The Message:
In the tradition of the shepherds and the wisemen, we will give many gifts this Holiday season. Some will be meaningful, some will be frivolous. Some will be gaily wrapped, others unwrappable. Some will be expensive, some will come from the heart. None can match the priceless gift that was given to us.
Will we bring a gift to our worship? What might we offer as we kneel before the manger? Gold, Frankincense, and Myrhh seem strangely out of place this time.
What might we give as we kneel before the cross? Even a lamb will not do this time, for Jesus was the sacrificial lamb. Perhaps we might give a favorite sin, a heavy burden, a prideful spirit. Perhaps we could give obedience, our love, our will. Perhaps, we could offer our hands or even our heart.
And should we choose to give our heart to Jesus, he would give to us a new heart...a softer more obedient heart. He would take us and make us his. He would teach us to be like him.
I¹m Trying To Be Like Jesus (Children¹s Songbook p. 78)
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Countdown to Christmas: Christmas Day
The Message:
In reality, the search for Jesus will take us far beyond the manger in Bethlehem. If we would truly follow the star we must go to Nazareth, to Galilea, to Jerusalem. We must find not only the infant Jesus, but Jesus the man.
We must find the fisher of men, the teacher, the leader, the healer, the friend.
We will find him by the sea of Galilea. We will find him on the Mount of Olives. We will find him on the dusty roads of Palestine. We will find him with the leper, the adulterer, the crippled, the sick.
Ultimately, if we would find Jesus, we must follow the star to the Garden of Gethsamane, to Golgatha, and to the Garden Tomb. Our worship must take us past the manger to kneel at the cross, for here he finished his work.
The gift was complete. This is the gift that matters most--the gift of all gifts--the gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Without Easter there could not be a Christmas. This is the gift of which the angels exultantly sang ...good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. Joy to the World, the Lord is Come! Hail redemptions happy dawn!
Choose Your Favorite:
Joy to the World (Hymns p.201)
I Stand All Amazed (Hymns 193)
He Sent His Son (Children¹s Songbook p. 35)
*Note: There is one final message to be read on or before New Years Day. It will be posted tomorrow. It is a sweet finish to the Countdown til Christmas.
In reality, the search for Jesus will take us far beyond the manger in Bethlehem. If we would truly follow the star we must go to Nazareth, to Galilea, to Jerusalem. We must find not only the infant Jesus, but Jesus the man.
We must find the fisher of men, the teacher, the leader, the healer, the friend.
We will find him by the sea of Galilea. We will find him on the Mount of Olives. We will find him on the dusty roads of Palestine. We will find him with the leper, the adulterer, the crippled, the sick.
Ultimately, if we would find Jesus, we must follow the star to the Garden of Gethsamane, to Golgatha, and to the Garden Tomb. Our worship must take us past the manger to kneel at the cross, for here he finished his work.
The gift was complete. This is the gift that matters most--the gift of all gifts--the gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Without Easter there could not be a Christmas. This is the gift of which the angels exultantly sang ...good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. Joy to the World, the Lord is Come! Hail redemptions happy dawn!
Choose Your Favorite:
Joy to the World (Hymns p.201)
I Stand All Amazed (Hymns 193)
He Sent His Son (Children¹s Songbook p. 35)
*Note: There is one final message to be read on or before New Years Day. It will be posted tomorrow. It is a sweet finish to the Countdown til Christmas.
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