Hope is on The Way

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Today is the first Sunday of Advent. 

Advent is the season when Christians anticipate and prepare for Christmas. It is a time for counting down, remembering the reason for the season, and getting ready for the celebrations that are to come. It's also a time to slow down, reflect, and prepare our hearts and minds for the spiritual meaning of Christmas, rather than focusing on the commercial focus the season has become. Advent is celebrated during the four Sundays prior to Christmas itself, each Sunday highlighting one of the themes of the Christmas story; the themes being

• HOPE of His coming
• JOY in the message of His coming
• PEACE that comes as a result of His coming
• LOVE expressed in the reason of His coming

The term "Advent" comes from the Latin word 'adventus' meaning "coming." 

The earliest references to a season of preparation similar to Advent date to the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul. At this time, Advent was a 40-day penitential season of fasting, prayer, and reflection in preparation for the baptism of new Christians on the feast of Epiphany in January. It was a time of preparing for the second coming of Christ and was not initially connected to Christmas, which was celebrated on a different date. In the 6th century Roman Christians began to tie Advent to the coming of Christ at Christmas. The Roman Catholic Church fixed Advent as the four-week period leading up to Christmas in the 9th century. Historically, Advent originally had a dual focus: the first half of the season looked forward to Christ's second coming, and the second half focused on his birth. The practice of observing the four Sundays of Advent spread throughout the Christian church by the 6th century and has continued to the present day in a number of church denominations.

Today's Advent theme is HOPE. 

To the Old Testament people, HOPE expressed their anticipation of the coming Messiah. To us, HOPE expresses the anticipation of the return of our Lord and Savior. Our world today is not that different from the world into which Jesus was born. Jesus came in one of darkest hours of mankind, much like today. Yet, there is HOPE! Jesus is coming again! As we anticipate another celebration of Jesus' birth, we are reminded again that He came for us. He died for us. He is coming again for us. Knowing this, we can rest in the arms of our Good Shepherd, confident that He loves and cares for us. As we prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christmas let us consider again, the message of Advent - 

"For God so loved the word that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life."

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Beware The Dogmas of Division

 Picture this: a family gathering turns tense, not over politics or football teams, but over whether the angels sing or shout at Christmas. Voices rise, fences are built—over something not central to the message that first called us all together.

In the church, too, I've seen friends—brothers and sisters—depart, not because the cross lost its power, but because secondary questions stole the stage. 

What happens when we turn small streams into mighty rivers that keep us apart?

Church history is riddled with tales of division…Luther’s break over justification by faith, yes, but too often also over whether to sprinkle or dunk…Calvinists and Arminians debating the sovereignty of God while a hurting neighbor passes by the window. Disagreements are as old as the disciples… Peter, Paul, and the gentle rebuke, “If you keep biting and devouring each other, watch out….” (Galatians 5:15)

Let’s anchor ourselves in Romans 14. 

Paul writes to believers fighting not about the resurrection or the incarnation, but about eating meat, keeping holy days, and whose custom should rule the room. He pleads, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother?” (Romans 14:10). Scholars and pastors remind us…. there are matters we can disagree on, but there’s a weight that belongs to the cross and the tomb alone. The early church wrestled with this…circumcision…food sacrificed to idols… days of worship… The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 drew the line.. Gentiles didn’t need to become Jewish to belong, but were simply to keep themselves from idols… immorality… and blood… not to burden them beyond essential faith….Even the creeds … Apostles’, Nicene… were formed on truths considered of first importance.

When secondary doctrines like end-times timelines, spiritual gifts, worship styles become tests of fellowship. We drift from the unity Jesus prayed for (John 17). As a pastor-in-training, I'm learning the difference between “dogma” (the fundamental pillars) and “doctrine” (the teachings that flow from them), and then “opinion” (the many branches).

Confusing those, and treating all as gospel ground… this is where division strikes.

In philosophy, this echoes the error of “category mistakes,” treating two things of different kinds as though they're of the same essence. Or think of ethical frameworks: deontology hammers the rules, but even Kant spoke of a hierarchy some duties weigh more than others. 

