First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL

Luke 1:46-55 December 6, 2015 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Luke 1:46-55 Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” You have to wonder how she could sing. If we look at Mary, and really look closely; if we listen to Mary, and really listen closely; we have t...

Luke 1:67-79 November 29, 2015, Advent 1 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry If you have ever waited for something – a day to come, a friend to arrive, a phone call with the diagnosis – if you have ever waited a long time, waited to the point of despair, if you have ever waited until you are about to give up, you know how Zechariah felt. Zechariah was a priest in the order of Abijah. He was a righteous man. He had served God faithfully since he was young. For many years, he and his wife Elizabeth had served God, and for many years, they had prayed for a child. For many years, they had waited. It was a prayer that had gone unanswered until it was too late. They were elderly. There was no child. Zechariah was a good priest, a man of God. But all of his life, he had been waiting, waiting for a son that never would come, waiting for a Messiah that had never arrived, waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled. The waiting had ended,...