The Shape of Salvation Titus 2:11-14 Second Sunday in Christmas January 1, 2017 Janus: god of two faces, one looking back and the other looking forward. Facing both directions is deeply Biblical and essential. Both are associated with a packed word which Paul uses twice in this passage: epiphany – appearing. Grace has appeared and glory shall appear. Three words Justification Sanctification Glorification Grace saves us, instructs us, and envisions us, transforming our past, present, and future. The Gospel and the Past: Titus 2:11 Gospel Justification in Jesus birth, life, death, and resurrection Gospel Salvation: deliverance to discipleship Just as... Read this post

Time with Family * Living in the same town with my brother, sister, and their families is wonderful * Smoking pipes with my son around the firepit is one of life’s great, simple pleasures Christmas Morning Worship at CCC * Beautiful congregation with deep dedication and gracious hearts * The kids were so much fun during the children’s message * People in church in PJs!!!! BEAUTIFUL!! * Geoff Smith on piano Fitbit * Tracking my sleep is going to be interesting. Sleep? Wireless Noise Elimination Headphones * Won’t eliminate the voices in my head but it’s a good start with... Read this post

Truth has arisen from the earth and justice has looked down from heaven Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man. Awake, you who sleep, rise up from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you. I tell you again: for your sake, God became man. You would have suffered eternal death, had he not been born in time. Never would you have been freed from sinful flesh, had he not taken on himself the likeness of sinful flesh. You would have suffered everlasting unhappiness, had it not been for this mercy. You would never have returned to life, had... Read this post

Come Thou Unexpected Jesus Joshua Bell is a world-renowned virtuoso violinist and those attending his performances would regularly spend hundreds of dollars to hear him. In what Washington Post reporter Gene Weingarten referred to as ”an experiment in context, perception and priorities – as well as unblinking assessment of public taste,” Bell took up his Stradivarius violin worth around 3.5 million dollars and began to play outside the L’ Enfant Metro Station in Washington DC. It was a Wednesday morning rush hour in 2007. Thousands of commuters passed by. With the violin case open before him, Bell managed to collect... Read this post

The phrase ‘King of the Jews’ occurs four times in Matthew’s Gospel, on each occasion being uttered by Gentiles. The first is spoken by seeking worshippers at the beginning of the Gospel and the final three by condemning mockers at the end of the Gospel. The Magi ask, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matt 2:2). Pilate asks, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Matt 27:11). The Roman soldiers mock Christ saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” (Matt 27:37). Finally,... Read this post

Now burn, new born to the world, Double-natured name, The heaven-flung, heart-fleshed, maiden-furled Miracle-in-Mary-of-flame, Mid-numbered He in three of the thunder-throne! Not a dooms-day dazzle in his coming Nor dark as he came; Kind, but royally reclaiming his own; A released shower, let flash to the shire, not a Lightning of fire hard-hurled. Gerard Manley Hopkins

Hearts on High The Wisdom of Gathered Worship Matthew 1-2; Revelation 7:9-17 December 18, 2016 Fourth Sunday in Advent In 2007, the Washington Post organized an experiment. During the morning rush hour, world famous violinist Joshua Bell stood incognito in the entrance to the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station and played a brilliant classical repertoire for forty-five minutes. It was, as Post reporter Gene Weingarten explained, ”an experiment in context, perception, and priorities – as well as unblinking assessment of public taste.” Joshua Bell routinely fills up concert halls worldwide. Days before, an audience in Boston had paid around $100 apiece... Read this post

Hearts on High The Leader of Gathered Worship Hebrews 2:10-15; Zephaniah 3:14-17 December 11, 2016 “…our whole life is an Advent season – of waiting for the last Advent… when there will be a new heaven & new earth.” -Bonhoeffer (Army vs Navy… finally) We’ve been looking at Gathered Worship (personal, family, gathered, etc). “On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children... Read this post

Hearts on High The Anthem of Gathered Worship Psalm 40:1-3 December 4, 2016 Advent: ‘I waited patiently for the Lord’ “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words about that which we cannot remain silent” ― Victor Hugo Leonard Cohen… if it be thy will The Roots of the Music – Psalm 40:1-2 God’s Grace “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche Augustine’s De musica is all that remains of his ambitious plan to write a cycle of works describing each of the liberal... Read this post

The Journey Of The Magi A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter.’ And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory, Lying down in the melting snow. There were times we regretted The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, And the silken girls bringing sherbet. Then the camel men cursing and grumbling and running away, and wanting their liquor and women, And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, And the cities hostile and... Read this post