C.S. Lewis warned of “Christianity and”... whenever we add to the main thing, we risk making the faith unrecognizable. Churches today divide over the millennium instead of marveling at Christ’s resurrection, over which musical instruments are “most biblical,” missing that the true worship God seeks is in spirit and truth. 

In life, unity is not uniformity, my wife and I disagree about how we fold our shirts but that’s no threat to our love. 

Let’s get real. 

When our kids fight over seats at the table, we correct them not because chairs matter, but because family does. When churches fracture over “secondary” things, the world sees us, scratches its head, and misses the Shepherd calling stray sheep home. The ethical call is to “major on the majors, and minor on the minors.” To give grace where God has given room.

Our motto in The Evangelical Free Church of America is, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” Not compromise, but clarity—keeping the main thing the main thing.

So, here’s where it all comes together: The good news is not found in a specific style, a secondary interpretation, or an extra-biblical stance. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, was buried, and was raised on the third day—this is of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). If we trade that in for lesser battles, we subtract from the cross what we could never add with argument. Today, the invitation isn’t to win every debate, but to be found in Christ… sin forgiven, peace given, family found… not by our perfect doctrine, but by our Perfect Savior. 

If you’re listening, and you’ve been wounded by division, hear this: Jesus died for the whole church. He breaks every dividing wall. To be in Christ is to belong… not because you’ve checked every box, but because He finished the work for those who could not. Believe, repent, and trust Him…He brings you near, and makes you family.

So let’s contend for what matters, and hold looser to what doesn’t. May our churches be places of both truth and tender mercy, where the gospel is clear and grace abounds.

FIVE KERNELS OF CORN

 A popular theme of both the Old Testament and the New Testament is THANKSGIVING. 

In Psalm 103 David gives us a list of some of the things he was thankful for. That list is quite extensive; we should read it occasionally. What might you be thankful for?  Have you ever considered making a list of the things you are thankful for as did David? How long would that list be?  My Bible tells me that an “attitude of gratitude” is something I should express each day of the year and not limit it to Thanksgiving Day. Sadly, our society is moving away from gratefulness and slipping into an attitude of entitlement. That’s the trouble with receiving something on a regular basis; we eventually come to expect it, even feeling that we deserve it.  We have been blessed to live in a land of plenty and as a result, we have become complacent and often are completely unwilling to give thanks to anyone for anything. The Bible tells us; “Giving thanks always for all things unto God our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)  Another verse tells us; “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.” (Psalm 92:1) When God’s Word says something is ‘good,’ it IS a good thing to do!

 
In November of 1620 the Mayflower arrived off the coast of New England with 102 Pilgrims who had left England in search of religious freedom. During the first long hard winter, half of these godly people who had risked the arduous trip across the wild Atlantic Ocean died. At one point during that winter when they were clinging to life itself, Governor William Bradford wrote in his journal; “William Brewster, rising from a scanty Plymouth dinner that consisted of a plate of clams and a glass of cold water, offered thanks to God for the abundance of the sea and the treasures hid in the sand.” His reference was to the tide that had washed ashore hundred of clams, which were hurriedly collected and prepared for the meal. The Pilgrims did not have much, but they possessed a great gratitude to God. It was also noted that at one point during that first hard winter, their daily ration of food included five kernels of corn per day per person. One year later, in the fall of 1621 after an abundant harvest; not wanting to forget how God had delivered them from their want, the Pilgrims developed a tradition that was carried on for many years, and in some parts of our country is still observed. Five kernels of corn were placed beside each plate to remind them of the dire straits they had experienced during the previous winter. As we celebrate Thanksgiving 2020, we are challenged with a pandemic. But even facing this, we will have much more to eat than clams and cold water. Perhaps it would be good to place five kernels of corn beside each plate; reminding us again of the real story of Thanksgiving. 

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The Greatest Enemy of God

Most people would probably think that Satan is God's greatest enemy. But let's remember that Satan was not always the devil. Ezekiel 28:14 says that he was the "anointed cherub."

