Category Archives: Gospel — Good News

Good News of Great Joy | December 4 — “The Beginning of Jesus’s Ministry”

As we reflect on Luke 4 during Advent, we see Jesus beginning His public ministry with victory over temptation, the proclamation of the gospel, and the healing of the broken. The temptation in the wilderness reminds us that Jesus, fully God yet fully human, understands our struggles and yet remains sinless. His rejection in Nazareth reveals how His message often challenges our expectations and calls us to a deeper understanding of God’s grace, extending even to those we might consider outsiders. Finally, His healing ministry reminds us that the Kingdom of God is not only about spiritual transformation, but that God genuinely cares for us in all aspects of our lives. Let us prepare our hearts to receive Jesus, not just as a Savior, but as the King who reigns with authority, grace, and compassion.

"Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 4:1–11In this episode of The King is Coming, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison move beyond Jesus’s letters to the churches and into the next part of John’s vision. In Revelation 4, John is invited through an open door into heaven—and what he sees is the throne room of God.At the center of everything is a throne, and seated on it is the Lord in all His glory. From this point forward in Revelation, the throne becomes the focal point of the entire book.John describes the scene the best way he can: the brilliance of precious stones, a rainbow surrounding the throne, flashes of lightning and thunder, and a crystal-like sea before it. Surrounding the throne are twenty-four elders and four living creatures who never cease to worship the Lord.Together, Keith and Jamie discuss:✔️ Why Revelation 4 marks a shift from the letters to the churches to John’s heavenly vision✔️ What the throne room reveals about God’s authority and security over all things✔️ Why John uses comparisons (“like” and “as”) to describe the glory he sees✔️ The mystery of the twenty-four elders and what we can—and cannot—know✔️ The constant worship of the living creatures crying “Holy, holy, holy”✔️ Why heaven’s worship centers on God simply because He is worthyIn the throne room, everything points to one truth: God alone is worthy of worship.“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)🔗 If you would like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming)
  2. " Lukewarm Yet Not Without Hope: Jesus’s Letter to the Church at Laodicea" (The KING is Coming)
  3. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  5. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)

The Temptation of Jesus[1]

1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ ”

9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ 11 and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee and Nazareth[2]

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘ “Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.

Jesus Begins His Healing Ministry[3]

31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

[1] Jesus begins His ministry by being led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where He fasts for forty days and is tempted by the devil. Each temptation challenges His identity as the Son of God, but He never wavers, demonstrating His sinlessness and perfection. This section also demonstrates that Jesus, though fully divine, shared in human experiences of temptation, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

[2] In Galilee, Jesus gains a reputation as a teacher, but His visit to Nazareth is marked by rejection. Reading Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue, He declares Himself the fulfillment of prophecy. Though the people marvel at first, His mention of God’s grace to the Gentiles enrages them, foreshadowing the resistance He will face but giving good news to us.

[3] Jesus travels to Capernaum, where He teaches with authority and casts out demons, demonstrating His power and authority over all things, even the spiritual. A man possessed by an unclean spirit cries out, acknowledging Jesus as the “Holy One of God” (v. 34). He also heals many who are sick, including Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, and the crowds continue to gather. Jesus emphasizes that His mission is not just to heal but to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God, signaling that His ministry is far-reaching and intended for all people.

Good News of Great Joy | December 3 — “Prepare the Way for the Lord”

John’s message of repentance reminds us to prepare our hearts for Jesus and our need for Him as Savior. Jesus’s baptism reveals His humility and obedience, while the genealogy affirms that Jesus is the Savior of the world. During Advent, let us reflect on how Jesus fulfills every promise and calls us to live as His faithful followers.

"Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 4:1–11In this episode of The King is Coming, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison move beyond Jesus’s letters to the churches and into the next part of John’s vision. In Revelation 4, John is invited through an open door into heaven—and what he sees is the throne room of God.At the center of everything is a throne, and seated on it is the Lord in all His glory. From this point forward in Revelation, the throne becomes the focal point of the entire book.John describes the scene the best way he can: the brilliance of precious stones, a rainbow surrounding the throne, flashes of lightning and thunder, and a crystal-like sea before it. Surrounding the throne are twenty-four elders and four living creatures who never cease to worship the Lord.Together, Keith and Jamie discuss:✔️ Why Revelation 4 marks a shift from the letters to the churches to John’s heavenly vision✔️ What the throne room reveals about God’s authority and security over all things✔️ Why John uses comparisons (“like” and “as”) to describe the glory he sees✔️ The mystery of the twenty-four elders and what we can—and cannot—know✔️ The constant worship of the living creatures crying “Holy, holy, holy”✔️ Why heaven’s worship centers on God simply because He is worthyIn the throne room, everything points to one truth: God alone is worthy of worship.“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)🔗 If you would like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming)
  2. " Lukewarm Yet Not Without Hope: Jesus’s Letter to the Church at Laodicea" (The KING is Coming)
  3. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)

