15-16
Dec 2018, Christ Mountain Top, Advent 3
Dec 2018, Christ Mountain Top, Advent 3
Praying
the Psalm, Isaiah 12.2-6 (entirely sung)
the Psalm, Isaiah 12.2-6 (entirely sung)
Children/Advent
Wreath, Zephaniah 3.14-20, celebration dance
Wreath, Zephaniah 3.14-20, celebration dance
Message,
Luke 3.7-18
Luke 3.7-18
Blessing,
Philippians 4.4-7
Philippians 4.4-7
Mission
Moment, Mission Central partner, American Foundation for Children with AIDS
Moment, Mission Central partner, American Foundation for Children with AIDS
Hi
Ho! Kermit the Frog here with a late breaking news story.
Ho! Kermit the Frog here with a late breaking news story.
If
only …
only …
Instead,
a lot of bad news
a lot of bad news
Wars and disasters
Bomb threats and mass shootings
Kids lost in a coal mine
School quality
Corruption and scandal
Tariffs and plant closings
And,
on the personal front
on the personal front
Funerals
Addiction
Marriage and family issues
Friends who lost jobs
Critical illness
John:
preaching the “good news” … of the wrath to come?! Making the world right. Bad
news: “Who warned you to flee the wrath to come?”
preaching the “good news” … of the wrath to come?! Making the world right. Bad
news: “Who warned you to flee the wrath to come?”
John
Wesley’s general rules, now on the kids bags, motivated by persons coming to
him “desiring to flee the wrath to come.”
Wesley’s general rules, now on the kids bags, motivated by persons coming to
him “desiring to flee the wrath to come.”
John
the Baptizer was addressing good
Jewish people, not “bad guys.” Today, we have the expression, “good person” or “good
Christian person”.
the Baptizer was addressing good
Jewish people, not “bad guys.” Today, we have the expression, “good person” or “good
Christian person”.
We
assume:
assume:
1.
Generic goodness is all that is needed. God desires true
holiness, but we desire something more bland than “the Holy Spirit and fire”
Generic goodness is all that is needed. God desires true
holiness, but we desire something more bland than “the Holy Spirit and fire”
2.
A legacy of faith can be inherited. “We have Abraham as our
father.”
A legacy of faith can be inherited. “We have Abraham as our
father.”
Furthermore,
we assume that either our generic goodness or inherited legacy will insulate us
from the wrath to come.
we assume that either our generic goodness or inherited legacy will insulate us
from the wrath to come.
The
bad news: It won’t.
bad news: It won’t.
The
good news: God will, not because of anything we have done but because God wants
to! We just need to say YES.
good news: God will, not because of anything we have done but because God wants
to! We just need to say YES.
Zeph
3.15, “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you.”
3.15, “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you.”
A
good news day in our life: Jesse’s birth.
good news day in our life: Jesse’s birth.
Zephaniah
3:17 The LORD, your God,
is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with
gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud
singing
3:17 The LORD, your God,
is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with
gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud
singing
The
way I think of Dad Jesse
way I think of Dad Jesse
Boxes of donuts for all the nurses
No singing or dancing – that was not his
gift –
gift –
But he could not stop smiling,
rejoicing, shouting the news
rejoicing, shouting the news
His first grandchild, and bearing his
name.
name.
Have
you ever noticed that there is no judgment on a baby?
you ever noticed that there is no judgment on a baby?
Making mom so sick she had to go into the
hospital: What’s up with that?!
hospital: What’s up with that?!
Difficult and painful delivery: Show some
more consideration!
more consideration!
Zeph
3.15, “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you.”
3.15, “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you.”
