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“At the same time we wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and savior Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13 CEB We waited outside the building for quite a while hoping just to catch a glimpse. It was not really very likely that we would be able to see anything, much less have a meaningful encounter. Despite the odds … we waited. Time passed and we were truly wondering if we would leave disappointed. But there was hope. Everyone in the group had a sense that this was going to happen if we were just patient. So we waited. Of course, hope levels are really high when you have not been waiting for very long. As we continued to wait the hope may have waned a little, but it was still there. When we were about to give up, it happened. The doors opened and what we were waiting for actually was happening. The person we had been waiting for appeared, Jay Leno. We had been waiting for quite a while after his concert to try and see him, get an autograph, and meet this famous comedian. After waiting a long time, what we hoped for actually happened. It was a great experience. The appearance of Jay Leno was one of the great moments I remember in my life. He was a real guy and took time to sign an autograph and engage my friends and me in conversation. Someone we had admired, but never met, was right there in front of us in real life. It was such a great experience to have anticipated his appearance and then have that anticipation realized. It doesn’t always work out that way in life. A lot of times we hope for things and they don’t materialize the way we hoped. But there are times when we are willing to put ourselves out there in the hope something great will happen. We put ourselves out there in hopes of a great relationship. We put ourselves out there in hopes of a promotion at work. We put ourselves out there in hopes of realizing something new. Sometimes it happens and sometimes not. Hope is the factor that often drives us to be willing to try something we normally may not have done. It is the same with our faith journey. When we become a follower of Jesus Christ we place our hope in something, someone, new. Paul places this type of hope at the center of his faith and the center of his letter to Titus. In just four short verses he explains the motivation for living Godly lives. He says that “we wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and savior Jesus Christ.” We wait in hope for the glorious appearance of our Savior. We live a godly life because we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We live in the name of Jesus Christ every day of our life. We have the hope that one day Jesus will appear and we will meet him face-to-face. When that day comes Jesus promises, “I won’t leave you as orphans. I will come to you.” [John 14:18] We live godly lives because we know Jesus and we are his disciples. Because we are disciples of Jesus we desire to live in a way that honors and glorifies his name. We live in the hope and promise that we will see Jesus in person when he appears. It will be an infinitely greater experience than meeting Jay Leno. So how is your hope? Do you place your hope in Jesus? Do you place your hope in other things? As followers of Jesus Christ there is only One in whom to place our hope. There is only one Savior and one God. Jesus will appear again one day and it will be well worth the wait. No matter where we find ourselves, we must wait in hope. No matter what we have done, we must wait in hope. No matter how unusual it seems to wait in a world that calls us crazy, we must wait in hope. We have a heavenly hope in Jesus Christ. The love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation we have is in Jesus Christ alone. It will be an amazing experience when Jesus appears again. It will be that for which we have hoped. It will be worth the wait. We must wait in hope. This Sunday we continue our message series Godly, looking at The Book of Titus. We will explore what it means to live a Godly life in the blessed hope of Jesus Christ's return. I hope you will join us as the best is yet to come at St. Andrew’s. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” Philippians 3:13-14 The Apostle Paul was a devout Pharisee who greatly valued his ancestors in the faith. He valued the past experiences of the faith. Paul was well aware of the incredible movement of God in human history for God’s favored people. So when Paul writes the words, “Forgetting the past,” he is not suggesting that you forget what God has done. Paul is actually teaching them a valuable lesson of faith. A lesson that would serve us well as we begin looking forward to what God will be doing in and through the people of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church. The Jewish philosopher, Rabbi, and theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel talks of a Jewish/Hebrew tradition teaching their students to move into the future “facing backwards.” The idea is that we move into the future as we are informed by our past. The Apostle Paul did not lose sight of this way of thinking. Paul is informed by the past experiences of God’s interaction with humanity and with him. However, Paul tells the people of the Philippian church to not dwell on the past. You can be informed and inspired by the past without dwelling on it. Paul tells them that he is not dwelling on the past, even though it has informed him. Rather, he is “looking forward to what lies ahead.” Paul is more interested in where God is leading him than where God has taken him. In a sense, Paul has already seen that and is anticipating what God has in store next. In this passage Paul is specifically talking about the reward of heaven. Paul is also urging them to enjoy every step along the way as they look forward to what is ahead. Since coming to St. Andrew’s almost six years ago I have come to understand a lot about the history of this great church. I have learned of strong and faithful people who have strained to be faithful to God through the ministry and mission of this church. I am excited to hear the stories and be informed by how God has moved in and through this church over the years. I am even more excited about what is yet to come. I am energized about what God has in store for all of us as we continue looking forward to what lies ahead. I believe that God has some truly amazing things in store for us. I encourage you to be praying for your church, the leadership, and the congregation as we move into what lies ahead. This Sunday we look again at what it means to be Godly. We will discuss what Paul tells Titus about living a godly life by giving of yourself. Looking forward to all God will do in and through you. I believe God is doing great things at St. Andrew’s and I can’t wait to see you in church.

“Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled.” Titus 1:8 CEB When I was 12 years old I was gifted with an old set of golf clubs. I had never played golf and had never really had any interest in golf. For the first twelve years of my life I lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan and followed the Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, and Detroit Red Wings. I didn’t know much of anything about golf. When I was twelve we moved to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. At the time, Palm Beach Gardens would hail itself as the golf capital of the world. It still is the location of the headquarters of the PGA of America. Today there are more than 30 golf courses in the city of Palm Beach Gardens. Naturally, I would need to learn how to play golf. On Saturdays I would take my golf clubs and a bucket of balls to an open field near our home. I would hit golf balls from one end of the field to the other. I would then collect the balls and switch ends. I would do this for hours. I improved a little, but not as much as I wanted. This is where I changed my tactics. My family could not afford a golf membership for me. I would need to improve on my own if I was going to improve. The only thing I knew to do at the time was to watch golf on television and see what the players were doing. This one man caught my attention. You may have heard of him, his name is Jack Nicklaus. He seemed to know what he was doing, so I studied him. I studied his swing, his approach to the different shots, and everything about him. I would then go back to the field on Saturdays and try to do what Jack Nicklaus had done. Of course, I couldn’t do exactly what Jack Nicklaus had done. Jack is arguably the greatest golfer to ever play the game. I did start getting better though. As I worked toward emulating Jack Nicklaus’ golf swing and approach to the game I saw definite improvement. I could actually play golf in the golf capital of the world. In my adult life I have realized that this is the way I have learned a lot of things. I realized that in my younger years I learned how to waterski, slalom waterski, and barefoot waterski by emulating the way my uncle did these things. I have learned so many things through watching how others do them and emulating what they were doing. I have also learned through study, education, and the continuing pursuit of knowledge and best practices. Some of the greatest learning I have had in my life, however, has been through putting myself in close proximity to those from whom I could learn. In these situations, we watch and learn and then emulate what we see. This is a formula for growth and improvement in our personal, professional, and spiritual life. One question we can always ask is, “Who am I learning from and emulating?” This is one of the main underlying themes in The Apostle Paul’s writings. Paul advises throughout his writing that we are all to emulate Christ. Paul also indicates to many of those to whom he writes that they should emulate him whenever they are in doubt about how to live out their faith. In Paul’s letter to Titus, he starts out by saying those who are leaders in the church should live a certain way. One of the ways he mentions is to live a Godly life. In order to live a Godly life, we need to study God [Father, Son, and Holy Spirt], put ourselves in close proximity to Jesus [John 15], and emulate Christ. This is a model for growing in our faith. This is the way we become more like God, in Jesus Christ. The more we work toward emulating Christ Jesus the more we become Godly. What are you doing every day to emulate Jesus? This Sunday we begin a new message series looking at The Book of Titus. The series, entitled Godly, will help us explore what it means to live a Godly life in Jesus Christ. This is the goal of anyone who is a disciple of Jesus. I hope you will join us as the best is yet to come. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“You are one body and one spirit, just as God also called you in one hope.” Ephesians 4:4 CEB Last week Debbie and I celebrated our 21st anniversary. Over the 21 years we have done many different things to celebrate our anniversary. Most of the celebrations have been just the two of us. This year we did something different. For Christmas Debbie and the girls gave me tickets for the whole family to go see the musical School of Rock at the Straz Center. The tickets were for the show on our anniversary. We went to dinner before the show which meant that we spent about seven hours together as a family that night. I love spending time with my family. As the girls have gotten older I really love spending more time with them. They are truly wonderful young women who are fearfully and wonderfully made. I enjoyed this Christmas gift more than most for one reason, we were one as a family that night. It was a truly special night for me. There is truly something special about being one. Unity is a very rare and elusive reality in the cultural climate in which we live. We are all too aware of our differences and not so aware of where we are in agreement. Therefore, when we find areas where we are united it is something to celebrate. This happens when a sports team unites in the common cause of reaching their goal. It happens when an orchestra unites in the common goal of playing a piece of music beautifully. Unity happens when any group or organization focuses on its purpose for existing. Apple computers exists to make computers that are fun to use. Whenever people unite together for a common cause or purpose there is unity. It is a very special thing when people