[Sunday] Day 3 - Sprout, The Week

We often settle for the mere "leaves of religion" by simply going through the motions, yet the third day of Creation reveals our design to sprout and bear fruit.

• AI Generated Summery of Sermon

  1. Notes for Your Bible

  • Genesis 1 (The Creation Account): The sermon extensively parallels the first three days of creation with the events of Holy Week. The speaker suggests that the authors of the Gospels, inspired by the Spirit, naturally saw the "re-creation" work of Jesus through the lens of the original creation.

    • Day 1 (Genesis 1:3, "Let there be light"): This is compared to Jesus, the Light of the World, entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He brings light into a city that believed it was already enlightened.

    • Day 2 (Genesis 1:6-8, Separating the waters): This is paralleled with Jesus cleansing the temple. By driving out the merchants, Jesus "separated" the chaos from the holy space, reigning in the chaos just as God reigned in the waters to create the sky, allowing people to "breathe" again and find peace.

    • Day 3 (Genesis 1:9-13, Dry ground appears & vegetation sprouts): This day has two parts. First, God further reigns in the chaotic seas by making dry land appear. Second, the land is commanded to be fruitful, producing vegetation and fruit-bearing trees. This theme of "fruitfulness" becomes the central focus of the sermon.

  • Matthew 21:19 ("Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. And he said, 'May you never bear fruit again.' And immediately the tree withered."):

    • Meaning: The withering of the fig tree is not an act of random anger from Jesus. It is a symbolic act. The tree, full of leaves but lacking fruit, represents the religious system of the day, particularly the temple in Jerusalem. It had the outward appearance of life and religiosity ("spiritual foliage") but was spiritually barren and not producing the "fruit" of justice, mercy, and love for neighbor.

    • Context: Jesus performs this act while walking from Bethany up toward the Temple Mount, making the temple the clear object of this symbolic judgment.

  • Matthew 21:21 ("...you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done."):

    • Meaning: This is not about literal mountain-moving. The "mountain" refers to the Temple Mount, the center of the fruitless religious system. The "sea" represents the primordial chaos and formlessness ("tohu vavohu") from Genesis 1.

    • Application: Jesus is teaching that faith in Him allows believers to recognize that fruitless religious structures and outward shows of piety are hopeless and should be "cast away" into chaos. The real hope is not in the building or the rituals, but in God's work of producing genuine fruit in people's lives.

  • Amos 5:21-24 ("I hate, I despise your religious festivals... But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream."):

    • Purpose: This passage is used as an Old Testament parallel to Jesus's critique of the temple. It demonstrates that God has always been more concerned with the "fruit" of justice, righteousness, and care for the needy than with the "leaves" of religious festivals, sacrifices, and songs. It serves as a mirror, forcing listeners to question if their own worship is just "lip service."

  • Gospel of John (Resurrection Account): The speaker notes that in John's Gospel, the resurrected Jesus is presented as a "gardener." This connects the resurrection to the Day 3 creation theme of the land sprouting new life and fruitfulness. Jesus's resurrection is the ultimate act of "sprouting" life from the darkness of the tomb.

  2. General Summary of Main Points

  The sermon intertwines the creation narrative from Genesis 1 with the events of Jesus's final week in Jerusalem to explore the theme of genuine "fruitfulness" versus empty religious appearance. The speaker posits that the Gospel writers naturally saw Jesus's work of "re-creation" through the lens of the original creation.

  The central metaphor is the contrast between leaves and fruit, drawn from Jesus cursing the barren fig tree. The leaves represent the outward appearance of religiosity—rituals, magnificent buildings (the temple), and going through the motions of faith. The fruit, however, represents the tangible outcomes of true faith: justice, love for neighbor, patience, forgiveness, and caring for the vulnerable.

  The speaker argues that Jesus's actions, like cleansing the temple and cursing the fig tree, were a prophetic judgment on a religious system that was all "leaves" and no "fruit." He calls the congregation to self-examination, warning against the ease of cultivating "spiritual foliage" while neglecting the actual fruit God desires. The ultimate hope is found not in our own efforts to be fruitful, but in the Gospel, where Jesus takes our barrenness upon Himself on the cross (a barren "tree") and, through His resurrection, brings forth new life and true fruitfulness for all who have faith in Him. This new creation is now breaking into the world through the Spirit's work in the church and in the lives of individual believers.

  3. Gospel Presentation

  The Gospel is taught explicitly towards the end of the sermon.

  • Time Stamp: The core message begins around 00:16:04 from the start of the recording.

  • Summary: The speaker explains that while we, like the barren fig tree, are often fruitless and caught in sin, deserving to be "thrown back into the sea" of chaos, the Gospel presents a divine exchange. Jesus takes our "unfruitful, barren tree" (our sin and failure) and exchanges it for His "fruitful tree." He dies on the cross—our "tree of barrenness"—for us. In his death, the Creator of the universe takes on the "regressing of creation," entering the darkness and chaos ("tohu vavohu") of the tomb. But just as God commanded "Let there be light" on Day 1 and "Let the earth sprout" on Day 3, God raises Jesus from the dead, filling His lungs with air again. Through this resurrection, Jesus brings forth the fruit of forgiveness and grace for us. This act initiates a new creation in which believers are joined, enabling them to bear true spiritual fruit through the power of the Holy Spirit.

  4. Illustrations and Their Points

  • Writing the Sermon with a Friend:

    • Illustration: The speaker recounts a conversation with his friend Mark about the deep parallels between the Genesis creation story and Matthew's account of Holy Week. His friend suggested it wasn't a deliberate, formulaic mapping but rather that the themes of creation were so foundational to the Gospel writers' worldview that they naturally emerged as they wrote about Jesus's work of re-creation.

    • Point: This idea makes the connection feel more organic and profound. It shows that the work of salvation is intrinsically linked to the work of creation, as both are expressions of who God is.

  • Citrus Greening Disease in Florida:

    • Illustration: The speaker describes a disease affecting Florida's citrus trees. A key characteristic is that an infected tree can initially look healthy and full of leaves but will not produce any fruit. Eventually, it begins to die, and farmers must quickly remove it to prevent the disease from spreading.

    • Point: This serves as a modern-day parallel to the barren fig tree and the temple. A religious life, or a church, can look healthy and vibrant on the outside (many leaves) but be spiritually diseased and fruitless on the inside. This external health is deceiving, and the lack of fruit is the true indicator of its spiritual state.

  • The Temple Mount's Location:

    • Illustration: The speaker describes the geography of Jerusalem, noting that the path from Bethany to the city ascends toward the Temple Mount. Jesus's actions against the fig tree and his teaching about casting "this mountain" into the sea happen in the literal shadow of the temple.

    • Point: This physical context makes the symbolic meaning of Jesus's actions undeniable. The fig tree is a stand-in for the temple, and the "mountain" is the Temple Mount itself. The proximity connects the judgment on the tree directly to the judgment on the fruitless religious system centered at the temple.

  5. Interesting Quotes

  • Quote: "I think it's just who they are. That so interweaved is the theme of the creative order that when they are writing and the Spirit is inspiring their writing about how Jesus saves the world... it just mirrors themes of creation too."

    • Point: This quote emphasizes that the connection between creation and redemption is not a clever literary device but a deep theological reality. The God who creates is the same God who saves, and His methods of bringing order from chaos and life from nothingness are consistent.

