Fourth Sunday of Advent (12/18/22)

 

The Savior is Born, and His Name is Jesus!

Luke looks at two kings in this passage. One, an emperor of the most powerful nation on earth. The other king…a child, born in a filthy stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in an animal’s feeding trough. One who lived in extravagance and ruled the known world. One who was born in the lowest of circumstances and was the ruler of the cosmos.

The Roman king issued a decree in order that he might tax everyone under the Roman Empire. The people must all go to their hometowns and register to be taxed appropriately. Interestingly, one of the reasons for this decree was to raise money for a temple to worship the deity of Caesar's late uncle, Julius Caesar. Little did this king know that a more powerful and everlasting deity was to arrive during this very time. One king was to take from his people. The other is to give everything to his people.

All these events came about by the hand of God the Father. His sovereignty is on display for all of us to see…and understand. Long ago the prophet Micah had written about the birth of Christ and its location in Bethlehem.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

Matthew was to later quote Micah in his gospel:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Bethlehem means "house of bread," and the King Jesus came from heaven to give life, eternal and free from the death of sin to his people.  Mary was in Bethlehem at the time of his birth not just because of the decree of this powerful worldly king, but because of an earlier decree by the most powerful King of all!

"The only deity within the confounds of the Roman Empire was to be found in Bethlehem, this impoverished child in a manger; decreed by God to come before the foundation of the world." R.C. Sproul

 

Scripture:

Luke 2:1-20

The Birth of Jesus Christ

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration when^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,^[b] who was with child. ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.^[c]

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”^[d]

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Carols:

Angels We Have Heard on High

1. Angels we have heard on high,

sweetly singing o'er the plains,

and the mountains in reply

echoing their joyous strains.

 Chorus

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

gloria in excelsis Deo.

 2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

which inspire your heav'nly song?

 

3. Come to Bethlehem and see

him whose birth the angels sing;

come, adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord, the newborn King. 

 

Angels From the Realms of Glory

1 Angels from the realms of glory,

wing your flight o'er all the earth;

ye who sang creation's story

now proclaim Messiah's birth

 

Chorus

Come and worship, come and worship,

worship Christ, the newborn king.

 

2 Shepherds, in the field abiding,

watching o'er your flocks by night,

God with us is now residing;

yonder shines the infant light

 

3 Sages, leave your contemplations,

brighter visions beam afar;

seek the great Desire of nations;

ye have seen his natal star

 

The First Noel

1 The first Nowell the angel did say

was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay,

in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,

on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

 

Chorus

Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,

born is the King of Israel.

 

2 They looked up and saw a star

shining in the east beyond them far;

and to the earth it gave great light,

and so it continued both day and night. 

 

3 And by the light of that same star

three wise men came from country far;

to seek for a king was their intent,

and to follow the star wherever it went. 

 

4 This star drew nigh to the northwest;

o’er Bethlehem it took its rest,

and there it did both stop and stay,

right over the place where Jesus lay.

 

5 Then entered in those wise men three,

full reverently upon their knee,

and offered there in his presence

their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.

 

6 Then let us all with one accord

sing praises to our heavenly Lord,

that hath made heaven and earth of nought,

and with his blood our life hath bought. 

Prayer:

Ask God to fill our hearts with joy and knowledge of the Savior.

Misconception 3: Advent is only about Jesus’ birth.

 

Since Advent comes before Christmas on December 25, there is an assumption that it simply is a lead-up to celebrating the day of Christ’s birth.

However, when Christians first observed Advent, they anticipated the return of Christ, not his birth. This changed in the Middle Ages when Advent became a time to remember and celebrate the incarnation of Jesus, even as the “traditional” approach to Advent remained.

“Advent spirituality is not a time to meditate on the actual birth of Christ. According to tradition, we ought not to sing Christmas carols until Christmas itself, for Advent is not a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus in the manger but a time to long for the coming of the Savior,” wrote Robert E. Webber in Ancient-Future Time.

Advent was originally a time of fasting and self-reflection too, CT executive editor Ted Olsen wrote.

To Vieira, Advent is a “penitential” season that affords believers a time for discipline and intentional repentance.