are in unity. This is what I love about Paul’s writing in the fourth chapter of his letter to the church at Ephesus. The letter is meant to help the new church remember who they are called to be. In the fourth chapter Paul reminds them who they are in Christ. Remember there were no denominations. There was no schism. There was no East or West. The church was united in following Jesus. There was one Lord, one faith, one baptism. He reminds them that they are one body and one spirit, just as God has called them to one hope. Later in the chapter he reminds them that their one hope is Jesus Christ. This writing of Paul’s reminds us of Jesus’ prayer in The Gospel of John where Jesus prays, “I pray they will be one.” (17:21) Unity is a very special thing, especially in the church, because it is what Jesus prayed for the church. The way we experience unity in the church is to know Jesus. The more fully we grow in our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ the more united we will be. The more we focus on Christ the less we will focus on other things. The more united we are in Christ the more we follow Jesus in every area of our life. There is power in unity. There is transformation in unity. When we are united in one body, one spirit, and one hope there is nothing we can’t accomplish in the name of Christ. So how united are we? Have you prayed for unity today? Are we working toward finding unity as one body, one spirit, and one hope? It is my prayer that we will all seek what Jesus desired for us; unity. When we are united in the name of Jesus Christ we can accomplish great things for the cause of Jesus Christ. We all need to ask the question every day, “How am I working to unify the body of Christ today?” No matter where you work or what you do or how spiritual you think you are … there is always at least one thing you can do every day to promote the unity of the body of Christ (the church). After all we are one body, one spirit, just as God called us to one hope. That hope is Jesus Christ. We are ONE in Jesus Christ. This Sunday we will discuss the second half of the message series looking at our Vision for 2018. This message will help explore what it means to grow in Christ. We exist as the body of Christ to offer extreme grace and grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. I hope you will join us as the best is yet to come. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” Acts 15:19 NIV Happy New Year! It’s difficult to believe that 2018 is already here. 2017 just flew by like no year I can remember. I pray this New Year brings you health, happiness, and a new measure of God’s grace as you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. May 2018 be the best year yet for our relationship with Jesus. Have you ever gotten involved in something that was truly difficult? Have you ever found out after the fact that it didn’t need to be as difficult as you made it? I have lived both of these realities. When Debbie and I lived in Corinth, Kentucky our home had an unfinished basement. We decided that we would finish part of the basement as a home office. I would be the one doing most of the work over the summer when my class schedule was lighter. I began my research and we developed the plans we thought would work best. I purchased all of the materials and they were delivered to the house. We were ready to go. Everything was going along really well and the walls were framed out and electric was run. We were ready for drywall. I started with the walls and hung all the drywall for the walls without too much trouble. Then came the ceiling. I made a support and we had a small ladder I would use, since the ceiling was pretty low. As Debbie and I began to hang the drywall on the ceiling I learned two things. First, I learned that the ladder we had was about two inches shorter than I needed it to be to reach the ceiling. Second, I learned that drywall is really heavy when holding it above your head and trying to screw it onto the framework. The work we were doing was really difficult and I became very frustrated. After much frustration and backbreaking work the drywall was all installed. This was the part where I got myself involved in something that was truly difficult. About a week after finishing the drywall project I was talking to my uncle. My uncle has a lot of construction experience in his background. As I was telling him about my experience he stopped me and asked a question. It was a very annoying and highly frustrating question. He asked, “Why didn’t you rent a drywall lift?” To which I replied, “A what?” He proceeded to tell me that there was a lift that existed that you could place the drywall upon and it would effortlessly life the drywall to the ceiling and hold it in place while you leisurely screwed the board into the framing. As he described it I could hardly imagine the person using it even breaking a sweat. When I hung up with my Uncle I went and looked for this amazing machine. What I found was that, in fact, the work I had done hanging the drywall on the ceiling did not need to be as difficult as I had made it. It was mostly my ignorance that made it so difficult, but there was a little bit of arrogance there also. I never even asked anyone at Home Depot about the best way to do ceiling work. I didn’t call my Uncle who knew far more about this than I. The reality is the work did not need to be anywhere near as difficult as I had made it. That was a very difficult lesson to learn. In essence, this is the same lesson that is learned in The Book of Acts by the Apostles. The Jewish followers of Jesus were expecting the Gentile