Grace’s Latest Messages
Recognizing the Work of God (Matthew 2:19-23)
Our sermon series this Advent has been called, "God at Work."
Throughout this month, we've looked at how God brought together personal choices, a miraculous conception, political forces, and even astronomical phenomena to carrying out His purposes.
With Christmas, it's easy to be confident that this was God's doing. But today when something happens, how do you know it's God at work? Aren't there a lot of times that people claim something is the work of God, but it's really just personal charisma, social forces, or (in darker situations) people using religious language to manipulate others?
This week at Grace, we'll be finishing our advent series in Matthew 2:19-23. In this little passage we see three distinctions that help Joseph (and us today) rightly make distinctions around the work of God.
Look forward to seeing you Sunday at Grace!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
-Matthew 2:19-23
The Christmas Card You Never Got (Matthew 2:11-18)
We've been making our way through Matthew's gospel (chapters 1 and 2) as part of our Advent series, "God at work." And as we've been reading these familiar passages each week, I can't help but think of children's plays, with their casting of Sheep #1 and Sheep #2 or A Charlie Brown Christmas where Linus reminds everyone of the true meaning of Christmas when he reads from Luke chapter 2.
The cast of characters is memorable: Jesus, of course. Mary and Joseph. Shepherds and Wise Men. Every year, whether religious or not, people seem to genuinely look forward to hearing the Christmas news, "For unto you is born in this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
I wonder how often we wonder what this Savior is saving us from. Why a Savior is needed at all.
If we just needed better instruction, we'd be welcoming a heavenly Teacher this Christmas.
If we just needed a moral example, we'd be welcoming a heavenly Boy Scout.
But if we need rescue. If we need deliverance from circumstances that we can't change. If we need someone to save us from our sins (someone to do something about all sin) then no one but a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, will do.
Join us this Sunday as we continue our Advent series with a message titled, "The Christmas card you never got" from Matthew 2:13-18.
Hope to see you soon!
- Pastor Tim
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
-Matthew 2:11-18
Seeking God (Matthew 2:1-12)
So, are you ready for Christmas?
When I hear that question, my blood pressure ticks up a bit. I think of all the things I don’t have yet - gifts for people I love, plans nailed down, and a message for Christmas Eve (okay, that last one might be a weird pastor-problem).
While the anxiety of the season can put a strain on our souls, it can also offer a silver lining by reminding us that we are currently living in the age of preparation. While it can be embarrassing to come to Christmas day with no gift ready for our spouse, it is much worse (infinitely, so) to come to the return of Jesus unprepared.
Advent is a time of preparation, shaping our hearts to notice God.
This week at Grace, we’re continuing our series “God at Work.” In Matthew 2:1-12, the famous passage about the coming of the wise men, we see two conflicting approaches to preparation - on the one hand, magi that put everything they had into finding God. On the other, Herod's fear-based attempts to avoid God.
Looking forward to preparing with you on Sunday!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
-Matthew 2:1-12
A Surprising God (Matthew 1:18-25)
Since moving to Southern CA, I've ridden up and down PHC on my bike dozens of times. Most days have been glorious, sunny days with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. The one thing that is a consistent challenge on those rides is the WIND.
When I ride into a strong headwind, it's about all I can think about. "I'm not going very fast," "my legs hurt," and "I wonder when I'll make it home?" are some of the common refrains that pass through my mind. With all the energy I devote to these headwinds, can you guess how much I think about the tailwind at my back pushing me forward? Almost never.
This analogy feels true to life. All of us are facing some opposing "headwinds," some of us to an enormous degree. And those "headwinds" often get a disproportionate amount of our mental energy. But, in the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday we just celebrated, we're going to concentrate our thoughts on the "tailwinds" pushing us forward in our new Advent sermon series "God At Work."
Over the next few weeks, we'll be digging deep into Matthew's account of Jesus's birth and early childhood, Christmas passages you'll likely be familiar with. Are adversities present in this historical account? Yes. Is God at work in the midst of it all? Absolutely.
This Sunday, God becomes a person (Matthew 1:18-25). I'm looking forward to worshiping Immanuel (God with us) together!
-Pastor Chris
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
-Matthew 1:18-25