Sisters and brothers,
Happy Monday to all! Yesterday, the theme for the fourth Sunday of advent was love. We sang about the great love of God found in Jesus Christ. We learned that though the word “love” is not found in either of the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth in Matthew or Luke, God’s love permeates the whole event of Christmas. God did not just say He loved us. God did not give us some formal definition of the word “love.” God showed us what love truly is by giving His only Son to save us from our sin. Christ Jesus, God the Son Himself, showed us love by condescending to become a human being to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Christ Jesus took on human fleshly body and became a human baby dependent on Mary and Joseph. Christ Jesus took on that body to die on the cross in our place so our sins could be forgiven, and we could be saved and know a love relationship with God. We looked at love described in 1 Corinthians 13 to see how Jesus showed us what love truly looks like. Real love acts in sacrificial ways for the good of those who are loved. Jesus’ love for God the Father and us compelled Him to sacrificed His life on the cross so we could have life. Real love in someone makes the hardest of sacrifices for those it loves.
East Madison Baptist Church will have a Christmas Eve service at 5:00 PM Saturday and a Christmas Day service at 10:00 AM Sunday morning. Our New Year’s Day service will be at 10:45 PM. There will be no Bible Study on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
During the month of December, we will be taking up the Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions. Lottie Moon offering envelopes and prayer guides are on the table in the back of the sanctuary b9y the offering box.
Remember to keep praying continually for each other.
Love being your pastor!
Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church