Thank you for joining us for worship this week. I pray that this experience moves you closer to Jesus and makes you more aware of his love for you.
Here are this week's announcements
Advent: Love
This is the second Sunday of Advent.
Advent, meaning arrival, is the season for the church and disciples of Jesus to consider the impact of God's arrival in the flesh on earth.
A king in the form of a baby.
This week the focus for Advent is on the love which Jesus embodied in life for us.
Spend a moment in prayer thanking God for the ways' his love has impacted your life.
Order of Worship
Welcome
Advent Reading
Morning Prayer
Opening Songs
Stewardship Moment
Pastoral Prayer
Message
Holy Communion
Closing Song
Benediction
Songs for worship:
9:30am
“Light The Advent Candle”
“The King of Glory Comes”
“Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming”
“What Child Is This”
“In The Bleak Mid Winter”
11:00am
"Here I am to Worship"
"Great Things"
"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus / Emmanuel"
Advent Reading:
For those participating in a spiritual discipline of Advent reflection at home:
In the beginning we had peace with God and each other. When we chose our way instead of God’s way we traded our peace for conflict and war. Humankind ruled with an iron fist and so God wiped all people but Noah and his family off the face of the earth with a flood. As the waters dried Noah sent a dove from the ark to search for dry land. It returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf. The dove is now a symbol of peace.
The flood didn’t solve our problem. We still wage war and hurt each other but God promised to never send a flood like that one again. He put a rainbow in the sky as a reminder of this promise of peace. In the Hebrew Scriptures the word for “rainbow” normally refers to a warrior’s bow. If God were to fire his bow, the arrow would not strike us, but go straight up into God’s very own heart.
Generations later God chose a man he named Abraham to start a new people. God promised that through his descendants he would bless all people on earth.
Genesis 12:2-3 (NIV) 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Over a thousand years later a prophet named Isaiah prophesied that a human child was coming who would be both the Mighty God and the Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6-7a (NIV) 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end…
Now as we light the candle of love we remember how the Mighty God has given us the given us a model of love through a covenant relationship with the family of Abraham. We remember at Christ’s baptism how the Holy Spirit landed on him like a dove. We remember the spear thrust into his side at the cross, God’s arrow finally hitting its mark. We remember how the Christmas child grew up and took God’s curse upon himself so God might reveal to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ eternal and everlasting love.
by Jonathan Romig
Message Notes:
What about me?
Genesis 17:1-24
Blameless doesn’t mean perfect, but a right heart.
Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV
Romans 2:28–29 NIV
We have to walk with God to claim the promises of God
It takes time to build great faith
Study Guide
1. This week we heard how Abraham remained faithful to God even after hearing nothing from God for 13 years. This kind of patience and faithfulness can be no small challenge for any of us. How might the following verses help us remain faithful and patient even when God seems to be silent?
Psalm 37:7–9
James 5:7–11
2. Our faithfulness lived out over the long haul is revealed in the character we display in our attitudes and actions. As followers of Christ, God has given us all we need to live out his character. As you read 2 Peter 1:3-9 what character qualities would you hope to further develop or continue to live out in 2020?