We just celebrated the third week of Advent which indicates that Christmas is very near. As it draws closer, sometimes the sense of urgency increases which seems to further shove the reason for the season aside.
Peace too often is a word or concept of the absence of conflict or troubles. I believe that we seek much more than that when we ask for peace.
The words of the Advent wreath...Peace, Hope, Joy and Love. Isn’t that what all of us want in our lives? If we had those, could we feel like we had it all? I thought that I would spend my midweek blog for the next 4 weeks of December reflecting each week on one aspect. Let's light the candle of Hope.
Advent and Christmas have both been such long traditions and celebrations in the lives of most Christians. So as we once again enter this season of the year, how well versed are you really in some of the details that we hear in the stories and in the music of the season??
Archived Posts
What just missed the cut for Sunday’s Sermon
Naaman’s servants may actually become one of the hidden gems of the sermon. They say, essentially: “If the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it.”
One of the Longest Benedictions I Ran Out of Time to Share
Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem. Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case. Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...
So many quips and quotes...
So little time to preach
I wonder what Mary and Martha’s phones might look like:
* Martha = the open browser with 27 tabs
* Mary = the single window that matters
* Psalm 46 = God saying, “Close the tabs.”
Quotable Outtakes That Didn’t Make the Sermon This Week
“When you try to control everything, you don’t just exhaust yourself—you quietly replace trust in God with trust in you.” & more
There is a challenge when it comes to preaching the Word of God.
Preachers are called to open up and interpret the word—inspired and written down thousands of years ago—and make it relevant to a very different world. On top of that there’s a degree of persuasion that goes along with the process.