Thursday, May 3, 2012

5/3 E-News


Announcements

Outreach CommitteeMeets tonight @ 6

Sunday Evening Prayer ServiceCome check out a prayer service this Sundy evening @ 6:00 in the McMillan Building. This week will be a taize service.

PotluckThis Sunday!


New Hope News

Sunday School—We'll explore 1 Kings this Sunday @ 9:45.

Pray for:

Christine Dyer, Gerai's daughter, as she recovers from surgery

David Smith

Madeline Sims—give her a call if you get the chance

Eleanor Hall

Links








Book Recommendation

Curious about the Reformation? Ever wanted to increase your knowledge about the roots of Protestantism? Alistair McGrath's Christianity's Dangerous Idea is a great place to start. It's a history of the Protestant church from the beginning to present day.

Random Thoughts

I've been spending a lot of time in the Old Testament lately (it's only fair after spending 2.5 years wrapped up in Luke), and I can't help but wonder what the prophets would say to the 21st century American Christian church. It's easy to read the invective that the prophets hurled without restraint at Israel and see all the reasons that God was angry with the Israelites. It's a lot harder to look at our own lives and wonder if God might be angry with us for many of the choices we make. I believe and trust in God's mercy, but I also believe that God calls us to a level of discipleship that demands a life offered completely to God.

Are we living a life that testifies to God's love for all of creation? Do the poor and the outcast, the blind and the prisoner, the oppressed and the lost, register on our awareness? Or are we so caught up in our own lives, in our own struggles, that we've lost sight of the bigger picture? Are we so concerned with surviving until tomorrow that we're missing the bigger mission of God?

I worry about the church. I worry that the prophets might say the same things to us today, but we don't hear the message as one for us , and if we can't hear the message, how will we ever change?

Text for Sunday, May 6

Matthew 2:1-12

2In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 

10When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.






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