The Ministry of John the Baptist[1]

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

The Baptism of Jesus[2]

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Genealogy of Jesus[3]

23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

[1] Luke begins by situating John’s ministry within the historical context of Roman and Jewish leaders, showing how God’s Word came to John, not to elite political or religious figures. John’s ministry fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, calling people to repent and prepare for the Lord (Isaiah 40:3-5). He baptized them as a sign of repentance, warning about God’s coming judgment and teaching them how to live faithfully. When questioned, John pointed to the coming Messiah (vv. 4-6).

[2] Jesus was baptized by John as an example for us, not for repentance and obedience because He is without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). When He came out of the water, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. God the Father declared, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (v. 22). This moment revealed Jesus as God’s Son and the promised Savior, with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all present.

[3] Luke traces Jesus’ lineage back to Adam, emphasizing that He is the Savior for all people, not just the Jews. This genealogy highlights Jesus’s identity as the Son of God and fulfills the requirements for the Messiah, showing His divine authority and His connection to humanity.

Songs for Sunday, December 1, 2024 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and I’m excited!

Tomorrow, we kick of the Advent season at Christ Community. The first week is all about hope. We’ll be singing Christmas songs and lighting the first Advent candle, but it’s about more than that — hope is about and found in Jesus!

The hope that comes from Jesus is not a vague, hypothetical wish but a confident expectation based on the promises of God. Advent draws our attention to God’s faithfulness, seen in His fulfillment of the prophecies surrounding Jesus’s first coming AND His promise that Jesus will return!

Isaiah 7:14 declares, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Centuries before Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem, God promised our redemption through His Son Jesus.

Romans 15:12-13 reminds us that hope isn’t limited to just Israel — or us — but extends to all peoples and nations: “The root of Jesse will come, even He who arises to rule the Gentiles; in Him will the Gentiles hope. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” If you’re reading this, it is likely that you are one of the Gentiles. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Rome longer ago than Isaiah was before Jesus’s birth, and we can hope in it just the same! That’s good news, especially since we find out that this hope is not based on our feelings but on the Holy Spirit’s power within us!

So, we wait. We wait with expectation. We hope.

Lamentations 3:26 gives us a good picture of this: “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Well, Israel had centuries of silence, centuries without a prophet with a thus-saith-the-Lord, until the silence was broken by the cry of an infant — by the literal and divine Word of God (John 1:1-14)! We don’t have to wait in silence, though, waiting for a Word because we HAVE THE WORD FULLY — in Jesus and in His written Word! And it is in His Word — in Him — that we find hope as we wait for His promised return, trials and troubles and worldly sorrow notwithstanding because God’s hope has been poured out on us in love by the Holy Spirit to carry us through (Romans 5:1-5)!

Tomorrow, at Christ Community, we are going to sing a version of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” that has quickly become one of my favorite songs — not just at Christmas but of all time. This song captures the heart of Advent and calls us to reflect on the longing that Israel had for Jesus and see how our anticipation of Jesus’s return should be.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel!
Shall by His Word our darkness dispel!

O Come, Thou King of nations bring
An end to all our suffering
Bid every pain and sorrow cease
And reign now as our Prince of Peace!

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel!

Rejoice! Emmanuel (God with us) has come and is coming again! Rejoice!

We can hope in Him because He has promised, and “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23)!

Won’t you gather with us as we read from God’s Word, sing from God’s Word, and hear John open and preach from God’s Word tomorrow?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

  • Scripture | John 1:1-5 —

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

  • Scripture | John 1:9-14 —

9The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Good News of Great Joy: Advent Readings from the Gospel of Luke

I believe that Luke’s words to Theophilus in the beginning of his gospel sum up what we are trying to do with this resource – to present to you “a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word have delivered to us” (Luke 1:1-2). There are twenty-four chapters in Luke’s narrative, and between December 1st and 24th (Christmas Eve), we have time to look at the full account of Jesus’s life.

