ONE OF THE SURPRISING GIFTS ADVENT BRINGS TO US IS THAT OF EACH OTHER. DURING ADVENT WE ARE REMINDED THAT WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO LIVE INTO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE TOGETHER (LUKE 2:15-18; HEBREWS 10:19-35).

THIS WEEK, MARK HEGER CONTINUED OUR ADVENT SERIES WITH THE GIFT OF INCARNATION. TAPPING INTO HIS “INNER NERD”, MARK EXPLAINS HOW THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS MIGHT NOT BE AS UNUSUAL OF AN OCCURRENCE AS YOU MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT. OUR RESPONSE TO THE GIFT OF INCARNATION SHOULD BE MUCH MORE THAN JUST A CELEBRATION OF JESUS’ BIRTH, BUT RATHER, CELEBRATING HIS ENTIRE LIFE!

ADVENT MEANS “APPEARING” OR “COMING”. IT IS A TIME FOR BELIEVERS TO LIVE INTO GOD’S STORY AND IT OFTEN CATCHES US BY SURPRISE (MUCH LIKE IT DID WITH MARY AND THE SHEPHERDS!). THIS WEEK WE LOOK AT THE GIFT OF FULFILLMENT. THROUGH CHRIST’S BIRTH, GOD FULFILLED SEVERAL PROMISES WHICH GIVES US THE HOPE THAT HE WILL DO THE SAME FOR US (LUKE 1:26-38).

THIS WEEK WE FINISH THE STORY OF LAZARUS. WE LEARNED THAT JESUS’ RESURRECTION LIFE IS MEANT TO BE LIVED RIGHT NOW IN OUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. WE LIVE THE RESURRECTION LIFE BY FOLLOWING JESUS, BELIEVING IN HIM AND OBEYING HIS COMMANDS TOGETHER.

WE ARE TWO WEEKS INTO THE STORY OF JESUS AND LAZARUS. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF JOHN WE SEE THE CALL OF THE GOSPEL IS TO LIFE AND TO LIVE HIS ETERNAL LIFE. BUT IN THE KINGDOM, WE LIVE BY DYING, AND AT TIMES CHRIST LEADS US TO THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH TO GIVE US “NEW GROUNDS FOR BELIEVING” (JOHN 11:17-37).

THIS WEEK WE LOOKED AT ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL STORIES OF JESUS - RAISING LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD. WHEN CHRIST DELAYS IN ANSWERING US, IT IS TO GIVE US “NEW GROUNDS FOR BELIEVING.” CHRIST WANTS TO MEET US IN THE MIDST OF OUR DESPAIR AND UNMET EXPECTATIONS (JOHN 11:16, 24-25).

THE FIRST RULE OF SHAME IS THAT YOU DON’T TALK ABOUT SHAME. THIS WEEK, WE LOOKED AT WHAT CHRIST DOES WITH SHAME IN THE STORY OF THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY. THE GOOD NEWS IS CHRIST TAKES THE BRUNT OF OUR SHAME IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE WITH HIM, LEAVE OUR SHAME AND ENTER INTO OUR IDENTITY AND VOCATION (JOHN 3:16-17; JOHN 8:1-11; ROMANS 8:1-2; ROMANS 8:31-34).

THIS WEEK THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP REMINDED US THAT WE MAKE SENSE OF OUR LIVES IN STORIES. PASTOR JOHN ENCOURAGED US TO PAY ATTENTION TO OUR THOUGHTS, BECAUSE UNDERNEATH THOSE THOUGHTS ARE A STORY WE ARE TELLING OURSELVES ABOUT GOD AND OURSELVES. THE STORIES WE TELL DEFINE US. THE GOOD NEWS IS CHRIST’S STORY FOR US IS THAT HE LEAVES THE 99 SHEEP TO FIND THE 1 LOST SHEEP (PSALM 23:1-4; LUKE 15:1-7).

WHAT WE THINK ABOUT GOD AND THE STORIES WE TELL ABOUT GOD AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO BE WITH GOD. SO WE REMINDED OURSELVES OF WHO GOD IS BY LOOKING AT THE PRODIGAL SON (LUKE 15:1-3 & 11-24).

THIS SUNDAY, MARK HEGER TAUGHT US WHY OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS IS SO MUCH MORE INTIMATE THAN WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. USING JOHN 14, WE WITNESS JESUS USING “MARRIAGE PROPOSAL” LANGUAGE TO EXPRESS HIS GREAT LOVE FOR THE DISCIPLES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC, MARK ALSO WROTE A BLOG BACK IN 2015 FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE.