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Advent Sermon Series 2019

November 26, 2019
26 Nov 2019

Even So, Come

He which testifieth these things saith, “Surely I come quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

These words are found in the final verses of Revelation (Rev. 20:22), which are the final verses of scripture. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” is a response to the One who promises he is coming soon. It is a way of saying “we know you are coming Lord, and indeed, we desire for your coming to be soon at hand.” We need you Jesus, come into our world, our lives, our hearts.

These sentiments are the focus of our Advent worship. Jesus has come, is here, and promises to come again, and yet, often we see that this world, and our own lives do not align to God’s desires, and so we say, come, Lord Jesus. We desire for the peace, the true love, the compassion, and the generosity of Christ to fill us, to give us hope, and to change us to be more like himself.

Come, Lord Jesus. This is our Advent prayer.

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Midweek Meditation; Dec. 6, 2017

December 6, 2017
06 Dec 2017

Slow Down! Quiet. It’s Advent!

Slow down! This might be the last thing on your mind during this season of Advent. Rather than encouraging ways to slow down, Advent (the 4 weeks preceding Christmas) seem purpose made for causing stress, creating busy calendars, and leaving little time for rest.

But if there is anything we should be encouraged to do during this season, it is to slow down. Be quiet.

In doing so, we join in with the “great cloud of witnesses” who have waited on God, and the sending of his Son, through the ages. Before the birth of Christ, the people of Israel longed for God to establish his plan of salvation, sending them the Messiah for whom they had long hoped. Waiting, watching, was filled with longing and angst for the difficult things of the world to be made right, that hope might be found in Immanuel. Today, we still wait with anticipation, but now for the second coming, the return of Christ as God has promised.

But how can we teach ourselves to wait well? How can we practice patience and intentional anticipation during this season? One first step might be to evaluate our days and our weeks. What things are we doing that are keeping us from finding time for the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love this season is meant to help us see? Friends of Sandi and I who also have young kids made the agreement this year that husband/dad would take care of all the family gifts, so that wife/mom could focus time with the kids, paying attention to small joys of the season.

For you, maybe waiting well means avoiding social media, doing one Advent “thing” with the family every day, or making sure to take time to explore the story again as you mark the Advent calendar, or re-arrange the nativity set. Of course, our worship services can also be great times to watch and to wait. The hymns we sing and the readings we hear are there to remind us of this theme: watch, wait, and be quiet, the Christ is coming soon.

I pray you find time to wait this season. To slow down, to be quiet, and to watch. Hope is coming soon. Peace can be found. Joy has been revealed. Love has come down.

~Pastor Mike Middaugh

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thank you to everyone who stayed after the service on Sunday to help decorate the Sanctuary. The church looks great, and will be enjoyed by many through this Advent and Christmas season!

Advent midweek services begin today, December 6th. This year’s theme is “A Story in Song,” and we will take a close look at some of the most well-known Christmas hymns along with their history. Join us for these services in the Calvary Chapel at 7:30pm. A light meal will be served at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall.

Breakfast with Santa will take place this Saturday, December 9th from 8:30-11am at Calvary. All are invited to attend. The cost is $4 per person which buys a hot, hearty breakfast, fellowship time, an opportunity to help pack “Boxes of Love” going to those in need, and of course time with the big guy himself. Event Volunteers are also very needed to do an assortment of jobs from setup, to cleanup, and help during the event.

The Women of Calvary are preparing for their annual Christmas Potluck dinner. All women are invited to attend the dinner on December 12th, with appetizers and fellowship at 6:30pm and dinner at 7:00pm. The evening will include a program related to the advent season. There is no cost to attend, but new, unwrapped toys are being collected for donation to A Wider Circle.

Help a Calvary family with a Meal! Meals are being collected for the Kimimino family as they continue adapting to life with two children. If you are able to help out, follow this link to sign up https://mealtrain.com/dm0m2v

This Sunday

The readings are: Isaiah 40:1-11; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8.

