Dear Worshipers,
I pray you had a very, merry Christmas, and am praying that God will bless you as we enter the New Year together ever tuning our hearts to sing His grace.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Six Shopping Days Until Christmas
Dear Worshipers,
As I read to Samuel’s second grade class yesterday I made a passing comment about the Christmas season. I was instructing them that we are currently in the season of Advent, that period stretching four Sundays and through Christmas Eve leading us up to Christmas. Advent is the first season of the liturgical year. I continued saying that Christmas in the church year runs from Christmas [December 25] through Epiphany {January 6]. I could tell from the look on their puzzled faces that many of them had never heard of this sequence. For that reason, I wanted to take a few minutes today to familiarize you with it, in the hopes that it may renew your savoring of this season, which may have been partially robbed by the consumerism of our culture.
Among all the festivals and holidays of the Christian Church year, Christmas remains the most observed and most popular. Of course, much of that popularity, especially in the West, is due to the commercial promotion of the holiday. In many areas of the world, it is still a rather insignificant holiday even among Christians. Still, the Christmas story captures the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype. [From CRI/Voice Institute, © Dennis Bratcher. The remainder of this article can be found by Ctrl+Clicking this link. The Christmas Season Here you will find some other resources that may aid your Christmas worship.]
I said to the second graders, “Christmas, for most people unfortunately, lasts for about fifteen minutes on the morning of December 25th.” That is the case for so many folks. Having rushed around the days and weeks before Christmas to get gifts to leave loved ones dazzled leaves us feeling a little bit frazzled. The Christmas season can capture “the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype”, but only if we stop long enough to be captured by it.
This will look different for each of you and your families, but I want to encourage you to make the time, beginning on Christmas day if not before, to ponder the meaning of this season. God became one of us. He made a personal connection for us through His Son. He demonstrated His desire and ability to get personally involved in our lives.
Pastor David has been encouraging us these last few weeks to consider “The Miracle of Christmas”. [You can view clips of his Advent series at Advent Messages.] Many talk about Christmas being a magical season, yet that “magic” wears off too quickly for most. The miracle lingers for those who consider the meaning behind the season. Don’t you figure the shepherds talked about that “Silent Night” the rest of their lives? The angels probably recall with amazement the birth they “heralded” so long ago? I am certain the magi were filled with wonder for the “Star of royal beauty bright” long after they had arrived back at home. More on the Magi in a few weeks in the next “Tuning” on January 2.
In Christ, Pastor Scott
As I read to Samuel’s second grade class yesterday I made a passing comment about the Christmas season. I was instructing them that we are currently in the season of Advent, that period stretching four Sundays and through Christmas Eve leading us up to Christmas. Advent is the first season of the liturgical year. I continued saying that Christmas in the church year runs from Christmas [December 25] through Epiphany {January 6]. I could tell from the look on their puzzled faces that many of them had never heard of this sequence. For that reason, I wanted to take a few minutes today to familiarize you with it, in the hopes that it may renew your savoring of this season, which may have been partially robbed by the consumerism of our culture.
Among all the festivals and holidays of the Christian Church year, Christmas remains the most observed and most popular. Of course, much of that popularity, especially in the West, is due to the commercial promotion of the holiday. In many areas of the world, it is still a rather insignificant holiday even among Christians. Still, the Christmas story captures the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype. [From CRI/Voice Institute, © Dennis Bratcher. The remainder of this article can be found by Ctrl+Clicking this link. The Christmas Season Here you will find some other resources that may aid your Christmas worship.]
I said to the second graders, “Christmas, for most people unfortunately, lasts for about fifteen minutes on the morning of December 25th.” That is the case for so many folks. Having rushed around the days and weeks before Christmas to get gifts to leave loved ones dazzled leaves us feeling a little bit frazzled. The Christmas season can capture “the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype”, but only if we stop long enough to be captured by it.
