“A Living Witnesses To The Resurrection”
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
When I was serving as the pastor in my first church in Fontana in 1984, I was asked by the local school district to review the new curriculum that was going to be used to teach about religion in the middle school. When I came to the section where the Resurrection was mentioned, the textbook said: “Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead because some women went to His tomb on Easter Sunday and did not find His body.”
I remember my jaw dropping to the floor. I told the assistant superintendent who oversaw curriculum development that this was only partially true. She told me that she understood my concerns since she was a Christian and married to a Presbyterian pastor who was the Stated Clerk of the Riverside Presbytery. However, there was nothing she could do about the situation. I suggested that the school district not buy the curriculum. She told me that it had already been bought.
Since then, I have made it a point to tell the people in my congregation that Jesus showed Himself alive for forty days after His Resurrection to various people in a variety of situations. Some of these appearances are mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the church in Corinth. The empty tomb of Jesus is not the only reason we believe that Jesus is alive. We believe that Jesus is alive because of the eye-witness testimony of people who actually saw Him alive. We also believe Jesus alive because we have had our own encounter with the Risen Lord. As the hymn “I Serve A Risen Savior” proclaims:
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.
Middle school students are longing to know the truth about the Resurrection. They won’t hear the truth in the public schools, but they can hear it from us. Please pray for our ministry with middle school and high school students. I also encourage you to speak with Megan Smith about how you can support her ministry at GMPC. You are living witnesses to the Resurrection who can help others to know that Jesus really is alive.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“The Presence of Jesus”
On the first Easter Sunday, two of the followers of Jesus were walking together along the road from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus, a seven-mile journey. Jesus walked up to them, but they were kept form recognizing Him. Jesus asked them what they were talking about. So, they told Him they were discussing their time with Jesus and their hope that He was the Messiah. They also discussed His crucifixion. And, they told Him about how some of the women followers were saying that Jesus was alive. After this, Luke tells us in his gospel account of this appearance of Jesus on the road to Emmaus:
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if He were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:28-32)
When I was serving as a pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollister, I worked with the local ministerial association to build a shelter for battered women and children. When it came time to name the facility, the Roman Catholic priest, Father Gary Byrne, said, “Wouldn’t it be great if the clients recognized they were in the presence of Jesus while they were here? Let’s call this place, ‘Emmaus House.’” That was over twenty years ago, and Emmaus House is still open and helping families who are struggling with domestic violence.
Wouldn’t it be great if GMPC was also known as an “Emmaus House”? When people come here, they are in the presence of Jesus. Jesus is with us during the worship services, the small groups, the youth groups, the Sunday School classes, Awana, the preschool, the choir rehearsals, and the many meetings.
I encourage you to help others to see Jesus in our midst through your loving acts of hospitality. When anyone leaves our facilities, it is my prayer that they will marvel at how their hearts were burning within them because they had just spent time with Jesus.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“It Is OK To Have Doubts”
But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So, the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” John 20:24-29
It is OK to have doubts. I have had doubts in my life, and I would not be surprised if you have had doubts as well. In fact, Jesus loves doubters. Just look at how He treated Thomas when he had doubts.
Jesus made a special Resurrection appearance to Thomas when he was a doubter. Jesus loved Thomas and He wanted Thomas to have all the information he needed to be one of His apostles. Thomas then told Jesus that He was his Lord and his God.
After this, Thomas went out into the world proclaiming that Jesus really is alive and that Jesus is Lord and God. Thomas traveled further than any of the apostles in fact-all the way to India. There he died as a martyr when he was killed with a spear.
Doubts are painful and they cause a lot of guilt and shame. There are basically two kinds of doubts: emotional and intellectual. Emotional doubts take the form of questions such as: “Does God really love me?” “Does God care about my suffering?” “Does even notice me?”
Intellectual doubts deal with the need for more information about God, such as: “How can I know that the Bible is historically accurate and can be trusted?” “Did Jesus really exist?” “Did people tell the truth about Jesus?”
There are answers to all these questions. Which means, there are answers to all our doubts. The field of study that has the information for these questions is called, “Apologetics”. Just look up “Apologetics” on the internet and you will find a lot of answers at your fingertips.
I am available to speak with you about any of the questions you’ve been struggling with. I understand what you are going through because I’ve been there myself.