followers of Jesus to follow everything they had followed. This included circumcision. There is a little difference in having this done at eight days old and when you are an adult. So the question came up, “Is this necessary?” It seems to some like an unnecessary bar for following Jesus. So the Apostles met at what is known as The Jerusalem Council to discuss this situation. There were many who were coming to faith who were Gentiles. They were experiencing everything that the others had experienced. They received the Holy Spirit, there was real fruit being born out of their life, and they were an active part of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, there were some who felt they hadn’t done enough. So they decided they needed to make following Jesus Christ more difficult than it really needed to be. It was at this council that The Apostles made a decision. James summarizes the decision when he says, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” They decided that people were making the decision to follow Jesus Christ too difficult for the Gentiles. This did not dumb down or cheapen what Jesus had done. It was simply a realization that human beings were making it more difficult than it needed to be. The Apostles decided that we are all saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and nothing more. The Apostles did give instruction to the new believers concerning how to live out their newfound faith in Jesus. The Apostles decided extreme grace was more important than exact adherence. They decided not to make it too difficult for those who were turning to God. Their decision meant that thousands more would come to experience God’s grace through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Praise God! This Sunday we will begin a two week message series looking at our Vision for 2018. These messages will help us consider what it means to offer extreme grace and grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. I hope you will join us as the best is yet to come. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“3 There will come a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. They will collect teachers who say what they want to hear because they are self-centered.” 2 Timothy 4:3 CEB Have you ever been a part of something very special? Something that once you have experienced it you know it was unique. Something that as the years pass you realize more and more how different, unique and special it really was. This week I was able to realize anew something like this in my own life. I was able to participate in a reunion of sorts for a ministry of which I was a part. I served as a volunteer, and then paid staff person, in this ministry for 10 years. This was a special time in my life and the lives of those involved in the ministry. So many very special people and so many incredible memories of serving God together. Have you ever been a part of something so special? I have to say that the most important part of the ministry, as I reflect on it, is the amount of humility displayed. The leader of the ministry was extremely humble and always looked for other leaders who were humble. Those who were a part of the ministry were very humble. It was not about the individuals, but was always about the group. The opposite of humility is pride. It is a basic human condition, or temptation, to become prideful. We want people to think highly of us and when we experience success we want to receive credit. We want to think that we know the best way to do things, especially when it comes to us. Yet, this is what Paul is warning Timothy about in his second letter to Timothy. Paul is sure to warn Timothy that “There will come a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. They will collect teachers who say what they want to hear because they are self-centered.” (2 Timothy 4:3 CEB) Paul knows that people will listen to what they want to hear and will ignore the things they don’t want to hear. This is human nature. Paul also knew that Timothy would need to help people overcome this human nature in order to reach their full potential in Jesus Christ. Paul knows there will come a time when this will happen. I believe that time came in Timothy’s lifetime and is still a problem we face today. There has come a time where we can download any book, read any blog, watch any message, and research any fact or information with just a few clicks. We can ignore the things we don’t want to hear and only click on the things we want to hear. In a matter of seconds we can choose from some of the best communicators in the world. Of course, the danger in all of this is that we can choose to listen only to people with whom we agree. We can collect teachers who say what we want to hear because we are self-centered. This is a temptation from which we should run. As thoughtful followers of Jesus Christ, we should always seek to understand the source of the information we are choosing. We should always check to see how accurate what we are reading is to Scripture, our Christian tradition, contemporary thought on the topic, and our experience of the issue itself. In other words, Paul urges us to make sure whatever we are reading, hearing, seeing, or experiencing is sound teaching. As followers of Jesus Christ we should always refer back to the teachings of Jesus. Is what we are paying attention to lining up with the teachings of Jesus? Jesus taught on a variety of issues and more importantly taught on the values necessary for being a fully devoted follower of his. Jesus himself listened to the words of God, the Father, as recorded in Scripture. Jesus quoted Scripture more than anything else when tempted. When we are tempted to become self-centered we need to turn back to the words of Jesus. When we are tempted to collect only people with whom we agree we need to turn back to the words of the Gospel. I believe that when we do this we will always come back to humility. When we seek to serve others we cannot seek to serve ourselves. There will come a time when we will have to choose between humility and pride, it is my prayer we will always choose humility. This Sunday we will look at finishing strong. The message will help us consider what it means to run the rest of the race God has marked out for us. I hope you will join us at the 8:15, 9:45, or 11:15 service this Sunday. It is a great time to be at St. Andrew’s. God is at work. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel.” Luke 2:32 CEB It was a beautiful night on the Atlantic Ocean. The temperature was mild, there was a very pleasant breeze, and the waves were fairly calm. It was a clear night and you could see a good number of stars in the sky. The water moving the boat and the gentle sounds of the waves were relaxing. We were out for a ride off the coast of Jupiter, Florida and it was a very beautiful night. There were very few boats out on the ocean that night and even fewer ships off in the distance. In fact, it was a really dark night on the ocean. The lights on the shoreline were only enough to grant perspective and nowhere near enough light to help you see. Yes, it was dark. As we were moving along slowly we heard a large splash come from the side of the boat. Everyone turned in the direction of the noise. It was so dark that we could not see anything. We were not sure what had made the noise. A few moments passed and we heard the noise again. Everyone turned but once again could not see anything. It really started to get everyone a little unsettled. It also began to drive home a point we were all aware of … you can’t see in the dark and the dark can be scary. This experience of mine is a little like the story we will read this Christmas Eve. It was a dark night and it was hard to see. It was the time of night where the shepherds in the fields would be getting the sheep to settle in for the night. The closer the sheep were to the shepherd, and to each other, the better he was able to keep watch over the flock. It was usually in the dark of the night that the shepherd would listen for noises. The noise of grass or leaves rustling, noise of paws working their way toward the flock. It was in the dark of the night that lions, bears, wolves, and others would try to get an easy meal. This is when the shepherd needed to be most alert and aware. It is also when the shepherd would be most tested in his ability to be aware of the lurking dangers and protect the flock. Mostly because you can’t see in the dark and the dark can be scary. That night on the Atlantic Ocean we couldn’t see and we were a little scared. That is until my friend, who owned the boat, turned on a spotlight. Immediately we could see and our fears were relieved. The bright light was shining on the water and revealing what had been making the sound. It wasn’t anything scary it was something amazing. We were being visited by a small pod of dolphins. We moved from being scared and wondering to being excited and amazed. The pod stayed with us for quite a while and we simply enjoyed watching them and being graced with their presence. A little light can bring sight and overcome our fears. That night in the fields the shepherds were completely in the dark. They didn’t know what was about to happen. Then the light of the brightest star they had ever seen lit up the night sky. Shortly after that the light of an angel would shine in the sky above them telling them not to be afraid. The shepherds would go from being in the fields in the dark to being in the presence of the Light of the World. The Light of the World was born into the world that night. The light came into darkness and turned the scariness of night into the wonder of the manger. The Light of the World would bring sight to the darkness of night and overcome the fears of the world. Just a little while later, eight days, Mary and Joseph took their newborn son to the temple as was customary under the law. When they arrived a man named Simeon approached them. Part of what Simeon tells Mary and Joseph is, “It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel.” The “it” is Jesus, God’s salvation for all humanity. Simeon is letting them know, and everyone who has read the story, that the Light of the World is Jesus. Where there was darkness there is now light, where there was fear there is now strength and peace, and where there was uncertainty there is now salvation. Jesus is the light of the world for those who know God and for those who do not. Jesus is the light of revelation to ALL. You cannot see in the dark and it can be a little scary … Jesus is THE light that takes away ALL of our fear and allows us to see God’s great love for us. This Sunday we continue our Advent message series Every Story Whispers His Name . The message this week will help us consider the light to all the world. The light is Jesus Christ! This Sunday is also Christmas Eve when we will celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing you at one of our five worship services [10 a.m. Blended Worship |4:30 p.m. Family Worship | 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Worship | 8:30 p.m. Traditional Worship | 11 p.m. Traditional Worship with Communion]. It is a great time to be at St. Andrew’s. God is at work. I can’t wait to see you in church!