This will look different for each of you and your families, but I want to encourage you to make the time, beginning on Christmas day if not before, to ponder the meaning of this season. God became one of us. He made a personal connection for us through His Son. He demonstrated His desire and ability to get personally involved in our lives.
Pastor David has been encouraging us these last few weeks to consider “The Miracle of Christmas”. [You can view clips of his Advent series at Advent Messages.] Many talk about Christmas being a magical season, yet that “magic” wears off too quickly for most. The miracle lingers for those who consider the meaning behind the season. Don’t you figure the shepherds talked about that “Silent Night” the rest of their lives? The angels probably recall with amazement the birth they “heralded” so long ago? I am certain the magi were filled with wonder for the “Star of royal beauty bright” long after they had arrived back at home. More on the Magi in a few weeks in the next “Tuning” on January 2.
In Christ, Pastor Scott
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
In Need of Rescue
Dear Worshipers,
I think one of the things that really amazes me about the Christmas story is how unaware we are that we are in need of rescue. God on the other hand was totally aware. Before we could even realize our need He has already made our rescue available through the sending of His only Son. All that is required for us to do is make the call.
This was brought home to me this morning. I was going around town taking down the roadside signs that I had scattered in various places. [If you put any out, thank you and please be certain to get them down soon.] I ended up going by the church to take down the banners as well. I had Josiah, our 19 month old, with me and figured since it was still pretty cold I would leave him strapped in with the van running so that he would not get cold. You see where this is going.
I returned to the van a few minutes later to retrieve a tool to finish the job and realized the van was locked. I believe it must have a feature I did not know about that locks the doors after a period of time if the van is running. That is the only explanation I can imagine, other than my somehow locking the doors accidently on my way out of the van. All that to say, I needed rescued, or more accurately Josiah did.
I called AAA but as I was on hold I decided to try a different course. My sense of urgency was heightened as I watched Josiah in tears inside the van wondering why I was not coming to his aid. I believe the Lord brought Bill Rumble to mind. I figured he could help, or would know the fastest course of assistance. I was right. He informed me that the fire department will come and unlock your car if you have a child inside.
Once I swallowed my pride, I made the call. I could here the sirens even before the 911 dispatcher was finished talking to me. I was humbled as four firefighters jumped out and rescued my son in a matter of seconds. Almost before I could sign the waiver excusing them of potential damage to the vehicle, the door was open. They loaded up with smiles on their faces even before I could calm Josiah's tears.
As I sat in the front seat holding Josiah and recovering from the ordeal, I reflected on the rescue. The system was already in place when I made the call. The response was immediate. The situation was remedied quickly with no pain to me other than a little humility. The feeling of resolution was sweet.
The parallels to the work of our Rescuer, Christ Jesus, were so clear to me this morning. By coming at Christmas, then dying at Easter, He has instituted a system by which we can be rescued from our sin. This was in place long before we could call on Him. His reponse is immediate when we call. He remedies our situation. The resolution He brings is sweet.
All this, and then another thing occurred to me even as I was writing. I placed the call, and Josiah was rescued. Who in your life are your calling out to the Rescuer for? They are not aware of their need but you are. Ultimately, they will have to turn to Christ, but you can call out to Him on their behalf.
I am thankful that Jesus is my Rescuer and that He is poised to jump into action whenever a call comes in, whether on my behalf or anyone else’s.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
I think one of the things that really amazes me about the Christmas story is how unaware we are that we are in need of rescue. God on the other hand was totally aware. Before we could even realize our need He has already made our rescue available through the sending of His only Son. All that is required for us to do is make the call.
This was brought home to me this morning. I was going around town taking down the roadside signs that I had scattered in various places. [If you put any out, thank you and please be certain to get them down soon.] I ended up going by the church to take down the banners as well. I had Josiah, our 19 month old, with me and figured since it was still pretty cold I would leave him strapped in with the van running so that he would not get cold. You see where this is going.
