This morning’s sermon from 2 Pet 1:3-9 continued the theme begun in our Bible studies about how it is God’s life within us which overcomes the world (see 1 John 5:4-5). As Paul says elsewhere (2 Cor 5:14-21), we are new creations in Christ Jesus and whatever our biological or natural DNA (where our old nature is tainted by Adam’s sin, as Paul makes clear in Rom 5:12), He has made Christ who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. As a result, He is offering us His own nature, allowing us to be stamped with that divine nature and transformed from the inside out so that we have everything we need to live a godly life, to escape the corruption of the world and to overcome the world by our faith in Him.

God’s nature involves all the attributes which make Him who He is. He is omniscient; He knows everything. (Ps 139:1-6; Job 42:2; Acts 2:23; 1 Tim 1:17) He is omnipotent, all-powerful. (Gen 17:1; 35:11; Rom 13:1; 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 19:6) He is omnipresent – everywhere at once, not restricted to time or space. (Mk 5:10; Jude 6; Rev 20:1-3; 1 Ki 8:27; 2 Chron 2:6; 6:18; Isa 66:1; Acts 7:49; 17:27-28; Ps 139:7-13) He does not change (Mal 3:6) and although He is invisible (Ex 33:20; 1 John 4:12; Col 1:15, 1 Tim 6:16), He chooses to reveal Himself to us (chiefly through Jesus, see John 1:18) so that we know many things about His character. God is love (1 John 4:4, 8), merciful and compassionate (Ps 103:8), good (Rom 2:4, Ps 119:68). holy and righteous (1 Pet 1:16, Job 37:17, Ps 129:4) God is just and always does the right thing. (Is 45:21, Gen 18:25) We can depend on His faithfulness, for Paul reminds us that ‘if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.’ (2 Tim 2:13)

As we grow spiritually, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) is manifested in our lives, reflecting God’s nature. The list of qualities in 2 Pet 1:5-7 also reflects what God is like, but we do not ‘buy’ these qualities from a shop or strive to become ‘good’ in our own strength. Instead, we enter into partnership with God, whereby we receive by faith all that He gives us and all He requires from us is our trust and obedience. When we believe in Christ, a divine exchange takes place. Our natural DNA is replaced, so to speak, with God’s DNA. ‘Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God.’ (2 Pet 1:3, The Message) John reminds us  ‘If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.’ (1 John 4:15-16) As we allow God to live within us, His life flows through our veins and He is able to shape the kind of people we are and the kind of people we become, not limited by our own imperfections or weaknesses, but shaped by His divine nature.

The truth of Christmas can be summed up in the title of today’s song: ‘God has come to earth.’ No other religion has this momentous truth! – they have prophets and holy men, gurus and mentors, but only Christianity talks of God actually becoming man: not simply visiting earth, as the Greek gods did according to legend, but actually taking on human flesh: ‘clothed in a garb of flesh and blood’, as the song says. The song takes this theme and incorporates the chorus of ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ as our response to all that God has done!

‘All praise to You, eternal Lord,

Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood,

You chose the manger for Your throne,

While worlds on worlds are Yours alone.

Once here the skies before You bow

A virgin’s arms cradle You now

And angels who in You rejoice

Now listen for Your infant voice.

They sing ‘Glory in the highest’,

For there’s no other name by which we can be saved.

Glory in the highest.

Heaven and earth forever will proclaim,

‘God has come to earth.’

O little child, You are our guest,

That weary ones in You may rest.

Forlorn and lowly is Your birth

That we may rise to heaven from earth.

O come let us adore Him.

O come let us adore Him.

O come let us adore Him.

O come let us adore Him.’ (‘God Has Come To Earth’, Aaron Shust)

Last night was the ‘Churches Together’ community carol service at the parish church in Goldthorpe. Our church – minus several members who were ill – provided the music for the evening and setting up the instruments and projector screen is always a challenge!

The service began outside in the darkness, symbolising our journey from darkness to light (Is 9:6-7).

Members of the Salvation Army represented Mary and Joseph’s journey with baby Jesus:

During the service, Alison from the Salvation Army spoke about the message of hope we have. Each person was invited to write their hopes and prayers on a gift tag which was then hung on a Christmas tree, which will travel around the local churches during December so that we can pray for all these requests. A collection at the end of the service raised £88.16, which will be divided equally between the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal and the missionary work of the Maris Convent.

This was the final ‘Churches Together’ event of this year, but as we look back on all God had done through these gatherings and on the excellent relationships being developed between local churches – people from the parish church in Barnburgh and the Methodist churches in Bolton-on-Dearne and Great Houghton attended, along with people from the Goldthorpe parish church, Salvation Army and Pentecostal church and the Maris convent in Goldthorpe – we are grateful for all that God is doing in our local area and look forward with eager anticipation to the next ‘Churches Together’ meeting on Saturday 17th January at 7 p.m. at Furlong Road Methodist Church.

One of the names given to Jesus, proclaimed by the angels, is ‘Immanuel’ (or ‘Emmanuel’), meaning, ‘God with us.’ It’s one of the most amazing truths of Christmas that God Almighty, in the form of Jesus Christ, came to dwell with us. I love this song also because it points to the reason that Jesus came: ‘here born to bleed.’

‘What hope we hold this starlit night
A King is born in Bethlehem
Our journey long, we seek the light
That leads to the hallowed manger ground

The son of God, here born to bleed
A crown of thorns would pierce His brow
And we beheld this offering
Exalted now the King of kings
Praise God for the hallowed manger ground.’ (‘Emmanuel, Hallowed Manger Ground,’ Chris Tomlin)

Candles are often associated with Advent, as we contemplate the fact that the light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) Today’s song reflects this theme:

‘Like a candle flame
Flickering small in our darkness
Uncreated light
Shines through infant eyes

God is with us, alleluia (Men)
God is with us, alleluia (Women)
Come to save us, alleluia (Men)
Come to save us (Women)
Alleluia! (All)

Yet his light shall shine
From our lives, Spirit blazing
As we touch the flame
Of his holy fire.’ (‘The Candle Song’, Graham Kendrick)

Details have just come through of the child we are sponsoring through the Christian charity Compassion. Her name is Bedline Bazile and she was born on 19th March 2010 (a very good day indeed…!) She lives under the care of her mother in Haiti, in the mountainous community of Sarrazins, home to approximately 10,000 residents. Typical houses there are constructed of dirt, cement or wood floors, wood or brick walls and tin roofs. Most adults in the area are unemployed, but some work on plantations or as market traders; these earn the equivalent of £20 per month.

Bedline attends the Sarrazins Child Development Centre which provides Bible teaching, health screening, physical education, etiquette training, social events, academic reinforcement, health education, books and uniforms. The centre staff also provide health education, literacy classes and meetings for the parents of all the children who attend.

Haiti is situated in the Caribbean:

It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola which it shares with the Dominican Republic. It is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean and its highest point is Pic La Selle, at 2,680 m (8,793 ft0). It’s known in French (one of the official languages of the island) as ‘la perle des Antilles’ (‘the pearl of the Caribbean’) because of its natural beauty, but it is extremely poor and politically unstable.

Let’s pray for Bedline and her family. The prayer points listed on the ‘welcome pack’ are for her family and friends, for her school work and for her relationship with Jesus. “For fun, she likes playing hide and seek, singing and listening to music.” As we start to correspond with her and become more aware of specific requests, let’s remember that our partnership with Compassion can make a real difference!