Fiesta!

Dear Worshipers,

This week our church is adorned with a definite Mexican flavor as we enjoy our annual Vacation Bible School. It is a very exciting week in the life of the church ecuase it is so wrought with the potential of changing children’s eternal destiny as many learn about and begin to live for Jesus. Many a believers’ testimony takes a journey through VBS, which makes sense when we consider that the majority of Christians come to know Jesus as children.

But what exactly is a “fiesta”? In my preparation for our worship service for this coming Sunday I researched that. I learned that its etymology is from the Spanish fiesta "a festival, a religious celebration," from Latin festa, plural of festum "festival, feast" --related to FEAST, FESTIVAL especially : a saint's day celebrated in Spain and Latin America with parades and dances. When I came in to the closing section last night they were definitely celebrating as they sang and danced. It was a rousing close to the first day of VBS.

As I began my planning for the service this idea of celebration was on my mind. I came across these words in one of my planning resources. “What is the best term to describe the services we share on Sundays? Worship services? Assemblies? I have an idea—how about CELEBRATIONS?! The primary reason we gather as a congregation is to CELEBRATE Jesus’ resurrection and the new life we as believers have in Him! Let’s do that!” That really resonated in my spirit! Let’s CELEBRATE!

I tend to be demonstrative in my living and in my worshipping, so this comes pretty natural to me. But the supernatural dimension is even more real. When I bring myself, or rather allow the Lord to bring me to a place of understanding what I am doing when I come to worship, I am filled with a heart that longs to CELEBRATE!

On Sunday we read the words of the Psalmist from 40:1-3. Here David talks about waiting for the Lord and being delivered from the mud to stand on the rock. David speaks of God giving a new song, a hymn of praise. That to resonated with me. But it should resonate with all of us who have been delivered from death to life. You want to talk about religious celebration, look into heaven where the saints declare the worth of God eternally.

I pray there will be many added to their number this week at VBS, and that as the saints gather to CELEBRATE “Fiesta” on Sunday, they would be caught up in that eternal FIESTA that is reserved for the people of God. Let’s CELEBRATE!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott