21:50
	There's a knock at the door, and the doorman	21:54
	comes to Herod to say there are some astrologers	21:56
	standing on the doorstep, asking for the child	21:59
	who is to be born King of the Jews.	22:02
	They say they have seen his star rising,	22:06
	and have come to pay homage to him.	22:09
	It was commonly believed that signs in the heaven	22:12
	accompanied the births of great figures.	22:15
	The births of Alexander the Great and Caesar Augustus	22:19
	were believed to have been presaged by heavenly displays.	22:22
	These foreigners from the east have seen the rising	22:28
	of the star and have come to pay homage to the new king.	22:31
	The scripture says that Herod and all of Jerusalem with him	22:36
	was greatly troubled, as well they should be,	22:41
	because Herod has the reputation of being ruthless	22:44
	whenever he feels threatened.	22:48
	He's already had his own son and several members	22:50
	of his family killed because he perceived them	22:53
	as a threat to his power.	22:55
	If a new rival is on the scene, it is certain	22:58
	that heads will roll, and the question is whose head?	23:01
	Greatly disturbed, Herod does what	23:05
	any leader in crisis would do,	23:07
	he calls together his political and religious advisers	23:09
	for a meeting to determine what's going on.	23:13
	You can imagine the conversation.	23:16
	"Is there any truth to this?	23:19
	"Where is the Messiah to be born?	23:20
	"The prophecies say the Messiah	23:24
	"is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea.	23:25
	"The prophecy reads, 'Bethlehem in the land of Judah,	23:28
	"'you are far from least in the eyes of the rulers of Judah,	23:33
	"'for out of you shall come a leader	23:38
	"'to be the shepherd of my people, Israel.'"	23:39
	Now this made Herod even more nervous,	23:44
	because he was from Edom, not Judah.	23:46
	Herod tells his advisors, "You'd better think	23:49
	"of something quick, because I'm not about	23:51
	"to be usurped by a peasant child."	23:53
	But not waiting for his political leaders	23:57
	to come up with a strategy, Herod develops his own plan.	23:59
	He meets secretly with the magi,	24:04
	and finds out when the star appeared	24:07
	so he can determine the age of the child.	24:10
	He then sends the astrologers to Bethlehem	24:13
	to find this child, and report back to him,	24:16
	so he too can pay homage to the child.	24:20
	Of course, you and I know the rest of the story,	24:23
	Herod's slaughter of the innocents.	24:26
	But we can assume the magi believe Herod at this point,	24:29
	since they are foreigners who are unfamiliar	24:33
	with Herod's ruthless ways.	24:36
	One might wonder, given Herod's reputation and style,	24:39
	why he didn't send a soldier with the magi	24:42
	to finish the child as he intended,	24:45
	but we can only suppose Herod was afraid	24:48
	the child's identity would be withheld from him	24:51
	if one of his soldiers were present.	24:54
	At any rate, the magi leave Jerusalem alone	24:57
	at the king's bidding for Bethlehem,	25:00
	which is about five miles away.	25:03
	The star that they had seen at its rising	25:06
	appears again, and this time it goes ahead of them	25:09
	until it stops above the place where the child lays.	25:14
	Now remember, these are astrologers	25:18
	who are attuned to watch for signs in the sky.	25:21
	This star is like none they have ever seen,	25:25
	and they are overjoyed that it appears again	25:28
	and even moves before them to guide their search.	25:31
	This is truly a momentous occasion.	25:35
	When they entered the house, the saw the child	25:40
	who is about the age of two, with Mary his mother.	25:44
	And in the scene that we all know so well,	25:48
	they bowed to the ground in awe and homage to him,	25:51
	opened their treasures and offered him gifts	25:56
	fit for a king; gold,	26:00
	frankincense and myrrh.	26:03
	That night, they're warned in a dream	26:06
	not to go back to Herod, and given	26:08
	special instructions to return home another way.	26:11
	That is all we are told of the magi,	26:16
	that there has been much speculation	26:19
	about them throughout history.	26:20
	Our Christmas pageants depict them	26:23
	as three kings who are wise men,	26:24
	though scripture doesn't actually	26:27
