MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Recent Prayer Requests
* Pete Koelling, health concerns
* Brenda Koelling, relationship with her daughters plus their salvation
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Marilynn Norvell
* Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
* Our church and need for revival
Upcoming Activities
1. Christmas Eve service, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
2. NO Wednesday service
3. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
4. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
including the Lord’s Supper
5. NO Discipleship Training
6. 5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship, Sunday,
6 p.m.
Christmas Eve Worship
Come join us tomorrow (Tuesday) evening for a brief worship service celebrating the birth of our Lord. We’ll begin at 6 p.m., sing a few Christmas carols, and read the Word of God before heading to our homes in preparation for Christmas Day!
Gabriel’s Message
(Christmas 2013)
To Nazareth the angel came
Sent from heaven above
Gabriel was the servant’s name
His message was God’s love.
Young Mary was the recipient
Jesus the Heavenly Word
Blessing from God on her was sent
Most favored by the Lord.
The angel spoke, the young girl heard,
“Mary, God gives you grace”
Troubled by the messenger’s word
Her mind began to race
She thought “What does this word imply?”
Her mind could not perceive.
“Fear not”, the angel did reply
Her troubles to relieve.
“For you are the chosen of god
To bring forth His own Son
The Highest’s son will He be called.
He will be the great one.”
Then Mary said, “May it be thus
His will with me be done.”
So the Savior was sent for us
Jesus born, Christmas begun.
Bruce D. Walker
Sermon Extras
Most people are familiar with the King James translation of the Luke passage. In verse 6, the KJV reads “while they were there, the days were accomplished …”. I really like that rendering more than the ESV which reads “while they were there, the time came…”. The word behind “accomplished/came” is a word meaning “to fill or to end”. It is related to the word “fullness” in Galatians 4:4. God had a specific time for the birth of His Son and that time had come. God’s plan was fulfilled and Mary gave birth.
Actually, this is true of the birth of every person. God has set the time of that birth (see Ecclesiastes 3) and, when His time has been fulfilled (when “the days were accomplished”).
Questions to ponder: (1) Do you ever reflect upon the hand of God in your daily affairs? (2) When the Lord commands (via His Word or via His appointed ministers, e.g., “rulers”), are you prompt to obey? (3) Is your celebration of Christmas centered on the Christ of Christmas?
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son…”
Galatians 4:4
Pastor’s Postscripts
A couple of people have asked me where we are going relative to the Sunday morning messages. Having completed 1 Thessalonians and messages celebrating the Christmas season, what is next on the “sermon calendar”?
Well, I am open to any suggestions from the Lord but I still believe He wants us to continue the Thessalonian correspondence by turning our attention to 2 Thessalonians next. However, I do not plan on beginning that brief letter until the third Sunday of January.
That leaves the intervening three Sundays. Reflecting on my time here as your pastor, I recall preaching on the two ordinances of the church only three times: twice on the Lord’s Supper (last in 2011) and once on baptism. Since we are observing the Lord’s Supper this coming Sunday morning, the message will focus on that ordinance. And, since our present plans are to observe the ordinance of baptism on January 12 with the baptism of Nolan Brook, the message that morning will focus on baptism.
On January 5 I’ll present a message summarizing the 5th Psalm. When we began our exposition of John’s Gospel, my goal was to intersperse “chapter messages” from the Psalms at various breaks in the text. I was able to share with you on the first four Psalms but the “break points” in the Gospel were few in number and did not offer us the opportunity to look at other Psalms. So, our first Sunday in January will take us back to the Psalms.
That’s my plan. But, of course, the Lord is the One who has the final say. Whatever He decides will be the best for our church.
As I close the column this week, Debbie and I want to wish a very Merry Christmas to each of you! May the Lord pour out His blessings upon you especially at this time of year.