Jeremiah 33.14-16 & Luke 21.25-36

Christmas is coming!!  But it's not here yet.

We take our time and celebrate Advent in anticipation of the "coming" of Christ.

We retell the story of the birth as we begin a new liturgical year in the church, but we also tell of the eventual final coming and all of the comings in between.

We sometimes get too excited and move into Christmas too quickly.  We will heed the words of the Baptist to "Prepare the Way" by understanding all that the comings of Christ mean for us today.

We begin at the end.

Jesus tells us to "STAND" when the world seems to be falling apart.

The new age is coming.  It's already arriving.

Do we live in a way of preparation?

Revelation 1:4b-8

We go back to the introduction of the letter we call Revelation.  The author, who calls himself John, begins the letter with an offer of Grace and Peace from God, The Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ.

When we understand all that this introduction has to say, we come to a grand realization about our reality here today.

We are all invited to become something more through the love and work of Jesus Christ.

Are we ready to understand and accept this wonderful news?

How will we respond?

Hebrews 10:11-28

There were days when sacrifices were offered regularly by everyone day after day, year after year, over and again to ensure right relationship with God.

The author of Hebrews shows how the sacrificial giving of Christ on the cross offered the final sacrifice ever needed.

We all have right relationship with God because all that was ever needed has been accomplished.

Can we accept this good news?

Can we let go of the guilt and shame that we so easily acquire and pile on each other?

Can we be confident in our faith and become the church we were always meant to be?

Hebrews 9:11-28

According to the author of Hebrews, Christ's work on the cross brought the final victory for reconciliation.

Using symbology from first century sacrificial religion, the author offers us a theological understanding of Jesus' death to bring security to the church across all time and space.

What does this victory mean for us today?

How does this theology become a part of our every day faith?

Revelation 21:1-6a

We celebrate All Saints Sunday with a series called Dwellings. Today's focus is on the HOPE we have in the certainty of God's plan to make all things new.  All the earth will be joined together with God so that all of us are in the very presence of God.

With the certainty of the future, we can dwell in the present with a hope that overcomes any and all circumstances.