Let me start with this anecdote from a real life story:
Two fellows opened a butcher shop and prospered. Then an evangelist came to town and one of the butchers was saved. He tried to persuade his partner to accept salvation also, but to no avail. “Why won’t you Charlie?” asked the born-again fellow. “Listen Lester,” the other butcher said, “if I get religion, too, whose going to weigh the meat?”
That may seem like an unusual story to begin my weekly e-mail, which is meant to highlight the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is a time of anticipation of the coming of Christ. Christmas is a great time to deepen your relationship with the Lord as you appreciate the fact that God came to us through his Son. But the way that Advent begins throughout church history is more challenging than you might expect. The first statements of Advent come from John the Baptist when he says, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” In other words, ready your heart for an encounter with the Living God. Or another idea, if you aren’t ready to change, you’re probably not ready to receive what Christ has to offer this Christmas season.
In preparation for Sunday, ask yourself this question, “What’s most important to me at Christmastime?” Let that be a fill in the blank for you. I don’t want you to give an answer that you think is right, but rather one that you truly believe. What is most important to you at Christmas? Contemplate that question as you prepare yourself for our Sunday gathering and the sharing of the Lord’s Table. And if you are so inclined, read Luke 1:5-25, which will be the passage we will study together as a church. See you soon
P.S. Our Christmas program is scheduled for December 8th, 14th & 15th at 7 pm. You won’t want to miss it. It is a great event to bring family and friends to as well. And, it’s free, of course.
1 comment:
Nice story dad. Hope your advent series goes well.
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