Jesus doesn’t want you to feel guilty or ashamed because you have doubts. On the contrary, He will help you to find the answers to your questions because He loves you more than you can imagine.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“When You First Met Jesus”
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:19-23
The first person to meet Jesus on Easter Sunday was Mary Magdeline. She was at the tomb and Jesus told her to go to His disciples and tell them that He had risen from the dead. That evening, Jesus came to the disciples. After He showed them His hands and side, they were convinced that He wasn’t a ghost and that He really had risen from the dead, body and all. And they were overjoyed.
Do you remember what it was like when you first met Jesus? When you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you were probably overjoyed as well. I know I was. I was 13 years old at the time and I couldn’t wait to tell my friends that Jesus is alive and that I was one of His followers.
In time, our joy tends to cool off a bit. We get used to having Jesus around and the excitement wears off. We even start to take Him for granted.
In the book of Revelation, Jesus has a message for the church in Sardis that applies to all of His followers:
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. Revelation 2:4-5
Jesus knows our hearts. He knows when we are no longer overjoyed to be with Him. He knows when we have forsaken the love we had for Him at first.
Whenever this happens, we need to ask for forgiveness. Then we need to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with love for the Lord again. This is how we repent and come back to Jesus.
For the next few weeks, I’ll be preaching a series of sermons on the appearances that Jesus made during the forty days before He ascended into heaven. It is my prayer that our joy and love for Him will be rekindled as we reflect on His Resurrection.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Holy Week”
They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, carrying His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. Now Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written:
“JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” John 19:17-19
We have completed our journey through Lent, and we are now in Holy Week. This is a somber time of prayerful reflection as consider what Jesus has done for us on the Cross.
During Holy Week, we have prepared opportunities to help you draw near to Jesus. We are praying that you will experience His grace and mercy as you face the Cross where Jesus died to free us from the penalty and guilt and shame of our sin.
Throughout this week, there is an interactive Stations of the Cross in the Parish Hall. Please spend time there as your schedule allows.
On Maundy Thursday, we will celebrate the Sacrament of Communion in the Sanctuary at 7:00 pm. This will be a Tenebrae Service. “Tenebrae” is the Latin word meaning “Shadows.” The sanctuary is progressively darkened as candles are extinguished. At the end, only one candle remains burning. This light is, for a short time, symbolizing Christ’s three days in the tomb.
On Good Friday, we will join eight other churches in Coronado for a Walk the Cross event. We will start at 3:30 pm at Coronado First Southern Baptist Church which is located at 111 Orange Ave. We will have a devotional and prayer in the sanctuary and then a cross will be carried to the next church. We will end the walk in the sanctuary at GMPC.
May the Lord bless your Holy Week with His peace. I am looking forward to spending this time with you.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Hosanna!”
On the next day, when the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the King of Israel!” Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Do not fear, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. John 12:12-16
This Sunday, we will be celebrating Palm Sunday. This commemorates the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt. Jesus came into Jerusalem with His disciples to celebrate the Passover feast, as was required of all Jewish males.
When Jesus arrived, He was welcomed as the conquering Messiah who would overthrow the oppressive Roman forces that had been occupying Israel. People were waiving palm branches and shouting:
“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the King of Israel!”
But just a few days later, on Friday, the hands that held palm branches were now clenched fists. And the people who shouted, “Hosanna” were now shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him”. What happened?
Jesus disappointed the people. He didn’t fulfill the Messiah job description that they had written for Him. He didn’t come to save them from the Romans. Jesus came to save them from far deadlier and more horrible enemies: sin and death.
Have you ever felt disappointed in Jesus? Maybe He didn’t answer a prayer as you expected. Perhaps He asked to live a different sort of life. It could have happened because of a loss you experienced. Whatever the reason, all of us have felt disappointed in Jesus. This tends to happen when we have false expectations about someone.
Jesus isn’t the kind of Messiah we might have expected. But He is the kind of Messiah we desperately need. All of us need to be saved from sin and death. This is why Jesus came into Jerusalem and this is why He came into our lives.
We’ll explore this in more detail on Sunday. I hope you will join us.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Pastor Nominating Committee
Now that our Mission Study has been received and accepted by our Presbytery the GMPC Nominating Committee will nominate church members to serve on the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). Given the time which has lapsed while we conducted our Church’s Mission Study, the Nominating Committee is providing an opportunity for those who may desire consideration and willing to make the necessary commitment to serve on our PNC. The duration of required commitment could be as long as several years as we seek to determine God’s desires for the future spiritual leader of GMPC.
