He Came...

First of all, let me apologize for not sending out my weekly TAB email the last few weeks.  I'm sure you can agree with me when I say that there are times in life when things pile up and you find yourself running from one thing to another.  Hopefully things will start to slow down a bit, but with Christmas quickly approaching, I'm not sure that will happen.  Thanks for you prayers and understanding.

Speaking of Christmas, I want to focus this edition of TAB on this crazy time of the year when we waver between getting caught up in the excitement of the season and trying to stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas.  Sadly, apart from the angels nudging a few scared shepherds and a handful of wise star-gazers who were able to decode a cryptic star, many missed out on that very first Christmas when Christ was born in Bethlehem.

Missing the prophetic mystery of Jesus' birth means missing God-with-us, God-beside us, God becoming one of us.  Missing out on Jesus changes everything.  Like many, we can become lost in crowded malls, financial debt, and endless lists of gifts to buy, only to miss out on the one gift that can truly satisfy our thirst for more.

How do I keep from missing Jesus?......focus on the eternal over the temporal.  Colossians 3:2 reads, "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."  We are celebrating the arrival of our Savior.  The significance of giving presents is to be directly related to God's presenting us the gift of His Son.

Next, Christmas is the time of year when people are wide-open to the Gospel.  Remember who we represent.  We are His chosen ambassadors, doing His business, so let's do it this Christmas.  Share Jesus with a co-worker or invite a neighbor to our Christmas Eve service, which will take place at 4:00 pm and include carols and candlelight.

Finally, one of the most effective maneuvers of the world system is to create a false sense of excitement.  As Christians, we are in danger of climbing the Christmas mountain, only to get lost in the afterglow of the New Year.  Guard yourself.  Enjoy the 25th.....but not at the expense of the 26th.  Make Hebrews 12:3 your theme verse for Christmas and beyond....."Consider Him.....so that  you may not grow weary or fainthearted."

Join us this Sunday, at 9:15am, as we begin our Christmas series titled, "He Came...."  This week, we will focus on the fact that Jesus came to rescue us from our suffering and our sin.  Our passage will be Isaiah 53.  Take some time over the next few days to read this incredible chapter showing God's incredible display of love through His Son, Jesus.

See you Sunday.

Pastor Doug
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