First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge

What you seek is not out there. It’s right here. You’ve got to make home be something you carry inside you. But we can’t do that on our own. We can only do that when we carry in us the God who made earth his home. We can only make home at ourselves when we receive the God who makes his home in our hearts. Life isn’t somewhere else.

"This Is Somewhere"
December 24, 2018
Gerrit Dawson

The journey of the magi belongs to all of us. It is a journey that costs not less than everything. And returns exceeding great joy. We give up being settled with life the way everyone else lives for themselves, just trying to cope and get through until it’s over. We die to a life of isolation and enter a life of communion. We give up autonomy we never had anyway. Instead we worship. We fall on our faces. We offer ourselves in service. We adore the God who came to us as Jesus. And we feel his hand of blessing on our heads. We discover the joy that apart from him we can do nothing. But in him, there is fullness of joy. In him there is no condemnation. Because he lives, we will live also.

"The Journey of the Magi"
December 23, 2018
Gerrit Dawson

Experience the awe of silence, the humility of redemption, and a shout of Christmas joy with the Creative Arts Ministry in a special presentation of “The Silence and the Sound.”

Again and again, Joseph had to cling to the angel words, “Joseph, do not be afraid. Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For this child is of God.” Again and again, Joseph had to recall the stories of his namesake in the Scriptures. God lets suffering come to us. But he has a greater plan. If we persist in faith and faithfulness, we can say with both Josephs: You did not send me here. God did.
God sent me ahead of you to save life.

"Quiet Strength"
Gerrit Dawson
Matthew 1: 18-25

How do we understand the filthy straw of the manger wherein the Savior of the human race laid his sweet head? Advent is a time of remembering the past in order that it becomes a part of the one expectation and hope. Matthew takes us through the "rag and bone shop" of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. There's a Savior coming. He even stops at the foul rag and bone shop of our hearts. The eternal Son of God has stepped into the outrage of our descent.

Gerrit Dawson
Matthew 1: 1-11
Gerrit Dawson