Hello and welcome to Salem UMC!!! This is our 1st sermon posted on the web and we hope you will come back often to see what Pastor Bob Tuttle has to say... Enjoy.
The apostle Paul says that Jesus was born when the fullness of time had come (Gal.4:4). He means that Jesus showed up at just the right time, just when we needed him most. So many people fall into the trap of a life that leaves no time for God. Jesus was sent to rescue us from that trap. As we celebrate his birth our attention is called away from our “to-do” lists to the good news of what God has done on our behalf. His works are the only works that can give us any lasting peace or rest. So my prayer for you this Christmas is that your times may be filled, not with things that need doing, but with the confidence that God knows exactly what you need. And through Jesus He will provide it to you at just the right time. Have a blessed and merry Christmas!
John 21- In this bone crunching episode of the boneyard, we bring our series of John to an end! Jesus sits with Peter after eating breakfast, and Jesus asks a question to Peter. 'Do you Love Me?' Peter had recently denied Jesus, now he sits across from the Son of God who he had told others he didn't know the man. Now how will this all turn out? Tune in and see how Jesus deals with those who have failed, and those with the weakest faith!
Hearing the Christmas story told year after year, some of the messier details of that story can begin to lose their edginess and start to sound quaint and predictable (which is a funny thing to say about a miracle). But the situation described by Matthew is anything but quaint: an unwed mother, an unplanned pregnancy, the prospect of divorce. Sounds more like the sad and messy reality of our modern lives than anything God would have planned. But this is how He wanted it to be. God might have sent His Son into the world under circumstances that were more noble, or at least not so messy. But this was the storyline He chose. And in doing so, God showed us His preference for using those who are weak and confused to accomplish His will. In this way, God’s power and grace shine even brighter. Can God work through you? Remember, you don’t have to have your life completely together or have everything figured out before God can use you. If the Christmas story is any clue, He does His best work when things are messy. Have a blessed Christmas!
Yes, I’ll admit it. There have been times when I kept driving for another mile or two even after realizing I had missed my turn and was now traveling in the wrong direction. It’s one thing to know you’ve gone off course. But doing something about it is another matter entirely. When John the Baptist calls for repentance, he telling us we need to “turn around”. That requires more than words. It requires action, what John calls the “fruit of repentance”. But this bearing of fruit is our necessary preparation for the coming of Jesus. On the Last Day, we are told, he will seal some with Holy Spirit, but others he will seal with fire. Thankfully, we have John’s message to prod us into action. Even better, we have God’s Spirit to give us a change of heart. And best of all, we have a Savior, Jesus, who is quick to forgive us and set us back on the right path. Are there any U-turns you’ve been putting off making? Now is the time to take action. God bless your Advent journey!
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