1ST Reader: Today we are thanking God that Jesus has brought JOY into our world. JOY is one of the special gifts of Christmas that Jesus can give us. JOY is not pretending that we are always happy and that nothing bothers us. JOY comes when we realize how much we are loved by God and that Jesus has come to be with us always. Whatever is happening in our lives, we can discover JOY in the good news of Jesus our Saviour, the Messiah, Who came to save us from our sins.
2ND Reader: The JOY that Jesus gives is worth discovering. We do not have to search for this JOY. Jesus is just waiting for us to turn to Him and to receive the JOY that He wants to give us. JOY is found in Jesus. The closer we come to Jesus, the more JOY we can experience. This Christmas of 2023, we continue to live in very uncertain and unsettled times. Will we choose to have JOY because we have found Jesus?
3rd Reader: Today we light this candle of JOY knowing and having experienced that Jesus brings JOY. We want to come closer with Jesus. He calls us to become more like Him. We want to keep on knowing more and more of Him and His purpose for our lives. We can know Jesus and the JOY that only He can give. (Light the candle of JOY)
4th Reader: We will pray together, “Thank you God that we can celebrate with JOY this Christmas because of Jesus and the JOY found in Him as the Messiah. Thank you that the JOY that Jesus gives is not just for Christmas, but for every day. Thank You that over and over You bring JOY to us and to our families. Even when we are going through things that are hard, the JOY found in Jesus does not disappear. We want to become more like Jesus. We want to trust that You will help us to know and to share Your JOY that gives us strength each day leading up to Christmas, and every day ahead. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN”
John 1:29-42
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him. 33 And I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” He replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
John 1:14-29 JOY IS FOUND IN JESUS: “MESSIAH” Springford Baptist Church: December 17, 2023.
The compelling events of the long awaited Messiah (The Anointed One) entering our world begin with the announcement that the angel made to the shepherds, “… I bring you good news of great JOY” (Luke 2:10)
When the shepherds heard this news, they could not wait to rush into Bethlehem to find Jesus.
JOY is found in Jesus because He is none other than the Messiah, the One God promised to send.
When Jesus, God’s Son grew to adulthood and came on the scene and was recognized by John the Baptist the JOY was confirmed. The Messiah had been found! Andrew cannot wait to tell his brother Simon, “We have found the Messiah, that is the Christ”! (John 1:41)
I am wondering this morning about the JOY that it is possible to experience in discovering Jesus as the Messiah.
It seems that children have an excited wonder about Christmas. They are filled with JOY and anticipation.
Sometimes over the years that JOY seems to fade. There are adults however who are still have JOY in their hearts in the celebration of Christmas.
Any one of us can expect to be filled with JOY if we are recognizing this Jesus as the Messiah.
God knew the brokenness of our world and that there would need to be an answer to this brokenness and despair caused by sin.
Only Jesus the “Messiah” can be the answer!
The word Messiah comes from a Hebrew word that means “anointed one”. This was used to specifically point out those whom God had appointed for a special assignment or purpose. When someone was anointed, they were set apart to fulfill God’s plan.
We can have JOY unspeakable knowing, as Andrew discovered, that the Messiah has been found.
Jesus came to fulfill God’s plan. He, the Messiah, was appointed for this special assignment and purpose.
We need only look at the desperate state of our world to know that we need saving from sin and destruction. We need a messiah and Jesus is that Messiah!
I can hear JOY in Andrew bursting out with the news he tells his brother Simon (later called Peter), “We have found the Messiah”! (John 1:41)
This is life changing news, but there is more to the complete plan and purpose of God in sending Jesus to be our Messiah.
We must chose what we will do with knowing that Jesus the Messiah has been found. We must recognize the need to be found by Him. When we come to Jesus knowing that we are lost without him, there is outrageous JOY in the experience of being found by Jesus our Messiah. This is the height of JOY!
