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?  

REmember

 For many of us, the next few months are going to be filled with memories.  Thanksgiving and Christmas will look very different this year and so we might spend a little more thinking back to when we were young, or when our children were young.  Many laughs will be shared when someone will say, “do you remember when…”  In our family it’s, “do you remember the year Mom dropped the stuffing and the cut glass bowl shattered?  She cried because a family heirloom was gone.  We cried because we had no stuffing.  (Let’s be honest, the stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving.) Or, maybe for you it’s, do you remember the Christmas we had no power?  Or the Christmas I got my bike, or we gave our kids their first bike.  A classic holiday movie is all about one man remembering the Christmas he got a Red Ryder BB gun and then went out and shot his eye out.

With limitations on what we might be able to do this holiday season, and who we might be able to be with, we can find great comfort and experience a measure of peace and joy in our memories.  Remembering the past can be fun, and it can be a powerful force in our lives, but real transformation comes when we stop and remember God.  Remembering God is so important to our lives and faith that one of the most common commands in the Bible is to remember.  Over and over again God tells us to remember Him and what He has done.  One of the last acts of Jesus was to command his followers to remember.   Think about it, this was Jesus’ last night with his disciples, this was their final meal together, and some of Jesus’ final words to them were, every time you eat this bread or drink this cup - remember me. Do this in remembrance of me.  

There are two important reasons why remembering God is so important. First, Remembering God in the past helps us TRUST God in the present.  Remembering who God has been in our past and what God has done for us, helps us trust God for the moments we face today.  We see this in the life of Moses.  Moses told the people of Israel to remember God from their past in order to help them trust God for their present.  

Moses had led the people out of Egypt and through the wilderness.  He has the nation sitting on the edge of the Promised Land ready to enter, but there is a problem, the Promised Land is already populated.  The people of God are filled with fear and doubt, and they begin to question whether they can actually move into this land and live there.  To help them overcome this fear and to fill them with a sense of strength and purpose, Moses told them to remember.  Deuteronomy 7:17-19

You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?”  But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.  You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. 

When they were afraid to move forward, and afraid they might fail, Moses told them to remember God and trust Him.  If God was with us in the past - than he is with us today.  We don’t need to be afraid, we can have faith.  What do you need to remember to help you deal with the problems of today?  What fear or obstacle can be overcome by remembering how God provided for you in the past?  

One of the first big transitions in my life happened when I left CT and went to MSU.  I didn’t know anyone in the state of Michigan let alone at MSU.  It was a difficult time, and in the first few weeks I often wanted to give up and go home.  My parents helped me make it through that difficult time until I had my feet on the ground and felt more comfortable.   The next big transition came when I went to Yellowstone to work for the summer.  The first few weeks were tough and my parents helped me get through it until I was feeling more comfortable.  The same thing happened when I went to Colorado to work, and when I started at my first church in Altoona.  Finally my mom said, Andy, your first few weeks in a new location are always difficult - but you always make it through and then enjoy what you are doing.  I needed to remember how God had helped me in the past, to give me confidence that the present situation I faced could be overcome.  

What do you need to remember from your past to help you face the challenges of today?  Was it a time you were able to do more than you thought you could and looking back you realized God was with you?  Was it a time when you experienced healing or hope, and so today you can trust God for the situation you face today?  Maybe it was a time that you just got through by the grace of God, but looking back now you can see that God was there - so you can have assurance that God is still there.  Remembering how God helped us in the past can help us trust God in our present situation.

The second reason remembering God is important is that, Remembering God in the past directs our actions in the future.  When we can see the specific way God helped us in the past, it not only gives us strength for today, it can guide and direct our steps for tomorrow.  Knowing how God has worked in our past truly can guide our decisions and actions as we move forward.  One of the best examples of this comes from one of the most well-known stories in the Bible, David and Goliath.  If you remember the story, Goliath was a giant who tormented the people of Israel.  No one wanted to fight Goliath due to his size and strength, and so for 40 days the people of God were beaten down by their enemy.  Morale was low, and defeat seemed sure, until David came along.  

David was just a young man, maybe even a teenager, but he was willing to stand up to Goliath and fight him in battle.  What is it that directed David’s steps in this situation?  It was remembering how God had helped in the past.  1 Samuel 17:32-37a

David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.  The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

What gave David the courage to move forward and fight Goliath was remembering how God helped him fight lions and bears in the past.  If God could bring him those victories, then God could bring him this one as well.  Remembering God in the past guided David’s decision and directed his steps for the future.  So once again, what do you need to remember?

Has God seen you through financial problems in the past?  If he has, how does that direct your financial decisions for the future?    Has God healed brokenness in your marriage?  If he has, how can that help you create a healthier relationship in the future?  Has God guided you in major life decisions?  If he has, can that give you boldness and confidence to keep moving forward knowing that God will guide you as you go?  What do you need to remember?  