“A deep reflection on the liturgical tradition shows us that Advent embodies a tension of joining the enactment of the old covenant peoples’ expectation for redemption and the new covenant peoples’ expectation for the consummation that will come with the second coming of Christ,” he said.

Some traditional hymns and readings during the Advent season reflect a yearning for Christ’s return, says Margery.

“I think particularly of ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.’ One sings it generally as a sort of plea for Christ to be born, putting oneself in the place of the saints of Israel who longed for his coming. But I have the impression that it is echoing the final prayer of Revelation [22:20, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’].”

The eschatological longing that Advent encapsulates is a key component of the season that cannot be overlooked.

“Scripture’s prophecies of the Promised One often have layers of meaning and multiple fulfillments,” wrote CT print managing editor Kelli Trujillo in the introduction to CT’s 2022 Advent devotional.

“They frequently point toward a fulfillment in the prophet’s own time but also direct our gaze toward the Messiah and his first coming as well as the Second Advent we await.”

“To be in Advent is to dwell in the ‘already/not yet’ of the kingdom of God,” said Derœux.

“It allows us to remember the promises of the Lord and the extent to which he cares for us. The patience and preparation it took to give a Savior to humanity is breathtaking, and to be able to not only remember but to live this particular time [out] is a blessing.

“We could read the whole Old Testament and see an Advent, a dawn to a new beginning.”

3 Popular Misconceptions About Advent | Christianity Today

Misconception 2: Advent is not biblical.

 

Some evangelicals may also hold the perception that Advent is not biblical because it is nowhere mentioned in Scripture.

Evangelicals often find themselves “divorced” from church history and tradition. Some may come from Low-Church backgrounds that place greater emphasis on topical preaching and personal piety than on following the historical church calendar to order services or using call-and-response prayers communally.

But recovering an understanding of church tradition can shed light on why Advent is a biblically grounded season in which believers may shape their faith according to God’s Word and truth.

“Evangelicals should study [church] tradition, for we are not the first to seek answers to difficult questions and problems in theology. However, we must not elevate the tradition to inviolable, authoritative status,” wrote Baptist theologian Roger E. Olson.

Advent reflects the Bible in highlighting the centrality of Christ and his salvific work, Episcopalian priest Fleming Rutledge argues.

“Advent always begins in the dark. But there is a ‘but,’ and we find it revealed in the story that the scriptures tell,” Rutledge wrote.

“That is the Advent message: In a world of profound darkness and distress, pervasive sin and evil, we look to the one true light—Christ Jesus, the Son of God.”

Some Christians might hold the view that liturgical worship should be patterned only after New Testament texts and not on its historical development over the centuries, says Gener, the Filipino theologian.

But the formation of the Christian liturgical year—Advent included—goes back to how the early church incorporated cultural practices of their day into their worship life.

“Jewish synagogue practices and festivals were assumed and shared by Jesus and his disciples, and these practices were refashioned by Christ’s disciples in light of the Christ event, which evolved later into historic Christian worship,” Gener said.

Lula Derœux, a Baptist pastor in France, finds it meaningful to observe Advent even if the Bible does not explicitly mention it: “If the Bible doesn’t tell us how and when to celebrate the birth of Christ, the Bible encourages us to remember and to build our relationship with God.

“Our need to celebrate, to prepare our longing hearts and to praise the Lord in the waiting transcends all cultures and all ages.”

3 Popular Misconceptions About Advent | Christianity Today

Misconception 1: Advent is an exclusively Roman Catholic practice.

“Most Protestants today have no idea what occurred in the church for nearly a thousand years. Yet they are confident of one thing: Whatever did occur during the premodern era is not worth our time and can only corrupt Christianity,” wrote Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Matthew Barrett earlier this year.

On the whole, the church calendar was seen as a Catholic invention. Protestants who were suspicious of innovations and trying to get back to the practices of the New Testament church got rid of it. (The Puritans never celebrated Christmas, much less Advent, either.)

This sentiment might very well apply to evangelical perceptions of Advent, where many regard the season as a predominantly Catholic ritual that has little to no purpose or relevance for one’s spiritual life.