  • Quote: "It's incredibly easy to grow leaves of religion... to know how to show up on Sunday morning, know when to stand, when to sit, when to laugh at the pastor's jokes... We put a magnificent display of spiritual foliage."

    • Point: This quote makes the sermon's warning highly personal and practical. It defines "leaves" not just as ancient temple rituals, but as modern church-going habits that can exist without any genuine inner transformation or outward love for others. It challenges the listener to look past their own religious performance.

  • Quote: "How many times have you read this verse in your lifetime, and you've never thought about the sea of chaos in the creation?... He's saying that if you have enough faith, you can realize that all of that empty platitudes of religion, it all can be thrown away."

    • Point: This highlights a fresh interpretation of a familiar passage (Matthew 21:21). By linking the "sea" to the chaos of Genesis 1, it transforms the verse from a generic statement about faith into a specific, powerful declaration that faith in Jesus frees us from relying on dead, fruitless religious systems.

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Questions for the Week: The Week: The Week: Day 3 - Sprout

1. We are often tempted to just show the "leaves of religion" (showing up on Sunday, knowing the songs) and mistake them for the actual "fruit" of faith (loving neighbors, patience, genuine repentance). What are some ways we easily mistake having "leaves" for actually bearing "fruit"?

2. Read Matthew 21:18-22.  Have you ever experienced a season in your spiritual life where you looked fine on the outside but felt completely "fruitless" and disconnected from God on the inside?

3. Read Amos 5:21-24.   Why is God so opposed to religious routine that doesn't actually result in loving people or seeking justice?

4. Where have you seen genuine spiritual fruit in the lives of the people around you recently?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Day 2 - Flipping Water, The Week

When we are drowning in anxiety and noise, Jesus steps in to flip the tables, pushing back the chaotic waters like on day 2 of creation, so we can finally catch our breath.

• Sermon Summery (click to Expand

  The Week: Day Two — “Separation of the Waters” (Holy Week and Creation Interwoven)

  Series Context

  • Ongoing sermon series: “The Week,” interweaving Holy Week with the seven days of Creation.

  • Last week: Day One of Creation aligned with Palm Sunday—“Let there be light” as Jesus, the Light of the World, enters dark Jerusalem.

  Scripture Read and Framing

  • Primary text: “And God said, ‘Let the vault between the waters separate water from water.’ So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault sky. And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.” — Highlighted as from Genesis Day Two (see NIV rendering).

  • Translation note:

    • The pastor affirmed “vault/expanse/sky” (NIV) as a strong translation.

    • He critiqued translations that render it “heaven” in a way that confuses it with God’s dwelling; insisted this is the sky where the birds fly, not the heavenly throne.

    • Emphasized the value of consulting multiple translations to see the full sense.

  Theological Thesis

  • Day Two is not trivial meteorology; it is profoundly theological.

  • God is pictured as establishing boundaries that restrain chaotic waters, creating breathable, safe space for life.

  • Parallel in Holy Week: Jesus enters the Temple to push back chaos and create a place of prayer and restoration.

  Cultural and Personal Illustrations: Water in Its Place vs. Out of Bounds

  • Personal love for water: tranquil scenes at Daytona Beach as a “slice of heaven.”

  • When water exceeds boundaries, it becomes terrifying:

    • 2022 hurricanes in Daytona Beach: seawall breaches; pools hanging or eroded; concrete stairs torn off and buried ~15 feet under sand.

    • St. Louis flooding near Interstate 44: concrete barriers wrapped in plastic sandbagging the freeway; water overtopping the road—an image of destructive chaos.

  • Universal human instinct: fear of the deep (e.g., dangling toes while treading water after falling off skis); myths of monsters (Leviathan) in the deep.

  • Hebrew imagination: “the deep” as chaotic, destructive, unpredictable.

  Biblical-Theological Development: From Tohu Vavohu to Breathed Space

  • Creation language: God confronts tohu vavohu (formless and void) by bounding chaos.

  • Day Two: God separates waters and names the expanse “sky,” granting a breathable space—humanity comes up out of chaos for a gasp of life.

  • This is a pattern: God orders chaos into life-giving environments.

  Holy Week Parallel: Jesus Clears the Temple

  • Text alluded to: “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling… ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” — Highlighted as from the Gospel accounts of the Temple cleansing (e.g., Matthew 21:12–14).

  • Temple design: The Court of the Gentiles intended as the place where the nations, the lame, and the blind could approach God.

  • Problem: Chaotic “waters” of commerce, greed, noise, animal bleating, and market scales flooded the space meant for the vulnerable.

  • Theological action: Jesus did not lose His temper; He enacted Day Two—forcefully pushing back the waters of chaos to create a safe expanse for prayer and healing.

  • Immediate fruit: “The blind and the lame came to Him…and He healed them.” The vulnerable, previously “drowned out,” re-enter and find life.

  Who God Is and How He Responds to Humans

  • God is the Creator who:

    • Sets firm boundaries against chaos.

    • Creates spaces where humans can breathe, pray, and live.

  • Jesus reveals God’s character in action:

    • He confronts and restrains dehumanizing systems.

    • He makes room for the vulnerable and heals them.

    • He transforms acts that appear destructive into new-creation moments of order, peace, and restoration.

  Who You Are in God and How to Live

  • Identity:

    • In Christ, you are intended to be a temple—a house of prayer (see 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 implied). You are made for peace and rest in God’s presence.

  • Calling:

    • Invite Jesus to separate the “waters” in your life—allow Him to push back anxiety, greed, noise, and idolatry.

    • Protect the vulnerable; ensure your “courts” make space for those in need.

    • Practice rhythms that sustain a house-of-prayer life: Scripture, prayer, forgiveness, and love of neighbor.

  Self-Examination: Our Hearts as Courtyards

  • Modern chaos floods in:

    • Constant noise, overloaded schedules, pursuit of wealth, social media churn, simmering anger and anxiety.

  • Consequence:

    • The “marketplace of worry” squeezes out prayer, Scripture, forgiveness, and neighbor-love.

    • We regress into darkness and drown in chaos of our own making.

  • Gospel hope:

    • Jesus does not convene committees; He clears the courts. He confronts and removes what drowns us.

    • His cleansing is an act of creation, not mere destruction.

  Cross and Resurrection: The Ultimate Separation of the Waters

  • Crucifixion as drowning:

    • In Roman crucifixion, death occurs by asphyxiation—Jesus “drowns” under the chaotic waters of our sin: greed, anxiety, idolatry, rebellion.

  • Baptismal imagery:

    • Jesus descends into the waters of judgment and chaos on our behalf.

    • The Father fulfills the Day Two word—He holds back the waters; Jesus breathes again on Easter.

  • New life:

    • Jesus’ breath becomes our breath; His Spirit our spirit.

    • In baptism, we go under the waters and rise into new life with Christ.

  Application for Today’s Culture (American context)

  • The news cycle, work pressures, family tensions, even neighborhood conflicts can feel like hurricanes and floods tearing apart established places of peace.

  • God’s word to drowners: “Let the waters be separated”—come up to the expanse of grace where you can breathe again.

  • Practical implications:

    • Create intentional “expanse” daily: a quiet, tech-free space for prayer and Scripture.

    • Name and remove “money changer tables” in your life: practices or patterns that monetize or instrumentalize relationships and worship.

    • Re-center on those pushed out by noise and busyness: the vulnerable in your community, family, and church.