	tell us either their number or their identity.	26:29
	They've even been identified as persons of history;	26:32
	Melchior, a white-headed, white-bearded old man,	26:36
	Caspar, a ruddy-complexioned young man,	26:40
	and Balthazar, a black-beared, middle-aged black man.	26:44
	But their actual identity is unimportant.	26:50
	What these three symbolize for us	26:53
	is the universal significance of Jesus' birth,	26:55
	and they foreshadow what is to come.	26:59
	There are many ironies in this story.	27:03
	The Messiah has been long-awaited in the Jewish tradition,	27:06
	and yet when the Messiah is born,	27:09
	only those outside the tradition	27:11
	are able to see and receive him.	27:13
	Those who have the gift of scripture were able to read	27:17
	about the Messiah, but when they heard about his birth,	27:20
	they trembled with fear and plotted to destroy him,	27:24
	foreshadowing the reaction of the religious	27:28
	leaders to Jesus' adult ministry.	27:31
	On the other hand, the magi, who are Gentiles,	27:35
	pagans without the benefit of God's revelation in scripture,	27:39
	outside of God's chosen people of history,	27:44
	are selected by God to witness God's epiphany.	27:48
	Through them, we have a hint of the great work that God	27:54
	will accomplish in all the world through Jesus Christ.	27:57
	We get a glimpse of God's sovereignty over all of creation	28:02
	and God's salvation of all people.	28:06
	People are brought from far and by many ways	28:10
	to worship Jesus, the Christ.	28:14
	The response of the magi to God's	28:18
	revelation was to follow the star.	28:20
	Not knowing where it would take them, they followed.	28:24
	Like today's pilgrims, we can imagine	28:28
	the various reactions they might have received.	28:31
	Their families may have been angry at their impracticality.	28:35
	Their friends may have laughed at their folly.	28:40
	But some were probably envious of their courage	28:44
	to follow their convictions.	28:47
	They took the risk to find out	28:50
	where the star would lead them.	28:52
	Their journey ended in God's epiphany.	28:56
	They knew they had seen God face to face in a child.	29:00
	Their response was to fall down and worship God,	29:07
	presenting their all, giving	29:11
	the very best they had to offer.	29:13
	Finally they are given guidance	29:17
	from God and sent home another way.	29:19
	We don't know what happened once they left Bethlehem,	29:25
	but we can suppose they were changed	29:28
	in a fundamental way by their encounter with God.	29:30
	You can not help but be transformed	29:35
	once you've been touched by holiness.	29:39
	The appeal of shrines, miracles,	29:42
	dramatic sightings,	29:47
	is the hope of being touched	29:49
	by the holy in a visible, tangible way.	29:51
	It's ironic that current sightings and miracles	29:56
	are to peasants, immigrants and children,	30:00
	those outside the religious and political power structure.	30:05
	Is it because they are ignorant and naive,	30:09
	or is it because they are searching	30:13
	and open to God's manifestation?	30:15
	Or is it because they haven't lost their capacity	30:18
	to look at the world with eyes of wonder and hope?	30:22
	As educated, sophisticated, 20th century skeptics,	30:28
	we may scoff at miracles, but we too	30:33
	desire a sign of God's epiphany, God's presence,	30:37
	God's intervention into human existence.	30:42
	Yet as we look for the miraculous,	30:46
	we often miss God's presence in the ordinary.	30:48
	Our astrologers were going about their business	30:52
	when they saw God's sign in the sky	30:55
	and responded to God's call.	30:58
	We may look for God in the clouds	31:01
	but miss God's beckoning in the commonplace.	31:04
	We may look for spectacular revelation,	31:08
	but miss God all around us, revealed in the song of a bird,	31:11
	in a flower blooming, in the birth of a child,	31:17
	in the majesty of music, in a medical miracle,	31:22
	in the healing of a relationship.	31:27
	The signs of God are everywhere	31:30
	to be seen if we have eyes to see.	31:32
	Look at the world with wonder and expectation	31:37
	and you may be surprised at the many ways	31:41
	God can appear to you in the coming year.	31:44
	You might see Jesus in the eyes of a friend,	31:47
	in the hands of a homeless person,	31:51
