
As we move into the month of Advent and then Christmas we are focusing on the utter surrender of Jesus, leaving the privileges and power of His deity to become a child in a manger in Bethlehem. The book of Philippians calls this emptying of himself kenosis: all that was rightfully in Jesus’ grasp as the eternal Son of God he willingly laid down to take up our condition and live the life we all live. Such a deep surrender is mysterious to us and I don’t think we will ever be able to get to the bottom of it; but I think it points out a crucial truth to us as disciples of Jesus. Just as Jesus emptied and surrendered himself so that the Father might rescue the world through Him and exalt His Name above all others; so too must we surrender ourselves so that Jesus will be exalted in us and salvation come to us and those around us. So this advent, I want to invite you as a church into a posture of perpetual surrender. All that we have talked about in the past two months (I am available, accountable, and active. I will bury, branch, and bear.) culminates with this: we must be a church surrendered to God’s priorities and mission above any priorities of our own.
This is the only way our church can be effective, see the lost come to salvation, and be a community of transformation. This Advent season I invite you into this posture so that in the new year we will see God do things in Heritage Church that we have never seen before. As we see in Jesus’ example, it does not come from our own grasping and reaching, but rather through God’s power as we empty ourselves and surrender to Him. This Advent and Christmas, may this be our central action together.
This month we have many great things going on at the church. The children will perform their Christmas play December 3rd, we have the Freedom Conference December 8th-9th, we are packing bags for the soldiers on December 13th, ministering with Anchors of Hope on December 23rd, and doing a Christmas Eve candlelight service together for our main worship service on December 24th. I invite you to come worship ,serve, and enjoy our life together as a spiritual family in this season. We certainly have a lot you can take part in!
Finally, in the new year, we will be launching our new discipleship pathway through our Momentum Groups. Our goal is for every member of the church to be growing in deeper discipleship to Jesus from being a new believer all the way to being someone who can make disciples on their own. There will be more to come about this, but I want to encourage you now: come dig deeper with us in 2024 and let your refrain this year be, “Yes, Lord!” Yes, Lord, move in my life. Yes, Lord, move in my family. Yes, Lord, use and transform our church! Yes, Lord! Have a great Advent and Merry Christmas and God bless you!
In Him,
Patrick
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