I want to tell you about the recent experience of my friend to help emphasize the significance of being found by Jesus.
My friend was in downtown Hamilton, hurrying to catch a bus. As she walked along, she saw a man lying on the sidewalk. He did not have a coat and was shivering with the cold and hardly able to speak. Another passer by wrapped his warm winter coat around the man. Then my friend phoned the police to get help for the man.
When the police officer arrived, he indicated that this man was a missing person who had been reported missing by a nearby care facility. The officer said to this man lying on the sidewalk, “You were lost, but now you are found”!
This reminds me of the line in the familiar hymn “Amazing Grace” : “I once was lost but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.”
The shepherds, after the angel announced the good news of great JOY, ran to find Jesus there in Bethlehem.
Some people search their whole lives for the meaning and purpose of life found in Jesus, the Messiah who came to set us free from sin.
Ultimately, it is a miraculous act of grace that we are found by Jesus.
We are like that man lying on the sidewalk, shivering and cold and so needing someone to find us.
Jesus the Messiah, the anointed one invited both Andrew and Simon his brother (later known as Peter to follow Him).
They found Jesus and they were found by Him and given a life purpose of helping others to find Jesus the Messiah and to be found by Him.
It is Simon who in answer to the question of Jesus, “But Who do you say that I am”? replies with great enthusiasm, “You are the Christ (same meaning as Messiah “Anointed One”) the Son of the Living God.” (matthew 16:16)
May we never take for granted finding Jesus as the Messiah and being found by Him. Jesus has fulfilled God’s plan and purpose by setting Jesus, the Messiah aside to give His life for our world, for each of us.
This time leading up to Christmas, we can thank God for this good news of great JOY that Jesus came to carry out God’s eternal plan to save us by sending the Messiah!!
Our Advent theme this week will be JOY. What brings you JOY? When we experience JOY, we are so completely focused on the moments that we are in and that becomes our exquisite gift. This was my experience this past Sunday at the Farewell and Retirement Open House hosted for me in Springford. When I walked into the hall and saw the tables beautifully decorated and the bountiful supply of homemade cupcakes and knew all that had gone into planning such a wonderful event, I felt JOY. With family and friends who came throughout the afternoon to express their love and to wish me well, I felt JOY. When lovely gifts were presented and people recounted what God has given us to share together in each other’s lives, I felt JOY. When I could thank everyone for their thoughtfulness, I felt JOY. When I prayed for all of us and our families thanking God for what He has done and asking for His continued blessing, I felt JOY. I am still marvelling at what God has done among us over the years and how we have known His constant care and guidance. I thank God and I thank all of you for the ways that we keep on discovering the JOY He gives. And then I think of the experience of the shepherds when they received the message of the angel, “… I bring you good news of great JOY that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:11) This was the announcement of Jesus being born and this was reason for extreme JOY! When we come to Christmas, we can be touched again by the miracle of a JOY that is so focused on the moments we are in that it becomes our exquisite gift. We can focus our wholehearted attention on the immensity of God’s love for our world that He would send Jesus to be our Saviour. This week’s prayer time will centre of thanking God again for the good news of great JOY with the arrival of Jesus. This news of Jesus entering our world impacts our lives and faith and it is news of JOY that can change the outlook of anyone who receives the gift of Jesus. We will pray with JOY when we pause for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow December 12th at 1 pm.
Thanking God for the JOY we can experience when we focus our attention on Jesus, Lola
Our Grace filled God, when we are able to taste JOY, we are deeply grateful. It is not that we are pretending that there are not troubling circumstances in our lives and world. It is a recognition that in the midst of so much bad news, there is still the remarkable good news of Jesus who has come to be our Saviour. Thank You for the JOY of relief that Jesus has come to save us. Thank You that our faith is in Jesus and not in ourselves. You give us many reasons for JOY, but none can compare to the great news of the gift of Jesus. We turn our attention to Jesus and we discover JOY. Today we thank You that we do not have to wait for heaven and our face to face encounter with Jesus to experience JOY. We are asking for hearts that will seek You and the JOY with which You can fill us. Thank You God that the JOY of knowing Jesus is not something that can be taken away from us. Our anxious worries and fears cannot steal away our JOY found in Jesus. The challenges of our health and the uncertainty of what the future might hold cannot rob us of JOY found in Jesus. The heartaches of misunderstandings and family tensions cannot take away our JOY found in Jesus. We do not overlook the pain of this world our God, yet it cannot and will not dissolve our JOY found in Jesus. You lift our attention to the message of the angel bringing good news of great joy for all the people. The arrival of Jesus did not transform the circumstances of an imperfect world into a perfect world. Then and now, there remain, countless situations of great heaviness and despair, but they do not quench the JOY found in Your Son Jesus. Thank You for eyes to see beyond present suffering to view the great JOY found in Jesus. Thank You God for the ways that we can anticipate JOY coming to us again after a time of sorrow. We want to pray for the ways that we can be messengers of JOY like the angel who appeared to the shepherds. Our prayer is for sensitivity to those who are hurting. We want to be messengers of the JOY that Jesus gives, but not with disregard for how someone else is feeling. Where people are afraid and disillusioned and tired of looking for something positive when there is so much negative pressing in, we pray for fresh revelation of the JOY that Jesus gives. Just as Jesus came to give evidence of good news of great joy, we pray that we will be the means of others finding Jesus and the JOY He offers. Please fill our hearts with JOY as we anticipate celebrating again the good news of great JOY that comes to us with the birth of Jesus.
And now as we approach the second Sunday in Advent and are preparing our hearts for Christmas, we will light the Advent Candle of PEACE. We are keenly aware of a longing for PEACE in our world. Everywhere we look there is a need for PEACE that only God can bring about. We know that God is ultimately the Giver of PEACE, yet Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) One of the active ways that we can be peacemakers is through prayer. When we pray, we invite God to be at work in us and through us. As believers all around our world are praying for PEACE, God can initiate activity in each of us that will lead to PEACE. How will we recognize peacemakers if we meet them on the street? Peacemakers will not be trying to draw attention to themselves. They will often go about ways of making PEACE that will be quiet and hardly noticed. Peacemakers will invite people to consider forgiveness. Peacemakers will attempt to show people how to cooperate instead of competing or fighting. Peacemakers will work hard to bring understanding between people. Peacemakers will help people to release anger and bitterness. Peacemakers will welcome each new day as an opportunity to experience and to bring PEACE. Peacemakers will be determined and will not give up when there is resistance. As we rely on God to help us, any of us can be effective peacemakers. The intention is not for the credit to go to us, but rather for a profound awareness of God and God’s provision for PEACE to be recognized. All of these descriptions of a peacemaker remind me of Jesus. He is the One Who has shown us how to be faithful children of God by being peacemakers. This week, we will pray and trust God to guide us to be peacemakers who will be blessed and who will bring the blessing of God’s enduring PEACE. Please plan to join us for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow December 6th at 1 pm.