    • Receive Jesus’ cleansing as mercy, not condemnation—His goal is your life and breathing room.

  Key Texts Highlighted in the Sermon

  • Genesis Day Two: “Let there be a vault/expanse… God called the vault sky… evening and morning, the second day.” — Highlighted as from Genesis 1:6–8 (NIV emphasis on “sky”).

  • “My house will be called a house of prayer… but you are making it a den of robbers.” — Highlighted as from Matthew 21:12–13; Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46 (Temple cleansing).

  • Themes referenced:

    • “Tohu vavohu” (formless and void) — Highlighted as from Genesis 1:2.

    • Leviathan (sea monster imagery) — Highlighted as from Job 41; Psalm 74:14; Isaiah 27:1.

    • Temple as a house of prayer for all nations — Highlighted as from Isaiah 56:7, echoed by Jesus.

  Practical Steps for the Week

  • Morning and evening “breath prayers” to mark your own “evening and morning”:

    • Inhale: “Lord Jesus Christ” — Exhale: “Give me Your peace.”

    • Inhale: “Holy Spirit” — Exhale: “Make me a house of prayer.”

  • Identify one “table” to overturn this week:

    • Examples: a social media habit that stirs anxiety; an overpacked schedule; a financial pursuit overshadowing generosity; a harboring resentment.

  • Re-open the Court of the Gentiles in your life:

    • Make space for someone on the margins—invite, listen, serve, or pray with them.

  • Recommit to Scripture and prayer:

    • Read Genesis 1:1–10 and Matthew 21:12–17; journal where God is separating waters in your life.

  Closing Exhortation and Prayer

  • Exhortation:

    • When chaos rises like sea billows, hear God’s creative word: “Let the waters be separated.” Come up and breathe in Christ’s peace.

    • “And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.” This is good news for those gasping for breath.

  • Closing prayer (themes):

    • Thanksgiving for gathering.

    • Petition for God to bind up chaos, keep us from returning to tohu vavohu, reveal His peace and love, and let us breathe again in His rest.

    • Amen.

  Closing Song (Selected Lines)

  • “When sorrows like sea billows roll… it is well with my soul.”

  • “My sin—not in part, but the whole—is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, O my soul.”

  • Assurance: Christ has died for my soul; it is well with God.

  Summary Takeaways

  • God bounds chaos to create life-giving space; Jesus enacts this in the Temple and in our lives.

  • You are God’s temple—made for prayer, peace, and welcome to the vulnerable.

  • Let Jesus overturn the tables that drown your soul; rise to breathe in the Spirit’s life.

  • The cross is Jesus’ descent into our drowning; the resurrection is the Father’s separation of the waters so we can live.

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Questions for the Week: The Week: The Week: Day 2 - Flipping Water

1. Read Genesis 1:6-8.  What is your favorite memory of being near the water, and have you ever been in a storm that kind of scared you?

2. Read Matthew 21:12-17 The Temple was supposed to be a place of peace, but it became a chaotic marketplace that drowned out the vulnerable. What are the "chaotic waters" (anxiety, schedules, social media, etc.) that currently flood your own mind and squeeze out your peace and the peace of others?

3. To the moneychangers, Jesus driving them out of the temple looked like an act of destruction. To the blind and lame, it was an act of creation that gave them room to breathe. Has there ever been a time in your life when God "flipped the tables" on your plans, which felt destructive at the time but ultimately brought you peace?

4. Jesus drowned in our chaos on Friday so we could breathe anew on Sunday. When the news, your job, or life pressures make you feel like you are going under, how does remembering that Jesus has already conquered the depths help you find rest?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Day 1 - Triumphal Light, The Week

The Triumphal Entry shows us the difference. We chase the 'wins' of this world; Jesus rides into the darkness of this world. We look for success; He brings the Light that saves.

• Summery of Sermon (click to open)

  This is an AI Summery, some things may be incorrect.

  Overview

  • Sermon series title: “The Week”

  • Concept: Interweaving the seven days of Creation with the days of Holy Week.

  • Focus for this sermon: Day 1 of Creation (“Let there be light”) aligned with Palm Sunday.

  • Aim: To show how God’s creation theme—bringing order and light out of chaos—runs through Scripture and culminates in Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, His passion, death, and resurrection.

  Opening Context: Reading Creation as Theme, Not Only Timetable

  • Pastor reflects on moving from a strictly literal “six 24-hour days” view to noticing Scripture’s deeper themes.

  • Key theological insight: God creates by bringing order out of chaos—out of “tohu vavohu” (formless and void).

    • Example threads across Scripture:

      • Israel’s journey from Egyptian slavery through the wilderness to the tabernacle/temple—God reorders chaos into worship and presence.

      • Jesus’ Passion described with cosmic darkness—creation “rolling back”—then resurrection as new light.

  • Application: Reading Scripture for its patterns helps us see God’s consistent work to bring light out of human and cosmic darkness.

  Palm Sunday: Jesus as the Light Entering Jerusalem

  • Jesus enters Jerusalem at the start of Holy Week; He is the true Light.

  • Crowd response: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” with cloaks and palm branches (public acclaim of Messiah and Light).

  • Key question: Are people actually holding the Light—or mistaking their own “lanterns” (agendas) for it?

  Artistic Illustration: Rembrandt’s “The Adoration of the Shepherds”

  • Style note: Stark contrast of light and dark (chiaroscuro).

  • Theological observation:

    • The baby Christ is the source of light in the painting.

    • A lantern is present but contributes little light—suggesting humans often think their light originates from themselves.

  • Application: We frequently try to be “lantern-bearers,” mistaking our own influence, plans, or righteousness as the source of light rather than Christ.

  Contrast with Jerusalem and the Pharisees

  • Jerusalem’s self-image: “shining city on a hill,” self-assured, believing themselves to be the light for the nations.

  • Pharisees’ posture:

    • Authority figures insisting they define and control the light for others.

    • Response to the crowd’s praise: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples” (desiring to silence witness to Jesus).

  • Jesus’ reply: If praise is suppressed, “the rocks will cry out.”

  • Application:

    • Warning against spiritual pride and gatekeeping—confusing stewardship of truth with self-centered control.

    • Even the enthusiastic crowd can misread Jesus by projecting their agendas onto Him.

  Historical Expectation: Judas Maccabeus vs. Jesus

  • Background: A century earlier, Judas Maccabeus (“the Hammer”) led a rebellion against Greek rule; celebrated with palms and “Hosanna,” entering Jerusalem on a warhorse.

  • Crowd’s mistaken hope: Jesus as a new Maccabeus—political liberator who will expel Rome and elevate Jerusalem’s status.

  • Jesus’ actual mission:

    • Enters on a donkey (sign of humility; fulfills messianic peace rather than war).

    • Comes not to conquer Rome but to suffer, die, and rise—conquering sin, death, and the grave.

  Human Agendas vs. Christ’s Light

  • Examples of modern “lantern” agendas:

    • Political victories (“If we win this election, light will come”).

    • Life scripts (marriage, children, promotions, retirement) treated as salvation.

    • Seeking control, status, and personal validation.

  • Outcomes of agenda-driven living:

    • Division, mistrust, hurt, and darkness rather than true life and peace.

  • Application:

    • Recognize where we equate our plans with God’s light.

    • Repent of idolatry of self, success, and power; receive Christ as the true source of light and peace.