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Awaiting an Advent (Pt. 2)

December 7, 2016
07 Dec 2016

-by Pastor Mike Middaugh

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”

These words indicate that an epic story is about to be told. Similarly “once upon a time,” and “some years ago” are phrases that prepare us for the beginning of a great adventure, a myth, legend, or fantasy that promises to sweep us away to a new land where anything might happen.

Onativity-dark-skyften, these stories contain timeless truths and lessons worth learning, but one thing is certain about stories that begin this way, we never mistake them for being real.

It is striking then, by comparison, that the New Testament Gospels decidedly do not begin in this way. Matthew introduces his account with the words “This is the genealogy of Jesus Christ” and goes on to name names, concluding with the statement that  “there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah”. Matthew gets specific, and explicit.

If anything, we as the reader of these words are supposed to take notice – what comes next is not a tale or metaphor, but reality, it actually happened. Luke even writes at the beginning of his book, “I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, and I too decided to write an orderly account for you . . . so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”

Here is why this matters. If the gospels were good advice, another story with a moral, then we could read them and learn how to live as better people. But the gospels are not good advice, they are good news – accounts of things that have taken place. Advice encourages the listener to take action. News informs us that some action has already taken place, and now there is an opportunity to respond.

The difference is significant. Imagine if you received word that your favorite professional team was short players and needed you for the next game. You would suddenly be desperate for good advice. You would want a trainer, a coach, and your teammates to help you perform your best. But, if instead, you received news that your favorite team had just won the championship, you would no longer be worried about seeking advice. Instead you would celebrate. The game is over, your team has done it!

And so it is with the gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ. We don’t come to this story to get swept away to a distant land, or to a place where magic exists. Instead, we find a historic reality. And what a reality it is! The gospels contain miracles – sight for the blind, food for the hungry, a cure for the sick – epic battles – Jesus versus Satan, John the Baptist versus Herod, the disciples versus wind and wave – and a great protagonist, tragically heroic, who gives his life for his people. Everything you might want to fill out a great fantasy adventure.

But instead of being one more myth or legend pointing to some underlying reality we might wish for (true love’s kiss, a whole new world, happily ever after) the gospel is the underlying reality to which all the other stories point.

It is true, it is real, it is woven into history, and it is for you.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
–Isaiah 9:6

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Awaiting an Advent (Pt. 1)

November 30, 2016
30 Nov 2016

~by Pastor Mike Middaugh

christmas-present-ffWe wait better as children than we do as adults.

Sure, children may wait impatiently. They may ask, Are we there yet? Is it time now? Why, Dada, why? But children wait with focus. They wait with diligence. Children wait with determination and unbridled hope.

As adults we often don’t wait so well. If the answer is “not yet”, we may choose to fill the void with distraction, or perhaps a reward that is, ultimately, second best. We are used to having control, to being in charge, and so waiting, is hard.

But during advent we are invited to join in the longstanding practice of waiting on God. We are called to once again rely on God’s timing and not ours. And as we wait, we are encouraged to wait with hope. To be still and see God’s promises unfolding. To again here the Words and know, God is coming. God has come. He will come again. Jesus is with us now, and yet greater things are nigh.

Most of us can remember what it was like to wait for Christmas as a child. The greatest prize then, might have been the presents under the tree. Our hope was wrapped up in those boxes. We knew that joy was just waiting to be unleashed. Of course, every one of those gifts, wonderful for a moment, were eventually broken, stored away, or forgotten. They lasted for a while.

And perhaps that is the one aspect of waiting we get right as adults. We can now understand what true hope is, and what real salvation looks like. No longer is a new toy, or game our greatest desire. Now we long for larger prizes – justice, peace, and a world without pain.

The good news is, as we are reminded again this season, God’s presents and promises are big enough to solve our deepest needs. If we wait on God, we will not be dissapointed. God’s gifts never grow old.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
                               -Isaiah 40:30-31

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