“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (Matthew 2:10).
For the Magi, the star’s appearance was thrilling. They had read about it in the ancient Scriptures: “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17). When this “star” was born, His mother remembered the angel’s words: “He will be great” (Luke 1:32).
Prayer: O God, may the Star of Bethlehem rise in my heart and give me light.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Advent: Day 4
“. . . the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9).
During World War II, a blue star in a window meant someone had left that home to serve in the military. A gold star meant they weren’t coming home. The Magi saw a star in God’s “window.” They didn’t know its color at the time, but we now know God’s Son died for us.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that Christmas reminds us of the ultimate reason Jesus came to earth.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
During World War II, a blue star in a window meant someone had left that home to serve in the military. A gold star meant they weren’t coming home. The Magi saw a star in God’s “window.” They didn’t know its color at the time, but we now know God’s Son died for us.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that Christmas reminds us of the ultimate reason Jesus came to earth.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Advent: Day 3
“But you, Bethlehem, . . . out of you will come a ruler” (Matthew 2:6).
Being part Jew, Herod had some knowledge of ancient Scriptures. So he asked his experts where the Messiah would be born. They consulted the writings of Micah, who predicted, “Bethlehem, . . . out of you will come a ruler” (Matthew 2:6). That ruler was Jesus, born to be our Savior.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, please rule and reign in my heart.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
Being part Jew, Herod had some knowledge of ancient Scriptures. So he asked his experts where the Messiah would be born. They consulted the writings of Micah, who predicted, “Bethlehem, . . . out of you will come a ruler” (Matthew 2:6). That ruler was Jesus, born to be our Savior.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, please rule and reign in my heart.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
Readings for the 2nd Sunday in Advent
This Sunday, prompted by another line from Wesley's hymn, Let Earth and Heaven Combine, we will be considering what it means that Jesus came "widest extremes to join."
In thinking about the incarnation we tend to focus on God's immanence, on the fact that Jesus' name is Emmanuel, meaning God with us. And that is both true and worthy of our delight and meditation. But the sweetness of God's immanence becomes cloying and toxic if we let it eclipse His transcendence.
No one trapped in a burning building would sit down with relief at the arrival of a courageous firefighter and act as though he came to provide company in and not rescue from the inferno. But that is exactly the regard of many Christians toward their would be Rescuer. We treat Jesus as more of a hand holder than way pointer, and what craven wretches we are if we prefer his company in the burning building to his company in glory.
We must remember that the breathtaking immanence of Jesus serves the purpose of the holy transcendence of God. If heaven had never found a place in human flesh, human flesh would never have had a place in heaven.
Call to Repentance
Isaiah 55:6-7 (page 1148)
Call to Worship
Psalm 97 (page 935)
OT Reading
Habakkuk 2:18-20 (page 1459)
NT Reading
Ephesians 4:1-10 (page 1821)
Message
Widest Extremes to Join
Luke 1:78-79 (page 1590)
In thinking about the incarnation we tend to focus on God's immanence, on the fact that Jesus' name is Emmanuel, meaning God with us. And that is both true and worthy of our delight and meditation. But the sweetness of God's immanence becomes cloying and toxic if we let it eclipse His transcendence.
No one trapped in a burning building would sit down with relief at the arrival of a courageous firefighter and act as though he came to provide company in and not rescue from the inferno. But that is exactly the regard of many Christians toward their would be Rescuer. We treat Jesus as more of a hand holder than way pointer, and what craven wretches we are if we prefer his company in the burning building to his company in glory.
We must remember that the breathtaking immanence of Jesus serves the purpose of the holy transcendence of God. If heaven had never found a place in human flesh, human flesh would never have had a place in heaven.
Call to Repentance
Isaiah 55:6-7 (page 1148)
Call to Worship
Psalm 97 (page 935)
OT Reading
Habakkuk 2:18-20 (page 1459)
NT Reading
Ephesians 4:1-10 (page 1821)
Message
Widest Extremes to Join
Luke 1:78-79 (page 1590)
Monday, November 30, 2009
Christmas Hymn
I suppose the last thing we need is another Christmas hymn. I know that's a crowded genre and crowded with lots of worthy hymns.
But the miracle of the incarnation confounds our attempts to express it at the same time that it compels us to try. If I'm confounded I'm also cheerfully compelled. So this is my most recent attempt to convey something of the miraculous drama of the nativity.
We sang it this past Sunday in GROW at church and it was well-received. Praise the Lord.
How unbecoming of a King,
How careless of His crown,
To abdicate each royal thing
And tumble so far down.
Unseemly was the love that sent
Him in the path of scorn.
But pain and loss could ne'er prevent
Our God from being born.
The scandal of a love so wild
Is hard to contemplate,
To think of how it made a child
Out of a God so great.
The timeless One shrank to a span,
Finite enough to cry.
The flesh He took when He began
Made Him begin to die.
But nothing in that stable cost
Him so much dignity,
Nor smelled so bad, nor looked so lost
As what He found in me.
How can He suffer my offense?
How can I honor Him?
And yet, His glory's more intense
For shining in the dim.
What God but “Love” could e'er afford
To love so recklessly?
Who more deserves to be adored
Throughout eternity?
No stable, cross, or earthly thing
Could long obscure the grace,
By which I too am fit to sing
My infant Savior's praise.
But the miracle of the incarnation confounds our attempts to express it at the same time that it compels us to try. If I'm confounded I'm also cheerfully compelled. So this is my most recent attempt to convey something of the miraculous drama of the nativity.