Tinsel, lights, and taffeta. Christmas concerts, specials, and spectaculars. Griswold-style Christmas lights, budget-busting gifts, and ginormous car-wrapping bows. Whether out of tradition, wonder, or flat-out consumerism, many celebrations and representations of Christmas are fancy, elaborate, or ostentatious. Many of our traditions are fun and bring cheer and special memories. Others, like Christmas Cantatas, harken back to the wonder of witnessing the angel chorus on that first Christmas. And, some other ways of celebrating Christmas … well, they stress us out and have us running around like crazy people trying to keep up with expectations, a frenzied pace, and the Joneses. Yet, that’s not how it all began. The first Christmas is much better characterized as humble than ostentatious. The setting for Jesus’ birth certainly wouldn’t win any Christmas decorating contests. The central players were mostly commoners who wouldn’t have owned fancy clothing. They weren’t putting on elaborate, well-planned productions. The VIP guests to the first Christmas party were stinky shepherds – fresh from the not-so-fresh-smelling fields! The central players didn’t have a Pinterest-perfect first Christmas – they experienced and embraced significant changes in plans, changes that left them humbled, and even vulnerable. Young Mary, betrothed but not yet married, was to become pregnant before marriage, and not by her betrothed, putting her in a vulnerable position. Yet, she humbled herself, embraced the message delivered by the angel, and trusted God’s plan for her and for the world. Joseph’s plans were disrupted when he found out that his betrothed was to bear a child – and he knew he was not the father. Rather than react out of pride or self-righteousness (the laws and customs were certainly on his side), he humbly accepted God’s plans as related by the angel and became Mary’s protector rather than her accuser. The magi had been watching and interpreting the skies for years and had an expectation that the new king would be found in the usual trappings of royalty: born in the palace, in the seat of power. Yet, they accepted changes of plans – presenting their precious gifts to the Christ child in a humble home and heading home by a different route. The magi protected Jesus and his parents not by their own wisdom; rather, they humbly submitted to the instructions they received in a dream to not return to King Herod. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul reminds us of how Jesus humbled himself to be among us: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (2:6-8) Why all this humility? To what purpose? What truths lay in the humble versus the alternatives? And what does this teach us about how to seek healing and wholeness within God’s plans for us today? What can God work through the humility of the people of St. Andrew’s? Join us this Sunday as we go back to the first Christmas –even BEFORE the first Christmas—to meet a little servant girl and a proud general as we continue our Advent series: Every Story Whispers His Name. See you in church!

“Stand your ground, and watch the Lord rescue you today.” Exodus 14:13b CEB I am not a dancer! They say that confession is good for the soul. I read recently that this phrase is attributed to Scotland and the saying was, “Open confession is good for the soul.” I want to be completely open with you, I am not a dancer. When I was younger my friends wanted to go to the dances at school, and I went with them, but I avoided dancing at all costs. During my twenties, friends wanted to go to clubs and dance, again I went with them, but dancing was never a good experience for me. In fact, my brother-in-law used to joke that all I did was a weird version of bob and sway. We all have our strengths and I am confessing that dancing is not one of mine. While I am being open with my confession … I don’t even watch Dancing with the Stars ! Did I mention I am not a dancer? Because I am not a dancer I had to look something up for this week’s article. I had to look up what the “two step” was in dance. I found out there is both a traditional two step and a country and western two step. I studied both, but did not try either, and have come up with a basic understanding of the two step. The two step is a dance consisting of two steps in the same direction. There you have it! Of course, it is my understanding that it is way easier to understand what a dance step is than to actually dance the step. This is why I did not try it. Maybe someday I will give it a try if I can convince Debbie to join me. So why am I sharing all of this? Good question. When I read the Scripture verse above from Exodus it made me think of the two step. The story is that after a long period of convincing Pharaoh to let his people go, Moses and the Israelites are on the move toward the Promised Land. They have barely left Egypt and they face their first test. They reach the Red Sea, some say the Sea of Reeds, and they hear the loud noise of Pharaoh’s army coming on horses and chariots behind them. There is nowhere to go. There is water in front of them for as far as they can see and Pharaoh’s army is behind them and closing fast. What will they do? The people even say to Moses, “weren’t there enough graves in Egypt? Is that why you brought us to the desert to die?” This is when Moses speaks to the people and asks them to do the Israeli two step. Moses tells them to stand their ground and watch the Lord rescue them. I am quite sure this is not what they were thinking he would say. As it turns out it was exactly the right thing to do. It was in that moment, when the people of God stood their ground and watched, that God was able to make a way. It was in that moment that the people of God decided to trust God. It was in that moment they realized they could not get themselves out of the situation and they turned to God. In that moment God says to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” The Lord instructs Moses to raise his staff and the water is parted so that God’s people can cross through on dry land. As soon as the people of God had crossed through the water the seas closed on top of Pharaoh’s army and swallowed them up. The people of God could not see a way out, but where there was no way God made a way for them. Where do you find yourself today? Are you traveling along this journey of life and its smooth sailing? Or are you wading in the waters of the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army closing in on you? Are you in a situation where you cannot see a way forward? Perhaps it’s time to do a divine two step? Maybe this Advent season it’s time to stand your ground and watch the Lord rescue you? Because I have come to understand at least one thing in my faith life, where there is no way God will make a way! I have seen God make a way through a difficult medical diagnosis. I have seen God reconcile broken relationships. I have seen God make a way to recovery for people broken down by addiction. I have seen God make a way through difficult financial times. I have seen God make a way for revival in congregations. No matter where you find yourself today, God is ready to make a way for you. This Sunday we continue our Advent message series Every Story Whispers His Name . The message this week will help us consider how eager God is to make a way for you and me. Not only does every story in Scripture whisper the name of Jesus Christ, but all of the stories represented in the people of St. Andrew’s whisper his name as well. May we all be listening for the whisper. It is a great time to be at St. Andrew’s. God is at work. I can’t wait to see you in church!

