“We have just celebrated Christmas. Matthew 2:13-23 reminds us that even at Christmas, even as we kneel by the cradle of Christ, we can already see the shadow of the cross over not only him … but also over us. But as we look beyond it we see that the cross gives way to the crown – in this life and the next – for Christ has risen and he will raise all his people.”

Pastor Nicoletti preaches “Christmas in the Shadow of the Cross” from Matthew 2:13-23.

Elder Mike Pfefferle continues his adult Sunday School series on the Trinity.

In our last evening service before Christmas, we heard through Pastor Nicoletti from several preachers from centuries past on the subject of Christ’s nativity.

“Our Christmas time should be a time of celebration – it should be a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving. But it should also be a time to hear afresh the call of Christ – the call to repent and believe – the call to turn again from our sin and to cling even closer to Christ – the call to forsake our sin and renew our commitment to the Lord.”

Pastor Nicoletti preaches “The Advents of Christ and the Call of God” from Genesis 3:6-21, Mark 1:1-15, and Revelation 3:14-22

“We live broken lives in a broken world… But wherever our sorrow may come from, the fact remains that we serve a God who shows up. And that is the true source of all comfort. We serve a God who has shown up, most especially in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We serve a God who shows up even now, in the life of his Church and in the lives of his people. And we serve a God who will show up on the Last Day to make all things new.

Mary and Elizabeth believed that. And while it did not erase their problems, it did change them. It brought to them the comfort of God. Let us believe it too. And let us join the words of the heavenly hosts, in the throne room of God, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Pastor Nicoletti continues his Advent series with “The Advents of Christ and the Comfort of God” taken from Genesis 3:6-24, Luke 1:39-45, and Isaiah 25:6-9.

Elder Mike Pfefferle continues with part 2 of his new series, “Studies in the Trinity.”

“Critique is easy. Real kingdom work is hard. That’s why we so often prefer the path of Saul to the path of David – it’s so much easier. But it’s also relatively worthless.

The path of David – the path of Jesus – is that path that leads us to meaningful accomplishments for the kingdom in this life.”

Pastor Nicoletti preaches “Fighting on Multiple Fronts” from 1 Samuel 27:1-28:2.

“…when we suffer defeat – whether it is from the world, or the flesh, or the devil – then the proper response is also to stand up, to point to what Christ has done, and to chant “Scoreboard … Scoreboard.” Because even in our momentary defeat, Christ’s power is displayed in what he has done and what he will do. Because Christ has come. And he has faced the world, and our sin, and the devil. He took them head on in his incarnation, and he defeated them. He crushed them. He struck the decisive blow, and they will never recover from it.”

 

Pastor Nicoletti preaches “The Advents of Christ and the Power of God” from Psalm 2; Luke 1:26-33; Revelation 19:11-16.

On December 7, Farnoush Katouzian was the speaker at the 2019 Women’s Ministry of Faith Christmas Brunch. Her talk, “How to Love the Immigrant” is now available.

On Sunday evening, Dec 1, the Rev. Nathaniel H. Gutierrez was installed as Assistant Pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church.

You can download the bulletin for the Service of Installation here.

You can download a copy of the Rev. Dr. Christopher Bechtel’s sermon here.