God With Us: Do Not Be Anxious

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Scripture reading: Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favour with God!”

Reflection:

Mary was anxious when the angel appeared out of nowhere announcing, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”

Do you struggle to believe you are chosen, loved, and favoured by God? The Greek word for ‘favoured’ in Luke 1:28 means ‘graced’. In fact, the apostle Paul uses the same word in Ephesians 1:6 to describe God pouring out his grace upon us: “to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” How does this helps you receive the good news of God’s grace? What makes it hard to believe? Spend some time giving God thanks for loving you, chasing you, and lavishing you with grace and favour.

Reflect with these words “Don’t be afraid, [name] for you have found favour with God”.

To be anxious is to be human. The question is, what we do with our anxieties? The decision is between hanging onto them or handing them over. After listening to the angel, Mary handed over herself, including her anxieties. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Faith is entrusting ourselves to the One who is eternally trustworthy, who is worthy of our trust.

Action:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious.” (Philippians 4:6)

Write down what you need to surrender into the hands of God — trusting He will respond.

Prayer:

Forgive us, Heavenly Father, for living as though You do not know and do not care, as though You are not our loving Father. As You did with Mary, who first received the good news of “Emmanuel, God with us”, and handed over her troubled heart to you, so also give us such faith that the constant theme of our lives may be, “Lord, let it be according to Your word”. This we trustingly ask in the name of Jesus Christ, her Lord and ours. Amen. Let it be.

(Adapted from God With Us)

 

The Entire 2017 Reflective Series:

Repentance: Preparing Your Heart for Transformation

God With Us: Do Not Be Anxious

Go Tell It On The Mountain

What Can I Give?

Daily Prayer Request – Monday, December 11, 2017

Pray for our office staff. They are front and centre when people come into the church with special needs, or when any of us are upset about something church related. Pray for a gentle spirit when people complain to them about issues they cannot control. Pray for a spirit of unity between them and our Pastors, Ministry Council, and other ministries of our church.

Advent 2017 – WEEK TWO

Today we light the second candle, the purple ‘Candle of Faith’. A young woman, Mary, was pledged to be married, but not yet married. She was visited by the angel Gabriel, who told very disturbing things. The angel told her things that would change her life forever. What amazing faith she showed. Mary put her trust in the Lord God surrendering herself to be the servant of His will.

Luke 1:26-38 says:  In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Lord, long ago Mary surrendered herself to you and was used by you to bring the Saviour into the world. Give us that same faith, that same deep confidence in you. For you are at work in us and through us, especially in the hard things. Lord, we love you and we trust you. Give us the faith to say, ‘I am the Lord’s servant.’ Amen.

Bulletin – December 10, 2017

HMC EVENTS

Everyone is invited to a Sleigh Ride & Carol Sing on Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30. There will be hot chocolate, crafts, and treats. Invite your friends and neighbours!

Instead of a separate event, the Ladies Social will take place in conjunction with the sleigh ride and caroling on December 13. The group will help with hot chocolate, crafts, and treats. It’s a great opportunity to get better acquainted with our HMC family.

The Young at Heart are getting into the Christmas spirit on Thursday, December 14 at 11:00 a.m. with a special performance by pianist and singer, Tim Harden, followed by a delicious Christmas dinner. See Nelles in the foyer today to purchase a ticket for $16.

Next Sunday is the U18 Christmas Service. All children and youth who are involved are asked to please attend a rehearsal on Saturday, December 16 at 10 a.m.

Plan to stay after the service next week for a Building Connections Dessert Potluck. Bring along your favourite Christmas treat to share and stick around to get to know one another better.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please pray for Pastor Dave and Shannon Hildebrandt and their three boys, Josh, Andrew, & Caleb as they settle into their new home in Hanover. Pray that their transition would be smooth and that the boys settle well into their new school. Pray for Dave as he prepares to take over the leadership of HMC, and for Shannon, that God would make clear what his plans are for her.

Please pray for Rick Pake who is in the hospital in Kitchener. Thank God that his surgery went well and pray for continued healing as he recovers.

There is a list of prayer requests specific to the needs of HMC available on our website, or by speaking with Karen Schmalz or Brian Austin. Alternatively, if you’d like to receive daily prayer reminders delivered to your email, you can sign up at eepurl.com/cM9ZVj

OPPORTUNITIES

We want to bless Pastor Dave and his family as they settle into their new life in Hanover. There is a collection box in the foyer where you can drop off local gift cards and certificates to bless the family. Considers things like restaurants, grocery stores, gas cards, etc. The box will remain available until December 17.