Praying and trusting God for His PEACE to inhabit our hearts and for us to be His peacemakers, Pastor Lola
Our God Who has sent Jesus Your Son into our world to bring PEACE, we thank You that You can equip each of us to be peacemakers. This is a commitment that is demanding and so we look to You to sustain us in the effort required to be a peacemaker. Thank You for the PEACE that we have found in Jesus. We think of the ways that knowing Your PEACE inspires us to want to share Your PEACE with others. We come to you today to continue to pray for PEACE. We recognize that You have gifted us with PEACE in knowing You and Your abundant grace. We pray that those of us willing to be peacemakers will not be trying to draw attention to ourselves. We ask that we will be humble and wanting instead to draw attention to You. Please give us contentment in persistently being used by You in quiet ways to usher in PEACE. Thank You God that You have forgiven us. We see opportunities to invite people to consider PEACE as a powerful means of acting as peacemakers. Guide us we pray in demonstrating how to cooperate instead of competing or fighting. Reveal to us how we can build bridges of understanding. This will require people wanting to understand and we cannot accomplish this desire in people, but You can. We pray for Your love to infuse people in ways that will compel them to seek understanding and reconciliation. Where there is resistance in us to mend relationships or to admit how we have damaged loving communication with someone else, we look to You to make us examples of Your grace. It will be You enabling us to find PEACE with each other that will allow others to walk this same path of PEACE. Where we see anger and bitterness festering, we pray that we will not regard these circumstances as hopeless. On the wider world scene, there is such heightened anger and bitterness that could make PEACE appear impossible. We commit to continue to pray for PEACE when we find it hard to imagine how the damage done can ever be repaired. The miracle of Jesus’ birth that we celebrate at Christmas renews the promise for PEACE on earth. When this Holy Child was born, there was a promise for the possibility of PEACE that cannot be destroyed by hateful acts of sin and we want to remember that. We expect to see evidence of a PEACE that will spread from person to person as Your peacemakers are doing what You have called them to do. When people witness PEACE steadily taking over, it is our prayer that people will turn to You. It is our prayer that people will declare, “This can only be because of God”! Any small part that we can have in being peacemakers is a blessing. Any appreciation and praise that comes from being peacemakers goes to you. We pray that our dependence on You as Your children will grow ever stronger and that the impact of this dependence in a desire to be peacemakers will have a transforming influence that is widespread. Our God You have been a Peacemaker through Your Son Jesus, our Saviour and we want to follow in His footsteps of PEACE! May this be so. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
This coming Sunday will be the first Sunday in Advent leading up to Christmas. In the circle of candles in our Advent wreath, this week we will light the Advent Candle of HOPE. We are all aware of a desperate need for HOPE in our world today. There are so many examples of places where HOPE is needed. Unresolved conflict and war has us praying for the HOPE for peace. Rising costs and hunger and homelessness find us searching for answers and for HOPE. For those dealing with illness and in some cases being told there is nothing else that can be done medically, there is a longing for HOPE. In our relationships with family and friends where there is tension and brokenness and pain, we look for HOPE. In our personal circumstances where we wonder how we will face an uncertain future, there is a desire for HOPE. Sometimes looking for HOPE can be like searching the shelves of a store for a particular item. We may even go to multiple stores asking if they have available that for which we are looking. It is such a disappointment to be told, “Sorry, we are all out” or “We don’t carry that anymore.” In this season leading up to Christmas, we have good news to hold and to share. There remains the potential for HOPE in our world and in our personal lives. This HOPE might seem in short supply but we can remember that our God has infinite resources. The angel delivered the message to Mary, “You will be with child and will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31) When God sent Jesus into our world, HOPE was established for always. Our prayers this week will center around rediscovering the HOPE that God offers. Yes, HOPE can be obscured by the immensity of the problems we see all around us. Yet, we have the promise of HOPE because of Jesus, God’s Son who came to bring HOPE to our seemingly hopeless lives. We will pray this week that God will assist us in seeing and experiencing the HOPE that is to be found in Jesus. Please join us for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrowNovember 29th at 1 pm.
