O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Since both the gospel of Matthew and Luke include stories of Jesus’ birth, we know that the early church recognized and celebrated Christ’s birth in some fashion.  While many of the Christmas songs and traditions we have are relatively new, dating to the 1700 and 1800’s, there is evidence of Christmas celebrations going back another 1,000 years, and one of the songs we sing each year comes from this time period: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.  

The lyrics of this song come from the 8th or 9th century when monks would worship by reciting psalms and then chanting a refrain.  The monks would often begin each psalm with “O” and over time these readings were called the “O antiphons”.  The most famous one is O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, which  tradition says would be sung leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth.  

Here is what I never knew about this song.  The way the verses have been traditionally laid out, and the way they appear in our hymnal, verse 1 says O come, O come Emmanuel, and Matthew’s gospel tells us that the Messiah was to be called Emmanuel, which means God with us.  Verses 2-7 also begins with the phrase O Come and is then followed by another name given to the Messiah.  There is O Come Thou Wisdom, O Come Lord, O Come Root of Jesse, O Come Key of David, O Come Dayspring, and O Come King of the Gentiles.  If you take the first letter from the Latin name in each verse and put them together you get SARCORE.  If you turn this around you get Ero Cras - which means: I will be present tomorrow.  

So in the first verse we sing O Come , O Come Emmanuel which means God is with us, and then in each verse after that we are reminded that God is not only with us today but will be present with us tomorrow.  And that is the gift of Jesus: God present with us today and God present with us in all the days to come.  The message of O Come O Come Emmanuel is this: 

God Is With Us

God Was With Us

God Will Be With Us

God is with us.  When the angel comes to Mary and tells her that she has been chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah, his first words are, Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.  The Lord is with Mary.  Before Mary said, yes, before she knows God’s plan, God was with her.  This may not seem like much to us because we often pray for God to be with us, but for Mary, and for the people of Israel, God being with them was astounding news and even a bit scary.  

All through the Old Testament we hear that God is so powerful and holy that no one can look at His face and live.  Moses experienced God in a burning bush, and then in a fire and cloud on the mountain, but never face to face.  The prophet Elijah was only able to see God from behind, and when the priests went into the holy of holies once a year to offer a sacrifice on behalf of the people, they would tie a rope around one leg in case the priest died in God’s presence and had to be pulled out.  Being in the presence of God was this powerful,  and yet here is God saying to this young girl - I am with you - which is maybe why the angel then had to say, do not be afraid.  

The news that God is with the world first brought fear, but in time it brought joy.  After the shepherds found Jesus lying in a manger, after they had seen the Messiah, God in the form of a small vulnerable baby, it says that they returned to the fields glorifying and praising God.  The joy they felt came from knowing that God was with them not to judge and destroy them, but to love and forgive them.  

I watched a video of the Christmas story a few weeks ago and when the shepherds arrived one of them kept saying, we were told the Messiah came for people like me.  He couldn’t believe it.  All his life he had been told he was nobody, and he had problems that made him feel unworthy, but the news that God had come for him filled him with joy.   

I’m not sure we feel that same joy when we hear the message of the angels, or when we hear this well-known verse, but honestly every time we do hear it or say it we should be overjoyed.  God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life  John 3:16.  God coming in the form of a child is a sign of God’s love for us.  God did not come to judge us but to forgive us.  John goes on and says, for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. God is with us and instead of being afraid we can be at peace and even filled with joy.   

God is with us.  If we truly believe this, it changes everything.  No matter what we are going through today, knowing that God is with us can give us the peace, the comfort, and the strength we need to keep going.   Knowing God is with us wipes out our fear.  Whether it is fear of the future, fear of an illness, fear of a relationship that is in trouble, or a job that is insecure.  All fear is wiped away when God is with us.  The Bible says God is love, and perfect love casts out fear, so God with us in love casts out all fear.  

God with us also means that God is here to guide us when we are unsure, strengthen us when we are weak, heal us when we are sick, and forgive us in our sin.  Whatever we need today, God is with us, and as we look ahead to a week that is not going to be what we expected it to be, or want it to be, we need to remember that Christmas is the gift of God with us and God is still with us. 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel also reminds us that God was with us.  Verses 2-7 all look back to the names the prophets gave the Messiah, which remind us that God has always been with His people.  God never given up on them, and God has never given up on us.  God has always been with us.  Looking back on your life, can you see a time when God was with you?  Maybe you didn’t know it at the time, or you questioned where God was, but looking back you can see that God was right there?  

When I went to college, I prayed that God would be with me.  I really didn’t know what that meant, I just knew that this was a big step for me and I needed some help.  My first few weeks at school were not easy, there were times I felt alone, all alone, but when I look back now I can clearly see that God was with me.  God was guiding me through that time with patience and love. 

The summer I worked in Yellowstone I also prayed that God would be with me.  Once again, my first few weeks were kind of crazy. I was not working in the location I had expected and things were very unsettled, but a month into the summer I could look back and see that God had put me right where he wanted me, and I wouldn’t have changed that for anything.  Can you look back at a time in your own life, or an experience you have had, where God was clearly with you?  Maybe you struggled to see it or feel then, but now it is clear to see. 

I think Joseph was able to do this.  When he first learned that Mary was going to have a child, and he was not the father, his world came crashing down.  This was not what he had planned or prayed for.  He was a good and righteous man who was having a hard time seeing that God was with him.  Even when Mary told him that the child was from God, Joseph had a hard time seeing that God was with him.  But then the baby is born and some shepherds arrive telling them that angels told them that this was the Messiah, and in that moment everything changed.  Suddenly looking back, Joseph could see that God had been with him and Mary all along.  Even when things looked their worst, God was there.  When we can look back and see how God was with us during the difficult times, when we are at our worst, it reminds us that God is still with us today, and will be present with us in the future.   

God is with us.  God was with us, and God will be with us.  I will be with you was also the message the angel gave to Mary.  He not only told Mary that the Lord was with her in that moment but that the Lord would be with her in the future.  The angel said, the Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  Mary, the Lord will be with you.  

When things got difficult, I wonder if Mary returned to this promise.  When she had to tell Joseph that she was pregnant by the power of God and knew that the conversation wouldn’t go well, did she tell herself, God will be with me.  When she found out she had to take a long trip to Bethlehem in her ninth month of pregnancy, did she tell herself, God will be with me.  When she started to give birth in a stable surrounded by animals, did she tell herself, God will be with me.  When they had to flee to Egypt to save the life of her child, did she tell herself, God will be with me.  30 years later when she stood at the foot of the cross and watched her son die, did she tell herself, God will be with me. 

As we face a week that will be different, and for many of us difficult, can we say, God will be with me.  As we face a health situation that is scary, or a future that seems uncertain, or a life that seems to be running off the rails, can we tell ourselves confidently, God will be with me.  This is the foundation of the Christmas story.  God came to be Emmanuel, which means God with us today, but it also means He will be with us in all the days to come.  In fact, we are told specifically in the Bible that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.  There is nothing in the future that can keep God from being with us.  Paul says in Romans 8:35, 37-39:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

Nothing can keep God from being with us.  Our faults and failures can’t keep God from us.  Our despair and darkness can’t keep God from us.  Our sin and shame can’t keep God from us.  This Covid Christmas can’t God from us.  Nothing can keep God from us because in Jesus, God came to be with us.  

God has been with us in the past, God is with us today, and God will be with us in all the days to come.  This is the good news that is for all people.  This is the good news that can change everything if we will believe it.  This is the gift that can change our lives if we will receive it.  So Rejoice, Rejoice.  For Emmanuel has come to thee O Israel.  He has come for me.  He has come for you.    

 

Next Steps

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Read all the verses of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.  

● How does the song remind us that God 

○ Has been with us in the past? 

○ Is present with us today? 

○ Will be with us in the future? 

Read Luke 1:26-38, and Romans 8:35-39.

When have you experienced God being with you?  

