God Says, Yes
Week of Love
We give thanks for the perfect love of your Son, so that we may, with grateful hearts, love one another. Amen
Weekly Advent Prayers by Betty Claire Jackson
By Garrett Vickrey
John 3:16-17
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
Christmas is God’s ultimate amen.
In a world of ‘no’…
No room in the Inn.
No hope for the poor.
No food for the hungry.
No sleep for the anxious.
No peace among nations.
God says, ‘Yes.’
Not everyone heard it at first. Perhaps, it was a whisper only Mary grasped. On the way to Bethlehem, Joseph must have come to hear it too. Shepherds and wisemen heard the echo of amen.
Can you hear it today?
God’s amen resounds in the words of messengers and signs of earth. In song. In light. In kindness. God’s yes resounds.
In Jesus, God says, ‘Yes!’ To a world too busy to turn aside to notice the message of angels, God says, ‘This is who I am.’ God is with us. In the child born in a war ravaged country, God comes to a people poor in spirit. God comes to us before the dust settles.
Celebrate
Week of Love
We give thanks for the perfect love of your Son, so that we may, with grateful hearts, love one another. Amen
Weekly Advent Prayers by Betty Claire Jackson
By Sandy Peters
Luke 2:11-14
Hmmm! Reverence and celebration! Wow! I’m looking at the two Advent themes for this year surrounded by the two prevailing themes of outrage and hatred portrayed daily in press. How can I think “reverence and celebration” when the world is screaming that I should “hate and destroy” those who disagree with me?
Whew!! The Spirit nudges my thoughts: Maybe I should be thinking of “who” not “how”! Maybe I need to “turn your eyes upon Jesus” (those would be great lyrics for a song).
When I remember the love and compassion God sends my way daily, I am brought to my knees in reverence for the King of kings, the Lord of lords! He is Creator and Omnipotent.
I celebrate with thankfulness that in reality God is in control of the universe and not the screaming folks that appear on TV!
God with Us
Week of Love
We give thanks for the perfect love of your Son, so that we may, with grateful hearts, love one another. Amen
Weekly Advent Prayers by Betty Claire Jackson
By Curtis Peterson
John 6:33
“For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
At first glance, one might not notice how rich this verse is with the message of Christmas. It echoes the message of Emanuel-God with us. It is a message not limited by time or space.
This truth is the reality that David acted upon around 1000 B.C. when he had the courage to challenge and slay Goliath. This same truth — God with us — is a timeless truth we can still act upon today, over 2000 years after His incarnation. The stories of Scripture, from the garden to the gospel and beyond are all relational.
The message of Christmas, God with us, is not meant just to be a physical truth, but a spiritual one as well. Here in John and especially John 6, he tells us that the incarnation is not just about the historical fact of Christ physical presence but a promise of God’s presence in the spiritual realm as well. We can act boldly and with confidence because God enables us through His presence and power through the Holy Spirit.
The power and wonder celebrated in the incarnation of Christ that was heralded by angels and told of in the heavens still exists. Today it gives eternal life and power to all who seek it.
Love in Action
The Week of Joy
At the birth of your Son, you whisper to our hearts, Father, as you fill us with the joy of our salvation. We thank you. Amen
Weekly Advent Prayers by Betty Claire Jackson
By Debby Murphy
Romans 12:9-12
When God called Mike and me to move to San Antonio two years ago, we didn’t know anyone here except our daughter and her family. Then we found Woodland and experienced the sincere love, devotion, and joyful hope that Paul highlights in Romans 12:9-12. People welcomed us, prayed for us, and invited us into their lives. We cherish the new friendships we have made.
With the birth of Jesus, God once again invited His people, all people, into a love relationship with Him and with each other. When Jesus ascended from our world, He left the mission to us to share with others the news of this incredible love relationship. As Christians, He equips us with the Holy Spirit who gives us the power of God and His resources to share the great message of salvation and envelop each other in love, patience, and kindness. God is love in action, and He invites us to join Him where He is already working so He can involve us in building His kingdom on earth and accomplishing His purpose.
Because God first seeks us, we are able to experience His infinite grace, love, and peace. As believers, our love for fellow Christians and others in our world is a manifestation of Christ’s love in us and gives us that satisfaction and joy of spirit as we respond to God’s call. And herein lies the potential. When we are so utterly loved by our Father, and when we find the sincere, accepting love of a community of believers such as at Woodland, we are blessed and eager to share and extend that love and service to others with the spiritual fervor Paul describes.
You Are Loved
By Garrett Vickrey
Luke 2:11-14
On a side street just off of South Congress in Austin there is a mint green wall with a message written on it. Scrawled across the wall in cursive red spray paint are the simple words, “I love you so much”.
Every day hundreds of people come from all over to take their picture with those they love in front of this wall. They post pictures with kids, spouses, parents and “besties” on Facebook and Instagram. It’s so simple: words on a wall. But, these simple words remind us of something profound. Something as necessary to us as the food and drink found in every establishment on South Congress Avenue.
You are loved.
This is the simple message of Christmas. It’s obscured sometimes by the commitments and nostalgia of the season. It’s so simple we wonder why it’s a big deal.
Not only did God love you so much to send the Christ, but in doing this God doubles-down in committing to the world God made. It’s a reaffirmation of what God said in the beginning— “It is good”.
As we celebrate the infant Jesus being born to Mary, may we remember that the One born in suspicion at an inopportune moment with no place to rest his head is waiting to be born among us today.
As the words of the old carol proclaim:
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
Or to put it simply: I love you so much.