The window to make a new application will be between now (10 March) and Thursday, March 28. We continue to be thankful for those who have previously submitted applications volunteering their time and talents for PNC service in response to the initial solicitation. There is no need to resubmit applications from those who have previously submitted. Following a period of prayerful review and consideration our committee will prepare and present a final slate of PNC candidates for voting by the congregation planned for next month.
Anyone interested in serving on the PNC is asked to fill out a 2-page form with their background information. The requested information includes such questions as church activities and leadership positions, professional and educational background, and why you think God might be calling you to serve. Forms are available by contacting Rachael Tisdale in the Church office and should be completed and returned attention “Nominating Committee Chair” again not later than close of business on Thursday, March 28.
Those who are interested in serving on the PNC are encouraged to prayerfully consider accepting this sizeable responsibility. In addition to the considerable time commitment, a spiritual commitment to invite God to be present as part of the discussion and to discern the path He has laid out for us is required.
Chipp Wilfong, Chair
GMPC Nominating Committee
“I AM”
During the Season of Lent, we are involved in a series of sermons on the “I AM” statements of Jesus. In John chapter 8, Jesus is teaching in the outer courts of the Temple of Jerusalem. There Jesus is confronted by some of the religious leaders who really don’t understand the significance of their encounter with Him. They actually asked Jesus:
“Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” John 8:48
Instead of casting them into hell as they deserve, Jesus gives them an answer that’s designed to keep them out of hell:
“I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.” John 8:49-51
Rather than counting themselves fortunate, the religious leaders decide to press their luck:
“Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” John 8:52-53
Again, Jesus gives an answer that’s meant to save His accusers:
“If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” John 8:54-56
Then these religious leaders decide to mock Jesus saying:
“You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” John 8:57
And so, Jesus spells things out for them:
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 8:48-59
Here Jesus identifies Himself with God Almighty who spoke to Moses from the burning bush, proclaiming:
"I AM who I AM." Exodus 3:14
The religious leaders finally understood what Jesus was saying. This is why they wanted to stone Him. They understood that Jesus was claiming to be God Himself. In their minds, Jesus was committing blasphemy by claiming to be God. And yet, these religious leaders were standing on the same Holy Ground where Moses stood. Jesus is the God who spoke from the burning bush-the God who came to save us from slavery to sin and death.
Whenever we come into the presence of Jesus, we are standing on Holy Ground. We are standing in the presence of the God who has come to save us, not cast us into hell. During this season of Lent, as we spend time with Jesus, may we come to appreciate the true significance of our time with Him.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Abide in Me”
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so, you will be My disciples.” John 15:4-8
In this Scripture passage, Jesus uses the metaphor of a grape vine to teach us about our relationship with Him. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. In order to live and bear fruit, we must abide in Him.
Abiding involves the realization that we are united to Jesus. We are completely dependent on Him for life. Jesus is constantly present with us in the depths of our souls. It is our union with Jesus that enables us to live and flourish as His disciples.
During the month of March, I will be preaching a series of sermons on the “I Am” statements of Jesus. Here’s what the sermon series will look like:
March 3: “I Am The Vine” John 15:1-17
March 10: “Before Abraham Was, I AM” John 8:48-59
March 17: “I Am The Resurrection And The Life” John 11:17-46
On March 24 we will celebrate Palm Sunday and on March 31 we will celebrate Easter Sunday.
Please join us in worship as we discover more about our Lord and our relationship with Him.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“He Values Our Souls”
Jesus summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what could a person give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:34-37
In this passage of Scripture, Jesus asks a question to help us understand the value of our souls. The question is:
“For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”
Our souls are the most important possession we have. They are the essence of who we are, and God created them to live forever with Him in Heaven. Our souls are far more valuable than wealth, power, popularity, careers, and even family. Nothing is more valuable than our souls.
Jesus took up His cross to save our souls from hell, sin, and death. Jesus took up His cross so that our souls would live and not die. That’s how valuable our souls are to Jesus.
Our souls are eternally valuable to Jesus. And Jesus asked His question so that we would value our souls as highly as He values our souls.
