"In the Time of King Herod, We Long for God to Break In" (November 30, 2025 Sermon)

Send us Fan MailPreaching: Rev. Dr. Stephen M. FearingText: Luke 1:5-13The season opens in a world humming with anxiety, and we refuse to look away. We begin with a prayerful grounding, then move into the charged space of Luke 1—Zechariah at the altar, an angel at his side, and a heart seized by tarasso, that deep inner shaking that follows surprise and uncertainty. Alongside the sacred text, we tell the truth about life under Herod’s shadow: economic pressure, public fear, and the slow grind of disparity. We also honor the micro aches that live at home—Elizabeth and Zechariah’s longing for a child, stigma, aging, and the fear of a future that won’t hold.From there, we get practical about fear’s many disguises. Borrowing the Enneagram’s nine lenses, we map how perfectionism, people-pleasing, success, intensity, knowledge, security, plans, control, and peacemaking can all be strategies to cope with fear. None of them make us bad; they make us human. The invitation is to notice the pattern, name the wound it tries to guard, and choose a truer response. That’s where curiosity enters. When fear insists on a brick wall, curiosity asks if there might be a door. We explore how curiosity opens conversation, disrupts echo chambers, and invites courage without bravado.Advent’s promise meets both scales of fear at once. The angel’s “do not be afraid” speaks to personal grief and public oppression, announcing a child who prepares the way for a Messiah whose kingdom unsettles empires and heals households. We reflect on how scarcity narratives shrink our imagination, while hope trains us to act with generosity, accountability, and connection. By the end, we extend a warm invitation to rest and sing Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus—choosing to live alert, tender, and brave in a world that needs exactly that kind of presence.If this conversation sparked something in you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more Advent reflections, and leave a review to help others find the show. What door might curiosity be opening for you today?Follow us on Instagram @guilfordparkpresbyterianchurchFollow us on Facebook @guilfordparkpcFollow us on TikTok @guilfordparkpreschurchWebsite:  www.guilfordpark.org