Life, Love, and Joy
By Marilyn Gladson
John 6:33
“The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
Today is a special day for me. My father was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1926. Once, when I was a child, I asked him if he got combined Christmas/Birthday gifts when he was growing up. “What gifts?” was his reply. He was the third of three brothers and had three younger sisters. It is safe to say their family was quite poor. My grandfather was a jack-of-all-trades who made his living by doing a variety of jobs. He even did some preaching along the way. Yet, he always provided for his wife and children. And not all gifts come wrapped in pretty paper, ribbons, and bows. Daddy had the gift of a loving family who nurtured his faith, taught him to sing the old hymns of praise, and showed him how to be a fine man, husband and father.
He learned those lessons well. While his teacher/preacher salaries did not always stretch to the end of the month, our family of five was never hungry, always had clothes and shelter, and managed to put a dollar each in our Sunday School envelopes every week. The “true bread of God,” Jesus Christ, was as familiar to me as my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I cannot remember any time in my life when I did not know about our loving God and our salvation through faith in Jesus.
So, today I celebrate not only the human birth of Jesus in tiny Bethlehem, but also the birth and life of my dad. Both have given me life and love and joy.
Gifts of Light
By Daniel Zamora
Isaiah 9:2-3
Increase your Joy and Rejoice!
Have you ever tried to walk in the darkness, at least a few steps to reach the closest light switch or perhaps when the power is out during a big storm, and are trying to reach your cell phone or any other source of light? We tend to do it very slowly to avoid bumping into furniture or stumbling on a toy or rug. Suddenly, you reach the light switch or the power is back. Can you picture yourself with a big smile on your face?
Yes, after struggling with limited or no visibility, the light is back on and we can see everything around us making it easier to walk or returning to our previous activity with a joyful attitude. It has been said that people who live in areas with limited lighting tend to be sad and depressed while those living in sunny places all year round have a more cheerful mood. If one light gives us that much joy, two or more lights can bring us lots of it.
In Advent, we light a candle to symbolize each of the gifts that God sent with Christ: hope, peace, joy and love. These presents are not part of a menu from which we choose from but, they come altogether. Thus, the light coming out of these candles increases every week and finally, on Christmas Eve, the Christ candle is lit giving us the better perspective of what the prophet Isaiah referred to seeing a great light.
During this season, let every light be a reminder of increasing our joy and rejoicing before the Lord.
God’s Present
By Sandra Peters
Jude 1:24-25
Hallelujah, it’s Christmas Eve and we are celebrating the Present of presents! King of kings! Lord of lords!
Yes! Jesus Christ!! The ultimate Present from God!!! Thanks be to God!!!!
Think about all that has happened in 2016. God through His Beloved Son Jesus has granted us gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love through our church family, our families, a multitude of caring friends, and people we do not even know. We see His Presence everywhere we look
Today our church family joins Christians across the globe, whether in church or at home, to give thanks for God’s Present of Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus, in turn, gives us His presents of Hope, Joy, Peace and Love!
Making Space for Love
By Roy Myers
1 Corinthians 13
Our holiday decorations have become one part of the way we create space for celebration and a way to proclaim our love for God and each other during the holiday. Dana and Peter, particularly, love to decorate. Of course we have a tree and other traditional trimmings. We also have many knickknacks and lights, perhaps not as many as some and probably more than others. This tradition is so important to us that we developed a special collection of deployment holiday décor, which Dana sends me while I am away. Over the years, my ‘deployment holiday set’ composed of a tiny tree, lights and Thanksgiving Turkey have grown into a pretty neat package of memories. These items are a precious reminder to me of the love we share even as I am far from home. The decorations also express a reminder of love from home for those who stop by my office to take a moment and enjoy some holiday cheer.
In reflecting upon our family tradition, I began to wonder how we might expand upon holiday home decoration. Could our love itself decorate the spaces and events of the season as a demonstration of the love of God expressed though the Incarnation of Jesus? I Corinthians 13 describes what could be thought of as decorations that we can bring to our holiday celebrations and observances. How might God’s love during this season become more patient and kind? How does the Incarnation of Jesus remind me to step back from prideful hubris and lean into long suffering forgiveness? How does God’s love in and among us strengthen us to tell the truth in forbearance, confidence and hope? In many ways the process of decoration with knickknacks and lights seems much easier than the challenge of a love that ‘hopes all things and endures all things.’ I hope in this holiday season that you might consider how each of us can decorate our celebrations with the love described in I Corinthians 13.
Love One Another
By Becky Upchurch
John 13:34
The setting for today’s text is the Upper Room where Jesus and his disciples have their last meal together. Judas has left to do his traitorous work. Jesus first tells his disciples that He will be glorified and God will be glorified through Him. Then He tells them that where He is going they cannot come. It is at this point that we find our text: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
It appears the disciples may not have even heard Jesus say these words about this new command and love because the immediate response from Peter is “Where are you going”? After a short conversation with Peter, Jesus reassures the disciples and tells them He is going to prepare a place for them. Thomas replies, “We don’t know where you are going.”
Unlike the disciples, we know where Jesus went – to the cross. We know what happened – He died and He overcame death. And we know where He is – He ascended into heaven and resides with God His Father. And because we know these things, we are able to focus on His words about love. We know, because of where He went, just how much He loved us. We know, because of what happened, that our sins are forgiven. We know, because of where He is, that He is truly the Son of God. And because of Who He is and His extreme and unending love for us, we are challenged each day to follow His new command: “As I have loved you…so you must love one another”.