  Jesus’ Heart for a Dark City

  • As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, He weeps over it.

  • Quotation from Jesus: “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace…”

  • Identity of Jesus:

    • The Prince of Peace who stands before them, unrecognized.

    • The Light who enters Jerusalem’s darkness, and ultimately the tomb’s darkness, for our sake.

  • Christ’s peace:

    • Not delivered through force or triumphalism, but through His broken body and shed blood—true reconciliation with God.

  Creation and New Creation

  • Day 1 of Creation: “Let there be light.” Evening and morning—the first day.

  • Holy Week pattern:

    • Good Friday’s darkness transitions to Easter morning’s light.

    • Resurrection as God’s “new creation” spoken into the void of death.

  • Application:

    • The light of Christ shines into our hearts despite our idolatrous agendas.

    • He dies and rises for all, bringing order and life into our chaos.

  Who God Is, Who We Are, and How We Live

  • Who God Is:

    • Creator who speaks light into darkness and order into chaos.

    • Faithful Redeemer who enters our darkness, weeps over our lostness, and brings peace by sacrifice.

    • The true source of light—Jesus Christ.

  • Who God Says We Are:

    • Beloved yet often misguided people prone to self-reliance and idolatry.

    • Recipients of His light, mercy, and new creation life through Christ’s death and resurrection.

  • How We Are to Live:

    • Humble dependence on Christ as light, not on our “lanterns.”

    • Pursue peace shaped by Christ’s cross rather than power and agendas.

    • Worship and witness that point to Jesus’ light, even when others try to silence it.

  Scripture References Highlighted

  • Genesis creation theme: “Let there be light.” — Genesis 1:3

  • Jesus’ Triumphal Entry: — Matthew 21:1–11; — Mark 11:1–10; — Luke 19:28–40; — John 12:12–19

  • Jesus’ weeping over Jerusalem: — Luke 19:41–44

  • “Hosanna” acclamation: — Matthew 21:9; — Mark 11:9–10; — John 12:13

  • “The rocks will cry out”: — Luke 19:40

  • Darkness at the crucifixion: — Matthew 27:45; — Mark 15:33; — Luke 23:44–45

  • Christ’s resurrection and new creation theme: — Matthew 28:1–10; — Mark 16:1–8; — Luke 24:1–12; — John 20:1–18

  Key Applications and Examples

  • Art as theology: Rembrandt’s baby Christ illuminating the scene versus the dim lantern—our tendency to replace Christ’s light with our self-made light.

  • Cultural examples:

    • Corporate ladder in Arkansas: promotions pursued as salvation, yet leaving emptiness.

    • Retirement disillusionment: expecting rest to save, discovering we never learned to rest in God.

  • Church life example:

    • The shift from praising to condemning within days—mirrors the crowd’s move from “Hosanna” to “Crucify,” exposing how quickly agendas supplant faith.

  Closing Gospel Assurance

  • The Light of Christ is for you.

  • The empty tomb is for you.

  • Hosanna—God saves. Evening gave way to morning; the first day concludes with light.

  • Good news: Jesus, the true Light, has come, and He brings peace by His cross and resurrection.

The Adoration of the Shepherds by Rembrant

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/research-resources/research-papers/close-examination/the-adoration-of-the-shepherds

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Questions for the Week: The Week: Day 1 - Triumphal Light

1. In the Rembrandt painting, Adoration of the Shepherds,  the man holding the lantern thinks he is bringing light, but the real light comes from Jesus. In what ways do we, like that man, think we are "bringing the light" to the world, when we are actually just holding a dim lantern compared to Jesus?

2. Read Luke 19:35-44.  Why is it often disappointing when God answers our need for peace instead of our desire for victory?

3. We sometimes turn good things (like wanting a happy family, doing well in school/work, or politics) into "idols" that take the place of God. How can we make sure we are following Jesus' light rather than carrying around our own lanterns?

4. Jesus conquered sin and death not by fighting back but by letting Himself be broken on the cross. How does Jesus’s humble victory change the way we think about "winning" or "being strong" in our own lives?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Ash Wednesday] Tohu Va Vohu, The Week

God speaks light into our wilderness waste, and ash.

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Resurrect Forgiveness, Most Certainly True

The Creed reveals the Church’s heartbeat is the forgiveness of sins, a gift which replaces our darkness with God's light and leads us to the ultimate feast of the resurrection.

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Questions for the Week: Most Certainly True: Resurrect Forgiveness

1. In the Large Catechism, Luther says that all functions of the Christian community focus on the forgiveness of sins (pg. 75). Do you tend to think of church primarily as a place for forgiveness, or do you view it more as a place for learning morals, socializing, or doing good works? How does shifting the focus to forgiveness change your perspective?

2. Read Matthew 18:21-35.  In the parable, the King forgives a debt the servant could never hope to pay. If we truly realized the size of the "debt" Jesus paid for us on the cross, how would that change the way we react to the small hurts or annoyances we experience with others this week?

3. Why is it dangerous for us to try to keep a "scorecard" of how many times we’ve forgiven someone? How does that scorecard prevent us from "walking in the light"? (See 1 John 1:5-10)

4. Read Isaiah 25:6-9.  Isaiah describes God’s kingdom as a feast of "rich food and well-aged wine." How does knowing that God's ultimate plan is a physical party (resurrection), not just a spiritual state, give you hope today?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Gathered Christ, Most Certainly True

The Holy Spirit uses ordinary community to do what "reason and strength" never could.

• Sermon Summery (Click to See)

  Introduction: The Third Article of the Creed

  The sermon continues the series "Most Certainly True," an exploration of the Apostles' Creed. Martin Luther described the creed as a tool that teaches us what God is like. The creed is structured into three articles:

  • Article 1: God the Father, the Creator

  • Article 2: God the Son, the Redeemer

  • Article 3: God the Spirit, the Sanctifier (to make holy)

  The pastor emphasizes the tangible nature of God's work. Just as creation and the life of Jesus were physical and real, the works of the Holy Spirit are also tangible actions in our lives.

  The Work of the Holy Spirit

  The third article of the creed states:

  "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

  • Clarification: These are not just a random list of beliefs. They are the actions and creations of the Holy Spirit.

  • Historical Context: The phrase "Holy Christian Church" was originally "Holy Catholic Church." "Catholic" simply means "universal." The change reflects a modern-day discomfort with the word "universal," but the meaning remains: the Spirit is at work in the one, universal church.

  Explanation from the Small Catechism

  Luther's explanation of the third article in the Small Catechism provides the core theological point for the sermon:

  "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, Enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ... In this Christian church, He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers..."

  • Key Point: We cannot come to faith on our own. It is not an intellectual exercise or an act of willpower. Our ability to grasp and hold onto faith is a gift that comes entirely from the Holy Spirit.

  Who is God and How Does He Respond?

  • God the Spirit Initiates Faith: The story of Nicodemus from the Gospel of John illustrates this principle. Nicodemus, a learned Pharisee, came to Jesus at night, unable to comprehend being "born again." Jesus explains that this new birth is a work of the Spirit. This conversation culminates in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."Our belief is not something we generate; it is a response enabled by the Spirit.

  • The Spirit Works Through Community: Faith is not a solitary "me and Jesus" affair, which is a reflection of American rugged individualism. It is about "we." The Spirit gathers us into one body.