There was a time in King David’s life when he was discouraged and depressed. The cares of life had worn him down and he had been neglecting to care for his soul. He writes about this in Psalm 42:1-2:
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
Caring for our souls should be a priority in our daily lives. We care for our souls by keeping them in contact with God. Whenever we spend time with God in prayer or worship or reading the Scriptures, we enable our souls to have a life-giving connection with God.
May we value our souls as highly as Jesus does.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Word on… Tuesday”
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE TOMORROW NIGHT AT 7:00 PM
“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” Joshua 1:8
What do you do when you’re not celebrating Valentine’s Day? Tomorrow, you can join us in the sanctuary at 7:00 pm, for our Ash Wednesday Service.
During the service, we will worship together using meditative singing. This type of worship enables people to meditate on God’s Word by singing verses of Scripture.
The Taizé Christian Community in the Burgundy region of France made this type of worship popular. This community was founded by Roger Schutz, who was known as Brother Roger. He was a Presbyterian from Switzerland who journeyed to France in 1940 at the start of WW2. He rode a bicycle from Geneva to the small town of Taizé which is still surrounded by rolling green hills and dairy farms. Since the town was located in unoccupied France, he bought an empty house and hid Christian and Jewish refugees there.
On November 11, 1942, the Gestapo occupied Brother Roger's house while he was in Switzerland collecting funds to aid in his refuge ministry. He was not able to return to his home in Taizé until 1944, when France was liberated.
Brother Roger then started a quasi-monastic community of Protestants and Roman Catholics who committed themselves to serving Christ and living their lives together. Thousands of young pilgrims come to Taizé every year from all over the world to worship together, meditating on God’s word through meditative singing.
The Taizé Christian Community describes how meditative singing helps us to worship God: “When people come together to pray, meditative singing can help everyone to participate and to stay together in waiting on God. Using just a few words, they express a fundamental reality that can quickly be grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality can gradually sink into one’s whole being.”
Here's a link to a YouTube video from Taizé that describes what a retreat is like there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngA8BFbjrE0
Since the songs we will be singing may be unfamiliar, I have also included links to the songs on YouTube. I am looking forward to spending time with you in worship tomorrow night.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Song - Come and fill our hearts with your peace. You alone, O Lord are holy. Come and fill our hearts with your peace. Alleluia
Song - Sing praise and bless the Lord. Sing praise and bless the Lord. Peoples! Nations! Alleluia!
Song – Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten. Those who seek God shall never go wanting. Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten. God alone fills us.
Song - Oh Lord hear my prayer. O Lord hear my prayer. When I call answer me. Oh Lord hear my prayer. O Lord hear my prayer. Come and listen to me.
Song - Stay with me, remain here with me, Watch and pray. Watch and pray.
Song - In our darkness there is no darkness. With you, O Lord, the deepest night is clear as day.
Song - Ubi Caritas et amor, ubi caritas Deus ibi est. (Where there is charity, selfless love, where there is charity, God is truly there.)
Song - Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name. Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me into life.
Song - Let your servant now go in peace, oh Lord. Now go in peace according to your word.
“Intimate Season with God”
Join Us: ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE FEBRUARY 14, 2024, 7:00 pm
“Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise, you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
“So, when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
“And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
“Now whenever you fast, do not make a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they distort their faces so that they will be noticed by people when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But as for you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
As I was preparing to start my ministry at GMPC on March 1, 2023, I realized that I was coming during the Season of Lent. So, I asked if GMPC celebrated Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. And the response was, “What’s Ash Wednesday?” Right then, I knew that this was going to be on a journey of discovery with you.
On February 14, we will discover what Ash Wednesday is all about. We will celebrate by having a worship service in the sanctuary at 7:00 pm. During this service, people will be given the opportunity to have ashes placed on their foreheads as a sign that they are repenting of their sins.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent. This is a 40-day season of preparation for the greatest holiday of all, Easter. For the next 40 days, we will have the opportunity to reflect on our need for God’s forgiveness which He pours out to us from the cross of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We will also have the opportunity to reflect on the new life that God gives us through the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
During Lent, some Christians practice spiritual disciplines of such as giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. The purpose of these disciplines is to focus our attention on God, rather than on ourselves.