At the time, did you feel God’s presence or guiding hand?  Why or why not?  

What are some of the unique ways you personally feel God’s presence?  Set aside time this week to seek God in these ways.

How do you need God’s presence to help you today?  What current circumstances seem dark and overwhelming?  Where do you need Jesus to be your light and hope? 

What challenges will you face in the new year?  

● How can remembering that God has been with you in the past give you comfort and courage as you face the future?  

● Who can face this situation with you and remind you that God is with you to help you?

Read the full Christmas story from Matthew 1-2, & Luke 1-2.  Give thanks that God has come in the person of Jesus to be with us now and always.  

Join us online at 7:00 PM Christmas Eve for Faith Church’s

Candlelight Worship Service.  Invite others to join you!

Away In A Manger

Because music is such a powerful part of our Christmas experience, and something that no restrictions or limitations can take from us, we have chosen to look at some of the Christmas carols we all love to sing.  Probably the simplest carol of all is Away in a Manger.  The song was first published in 1882 as part of a children’s section in a newspaper and it had the name Luther’s Cradle Song.  The next year it was published in a songbook for children called Little Pilgrim Songs with the same title.  It said the song was written by Martin Luther for his children, but that story has been debunked.  Yes, there was fake news even in 1882.

Martin Luther did write a Christmas song for his son, it was called From Heaven Above to Earth Below.  It was written in 1534 and true to Luther’s writing style, it had 15 verses!  Martin Luther was an educator, scholar, and theologian who loved to write complex doctrine so when he wrote hymns they were long and involved.  Away in a Manger is simply not his style, it’s too simple.  

There are also no manuscripts of the song among Luther’s works and the earliest version of Away in a Manger found in German didn’t appear until 50 years after it was published in America.  We can say pretty clearly that this song is not a cradle song written by Martin Luther, but whoever wrote it gave us a powerful song that ranks second among the most loved carols we sing.  

When we sing Away in a Manger, the picture that comes to us is of a sweet little baby sleeping on a bed of hay.  We see a manger, we see animals, and of course we hear the cattle lowing.  It’s a gentle song that could be a lullaby, but there is a phrase in the song repeated five times that is anything but gentle.  Three times Jesus is called the little Lord Jesus, the twice just the Lord Jesus.  This is a powerful statement to make in a simple children’s song.  

740 times in the New Testament, Jesus is called or referred to as the Lord, and one of the first times he is called Lord is at his birth.  Luke 2:8-11.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

While it might be hard to see a Lord when we picture a little baby sleeping in a manger, the word used in Luke does mean Lord.  The word is “kurios” which means supreme in authority, or one having control.  My guess is that when we call Jesus Lord, which many of us do, that He has some competition for that title in our heart and life because we like to be in control.    

We like to be in control of our lives and one of the most frustrating things about 2020 is that most of what has happened to us, and what is going on around us right now, is out of our control.  While we are all a little stressed because we like to be in control, for many people the holidays is always the time that their need for control goes into overdrive.  In some families there might be a fight for control over the tree.  Is it real or artificial?  Wide or thin?  White lights, colored lights, flashing lights? And what about tinsel?  Do you use it, don’t you use it, do you apply one strand at a time or in big handfuls?  

When I was growing up we all wanted to be in charge of setting up the manger scene so we could control where Mary would sit, Joseph would stand, and where all the lowing cattle would be scattered.  Actually, probably only I wanted to set it up because I did like to control where they all went, and I still do.  Since we can’t control so much this year, some people are trying even harder to control everything from the activities, to the menu to the gift giving and finances, but the only way to enjoy Christmas is to let go of control.  Wow, is there ever truth in that statement!  The only way to enjoy Christmas is to let go of control.  Likewise, the only way to experience the little Lord Jesus is to let go of control.  The only way to have Jesus as Christ OUR Lord is to surrender fully to Him.  

As we begin to talk about the Lordship of Jesus, let’s be clear that we don’t make Jesus the Lord of our lives, He is the Lord.  He was born as the king of Kings and the lord of Lords so he is already Lord of all.  He is Lord because He is God in the flesh, so we don’t make Jesus Lord, we surrender to His lordship, we submit ourselves to His authority and control, but have we really done this?  

Too many of us are living what some have called a partially surrendered life.  We call Jesus Lord, we attend worship, we follow Jesus when it makes sense, but then we follow our own wisdom and try to control our own lives.   

For example, we know that Jesus tells us to forgive others, all others, all the time, but then there is that situation where we just aren’t going to forgive.  We want to be in control and hold on to the hurt.  We might even feel justified in holding a grudge and tell ourselves even Jesus would hold a grudge if he had been through what we had been through.  We follow Jesus when it makes sense to us, but then follow our own way and will when it doesn’t.  We still want to be in control.  

Or maybe we want to be in control of our finances, and while Jesus tells us to give to God, to give to the poor, and to give generously of all we have so that we can have treasure in heaven, we still think we know what is best and how and when and what to give.  We are afraid of giving away too much because then we won’t have enough for ourselves and our future.  We think we know what is best so hold on to control and live just a partially surrendered to God.  

This is what a partially surrendered life looks like:  

Trust in the Lord with some of your heart, and lean on your own understanding; in some of your ways submit to him, and make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6,

Now clearly Proverbs doesn’t say this, but isn’t this how we often live?  We trust Jesus when it makes sense, but then lean on our own understanding.  We will submit to God when it doesn’t cost too much, but then follow our own will when God’s plan seems too difficult or doesn’t make sense.  

I was talking to someone last week about some decisions I made during college that didn’t work out very well.  Both involved my moving to CA only to discover once I was there that CA was not the place for me.  They asked me if I really thought it was God’s will for me to move there at the time.  As I reflected on that question, I had to be honest and say, no, it was probably more my will.  

In one situation I had let bitterness and an unforgiving spirit take over my heart, and in the other situation I wasn’t even going to worship on a regular basis.  Looking back on those times now, I realize I was making my own decisions and leaning on my own desire, and chasing after my own dreams.  God was with me, God guided and helped me through that time, but I was only partially surrendering my life.  

After some difficult teaching Jesus shared with the crowds about not judging others and the need to forgive, Jesus knew they didn’t want to follow God’s way and so he said this, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?  This is what Jesus says to a partially surrendered life and it’s what he says to us more often that we might like to admit.   

Why do you call me Lord when you haven’t fully surrendered to me?  Why do you call me Lord and yet still try to be in control of your own life?  So let me ask you, what is the area of your life where you still want to be in control?  Where is it that you still want to be in charge?  What have you not fully surrendered to Jesus?  

It might be a relationship where you still want to call the shots, or where you don’t want to forgive.  Maybe you haven’t fully surrendered your children, and your family, or your health to God.  Maybe it is your job and future, or maybe you are still holding on to your finances in fear of not having enough.  What area of life have you only partially surrendered to the little Lord Jesus?  Can you step out and fully surrender it to Jesus this week?  

A fully surrendered life looks like this.   Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6. 

The one in the Christmas story who shows us how to live this way is Mary.  She trusted God to do something in her life that made no sense, had never been done before, and was beyond her ability to comprehend.  She could not lean on her own understanding or make her path straight.  She had to trust the Lord with all her heart and with all her soul and with all her strength.  When asked to surrender to God, Mary said, I am the Lord’s servant.  May it be with me according to your word.  

I am the Lord’s servant.  Mary is saying, God I belong to you and am giving you control.  God asks Mary to surrender control not so he could be a harsh dictator but because he wanted to bless her.  God wants us to belong to him not so he can control our every action but so he can lead us into the fullness of life and love.  

The only way I know how to live this kind of fully surrendered life is to live it moment by moment, day by day.  While we might be able to point to a day or time when we surrendered to Jesus as our Savior, the lordship of Jesus is a commitment we need to make every day.  It is a surrender that needs to take place in every conversation, every relationship, and every decision.  It’s a life of daily worship, where we pray without ceasing, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the little Lord Jesus.  