	in a word of scripture, in the still of the night,	31:54
	in the face of a child.	32:00
	For where ever you are, Christ can meet you there.	32:02
	When I was a campus minister, there was	32:08
	a young black student who had severe cerebral palsy.	32:11
	Carl walked by dragging one side of his body,	32:15
	and his speech was very difficult to understand.	32:18
	He was attending the community college	32:22
	as a special education student.	32:24
	I often saw Carl in the hallway	32:27
	and uncomfortably averted my eyes.	32:30
	My friend Anne, who taught at the college,	32:33
	was always collecting misfits,	32:36
	people who just didn't fit in.	32:39
	She invited Carl to join the international	32:41
	student organization that we led together.	32:44
	Carl would tag along to meetings,	32:47
	camping trips, he even went on our ski trip to New Mexico.	32:50
	I've seen Carl get so excited about being included that he	32:54
	would get ahead of his feet and fall flat on his face.	32:58
	We would rush to help him up, but Carl would laugh,	33:02
	roll over, pick himself up and go on about his business.	33:05
	Carl had a wonderful spirit of optimism and persistence.	33:09
	It might take him 10 tries to get me to understand what he	33:14
	was saying, but he never got angry and he never gave up.	33:19
	One night on a camping trip, I was talking to Carl,	33:26
	and he said, "You know, I don't talk real well,	33:29
	"so people think I don't see well either.	33:33
	"But when I look at a person, I can tell	33:36
	"what they're like inside.	33:39
	"Not what they want you to think,	33:41
	"but what they feel in their heart.	33:43
	"It's so easy to see who really cares."	33:46
	As I looked into his luminous brown eyes	33:50
	that I had once turned away from in embarrassment,	33:54
	I knew that I was looking at the face of Jesus	33:58
	and I went home a different way.	34:03
	(organ music)	34:12
All	♪ Away in a manger ♪	34:48
	♪ No crib for a bed ♪	34:52
	♪ The little Lord Jesus ♪	34:57
	♪ Lay down his sweet head ♪	35:01
	♪ The stars in the sky ♪	35:05
	♪ Look down where he lay ♪	35:10
	♪ The little Lord Jesus ♪	35:14
	♪ Asleep on the hay ♪	35:18
	♪ The cattle are lowing ♪	35:26
	♪ The baby awakes ♪	35:30
	♪ The little Lord Jesus ♪	35:35
	♪ No crying he makes ♪	35:39
	♪ I love thee Lord Jesus ♪	35:43
	♪ Look down from the sky ♪	35:48
	♪ And stay by my cradle ♪	35:53
	♪ 'Til morning is nigh ♪	35:57
	♪ Be near me Lord Jesus ♪	36:04
	♪ I ask thee to stay ♪	36:09
	♪ Close by me forever ♪	36:14
	♪ And love me I pray ♪	36:18
	♪ Bless all the dear children ♪	36:23
	♪ In they tender care ♪	36:27
	♪ And take us to heaven ♪	36:32
	♪ To live with thee there ♪	36:37
Speaker	The Lord be with you.	36:47
Congregation	And also with you.	36:48
-	Let us pray.	36:50
	Oh radiant God, in our poverty of spirit	37:00
	we have followed your star, over field and mountain,	37:05
	always seeking the unsearchable riches of Christ.	37:10
	Oh God of wisdom and of power,	37:15
	your voice calls to us as we wonder.	37:18
	It thunders in the storms of life.	37:22
	It sighs in the beauty of it.	37:25
	It laughs with us in our delight.	37:27
	It sings with us in our joy.	37:31
	Oh God of the stars, we have seen your light	37:35
	shining upon the rich and the poor,	37:38
	the weak and the strong, the fool and the sage.	37:41
	Let us awaken to your wonder which is	37:47
	come upon us in your lowly child.	37:49
	Lord, in your mercy.	37:54
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	37:56
-	Oh God of might, through the work of the holy spirit	37:58
	and the birth of your infant son Jesus,	38:02
	you brought direction, meaning	38:05
	and a fresh beginning to the world.	38:08
	In the face of another year, we confess that we need	38:11
	cleansing from our sinful ways	38:15
	so that we may rise more than conquerors	38:18
	above the evils of the world.	38:21
	Lord, in your mercy.	38:24
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	38:27
	In this time of freshly born freedom,	38:29
	your world, oh God, cries out to you for new hope.	38:32
	Nations, families, individuals, need your light	38:37
	to guide them along new paths of government,	38:42
	new ways of creating justice, and new hearts of compassion.	38:45
	Especially do we pray for the people in eastern Europe	38:51