It’s not unusual to be tempted to focus our attention back on ourselves when we engage in spiritual disciplines like these. This is why one of the passages of Scripture that is traditionally read on Ash Wednesday is Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus helps us to understand how we can focus our attention on God as we practice the spiritual disciplines of giving, prayer, and fasting during Lent.
Let us uphold one another in prayer during this intimate season with God. May our Lenten journeys of discovery be filled with God’s peace and joy.*
In Christ,
Pastor David
“More Like Jesus”
Have you ever wondered what your destiny in life is? The Scriptures tell is in Romans 8:28-29 that our destiny is to become like Jesus.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
Becoming like Jesus means a lot of things. Such as thinking like Jesus, living like Jesus, and seeing the world as Jesus sees it. This may seem like mission impossible, and it would be if we had to attempt all of this on our own. But there is Good News. The Holy Spirit is already at work within us, transforming us into people who are like Jesus.
If you are curious about how this transformation is progressing in your life, just as God. The Lord will help you to see yourself as He sees you: a person who is looking more and more like Jesus every day.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Praise God For His Faithfulness”
“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:1-4
This Friday, January 26, we will have our Annual Congregational Meeting and Dinner. The Dinner will start at 5:30 pm and the meeting will begin at 6:30 pm.
The men of GMPC will provide the meat for the dinner. Please bring a side dish to share. If you are planning to attend the dinner, please RSVP at www.gmpc.org so we can plan accordingly. If your last name begins with A-I please bring a salad, J-R a side dish, S-Z a dessert. Or, you can just bring Jell-O.
At the meeting, we will elect new members to the Session, the Board of Deacons, and members at large to the Church Nominating Committee. The Session will also present the 2024 Annual Budget.
The meeting will be conducted in the context of a worship service where we will praise God for His faithfulness in 2023 and look forward to what God will be doing in 2024 through the ministry of GMPC. Yes, the meeting will take longer in this format. However, we’ve made sure that that the NFL will not have any playoff games. Besides, do you really have something better to do than worship God?
In Christ,
Pastor David
“What Are You Doing Here?”
All of us have questions we would like to ask God. Such as: “Why am I here?” “Where were You?” “What good is it?” We might be surprised that God has some questions for us.
For the next few weeks, I will be preaching a series of sermons about these questions from God. The first one, “What are you doing here?” was asked of the prophet Elijah. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah was on the run from the idolatrous Queen Jezebel of Israel. Elijah had just killed the prophets of Baal. When Jezebel heard of it, she sent a message to Elijah saying:
“May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 1 Kings 19:2
Elijah had traveled 40 days and 40 nights to a cave on Mount Horeb. This mountain was also known as Mount Sainai and the Mountain of God. It was where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. This is where God had His question for Elijah.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:9-13
Then God explains that He will take care of those who have rejected God and are trying to kill Elijah. God also tells Elijah:
Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18
When we are discouraged and find ourselves in a cave of despair, God will come to us with the question: “What are you doing here?” In other words: “Has your world really fallen apart?” “Is there really no hope for you?”
God asks us questions to get our attention. And when we finally step out the door of our cave of despair, God will give us the answer to His questions. God will remind us that He is still holding our lives together and that all is not lost.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“God Really Is With Us”
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:13-18)
It's heartbreaking that Jesus began His life as a refugee. Jesus and His parents had to flee in the night and travel to a foreign land to be able to live in safety. Ironically, God told them to flee to Egypt where their ancestors had been enslaved for 430 years.
All of this was in fulfillment of prophesies that God had given to the prophets Hosea and Jeremiah. God told these prophets about the evil plans that Herod had for Jesus. God also told these prophets how He would protect His Son from harm.
God also gave a prophesy to Jeremiah about us. God knew that there would be times in our lives when we would be discouraged and even in danger. So, God told Jeremiah to write down our prophesy for when we would need it the most:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
God has great plans for us. No matter how difficult life can be at times, God really is with us. Each one of us has a future that has been planned out for us by God. It’s a future filled with hope. And God is already fulfilling these plans in our lives.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Hide and Seek”
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. Matthew 2:1-2
This Sunday is Epiphany Sunday. In Greek, epiphany means appearance or manifestation. On January 6, the Day of Epiphany, the Church traditionally celebrates the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. The first gentiles to meet the baby Jesus were the Magi, or the Wise Men. January 6 is also the twelfth and last day of the season of Christmas.
