11-26-17

Thanks so much for letting me serve as the Visitation Pastor here at Eastminster. I am greatly encouraged by all of you with your warm welcome to me, but even more with your love for the Lord and the dedication by which you all serve using your gifts and talents in so many ways for the glory of the Lord and so the His mission is advanced in this community and to the world! Though I am part-time, I see the faithfulness of the rest of the staff as they help lead you us, especially under the leadership of Pastor Tim. So, as we go into the Christmas season, please pray for a special measure of strength for Pastor Tim, Pastor Kristy and all your staff. They want the celebration of the birth of Christ to honor Him and be meaningful for you, but it can be exhausting as well.

 

So, Thanksgiving Day is over (Black Friday, too!) and we are heading into the Christmas season. The First Sunday of Advent is not until next week, but decorations are going up, the music is being played all around us and the stores have long been getting ready. So, today we are focusing on “why” Jesus came. And, that is to fulfill God’s purpose for and in us. The following passage reminds us that God is always at work around us and in us to realize that purpose, which is that we are restored to what God always intended us to be that has been disrupted by sin. It says:

 

28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…(Romans 8:28–36 [NRSV]).

 

Christmas reminds us of God’s gift to us of salvation and forgiveness through the coming of Jesus. So, this Christmas, what will be our gift of thanks to Him? Will we let Him fashion us to be more like Jesus? I love the words of the carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. Read the following selected verse: 

 

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

 

What does He want to do with and in you?

 

Blessings,

Rev. Ron Hipwell