Do you have a heart for youth and hockey? Bruce Martin runs an after-church floor hockey ministry and needs a helper. If this is something you might be interested in volunteering for, please speak with Bruce or Pastor Amos.

The Hanover Salvation Army needs volunteers to stand with their Christmas Kettles. They’re looking for people to take a two hour shift between 8 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. until December 23. If you have a couple of hours and would like to help, please call: Main Office – 519-364-3450; or Katrina – 519-506-9451.

WORDS OF THANKS

Thank you to everyone who came out last Wednesday to help pack the baskets and stockings to be handed out at Saugeen First Nations and the Hanover & Owen Sound hospital this Christmas. What a blessing it is to serve together, and what a joy to know these gifts will bring the love and light of Jesus into the lives of those who receive them.

HMC Christmas Letter 2017

December 2017

Let’s Put Saint Nicholas Back Into Christmas!

We have heard a lot about taking “Santa out of Christmas” and getting back to the “true meaning of Christmas.” I say, ‘Let’s put ‘Christ back into Christ-mas’ AND, ‘Let’s put ‘Santa’ back into ‘Santa Claus’! The fellow we know as a “jolly old elf” is historically a Christian leader known for his courage and generosity. (Saint) Nicholas was a 4th Century Bishop (regional leader) in Myra (what is now in SW Turkey). You can actually go to visit the church dedicated to his memory and it seems that the oldest part of the structure goes back to his time.

What was life like for Nick and the saints of his day? Tough! Dangerous! The church was a growing force in the Roman world – yes, the Roman Emperor still called the shots. And Diocletian authorized a crackdown on Christians (early 300s). Everybody had to do their “emperor worship” or else! This was before the breakthrough with Emperor Constantine that made the Christian faith legal. Followers of Jesus were being thrown into jail and were subject to beatings, persecution, and even execution. Nicholas was among the jailbirds. Yes, Virginia, there really is a Saint Nicholas and he’s was a jailbird!

Nicholas was known for his courage, for facing the local governor in defence of other Jesus followers. He was also known for his generosity and he cared for hundreds of widows in their need. Because of his generosity and his flare in ministry, many stories were told, retold, and embellished, turning him into something of a “superhero” or “supersaint.” Not all the stories were true but the real life Nicholas was a man who followed Jesus and who is worthy of honour and of our emulation.

Here was a man who stood against the power structures that oppressed the followers of Christ. Here was a man who made a positive impact on his society. He cared for the poor and destitute, the widow and the orphan. Nicholas made the love of Christ known to his time and people. He had a missionary vision, a martyr’s courage, and a shepherd’s heart.
‘glowed.’

He couldn’t circle the globe in a single night but he was compelling in delivering the message of Christ’s peace and light – Nicholas He didn’t know who was naughty or nice but he proclaimed forgiveness of sins and new life in God for the stigmatized naughty and the self-styled nice. He was willing to stand up for Jesus and pay the price. That’s the kind of Saint Nicholas we need in Christmas. That’s the spirit of Christmas that continues to light a candle in the dark and starts a fire in the hearts of those lost in the cold.

I am glad that in a time when it is easy to be swept along and to compromise there are those who, like the real Nicholas, are willing to make make a difference. We need a few ‘Nicks in our time!’

May God give you a great Christmas blessing! Merry Christmas to All and to All, Be God’s Light!

—Pastor Phil

Daily Prayer Request – Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Pray for the people of Saugeen First Nation in South Hampton. Tonight we will gather in the gym as a church community and put together Christmas Baskets that will be delivered to the reserve as a Christmas gift for the families there. Pray that the love of Jesus would be evident through these gifts, and that they might be an encouragement and a blessing.

Be sure to join us tonight at 6:30 to help the U18 and Missions Planning Team put these baskets together. It’s a great opportunity to serve alongside one another and we’d love to see everyone there!

Daily Prayer Request – Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Pray for our Ministry Council. Ask God to give them wisdom as they make decisions for HMC. Pray that they be Spirit-led and filled with the knowledge of God. Pray that they be careful and prayerful listeners. Pray that they live lives of integrity among the church body and also among the wider community. Pray for opportunities to encourage and bless them and their families. Pray for frequent times of refreshment and renewal for them.

Kindling – Sermon Video

Isaiah 9:1-7 New International Version (NIV)

9 [a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

2 The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
6 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.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Footnotes:

  1. Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.