	and in Russia, who are struggling	38:54
	desperately for a new form of life.	38:56
	For people in Lebanon and Iraq and in all other tense places	38:59
	who are victims of endless wars and uneasy peace.	39:03
	Grant that your eternal wisdom be upon their leaders	39:08
	so that they may be able to find ways of feeding	39:11
	their people and ways of governing fairly and wisely,	39:14
	thereby fashioning peace in their own lands	39:20
	and throughout the world.	39:23
	Lord, in your mercy.	39:25
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	39:27
-	Oh eternal God, you continue to call your church.	39:28
	Grant that all of your faithful sons and daughters	39:33
	may light new fires of forgiveness and mercy,	39:36
	advancing your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.	39:40
	Lord, in your mercy.	39:44
-	Hear our prayer.	39:46
-	Oh gracious God, your goodness is everlasting.	39:49
	Yours is a beauty of children like the babe in Bethlehem,	39:51
	and yours is the fullness of years like the prophets of old.	39:55
	Increase our sense of wonder as we wait	40:00
	before your eternal mysteries.	40:03
	Give us compassion for the burdens of the world.	40:06
	Lord, in your mercy.	40:11
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	40:13
-	For righteousness sake, we pray for our homes,	40:15
	our schools and for all in our communities	40:18
	who bear heavy responsibilities.	40:21
	Enable us to reinstate a strong moral structure	40:24
	into our society, which is now so greedy, lost and afraid.	40:27
	Lord, in your mercy.	40:33
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	40:36
	Oh God, we pray for all who have seen the star	40:37
	and have come with us to Bethlehem this season.	40:40
	For those who are poor and cold	40:44
	and hungry like the shepherds,	40:46
	that they may hear good news of home, food and warmth.	40:48
	Lord, in your mercy.	40:53
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	40:55
-	For those who are searching like the magi,	40:57
	that they may find the place to leave	40:59
	their gifts and their burdens,	41:01
	especially those bereaved because of a dying loved one,	41:04
	those without jobs, those afraid of the future,	41:08
	those sick in the hospitals, those cold in heart.	41:12
	Lord, in your mercy.	41:16
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	41:19
-	For those who are busy, hurried and preoccupied	41:21
	like the inn keeper, that they may know	41:23
	the peace that comes from a genuine act of hospitality.	41:25
	Lord, in your mercy.	41:30
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	41:32
-	We pray for those like Herod, who have power,	41:33
	that they may use it for good instead of evil.	41:36
	Lord, in your mercy.	41:39
Congregation	Hear our prayer.	41:42
-	We pray for ourselves, we who need	41:44
	new purpose and new hope.	41:47
	Grant us new visions and challenges	41:50
	in this starlit season and all the days of our lives.	41:53
	Grant these prayers, for we pray them	41:57
	in the name of Christ our savior.	42:00
	Amen.	42:03
	From our advantaged positions in the world,	42:07
	God calls us to be bold and visionary,	42:10
	moving out of our complacency to do	42:14
	what Christ would have us do;	42:17
	feed the hungry, clothe the naked,	42:20
	and reach out to the fallen.	42:23
	May our gifts bring new possibilities to our own lives	42:26
	as well as to all of those in need.	42:30
	(organ music)	43:04
-	[Raleigh Boychoir] ♪ Born in a stable so bare	43:14
	♪ Born so long ago ♪	43:20
	♪ Born 'neath light of star ♪	43:27
	♪ He who loved us so ♪	43:34
	♪ Far away, silent he lay ♪	43:41
	♪ Born today, your homage pay ♪	43:49
	♪ For Christ is born for aye ♪	43:59
	♪ Born on Christmas day ♪	44:06
	♪ Cradled by mother so fair ♪	44:16
	♪ Tender her lullaby ♪	44:22
	♪ Over her son so dear ♪	44:29
	♪ Angel hosts fill the sky ♪	44:36
	♪ Far away, silent he lay ♪	44:43
	♪ Born today, your homage pay ♪	44:52
	♪ For Christ is born for aye ♪	45:01
	♪ Born on Christmas day ♪	45:08
	♪ Wise men from distant far land ♪	45:22
	♪ Shepherds from starry hills ♪	45:29
	♪ Worship this babe so rare ♪	45:35
	♪ Hearts with his warmth he fills ♪	45:42
	♪ Far away, silent he lay ♪	45:49
	♪ Born today, your homage pay ♪	45:57