Wise people are still seeking Jesus. And the Lord promises to reward those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
God does not play “Hide and Seek” with us. God wants us to find Him. God wants us to know Him. God wants us to experience His love and salvation and grace. The reason the Magi “found” Jesus was because God sent Jesus to us and then God led them to Jesus with a star.
If you have found Jesus, it is because God wanted you to find Him. If you are still looking for Jesus, just ask God to reveal Him to you. Jesus will give you an epiphany as well.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“The Prime of Life”
Do you ever get the impression that Christmas is a holiday for children?
The Christmas movies all feature children. Church Christmas pageants all involve girls with angel wings, boys dressed in bathrobes playing the part of shepherds, and an older girl holding a baby.
In the Scriptures, most of the people who were involved in the birth of Jesus were adults, elderly adults in fact. In addition to a young mother and a baby, there were also wise elders. Zachariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna.
Frederick Buechner in his book Peculiar Treasures, describes how one of these elders named Simeon was involved in the life of the baby Jesus:
Jesus was still in diapers when his parents brought him to the Temple in Jerusalem "to present him to the Lord" (Luke 2:22), as the custom was, and offer a sacrifice, and that's when old Simeon spotted him. Years before, he'd been told he wouldn't die till he'd seen the Messiah with his own two eyes, and time was running out. When the moment finally came, one look through his cataract lenses was all it took. He asked if it would be all right to hold the baby in his arms, and they told him to go ahead but be careful not to drop him.
"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation," he said (Luke 2:29), the baby playing with the fringes of his beard. The parents were pleased as punch, and so he blessed them too for good measure. Then something about the mother stopped him, and his expression changed.
What he saw in her face was a long way off, but it was there so plainly he couldn't pretend. "A sword will pierce through your soul," he said (Luke 2:35).
He would rather have bitten off his tongue than said it, but in that holy place he felt he had no choice. Then he handed her back the baby and departed in something less than the perfect peace he'd dreamed of all the long years of his waiting.
When I was in seminary, one of our professors told us that the prime of life doesn’t start until after we’re 60 years old. That’s when we will have a lifetime of experience to make a significant contribution in the world.
Many of us are now in the prime of life. What do you want to be like at the end of your life? What do you want to have accomplished? You may not have done a lot of thinking about this, but it’s never too late.
I encourage you to invite the Lord to help you discover the answers to these questions. God will enable you to be the wise elder who will be a blessing to the young folks.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Blessing Others”
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:39-45
One of my favorite childhood memories is making cherry tarts with my grandmother, Hazel O’Brien when I was around 4 years old. When my mother dropped me off at my grandmother’s home, she told my grandmother that I was having a bad day. I remember my grandmother asking me, “David, are you blue?” And I looked at my arms and said, “Grandma, I’m not blue.”
Then she said, “We’re going to make some cherry tarts.” She rolled out some dough and opened a large can of cherry pie filling. After the tarts finished baking, we sat down and ate some together. After that, I felt much better.
In Luke 1:39-45, we see how God enabled an elderly woman named Elizabeth to help a much younger woman named Mary during a frightening, yet joyful time in her life. Mary had just been told by the angel Gabriel that the Holy Spirit would enable her to conceive and give birth to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. After that, Mary hurried off to the home of her cousin Elizabeth, near Bethlehem.
God was also doing amazing things in Elizabeth’s life. Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were elderly and past the age of having children. However, the angel Gabriel had told them that they would have a child who would be known as John the Baptist.
Elizabeth provided a safe and loving place for Mary to come to terms with what the Lord was doing in her life. Elizabeth understood what it was like to have God transform her life. She was also a wise and gentle woman in whom Mary could confide. In fact, as soon as she saw Mary, she blessed her three times! No wonder Mary stayed with her for three months.
Elizabeth was an example to my grandmother, and to all of us, of how we can be a blessing to someone of a different generation. Especially at Christmas.
Christmas is an intergenerational celebration at GMPC. Our worship services and programs are all full of children, young adults, and older folks. God is giving us many opportunities to show love and care to younger people, just like Elizabeth did for Mary. And God is giving us many opportunities to show joy and kindness to older folks, just like Mary did for Elizabeth.
Your acts of love mean more to others than you know. Whenever I have cherry tarts or cherry pie, I remember how my grandmother blessed me when I was having a bad day 60 years ago. All of us can give a blessing to others that will be remembered for a lifetime.
