Genesis 1; Exodus 40; John 1

 

This Christmas, run out into this world, not afraid but full of courage, full of faith understanding that God shows up in all places where we find ourselves. May the God of Christmas find that faith in in this Christmas season.

John 1:14,; Colossians 2:9-10

 

We may have wandered far away from God but He seeks to draw near to us even where we are so may we seek Him and follow Him back home.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 and Mark 12:41-44

 

When we hear the word "Rich" the majority of us don't think that means us. If we're lucky we live from paycheck to paycheck, and the next bill comes due right on payday. Our hope has migrated to hope in stuff and so we hoard what we have hoping to save our way to safety but wealth is so uncertain. Instead, we must commit ourselves to this declaration: I will not place my hope in riches, but in Him who richly provides. Watch what happens to your heart, and then watch God honor that faith by doing something extraordinary in our city, our nation, and, who knows, maybe the world.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

 

Paul gives an unusual command to Christians who are “rich in this present world,” that they should excel in the grace of generosity and service. We might suggest that this command is for someone else because we don’t feel all that rich. But, according to 99% of the rest of the world, we are rich. Even so, what is the opportunity for the Christian who is rich in this present world? Over the next few weeks, we’ll examine the remainder of Paul’s command to the rich among us.

Matthew 7:24-27

 

What narrative are you building your life on? Is this narrative going to sustain you? Or, does it have weaknesses? Do these weaknesses function as blind spots? The answer is "Yes, we all live by some narrative, whether we realize it or not," and that narrative is not always our own.

 

"...he thought his mind was his own. Never his own until he makes it Christ's; up till then, merely a result of heredity, environment, and the state of his digestion. I became my own only when I gave myself to Another." - C.S. Lewis

Matthew 6:5-14

 

Jesus gives is an alternative to the attention seeking public prayer of his time. Rather than pray to impress others he tells us to pray in secret where we can have our attention on God alone. Christs example to us, the Lord's Prayer, prompts us to pray with a template of Presence, Purity, Power, Provision, Pardon, Protection.

 

"Prayer is one of life's great mysteries. Most people pray at least sometimes...At its lowest, prayer is shouting into a void on the off-chance there may be someone out there listening. At its highest, prayer merges into love, as the presence of God becomes so real that we pass beyond words and into a sense of His reality, generosity, delight and grace." - NT Wright

Matthew 18:1-14

 

When the disciples needed a lesson, Jesus used kids as an object lesson. Jesus tell us that children are the best image for who we should become. Children help us to unlearn corrosive things and seek out purity, kindness, wonder, and creativity.

 

"In a day when children were viewed as inferior and patriarchs ruled with an iron fist, Paul, contrary to the prevailing culture, calls parent and child into a space of mutuality in the Lord." - David Fitch

Jonah has been called the reluctant prophet. He was reluctant to follow God's call to preach against the city of Ninevah.

Exodus 14:10-20

 

The Israelites had to be convinced to go on the journey to the Promised Land and to not turn back. They moved from being unaware of their situation, to an awareness, and finally to a turning point at which they were willing to venture forth in a new direction toward a new location. For them, it was a move out of slavery in Egypt and its gods toward a Promised Land with Yahweh.

 

God defeated all the gods of Egypt to set his people free. They still needed to have the courage to leave Egypt and not go back. "Awareness always calls us to take responsibility for responding to what we are seeing-which is another reason that many of us seek to avoid awareness for as long as we can." Ruth Haley Barton. Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry. God made a way for them across the Red Sea, illuminating their path forward and guarding them from attack behind.

 

Consider if there are any gods you need to walk away from.

George Muller (1805-1898)

 

Matthew 6:7-8

 

Pray what is on your heart with honesty and simplicity; the Lord knows what you need.

 

George Muller was a Christian evangelist and director of the Ashley Down Orphanage in Bristol, England. He cared for 10,024 orphans during his lifetime, and provided educational opportunities for the orphans to the point that he was even accused by some of raising the poor above their natural station in British life. He established 117 schools which offered Christian education to more than 120,000. He was often known as a man of simple prayers with profound results.

