Date – Monday, November 30, 2020 – Focus on the Old Testament Prophets
Bible Readings:
Micah 5:2 – But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 –“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Observation questions
1. What names are given the Messiah in these verses?
2. What are the characteristics of His kingdom?
Application questions
1. Are there any commands to obey?
2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?
3. Are there any examples to follow?
4. Are there any promises to claim?
Quote of the Day: “Have you ever heard of this as a plank in a political platform?…. I’ve heard politicians make almost every other claim under the sun but that one! They wouldn’t dare make it. But righteousness will characterize the kingdom when the Lord Jesus Christ reigns.”– Dr. J. Vernon McGee in Thru the Bible
Date – Sunday, November 29, 2020 – Focus on the Old Testament Prophets
Bible Readings:
Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6-7 –For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Observation questions
1. What names are given the Messiah in these verses?
2. What are the characteristics of His kingdom?
Application questions
1. Are there any commands to obey?
2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?
3. Are there any examples to follow?
4. Are there any promises to claim?
Quote of the Day: “What a difference it makes in our lives that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins! And what a difference it will make in this world when He comes to sit on David’s throne and rule righteously!” – Dr. Warren Wiersbe in With the Word
Having opened your box check and see that you have the following items
One letter from Pastor Dave
One Advent Devotional
3 purples candles
1 pink candle
1 white candle
5 wooden candle holders
One small green wreath
One candle lighter
One Christmas Carol Songbook
One Gospel of Luke
One book of Christmas readings
One limited edition Calvary Chapel Christmas ornament
Open and read the letter from Pastor Dave
Arrange your Advent wreath in a place you can gather and light the candles every day
3 purple and one pink candle on the outside of the wreath circle, white candle in the middle
Candle meaning – One purple – Hope, One purple – Peace, One Pink – Joy, One purple – love, one white – Christ
Each day/night of Advent (Sunday, November 29th – Saturday, December 26th) gather and follow the instructions below. It is recommended that you do this at the same time very day but everyone’s schedule is different). Please also consider sending a selfie of your time together to avent@calvarychapelsi.org or sharing your time with others through a zoom or facetime call.
Every day during week one (Sunday, November 29th – Saturday, December 5th) have someone light one purple candle, you will call this the hope candle, and have someone read the devotional or listen to the devotional through the app or other social media platform, for that day. Discuss using the discussion questions in the devotional. Have someone close in prayer.
Optional – Supplement the reading if you wish from the gospel of Luke or the Christmas reading book.
Optional – Sing a Carol from the Christmas Carol book
Every day during week two (Sunday, December 6th– Saturday, December 12th) have someone light one purple candle, you will call this the hope candle and light a second purple candle you will call the peace candle, and have someone read the devotional or listen to the devotional through the app or other social media platform, for that day. Discuss using the discussion questions in the devotional. Have someone close in prayer.
Optional – Supplement the reading if you wish from the gospel of Luke or the Christmas reading book.
Optional – Sing a Carol from the Christmas Carol book
Every day during week three (Sunday, December 13th– Saturday, December 19th) have someone light one purple candle, you will call this the hope candle and light a second purple candle you will call this the peace candle, and light the pink candle, you will call this the joy candle and have someone read the devotional or listen to the devotional through the app or other social media platform, for that day. Discuss using the discussion questions in the devotional. Have someone close in prayer.
Optional – Supplement the reading if you wish from the gospel of Luke or the Christmas reading book.
Optional – Sing a Carol from the Christmas Carol book
Every day during week four (Sunday, December 20th– Wednesday, December 23rd ) have someone light one purple candle, you will call this the hope candle and light a second purple candle you will call the peace candle, and light the pink candle, you will call this the joy candle and light the final purple candle, you will call this the love candle, and have someone read the devotional or listen to the devotional through the app or other social media platform, for that day. Discuss using the discussion questions in the devotional. Have someone close in prayer.
Optional – Supplement the reading if you wish from the gospel of Luke or the Christmas reading book.
Optional – Sing a Carol from the Christmas Carol book
Every day during week five (Thursday, December 24th– Saturday, December 26th ) have someone light one purple candle, you will call this the hope candle and light a second purple candle you will call the peace candle, and light the pink candle, you will call this the joy candle and light the final purple candle, you will call this the love candle, and light the white candle, you will call this the Christ candle and have someone read the devotional or listen to the devotional through the app or other social media platform, for that day. Discuss using the discussion questions in the devotional. Have someone close in prayer.
Optional – Supplement the reading if you wish from the gospel of Luke or the Christmas reading book.
Optional – Sing a Carol from the Christmas Carol book
The Scriptures are full of admonitions for us to give thanks. During this time of year we hear them often in sermons, songs and personal conversations. It is safe to say that for Christians there is no shortage of thanksgiving reminders.
That is how the first century church at Colossae must have felt when they read the letter Paul sent them from prison. This little epistle reminds its readers about thanksgiving in every chapter. Colossians 1:12 tells them that they should be “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” In Colossians 2:7 they are told, regarding their relationship with Christ, that they are to be “abounding in thanksgiving”. In Colossian 3:17 Paul gives a comprehensive command when he says “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“ Finally in Colossians 4:2 he tells them us to “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
Clearly being thankful people is something that God has as a priority for us. We are though, constantly challenged in this area by life and life’s circumstances. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that in everything we are to “give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”. Sometimes this seems almost impossible. I mean really, we are in the midst of a nearly year long pandemic in which we’ve experienced so much loss and insecurity with no clear end in sight.
Is it possible to really give thanks in all things? Is it feasible to constantly give thanks over a long period of trails? Are we actually able to give thanks even in tremendous loss? Let’s look at someone who managed by the grace of God to be thankful in all things even a pandemic.
Martin Rinkart was a pastor in his hometown of Eilenberg in Germany beginning in 1617. He was just 31 years of age. This is when the thirty years war began in Europe. Eilenberg, as a walled city, became the fleeing place of many, many refugees. In addition, Pastor Rinkart’s home as well as many of the other homes in the city were forced to house and feed soldiers[DW1] . This went on for what seemed like an eternity.
Things got worse in 1637 as Eilenberg, fighting the Swiss Army and struggling with food shortages, was hit by the plague. This further devasted the town. 8000 people lost their lives. It took the life of the other four clergyman in town leaving Rinkart as the only Pastor. It took the lives of most of the town council, it took the life of Pastor Rinkart’s wife. That year he officiated at 4.480 funerals as the city’s lone pastor.
It was Pastor Rinkart himself who sought to negotiate a truce with the Swiss and after being initially rejected, through a fervent prayer meeting, was able to do so. Knowing the importance of giving thanks even in difficult circumstances he wrote a prayer for family meals. The prayer, “Now Thank We All Our God” became a national song of thanksgiving when the war ended.
Here is the prayer that became the song.
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices; Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
Oh, may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us; And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed; And guard us through all ills in this world, till the next!
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given, The Son, and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven— The one eternal God, Whom earth and Heav’n adore; For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
Pastor Martin Rinkart life is worthy example for us to follow when it comes to giving thanks. These are hard times. Very hard times. With the Lord’s help though you and I can truly give thanks even in in a pandemic.
“THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated” Thomas Paine, The Crisis. 1776
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