But evangelicals all around the world today, from the Philippines to Brazil, do take part in Advent.

“These evangelicals come from historic denominations (e.g., Anglican, Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist) which take seriously the historical development of worship and make allowances for historical conditions in their practices while seeking to be faithful to implement biblical principles in contextualizing worship,” said Timoteo Gener, president of FEBIAS College of Bible in the Philippines.

In Brazil, Advent is the liturgical season that has received the most acceptance among evangelicals, says Daniel Vieira, director of the Lecionário project.

In Vieira’s opinion, experiencing the liturgical calendar well helps to develop a “sacramental vision of reality” that combats religious consumerism and re-emphasizes spiritual formation and discpleship.

That is why helping believers to distinguish between Advent and Christmas is a vital need for the Brazilian church right now, he adds.

“The biggest difficulty is to better understand the difference between Advent and Christmas and to observe Advent in an appropriate way, with the help of traditional Christian practices and a lectionary, a tool that we have been promoting in Brazil.”

 3 Popular Misconceptions About Advent | Christianity Today

3 Misconceptions of Advent - Introduction

 Advent means “arrival” or “appearing” and comes from the Latin word adventus. Each year, the season begins four Sundays before Christmas and lasts until December 25. It is divided into a period that focuses on Christ’s second coming and another that focuses on his birth. (Orthodox Christians observe a similar event, the Nativity Fast, from November 15 to December 24 before the Nativity Feast on December 25.)

Advent began in fourth- and fifth-century Gaul and Spain as a season intended to prepare believers’ hearts for Epiphany (January 6), not Christmas. Epiphany is a day to commemorate the Magi’s visit after Jesus’ birth (in the West) or Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River (in the East).

Today, Advent customs may include reading and praying through an Advent devotional and lighting one of four candles inside an Advent wreath each Sunday, corresponding to four weekly themes: hope, love, joy, and peace. Most wreaths also include a centrally placed candle to symbolize Jesus, the Light of the World.

3 Popular Misconceptions About Advent | Christianity Today

Third Sunday of Advent (12/11/22)

 

Third Sunday of Advent (12/11/22)

The coming of Jesus is announced to Mary and Joseph

It’s important to notice the various stages that Mary navigated during her encounter with Gabriel.

Firstly, Mary was somewhat incredulous, fearful, and certainly, she was reasonably skeptical, she hesitated. The news was so staggering, so unusual, so amazing that she could not believe it, and she said so. In fact, she virtually indicated to the angel that what he was saying was quite impossible. Gabriel reminded her that, one, nothing is impossible with God, and two, she must change the way she would think and accept this news. She was now in a different realm and Gabriel was no ordinary human messenger. He was, in fact, the bearer of a message from God Himself, the One who is all and creates all and can do all.

Secondly, Mary moved from doubt to obedience- “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” At first, it all seems too impossible. “There’s no way” we may say to ourselves. But that doubt and disbelief must move to obedience. We must be willing to say, with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant, may God’s word be fulfilled in my life”. We must be willing to believe that all things are possible with God and that His will is perfect and obtainable through Jesus. It is the only way in which we can leave ourselves in His hands, while still not understanding, but ready to wait and to listen and to follow.

Thirdly, we must not hide His work from others. Mary, then went and visited her cousin Elizabeth. Upon learning of what God was doing in Elizabeth’s life, God then used the very words of Elizabeth to confirm to Mary the announcement that had already been made by Gabriel was true. This brought Mary great joy and understanding, and she sang out “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”, and she poured out her heart in this wonderful praise and adoration of God.

May we too accept God at His word and relinquish our lives to Him, no matter what is asked of us, how difficult it may be to believe, and respond with great joy and astonishment at how great our God is!

Scripture:

Luke 1:26-56

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

 

Carols:

What Child is This?

1 What Child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

Chorus:
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

2 Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.[Chorus]

3 So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.[Chorus]

 

O Little Town of Bethlehem

1 O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

2 For Christ is born of Mary,
and, gathered all above
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King
and peace to all the earth.

3 How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

4 O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray,
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Immanuel!

 

Away in the Manger

1 Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

2 The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.

3 Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay
close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care,
and take us to heaven to live with you there.