While we celebrate the Lord Jesus as a little child who entered into the world through a manger in Bethlehem, let us never forget that he also came as the king of Kings, and the lord of Lord, and he came to be the Lord in our lives.   

Next Steps

A Way In A Manger

Read Luke 2:8-11.

● What does Jesus being Christ the Lord mean to you?

● Why do people have trouble letting go of control?

● In what areas of celebrating Christmas do you have trouble letting go of control?  

Proverbs 3:5-6 for the partially surrendered life.

Trust in the Lord with some of your heart, and lean on your own understanding; in some your ways submit to him, and  make your paths straight.

● In what ways have you been guilty of living a partially surrendered life?  

● In what areas have you leaned on your understanding and not on the word of God?

● What is keeping you from fully surrendering to God?  

● How can you give this area to Jesus this week?

Proverbs 3:5-6 for the fully surrendered life.  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.  

● How did Mary live out these verses?  Luke 1:26-38.

● What would it take for you to say “yes” to God’s will?

● What one area of your life can you surrender to Jesus this week?

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Last week we began an Advent series looking at some of the most well-known Christmas Carols we sing and it got me wondering when Christmas music really began to develop.  If you look at the dates of the most well known and loved carols in the hymnal, they come from the mid 1800’s when both church music and the celebration of Christmas grew in popularity, but there are also carols we sing that date back to the mid 1700’s.  

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was written by Charles Wesley in 1739, making it one of the oldest songs written, but the tune we know was written 100 years later in 1840.  An even earlier carol that we still sing, making it perhaps the oldest carol, is one of my favorites, O Come All Ye Faithful.  I usually won’t let us sing it before Christmas Eve because it is the perfect hymn to open Christmas Eve worship.  

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant.  

O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem.  

That is what we do in worship on Christmas eve, we come together and journey back to Bethlehem to celebrate and remember the gift of Jesus.  Today we will sing it and it is probably one of the only times as a pastor that I have chosen it before Christmas Eve, but don’t worry, we will sing it again at the start of our Christmas Eve Candlelight service in a few weeks.  

The song was written in 1743 by John Wade, an Englishman who was living and teaching in France.  It was written in Latin, which was the most common language for the church, with the name Adeste Fideles which means come / faithful ones.  Not only did Wade write the words, but he is also credited with the music from the same year.  Through the centuries, additional verses have been added and it was translated into English in 1841 by Fredrick Oakeley, but since both the words and music go back to 1743, it remains one of the oldest carols we sing today. 

O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant.  

O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem.  

Since we sing this on Christmas Eve, in a church full of people who are all focused on Jesus, I always feel as if we are coming to Jesus as a faithful community filled with joy and feeling a little bit triumphant, but if you think about the true meaning of the Christmas story, just the opposite is true.  Jesus came because the world was not faithful.  God came in Jesus because people were not joyful and triumphant, and the same is still true today.  

Are we really faithful?  Jesus calls us to love God with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Are we faithful in living this out every day?  Are we faithful in following Jesus' example of love and humility which included washing feet and carrying a cross?  Are we faithful in forgiving one another 70 x 70 times?  Are we faithful in honoring God in every thought, word, and deed?  I’m not.  I try, and I strive to be, and it’s my desire to be faithful, but deep down I know I’m not faithful, and so if only the faithful are called to come and worship Jesus - we are all going to be left out.  

Are we really joyful?  It seems like the theme of joy keeps coming back to us this year and that’s because it is hard to be joyful with all the problems we see around us.  The uncertainty, the shut-downs, the isolation, the fear and anxiety make it hard to feel joyful, and even though we know true joy is not tied to what is happening, it’s hard to keep our focus on Jesus who brings us joy.  If it is only the faithful and joyful who are called to come to Bethlehem, or who can come to Jesus, once again we are left on the sidelines.  

Are we really triumphant?  We don’t use that word a lot, so how about victorious?  Are we feeling victorious today?  It’s hard to feel victorious when we feel more like a victim to a virus that is spreading across our communities.  It’s hard to feel like we are winning when we are losing more and more things each week.  If God only calls the faithful, joyful, and triumphant to come to Him, then we are all left out in the dark.

The power of the Christmas story is that it’s not just the faithful, joyful, and triumphant who are called to Bethlehem, it’s also the faithless, the downcast, and the defeated.  Jesus came as a child in Bethlehem to call the sinners, the hopeless, and the outcast to come to Him for hope, and help, and life and that began the night Jesus was born.   

In Mark 2:17 Jesus said, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. The first people to hear about the birth of Jesus were not the righteous but the sinners.  It was shepherds, and shepherds were not held in high regard.  While God may have been called the good shepherd at one point in time, most shepherds in Jesus’ day were not good.  They were known liars whose testimony in court was not allowed because they could not be trusted to tell the truth.  In a word, they were sinners, and yet they were the first people to hear that a child had been born who was Christ the Lord.  

All through his life, Jesus chose to walk among the sinners and the outcasts.  He forgave prostitutes and asked tax collectors to be His disciples.  He ate and drank with sinners and the good news for us is that Jesus still invites sinners to His table.  Through Jesus, God calls us into His presence, and through the life and love of Jesus, God makes us His faithful children.  We aren’t called because we are faithful, we are made faithful because Jesus calls us.  

Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us that any faith we have comes from Jesus. Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Jesus is the author of our faith.  He is the one who writes it on our hearts and allows it to grow and develop in our lives.  When we are called by Jesus, when we are loved by Jesus, faith begins.  

It is also not the joyful and triumphant that Jesus calls, in fact in Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  It’s not the joyful He calls but the weary, not the triumphant but the burdened, the broken, the oppressed.  So in our weary and burdened state, if we will come to Jesus we will not only find rest, but we find abundant life and part of that abundance is victory and joy.

I will forever sing this carol differently because while we might feel faithful, joyful, and triumphant at Christmas time, I also need to remember that Jesus calls me when I am wrapped up in my sin, feeling weary and completely hopeless and defeated.  In those moments, if I will come to Jesus, if I will worship Jesus, if I will surrender to Jesus, if I will trust in Jesus, He will make me faithful, joyful, and triumphant.  This is what we sing in the refrain with each verse.  

O come let us adore Him.  O come let us adore Him.  

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.  

The simplicity of this carol is amazing because faith, joy, and victory is found when we worship Jesus.  Worship is not just what we do in the hour we set aside each week, worship is the adoration of God that shapes every moment of every day.  The more we learn to adore Jesus, the more we learn to listen to him, trust in him, love him, and allow his light and love to shine through us, the more we will experience faith, joy, and life abundant.  

Come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.  

 

Next Steps

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Take time this week to listen to or read the words of O Come All Ye Faithful.  Which of the many verses speak to you?  

In what ways are you feeling faithful, joyful and triumphant?  When have you felt this way in your walk with Jesus?

Jesus didn’t come to call the faithful but sinners.  

● Read Mark 2:17.  

● What gospel stories tell us that Jesus came to seek the lost and save sinners?  

● How do you continue to experience God’s grace in your life today?  

● Read Hebrews 12:1-2. In what way is faith in Jesus a gift from God?  Read Romans 5:8.  

● How can your worship of Jesus this week strengthen your faith?  

Jesus didn’t come to call the joyful and triumphant but the weary and burdened.  

● Read Matthew 11:28

● What gospel stories show us Jesus giving joy and victory to those who needed it?  

● When has Jesus filled you with joy?  

● Read Romans 8:31-39, 1 Corinthians 15:50-56, Isaiah 9:6-7.  How can these passages help you find victory in your life today?  

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

● How is adoration (worship) a part of your daily life?  

● How could you enhance your worship of Jesus in this Advent and Christmas season?  Find one practice you can start this week.  

● Join the entire Faith Church family online at 7:00 PM Christmas Eve, as we come and adore Christ the Lord!  

