What an Amazing Weekend!
Each year during the Christmas season, as a church, we try and focus on what the season is really all about. It is so easy to get caught up in busyness, commercialism, and selfishness. Christmas is not about family, friends, presents, or fun!!! Christmas is about the Incarnation of Christ and how God became Immanuel, God with us. What does it mean for Christ to have come? He heralded the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, where all things would be made new and we would live by a new ethic and system of living. We are aliens and strangers in this world and we are to live to God, and not the false gods of our culture.
This past weekend, we did that as a church. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas of each year, we engage in something called A Time to Serve. I heard about a church in Colorado who does this, and we ripped off the idea. Basically, we design 8-10 service projects for people in our church to engage in, from helping with a parent’s morning out, to buying things for a needy family, to working on houses, to volunteering at a mission.
This past Saturday, we had a team go out and volunteer at the Salvation Army to sort canned goods, and another team went to a local Wal Mart to wrap presents for people. Both projects got a really great response and it was a way for our folks to truly be Jesus in our community. We experienced the joy of teamwork and of giving ourselves away to bless others. When the group was wrapping presents, they kept encountering people that could not believe that there was no catch or cost. Nope, we were just doing it because we loved them and Jesus loved them. What a blessing. I am so proud of our church.
Last night, we had our Christmas Extravaganza. Our sanctuary was absolutely packed as our church and another smaller church that was predominately African American joined us. We turned the Christmas party into a chance for people to show their gifts and talents and to give God praise. We had a mass children’s choir, praise dancing, beautiful singing, and even a girl play the harp. It was amazing to see people come together under the banner of Jesus Christ, love one another, and celebrate Christmas as One Body. Racial and denominational distinctions did not matter because we were one in Christ. It was a glorious night! Everyone left blessed with a picture of what heaven would be like.
I have been preaching on the Incarnation of Christ. When Jesus came, He came to set things right. He came to serve and not be served. He came to bring hope, healing, and salvation to the nations. We are called to live that out in our context. We are to bring peace, joy, love, hope, and Christ to a broken world. Are we being missionaries (sent ones) to a needy world this Christmas? As everyone opens themselves up to the things of God, are we there to speak words of love and truth to them? Are we modeling it with our own lives?
I saw something beautiful this weekend: A church living out the incarnation of Christ in their world. We saw three baptized as well (8 have been baptized in 3 weeks!). Let’s make sure that Christmas is a time when we really let Jesus live through us for the blessing of the nations!
Cool stuff!
Posted by: Kevin Bussey | December 11, 2006 at 10:15 PM
Great stuff, Alan!
Posted by: Paul | December 11, 2006 at 11:34 PM
Thanks for sharing, Alan. What a great example of being missional! A real encouragement.
Posted by: Todd Nelson | December 12, 2006 at 12:09 AM
Have your churches ever considered coming together as one?
Posted by: Bryan Riley | December 12, 2006 at 07:35 PM