Prayer:

Ask God to help us to accept His will and purposes, no matter how difficult, like Mary and Joseph with faith, obedience, and great joy.

 

12 Short Prayers for Christmas

1.        LOVE Lord, help us follow the way of love—let the love of Christ compel us.
1 Corinthians 14:1;2 Corinthians 5:14

2.      JOY Restore the joy of Your salvation to us; let us experience the joy of Your presence.
Psalm 51:12, 16:11

3.      PEACE Let Your peace rule and guard our hearts; give us more of You, Jesus—You are our peace.
Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7; Ephesians 2:14

4.     HOPE Enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we may know the hope You called us to.
Ephesians 1:18

5.      FAVOR Let Your favor rest on us.
Luke 2:52

6.      LIFE Shine Your light of life on us; help us to walk in it.
Job 33:30; Psalm. 56:13

7.      SALVATION Help us to fear You so we can unlock the treasure of Your salvation.
Isaiah 33:6

8.     SELFLESSNESS Keep us from self-seeking attitudes that reject truth.
Romans 2:8

9.      GENEROSITY Make us rich in ways that result in generosity on our part so You will be praised.
2 Corinthians 9:11

10.  RECEIVING Help us receive Your kingdom, Your Spirit, and Your grace.
Daniel 7:18; John 20:22; Romans 5:17

11.     SEEKING Encourage us to seek Your face with all our hearts.
Deuteronomy 4:29; Psalm 27:8

12.   PRAISE We ascribe glory to Your name, Lord; we come before You in worship for You are holy.
1 Chronicles 16:28-29

 Published with permission from Navpress

BALL LIFE GROUP CHRISTMAS PARTY

DEC 8th

Thursday night

6:15  Pm

Tom and Carolyn's home  

(refer to email for address and contact info)

 Everyone brings an appetizer of some sort

We will provide Christmas sweets and drinks

$10 wrapped Christmas gift - One per person for gift exchange

 

So looking forward to having everyone here for some food, games, and fun!

 

Blessings Tom and Carolyn

 

PEACE - MICHAEL MCDONALD

One of my all-time favorite Christmas songs from Michael McDonald. 

I thought I'd share his lyrics with you this Christmas and encourage you to listen to this wonderful song.

PEACE (MICHAEL MCDONALD)

I HAVE COME FROM SO FAR AWAY

DOWN THE ROAD OF MY OWN MISTAKES

IN THE HOPE YOU COULD HEAR ME PRAY

OH LORD, KEEP ME IN YOUR REACH

 

HOW I'VE LONGED THROUGH THESE WASTED YEARS

TO OUTRUN ALL THE PAIN AND FEAR

TURNED TO STONE FROM MY UNCRIED TEARS

AND NOW IT'S YOUR GRACE I SEEK

 

LOVE WON'T COMPROMISE

IT'S A GIFT, IT'S A SACRIFICE

MY SOUL RENEWED, AND MY HEART RELEASED

IN YOU I'LL FIND MY PEACE

 

WONDROUS CHILD OF WHOM THE ANGELS SING

KNOW MY JOY, FEEL MY SUFFERING

SHINING STAR MAKE THIS LOVE YOU BRING

SO BRIGHT THAT I MAY BELIEVE

 

THAT MY WAY WILL NOT BE LOST

FROM NOW ON, 'TIL THAT RIVER'S CROSSED

MY SOUL RENEWED, AND MY SPIRIT FREE

IN YOU I'LL FIND MY PEACE

I pray He is where you find your peace this Christmas...

Second Sunday of Advent (12/4/22)

Second Sunday of Advent (12/4/22)

A special messenger is born to prepare the way.

Advent deals not only with Jesus’s first coming as the babe of Bethlehem in the middle of salvation history but also with his Second Coming at the end of salvation history. John the Baptist is the last of the old covenant prophet and Jesus’s forerunner in birth, message, and death.

So, let’s put John’s ministry in the context of the Advent/Christmas season. How can we be faithful witnesses preparing for the birth of Christ? How do we firmly establish Jesus as the “reason for the season?” Well, just as John the Baptist offered his life as a faithful witness to Christ, we must offer our lives for the sake of the Gospel. Now, we will never likely see martyrdom as John did, but we can, with the same intent and enthusiasm as John, offer our lives and possessions as a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1).