“God was getting ready to give the whole world a wonderful present. It would be God’s way to tell his people, ‘I love you’.” Excerpt from The Jesus Storybook Bible , by Sally Lloyd-Jones Have you ever whispered someone’s name? Perhaps they were busy and you wanted to get their attention without getting everyone’s attention. So you whispered their name and waited to see if they would hear and respond. When I was elementary aged we lived in Michigan and all of the bedrooms were on a long hallway that led to the living room. Many nights after my sister and I were sent to bed we would lay on the floor in our room, with just enough of our heads sticking out of the doorway to see, and watch the television shows our parents were watching. I’m not sure to this day if my parents really knew we were doing this. Usually, after we were sent to bed one of us would get to the doorway first and start whispering the other’s name. Most nights we met up fairly quickly. Some nights I remember being left there whispering my sister’s name, repeatedly, with no response. I would whisper and wait, but I’m pretty sure those were the nights she fell asleep. This Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent. Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means ‘coming’ or ‘visit.’ The Advent season begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is also the beginning of the Church year for Christians. During the Advent season we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. We remember how the Jewish people longed for the coming Messiah. We also contemplate our own need and longing for forgiveness, salvation, and a new beginning. We take time to remember the humble birth of Jesus while also looking forward to the time when Jesus will come again as the fulfillment of all that was promised in his first coming. Our messages through Advent this year are entitled Every Story Whispers His Name. We will be looking at Advent, and Christmas, through the eyes of a child. Each week one of our very own kids from our Kid’s Ministry will read a bible story from The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The subtitle of this storybook bible is Every Story Whispers His Name. The premise the author holds is that ALL of Scripture is the story of Jesus. The New Testament is explicitly about the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. However, the Old Testament at the very least implicitly whispers His name. We will look at the stories of Abraham and Isaac, Moses and the Red Sea, the slave girl and Naaman, and the story of the Shepherds. Through all of these stories in Scripture we will see how every story whispers His name. Back to my childhood story … I remember how it felt to have my sister respond when I whispered her name. It was a great feeling. Of course, when we were kids we were sneaking to get away with something we shouldn’t be doing. In the case of Scripture, every story we read is God whispering the name of Jesus to us. It is a love story from a God who loves us. A God who wants to save us not punish us. A God who wants us to live abundantly not die. Every story whispers the name of Jesus who made God’s love incarnate. As we will see throughout Advent, God whispers the name of Jesus to us in every story and our part is to simply respond. God longs for us to hear the whisper and believe in the name of Jesus. The name to which every knee will bow and every tongue confess in heaven and on earth. It is my prayer that we will all see how every story whispers his name this Advent. That we will respond to the name of Jesus. That we will experience the fullness of life in Jesus. That we will seek to share the hope of this life with those who have not yet received it for themselves. This Sunday we begin the message series "Every Story Whispers His Name." May we all be listening for the whisper. There is no greater purpose in life than to follow God. God is at work at St. Andrew’s and I can’t wait to see you in church!

