Isaiah 6:1-8 & Luke 22:44-49
How do we keep the gospel fire burning? A renewed vision of the greatness of Christ, a renewed compassion for the lost and a renewed readiness for the gospel. Using Isaiah’s vision and calling in Isaiah 6, The Rev. Lewis Lew, Assoc. Dir. of Missions for the Diocese of Singapore and Dean of the Anglican Church of Nepal, invites us to be compelled by Christ, the world and the gospel to respond to God’s call with: “Here I am, Send Me!”
Mark 10:46-52 & Isaiah 42:1-7
Jesus heals Bartimaeus, the blind beggar on the side of the road outside Jericho–making him well physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually; Upending cultural values of who’s In and who’s Out–and inviting us to see ourselves as desperate and needy as the blind man.
God’s heart for the poor is vividly portrayed in the Prophets condemnation of Israel for their lack of Justice. God calls us to align our hearts with his in radically generous justice–giving of ourselves for all the poor and powerless.
Includes God in Life testimony on Foster Care by Sasha Swanson, Tatiana Shults and Christie Vaudo.
The Magi come from afar to worship Jesus the newborn King and return to their lands with the news of the Christ, inviting us to see those who are different and strange as part of God’s plan and to see our call to love them.
Recording includes God in Life testimony (at minute 23) by Jake Gramlich who shares about his own coming to faith.
In Isaiah 56, the prophet reveals God’s heart for the Eunuch & the Foreigner–Outcasts in Israel. A message of grace to all outcasts that also compels us to love the Stranger too.
God’s passion for justice and mercy pushes us out into a world of poverty, slavery and violence to care with God’s heart for people in hopeless darkness.
The religious leaders try to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus doesn’t evade the question, he overturns it–challenging their view of Kingdoms and inviting all to come and be a part of his upside down Kingdom by giving themselves wholly and completely to God.
What is the nature of the salvation story–seeds of promise planted, waiting for the promise to come, and trusting in the outcome. It is the Advent story that is played out in the hopes of Israel and the promises made to faithful, barren and aged Zechariah and Elizabeth–that their prayers for salvation were being answered and they would have a son. Are we willing to live into the Advent themes of waiting, hoping and trusting?
Luke 1:5-25 & Isaiah 40:1-5
In the Gospel of Luke, Caesar and Rome are set against John the Baptist and Jesus in the early chapters. The author wants us to ask who is truly king? And, where is power to be found? Through the Baptists preaching, the people of Israel, and all of us are called to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus as the true king and messiah of the Lord. But for many, assumptions and misunderstandings, as well as our desire to be in control, cause us to miss Jesus or misrepresent him. Are we willing to drop all and follow him? Will we seek him earnestly?
Isaiah 56
Advent 2
Advent 1
The Solution