Read Today's Gospel Lesson

From Pastor Randy's Sermon:  

 

Small beginnings, but huge results, this is often the work of God.  We must not forget that even in a society were things happen on such a massive level, that these things too, had small roots.  There was once only one Walmart, one McDonalds, and one computer.  ...

God takes the small things in life and uses them to affect the whole world.  We must never forget that in our own ministry of discipleship as well.  We can never let size be a deterrent to us.  It does not matter the size of the Sunday School class you teach, for you do not know what the ripple effect will be on just touching one student.  All our Christian actions, no matter how insignificant they may seem, go beyond our own seeing.  We probably will never see the complete and entire results and influence we can have on one another, but we must remember to keep on doing the little right things.  

From Pamela:  I wonder what small, seemingly insignificant words or gestures (or glances) may be the beginning of some massive shift?  We need to be on the alert for the joy, hope, peace, justice and love that will be on the move in the next days.  

     It may happen in the world.    It may happen in the nation, your county or your city.  It may happen in the church.  

     It may happen in your family.  

    It may happen anywhere.  But the hugest impact may be when it happens in your 

                   heart and mind!  

   

 

The Voice in the Wilderness

As the pastor prepares to preach, this is on his mind:  This week we listen to John the Baptist, who proclaimed the good news of Jesus' approach.  He was a prophet.  Do we still hear prophetic voices in the 21st Century?  Where, when and how do we hear them?

Luke 3:7-18
3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

3:9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

3:10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"

3:11 In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."

3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

3:13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."

3:14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,

3:16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Wait! Prepare!

When we hear the passage: "Prepare the Way of the Lord," what is our response?  Often times we can slip into a mode of waiting for the arrival of Christ instead of preparing for Christ.  If we only wait for Christ then we can become idle, leaving everything to everyone else, thinking God will take care of it in the end.  But if we are heeding the words of Scripture then we are preparing, we are actively participating in attempting to do God's will on earth now today in 2012.  Even though we know that the promise and reign of God, will take care of everything in the end, when we prepare, we become partners in the Gospel, partners in Praising God and Serving Others, partners in our call to show what the Reign of God is to be about.  Pastor Randy

Reflection:  The task of  preparation used to wear me down.  The process of preparation often takes longer than the event (especially when you are preparing a meal which takes hours to assemble and minutes to consume).  Somehow things changed when I began to see "preparation" as part of the joy of cooking.  It helps to assemble the ingredients in some sort of order.  It also helps to have a clear and clean work space. Sharp knives, the right kitchen gadgets and plenty of bowls and cutting boards all make it easier.  And it really helps to have a companion who helps keep my place in the recipe, and taste the food as it is cooking (offering helpful suggestions).  

 I wonder how this can apply to "preparing" for Christ?  What do you think?   

Behind the Scenes

Can you make a list of those movies that are on rerun on TV very often, but no matter how many times you have seen the movie before, or where it is in the movie, you will just quickly settle in and watch it?   For me the list includes: The Field of Dreams, Remember the Titans, the Shawshank Redemption, just to name a few. This also has been true about movies while they are still in the theater.  What made the movie The Titanic one of the greatest box office smashes was that many people not only went to see it a first time, but there are many more who went to see it umpteen times while it was still in the theater.  It is a story that before we watch, we know the ending.  Often what are fascinating are the stories behind the story.  

From Pastor Randy's Dec. 3 sermon

Reflection:  When you tell or read a story repeatedly to little children, it may seem that they lose interest.  That is, until you try to skip a page or fast forward through some details.  Then the little ones will interrupt and say "But you forgot...."  or "What about ..."  Good stories are precious because of the emotional connections they stimulate.  They are also precious because they remind us that what was compelling and true generations ago is still compelling and true today.  

Many people refer to the story of Christ as the "Greatest Story Ever Told".  It tells about more than the birth of a baby.  What are some of the details that speak tenderly to your heart?  If somebody is telling you the story what detail must NOT be omitted?  

What is the beginning of the story?   How does it end?  (or does it end?)   

The story has thousands of characters and a panorama of places and situations.  What is YOUR PLACE in the story? 

 

on the pastor's mind

What does the "Advent of our God" mean?  What do we think about when we think of God's return?  (not the approach of an infant, but the approach of God's ultimate reign)
   When you read this week's lessons what is your initial impression -- are they foreboding or encouraging? 

When we seek to live with Christ as the Alpha and the Omega we approach the world under the umbrella of the Gospel, and in doing so our view of life and situations are changed.

          A psychologist at Northwestern University led a study that analyzed how people told their life stories.  He found that the life stories tended to follow one of two patterns: a redemption sequence or a contamination sequence.  In the redemption sequence, the person telling the story is able to find good things that came out of bad circumstances.  For instance, "My girlfriend broke up with me, and I thought it was the end of the world.  But then I met Sally, and she and I have been happily married for twenty years."  Contamination sequences, on the other hand, are stories where no good comes out of them.  "My girlfriend broke up with me, and it was the end of the world."  The study found that those people who had the most redemption sequences in their stories had the more positive impact with their lives.  They had a desire to reach out and help others.  They wanted to invest in creating a better future for the next generation.  But the people who listed the most contamination sequences in their life story were far less successful in creating a positive impact.  They were less likely to concentrate on creating a meaningful legacy for their lives.  

          In other words, needless anxiety about life produces a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. The more we worry, the less likely we are to see God’s hand at work and to experience God’s blessings.  We begin to see the world as only picking on us.

          From Pastor Randy's Sermon on Nov. 25
 
          How do you see Christ the King shaping your life? 

Alpha, Omega -- Beginning and Ending

During this week we stand between the Last Sunday of the Church Year and the First Sunday of Advent.  Do you feel like you are at the ending or the beginning?  How do you tell the difference?  Is it even important to do so?

These questions may seem to be nothing other than mental, emotional and spiritual gymnastics, but they are questions that often come to mind when we think about time in a linear fashion.  We say things like:  "Aren't you looking forward to ---?"  or "I can't wait til it is time for ---!"  or "I am so glad that is over!"  or "Those were the good old days!"

Yet time in the Kingdom of God is not linear.  In God, the Alpha and Omega, everything that is real always was, always will be and will be to come.

So take a look at your past year.  Now look at today.   Are you at the beginning or ending of something?

And if that thought process seems tedious.... here's something more fun!  Take 10 minutes to learn about the mobius strip!

Now envision your current day someway on a timeline traced on the strip--are you at the beginning or the ending?