    • Scripture: Ephesians 4:4-6 - "There is one body, one spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

    • Luther's Explanation: The creed describes a "holy little flock or a community... called together by the Holy Spirit into one faith, one mind, one understanding... united in love without sect or schism." The Spirit is what draws us together, not our ability to agree on everything.

    • Example (Pastor's Vicarage): A young man attended church faithfully with his wife but did not take communion because he couldn't bring himself to believe. He wanted to believe but honestly could not. Through his continued presence within the church community—hearing the preaching and experiencing the genuine love of the people—the Spirit worked. Years later, he was baptized, demonstrating that faith was nurtured and given to him through the community.

    • Example (Haiti Pastors' Conference): The pastor was amazed at the deep theological understanding and connections made by Haitian pastors, many of whom came from remote and impoverished areas. This showed him how the Spirit powerfully upholds and sustains the church, ensuring the truth of the Gospel is present and understood even in the most difficult circumstances.

  • The Spirit Equips the Church for Service:

    • Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-13 - Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers "to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature..." The Spirit works through people and their various roles to build up the entire community.

  • The Central Focus is Forgiveness:

    • Luther's Quote: "All the functions of the Christian community focus on the forgiveness of sins." This is the core of our community life and the central action of the Spirit within the church.

    • Example (Pastor's friend, Chad): Chad, now the head of the American division of Lutheran Hour Ministries, grew up as an agnostic. He began playing drums at a church simply because it was a paid gig. However, by being immersed in the community, he repeatedly heard the Gospel and, more importantly, experienced the genuine love of the people. They called him when he was sick and made him feel cared for. The Spirit worked through this community to bring him to faith. Chad's book, How the Light Shines Through, argues that even in a post-Christian culture, the Spirit provides glimmers of light and hope through the church community.

  Who Am I and How Am I to Live?

  • I Am Part of a "Y'all": I cannot come to faith by my own reason or strength. My identity is not as an isolated believer, but as part of the body of Christ. The "you" in the Bible is most often a plural "you" (or "y'all"). The Spirit works through the collective "us."

  • I Am Called to Participate in the Community: The Spirit works through all aspects of church life, both sacred and mundane:

    • Listening to sermons

    • Coffee and fellowship

    • Baptism (normal water) and Communion (normal bread and wine)

    • Service projects (packing bags for the homeless)

    • Fellowship events (Bunko, St. Patrick's Day parties)

    • Administrative meetings (finances, parking lot repairs)

    • Late-night phone calls of support

  • I Am to Be Present for Others: We are called to "come to things." By being present, we are positioned to both receive what we need to hear and to be the person someone else needs to hear from. The community will be messy because it is full of sinners, but it is precisely in this community that we experience the forgiveness of Jesus and learn to forgive one another. As the Spirit works through "y'all," we are all made more like Him.

  Closing Prayer

  Lord, thank You for being with us and bringing us through. When we feel outside of Your grace, You use the community and Your Spirit to hold us together and remind us that our sins are forgiven. Help us to grab a hold of this truth. Amen.

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Questions for the Week: Most Certainly True: Gathered Christ

1. Luther says in the Small Catechism we can't believe in Jesus by our own "reason or strength." How does it feel to know that your faith is a gift from the Spirit rather than something you have to maintain perfectly on your own?

2. Who is someone in your life who "belongs" to your community (friend group, neighborhood, family) but doesn't yet "believe"? How can you love them without pressure, trusting the Spirit is working?

3. Read Ephesians 4:1-16. There is "one body and one Spirit." We often view faith as a private matter ("just me and Jesus"). What is the benefit in Spirit gathering us together as the Church as opposed to just saving us individually? 

4. Ephesians 4 says we are all given gifts to build each other up. What is one way you feel the Holy Spirit has equipped you to help or encourage the "holy little flock" we belong to?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] My Lord, Most Certainly True

The angel’s specific message to tell the disciples and Peter reveals that Jesus is the Lord who refuses to let your failures cancel His promises.

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Questions for the Week: Apostles Creed: My Lord

1. We often hear "Jesus is Lord" as a command to obey. Luther contradicts this understanding in the Large Catechism where he writes, “What is it to ‘become my Lord?’ This means He has redeemed me from sin, from the devil, from death and from all evil. Before that, I had no Lord and King, but was held captive in the devil’s power, condemned to die, and bound up in sin and blindness.” How does Luther’s definition change the way you feel about His authority over your life?

2. In Genesis 12-13, we see Abraham kept trying to "give away" God's blessings (his wife, the land) out of fear or impatience. In what areas of your life do you try to take control or settle for less because you don't trust God to come through?

3. Read Mark 16:1-8: After Peter’s worst failure (denying Jesus), the angel specifically mentioned his name: "Tell his disciples and Peter." Why was it so important for Peter to hear his name in that moment? What does that tell you about how God views your own failures?

4. The Bible isn't a rulebook but a storybook of God saving people who constantly try to mess it up. How can we,"give people something to believe" this week by living out that kind of grace for others?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] The Son, Most Certainly True

The Creed reveals a God who made His love real by becoming human to be with us in our greatest sorrows and our loudest joys.

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Questions for the Week: Apostles Creed: The Son

1. When you listen to the Creed, it mentions things like "suffered under Pontius Pilate" and "buried." Why do you think it’s important to our faith that Jesus was a real, physical person in a specific time in history rather than just a legendary teacher?

2. Read Mark 2:13-17Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors. How does it change your view of God to think of Him enjoying a meal and having fun with people? How can we make our own meals and parties a place where Jesus is present?

3. Read Mark 1: 9-15.  We often want to use faith to escape our problems, but God used Jesus to enter our problems. How does knowing that God is willing to get His hands dirty in your "wilderness" change how you pray during hard times?

4. Read Philippians 2:5-11.  How can we have the same mind of Christ, having great parties with people and also times to grieve with people this month?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

Remembering Susan Becker

Service Live Stream is at 11am

Susan Jean Becker, age 78, a devoted Christian, went to be with her Lord and Savior on January 2, 2026. She was born on August 28, 1947, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Susan was a founding and deeply active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Her faith was the cornerstone of her life, and she joyfully served her church and community for many years. She was a proud member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), organized the church’s Angel Tree ministry, and also led Vacation Bible School , touching the lives of countless children through her leadership, dedication, and love.

Susan was also passionate about mentoring and guiding young people. She served as a Girl Scout troop leader for numerous years, where she helped shape and inspire young girls.

During her children’s younger years, Susan devoted herself to being a homemaker. She later worked as a service representative for American Greetings and also spent over 20 years working as a delivery driver for Domino’s Pizza. In her free time, Susan was an avid bowler and enjoyed playing on multiple tennis leagues.

The light of Susan’s life was her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she cherished deeply.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 45 years, William “Bill” Becker; her father, Donald T. Martin; her mother, Jean E. Martin; her brothers, Don Martin Jr., Douglas Martin, and James P. Martin; her son-in-law, Thomas J. Favors Sr.; and her granddaughter, Cameron T. Birtwell.