We can be capable and good witnesses of Christ by showing (not just through our words, but by our acts) God’s love and the grace of Christ throughout the year. The whole year. Not just a few weeks, mixed in with concerts, events, sugary foods and shopping…while hoping to see a little snow fall. Now, these things are not necessarily bad or unhealthy – except, of course all the sugary, wonderful, delicious desserts. But I’m afraid that too many times the way we have come to celebrate Christmas might, actually, be of offense to God. Too often, we spend thousands of dollars for Christmas gifts to give to people who have little need, at the expense of those who find themselves in great need. We feast and dine to excess while there are those around us who spend the holiday hungry, cold, and void of someone’s love.

The apostle John declared that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16) and later tells us how that message is to be demonstrated: “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17 NASB). Christmastime is also about sharing hope and love to all… just as God did by sending Christ, Christ did by giving us the Spirit, and John’s sacrifice in so boldly letting us know by his testimony and actions.

Scripture:

Luke 1:5-24, 57-80, Matthew 3:1-3, John 1:29-34

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,^[a] of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

⁸ Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” ²¹ And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²² And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. ²³ And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

²⁴ After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ²⁵ “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸ And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, ⁶⁰ but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹ And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶² And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. ⁶⁴ And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. ⁶⁵ And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, ⁶⁶ and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah's Prophecy

⁶⁷ And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has visited and redeemed his people
⁶⁹ and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David,
⁷⁰ as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹ that we should be saved from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us;
⁷² to show the mercy promised to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
⁷⁴     that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
⁷⁵     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us^[h] from on high
⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

 

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”^[a] 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare^[b] the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’”

 

Behold, the Lamb of God

²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son^[a] of God.”

 

Carols:

Joy to the World

1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sins and sorrows grow
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

 

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

1 Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

2 Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

3 The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

4 Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

5 When the heavens shall ring, and the angels sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying "Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee."
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

 

Prayer:

Ask God to make us good “messengers” and to help us know how to prepare people to listen to the good news about Jesus.

 

It's important to remember the correct message this Christmas!

First Sunday of Advent (11/27/22)

 

First Sunday of Advent (Nov. 27, 2022) 

“The prophets announce that the Messiah would come to be a ruler and savior.”

The word advent means “coming”. For Christians, it marks the beginning of a season of anticipation of the arrival of our king and savior. This is the time of the year we set aside to celebrate and contemplate the most remarkable event in all of history. God came down to us through the incarnation of His son Jesus. He did so in a way no one could have imagined, could have expected, could have conceived. As a lowly child born in a stable… because there was no room for him elsewhere. A savior and ruler sent from God the Father, surrounded by hay, muck, and livestock. Not royalty. Not splendor or spectacle. No fanfare worthy of a king heard or seen. Only shepherds and their flocks, a manger, and two very young parents given the charge of a child - who would change everything.

Scripture:

Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, 11:1-5, Micah 5:2-4

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means God is with us).

 

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

 

A Branch from David’s Line

11 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—
    yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
² And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
³ He will delight in obeying the Lord.
    He will not judge by appearance
    nor make a decision based on hearsay.
⁴ He will give justice to the poor
    and make fair decisions for the exploited.
The earth will shake at the force of his word,
    and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
⁵ He will wear righteousness like a belt
    and truth like an undergarment.

A Ruler from Bethlehem

² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel,
    whose origins are in the distant past,
    will come from you on my behalf.
³ The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
    until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
    will return from exile to their own land.
⁴ And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
    for he will be highly honored around the world.

 

Carols:

O Come, O Come Immanuel

1 O come, O come, Immanuel,

and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

4 O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

5 O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death's abode. Refrain

6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

7 O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain

I heard the Bells on Christmas Day

1 I heard the bells on Christmas day


Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace of earth, good will to men.

2 I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th'unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

3 And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

4 Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

5 Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Baptist Hymnal, 1991

Prayer: 

Ask God to use this advent season in a special way in our lives and bring us to a greater understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done.

  (don't be this guy...)