Now, I know some of you might be looking at a past that is pretty broken and dysfunctional and you might be saying to yourself, there is nothing I want to remember, nothing at all.  I don’t want to remember what has happened to me or what I have done and the poor choices I have made.  If that's the case, here is something to remember, God was with you through all those painful times and he helped you through.  I can say that confidently because you are here today.  By God’s grace, seen or unseen, you are here today so God did see you through and He will see you into the future.  We can trust God for today and walk with Him into tomorrow.  

Remembering God is important, but it is easy for us to forget, so let’s look at two things we can do to help us remember.  The first thing we can do is Write it down.  When we see God move, when we feel the presence of God at work, when we have been touched by God’s love and grace - write it down.  When the people of Israel finally did cross into the Promised Land, they were led by Joshua.  Most of the people crossing over were not the same ones who left Egypt so they weren’t the ones who saw the Red Sea part.  Because they couldn’t remember firsthand the power of God, God does a new miracle for them to remember in their future.   Joshua 3:14-17

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.  Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away. 

You have to believe that when this happened someone stopped to say, hey wait, isn’t this what God did when he parted the Red Sea?  Isn’t this the power of God now leading us into the Promised Land?  This moment did remind the people that God had been with their ancestors in the past, but this was an important moment for them to remember into the future.  It was so important that God told them to remember it.  In essence he said, write it down.  Joshua 4:1-7

When the priests who were leading the people stepped into the waters of the Jordan River to cross over into the new land, as soon as their feet touched the water, the waters stopped flowing.  The Jordan River stopped flowing so the people could cross over on dry ground and to help them remember this moment God tells the leaders of each tribe to take a stone from the dry river bed and set up a pillar, or altar, on the other side.  

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you.  In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’  Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

These stone pillars were a testimony to God’s presence, power, and provision.  It was their way of writing down this historic moment so that in the future they could remember it and tell their children.  We can mark the stories of God’s provision by actually writing them down and keeping a journal, but there are other ways we can do it.  Pictures are a great way to remember God’s provision, power, and presence.  Every picture of Yellowstone is a reminder that God provided for me.  I have a painting of my church in Lewisburg and a wood carving of my church in Altoona and they remind me that God provided for me in these places and used me for His purpose so He will do it again.  Pictures, art, music, and journals, are all ways we can write it down and then go back to remember.  

Another way to help us remember is to Tell it to others.  The stone pillars weren’t just to remind the people what had happened, they were also to remind the people to tell God’s stories to others. Sharing our stories not only helps us remember, they can help other people see God’s hand at work in their own lives.  Specifically we need to tell the next generation about God’s presence and power.  Our children and grandchildren need to hear about our faith and know that they too can trust God.  In fact, God tells us to make sure we share our faith with the next generation.  

A few weeks ago, our church and community lost a true servant, Lew Wian.  Lew, and his wife Pat, helped make the food bank what it is today.  Lew worked hard, quietly, and faithfully for more than 10 years to make sure people in our community had food.  He put his faith into action, but he also knew God told him to share his faith.  At his memorial service, I was blessed to be able to share some passages that Lew highlighted in his Bible and some of the comments he wrote in the margins.  This is from Psalm 78:1-4a

My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Under this passage Lew wrote - Teach the next generation.  God wants us to remember the past so that we can not only stand strong in our faith but so we can teach the next generation that they can also trust God.  There is no one else who will do this.  The schools won’t do it.  The government won’t do it.  The secular entertainment and sports world won’t do it.  We have to do it.  We have to write it down and tell it to others.  

We close worship today by remembering what Jesus specifically wanted us to remember.  We remember that God so loved the world that He sent his one and only Son so that whoever might believe in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.  We remember that Jesus loved us so much that He gave Himself fully for us so that we might be able to live life to the fullest.  We remember that God is with us in this meal and that the fullness of God’s grace and power is here to help us trust God today and guide our actions tomorrow.  Jesus said, every time you do this - remember me.  

What do you need to remember about Jesus today?  

Next Steps

Remember

What is one of your favorite memories?  Why is it special?  Share that memory with someone this week.

Read Deuteronomy 7:17-19 and 1 Samuel 17:34-37

● Why was remembering what God had done in the past so important?  

● How did remembering these things help David?  How did it help the people of Israel?

● What do you need to remember about God?  (Think about who He is, what He has done, and what He has done in your life.)

Read Joshua 4:1-24

● How and why did God want the people to remember this moment?  

● How can you document the moments of God’s provision and power working in your life?

● Write down this week the ways God has been faithful to you.

● Who can you tell this week about God’s love and grace?

How can you start living today so that tomorrow you will have powerful memories of faithfulness to draw from?