His name was Lucifer. Verse 15 says that God spoke of him saying, "I appointed you to be the anointed guardian cherub. You had access to the holy mountain of God. You were perfect in all you did from the day you were created until that time when wrong was found in you. Therefore, I cast you out of the mountain of God like a common sinner. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor". So, you see, the original 'sin' actually occurred in heaven with the corruption of this 'anointed cherub!"

Earth was once a paradise placed under the dominion of Adam, whom God created in His own image. In order to "be like the most high" Lucifer sought to become god on earth. In the form of the serpent, he enticed Eve to disobey God by eating from a certain tree which God had forbidden them to eat. Eve gave the fruit of the tree to Adam, and he ate it. This was the moment that sin and death entered God's 'perfect' creation. Through their disobedient act, sin and death were passed on to all humanity. So, sin itself is the greatest enemy of God! Think about it-you and I were born with this inborn enemy!!!

God has never and will never forgive sin! 

Let me clarify that. He has never and will never forgive His worst enemy the willful act of sin! But He will forgive sinners those who commit sin because of their inherited sin nature. Paul wrote in Romans 5:19, "For by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. Can you say Hallelujah?

Let us also remember where sin comes from it comes from Satan himself! 1 John 3:8 says, "He that commits sin is of the devil." The very next verse tells us, "Whoever is born of God does not commit sin."

Let's remember, God's Spirit dwelling in us will never cause us to sin. God is incapable of sin He is sinless! When He gives us His Spirit at the time we invite Him into our lives, that Spirit within us cannot sin! Oh, the sin nature still hangs around, and Satan's deceit and temptation battles our God-given nature, but we are assured by the Word of God that the Holy Spirit will keep us from temptation and sin. But the question must then be asked. who or what will we yield to? Reading Romans 7 will give us some incite as to how Paul handled this predicament! Yes, the great Apostle Paul battled with his sin nature! But he gave us an "antidote" to this sin problem. He wrote in Romans 7: 24-25, 

"O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (sin) I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Here's another good time to shout Hallelujah! We are blessed!

- Pastor Bruce

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The Thankful Heart

The month of November brings to our minds the thought of Thanksgiving. We are reminded continually in God's Word that thanksgiving is to be a continual attitude each day of our lives. Hopefully, you are practicing this. It certainly is not difficult to say thank you' to God for His many blessings! Here are some thoughts on being thankful.

"Thankfulness is a healer, a multiplier of the good and a dissolver of the negative. Thankfulness is an attracting power for blessings, a lightener of any load or burden, an ingredient that produces miracles in the life of anyone, in any situation. Let the words thank you, God' become a habit. Let them start your day and fill your nights. Thank God in the good times and in the bad. Thank Him when you feel like it and when you do not. Thank God for your many blessings, for the healing of the body and the growing of the soul. Thank Him when you laugh and when you cry, when you feel filled with faith, and especially when you do not! Listen to yourself say this "Thank You, God, thank You, God", and then thank Him again! Begin to develop this in your life so that blessings and miracles can flow into your life. As the bible says "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord." (Psalm 92:1)

When Joshua went forward to conquer Jericho, his instructions were to encircle the walls of the city for seven days. On the seventh day, the people were to give a shout of praise. (Joshua 6) It was with this shout of praise that the walls of the city fell. Victory was assured! The central truth here is that spiritual victories are not won by conventional means, but by putting our trust in God. Praise and thankfulness are what God responds to, as they are expressions of our faith which allow God to work on our behalf to bring the needed answers in our lives. When Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, His words were, "Father, I thank you. They were uttered before the healing was evident; before Lazarus walked from the tomb. Jesus said that He spoke those words aloud on account of those who stood by. We should never be afraid to speak audible words of praise and thanksgiving to our wonderful Lord, especially before we face the challenges of life. As praise and thanksgiving surrounds life's situations, we will experience victory inside and out!

THE THANKFUL HEART

The thankful heart is a happy heart - God believing 

The thankful heart is a bountiful heart - God receiving 

The thankful heart is a generous heart - It knows the joy of giving 

The thankful heart is a healthy heart - It is the key to living!