The Plot Thickens
Good Wednesday to you,
As I said on Sunday, life is story, and our lives are a series of stories. All good stories have heroes and villains. All good stories have conflict and resolution. This is true in general, and true in our own lives as well. Sometimes, it is hard to tell in our own stories whether we are the hero or the villain. It becomes clearer when Jesus is the hero of our lives. The plot thickened in Jesus' story when He raised Lazarus from the dead, and the religious leaders, led by Caiaphas, determined to kill Him, lest their "kingdom" be disrupted and destroyed. They were pragmatic, choosing that which best served their personal motives: stay in control, and stay in charge.
How often do we make decisions based on what is pragmatic at the time. We want to avoid conflict, and I am not suggesting we go looking for conflict, but, Jesus said, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first" (John 15:18). Our culture is telling us to keep our view to ourselves. We are being told that we have no place in the "public square." Yet, I am convinced that Jesus is as relevant today as ever. Scripture tells us to "always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). Spending time with Jesus (reading and studying the Gospels) is the best way to ensure we provide a good reason when asked. But, remember to be gentle and respectful!
Next Sunday begins the Advent season. I will be shifting away from the Gospel of John to address the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love as we prepare to celebrate the birthday of our Savior. (There are still slots for readers/candle lighters available. If you are interested, please contact Kimberlee Joseph.) Some have asked me if I was planning on finishing John before I retired. The answer is, simply, no. We could spend a lifetime in John's account of the gospel and never finish it. It is an ongoing story in our own story. Keep reading, studying, and meditating in John. There are plenty of great things for you to read and think about. Don't let your interest in this gospel wane just because I am not here to guide you through it. It will be well worth your time and effort.
As a reminder, our Christmas Eve services will be at 4:30pm for the Bell Ringing service (designed for children/families to "ring in" the birth of our Savior), and 6:00pm for the traditional Candlelight service. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, we will be having one special service on Christmas day at 10:00am for the entire family. There will be no Sunday school that morning, but trust me, our time together will be joyful and engaging for all ages. I have also been convinced that we should have one service on New Year's Day, my last Sunday. It, too, will be at 10:00am and will last a little longer than an hour. (So, what's new?) There will be a small reception after the service for all.
I find myself getting very nostalgic as my time of ministry among you comes to an end. I will be working with the "Try Praying" ministries USA moving forward. If any of you would like to know more about this, you can reach out to me in an email and I would be happy to tell you more.
The blessings are more than I can count, and I have no doubt there are many more to come for the "Church" that worships at Graham Memorial. I am excited for us all!
Grace and peace,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
