The Pathway to Joy
I firmly believe that the pathway to joy is lined with the daily discipline of giving thanks. Paul says, ‘Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18) He goes even further in Ephesians 5:20, saying, ‘always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
We become thankful, joyful people by joyfully giving thanks. It’s as simple as that. It’s a daily discipline. Pollyanna learned to play the ‘glad game’, finding reasons to be glad in every circumstance that came her way. Somehow, we find it much easier to list our complaints and moans and groans than we do to give thanks, but as we stop to count our blessings and think of reasons to be cheerful, our attitudes change, and we realise how blessed we are. Then we are, as C. S. Lewis put it, ‘surprised by joy.’
The Miracle of Christmas
Carol Service 2023
The Word Embodied
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it’s worth remembering that He is the Word who is God (see John 1:1-5).He was there at the beginning and was involved in creation; the Word is God, who could make something from nothing (something even the most creative person can’t do!) He came to earth to save us (Heb 10:5-7), a reminder that a sacrifice was needed for sin, showing us the seriousness of rebellion against God. The sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament point to the gravity of the situation, but were only transitional, temporary ‘solutions’ until Jesus came. He was One who was obedient and did not refuse to do God’s will. His obedience meant death on a cross (Phil 2:5-8) but was the means of our reconciliation with God.
As a result of Jesus’s coming, He has made God known to us. (1 John 1:1-4) He loved us so much that He brought God’s light to our darkness and promised to dwell with us for ever as our ‘Immanuel.‘ Our God is both King and man, friend and helper. We have a Saviour who is closer than a brother, someone who knows each of us by name. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
What’s On This Week
We have two services on Sunday 17 December (at 10.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m.) Our evening service at 6 p.m. is our carol service, featuring our children as Nativity characters singing songs from ‘Bethlehem Ballroom’ by Tom Kirkham and Matthew Crossey. So if you want to see the shepherds salsa, come along at 6 p.m! Refreshments will be served after the service.
On Wednesday 20 December we have our Parent & Toddler party between 9 and 11 a.m. and we have our Christmas afternoon tea fund-raising event between 1.00 and 2.30 p.m. There are still places for this available, so book in by contacting Julie on 07729 421405 or emailing julie@gpcchurch.co.uk. Adults cost £5 and children £1.50.
On Thursday 21 December we have our final Bible study of 2023 at 7.30 p.m. We won’t be having a midweek sesrvice on 28 December, but have the opportunity for food and fellowship at Garry and Julie’s house between 4 and 7 p.m.
Please note there will be no evening services on 24 or 31 December but there will be morning services on both dates at 10.30 a.m.
We will also have a Christmas Day service on Monday 25 December at 10.30 a.m.
Joy
In a world of misery and anxiety, the Christmas story points to joy: ‘good news that will cause great joy for all the people,’ as the angels told the shepherds. (Luke 2:10) God leads us to joy, joy that is not dependent on circumstances. That first Christmas involved much fear and anxiety: hearing the angels’ news of a baby to be born to a young mother who was not married, travelling to Bethlehem with Mary in a state of advanced pregnancy, finding no lodgings there… all these circumstances were not ideal for joy! But the Christmas story is a joyful one because it tells us that God has taken steps to solve our alienation from Him; He has sent a Saviour!
The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘Jehovah is salvation’, and this is good news for us, because we could not save ourselves. On the third Sunday in Advent, we ponder God’s salvation and can only, therefore, be joyful. Paul tells us to ‘be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.’ (Rom 12:12) This is the key to overcoming.