“But Jonah thought it was utterly wrong, and he became angry.” Jonah 4:1 (CEB) Have you ever been obstinate? One time when I was about eight years old my parents told me I had to eat my helping of lima beans before I could leave the dinner table. I didn’t like lima beans. I became obstinate. According to Merriam-Webster obstinate is stubbornly adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion. Yep, that was me that night. My parents believed that providing lima beans for their children was a good and virtuous thing which would assist in our growing into healthy adults. I held to a different opinion that lima beans are disgusting and no child should be subjected to eating them as a part of an otherwise delicious meal. In this one instance in my life my obstinance won. I sat at the table until well after nine o’clock when my parents dismissed me from the table and sent me straight to bed. My parents had one idea, but Tim had another. God wanted to save lost people. God wanted to use Jonah to let the people know that God wanted to save them. But Jonah! Jonah was obstinate! He just flat out did not like God’s idea. He understood it in principle and even knew it was God’s nature to save people. Jonah just did not like the idea at all. In fact, he says it would be better for him to be dead than to live and see these evil people spared. Jonah wanted God’s mercy and grace and love for himself, even for the people he loved and liked. But Jonah didn’t want it for the people he believed didn’t deserve it. The best part of the fourth chapter of The Book of Jonah is the little phrase, “But God!” Twice in this short chapter there is a “but Jonah” moment. How grateful I am that there are also two “But God” moments to counteract Jonah. Jonah objected, got angry and had a pity party. But God did what God does ... continue to show grace, love and mercy especially when we don’t necessarily deserve it. How amazing is it that we have a God who counteracts our sin. The world was dead in its own sinfulness, but God sent Jesus to take away the sins of the world. I, for one, am glad we serve a God of buts! So this Thanksgiving weekend we should ask ourselves how many times our story has been of “but me” or a story of “but God!” I pray that we will all be thankful for the many ways that God has broken in and done what only God can do in our lives. We all face difficult times where the circumstances seem overwhelming and even hopeless. Just remember those times do not define us, but God does! We serve an amazing God and we have an amazing Savior in Jesus! We should all be thankful indeed! This Sunday we conclude our series on Jonah with Dave Jans preaching. I pray that everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving! I can’t wait to see you in church.

“And the people of Nineveh believed God.” Jonah 3:5a CEB Almost exactly four years ago Debbie and I purchased the car I now drive. At the time it was a new 2013 Honda Pilot. We had done a pretty good amount of research and narrowed it down to about three different vehicles in which we were interested. We ended up choosing the Honda Pilot because we thought it would last the longest as we intend to keep the vehicle as long as possible. I have to say, four years later, I really love the vehicle. As soon as we made the decision and drove it off the lot I began experiencing something I believe you may have experienced as well. All of a sudden Honda Pilots were everywhere! I may have noticed a few of them prior to our purchase, but afterward they seemed to be all over the place. Have you ever had this experience? When I read the scripture passage for this week I had a similar thought about the people of Nineveh. No, I don’t think they saw Honda Pilots everywhere. I do believe that when Jonah finally showed up in Nineveh and told them what God had asked him to, something changed. The Scripture records it this way, “And the people of Nineveh believed God.” I don’t think it was any kind of spell that Jonah cast over the people of Nineveh. I believe that Jonah confronted them with their sin and they had to do something. They could either believe that Jonah was a messenger from God or they could dismiss him as crazy. As they are confronted with their own sin they realize that they must change. They choose to believe God! Have you ever had this experience? So here is what I believe … when we are confronted with our own sin it changes us. As the people of Nineveh were confronted with their own sin it changed them – one by one. As individuals began to turn away from their sin and turn to God others would look around and be confronted with their sin and choose to turn away from their sin and turn to God as well. It’s as if a whole city had gotten sucked into the belief that what they were doing was acceptable. This is why God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh. God wanted Jonah to expose their sin and hold them accountable. Once they were confronted with their sin the Scripture tells us, “They proclaimed a fast and put on mourning clothes, from the greatest among them to the least significant (translation – everyone).” Everyone’s eyes were open to see that their sin was upsetting God and they all turned from their sin and believed God. Because Jonah was finally faithful and finally followed God the whole city believed God. The whole city was spared and God received the glory. Perhaps one of the lessons Jonah’s story is teaching us is to open our eyes. God may very well be placing us in situations, circumstances, and places in life so we can help others open their eyes. It may also be that God is placing us in situations, circumstances, and places in life so that our eyes may be opened. It is possible that we can be both the people of Nineveh and Jonah. We all have sin we need to confess and turn away from and we all have people we can influence for Christ. The key is to keep our eyes open and believe God. God will send a Jonah in order for us to open our eyes, but God may also ask us to be someone else’s Jonah as well. This Sunday we continue the message series on the book of Jonah. Jennifer Blessing will help us understand the result of following God’s call. I am sure this will be a great message for all of us. There is no greater purpose in life than to follow God. God is at work at St. Andrew’s and I can’t wait to see you in church!