Saying YES at Christmas

This past Sunday was an incredible day for us as a church. You see, I have been around church along time and never cease to get excited when church happens. Not just a service or some songs - as great as that might be, but when people connect together and are the church - doing what God called the church to do. Worship, celebrate, encourage, serve and pray. It was happening Sunday and even in the cold room. They are installing the last pieces this week and we should have heat too. Thanks for your patience. But what really got me this past Sunday was the presence of God. Sermons are great and I thought the new series start moved very well and our worship time was great too but all because of God's presence.Without His presence what we do at the church is just religious stuff that anyone can do but with His presence things happen that we could never do on our own.Allow me to use some of the Yes Steps we shared from Mary's Journey this past Sunday as a portion of the teaching:
YES Steps:
Conformity with God
This step is where we agree with God and all that He is asking of us. At this season what is He asking you to do for Him. As we move into 2008 and greater opportunities for ministry and serving one another, what is He wanting you to conform too? His call may be teaching and serving our children and we definitely have need there or assisting us in caring for people in need and time of counsel, prayer, hospital visitation, grief support and more. What is God placing on your heart. Now I did not mention that here so we could drum up more people on our servants team but for the simple reason of reminding you that this season is what it is because Jesus moved in conformity with the will of God as did Mary, the wise men, shepherds and others.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (NIV)
Mary was very open to changing her thoughts to include now and embrace now, God's purpose for her. Read her words below that are so very moving.
Luke 1:38 I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."....(NIV)That is a huge statement. Mary does not seek, security, comfort and prosperity which are so much the mind and heart of today's American Church, but rather she responded to the call of God to the very core of her heart - "Have it your way, Lord."Mary never says: help me, save me or make me look good, Lord.She simply says: "May it be as you have said." This is my prayer for you! And I encourage you to pray it as well.
Conceiving God’s Dream
God gives us an idea, dream or vision and so many times we cast them off as not making sense or not working. So many ideas are lost because the willingness to pay the price is lost. Someone may say: "I will do this" and then after assessing the cost and considering the discomfort of carrying the vision and the potential of labor pains and delivery, decide to let go in the hopes that God will find someone else to carry out His vision or plan. So often people "miscarry" God's dream.Others never bring the dream to reality because they do not see it through with a clear plan - while the dream is with them, it is never brought forth and may even be talked about for months or years to come with no action taking place. Do not forget that God is an incredible creator, visionary and He often uses visions and dreams and creative energy to speak to us and show us a preferable future. God who is the great creator – and has an imagination larger than we can understand. A virgin birth is very creative and was not done simply to wow the onlookers or those of us who know of the Savior. It was to allow the Savior to come through divine means and natural means. Jesus is very much God and very much man, so the Holy Spirit overshadows Mary. Divinity and Humanity together - amazingly creative in the full sense of the phrase.How God acts is by placing the ideas and creative thoughts inside of us. As I stated Sunday, it is amazing to me that one of the places where imagination, creativity and the phrase, Imagineering take shape are at a place synonymous with one name; Disney. Nothing wrong with Disneyland, I love it until I see the prices, but to know that the magic kingdom is not the Kingdom of God and that we could do so much more if we would only embrace, "Be it done to me as you say, Dear God - just as you say."God's Kingdom is made up of people who are in submission to the ruler of the Kingdom.
Luke 1: 32 & 33 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (NIV)
Connected to Community.
And in Mary’s case she sets the example for us. She did not go it alone. She had others like Elizabeth who encouraged her and Joseph who went the distance with her. True partnerships and people she allowed to be a part of her dream. She allowed some unlikely candidates to be in on it too. The wise men, the rough and tough shepherds and more.God births ideas in people who are connected to Him and connected to community.God works in community. He works in and through teams. DOING CHURCH as a TEAM is not only a great book or a concept we embrace as a church, it is God's idea. He assures us that where two or more are gathered, He is there. He encourages us to connect with one another and not simply at a superficial level, which is so often our default -but deeply and to live out together the dreams that God has given.Who is God nudging your towards? Who can you have become part of your dream or whose dream can you assist in releasing?This past Sunday while great things happened here, a tragedy was unfolding at another church, New Life in Colorado Springs. The shooting that by now you have no doubt heard about, reminds us of the human condition and why we need a Savior in the first place. The shooting also reminds us of God's grace. You see, the services had let out some 25 minutes earlier and 4,500 people had left the second service with Pastor Jack Hayford, our Foursquare President as the guest speaker. It is amazing that so many lives were spared in what could have been so much worse.I hate the impact of sin anytime, but particularly in this month when we celebrate the coming of the Savior to "save his people from their sins."I hope as you celebrate you'll appropriately pay attention to those who are lonely, alone, and broken this season. I hope as you celebrate you will say YES to all that God has for you in this season and beyond.Go ahead and step out - serve, give, share, pray and say to God: Be it done to me just as you say!
I love being your pastor,
Pastor Bernie