23 December 2007

Sunday School Class: Proverbs 26:22-28 gossip, hate, hidden agenda's etc. 

Scripture reading: #635

Sunday evening Vesper's @ 5 p.m. A going-away party for Jenise!

Wednesday @ 7 p.m. No Wednesday evening class until after the first of the year.

Advent 4 (Luke 2 - Lighting the Angel's Candle.) We will be praying for those with needs.

 

·        Light the candle

·        Read the Christmas Story

  • Anoint those needing prayer
  • Distribute Christmas treats & presents

 

Luke 2:1. About this time Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the nation. 2. (This census was taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3. Everyone was required to return to his ancestral home for this registration.

 

4. And because Joseph was a member of the royal line, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, King David's ancient home--journeying there from the Galilean village of Nazareth. 5. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born;

 

7. and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn. 8. That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9. Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord. They were badly frightened,

 

10. but the angel reassured them. ``Don't be afraid!'' he said. ``I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! 11. The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born tonight in Bethlehem! 12. How will you recognize him? You will find a baby wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger!'' 13. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others--the armies of heaven--praising God:

 

14. ``Glory to God in the highest heaven,'' they sang, ``and peace on earth for all those pleasing him.'' 15. When this great army of angels had returned again to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ``Come on! Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.''

 

16. They ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17. The shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18. All who heard the shepherds' story expressed astonishment,

 

19. but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and often thought about them. 20. Then the shepherds went back again to their fields and flocks, praising God for the visit of the angels, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had told them.

 

CNN has asked the question: “What would Jesus do? How would He celebrate the season?”

 

Matthew 9:35. Jesus traveled around through all the cities and villages of that area, teaching in the Jewish synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And wherever he went he healed people of every sort of illness. 36. And what pity he felt for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn't know what to do or where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. 37. ``The harvest is so great, and the workers are so few,'' he told his disciples. 38. ``So pray to the one in charge of the harvesting, and ask him to recruit more workers for his harvest fields.''

 

There are many people with great problems…the opportunity to do good for the Kingdom is almost overwhelming. This Christmas I believe that Jesus would have us lift up our eyes beyond our own boundaries and see the needs. These are our opportunities to proclaim with the Angels, “I’m bringing Glory to God in the highest by bringing peace to you and good-will to all the earth.”

 

  • Anoint those needing prayer
  • Distribute Christmas treats & presents