Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sunday December 14, 2008

This Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent, and the theme is JOY! The worship bulletin for Sunday is here. The Scriptures for Sunday are:
Isaiah 35.1-2, 8-10
Luke 2.1-20
Matthew 1.18-23

Our study will focus on the truth that joy comes from redemption. And this is the whole point of this Advent/Christmas story and season. God was not content to let us suffer; to leave us in our mess. God intervened in our story to deliver us--to redeem us. And that is what Advent is about. We have God's redemption, God's deliverance. But we wait. We wait for the full consummation of God's redemption and deliverance in the day of the Lord. We wait for the world to change--and for US to step up and change it--as the body of Christ. We symbolically wait for Christmas, for the re-telling of the birth of the Christ Child, which not only is the centerpiece of our hope for redemption, but is the centerpiece of all cosmic history.

Other Scriptures on redemption are: (read them with interest!)
Colossians 1.13,14
Ephesians 1.7
Romans 3.23,24
Titus 2.13,14

Galatians 4.4,5

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Isn't Mother's Day in May?

Mindy also sent me this video, which you will probably see in worship in May. Very funny.

Did You Get the Recall Notice?


Mindy sent me this. Change your Christmas list to just say "Bicycle".