O Holy Night

There are many things we will not be able to do this holiday season.  There will be places we won’t be able to go and people we will not be able to see, and many traditions will have to be set aside or changed, but there is one thing that will remain, well maybe two.  Certainly Jesus remains, and He is the reason for the season, but what also remains is the music.  While Christmas concerts will either be cancelled or go online, the music of the season will be sung and heard and it will still have the power to fill our hearts, our lives, and our world with joy.  

With that in mind, we developed an Advent devotional based on some of the most loved Christmas carols we sing, and it is not too late to sign up to get it sent to your email every day during advent.  Each Sunday we are also going to hear or sing a carol and not only learn from it’s message but also the story behind it.  It is our hope that these carols will not only bring us some comfort, but also fill us with the hope, peace, and joy that we so desperately need.  Today we are going to focus on the amazing story and message of O Holy Night.  

It was in the mid 1800’s when a parish priest in France asked a well-known poet to write a poem based on the Nativity story found in Luke 2.  The poet, Placide Cappeau De Roquemaure, was not a follower of Jesus, in fact, he was the commissioner of wines for his region, and was known to be a bit of a rebel.  While his life might not have reflected the life of Jesus, he was an amazing poet, and he agreed to work on the poem.  When Placide was done, he thought the poem was so good that it needed to be put to music so he gave the poem to a composer to work on a song.  Now the composer was Jewish so he also did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but he wrote the music, and when the priest and the people in his parish heard O Holy Night, it was an instant classic.  They loved it and it became wildly successful.  

If we were to stop here, the history of O Holy Night would be inspiring because it tells us that Jesus came not for a few but for everyone.  While there is no information that either the poet or the composer ever became a follower of Jesus, they were inspired by the story of Christ’s birth to create a song that has touched countless lives for more than 200 years.  God can work in and through all things - which we need to remember right now.  God can work in and through pandemics, limitations, frustrations and fears.  God is still at work!  But the poet and composer of O Holy Night also reminds us that the gift of Jesus is truly for everyone.  God so loved the world that he sent his only son on that Holy Night.  

Now let’s jump ahead to 1906 and O Holy Night enters into the record books because it was on Christmas Eve that year that Reginald Fessenden hooked up a microphone to his AM radio and for the first time words and music were broadcast over the air.  Up until that point, all that was sent over radio waves were pulses and codes, that people would decipher, but that night, as people were getting those messages, they heard a voice and this is what Reginald read: 

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to their own town to register.  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

After he finished reading the story, Reginald picked up his violin and played O Holy Night.  It was the first music to be played over the air waves.  It was the first song ever to be played on the radio.  With all these firsts, maybe it’s a good song for us to focus on this first Sunday of Advent.  Each Sunday we will focus on just a line or two from a carol and the phrase from O Holy Night that is timely and powerful for us to consider is this.

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.  

Did two words jump out when you heard that?  Two words that perfectly describe our lives right now?  WEARY WORLD.  We are living in a world that is weary.  Our lives are weary.  We are weary of coronavirus and the limitations, fear, and sickness that it brings.  We are weary of not being able to be with family and friends and even go into work.  We are weary of politics and the divide we see in our nation.  We are weary of economic uncertainty and financial concerns.  We are weary of feeling isolated and alone.  We are weary of feeling uncomfortable and wondering when any sense of normal will return.  It is a weary world.  It’s as if O Holy Night was written about 2020, but it wasn’t.  It was written about a weary world 2020 years ago.  

When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, they were weary.  They were physically exhausted from the long trip that they didn’t want to make.  Mary was ready to give birth and yet there was no place for them to stay.  There was no room with family, no space with any friends, and not even a public inn, so they camped out in a stable or maybe even a cave.  It was not comfortable, it was not normal, it was probably not even clean, but it was all this weary couple were offered.  They were weary, but the city and world they lived in was also weary.

The nation of Israel was weary because they had been living for generations without hearing from God.  There had been no prophets giving any words of hope for generations, and the longer they waited for the promised Messiah, the harder it was for them to believe he would come.  The people of Israel were also weary of being oppressed by the Roman government and a census usually meant taxes were going to go up, so all of Israel returning to their hometowns was not necessarily good news.  It was a dark and weary world when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. 

This kind of weariness was nothing new to Israel.  600 years earlier, in 586 BC, the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed and the people of Israel were led away into exile.  Weary of fighting and losing, the people sat in darkness and despair, and they longed for the light of God.  From the book of Lamentations we hear:

My soul is downcast within me.  Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.  Lamentations 3:20-26

In the midst of a weary and defeated world, Israel placed their hope in a new and glorious morn because God’s love and faithfulness was new every morning, so daily God could make a difference.  In the midst of a weary and chaotic Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph placed their hope in a new and glorious morn because the child they carried was the Messiah and he would usher in the Kingdom of God.  And today, in the midst of our weary world, Advent needs to be a season of hope that tells us that a new and glorious day is not only coming, but that this new day is possible today if we are living with Christ.   

God’s love, power, and compassion are new every morning, so each day can be a new and glorious day with Jesus, and with each new day comes everything we need.  When we are facing uncertainty and anxiety about the future, if we have Christ in our lives then we will have all we need.  Please make sure you understand that I am not saying God will give us everything we want.  We don’t always get what we want, but God will supply our needs.  That is what we heard in Lamentations 3:26 - The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him.  

For Israel, this phrase would have reminded them how God had portioned out food for them every day they spent in the wilderness.  As the people travelled from Egypt to the Promised Land, God provided them with daily bread called manna, and while the people got sick of it, God supplied what they needed.  They grew to trust that every day God would portion out to them what they needed.  Jesus tells us to do the same thing when he tells us to pray, Give us this day our daily bread.  God will supply all our needs and knowing this can bring us that thrill of hope we need.  While we are weary - we are not forsaken.  God knows what we need and God is working to provide for us today.  

A new day with Christ also brings us hope to keep going.  Lamentations 3:25 says, The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.  One of the reasons we often feel so weary is because we are placing our hope and trust in the wrong things.  If we are hoping that our government will heal our division, or that science will heal our bodies, or that the economy will heal our fear and anxiety, we will always end up weary.  Those things cannot sustain us, they cannot lead us into a glorious new day, but Christ can.  If we trust that God is with us, and that God is good to us, then we will find the faith and strength to keep going.  

Hebrews 10:23 says, Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  When we are weary, we need to hold onto the hope we have in Christ.  When we are weary and ready to give up thinking we have nothing left, we need to remember that God’s promises and faithfulness are new every morning.  While suffering may come in the night - joy comes in the morning.  If you are feeling like all hope is lost, don’t give up in the darkness, hold on until that new day comes.  A new and glorious morn is coming!  

A new day with Christ also brings us the help we are seeking.  Lamentations says, it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.  The season of Advent reminds us that into the darkness of the world 2000 years ago, the light of God arrived in Jesus, and the power of the light, the power of God’s love seen in Jesus, helped many people.  One moment with Jesus often made all the difference.  

One moment with Jesus raised Lazarus from 4 days in the tomb.  One touch from Jesus healed a woman who had been suffering for 12 years.  One word from Jesus healed a man who had been lame from birth.  One day, one moment, one word, one touch from Jesus can change our weary lives.  Open your heart and life in this Advent season and allow God to touch you.  Hear his words of grace and allow them to forgive or restore you.  Know that His love is present and that there is nothing that can separate you from the power of that love.  Let the love of God give you all the help you need today.    

It’s a weary world.  We feel like the darkness of covid might never end, or the division of our nation will never be healed, or the despair we feel each day might never turn to joy, but one day with Jesus can change it all.  Each day brings us a new opportunity to come closer to Jesus and when we do, the light of his love begins to help us experience that thrill of hope.  

Into this dark and weary world the light of Christ still shines and it reminds us that yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.   

Next Steps

O Holy Night

Read the words of O Holy Night.  How does this song reflect the story of Jesus' birth in Matthew 1 and Luke 1 & 2?  