I returned to the van a few minutes later to retrieve a tool to finish the job and realized the van was locked. I believe it must have a feature I did not know about that locks the doors after a period of time if the van is running. That is the only explanation I can imagine, other than my somehow locking the doors accidently on my way out of the van. All that to say, I needed rescued, or more accurately Josiah did.
I called AAA but as I was on hold I decided to try a different course. My sense of urgency was heightened as I watched Josiah in tears inside the van wondering why I was not coming to his aid. I believe the Lord brought Bill Rumble to mind. I figured he could help, or would know the fastest course of assistance. I was right. He informed me that the fire department will come and unlock your car if you have a child inside.
Once I swallowed my pride, I made the call. I could here the sirens even before the 911 dispatcher was finished talking to me. I was humbled as four firefighters jumped out and rescued my son in a matter of seconds. Almost before I could sign the waiver excusing them of potential damage to the vehicle, the door was open. They loaded up with smiles on their faces even before I could calm Josiah's tears.
As I sat in the front seat holding Josiah and recovering from the ordeal, I reflected on the rescue. The system was already in place when I made the call. The response was immediate. The situation was remedied quickly with no pain to me other than a little humility. The feeling of resolution was sweet.
The parallels to the work of our Rescuer, Christ Jesus, were so clear to me this morning. By coming at Christmas, then dying at Easter, He has instituted a system by which we can be rescued from our sin. This was in place long before we could call on Him. His reponse is immediate when we call. He remedies our situation. The resolution He brings is sweet.
All this, and then another thing occurred to me even as I was writing. I placed the call, and Josiah was rescued. Who in your life are your calling out to the Rescuer for? They are not aware of their need but you are. Ultimately, they will have to turn to Christ, but you can call out to Him on their behalf.
I am thankful that Jesus is my Rescuer and that He is poised to jump into action whenever a call comes in, whether on my behalf or anyone else’s.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
PRODUCTION WEEK
Dear Worshipers,
That is the term I use for this busy week leading up to a major production. If you combine the time each person will sacrifice at rehearsal this week it will literally be in the hundreds of hours. Think of what you could do if someone gave you a few hundred hours to work on something. Think of what you could produce if you had 300 hours of concentrated effort to put into a project. Anyone could accomplish something of worth in that amount of time, if focused on a profitable outcome, right? Not without the Lord.
We are focusing on producing this week. Oh, certainly we are talking about the Christmas musical, but I am talking about much more. I am talking about the greatest product of the week which is not what the Lord will do through us but what He wants to do in us. We want to work on all these details so that we can communicate the wonderful message of Jesus clearly and convincingly, but even then, apart from Him it is all for naught. So let us pray for what we desire for Him to do in others, but ponder what He is doing is us.
Remember Jesus’ words in John 15:5b “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Apart from the Lord we can do nothing. A lot of talent, a lot of time, a lot of nothing apart from Him. I do not want to waste this week or it’s efforts, so I commit right now in the midst of everything I have to do and delegate to hold to the instruction in the first part of this verse.
Remaining. That is not so easy to do. I hit the snooze button a few too many times this morning and did not have the time to spend with the Lord that I desire. Remaining is hard to do without time. This is a busy week, but if I do not find the time to remain in Jesus’ how can I hope to bear the fruit He desires. The same is true for you.
I know that I have many of you out at rehearsals several times this production week, but without some time spent with Jesus’ you too will be hard pressed to produce what He desires. And what it is that He desires to produce in you? If you take a few minutes to consider this I think I know He will show you. You remember the list: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Patience is my focus this week. What is yours?
Of course, we are trusting God to do something miraculous through us this Sunday night. I trust Him for His revelation of Himself to all of us, and that some will respond by turning to Him for the first time, understanding the greatness of our God, and their need of the Savior whose name is Jesus. But I also trust Him to do something in us-in me, in you. I am honestly probably more excited about that because I know that the greatest blessing of this musical is for those who are producing it, because the Lord is using that process to produce something in us we probably were not thinking about when we signed on.
Merry Christmas and Happy Producing!
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
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