We want to give you the opportunity to look at the whole Story of Jesus – not just the divine swaddled baby in the manger, but the young boy who taught the teachers in the temple, the man who served rather than being served, and the Savior who died and rose again “in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Luke addressed his gospel to Theophilus, a name combining the words Theos (God) and philos (love) to mean “lover of God”. Some speculate whether or not Theophilus was an individual or just Luke’s name for those who love God, but it is my hope that whether or not you begin this journey through Luke’s gospel a lover of God, you will find yourself on Christmas day enamored and enraptured in love, “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

Won’t you join us?

Below, you can find audio for each day’s reading as well as brief commentary if needed for understanding, or you can download a pdf of the entire reading guide here:

Good News of Great JoyDownload

"Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 4:1–11In this episode of The King is Coming, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison move beyond Jesus’s letters to the churches and into the next part of John’s vision. In Revelation 4, John is invited through an open door into heaven—and what he sees is the throne room of God.At the center of everything is a throne, and seated on it is the Lord in all His glory. From this point forward in Revelation, the throne becomes the focal point of the entire book.John describes the scene the best way he can: the brilliance of precious stones, a rainbow surrounding the throne, flashes of lightning and thunder, and a crystal-like sea before it. Surrounding the throne are twenty-four elders and four living creatures who never cease to worship the Lord.Together, Keith and Jamie discuss:✔️ Why Revelation 4 marks a shift from the letters to the churches to John’s heavenly vision✔️ What the throne room reveals about God’s authority and security over all things✔️ Why John uses comparisons (“like” and “as”) to describe the glory he sees✔️ The mystery of the twenty-four elders and what we can—and cannot—know✔️ The constant worship of the living creatures crying “Holy, holy, holy”✔️ Why heaven’s worship centers on God simply because He is worthyIn the throne room, everything points to one truth: God alone is worthy of worship.“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)🔗 If you would like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming)
  2. " Lukewarm Yet Not Without Hope: Jesus’s Letter to the Church at Laodicea" (The KING is Coming)
  3. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)

I’m Thankful to Jesus for Being My Advocate — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 22

I’m thankful to Jesus for being my Advocate!

I touched on the subject of Jesus as our Advocate in the last entry in the #DailyWisdomChallenge, so I guess this has been on my mind and heart for a few weeks now.

Sin brings guilt, shame, and condemnation. our enemy, Satan, is quick to accuse us, pointing out our failures and declaring us unworthy before God (Revelation 12:10). But in 1 John 2:1-2, we are reminded of the incredible hope we have in Jesus as our Advocate. An advocate is someone who pleads on behalf of another, and Jesus does this perfectly for us. When we sin, He intercedes for us before the Father — not by minimizing our sin but by pointing to His finished work on the cross!

Jesus is described as “the righteous”, the One who lived a sinless life and was perfectly obedient to the Father. Because of His righteousness, He could offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. John tells us that Jesus is the “propitiation for our sins” — a wrath-bearing atonement. On the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the punish our sins deserved, fully satisfying God’s justice and turning away His righteous wrath (Romans 3:25-26). His blood covers us, and through Him, we are forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:7).

Now, when God looks at us, He sees us through the righteousness of His Son. Jesus speaks on our behalf, declaring that our debt has been paid in full and that we belong to Him. Because of Jesus, God does not deal with us according to our sin but according to His grace and mercy (Psalm 103:10-12).

Today, I am thankful that I don’t have to stand before God in my own strength or righteousness. When I fail, Jesus is my Advocate, reminding me that my sin has been dealt with once and for all.

If you are in Christ, this is true for you, too. Let this truth silence the voice of guilt and shame — the voice of our accuser, and fill your heart with gratitude to the Savior who stood in our place.

If you are not in Christ, understand that you stand before God as judge and represent yourself. There’s more than enough evidence of our sin to convict. Turn your life over to Jesus, confess Him as Lord and put your trust in Him. He will save all who call on Him (Romans 10:9-10, 13)!

That’s good news!

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

I’m Thankful for the Father of Mercies and the God of All Comfort — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 20

I’m thankful for the Father of Mercies and the God of All Comfort!

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul invited the church at Corinth (and us today) to praise God for who He is — the source of mercy and comfort. God, in His great love, shows compassion to us in our pain and suffering. He doesn’t stand far off or push us away but instead draws near, meeting us in our affliction with His presence, peace, and sustaining grace. Whether we face sorrow or loss, trials or tribulations, we can cling to the promise that the “God of all comfort” is with us, strengthening and reminding us that we are never alone.