Susan is survived by her son, Todd Becker of McKinney, Texas; her daughters, Stephanie Koontz (Darin) and Kimberly Becker, both of Port St. Lucie, Florida; and her twelve grandchildren: Christine Carcano (Anthony), Courtney Sauber (Jerry), Thomas Favors Jr. (Lauren), Tiffany Becker, Cassie Birtwell, Brittany Favors, Heather Lipa (Kyle), Joseph Favors, Gannon Becker, Corey Birtwell, and Paige Becker. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren: Carson Favors, Paxton and Palmer Sauber, Riley Paige Sandman, and Wyatt Favors. She is also survived by 3 sisters, Julie McGee, Beatrice Imm (Augie), Joan Wilson (Rick) and 1 brother , Ken Martin (Kellen) and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on January 24, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grace Lutheran Church.

[Sunday] Creation Sustained Most Certainly True

From manna in the wilderness to the groceries in your cart, discover how God actively provides for us through Jesus and the vocation of others.

Sermon Video and Slides

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Questions for the Week: Apostles Creed: Creation Sustained

1. Read Exodus 16:1-8. The Israelites wanted to go back to slavery because they were afraid they wouldn't have enough food. In what areas of your life (finances, relationships, future security) do you find yourself "grumbling" or panicking about not having enough, rather than trusting God’s daily provision?

2. Think about something you used today (like your lunch or your clothes). How many different people did God use to get that item to you? How does that change the way you think about "ordinary" jobs?

3. God works through us to provide for others. In your current role (as a student, a parent, a worker, or a friend), how is God using your hands to provide "daily bread" or help to someone else?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Good Creation Most Certainly True

The Creed cuts through the noise of our own unworthiness to name us as 'good' creatures, loved by a God who honors our flesh and blood enough to redeem it, not just replace it.

Sermon Video and Slides

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Questions for the Week: Apostles Creed: Good Creation

1. If anyone were to ask you to describe God, what might you answer to begin with?

2. Read Genesis 1.  Do you naturally tend to see yourself as a "beloved creature" or a "broken sinner"? How does that shape your daily life?

3. Read John 1:1-14.  John 1 tells us that God did not escape creation but entered it in Jesus. Where have you seen God’s presence show up in ordinary, messy, or painful moments in your life or family?

4. Jesus rose from the dead still bearing His scars. What does it mean to you that God remembers our pain and wounds, and how might that help you show patience, grace, or care toward others this week?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Epiphany - We Three Kings

While earthly rulers try to hijack the story of the Magi to claim power, the gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh reveal a King who rules through sacrifice and death, calling us to abandon the world's version of greatness for a "different way."

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Questions for the Week: We Three Kings

1. The Magi were "wise guys" and outsiders, not the religious elite. Who are the "unexpected people" in our world today that might be seeing the truth of Jesus more clearly than those of us inside the church?

2. Read Matthew 2:1-15: We often admire people with wealth and power. How does the image of Magi laying gold at the feet of a toddler in a common house change your perspective on what we should focus on in life?

3. Why is it important for us to remember the Myrrh (a burial spice that points to the cross) even during the celebration of Christmas and Epiphany? How does this gift given to Jesus by the Magi give you hope in the midst of suffering?

4. After meeting Jesus, the Magi "departed into their own country another way." In what specific area of your life is the "True King" calling you to stop following the world’s path and start going "another way"?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] A Song of Christmas Light - Wait | Simeon

Just as the Apollo 8 astronauts were awed by our tiny planet in a vast universe, Simeon’s joy reminds us that God proves His love by entering the most "insignificant" places—a manger, a small town, and our own ordinary lives—to bring us peace.

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Questions for the Week: A Story of Christmas Light -  Pointing to Greatness

1. What is something you are currently waiting for God to do in your life, and how do you handle the silence while you wait?

2. Read Luke 2:22-38. Simeon recognized that the wait was over, that the Savior was in this poor baby. Why do you think God so often chooses to work through "insignificant" means (a baby, a manger, a cross) rather than through displays of raw power?

3. The astronauts on Apollo 8 felt tiny looking back at Earth from space. Have you ever felt "small" or "insignificant"—maybe at school, at work, or just looking at the stars? How does knowing that God chose to become a tiny, "insignificant" baby change how you feel about your own smallness?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Christmas Day] Beautiful Trees

More than just a decoration, the Christmas tree stands as a symbol of the "Feast of Adam and Eve," proclaiming that the New Adam has come to restore Paradise.

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Christmas Eve] A Song of Christmas Light

Christmas Eve Candlelight service

4pm with Live Stream
7pm with Korean Church

Much like Scrooge, the shepherds sat in darkness until the heavenly angels came, bringing the light of a well celebrated Christmas.

• Notable Quotes From Stave 5 (click + to see)

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] A Song of Christmas Light - Pointing to Greatness Stave 4

While the Ghost points to the grave our ambition digs, Jesus answers by becoming the humble Child who enters that grave to raise us to new life.

• Notable Quotes From Stave 4 (click + to see)

  • "Ghost of the Future! " he exclaimed, " I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?" pg 123

    • It's likely to be a very cheap funeral, " said the same speaker; " for upon my life I don't know of anybody to go to it . Suppose we make up a party and volunteer? " pg 125

    • for he had been revolving in his mind a change of life, and thought and hoped he saw his new-born resolutions carried out in this pg 128

    • He frightened every one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead! Ha, ha, ha! " pg 136

    • " Spirit ! " said Scrooge, shuddering from head to foot. " I see , I see. The case of this unhappy man might be my own. My life tends that way, now. Merciful Heaven, what is this! " pg 136

    • " Spirit! " he said, "this is a fearful place . In leaving it, I shall not leave its lesson, trust me. Let us go! " pg 138 

      • He is acting like david here

    • We may sleep to-night with light hearts, Caroline! " Yes. Soften it as they would, their hearts were lighter. The children's faces, hushed and clustered round to hear what they so little understood, were brighter; and it was a happier house for this man's death! The only emotion that the Ghost could show him, caused by the event, was one of pleasure. "Let me see some tenderness connected with a death, " said Scrooge; pg 141

    • They entered poor Bob Cratchit's house; the dwelling he had visited before; and found the mother and the children seated round the fire.
      Quiet. Very quiet. The noisy little Cratchits were as still as statues in one corner, and sat looking up at Peter, who had a book before him. The mother and her daughters were engaged in sewing. But surely they were very quiet ! pg 142

    • And He took a child and set him in the midst of them pg 142

      • Scrooge was not like this child but 

    • I am heartily sorry for it, Mr. Cratchit, ' he said, ' and heartily sorry for your good wife. ' By the bye, how he ever knew that, I don't know. " "Knew what, my dear?" "Why, that you were a good wife, " replied Bob. "Everybody knows that! " said Peter. "Very well observed, my boy! " cried Bob. “I hope they do. ' Heartily sorry, ' he said, ' for your good wife. If I can be of service to you in any way, ' he said, giving me his card , 'that's where I live. Pray come to me. ' Now, it wasn't, " cried Bob, " for the sake of anything he might be able to do for us, so much as for his kind way, that this was quite delight- ful. It really seemed as if he had known our Tiny Tim, and felt with us." pg 145

    • "Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point," said Scrooge, "answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of the things that May be, only?"

    • Spirit! " he cried, tight clutching at its robe, " hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope!" For the first time the hand appeared to shake.

    • "Good Spirit, " he pursued , as down upon the ground he fell before it: " Your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, by an altered life ?"
      The kind hand trembled.

    • "I will honour Christmas in my heart , and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone! "

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Questions for the Week: A Story of Christmas Light -  Pointing to Greatness

1. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and John the Baptist both point to the reality of death and sin. Why is it often necessary to face the harsh reality of where our actions are leading us (the "grave") before we can truly change?

