November 27, 2022

 

I hope this week’s Grace Wire finds you filled with thankfulness for God’s past grace and with increased faith in his future grace. The stories we heard this past Sunday beautifully reassured us the truth we’ve all sung many times, “His grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”

This Sunday begins the Advent season when we continue this pattern of looking back and looking forward. We look back to Jesus’ birth, “Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.” What word? Promises. Paul wrote:

“Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy (Romans 15:8–9).”

That night when Mary swaddled her newborn son and laid him to sleep in a manger and shepherds on the night shift were surprised by the angelic announcement that a Savior had just been born, God was fulfilling huge promises that He’d made long before and was displaying his truthfulness for the whole world to see. All so that He might be glorified for His mercy by people from every tribe and tongue and nation.

During the month of Advent we will be reflecting on four promises God had made that Christ came to confirm in a series called Child of Promise.

NOV 27 – God’s Promise to Adam (Rob Lister)
DEC 4 – God’s Promise to Abraham (Junior Jamreonvit)
DEC 11 – God’s Promise to Moses (Randy Gruendyke)
DEC 18 – God’s Promise to David (Erik Thoennes)

There are only two kinds of promises from God: promises fulfilled and promises yet to be fulfilled. Romans 8:21–23 reminds us of a promise yet to be fulfilled.

“Creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

Our prayer is that, as we remember God’s promises kept, our faith and hope that God will not fail to fulfill every last promise when Christ comes again would deepen, and that we would glorify God for His mercy.

This Sunday, Rob Lister will be preaching from Genesis 3:15 and Romans 5:12-21

and Kenny Clark will be leading our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And these lines from a beloved Advent hymn make a great prayer for us all in preparation for Sunday.

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our sins and fears release us
Let us find our rest in Thee!

See you Sunday, Grace. Come, let us adore him!

 

Song Link of the Week

Your Praise Goes On by Crowder

Your praise goes on never ending
Your praise goes on
How sweet is that sound
It’s been 2000 years
We’re still singing Your song
Hallelujah, Your praise goes on