“Spirituality of the Psalms – Advent and Christmas Season” Sermon Series 30 Nov – 4 Jan

30 Nov - 4 Jan

Published on December 1, 2014

Advent Themes: Waiting; Expectation; Hope; Longing; Joy

Christmas Themes: Word incarnate, Celebration, Joy, Light, Salvation

The life of faith expressed in the Psalms reflects two very basic movements in everyone’s life. One move we make is a move from a season of “orientation” into a season of “disorientation”. This moves us out of the satisfied season of well-being that is marked by a sense of order, joy, delight and God’s reliability into a place of disorder, confusion, alienation and anguish that dismantles our confidence in God’s presence and reliability.

The other move we make is a move from a season of “disorientation” to a “new orientation”. This move involves being surprised by the new gift of grace from God and a departure from the “pit” of chaos just when we had suspected we would never escape. This move of departure to new orientation includes a rush of positive responses including delight, amazement, wonder, awe, gratitude and thanksgiving.

In a society that engages in cover-ups, grows numb by avoidance and denial, and is resistant to genuine newness and hope, it is important to recover and use these psalms that speak the truth about us – in terms of God’s engagement with the world.

Date Bible Verses  Theme Key Message
30 Nov Psalm
8		 Spirituality of the Psalms: Psalms of Orientation These psalms reflect a confident belief that the world is well-ordered, reliable, and life-giving to the
person of faith.
7 Dec Psalm  19
14 Dec Psalm  88 Spirituality of the Psalms: Psalms of Disorientation of life when it is no longer orderly but savage. Spoken out of
the depths, they are still bold acts of faith.
21 Dec Psalm 137
28 Dec Psalm  30 Spirituality of the Psalms: Psalms of New Orientation The pit is not the end of life; there is more. New orientation is not a return to the old stable
orientation, for there is no such going back. New orientation psalms reflect the surprise of new
possibilities that are experienced as pure gift from God. They are full of thanks because the
newness cannot be explained, predicted or programmed.
4 Jan Psalm 97