“A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”

● In what ways are you feeling weary?  

● How is this weariness similar to what Mary and Joseph experienced on that first holy night?  

Read Lamentations 3:20-26.  This passage describes what a new and glorious morn with Jesus is all about.  

● When have you seen Christ give you exactly what you need?  What do you need today that God can provide?

● What weariness makes you want to give up?  What steps can you take to let go of the fear and hold on to the hope we have in Christ?  

● How can Christ alone give you the help you need? 

“Fall on your knees, O hear the angels voices.”

● In what ways can you humble yourself and worship God in this Advent season?  

● In what new ways can you hear God’s word and the message of the angels?  

“Truly He taught us to love one another

His law is love and His gospel is peace.”

● How can you reach out in love this Advent season?

● Who needs to hear about the love of Jesus and how can you share it with them?

● Love in a way that will bring peace this season.  

This year’s Christmas Offering will go to our partners in mission, Sowing Seeds in Belize.  You can give online all this month at bellefontefaith.com.  

 

This month we have been talking about different ways God has said we can transform our lives and each word has begun with the letters RE.  Last week we learned that the single most important thing we can do to strengthen every relationship we have is to REMAIN in Christ.  As we remain in Christ, the fruit of God’s spirit grows in us and that fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) improve every relationship we have.  Two weeks ago we learned how we can be RENEWED in Spirit and Strength so we can make it through the difficult times we face, and the first week we learned how important it is for us to REMEMBER.  If we remember how God was with us in the past, we will be able to trust him for what we need today and in all the days to come.  In fact, remembering God was so important that God commanded us to remember over and over again.  

Another command God gives us over 500 times in scripture is to REJOICE.  God calls us to rejoice because joy will transform our lives.  Joy can lift us out of depression.  Joy can heal relationships.  Joy can fuel our vision and passion, and joy can actually make us physically healthier.  God calls us to rejoice because God knows it will transform us, so let’s look at how we can find and cultivate joy.  

Pastor and author Adam Hamilton has studied the 500 verses on joy and found 4 common places where joy can be found.  The first place joy is found is when something good happens.  We get a raise at work and we are joyful.  We gather for a wedding and it brings us joy.  When babies are born and we get to hold them there is great joy.  When Penn State finally wins a game we will be filled with joy.  

Joy comes when good things happen, but this joy does not last.  The raise might make us happy for 12 months but next year we are going to expect another raise.  Babies bring joy as long as they are dry and quiet, and weddings are great, but the happiness of the event doesn’t last for the guest and at times it doesn’t last for the couple.  This is not something I’m proud of, but it is true, the very first couple I married was divorced in 6 months.  The joy of their wedding, which was truly a beautiful event, didn’t last.  The second couple I married remained married and it was a good marriage, so I’m not a jinxed pastor.  That’s good news for Matt and Kristen who are getting married in a few weeks!  

As much as we might like to have something good happen every moment of every day, we know this is not possible, so if we only look for joy in the good things, we will be disappointed, but joy can be found in other places.  The second place where we can find joy is when we do something we love.  Clearly joy comes when we do things we enjoy.  This might be taking a family vacation, going out to dinner, shopping, or the time we spend in a hobby.  The joy here comes from doing something that we love, but once again, this joy doesn’t last.  The thrill of a vacation goes away on the trip home.  The joy of shopping ends when the credit card bill arrives, and when we stop doing what we enjoy - the joy is going.  If the joy we feel is only tied into our experiences - it will not sustain us.  This joy can not transform us.  

The third place joy is found is in the time spent with others,  This can be our family and friends, but it can also be when we are connecting with our neighbors and even strangers.  Last week we heard how we were created to be in relationship with others.  God created man and said he wasn’t good alone so God created woman.  In many ways our lives are only good, or complete, or joyful, when we are connecting with others.  The fruit of God’s spirit, which includes joy, comes as we remain connected to God and one another - so a key place we find joy is in our relationships with others.  While this joy certainly lasts longer, it too can fade.  

One of the reasons we are all feeling weary and tired right now is because we are missing the joy that comes from relationships.  When families can’t get together, friends can’t socialize, and even work relationships are all socially distanced or held over zoom, we are losing the joy that comes from simply being with others.  If you are feeling off because of the limitations of this pandemic, what you might be missing is some joy.  The good news is that this joy will return in time, but until then we can make the best out of the situation through phone calls and zoom gatherings.  My family will celebrate Thanksgiving at 10:00 AM Thursday when we all sit in front of our computers.  Not ideal - but it helps.  

Since the joy found in the time we spend with others might be limited right now, let’s focus on the 4th place where we can find joy.  Joy comes in being mindful of the good we see around us. Being mindful of the good is also called - Gratitude.  There is a direct connection between joy and gratitude.  The Apostle Paul says, Be joyful always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.  Joy comes when we are in a constant relationship with God, and when we give thanks in all circumstances.  

Now let’s be clear and understand that we do not give thanks FOR all circumstances.  We do not give thanks for covid-19 and the limitations we have to endure.  We don’t give thanks for cancer and diabetes and other diseases that break down our bodies.  We don’t give thanks for broken relationships, lost jobs, and economic down turns.  We do not give thanks FOR all circumstances but we are called to give thanks IN all circumstances, which means being mindful of the good that is around us at all times.  

David Stendl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, said, we are not grateful because we are happy, we are happy because we are grateful. Gratitude does change our perspective, it can transform our lives, and the research, the science, backs this up.  Gratitude studies from Duke University have shown that people who were asked to keep a gratitude journal, and every day write down something they are grateful for, were less depressed, slept better, and had healthier hearts than those who didn’t.  In other words they were physically and emotionally healthier by simply giving thanks.  

Robert Emmons, a scientist at UC Davis, has studied gratitude extensively and has come to the same conclusion.  His research shows that those who are mindful of all they have and give thanks in every circumstance are 25% happier than those who don’t.  All this group did differently from the control groups was to daily write down what they were thankful for.  Gratitude brings joy and joy transforms our lives.  Gratitude and joy develop healthier children, create better marriages, and make for more vital workplaces.  Gratitude truly changes everything and it makes us whole.

We learn a lot about gratitude and its power to transform our lives from Jesus.  Luke 17:11-19  

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

The word for “made you well” is sodzo which means to be saved or complete.  The man who returned to Jesus wasn’t just physically healed from the skin disease he had suffered for years, he was now made whole, he was saved and made complete, and it was his gratitude that made the difference.  Giving thanks makes a difference.  Being mindful of all the good around us fills us with joy and transforms our lives.  

We all know this is true, we know gratitude is important and transformational, but too often we just don’t do it.  Some people call this the gratitude gap.  We know it is important but we fail to do it, so how can we close the gap and be more grateful?  One way is to simply keep a gratitude journal, or a daily list of what we are thankful for.  Keeping a list not only helps us see all the good that is around us, but in time it opens our eyes so we can see even more.  He helps us be mindful - to be aware of all that God has given us.  Even in the midst of a pandemic, can we stop and give thanks?  Can we be the one who gives thanks?  If we can rejoice, our lives will be changed.  

Another way to practice gratitude is to say thank you or write a thank you note to those who are often overlooked.  A recent study says that one of the least thanked people in our society are TSA workers.  No one likes going through the screening process.  No one likes standing in long lines, having to remove shoes, belts, and coats before we get on a plane, and no one likes having all our belongings poked through, but TSA agents are there to help keep us safe.  How often do we thank them?  Who are others that do a hard job but are often overlooked?  I can share with you one group in our community who have a difficult job and are not thanked enough - prison guards.

A few years ago I was at a blue and gold banquet for scouts and sat across from a dad who worked as a prison guard.  I started asking him questions about what it was like working in the prisons and he was pretty honest about what they have to deal with every day.  I was stunned by what they have to endure and the environment in which they work.  I was so moved by what he shared with me that the next day I wrote him a thank you note.  If you know anyone who works in the prisons - thank them!  Their job is difficult. 

