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Saturday, December 26th, 2009Reminder to everyone: We WILL NOT have our Gathering Service on 12.27.09. We will start back with service on 01.03.10. See you in 2010.
Archive for December, 2009
Tis the Season: To Celebrate
Monday, December 21st, 2009We have spent the month of December looking at the Gospel of Luke at really what Christmas is the Season for. Luke 2 has been our focus as we have studied Luke’s desciption of the Christmas Story. This past Sunday we learned from three very important characters that Christmas is the Season to Celebrate.
The Angels Celebrated through Praise. :: Luke 2:8-14
Once the Shepherds had learned about the birth of Christ scriptures says that a host of angels appeared and sang:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
I believe this was an overflow of worship that had been happening in heaven since Gabriel first informed Mary of the seed of the Messiah rest in her. The angels had been singing praise knowing that the birth of Christ would change everything. So when they saw a chance to praise and inform the shepherds, I am sure they jumped at the chance to Celebrate through praise to the world.
The Shepherds celebrated through Telling Others :: Luke 2:15-18/20
For some reason the angels shared this precious information with shepherds - social outcast who couldn’t even testify in court. Of course God choose a teenager as the mother and construction worker as the adopted dad of Jesus Christ. This shows us that we shouldn’t be surprise at the people God chooses to use!
But Luke tells us that as the Shepherds left and still had the newborn smell of Christ on their clothes they went throughout Bethlehm telling others that the Messiah had come. These men who had the reputation as wild men and crooks where sharing the story of Christ. It says the people actually listened and were amazed. The Good News began moving throughout the world as the Shepherds Celebrated by telling others.
Mary Celebrated in Her Heart :: Luke 2:19
Even though the Angels and Shepherds had celebrated outwardly, her celebration was more inward. Earlier she expressed outward celebration as she sings Mary’s song and talks with Elizabeth, but after the birth of Christ she treasured up her thoughts and worship in her heart.
Mary pulled Christ close to her chest and just realized how God had been working in the past year. She couldn’t ever had imagine a year ago all that she had been through: conversations with angels, Joseph obeying and not leaving her, gossip of her unborn child, threats of stoning, miles of travel, and child birth. She celebrates as she holds the Savior of the World and knowing that God had planned this all from the beginning.
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So what does our Christmas Celebration look like? Do we celebrate through praise, sharing, or reflection? If we were honest our Celebration centers more on gifts and parties than the Savior. This holiday season lets continue to Celebrate because Tis the Season to Celebrate.
Set List:
O Come All Ye Faithful [Third Day Version]
Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy) [Chris Tomlin]
Beautiful Jesus [Fee]
Celebrate the Miracle [Capstone Band]
Glory to God Forever [Fee]
Salvation is Here [Hillsong United]
Edge Christmas Party
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Here is a picture from our Edge Christmas Party with our Middle and High School Students.
Tis the Season Continued
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
The past two weeks we have found a blog from another pastor continuing our conversations from Tis The Season. Check out the Links below see referencing to topics from the Gathering and even using the same scriptures. It is amazing how God speaks the same message through different people, churches, and leaders:
Tis the Season: to Reflect
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009Our second week of tis the season was about Reflection. We don’t really focus on reflecting too much during Christmas. We focus on what we are getting or the parties, or the bills. But just like the Shephards who heard the Angels deliver the message of Good News [Luke 2:8-15] - we must choose what we will do with the Good News of Christ. Will we go to Bethlehem or will we continue in the hustle and bustle of the Season?
In the story of Mary and Martha [Luke 10:38-42] Luke informs us with what Martha’s issue was as she worked so hard and her sister sat in the living room and missed the oppurtunity to sit at Christ’s feet.
“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”
Distracted describes many of us not only at Christmas, but in life. So what does it look like to remove the distractions that consume us and to sit at Christ’s feet to Reflect? We said there are three areas we should Reflect on as we sit at Christ’s feet:
:: Reflecting on what he has done [2 Corinthians 5:21]
Our hearts flutter at the thought of baby Jesus in a manger all wrapped up and looking perfect as all babies do. But our hearts should also drop knowing what awaits this newborn baby. We should not just look at the Nativity but the Cross. We miss the power of Christmas if we don’t reflect on what he has done for us.
:: Reflect on what he is doing [Galatians 5:25]
What is Christ doing is in us? How have we been transformed by Jesus? Many of the people who enter the doors of worship on Sunday never ask this question, therefore they remain the same, never growing and becoming more like Jesus. We don’t want to reflect on what He is doing because of the fear of what the answer may be. We may have to change something, sacrifice something, or begin doing something different.
:: Reflect on what he want us to do [ Philippians 1:3-6]
God has a good work planned for all of us! We must sit at the Lord’s feet and ask the question of what is it for us. We must reflect and listen to the good work he has in store for us. Scripture reveals that he will not give up on this good work until it is complete. We can’t sit on the sideline. Christ gave himself for this good work in us.
This holiday season our prayer is that we can sit at our Savior’s feet and REFLECT instead of being consumed by the chaos that often drowns us during this Season.
Tis the Season: To Give
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009We began our Tis the Season Series with [To Give]. Christmas has two stories: The one in which God comes to dwell among us - Emmanuel. The second revolves around debt, stress, chaos and getting. We must choose which story we will be known for. After reading from Luke 2 and the story of the birth of Christ, we focused our time in 2 Corinthians 8:1-9,12-15 and the example of the Madionians when it comes to Giving. Here were our take aways:
Giving is a Privilege [2 Corinthians 8:1-5]
“For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.”
Giving is a Ministry [2 Corinthians 8:6-8]
So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.
Giving made us Rich [2 Corinthians 8:9]
You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
“Not only did [Christ] become man for us, but he became poor also. He was born in poor circumstances, lived a poor life, and died in poverty; and this was for our sakes, that we thereby might be made rich, rich in the love and favor of God, rich in the blessings and promises of the new covenant, rich in the hopes of eternal life, being heirs of the kingdom. This is a good reason why we should be charitable to the poor out of what we have, because we ourselves live upon the charity of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Matthew Henry
Giving isn’t about how much, but why [2 Corinthians 8:12-15]
“Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.”