December 2011
From the Pastor...
“How Will This Be?”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:34-35)
Dear Members and Friends of Gethsemane,
Mary knew biology. Mary knew it took two people to conceive a baby. Mary also knew that she was still a virgin. So in amazement, she had to ask the angel Gabriel: “How will this be?” The angel’s answer must have taken her breath away. God the Holy Spirit would miraculously begin Jesus’ human life in her womb.
The virgin birth of Jesus, though disputed by many, is a very important teaching. It reminds us that Jesus truly was “the Holy One” as the angel told Mary. Add a human father to Jesus’ conception and you have eliminated Him as the Savior of the world! From a human father and a human mother, Jesus would have inherited the same sinful heart we have inherited from our parents. A sinful Jesus can be no one’s Savior, but a sinless Jesus is everyone’s Savior! Also, the virgin birth reminds us that the Savior’s birth is entirely the work of our Triune God. Man had no part in it whatsoever. How could any sinful human bring about the incredible miracle of God’s saving love taking the shape of true man? Such a love-packed miracle is all the doing of the almighty Lord God Himself.
“How will this be?” Mary asked. So must we! How could God become human? How could His love be so great for someone as undeserving as you and I? How could He want to be born in a barn and then grow up to suffer and die on a cross in the place of someone as sinful as you and I? How could He ever want to leave His glorious heaven to come to this sinful earth so someday you and I can go from this sinful earth to His glorious heaven? How could He work the miracle of planting the Savior by faith into our hearts as He once put His Son in conception beneath Mary’s heart? All of that is God’s amazing Grace! Now Christmas means amazement for us – joy beyond measure – because of God’s love-powered miracles for you and for me!
May the Lord God prepare our hearts to celebrate these miracles once again! May He also fill our hearts with His love to share such miracles with the lost around us every chance we get!
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Mid-Week Advent: Wednesday, Nov. 30 - 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7- 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 14 - 7 p.m.
Christmas Eve: Festival Service w/Sunday School, 7 p.m. (Choirs sings 6:30-7:00 p.m.)
Christmas Day: Sunday Festival Service, 10 a.m.
New Year’s Eve: New Year’s Eve Communion Worship, 7 p.m.
New Year’s Day: Sunday New Year’s Day Service, 9 a.m.
In the Name of Him Whom Together All of Us Serve,
Pastor Robert List