2. Read Luke 3:1-10 We connected Scrooge's greed to the "brood of vipers" pursuit of greatness. In what ways does our modern culture's definition of "greatness" (success, power, wealth) lead to a spiritual "grave" or harm those around us (like Tiny Tim)?

3. Read Matthew 18:1-6. This was read in the Cratchit home at the death of Tiny Tim: "And He took a child and set him in the midst of them." Jesus showed greatness and humility by becoming a weak baby in a manger and later welcoming the weak. When are those times at your weakness when Jesus has welcomed you?

4. We are called to "bury our sinful desires" in the grave with Jesus and be raised to bear fruit. What are specific "fruits of repentance" (an act of love, mercy, or generosity) you hope to bear this coming week?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] A Song of Christmas Light - Know Me Better Man Stave 3

Though we mistake Christmas for a time of material plenty, the Ghost of Christmas Present reveals that true abundance is actually found in the humble poverty where Jesus dwells.

• Notable Quotes From Stave 3 (click + to see)

  • I don't mind calling on you to believe that he was ready for a good broad field of strange appearances , and that nothing between a baby and rhinoceros would have astonished him very much. Pg 75

  • All this time, he lay upon his bed, the very core and centre of a blaze of ruddy light, which streamed upon it when the clock proclaimed the hour pg 76

    • Worked to light

  • Marley's , or for many and many a winter season gone. Heaped up on the floor, to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game , poultry , brawn , great joints of meat , suckingpigs , long wreaths of sausages , mince-pies , plum-puddings , barrels of oysters , red-hot chestnuts , cherrycheeked apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth-cakes, and seething bowls of punch, that made the chamber dim with their delicious steam. In easy state upon this couch there sat a jolly Giant , glorious to see; who bore a glowing torch, in shape not unlike Plenty's horn, and held it up , high up, to shed its light on Scrooge, as he came peeping round the door. Pg 71

    • Light signals a huge giant party.

  • " Come in!" exclaimed the Ghost. " Come in! And know me better, man ! " pg 72

  • "I am the Ghost of Christmas Present," said the Spirit . " Look upon me!" pg 72

  • This garment hung so loosely on the figure, that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to be warded or concealed by any artifice. Its feet, observable beneath the ample folds of the garment, were also bare; and on its head it wore no other covering than a holly wreath, set here and there with shining icicles. Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye pg 72

    • He is just open. Its not proper. 

  • they stood in the city streets on Christmas morning, where (for the weather was severe) the people made a rough , but brisk and not unpleasant kind of music, in scraping the snow from the pavement in front of their dwellings , pg 80

    • This has a Manger scene similarity here. 

  • The house fronts looked black enough pg 80

    • Big to small

    • Pg 81 They visit the mine. They have so much, yet dont have anything at all. 

  • The sight of these poor revellers appeared to interest the Spirit very much, for he stood with Scrooge beside him in a baker's doorway, and taking off the covers as their bearers passed, sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch. And it was a very uncommon kind of torch, for once or twice when there were angry words between some dinner-carriers who had jostled each other, he shed a few drops of water on them from it , and their good humour was restored directly . For they said, it was a shame to quarrel upon Christmas Day. And so it was! God love it , so it was!  Pg 85

    • Spreading the Christmas Spirit. 

  • " Is there a peculiar flavour in what you sprinkle  from your torch?" asked Scrooge.
    "There is . My own. "
    "Would it apply to any kind of dinner on this day?" asked Scrooge.
    "To any kindly given. To a poor one most."
    "Why to a poor one most? " asked Scrooge.
    "Because it needs it most. "

    • Manger Feast for a King

  • "There are some upon this earth of yours," returned the Spirit, " who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion , pride, ill-will , hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us. " pg 87

    • People claim to be righteous

  Clerks party 

  • Then up rose Mrs. Cratchit, Cratchit's wife, dressed out but poorly in a twice-turned gown, but brave in ribbons, which are cheap and make a goodly show for sixpence pg 88

  • Master Peter Cratchit plunged a fork into the saucepan of potatoes , and getting the corners of his monstrous shirt-collar ( Bob's private property, conferred upon his son and heir in honour of the day ) into his mouth , rejoiced to find himself so gallantly attired , and yearned to show his linen in the fashion able Parks. 88

    • They are so proud of their thread warn closes

  • and his thread bare clothes darned up and brushed, to look season able; and Tiny Tim upon his shoulder. Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch , and had his limbs supported by an iron frame! 85

  • " As good as gold, " said Bob, " and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see." Bob's voice was tremulous when he told them this, and trembled more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty. 91

  • His active little crutch was heard upon the floor

  • Might have thought a goose the rarest of the birds. Pg 92

  • It was suc ceeded by a breathless pause, as Mrs. Cratchit, looking slowly all along the carving- knife, prepared to plunge it in the breast; but when she did, and when the long-expected gush of stuffing issued forth, one murmur of delight arose all round the board, and even Tiny Tim, excited by the two young Cratchits, beat on the table with the handle of his knife, and feebly cried Hurrah! Pg 93

  • There never was such a goose. Bob said he didn't believe there ever was such a goose cooked. Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness , were the themes of universal admiration. Eked out by applesauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family; indeed, as Mrs. Cratchit said with great delight ( surveying one small atom of a bone upon the dish ) , they hadn't ate it all at last! Yet every one had had enough, pg 93

  • Oh , a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit said, and calmly too, that he regarded it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs. Cratchit since their marriage. Mrs. Cratchit said that now the weight was off her mind, she would confess she had her doubts about the quantity of flour. Everybody had something to say about it , but nobody said or thought it was at all a small pud ding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so. Any Cratchit would have blushed to hint at such a thing . 

  • God Bless us everyone pg 95

    • Spirit will tiny time live. 

    • Decrease the surplus the population

  • Scrooge was the shadow in the family pg98

  •  There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being waterproof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker's. But, they were happy, grateful , pleased with one another, and contented with the time; and when they faded, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirit's torch at parting, Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last. Pg 99

  The miners have so little. Yet they know how to celebrate christmas. 

  Scrooges nephew. Pities scrooge. 109

  • But they didn't devote the whole evening to music. After a while they played at forfeits; for it is good to be children sometimes , and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child him- self . Stop pg 111

  • "A Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to the old man, whatever he is! " said Scrooge's nephew. "He wouldn't take it from me, but may he have it , nevertheless. Uncle Scrooge!" pg 115

  • Much they saw, and far they went and many homes they visited, but always with a happy end. The Spirit stood beside sick beds, and they were cheerful; on foreign lands , and they were close at home; by struggling men, and they were patient in their greater hope; by poverty , and it was rich. In almshouse , hospital , and jail , in misery's every refuge, where vain man in his little brief authority had not made fast the door, and barred the Spirit out , he left his blessing, and taught Scrooge his precepts. Pg 114

    • The point

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Questions for the Week: A Story of Christmas Light -  Know Me Better Man - Stave3

1. The Ghost of Christmas Present invites Scrooge to "Know me better, man," and then shows him joy in poverty (the Cratchits) and horror in neglect (Ignorance and Want). What does "knowing Christmas better" look like for you this year? Is it about finding joy in less, or opening your eyes to those in need?

