Have you ever been somewhere and a message was given with a sense of urgency that you can’t miss this.  K Mart used to do their blue light special so that everyone would see the great deal.  Businesses often will rent a spotlight to shine in the sky to make sure people see what is going on.  Now we have people spinning g signs outside of businesses and of course the wavy inflatable man to attract attention (we actually have one of those here at Advent that we have used for special events).  We get an announcement at the beginning of Hebrews 2 about how important it is to listen to the message of Jesus.  Let’s look at the passage together today. 

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. …9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

We are told to pay special attention because of the importance of the message and so that we will not drift away.  Drifting is our natural course.  We have to work and be intentional to not drift.  In a boat you must anchor or use your motors to hold a position.  If not the current and waves will move you away from where you want to be.  The very same is true in our faith journey.  Unless we are anchored to Jesus and His message we will drift.  Unless we are actively fighting against the waves and currents of life we will just float along.  The author of Hebrews reminds us of just how important the message of Jesus is to help us hold our position.  Hold fast to the message of Jesus and you will stand firm.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever seen a child who was the spitting image of their parent?  Or maybe even a child who acted or talked exactly like their parent.  It is always interesting to see.  The Bible talks about Jesus as being the exact representation of God the Father.  He doesn’t simply look like God or speak like Him.  He is God.  A child looks like their parent because of biology or maybe acts like them because they truly want to be like them.  Not Jesus, He simply is like God because He is God.  Let’s look together at what the author of Hebrews says about this. 

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

The book of Hebrews was written to a Jewish audience with the primary purpose being to show them how awesome Jesus is.  He is better than Moses, better than any priest, better than angels.  He is in fact God in a bod.  An exact representation of the Father.  The creator of the universe and the sustainer of all things.  Let’s spend the next few weeks looking at Jesus through the book of Hebrews and hopefully we will all walk away with a fresh sense of just how amazing He is. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Here at Advent we use the motto, Love is why we are here. We will often fall short in this quest but it is certainly our goal to live by.  This idea is not unique to us at all.  The old Christian hymn, they will know we are Christians by our Love, utilizes this idea and I John 4:7-16 talks about the same thing.  Let’s look at it together today.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

A Christian is quite simply a follower of Christ.  As followers of Christ we are called to love like He demonstrates love.  God is the source of love.  Jesus gave us the example of love and now we are called to bring that love to the world.  Today and every day make it a point to reach out and show love to someone in an intentional way.  A quick text, a note, an act of service to help someone, maybe even a tiny gift.  You never know how God may use your small act of love to encourage another person. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

It seems like there are a lot of people and ideologies out there that think they have the corner on truth.  Everywhere you turn someone is saying that they are right and everyone else is wrong.  Just the other day I watched a news story about an event going on and three news stations reported that they had the exclusive truth about the incident.  Each story was completely different and as it turns out it appears now after the fact that they were all wrong.  So how do we get at truth?  I John 4 talks about this very thing in regards to faith at least (I can’t help with the news) lets look at it together today. 

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Have you ever received an amazing gift?  Perhaps something extravagant or lavish.  Something far beyond what you would do for yourself.  I can recall several gifts that i have received like that where I was truly overwhelmed.  When you receive such a gift you truly feel loved and appreciated.  You feel a sense of great connection to the giver of the gift.  That is the way that the Bible describes God’s love for us.  Let’s look together at what it says in I John 3. 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Hello Advent Family,

One of the great misconceptions about following Jesus has been the same from the time of the Pharisees to today.  It is so easy to stumble into the idea that we earn God’s favor by being good.  I have had many conversations with people who thought that they were not good enough for Jesus.  The reality is they were right – none of us are.  Thank goodness God embraces us because of Jesus’ goodness not our own.  The thing is once we follow Jesus He begins working in our life and makes us more and more like Him.  Let’s look together at I John 1 today.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

God is in the forgiveness business.  He forgives us in the midst of our sin but He doesn’t leave us there.  He works through His Spirit to help us walk more and more in the light.  We will always struggle and fail and He is always there to forgive but as we grow in our faith journey He gives us the strength to overcome.  I pray that today and everyday God works in us all to help us walk more and more in the light.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever been on a team where you were supremely confident because of who was on your team?  I once challenged a buddy to doubles tennis and he was a better player than me.  I knew I was going to win because at the time my sister was dating a guy who played professional tennis and he was going to be my partner.  I knew that I couldn’t lose.  I witnessed this yesterday at summer camp as kids were playing games and one team was saying we are going to win because we have Christian on our team.  The other team was complaining that they wanted him on their team so that they could win.  God reminds us throughout scripture that He is on our team.  Let’s look together at one such passage in Isaiah 41.

“But you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    you descendants of Abraham my friend,

I took you from the ends of the earth,
    from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
    I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“All who rage against you
    will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
    will be as nothing and perish.

Though you search for your enemies,
    you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
    will be as nothing at all.

For I am the Lord your God
    who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
    I will help you.

Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
    little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord,
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

God is reminding us that we will prevail because He is on our team.  He has our back.  That truth should give us confidence as we journey through life.  God is on your team!  You can boldly share His love with the world knowing that He is with you each and every step of the way.  He is with us at our jobs, as we struggle through challenging situations, even as we play or engage in our hobbies (although He hasn’t offered any help in my short game in golf).  God is with you, always.

Have you ever been in the midst of one of the storms of life and wondered why?   Why is this happening, why am I walking through this struggle? Often we never get answers to the why’s of life but the good news is we always know the who.  Who is in control? Who loves me through this storm? Who never will leave me?  It’s always Jesus.  It’s interesting that God actually gives Pharaoh a why in the midst of bringing down judgment through the plagues.  Let’s look at the passage together today.

 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 17 You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. 18 Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. 19 Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.’” 20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. 21 But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.

It’s interesting that God tells Pharaoh His purpose.  He says that Pharaoh is actually a part of God’s plan.  His stubbornness actually goes on to serve God’s purpose and plan.  Some times after we walk through a time of struggle God’s plan and purpose become evident to us.  I can look back on several of those seasons in my own life and clearly see that God was at work.  Other times I can look at and not see anything.  The truth that I can hold too is that God was with me through all of those times.  In good times and bad.  He is with you and He loves you and He is at work.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Today is Olympics Day at our elementary summer camp.  Kids will be competing in a variety of fun and crazy games today and winning interesting prizes.  Whenever I think of competition I am reminded of my sports days.  I remember how hard I would work to try and be successful for whatever I was competing in, particularly baseball.  I also am reminded of the following passage from I Timothy 4, let’s look at it together today.

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Physical training is important.  The Bible doesn’t knock it.  We are simply reminded of the even more significance of godliness.  How much do we “train” for that?  I don’t know if any of the kids have been in training for the ice cream eating competition they will have in camp today but I do know we should all be in training in our spiritual lives.  I love Paul’s words in Philippians –  “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him…  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Let’s press on toward our goal of knowing Jesus more and more, embracing His love, and sharing that love with the world.