Right now another group that needs to be thanked are those who work in nursing homes.  They are short staffed, many workers are testing positive for covid-19, the residents must be going crazy since they cannot see their families, and families must be frustrated because they can’t see their loved ones.  What a hard job they must have each and every day.  I was an aid in a nursing home and I can tell you that under the best circumstances it is a physically and emotionally demanding job, and they don’t get paid enough.  I can’t imagine what it must be like now.  If you know anyone working in the nursing home - say thank you.  

 Everyone in the healthcare profession needs to be thanked more often right now.  Daycare workers need to be thanked more often.  Essential workers need to be thanked more often.  Right now there are people all around us who need to be thanked for what they are doing.  If we will take the time to say thank you and send a note - it will fill us with joy and those we thank.  We can’t let the week of thanksgiving be the only time we think about closing the gratitude gap and give thanks.  We need to stop and be mindful of all the good that surrounds us and make gratitude an ongoing part of our lives.  

Looking back at the 10 lepers who were healed by Jesus, we know that all 10 were grateful.  Their lives had been transformed completely.  They went from being nobody to somebody.  From being outcasts to being able to return home to the love of a family.  Their lives had been restored and they were grateful, they just didn’t stop and say thank you.  We need to stop and say thank you.  In the midst of our busy schedules we need to stop and give thanks.  In the midst of sad and disappointing holidays we need to stop and be mindful of the good that is all around.  We need to rejoice in every circumstance because joy can change our lives.  

Rejoice.  Over 500 times God calls us to rejoice and give thanks because gratitude and joy will change us.  Gratitude and joy will heal us.  Gratitude and joy will make us whole.  Give thanks this week and rejoice always.  I’ll say it again, Rejoice.  

 

Next Steps

REjoice

God calls us to rejoice because God knows joy will change our lives.  This week reflect on these scriptures:

Psalm 100, Psalm 118:21-25, Zephaniah 3:14-17, Philippians 4:4-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Joy can be found in:

1. The good things that happen to us.  When have you experienced joy because of something good that happened to you?  How long did that joy last?  

2. Doing things we love.  What activities bring you joy?  How can you engage in this work more often?  

3. Time spent with family and friends.  How can you connect with family and friends even through this period of social distancing?  

4. Being mindful of all the good around us.  This is gratitude.

Read the story of the leper who returned to give thanks to Jesus.  Luke 17:11-19.  

● What do you think made him stop?  

● What made him return to Jesus?

How can you stop and be mindful of all that is around?  

How can you practice gratitude?

● Gratitude Journal - keep a daily list of all you are thankful for.

● Gratitude Alarm - set an alarm for the same time every day and when it goes off, stop and give thanks.

● Thank You Notes - Who is often overlooked in our society that you want to thank.  

Be Mindful!  Make sure you stop this Thursday and thank God for all the good things you see around you.  

REmain

 

One of the most difficult things about the pandemic this year has been the limited contact we have been able to have with others.   We have not been able to gather with extended family and friends.  Remote learning and social distancing has isolated children and youth.  Many activities in the church and community have been cancelled which means that we have not been able to spend time together and work with those around us.  

I know many people in our community have missed our Friday football dinners and I’m not sure people have missed the food (as great as it is!) as much as they have missed the socialization.  For those who come to eat, it’s a time to gather with friends and get caught up, and for those of us who work, we always have a great time being together.  When people ask me how the church is doing, I tell them that we are doing really well in many areas.  All of you have been so faithful and in some areas we are even growing, like our online presence, but what worries me the most is that we are losing important connections with one another. 

While the outreach and ministry of the church is important, what the church is really all about is relationships.  Together we form the body of Christ.  This means that each of us is to have a relationship with God which then joins us together in meaningful relationships with one another.  As a community of faith, we are then to reach out in love to those around us and around the world.  We are called to develop relationships with others where we not only meet people’s needs but share with them the love of God.  

The church is all about relationships and here at Faith Church we talk about 3 primary relationships, a relationship with God, the church, and the world.  It is these relationships that we focus on when we talk about what it means to live with God and follow Jesus.  If you are new to Faith Church, or have forgotten what these relationships are all about, then I want to encourage you to go to our website and get more information.  You can learn about these relationships, and the rhythms of life that fuel them, and you can take an assessment that can help you see where you are well connected and where your relationships might need some work.  

While I don’t want to oversimplify things, there is one thing we can all do to improve all our relationships.  If we do this one thing it will transform our lives and then strengthen all of our relationships, which in turn will improve the social fabric of our community.  That one thing is to remain in Christ.  Jesus said that if we will remain in Him that He will remain in us, and when Christ remains in us we will bear fruit.  John 15: 4-6

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  .

The image that Jesus gives us about the importance of remaining in Him is brilliant because it is so simple and easy to understand.  Jesus is the vine and we are the branches.  As long as we remain connected to the vine - we will bear fruit - and the fruit of our faith is relationships.  When we remain in Christ our relationship with God will be strong, this makes sense, but what we also need to know is that when we remain in Christ our relationships with others will improve.  We know this because of the kind of fruit the Bible says appears in our lives as we remain in Christ.  

In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul tells us that the fruit of God’s spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  What all of this fruit has in common is that it improves our relationships.  While the fruit improves our overall well-being (who doesn’t want to experience joy and peace every day) what this fruit really does is improve our relationship with God and others.  Being faithful and loving improves our relationship with God.  Being patient and kind improves our relationships with those around us, and being people of peace and self-control helps us focused less on ourselves and more on others.  

The key to the transformation of our own lives, and the key to transforming and improving all our relationships is to simply stay connected to God.  If we disconnect from God we will also disconnect from the people of God, and as we lose the fruit of the spirit all our relationships will struggle.  Without love, patience, kindness, and goodness, our relationships will deteriorate.   If a branch is disconnected from the vine, in time it will die and all its fruit will disappear.  So the single most important thing we can do to improve our lives, strengthen our community and improve our divided and broken society is to stay connected to God.  Remain in Christ.  

Let me share 6 ways we can remain in Christ.

Remain in Worship.  Let me just say that all of you are doing a great job of this because you are here today.  Online or in person you have intentionally chosen to remain connected to God in worship.  While our worship itself looks and feels different right now, we are here because we know that this time together is one of the most important ways we remain in Christ.  Let me encourage you to keep it going.  Online or in person it’s easy for us to get disconnected from worship.  It is challenging right now to stay committed to this time, but keep it going.  Over these next six weeks, as we focus on Thanksgiving and Christmas, don’t give up on worship, instead use it as an intentional time to remain in Christ.  

Remain in God’s word.  For some people, life has gotten so crazy and busy that time in God’s word may have been set aside or forgotten, but every time we set aside God’s word we are cutting ourselves off from the source of life.  God’s word is living and active which means that every time we read it and reflect on it we are connecting to the source of life itself.  

However you are able to connect to God through his word - keep it going.  Sign up for a daily devotion through an online Bible source.  Connect with God through the new Advent devotion we have created this year.  You can get a paper copy or you can have the daily devotion sent to your email.  While the devotions use the carols of Christmas as a theme, they connect us to scripture and provide us opportunities to reflect on God’s love given to us in Jesus.  The devotions are also a great way to connect with others as the people of Faith Church are the ones who wrote them.  

Remain in prayer.  Now this doesn’t have to be set times of prayer each day, and it doesn’t have to be structured or written prayers, although those can be very helpful.  In fact, reading books of prayers written by others can be a rich and rewarding way to expand our own prayer life.  Remaining in prayer is really all about aligning our thoughts so that we are always focused on God.  When Paul told us to pray without ceasing, he didn’t mean we were to sit alone in a room 24/7 to be in conversation with God, he was calling us to direct all of our thoughts and actions toward God and seek to be connected to God at all times.  Prayer can be simple thoughts, requests, and comments made to God moment by moment in either the silence or the chaos of our days.  

