Advent Wednesday and Christmas Day Worship
(Wednesday P otluck Supper at 6 p.m. & Worship at 7 p.m.)
This Advent Wednesda y series will look at three father-son relationships found in the Old Testa ment. These stories will explore the hopes and expectations that the father s had for their sons but will especially look at the disappointment that ea ch father faced as his son failed to meet expectations. What is our hope wh en expectations aren’t met and we face deep disappointments? Ultimately, ou r hope is in the perfect Father-and-Son relationship: the one shared by our heavenly Father and His only begotten Son upon whom God smiled and said, “ This is My Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
November 30 • “This Is My Son: Cain” (Genesis 4:1-16): Our hopes and f ears are real. They can distract us from God’s promises. God’s promise was from the beginning spoken to Adam and Eve. Salvation would come through the woman’s offspring (Genesis 3:15). But it would not be Cain, the son of Ada m. The true Son of Adam is Jesus, the Son of God. Our attention and faith d irects our hopes and fears to God’s Son, in whom we receive adoption as son s and daughters in the family of God.
December 7 • “This Is My Son: I shmael” (Genesis 16:1-16): Like us, Abraham struggled as God’s promise seem ed less likely to come about, especially as the years passed into decades. As our faith may at times grow weak, we are tempted to take matters into ou r own hands, only to discover that our efforts fail. God’s Word and Spirit strengthens our faith, even in the face of all doubts, to wait upon God's s ure and gracious promises. The true Son of Abraham is the One whom God has sent and designated, saying, “This is My beloved Son.” Jesus brings all of God’s promises together to make us sons and daughters of God.
Decembe r 14 • “This Is My Son: Absalom” (2 Samuel 18:24-33): We often pin our hope s on passing things and even on people who cannot save. God’s promise of a Savior from sin and death, first given to our first parents and then again to our “father in faith,” Abraham, was increased to the great king David, w hose hopes were dashed with tears at the death of his son Absalom. Faith mu st hang on to the depth of God’s promise. It would be generations before Go d would finally send His own perfect Son, whose Baptism, suffering, death, and rising would bring forgiveness, life, and salvation to all who are chil dren of God by faith in Jesus, great David’s greater Son.
December 25 • “This Is My Son: Jesus” (John 1:1-18): The ultimate gift of God, promise d at the very beginning of our need for a Savior from sin and from the last enemy, death, who comes as the offspring of the woman, was fulfilled throu gh the house and lineage of David in the Son of Mary of Nazareth, the Son o f God. On Christmas Day, we celebrate God’s ultimate gift–our Lord and Savi or Jesus Christ!
(Christmas Day Worship at 9:30 a.m.)
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