Praying that the glimmer of HOPE will burn brighter and brighter as we look to Jesus, Pastor Lola
Our loving God, thank You that we can rely on You as our Source of Hope. You know how much we need hope in our individual lives and in our world. You know the places where we search for hope. We experience hope when we recall the gift of Your Son Jesus Who entered our world to bring hope to humankind. In this Advent season leading up to Christmas, we want to renew our hope in You. Thank you for times in the past when You have brought hope, although we felt hopeless. We recognize that when we leave You out of the picture, there is no hope. Instead of trying to fix things ourselves, please remind us to turn to You constantly. For every place and circumstance where hope is needed, we release each of these to You. When we begin to feel overwhelmed by all that is wrong in our world, please remind us of all that You have redeemed and made right. We do pray for decisions to be made in the Ukraine and in the Middle East that will advance the hope for peace. We pray for the hope of people being able to feel safe. We think of Jesus coming to save us and to keep us safe forever. This is where our hope lies. When the circumstances of our lives and world are anything but safe, we acknowledge that Jesus has come to give us eternal safety. We pray for those who are homeless and hungry and ask You to show us how to work together to bring a new hope for them in their need. And God when we think of the complications of relationships with family and with friends, we pray for You to guide us in all that we think and say and do. We want our interactions with others to be committed to You for You to touch them with hope and grace. In this Christmas season, we know that often there are heightened levels of stress and anxiety. Here too we pray for hope from You. For those for whom Christmas holds painful memories, we pray for the hope of healing. For those who only know a Christmas without Christ at the center, we pray for the hope of meeting Jesus in a personal and transformative way. God, we see in Jesus hope for every one of us and for our world. May we find generous ways to share this promise of hope with those whom we meet and those for whom we pray. Please do give us a fresh encounter with you and a fresh experience of hope again this Christmas we pray, in the name of Jesus who is our Hope, AMEN.
How do you feel on these frosty mornings this time of the year when you need to get your car windows cleared off before you can go anywhere? Sometimes the method is to start your vehicle and let the defroster do much of the work. Sometimes there is effort expended with a scraper until the icy coating is removed. Whatever the approach to clear car windows, it is a necessity. If we try to drive without being able to see properly, it is both dangerous and frustrating. Just as there is effort required to ensure a clear view when frozen windows are cleared, there is effort required to ensure that we have a clear view of where God is inviting us to go. This is required in all seasons of weather. The most effective approach is prayer. Our regular times of prayer are a method we can trust for the clearing of our outlook to assist in finding our way forward. . When we pray, God can adjust our attitudes that may have resulted in a cold response to the world around us. Our perspective may have become glazed over as we hear repeated reports of all that is wrong in the world around us. Only as God warms that chilly resentment or frigid indifference, can we hope to see what God wants us to see. In reference to the Holy Spirit, Jesus says in John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” Our prayer time this week will be spent bringing to God the harshly frozen covering of our hearts that needs to be defrosted and removed so that we can see with love each person on our path. This is the way of Jesus. Please arrange to join us for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow, November 22nd at 1 pm.
Praying for a clear view of what God invites us to see, Pastor Lola
Loving God, thank You for the truth that is to be found in You. Thank You that Your Spirit will guide us into all the truth. Often there is lack of clarity around what is true and accurate. There are many different versions of the truth and we need Your wise discernment to determine what is actually true. We need You to clear anything that obscures our view of You and Your work in our world. Sometimes we hesitate to expend the effort required for our view to be clear. We want to get moving and resist any delay. Please God, may we always take time to have the vision needed for our journey. Guard us against having our sight clouded by popular opinion or the prejudice held in unloving outlooks. As You walk with us each day Lord Jesus, we ask that Your way of loving people will influence us. Show us how to react and what imitating You looks like. When we are able to see clearly, we expect our response will be required. We cannot know the obvious needs of others and not do what we can to help. We cannot see people being misunderstood and disrespected and not seek to see that change. Our prayers today find us examining ourselves. It is not just looking outward. If Your Spirit is going to guide us into all truth, then we must also be willing to look inward. In all aspects of our lives, we pray that we will be really seeing what is before us. We suspect that many people are just going through the motions of living. We pray that the clearing away of what is not authentic in us, will inspire others to face the truth for themselves. When our view reveals things we