Pastor’s Corner December 2008

The following was published in our monthly newsletter, the Redeemer Report.

The English word Advent is derived from the Latin advenire, “to come to.” Advent has to do with the Lord’s coming to us, and we understand further from Scripture that Christ came for us. My friend, Pastor Wayne Larson writes, “During Advent we remember his first coming (He kept his promises to his people in the Old Testament) and we pray that he will remember his promises and come to us again, judging the enemies of the Church and delivering his people from all evil.”

Advent isn’t so much about imagining we were living during the time of the birth of Christ somehow gathered around the manger; it has more to do with noting the faithfulness of God to fulfill His promises. The Incarnation is the ultimate promise kept, the one made in the Garden of Eden so many years prior. Christ has promised to come again, and so Advent challenges us to look back as a way to look forward with confidence, joy, and worshipful thoughts of our great God.

At Redeemer there will be several special events and services to help us contemplate the depth of Advent:

Sunday Evening, November 30 (6pm)
The Annual Hanging of the Greens Service:
This service gives a brief explanation of the meaning of Advent and marks the first of four Advent weeks by decorating the sanctuary with greens.

Every Sunday morning in Advent
(11am Worship Service)
The Lighting of the Advent Candles
During the worship service each Lord’s Day, is done by a Redeemer family who will remind us of the wonder of the Incarnation through Scripture and personal testimony. The lighting of these candles will culminate on Christmas Eve.

Sunday Evening, December 14 (6pm)
The Christmas Nativity Pageant
This is a great opportunity for the children of Redeemer to act out the Christmas story. It is not designed to be a light-hearted, “cute”, display, but rather a well-planned and serious depiction of the historical event that is the birth of Jesus.
Sunday Morning, December 21
(11am Worship Service)
On this fourth Sunday in Advent, I will preach a sermon entitled “The Shame and Glory of The Incarnation” which explores these two scriptural themes concerning the birth of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Evening, December 21 (6pm)
Nathan Clark George in Concert
Nathan will return with his band to perform a special Christmas concert. Nathan’s music includes a wide variety of his own interpretations on classic Advent hymnody. This is a great event to invite friends.

Christmas Eve (Wednesday), December 24 (7pm)
Redeemer’s annual Candlelight Service of Lessons and
Carols

This is the final event in the Advent season of reflection which is a service of praise and reflection, another ideal service to invite friends.

Brothers and sisters, it is my sincere prayer that Advent will be a time for us to reflect on the absolute faithfulness of God to fulfill His promises. May this particular Advent season serve to bring glory to God as His people sing praise to Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do!

In the Lamb,
Pastor Tony Felich