But God’s comfort doesn’t end with only Him comforting us. Paul emphasized here that as we receive mercy and comfort from the Lord, we are called to extend it to others. God often works through His people, the Church, to show His love and care to those in need. When we have experienced God’s mercy, we are uniquely equipped to share it with others and minister to them. Our struggles and the comfort we received become tools in His hands, allowing us to walk alongside those who are hurting, offering hope and encouragement.

As His Church, we are His hands and feet, bringing His comfort and gospel to a broken and lost world. This is a beautiful picture of God’s redemption, even in the midst of our suffering. He uses the suffering and trials we experience to shape us, sanctify us, draw us closer to Him, and equip us to serve others for His glory.

Today, I am thankful for the mercy and comfort God has shown me, and I’m challenged to share that same mercy and comfort with those around me.

How can you reflect the heart of the “Father of Mercies” in someone’s life today? Consider those around you who are hurting and mourning as we enter the holiday season. Not everyone is ready or willing to be holly and jolly because or real hurts and hangups in their lives. Think of how Jesus has brought you through your own hurts and hangups and extend His love to others in the midst of theirs.

Lord, I thank you for being the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Thank You for never leaving me alone when all the world has and adopting me into your family. There is nothing like the comfort of a loving Father, and I thank You for allowing your people to reflect that love and comfort to others. Help us to notice those who need to be comforted by You. Amen.

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

I’m Thankful for Salvation in Christ Alone by Grace Alone through Faith Alone — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 19

I’m thankful for salvation in Christ alone by grace alone through faith alone!

What makes grace so amazing? It’s that God saves us not because of who we are or what we’ve done but because of who He is. In our sin, we are spiritually dead, unable to save ourselves. But God, rich in His mercy and overflowing with His love, makes us alive through Jesus. Salvation is not something we can earn; it is a gift of God’s grace that must be received through faith in Jesus (alone).

This means that our works, our goodness, or even our religious or church activities cannot save us. No one can ever be good enough to meet God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:10, 23) but Jesus (1 John 2:1-2). He lived the sinless life we couldn’t live, died the death we deserved on the cross, and rose again to offer us new life. When we trust in Jesus — put our faith in Him believing that He is enough and that He died and rose again, we are forgiven, made alive, and welcomed into God’s family through adoption (John 1:12, Romans 10:9-10).

Faith is not about trying harder to fix ourselves but about turning to Jesus and trusting Him fully.

Grace means that God does what we cannot do. Jesus makes the dead alive, the lost found, and the broken whole. That’s good news!

Today, if you’ve not experienced this grace, I invite you to put your faith and trust in Jesus. if you’ve already trusted in Christ, let your heart overflow with thankfulness for the gift that you did not earn but He gave freely — salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!

This is why I’m thankful, and this is why I have hope. What about you?

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

I’m Thankful for the Blessed Hope of My Redeemer — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 18

I’m thankful for the blessed hope of my Redeemer.

I love that phrase that Paul uses to describe the second coming of Christ in Titus 2:13: “blessed hope”. It is unique and very clearly and carefully describes what those who are in Christ have in Him and how they are able to live in this world with the expectation of Him coming again.

First, to see why I am so thankful, we need to know what Paul meant by “hope”. That word in the original language meant being able to desire something good and expect to obtain it. This is different from the way the word “hope” is used in modern English where it operates closer to a wish. My school kiddos might say something like, “I hope I make a good grade on this test”, but if they stay up until the middle of the night on their phone, fall asleep in the middle of the test, and/or zone out while reading passages, their will fail it. They hoped or wished, maybe merely even wanted, to make a good grade, but there was no real expectation or reason to expect doing well.

Biblical hope is different from that, and primarily because it is not left up to us but left up to Jesus. We can desire His coming and expect to experience it because He has already come, meaning we can trust He will again. We can desire His coming and expect to experience it because He is “our great God and Savior” with the strength and wherewithal to make anything happen. In fact, everything that exists has happened because of Him. His track record is proven and proof.

Second, that word “blessed” adds a whole other level to “hope”. The word translated “blessed” here is the same word that we see in the beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12). People have been tempted to translate that word as happy, but happy in English has the connotation of good luck because hap- refers to circumstances. Think about the difference between happy and joyful. Happiness is fleeting and changes based on, well, circumstances. This word “blessed” is not circumstantial but Christ-produced. It is marked by God’s favor and that fullness/satisfaction that comes His Spirit within us.