would rather not see, give us strength to face the truth. Please challenge us when we enter into denial or turn away from what we do not wish to see. We know that with many things to occupy our thoughts and attention, it is possible to overlook all together what is right in front of us. When that happens, please guide us back to where we have the possibility of viewing what we need to witness. When familiar patterns of behaviour contribute to us not seeing clearly, please deal effectively with this impediment. Where the truth that comes from You compels us to live differently, we pray that we will be willing. Reveal to us how we can encourage each other to see with clarity. Restore what has been damaged by us not seeing clearly. When our impaired vision has caused others damage, we pray for forgiveness. Rather than judge others, please give us determination to deal effectively with anything that prevents us from knowing You for Who You are.We are grateful that Your Spirit is available to guide us into all truth. Remind us not to attempt to navigate by ourselves. And God when we are able to lovingly assist others in having a clear view of You, we pray that we will. Our prayer is that each new day will move us closer and closer to You. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
We have been looking expectantly at our Christmas cactus for its’ first blooms. Each year, at this time, we start to see small buds forming and then one morning when we come down to our living room, there it is a beautiful pink blossom and several more to follow. I find this especially lovely when it has grown cold and frozen outside and the outdoor flowers are finished for another season. Inside, we have daily displays of beauty in the delicate flowers that present themselves. This week, I am reflecting that our wise and loving God in His time gives us gifts of encouragement. In seasons where we see barren ground and long for signs of life and the promise of what God can do, it is there for us to witness. Prayer really is about continuing to surrender to God all that comes to our minds and then waiting to see what God will do. Prayer is our opportunity to trust God. We wait for the signs of beauty that can blossom when God takes our prayers and offers us something fresh and new and encouraging. God is continually at work as we are praying and inviting what He is prepared to bring about. We can find inspiration from Scripture for our prayers, “See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19) Cactus plants naturally grow in desert conditions where we not expect much to display life and hope. Still God is at work and in our prayers this week we will welcome and trust the ways that God is at work to do a new thing and to make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Please pause to join in our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow November 15th at 1 pm. Praying for eyes to see and hearts to welcome the fresh expressions of life that God offers us, Pastor Lola
Thank You our loving God that You take time to arrange for new things and signs of life and promise in response to our prayers. Today we thank You for the gift of indoor plants. Thank you for cactus flowers that grow and blossom and bring beauty to our lives. We renew our trust in You to continue to bring the blossoms of new life into our experience. The flowers we have enjoyed outdoors have been a gift for which we are grateful. Now we look to the new things that can spring up in what is often considered a wilderness season of winter. We want to be encouraged to continue to pray and to look for the new things that You have already activated. When we are waiting for the signs of life and hope to appear in answer to our prayers, we pray that You will be near and keep our focus on You. Since You are a God Who can and will do even more than we ask or imagine, we want to hold steadfastly to our faith in You. We are reminded that when we cannot see what You are doing, You persist in Your redemptive action. We long for evidence of the new things You are doing in individuals and in nations. So often we continue to see repeated patterns of sin and destruction of life. Our God we actively pray today that You will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Where human beings like us have acted in ways that have not held life as sacred, we pray for forgiveness and restoration. In our everyday experiences, we pray to be people Who work alongside what You are doing to initiate a new and hope filled reality. When we do not perceive what You are doing, we pray that You will give us understanding that You can make a way where there seems to be no way. Enable us to be peacemakers. Enable us we pray to see where love is needed and to respond with Your grace and compassion. Every interaction we have with another person has the potential to be an intricate part of the something new that You are initiating. When we focus on what we cannot do or have not done, we grow discouraged. Please bring us the encouragement that comes with releasing to You and trusting You and Your divine initiatives as we pray. It is our delight to know You more fully when we pray. We want to be recognizing all the ways that You reveal Yourself and your encouragement to keep trusting you in prayer and with devotion. God, as the new You are doing springs up and as the streams in the desert cause new life to blossom, please grow new life and deeper faith in us and those whom our lives touch. We pray this prayer committing to be those who look for what You are doing and a desire to join you in Your work! In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
