God takes joy in watching our lives take shape, seeing us move from shapeless lumps spinning into beautiful, purpose filled people. But there is a catch. While God is the potter, he has given us a voice and a choice. We can be shaped according to God's plan or our own plan or even by the plans of others.

In John 1:14 we find a profound verse of the Bible that describes Jesus, the Word, taking on flesh and coming near to us. Each word is bursting with meaning, but tonight we need to look at two words; flesh and dwell. In those two words we find the power and goal of salvation. Because Jesus took on flesh, human form, we can be redeemed and we can dwell in God's presence. The distance between us and God is not so lonely, dark and so we can rejoice.

Today’s text is from Luke 1:26-38 where Mary encounters the news that she will give birth to the Messiah, the title of the message is “Unexpected.” This story of full of earthly expectations but then God interrupts with something new and unexpected. The wonder of Christmas is that the arrival of Jesus invites us to leave behind our own earthly expectations and realities. If we are willing to leave them behind we get to experience God’s reality and expectations. When we find this we can experience a new identity and sense of fulfillment.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 As we close our time in 1 Thessalonians, we are being asked to respond to this letter. Can we say amen, can we say “Ah yes, I agree!” Specifically today we are being asked to say yes to God working out sanctification in us and living in unity as the body of Christ. When we say yes to the power of God working in our life the trials of life are better faced and overcome.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 give us eight keys for welcoming God's peace. To the extent that you and I follow these keys we make room for God's peace in our lives. However I need to warn you, if you do the opposite of these keys you will invite into your life discord and chaos, they will push God's peace out of your life.

Our text today is from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 and the sermon title is Respect. Paul calls the Thessalonians to respect and care for each other. Paul’s commands might sound like fair advice, but this teaching is only possible and only beneficial when the Christian and the Church keep focused on the goal of standing blameless before God.

Jesus is coming back, not as a baby, not as the messiah on the cross, but as the Judge of all people, we do not know when Jesus is coming back but we are to be ready. Are you ready? How would you feel if Jesus showed up right now as your judge?

It is all too easy for the Christian to react to death, grief and hope in the same way as a non-Christian, but we are to be different, because we follow Jesus who has conquered death thereby rewriting grief and securing for the Christian true hope.

A note on sound quality, I unknowingly kept bumping the mic wire, this got picked up as clicking in the recording. Also more traffic noise than normal leaked into the recording. My apologies.

Quiet 1 Thessalonians 4.9-12 by Valleyview Friends Church

Humanity’s chief goal is to take pleasure in life. But this is misguided. Our goal is to please God. We would do well to remember this. The more stress and uncertainty we face the harder this is to remember. Here we are Sunday November 1, just a few days before a huge election, deep into a year that has turned all our lives on end, I think we need a reminder of our purpose and where we will really find wholeness, health, peace and pleasure. Our purpose is this: The chief aim of every person, you and me, is to please God, this is done by living a holy life.