Remain amazed by creation and the Creator.  One more way we can remain connected to God is to open our eyes and our hearts to see the power, beauty, and love of God in the world around us.  This fall has been beautiful here in Central PA, but one of the things I love about winter here is the amazing sunsets that we have.  They come way too early, but they are magnificent and they remind me of the power and love of God who created so many different shades of red and orange.  Whether it is the laughter and comfort that comes from our pets, the love of children and grandchildren, or the physical beauty of God’s world that surrounds us, if we stand in awe of what God has created and gifted to us, we will remain connected to God in life giving ways.  

All of these ways to remain in Christ are possible even through the social distancing practices we are faced with today, but the last two ways I want to share are more challenging.  Part of remaining in Christ is to also Remain in fellowship.  We really do connect with God as we connect with one another.  In Hebrews we are encouraged to not stop meeting together because being together is important.  We were created for relationship, which means that many times we experience the grace and love of God most powerfully through others.  Remaining connected to others is important, but this year it has been challenging.  

One way we have always encouraged people to remain in fellowship here at Faith Church has been to get involved in a small group, Bible study or Sunday school class.  Obviously all of these have been difficult this year and some of the groups that are meeting are limited due to social distancing guidelines.  Fellowship also happens in groups like our choirs, children’s church, prayer quilt ministry, and dinners - which have all been put on hold.  Remaining in fellowship continues to be difficult, but it is not impossible.  

Remaining in Christ through fellowship requires us to be intentional, flexible, and creative.  If you are new to Faith Church, maybe you have just been worshipping with us since the pandemic started, and want to get connected with others, please let us know.  If you are feeling isolated and alone and want to feel the power of fellowship in some way, again we want you to let us know.  We want to keep finding ways to be in fellowship through this pandemic and together experience the spirit of God that comes when we are connected to God through one another.  

Last, but not least, we also have to Remain in service.  Just like with our fellowship, many of the ways we have served our community and world have had to be cancelled this year and even when we have been able to support some outreach or mission it has often meant just driving through to purchase a dinner or pick up and drop off a shoe box.  While it’s not ideal, it does help us remain in service.  

I’m thankful that three of the biggest missions we support will still take place this year.  Operation Christmas Child is underway now and there is still time to support its work.  You can pick up a shoebox and return it next week, or you can donate any amount and help us pack, ship, and send boxes, Bibles, and the love of Jesus around the world.   The Christmas Dinner will also take place this year with all the meals being take-out or delivery.  It will look different, but we will do it and we will do it safely, but we will need your help.  More information on how to help will come right after Thanksgiving.  And we will still collect our Christmas Eve offering which this year will go to support our ongoing partnership with Sowing Seeds in Belize.  

No matter what our circumstances might be this year, we can find a way to serve others and we need to because when we serve others we stay connected to Jesus.  Jesus Himself told us this when He said that whenever we serve those in need we are serving Him.  

Matthew 25:31-40

 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

When we serve others we serve Jesus, and when we serve Jesus we are close to and connected to Him, and when we remain in Him, He remains in us.  So remain in service.  

Remain in me, Jesus said, and I will remain in you.  And when Christ remains in us, we will produce fruit, and that fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Who can’t use a little bit more of this fruit right now?  If you want to taste this fruit yourself, or if you need some fuel to improve your relationships, there is just one thing to do.  Remain in Christ.  Transform your life and strengthen all your relationships - remain in Christ. 

 Next Steps

REmain

Read and reflect on John 15:1-17.

● In what ways have you been able to remain in Christ this past year?

Read and reflect on Galatians 5:16-26.

● What fruit have you experienced this past year?

● What fruit do you need in your life today?

● When have you experienced this fruit forming in your life simply by being connected to Jesus?

Six ways to remain in Christ

● Remain in Worship

● Remain in God’s Word

● Remain in Prayer

● Remain in awe of creation and the Creator

● Remain in Fellowship

● Remain in Service

In each of these six areas, identify one specific activity you can commit to between now and the end of the year.  

What new habits, routines, and patterns can you develop to help you remain steadfast in each area?  

Here are three opportunities for us to remain in service:

● Operation Christmas Child

● The Christmas Dinner

● The Christmas Eve Offering for Sowing Seeds in Belize

For deeper study:  Review the 3 Relationship material found on our website.  Which relationship needs more attention?  Contact us with any questions or ways to get connected.  

REnew

It’s been a long election season and an exhausting week, so let me tell you a story that has nothing to do with politics or elections.  I know very little about cars.  I know how to fill the gas tank, but that’s it.  I don’t know the difference between a 6 cylinder or 8 cylinder, in fact I don’t know what a cylinder is or what it does. My first car was used and when it started making some engine noise people told me I should check the oil.  So I did.  I checked the oil for weeks and it was always fine.  When the knocking noise got really bad I took it to a garage and the guy asked if I had checked the oil.  I said yes, but he told me there was no oil in the car.  I said, that can’t be right and then he showed me.  All I could say was, oh… is that the oil?  I thought this other stick was for the oil.  Let’s just say my car had all the antifreeze it needed - but no oil.

Now after that, you might think I would be on top of the oil change thing, but when I bought a new car I didn’t know I needed to change the oil - it was a new car.  Well over a year later I was getting it serviced and they asked me where I had been getting my oil changed, and I said, what oil change?  I hadn’t destroyed this car, but it had engine trouble the entire time and then one day years later the engine just stopped as I was on I-80.  I want to assure you that when I bought my last car I did the smart thing and now have my own private mechanic who makes sure it is in good order. 

So why am I telling you my embarrassing car stories?  It’s because too many of us live life the way I used to treat my car.  We just keep going and going until we are worn out and used up.  We never stop for an oil change or a checkup.  The big difference is that when we drive our car into the ground, we can get a new car, but we can’t do this with our lives or our relationships.  When we wear our lives out and burn up our relationship because of the pace we are living, we often can’t go back and fix things.  We were not created to go non-stop in life, we were created for times of rest and even seasons of reflection, so today we want to talk about the transformative power of renewal.  

It’s important to understand that renewal is part of God’s plan for all of life.  In creation the work of the day gives way to the rest of the night.  The fall and winter seasons allow the ground to be renewed for new growth the following year.  Animals require rest and some animals actually hibernate through seasons in order to stay alive.  Jesus, the Son of God, needed periods of renewal where he got away from the crowds to rest and gain perspective, and even God rested after his 6 days of work in creation.  I’m not sure if God needed rest or if He rested in order to show us the importance of it in the created order.  Renewal was so important to God that he commanded us to take times of renewal on a weekly basis saying, Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.  

The Sabbath, or a day to not work, has always been part of God’s plan, and when God gave this command, think of what a gift it was to the people.  The people of Israel had spent 400 years in captivity working as slaves.  Slaves don’t get days off or weeks away for a vacation, so what a gift it must have been for them to hear God actually command them to stop working for one day each week.  

It’s still a command for us today, but it is one we routinely ignore thinking that somehow we know better.  When we fill our days off with more work - only in different areas - we are not being renewed.  When all of our days are focused on the things of this world, and how we need to get more done so we can get ahead and help our family get ahead, we are not returning to the source of life to find strength in a way that will help us live faithfully and fully for the long haul.  Renewal is important to our lives, and faith, and wellbeing, so let’s talk about how to be renewed.  

Colossians 3:10. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.  (NLT)

Paul is saying that renewal is related to both knowing God and becoming like God.  Renewal comes when we are willing to deepen our relationship with God and intentionally find ways to walk with God and be more like Jesus, who was God in the flesh.  As we grow in this relationship, there are two specific ways that God will renew us, and the first is to be renewed in spirit. 

King David got to a place in his own life where he was wearing himself out.  He was not attending to his relationship with God, and therefore not making good decisions in his leadership and his relationships.  After he had committed adultery, and then plotted to have the husband of the woman killed, David was confronted with his emptiness, brokenness, and completely wrecked life.  This is what David prayed:  Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

What is important to remember about this prayer is that David doesn’t ask God to renew his spirit once he has regained his strength and perspective, he asks God to renew him, to literally make him new, in the midst of his brokenness.  David has just been confronted with the reality of what he has done, his sin and guilt and shame stand before him, and it’s in that condition that he doesn’t fold but asks God to renew his spirit.

When we have run ourselves into the ground, and are dealing with our own strained relationships or poor choices, we don’t have to clean up our mess before we get help.  In the midst of the mess, in the midst of being tired, beat up, and feeling used up and empty we can ask God to renew us - and God will.  Renewal starts with our spirit and then spreads to every corner of our lives, and renewal starts when we acknowledge our own broken spirit.  Let’s go back and see what David said before he asked God to renew his spirit.  

For I know my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned

And done what is evil in your sight; 

So you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth, 

Sinful from the time my mother conceived me.  

Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;   

You taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;  

Let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Psalm 51:3-9

Renewal for David comes after he has acknowledged his sin, his emptiness, and his failures.  Renewal comes by confronting the ways we have been living outside of God’s will, and asking God to not only forgive us, but to set us on a better path - to be made new.  

For many of us, we might need to acknowledge that we have ordered our lives in a way that has kept God out and placed ourselves at the center of all we think and do.  Renewal can’t take place as long as we are lying to ourselves about our ability.  Thinking that we don’t need days of rest, or a season of rest, is like running a car without oil.  Eventually we will break down.  Eventually our relationships will suffer, our mental health will decline, and our physical bodies will wear out.  We have to confess the ways we have wandered from God’s plan for us and ask God to help set us right.  

Confession, forgiveness, and repentance, a turning away from the old way and the old self to follow a new way and to put on a new self, is how we are renewed in spirit.  This is only half of the renewal process.  God also wants us to be renewed in strength.  

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, 

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.    (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Once again we see that renewal comes when we are willing to wait on the Lord.  It comes when we are willing to not get so far ahead of God that we are on our own path and doing our own thing, but actually slowing down to wait on God to be with us and to actually give us the strength we need.  

Elijah was one of the great prophets in the Old Testament and after a strenuous time of working for God he was exhausted.  He had used up every ounce of strength he had and was feeling completely spent and empty.  Can anyone relate to that today?  It’s been a long and stressful 9 months and we haven’t been able to get any kind of real rest or time away.  Days off are just filled with worry and anxiety about the future, and while we might feel like we are doing less, we are stressing more!  Or maybe you feel like you are doing more and stressing more.  

This is how Elijah felt and he did what many of us might only dream of doing, he ran away.  He ran into the wilderness, sat down, and basically told God that he was spent and done.  He had no more to give, no more to draw from, so God might as well take his life.  But God didn’t take Elijah’s life, he renewed his strength.  

Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.  The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.  1 Kings 19:5-8

When Elijah stopped running, he began to wait, and as he waited, literally as he slept, God showed up and not only gave him rest but strength.  Twice God told Elijah to eat, and when he did his strength was renewed and he received enough physical strength to go for 40 days.  Not only did the rest and nourishment help Elijah but when he went to Mt. Horeb, God told him to wait again until he actually experienced the power of God’s presence. 

As Elijah waited on the Lord this time, a strong wind came and shook the mountain, but God was not in the wind.  Then there was a great earthquake that shook the foundation of the mountain but God was not in the earthquake.  Then came a fire but God was not in the fire.  This time Elijah didn’t run to find God or work to serve God, he just waited, and finally, in the sound of sheer silence, God not only showed up but God spoke up, and God gave Elijah direction for his future.  God said, Elijah, I have renewed your strength now go back and serve me.  

This is what it looks like to wait on the Lord.  We run to God and rest.  We turn to God for nourishment, and we listen to God for direction.  But nothing happens until we stop and wait.  Nothing happens until we honor the command to keep the Sabbath and literally stop and wait for God to renew us. 

My first couple of years as a pastor I had this foolish idea that everything in the church depended on me.  I loved what I was doing, I loved the people, and I wanted to do everything I could to serve God and them, so I worked every day.  I didn’t take a day off most of my first year in ministry and even after almost completely burning out, I didn’t learn my lesson and much of my second year I also didn’t honor the Sabbath.  Let’s just say I was running very low on oil.  It wasn’t until friends of mine, and the church leaders, literally told me I could not work on Monday and I could not go to the office that I learned the value of the Sabbath and rest.  

Not only did my life turn around but the ministry of the church became more balanced, and in time healthier and more productive.  God’s way really does work - if you don’t believe that just look at Chick-fil-A.  Chick-fil-A generates more revenue per store than any other restaurant chain in business - and they do it in 6 days.  They take a day of rest, and that rest actually helps them do more.  They are able to focus on the people and stay true to their purpose which increases their productivity.  They don’t wear themselves out working more - they allow themselves to be renewed.  God’s command to rest does work because it is how God created the world.  There is a time for work and a time for rest.  

Physical renewal begins when we are willing to stop and wait on God.  That might mean we need to stop working.  It might mean we stop tuning in to the 24 news cycle and turn off the TV.  It might mean we need to unplug from social media and give our hearts and minds a rest from constant complaining, comparison, and interactions with others.  Renewal won’t start until we learn how to stop.  

But then we need to be nourished and listen.  We can be nourished spiritually by the world of God, or maybe we need to be nourished physically by eating the right things.  I don't know about you, but the early stress of COVID caused me to do some stress eating.  I wanted all those comfort foods which for me meant potato chips.  I finally realized that what I was eating was not healthy and so I am now trying to nourish myself differently.  Being renewed in strength is determined by what we put into our bodies, minds, and spirits.  

Renewal also comes by listening to God.  When we stop and silence our lives, we finally open ourselves up to being able to hear God’s voice.  I love that story of Elijah waiting and listening for God.  The noise of the wind, earthquake, and fire wasn’t God speaking.  We often look for God in the big noises all around us (and there are so many) while God is trying to speak to us in sheer silence.  It’s important to hear God’s voice because that is what gives us the direction we need once we are renewed.   

We are all a little worn out by covid, exhausted by the elections, and tired of the uncertainty and anxiety we feel around us.  The good news is that today we have the opportunity to be renewed.  Being renewed in spirit comes when we humble ourselves, accept God’s grace and forgiveness, and live into the new life that is ours through Jesus.  Being renewed in strength comes when we stop running and stop working so we can rest, be nourished, and hear God’s still small and life giving voice.  So let us put on the new creation and be renewed in spirit and in strength as we grow in our relationship with God.  Today, take time to wait for the Lord.  Be strong and let your heart and life be renewed as you wait for the Lord. 

Next Steps

Renew

In what ways do you feel exhausted and worn out?  

● How has the election season worn down your spirit?

● How has covid-19 sapped your strength?

Can you remember a time when God renewed you?  How can that memory help you trust God in this moment and guide your actions in the future?

Read Psalm 51

● How did David’s spiritual inconsistency lead to his emptiness and sin?

● What process helped David renew in spirit?

● How can confession, forgiveness, and repentance renew your spirit?

● Take time this week to reflect on what needs to be changed in your life so you are more in tune with the Spirit of God.  

Read 1 Kings 19:1-18

What did Elijah do when he became drained and tired?

How did God renew his strength?

● How might God want to feed you spiritually?  

● What spiritual habits can you embrace in this season?

● What changes in diet might help renew your strength?  

Elijah didn’t hear the voice of God in the noise of the world but in the sheer silence.  How can you silence the noise in your life so you can hear the voice of God?  What might you need to turn off so you can tune in to God?

Are you taking a day of true Sabbath rest?  Sabbath rest involves disconnecting from work and reconnecting to God.  Who can help you carve out this time and then stick to it?