Four Things on Friday
December 13, 2019
An Interesting
Article/Podcast
You can both read and listen to this little essay. I find
that we often see Advent and Christmas through a soft glow of candles and the
framework of fir branches. Spiritually speaking, the events of Christ’s birth
were not soft or in any way romantic. They were, however, salvific. That is the
focus of Pastor Joel Hess in this reading.
Quote I’m
Pondering
“Christ continues to go to surprising places, into enemy
territories and darkened rooms to sing, ‘Merry Christmas,’ to prisoners of
shame, fear, and death.” – Pastor Joel Hess
One Good Thing
This Week
There are several good things that have happened this
week: they are pouring concrete, people stepped up to host the choir from South
Africa, and more. But the good thing I would like to share with you is the
phone call I just received. It was from the father of one of our Rejoicing
Spirits families. He was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year; a large tumor
in his thigh. All across the summer he had radiation treatments, and we prayed
for him. At Rejoicing Spirits this past Saturday he told me that he had surgery
the same day as my mom, November 21. Everything went well, but he was waiting
for the follow up report. He got that report this week. His margins were clean
and the tumor itself was dead. I really liked the way he looked at this as the
result of answered prayers as God worked through the radiation treatments to
heal him.
Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep
with those who weep.” Sometimes it feels like we spend a lot of time weeping in
this life. It is so good to give thanks and praise to God and to rejoice with
someone who is rejoicing in God’s blessings.
Our Scripture
readings for the Third Sunday of Advent are:
Over the years I have learned that those who read the
Scripture lessons and spend a little time thinking about them before church on
Sunday get more out of the service.
The sermon is: Advent: Seeing Rightly
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