Blessed hope, then, is the expectation of Jesus, our Redeemer, coming again that has been produced in our heart by God Himself. Blessed hope is saturated in the favor of God because it is a grace-gift to know that the One who redeemed us, purchased us by paying our sin debt with His blood on the cross, is coming to take possession of us. Blessed hope satisfies even in the not yet of life now because God’s very Spirit is already with us now, giving us more than a hypothetical happenstance because of His sure ever-presence.

I know that is a long and nerdy way of saying this, but “blessed hope” is really something else and only exists through Jesus. This world is constantly changing and getting worse the farther we get from the Fall, and if we’re not careful, we can fall into despondency and despair. We need the Holy Spirit reminder that this world is not all there is. We need to be able to trust in something and know that everything will be good eventually. But looking at the world gives us none of that, and the hypothetical hopes fail and hurt us.

We need something better than this world. We need something out of this world. We need Jesus. He’s coming. Our “blessed hope” is coming. And we are waiting for His appearance.

Lord, thank You for being our blessed hope and giving us reason to hope for the future. Thank You for being the God we can trust and know that Your promises will come to pass. Help us to be the people You are redeeming us to be. Help us to live as Your people. Help us to live in the expectation that Your coming will be soon. Amen.

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

Songs for Sunday, November 17, 2024 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday is coming, and I can hardly wait!

Most often, I write the “Songs for Sunday” post on late Friday night or early Saturday mornings because that’s when I get to shift gears in my brain from the weights of the work week to rest and reset on the weekend. That shift helps me get my focus and my priorities back in their proper places. It also serves as a good reminder that Sunday morning worship does not begin on Sunday morning but in the days, and especially the night, before. This week, however, I find myself with surplus time on Friday and a muse to motivate me earlier.

Friday mornings are my favorites of the week because I GET to start with student-led Bible study at school in our FCA/FCS (Fellowship of Christian Athletes/Students). These kids are on fire for Jesus and show it by getting up week after week and sharing testimonies, passages of Scripture, devotions, and sometimes sermons. They challenge me because they are braver than I am. It’s easy to stand up in church and proclaim the Word. It’s a whole other thing to stand up in front of 40-50 peers at school and share your faith. The teachers and staff who show up are superfluous other than getting to silently witness them share their faith. And share their faith they do, compelled to do so by the love of Christ they have experienced and want others to be able to experience, too (2 Corinthians 5:14).

This morning’s devotion stood out to me on two accounts. First, the young lady boldly shared what God had brought her through and the assurance she had in His Word that He would continue to bring her through and would bring others through. Second, she talked about how spending time with God in His Word was a necessity — as vital to maintaining eternal life as oxygen is to life in general. To illustrate that importance she used Colossians 3:16:

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

This is the verse that stays at the forefront of my mind in praying through and planning the Scriptures and songs we will use in our worship gatherings. I have written on it often in these “Songs for Sunday” devotionals. But it hit freshly this morning, and I rejoice in that because I — like we all do — need to be reminded again and again of the grace God gives us.

On Sunday mornings, it is not enough to use the bible, to mention it from time to time, and merely have songs based on it. No, we need it to “dwell in [us] richly”, being the substance of our teaching, our admonishing, and our singing. This is not just for Sunday morning, though. We need to have the Word dwell richly in us throughout the week — Sunday worship spurring us on to continue throughout the week.

We want our songs to be filled with the Word. Psalms meaning that we sing directly from Scripture; hymns meaning we sing and expound the great doctrines found in the Word; and spiritual songs that share our mutual testimony as those who were dead in their trespasses but have been made alive together in Christ.

We want all that we read, say, and sing to be centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ — the good news of all He has done (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Colossians 1:13-14), is doing (Romans 8:28-29, Philippians 1:6), and has promised to do (John 14:2-3, Revelation 21:3-4)!

And we want it — no, we need it to be like that every other day, too.

I am thankful to have been reminded of this today. Rather than singing a refrain of George Jones’s “Finally Friday” like I normally do, I find myself singing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, thinking about the good news that He has come and looking forward to Him coming again to receive us to Himself.

What about you?

I hope as you have read this you have been encouraged to get into the Word — to have it dwell in you richly and to impact your life and faith. I hope it motivates you to make plans to gather with other believers on Sunday morning as believers have done since the stone was rolled aside from Jesus’s empty tomb.