2. The sermon highlighted the Cratchit family dinner: the goose was small, the pudding was small, but the joy was huge. In a season obsessed with "more" and "perfect," how can you cultivate a spirit of abundance and gratitude even when things (finances, health, time) feel scarce?

3. Read Luke 1: 46-56.  Mary sang that God "fills the hungry with good things" but sends the "rich away empty." Why do you think it is often harder for the "rich" (or self-sufficient) to truly experience the joy of Jesus than it is for the humble or poor?

4. Tiny Tim hoped that people seeing his crutch in church would remind them of Jesus, who made the lame walk. Instead of hiding his weakness, he used it to point to God. What is a weakness or struggle in your own life that, if shared openly, could actually point others to God's strength?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Wednesday] - Mid-week Advent - Christmas Variety Show

Dinner 5:30 - Christmas Variety Show 6:30

- Come Play, Bells Name at Tune.
Listen to a Dramatized retelling of A Christmas Carol.
Bring your Stories and Poems.

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] A Song of Christmas Light - Flickering Past Stave 2

Instead of snuffing out the painful memories of our past, the true Christmas Light shines into our darkness to offer redemption rather than shame.

• Notable Quotes From Stave 2 (click + to see)

  • when Scrooge awoke, it was so dark that looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber. Pg39

  • It was a strange figure like a child yet not so like a child, as like an old man viewed through some supernatural medium, which gave him an appearance of having receded from the view and being diminished into child proportions pg43

  • It held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand, and in singular contradiction of the wintry emblem, had its dress trimmed with summer flowers, but the strangest thing about it was that from the crown of its head they're sprung a bright clear jet of light by which all this was visible in, which was doubtless the occasion of it's using end moments, a great extinguisher for a cap which is now held under its arm pg43

    • It sounds like the Charibum from Isiah. 

  • I am the ghost of Christmas past the long past inquired Scrooge observant of its dwarf stature no your past perhaps Scrooge could not have told anyone why if anyone could have asked him, but he had a special desire to see the spirit in its And begged him to be covered pg45

  • What explained the ghost would you so soon put out with worldly hands delight I give is it not enough that you are one of those whose passions made this Enforced me through whole trains of years to wear it low upon my brow. Pg45

    • This reminds me of the song this little light of mine

  • Scrooge is confronted with his childhood memories at that the ghost says your lip is trembling, said the ghost and what is that on your cheek Scrooge muttered an unusual catch in his voice that it was a pimple and begged the ghost to lead him where he would pg47

    • This part is interesting to me because he's remembering his youth with fondness. Even though there's pain.

  • They walked along the road screwed, recognizing every gate and post and tree……All these boys were in great spirits and shouted to each other until the Broadfield were so full of Mary music that the crisp air left to hear it. Pg 48

    • Places full of joy

  • It opened before them and disclose a long bear melancholy room made bears still by lines of plain Deal forms and desks. At one of these, a lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire, and Scrooge sat down upon a form and wept to see his poor, forgotten self as he used to be. Pg 50

    • Despite the great memories, he remembers the sadness of his childhood.

    • Also, there's an idea of him wanting more here.

  • Then with a Rapidity of transition very foreign to his usual character he said in pity for his former herself, poor boy and cried again. Pg 52

  • What is the matter ask the spirit nothing said Scrooge nothing there was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should like to have given him something that's all. Pg 52

    • Here's this interesting moment of regret and the light shining through.

    • Connecting himself to Tiny Tim.

  • In your to be a man sent the child, opening her eyes and are never to come back here, but first where to be together all the Christmas long and have the merriest time in all the world. Pg54

    • Merriest  time and all the world is the point

  • She died. A woman said the ghost and had as I think children one child screched, returned true said the ghost your nephew Scrooge seemed an easy in his mind and answered briefly, yes. Pg 56

    • His sister brought joy, but also sorrow

  • Why it's old fuzzy wig, bless his heart it's fuzzy wig alive again he rubbed his hands adjusted his capacious. Waistcoat laughed all over himself from his shows to his organ of benevolence and called out and a conformable oily Rich fat jovial Voice yo ho here, Ebeneezer Dick.. pg 57

  • Every removable was packed off, as if it were dismissed from public life forevermore the floor was swept and watered. The lamps were trimmed fuel was heaped upon the fire in the warehouse was a snug and warm and dry and bright a ballroom as you would desire to see upon a Winters night. Pg 58

  • A positive light appeared to issue from fuzzy wigs, calves, they shown in every part of the dance like moons you couldn't have predicted at any given time what would have become of them next pg 61

  • During the whole time screwed to acted like a man out of his wits, his heart and soul were in the scene with his former self he corroborated everything remembered everything, enjoyed everything and underwent the strangest agitation. Pg 63

  • That he remembered the ghost and became conscious that it was looking full upon him while the light upon his head burnt very clear. A small matter, said the ghost to make these silly folks so full of gratitude small echoed Scrooge. Pg 63

  • Why is it not? He has spent with a few pounds of your immortal money three or four perhaps is that so much that he deserves this praise

  • The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune pg 63

    • This whole commentary of it being a small thing, but Scrooge's of saying that it's as if it cost a fortune the point.

  • It matters little, she said softly to you very little another idol has displaced me, and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come as I would have tried to do, I have no just caused to grieve what idol has displaced you. He rejoined a golden one. Pg 65

  • May you be happy in the life you have chosen. Pg68

    • As we've gone through the ghost of Christmas past, even though there's pain in the beginning, Scrooge remembers it with joy, and even though he has so much at the end, he remembers it was sadness. And you see happiness fading

  • I should've liked. I do confess to have had the lightest license of a child and yet to have been man enough to know it's value. Pg 69

  • Remove me, Scrooge exclaimed I cannot bear it. He turned upon the ghost, and seeing that it looked up upon him with a face in which, in some strange way, there were fragments of all the faces it had shown him wrestled with it. Leave me take me back, haunt me no longer. Pg73

  • Scrooge observed that it's light was burning high and bright, and dimly connecting that with its influence over him, he sees the extinguisher cap, and by a sudden action pressed it down upon its head. The spirit dropped beneath it so that the extinguisher covered its whole form. But those Scrooge pressed it down with all his force he could not hide the light which streamed from under it in an unbroken flood upon the ground. Pg 72

    • This little light of mine so

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Questions for the Week: A Story of Christmas Light -  Flickering Past Stave 2

1. Scrooge was forced to look at his "Golden Idol" (money) that cost him his relationship with Belle. This is similar to Israel’s Golden Calf. What are the "false lights" or “golden idols” that people today chase, thinking they will bring happiness but only bring darkness?

2. When the memories became too painful, Scrooge tried to force the "extinguisher cap" over the light to hide it. What are some ways we try to "cap" or snuff out the light when our own past mistakes or regrets get too uncomfortable to face?

3. Read Luke 1:5-25, 67-80.  Zechariah sang about the "tender mercy of our God" bringing a Sunrise to those in the shadow of death. How does thinking of Jesus as a "Sunrise" change how you feel about the dark parts of your own history?

4. Read John 1:1-10.  Why is bringing our "past darkness" into the light actually freeing rather than shameful?

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What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Wednesday] - Mid-week Advent - Christmas Sing Along

Dinner 5:30 - Christmas Carol Sing 6:30

- Singing some classic Christmas Carols and talking about
Hanukkah and Its part of the Christian Story.

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What Had happened at Grace this week.