 

He prayed the prayer of faith, with directness and simplicity. His prayers were without elegance or flash, and the Lord responded. There are hundreds of incredible examples. He would pray for money for the orphanages and money was at his doorstep. He would pray for materials and materials would arrive.

 

On one occasion (among many) the orphanage had run out of milk and food. Muller went before all the children at lunchtime and said, “Watch what God can do.” He then prayed for God to provide food for the children. Immediately after there was a knock at the door and a milkman’s wagon broke down in front of his orphanage. All the milk was given to the orphanage so that it would not spoil. Immediately after that, a bread truck arrived with the same issue. All the children and staff were well fed.

God can use our failures for good so there is no need to worry about failure, we just need to be obedient.

Matthew 6:25-34

God's love minimizes our worry over finances because we can rest in the fact that God loves us far more than the sparrow for whom He provides.

Mark 6:6b-13

 

The life of discipleship is a life committed to action. Jesus sent his disciples out on meaningful and challenging mission so they could represent God. They engaged creatively and uniquely within each micro village to address their individual needs. We all have areas where Jesus sends us, let’s be eager to act out our faith.

 

The practice for eagerness to action is one that James Bryan Smith prescribes in The Good and Beautiful Community, chapter 1: “2X4” which encourages a Christian to spend two hours with God each week and to also engage in 4 hours (or 4 tasks) that help others. We’ll encourage our people to seek regular ways to help others.

Mark 14: 3-6

 

This passage shows Jesus’ vulnerability for others, even before his sacrifice on the cross. Jesus is transparent, accessible, kind, accepting, and pardon-giving. Our paid and lay leadership needs to follow the way of Jesus: not hidden behind titles or tasks, but to be well-known and convincing enough for people to hand us your burdens.

 

The practice for this value is for both leaders and laity to be eager to meet. We should provide some “how-to’s” for laity to follow when requesting time with staff. Staff needs to be challenged to carve out regular invitations for people to connect.

Mark 5:21-43

The key to hospitality is to host. To gather people within the Christian life and to be a carrier or “host” of the Jesus-centered life.

Jesus, is both mobile and present in these passages. He’s never in a hurry, but addresses two, unique issues from two different women from two different parts of the social map. He was present and was eager to help.

The practice for Hospitality for us will be to bless 3 people a week. Either with a word of encouragement, a material blessing, or doing something to lift their burden.

Matthew 22:36-40

The greatest commandment according to Jesus is to love God and love others. We learn how to do this in the different group ministries at Advent Pres. In fact, groups teach us about loving God, others, creation, and the self.

The greatest commandment according to Jesus is to love God and love others. We learn how to do this in the different group ministries at Advent Pres. In fact, groups teach us about loving God, others, creation, and the self. There is a movement from joining a group to full participation: adoration, acclimation, and activation.

Joining a group teaches us to love well, the way God wants.

2 Corinthians 13:5

 

A key word that we’ll focus on for 2019 at Advent is Connection. The local church is a collection of Christians, on mission together. Within a church, there are different sizes of communities that serve different purposes. Our goal is to steer people into three different communities: a worship community, a learning community, and a practicing community.

 

Although we enter into Christianity by God’s invitation and call, we are also encouraged to examine our faith. We start out 2019 with a chance to do some personal examination.

 

Are we genuine in our Christian practice today?

Matthew 2:1-12

Gift giving has changed from buying things to "Giving things that truly have great meaning and show great love for the individual." - Cara David

The Magi gave a gift because they saw who Jesus was. May our gift giving result in our loved ones "being seen" No matter what is given, may it create sacred moments of friendship and love.

Romans 12:17-21

The Christian life does not exempt us from suffering, including having difficult people in our lives. The New Testament provides us with what faithfulness looks like while in community with challenging people.

Matthew 5:21-26; Ephesians 4:25-29

A tension exists within the New Testament about the believer and anger. It isn't as simple as "the Christian should never get angry." There seems to be an allowance for the Christian to experience the emotion of anger in the midst of a life of faithfulness.