A Few words from Pastor Dave...
My Dear Church Family,
It's Christmas time and I'm sitting here reminiscing about the amazing ways that God has been so good to us. As we've spent this month considering what our world would have been like if Jesus had never come, it's staggering when you stop to think about the radical difference that He's made because of His willingness to step off of the Throne of Heaven and slip so quietly into our world. If Jesus of Nazareth was just a mere man, then His birth would provide no more than intellectual conversation for theologians, slight interest for historians, or unbalanced fascination for any followers. And, if Jesus was only another New Age incarnation of the Christ Consciousness, and not the "fulness of the Godhead bodily", then He did, in fact, deserve to die on that cross for the sin of blasphemy. And, if Jesus is only one of many of gods, and not the Only "Way, the Truth, and the Life", then He would not be the Omnipotent God. And, if Jesus is not Almighty God, then the ancient prophecies predicted a lie.
But, if Jesus is the "I Am" that appeared to Moses on the backside of the desert, then His Advent as a real, human baby, was necessary:
To fulfil prophecy, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14);
To provide an atoning sacrifice for the sins of mankind, "But with the Precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot" (1Peter 1:19);
To provide a mediator between God and man, "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1Timothy 2:5);
To provide us an example of how we can and ought to live, "...Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an Example, that we should follow in His steps" (1Peter 2:21).
But, if the true benefit of the Christmas Story is the coming of Jesus in human flesh to "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a peculiar people," then we need to be reminded that the Little Baby in a Bethlehem manger was named Jesus, by His Father, because "He shall save His people from their sins." So great is His Salvation, that He not only would redeem us from the "wrath to come," but the Spirit of Christ, Who is the True Spirit of Christmas, would secure for Himself a wonderful change of heart in us that would cause loving obedience in His people. Because He did come, we don't have to imagine what our world would be like if He hadn't come.
Don't forget, we have 2 great services planned for this weekend: Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday morning at 11 am.
Thanks for your great love and amazing faithfulness. Your prayers for Jer and I, as well as the rest of the staff are so deeply appreciated. I'll look forward to seeing you this weekend!
From us to you, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Pastor Dave
Posted on
Wed, December 21, 2011
by Dave McGarrah