Today was the last Sunday of the Advent series, the Advent Conspiracy, because the it had been cancelled due to the snow storm. Pastor Henry talked about giving more and what Jesus has to say about it in Matthew 19:16-30. The rich man in this story asked Jesus what he had to do to inherit eternal life and Jesus told him he had to keep the commandments. He said he had done all that, but his heart still wasn't right, so he asked what he was lacking. Jesus told him to be perfect, he had to go, sell all his possessions and give to the poor. This made the man sad because he was looking to his possessions to give him life.
So why does Jesus want us to give? 1. Giving enables us to find life which is found in Jesus.
2. Giving enables otheres to experience life.
3. Giving enables us to receive 100 times as much in return.
Question of the week: Does Jesus really want us to sell our possessions and give to the poor? How much must I give?
Today, Jason talked about the second point of the Advent Conspiracy - that of "Spending Less." You may recall that in the Advent Conspiracy, we are asked to think about how we can give ourselves relationally like God did when He sent His Son, Emmanuel, God with us.
We read from Matthew 6:19-21 which says "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Jason told us that the Jews believed that material wealth was equal to God's blessing. But Jesus came to them and said "Blessed are the poor..." Jesus told us in this passage not to hoard treasure on earth which are material possessions but rather, we should store our treasures in heaven by being His hands and feet, by showing unconditional love and by giving relational gifts because these are things that last. Jesus is ultimately our treasure and if He really is, we'll do what He wants and our lives will show it. All of our lives will be worship to Him and "spending less" ultimately is meant to draw us closer to God.
Question of the Week: How does your life reflect what you treasure?
We read from Matthew 1:1-12 at MCC today and Amy encouraged us to imagine we were the Magi in the story. These wealthy, educated, sincere seekers of truth studied astronomy and searched the skies for answers. We can learn from the Magi by observing how they sought the truth:
1. They were so serious about seeking the truth that they traveled about 900 miles in search of the King whose star they saw in the sky.
2. They didn't wait for Jesus to come to them.
3. They committed themselved to a King who humbled Himself (was born in a manger.)
4. By bowing down to present Him with their gifts, the wisemen acknowledged that Jesus is the King of their whole life.
This Advent season, let's be in active seeking mode like the wisemen to learn how to worship Him more fully.
Question of the Week: What does "worship fully" look like in your life?
Today, Jason began talking about the Advent Conspiracy to get us thinking before we reach Black Friday and any craziness we may find ourselves a part of during the Christmas "shopping season." The Advent Conspiracy invites us to:
Worship Fully Spend Less Give More Love All
So what is the conspiracy? In Matthew 1:18-25 we read how God gave His son who was called "Immanuel" which means "God with us." So God really sent us a relationship, His presence. In the Advent Conspiracy, we are asked to think about how we can give ourselves relationally like God did.
Question of the Week: What relational gifts can I give this year?
For starters, we as a church have a great opportunity to give of ourselves at the Coit Christmas Sing on Dec. 16 or the Community Service Project on Dec. 28. It has become apparent that the Coit community has need of some of the gifts we have to offer, so let's give the gift of MCC's "presence" in the community.
Today at MCC it was a blessing to hear the children tell us the Chrismas story from Luke 1 & 2. We heard that we have the kind of king who would come down to live among us in the humblest of circumstances. What struck me today as I heard this story is the holiness of the story and how God in His faithfulness has kept it alive for over 2000 years. We have been compelled to love and serve and teach and praise all because of Jesus amazing love for us. What struck you today?
Today, Caspar Geisterfer who is a missionary in Haiti gave the message from Colossians 1:15-20. He asked us first of all who Jesus is and it became evident that you cannot summarize who He is in one statement. Caspar challenged us to reimagine Jesus which is especially good to do at Christmas. The text says that Jesus is the image of the Invisible God. Everything that is created finds it's meaning in Him. After Caspar spoke, his wife Leanne talked about and showed us pictures of their work in Haiti and then we could pray for them with a better idea of what to pray.
Jesus gives us such great hope for the world. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! This is verse 20 from the Message:
Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe - people and things, animals and atoms - get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the Cross.
Click on this link to get to the "World Vision Experience: Aids" and check out the sight for opportunities for us to get involved as a church. You can also do some things on your own like join the Hope Prayer Chain or add your name to the No Soldiers Declaration.
Today, we read from I John 1&2 and Pastor Amy talked about how Christmas is more about the brokenness we all live with around and within us than an image of the "Perfect Christmas." Jesus came to our broken world and showed us how to live. He came to bring light and healing to our lives. Amy reminded us to keep the true light in mind this Christmas - the One that is already shining.
