Messy is beautiful

In our home we tend to cherish traditions during the Christmas season. There are the holiday movies that we hope will end with happy snuggles on the couch and will be free of distractions. The impromptu times of hopping in the car to drive around, oohing and awing at the beautifully decorated homes with twinkling lights in hope that the wonder in the kids eyes will match the effort made on our part as parents. Or, the baking sessions that will produce fun family memories and Pinterest worthy Christmas treats. Then reality happens, and movie time is filled with shush's and "get off your phone" quarrels. The awe and wonder of twinkling lights turns in to heated words of who is touching who and statements of boredom that grate on the very last nerve you had left for the evening. And the Pinterest worthy treats are only as good as the incredible mess left in their wake.

When the wise men came to visit Jesus, they didn't find a perfectly manicured scene like we tend to have been taught growing up. There wasn't a shepherd boy standing nearby, or a fluffy white lamb keeping this heavenly baby warm as he lay in a perfectly situated manager. Mary and Joseph were not lovingly looking down at a baby that apparently glows with light. In Matthew 2 we read that the wise men entered the house where the child was. This gives us a few clues that they were no longer in the stable and Jesus was no longer a baby but a toddler. It also tells us that, according to the timeline of when the star appeared, Herod asked not just for all of the babies to be killed, but all male children under the age of 2. That doesn't leave very Pinterest worthy pictures in our mind does it? Because of this, Mary and Joseph must flee to Egypt.

These key clues are very important for us to know in understanding the fulfillment of the prophecies given by the prophets in the old testament. It was foretold that "out of Egypt I called my son". They fled to Egypt and then God called them out of Egypt and they moved from there to Nazareth, where this young man would be known as Jesus of Nazareth. 

Just as our family traditions don't ever seem to go as picture perfect as planned, the Christmas story, a bit of messy story, is not perfectly put together, but beautifully orchestrated to share the greatest gift to all! Spend time this season remembering that, through the mess, His story is truly full of beauty!

Blessings~

Rhiannon

Next week: Moses was born and called

Why a baby?

Like a 3 year old child, staring at the wonders of the world, I tend to find myself asking "why" many times through out the story of Christmas. One particular question that is asked often in my mind is, "why did he come as a baby?" Why didn't God send his only Son as a grown man? Wouldn't that have felt more miraculous? Wouldn't it have been more impactful at the time to all of the sudden have this man appear, descending from Heaven, on billowing white clouds? Wouldn't it have made it more believable that He was indeed the son of God?

The answer to these questions, and more is that, a real human debt had to be paid for a real human sin.

In order for God to complete His promise to provide us with a savior, Jesus, the sacrifice for our sins, needed to be fully human. He needed to be fashioned within the womb of a mother. To develop and grow through childhood, adolescent and young adult years. He needed to understand our humanity in a real and relevant way, to become the real human sacrifice that would save us from our sins and offer us a hope for eternal life in Heaven with Him. 

Like a wrapped present under the Christmas tree, we are filled with anticipation to catch a glimpse of what is inside. Through the miracle of God becoming man, the box under the Christmas tree is unwrapped and we can stand in awe of the gift inside. The story of a real God, becoming a real human to become the sacrifice paid for our real sin. 

The story of Christmas is only complete with the understanding that it is finished at the cross! 

As we approach this Christmas with our kids, let's point them past the details of the story, {the manager, the wise men, the shepherds} and share the why of such an amazing gift that came to us as a baby! 

Merry Christmas!

Blessings~

Rhiannon

Weekend of December 17+18

Finishing Strong -- Can you imagine being the tie-breaking vote for your candidate in a local or national election? The reality is that every vote turns out to be a tie-breaker when you win by one. Every vote counts.  So as we end our fiscal year, we need all hands on deck to begin next year with a firm financial foundation. Every dollar will count. 