	♪ For Christ is born for aye ♪	46:06
	♪ Born on Christmas day ♪	46:12
	♪ Love in that stable was born ♪	46:22
	♪ Into our hearts to flow ♪	46:28
	♪ Innocent dreaming babe ♪	46:35
	♪ Make me thy love to know ♪	46:41
	♪ Far away, silent he lay ♪	46:46
	♪ Born today, your homage pay ♪	46:56
	♪ For Christ is born for aye ♪	47:05
	♪ Born on Christmas day ♪	47:12
	(organ music)	47:29
All	♪ Praise God from whom all blessings flow ♪	48:24
	♪ Praise him, all creatures here below ♪	48:31
	♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪	48:37
	♪ Praise him above, ye heavenly host ♪	48:45
	♪ Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost ♪	48:52
	♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪	48:59
	♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪	49:05
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	49:12
-	Oh, eternal God, oh God of all beginnings,	49:24
	encourage our hearts as we greet this new year.	49:28
	In this season of wonder, you have given us time	49:32
	to recapture a glimpse of the eternity	49:36
	that moves and breathes among us.	49:39
	The miracle of your grace is that you are mindful of us.	49:42
	You care for us, you equip us to uncover	49:46
	the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.	49:49
	You empower us to love one another and to trust you.	49:53
	Our gratitude is overflowing.	49:58
	Enable us to grasp the light of your hope	50:01
	and the promise that life can be transformed.	50:05
	Encourage us in our continuing journeys of faith.	50:08
	May our lives be lived as a sacrament of praise	50:12
	and thanksgiving, because you have filled our lives	50:16
	with the gift of your son in whose name we pray, saying,	50:20
All	"Our father who art	50:25
	"in heaven, hallowed be thy name.	50:27
	"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done	50:31
	"on earth as it is in heaven.	50:34
	"Give us this day our daily bread	50:37
	"and forgive us our trespasses	50:40
	"as we forgive those who trespass against us	50:43
	"and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.	50:46
	"For thine is the power and the power for ever and ever.	50:51
	"Amen."	50:56
-	Now may our Lord Jesus Christ	50:59
	touch your life with his wonder,	51:02
	fill your life with his power,	51:04
	open your eyes to his bidding,	51:07
	bless your coming and your going with his care	51:10
	and lift your hearts to his love.	51:13
	In the name of the Father and of the Son	51:16
	and of the Holy Spirit.	51:19
	(organ music)	51:24
All	♪ We three kings of orient are ♪	52:19
	♪ Bearing gifts we traverse afar ♪	52:25
	♪ Field and fountain, moor and mountain ♪	52:31
	♪ Following yonder star ♪	52:38
	♪ Oh, star of wonder, star of night ♪	52:44
	♪ Star of royal beauty bright ♪	52:54
	♪ Westward leading, still proceeding ♪	53:00
	♪ Guide us to thy perfect light ♪	53:07
	♪ Born a king on Bethlehem's plain ♪	53:15
	♪ Gold I bring to crown him again ♪	53:22
	♪ King forever, ceasing never ♪	53:28
	♪ Over us all to reign ♪	53:35
	♪ Oh star of wonder, star of night ♪	53:41
	♪ Star of royal beauty bright ♪	53:51
	♪ Westward leading, still proceeding ♪	53:57
	♪ Guide us to thy perfect light ♪	54:03
	♪ Frankincense to offer have I ♪	54:12
	♪ Incense owns a deity nigh ♪	54:18
	♪ Prayer and praising, all men raising ♪	54:24
	♪ Worship him, God most high. ♪	54:30
	♪ Oh, star of wonder, star of night ♪	54:37
	♪ Star of royal beauty bright ♪	54:46
	♪ Westward leading, still proceeding ♪	54:52
	♪ Guide us to thy perfect light ♪	54:58
	♪ Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume ♪	55:07
	♪ Breathes of life of gathering gloom ♪	55:14
	♪ Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying ♪	55:19
	♪ Sealed in the stone-cold tomb ♪	55:26
	♪ Oh, star of wonder, star of light ♪	55:32
	♪ Star of royal beauty bright ♪	55:42
	♪ Westward leading, still proceeding ♪	55:48
	♪ Guide us to your perfect light ♪	55:55
	♪ Glorious now, behold him arise ♪	56:03
	♪ King and God and sacrifice ♪	56:09
	♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪	56:16
	♪ Earth to heaven replies ♪	56:22
	♪ Oh star of wonder, star of light ♪	56:29
	♪ Star of royal beauty bright ♪	56:38
	♪ Westward leading, still proceeding ♪	56:44
	♪ Guide us to thy perfect light ♪	56:51
	(commanding organ music)	57:08