If you do not have a church home and are in the Grenada, MS area, we would love to have you at Christ Community. John will open the Word to feed us what God has for us. The praise team will lead us in singing and reading from the Word. And the choir, the congregation, will lift praise and worship to an audience of one — the One who died for us and rose again — the One who lives and cares for us even now — the One who has come and is coming again.

Won’t you gather with us?

Here are our Scriptures and songs:

15And I (Paul) said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

50I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m Thankful to God for Being VERY Present Help in Trouble — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 15

I’m thankful to God for being VERY present help in trouble!

Years ago, I learned a valuable lesson about helping people while being ministered to by one of the first pastors I served under, Bro. Travis Gray.

It was April 1, 2005 and one of the hardest days of my life. I had been serving the Lord and ministering at Duck Hill Baptist since the previous November and was at my office on Friday, my only day off from college at that time. Bro. Travis was in his office that morning, too. We happened to be conversing when the phone rang. He answered, and there was a noticeable change in his voice, made more noticeable by the way he kept glancing up at me with a sudden seriousness in his eyes.

While he was hanging up the phone, he told me that had been my mom on the phone and that my cousin had just been in a terrible car accident and was being taken to the emergency room. He relayed Mama’s pleading that I drive carefully and resist the urge to speed in the hazardous road conditions, reminding me that one tragedy was bad but two would be worse. He said all of this in a pastoral calmness that was more felt than heard, and he concluded with: “I know you want to rush up there, but before you do, I’m going to pray for you and your family.”

I can feel the emotions from that conversation even as I sit here and type today even though it’s been nineteen years. As he prayed, I felt lost and confused and afraid and angry and sad — and scared in a way that I had never before.

I, of course, did the opposite of what my mom and Bro. Travis had warned, speeding the whole way to the hospital, as if there was something that could be solved by my haste. I knew as soon as I walked into the ER that Chris had passed. It was written on all of the faces. Mama and Daddy walked over and hugged me as I barely held back my emotions. I remember being allowed back to see my aunt and uncle who were with my cousin. My uncle wanted us to see and understand — still one of my most vivid memories.

Walking out of that room, I was in a daze. Sounds were like distant echoes, ringing out eyes, perceived yet not heard. There were embraces with every family member present. We were all crying, myself no longer able to hold back. As I allowed the tears to begin to flow, all of the feelings, all of the anguish and sadness flooded over me. I remember hitting my knees, devastated, when a hand was on my shoulder.

Bro. Travis had come on to the hospital right behind me and was there to comfort me. He didn’t say anything. He was just there. He didn’t try to find words because there were none. He just showed up and was present, reminding me of the God we serve and His Word, reminding me that there was help and grace and love when I was ready for it. He was present and strong when I was at my lowest and weakest.

That pastoral moment impressed upon me the beauty of God’s presence in our trouble. The difference is God’s presence is continual. The tears in the night — and the tears on this couch right now as I write this — were faced alone from human perspective, but I was not and am not left alone by my God because He is Emmanuel — God with us, God with me, God residing in me and closer than anyone else (Matthew 1:23, John 14:16-17).

More than that, God is not just with us, He is our refuge — a fortress we can come to and hide within (Psalm 91:1-2). He is a hiding place that can protect from everything natural and supernatural (Psalm 32:7).

God is also our strength. It does not matter that we are weak because our strength is inferior any way (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). He provides the strength the same as He does His presence and refuge (Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:13). He lifts us up when we are weak, weary, and without hope in the world (Isaiah 40:29-31, Ephesians 2:12-13).

All those years ago, a pastoral hand on my shoulder taught me this and made it real — helped me recognize that there is a more mighty hand in the midst of trouble (1 Peter 5:6-7). Nothing I have ever faced has been alone, God has been present — VERY present (Deuteronomy 31:8). Nothing I will ever face will be alone because my God will always be VERY present (Joshua 1:9). From the womb to the tomb and when I enter into God’s presence, I will have always been in His presence (Psalm 139:7-10, Revelation 21:3).

That’s good news, and a needed reminder.

Lord, thank You for always being there. I know that too often I take this for granted and act like I can do this on my own. You know I can’t and take care of me despite my foolishness. You are there in my trouble even when I am the cause of it.

Lord, thank You for Bro. Travis and the other pastors I have served with and serve with now. Thank You for being present with us and for us when we get to be present with the flocks You have allowed us to shepherd. Thank You for the strength of Your greater and more mighty hand while we lay our weak hands on hurting people we get to love.

Lord, thank You for being VERY present and allowing us to hide and be held by You.

Amen.

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!