In Christ,
Pastor David
UPCOMING CHRISTMAS EVENTS AT GMPC
Wednesday, December 20 (9:00 am) GMPC Preschool Christmas Chapel Service
Thursday, December 20 (9:00 am) GMPC Preschool Christmas Chapel Service
Friday, December 22 (5:00-7:00 pm) Cocoa, Cookies, Carols, and Critters
Sunday, December 24 Christmas Eve:
9:00 am Traditional Worship Service
10:45 am Blended Worship Service
4:00 pm Children’s Bell Ringing Service
5:30 pm Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
“God Is With Us”
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38
Two thousand years ago a teen aged girl named Mary, had an important question that she thought was impossible to answer. The answer to this question was given by the angel Gabriel when he told Mary, “Nothing impossible for God.” This is the same answer to the questions we have in life that seem impossible to answer, “Nothing is impossible for God.”
All of us struggle with deep and difficult questions in life. We have questions about our relationships, we have questions about our finances, we have questions about God’s direction for our lives, we have even questions about God Himself. Sometimes these questions weigh heavily on our minds, and they keep us up at night.
Amid all the questions, God is with us. Even when we don’t know the answers to our questions, we can rest assured that God does. And nothing is impossible for God.
Mary understood all of this. This is why she was able to tell the angel Gabriel, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” God will help us to live our lives like this as well.
In Christ
David
“A Season Of Anticipation”
Last Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent. Contrary to popular belief, Advent doesn’t start on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Neither does it start on Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving. Also, contrary to popular belief, Advent is not a season of manic shopping, overspending, and hectic decorating. Advent is a season of anticipation.
The Latin word adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming.
For centuries, God’s people waited in eager anticipation to the coming of the Messiah. Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, Isaiah prophesied several times about the birth of Jesus. In one of these prophesies he said, Make straight the way of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:3).
Malachi prophesied 450 years before Jesus was born that the Messiah was coming, and that Prophet Elijah would herald His birth:
See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction. (Malachi 4:5-6)
Elijah had been taken up into heaven in a whirlwind without seeing death about 400 years earlier. Ever since Malachi’s prophecy, Jews have been looking forward to his return to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.
In Luke chapter 1, God sends the Angel Gabriel to an elderly man named Zechariah with the good news that he and his elderly wife Elizabeth would finally have a son named John. Gabriel also tells Zechariah:
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:17).
This John would later be known as John the Baptist who prepared people for the Messiah by calling them to repent of their sins and be baptized. We can take part in John’s ministry by pointing people to Jesus this Advent season. Jesus is coming back, and people need to be ready.
God wants people to know that He wants them to return to Him. This is what repentance is all about. God loves us and He wants us to live in relationship with Him. And God was willing to pay the price to make this happen: His only begotten Son whom He sent on that first Christmas.
We have a unique opportunity to get this message out during Advent. People are living in darkness. They don’t know God; they’re not living in a right relationship with Him; and they are running away from God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, salvation.
And yet, people singing about birth of Jesus. They’re hearing words of salvation, hope, joy in Christmas carols at the malls. They’re watching movies about God’s grace at Christmas, such as A Christmas Carol. They are even putting angels on the top of their Christmas trees.
The Holy Spirit is moving at Christmas. The message is going out. God wants us to experience His salvation and grace. God wants us to live in right relationship with Him. God wants us to know His mercy, love, and joy.
We can help get the message out by inviting people we know to the Christmas celebrations we’re having at GMPC. These celebrations are designed to be opportunities for evangelism where people will hear the Good News about Jesus. Here are some of these opportunities:
Dec 10 Distributing Christmas Gift Bags (Available in the Sanctuary after worship)
Dec 11 Best PCS Christmas Store (Gift donations needed)
Dec 17 Christmas Cantata (Both worship services)
Dec 18 Christmas Caroling at Villa Coronado (Meet there at 4:00 pm)
Dec 20 and 21 Preschool Christmas Program (Sanctuary at 9:00 am)
Dec 22 Cookies, Carols, Coco, Critters (5:00-7:00 pm)
Dec 24 Christmas Eve Services (4:00 pm and 5:30 pm)
This Advent season, we have the unique opportunity to help people prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus. May God bless you as you invite others to know Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Your Pastor,
David