Chosen

When I was in school, I used to dread when it came time to pick teams in gym class. It wasn't that I was bad at sports or even that it was a fear of being picked last. It was simply just the anxiety of when, and which team captain would choose me. There were the other classes that the teacher would start calling on students to answer questions. I avoided eye contact and tried to look distracted so that the teacher would not call on me. (I never figured out that behavior actually made them call on me!) The last thing I wanted in either of those times was to be chosen.

In the beginning of Luke we learn of an angel named Gabriel, who was to deliver a message to a young woman by the name of Mary. The message was one of great importance. One that would change her life forever. It was a message that would fulfill Old Testament prophecies. It, however, was also a message that would bring suffering and heartache. The message? "Rejoice! Mary, you are chosen!" 

God chose Mary, and Joseph, to be the earthly parents of Jesus. By grace, He chose them! With amazement in her heart, she quietly expresses her humble obedience. What an amazing responsibility and privilege.

In submitting to God's plan for her life, Mary chose to magnify God. Likewise, Jesus magnifies His Father through His obedient life. The prophets told of His coming hundreds of years before His birth. God was working out His plan to bring His people back to Himself. The good news that Jesus was coming to the world was good because of WHY He was coming."He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) 

The announcement of Jesus birth is not the beginning of the gospel; God has been planning this moment since before the beginning of time!

Talk with you kids this week about why Jesus was born and what it must have felt like to be chosen, like Mary. Share with them has God has chosen them to magnify the Lord also. 

I may have "suffered" through when and who would choose me in gym class, but we never need doubt that the Lord our Father, has chosen us! 

Blessings~

Rhiannon

 

*Next week: Jesus is born!

 

 

Suffering traced with a golden lining: Joseph

Joseph went through some great suffering. The picture of his life is filled with moments of darkness traced with golden linings. It's a story filled with favor, and betrayal. Fear and jealousy. It's filled with good times and bad times, rises and falls. Despair and hope. Pieces of his story can so easily wrap around our hearts like a blanket of familiarity. The rises and the falls, though not in the same fashions, are events we can all relate to. Even our kids.

Suffering looks different for everyone. Hardship holds every heart in a different way. Troubles face us all down in many different forms, yet, they lace all of our days. We, as parents, want to hope that our kids are shielded from the hardships, but we can quickly miss the stress of homework, words a friend said or actions done that caused hurt, a small rejection from a sibling or even just confusions of growing up. These are all little pieces of hardships and sufferings for them, that give us the opportunity to share the story of Jesus. A story mirrored by the story of Joseph. A great story of hardship, suffering, forgiveness and hope. 

You see, God has a plan. He has a plan to take all that is intended for evil and use it for His good. He sent Joseph ahead of his brothers, although through some very hard times, so that he could save his family during the time of famine. Likewise, those who crucified Jesus intended it for evil, but God's plan was for the good of all people. Through Jesus' death on the cross, God saved a remnant of people. 

God calls us, even our kids, to trust Him to fulfill His promises, because when hardships appear to thwart His mission, God is faithful to use even the hardship as part of His plan to bring glory to His son. 

Read the story of Joseph with your kids this week and take the time to teach the connections of Joseph's story to the story of Jesus and remind them of the hope that comes in God's promises! 

~ Blessings, 

Rhiannon

*Next week: An Angel Speaks to Mary & Joseph

 

Thank you!

Thank you for all you do in helping us bring the story of God to life!

Find your serving 'zone'

If you already serve in some capacity at Five Oaks, you know when it’s the right fit: you grow in this role, and our church body benefits from that contagiousness. When you serve, it’s because of you that we can bring the story of God to life each week. 

Finding the right serving fit may mean you try a few areas on for size — that’s OK! If you are looking to start serving but aren’t sure where to serve, consider trying out a new serving role or ministry for Christmas. We always need extra hands and hearts at Christmas time with several additional worship services. Another great way to help at Christmas time is to consider serving in a new area with your whole family, or with your small group.  

To get connected, you may email Jennifer Clemens, our Serve Coordinator, at jclemens@fiveoakschurch.org. She will contact you and walk you through the process to begin serving at Five Oaks.