Item Info

Title:

Debra K. Brazzel - "God's Surprises" (January 5, 1992)

Description:

Sermon start time: (Part 1) 17:53. Sermon end time: (Part 1) 34:08.
Through references to the Gospel and personal examples, Brazzel encourages listeners to look for God in the ordinary. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)
Key quotation: As we look for the miraculous, we often miss God’s presence in the ordinary. Our astrologers were going about their business when they saw God’s sign in the sky and responded to God’s call. We may look for God in the clouds but miss God’s calling in the commonplace. We may look for spectacular revelation but miss God all around us, revealed in the song of a bird, in a flower blooming, in the birth of a child, in the majesty of music, in a medical mirror, in the healing of a relationship. The signs of God are everywhere to be seen, if we have eyes to see. Look at the world with wonder and expectation and you may be surprised at the many ways God can appear to you in the coming year. You might see Jesus in the eyes of a friend, in the hands of a homeless person, in a word of scripture, in the still of the night, in the face of a child. For where you are, Christ can meet you there.

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r43f4m337

Date:

January 5, 1992

Speaker:

Brazzel, Debra K.

Liturgical Calendar:

Epiphany

Biblical Book:

Chapter and Verse:

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 VHS-0263
ref9044_2dc
uachapelsermaud
duke:321533
dcrmv001252
ark:/87924/r43f4m337
ea1e57fa-602d-4ebb-95cc-f1e3275c05bb

Digital Collection:

Duke Chapel Recordings

Source Collection:

Duke University Chapel recordings, 1954-2005

Language:

English

Location:

United States
North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

Format:

Provenance:

The Duke University Chapel Recordings were transferred to the Duke University Archives beginning in 1970.

Rights:

Limited Re-Use

CC BY-NC 4.0

Rights Note:

This recording may contain 3rd party materials, such as music or readings that are therefore not covered by the Creative Commons license indicated here. For more information see https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/research/citations-and-permissions.

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Debra K. Brazzel - "God's Surprises" (January 5, 1992)

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Duke University Archives

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