We sang it this past Sunday in GROW at church and it was well-received. Praise the Lord.
How unbecoming of a King,
How careless of His crown,
To abdicate each royal thing
And tumble so far down.
Unseemly was the love that sent
Him in the path of scorn.
But pain and loss could ne'er prevent
Our God from being born.
The scandal of a love so wild
Is hard to contemplate,
To think of how it made a child
Out of a God so great.
The timeless One shrank to a span,
Finite enough to cry.
The flesh He took when He began
Made Him begin to die.
But nothing in that stable cost
Him so much dignity,
Nor smelled so bad, nor looked so lost
As what He found in me.
How can He suffer my offense?
How can I honor Him?
And yet, His glory's more intense
For shining in the dim.
What God but “Love” could e'er afford
To love so recklessly?
Who more deserves to be adored
Throughout eternity?
No stable, cross, or earthly thing
Could long obscure the grace,
By which I too am fit to sing
My infant Savior's praise.
Advent 2009: Day 2
“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2).
Through the centuries, a thousand times or more, a baby has become a king. Only once did a King become a baby. That’s what we celebrate at Christmas – a king born in a stable! Where He was born is not the point, but rather where He reigns. Does he reign in your heart?
Prayer: Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Come in today; come in to stay.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
Through the centuries, a thousand times or more, a baby has become a king. Only once did a King become a baby. That’s what we celebrate at Christmas – a king born in a stable! Where He was born is not the point, but rather where He reigns. Does he reign in your heart?
Prayer: Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Come in today; come in to stay.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Advent 2009: Day 1
“When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, . . .” (Matthew 2:3).
What upstart would dare to challenge Herod, king of the Jews? No wonder he was disturbed. His agitation led to murder. Of all the main characters in the Christmas story, Herod is the only one who did not go to Bethlehem. He is the man who missed Christmas.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me not to let my fears cause me to miss Christmas.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
What upstart would dare to challenge Herod, king of the Jews? No wonder he was disturbed. His agitation led to murder. Of all the main characters in the Christmas story, Herod is the only one who did not go to Bethlehem. He is the man who missed Christmas.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me not to let my fears cause me to miss Christmas.
Daily Advent Devotional provided by the Spiritual Formation Dept. of the Wesleyan Church
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Readings for Sunday, November 29
It's the First Sunday of Advent and I'm in a race with the calendar again. The calendar looks to win.
I'm also in a fight with the great commercial atmosphere in which I must do all my breathing. I'm almost suffocated with commercials.
Great monuments to the mystery of the incarnation lay buried beneath the snow of our cultural banality and I am reeling from every barrage of seasonal cliche and noise.
But for the effort of considering the mystery the believer is always rewarded. Every time I pause to consider that, in the words of Charles Wesley, "God, the invisible, appears," I am moved again to worship and rejoice.
Join us in the effort this season as we make war for right minds under the banner of love. We will combat the stupidity of the season by dwelling on the insanity of the incarnation.
Call to Repentance
1 Peter 4:17 (page 1891)
Call to Worship
Psalm 92 (page 931)
OT Reading
Isaiah 52:7-12 (page 1144)
NT Reading
Philippians 2:6-13 (page 1827)
Message
Contracted to a Span
Matthew 1:22-23 (page 1497)
I'm also in a fight with the great commercial atmosphere in which I must do all my breathing. I'm almost suffocated with commercials.
Great monuments to the mystery of the incarnation lay buried beneath the snow of our cultural banality and I am reeling from every barrage of seasonal cliche and noise.
But for the effort of considering the mystery the believer is always rewarded. Every time I pause to consider that, in the words of Charles Wesley, "God, the invisible, appears," I am moved again to worship and rejoice.
Join us in the effort this season as we make war for right minds under the banner of love. We will combat the stupidity of the season by dwelling on the insanity of the incarnation.
Call to Repentance
1 Peter 4:17 (page 1891)
Call to Worship
Psalm 92 (page 931)
OT Reading
Isaiah 52:7-12 (page 1144)
NT Reading
Philippians 2:6-13 (page 1827)
Message
Contracted to a Span
Matthew 1:22-23 (page 1497)
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
What is Advent?Advent is traditionally the season of the year starting with the four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. It has its roots in Christianity as the time of reflection and understanding of the significance of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. We do this with the intent of growing deeper in our personal relationship with Him so that we can be fully prepared for Jesus’ Second Coming – our entry into heaven with Him forever.
There are many opportunities to grow in the Christian faith, reach out in the spirit of giving and help all around the ministry of the Church to truly understand God’s meaning for Christmas and the holiday season. For as Jesus came to earth as the Light of the World, Advent reminds us of His Light and Love, that not only saves us, but transforms us, and it is our privilege of sharing that Light and Love with others.
When does Advent take place?
The four Sundays prior to Christmas Day – In 2009, Advent begins on November 29.
Come worship and celebrate this season of Christmas with us on the following Sundays from 10-11:15am:
Nov. 29: Hope (Galatians 4:4)
Dec. 6: Faith (Romans 10:13-17)
Dec. 13: Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
Dec. 20: Joy (Matthew 1:21)
10am Christmas Pageant
11:15 Refreshments & Fellowship
1:00 Caroling
2:00-6pm Open House at the parsonage
End this Advent season with us by attending our
Candlelight Christmas Eve Service on Thursday, December 24 at 7pm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)