Come With: A New Sermon Series

Come With: A New Sermon Series

When Jesus began His ministry, He walked along the sea and called out to four fishermen—Peter, Andrew, James, and John—with a simple yet profound invitation: “Come with me!” They responded immediately, dropping their nets to follow Him. But as they journeyed with Jesus, they soon discovered that this call was not as simple as it first seemed. There was much for them to confront, much to leave behind, and much to do. Yet through it all, Jesus remained with them.

Is it any different for us today? Jesus still calls out to us, “Come with!” The excitement of following Him is real, but so is the challenge. At first, we may feel joy and eagerness in drawing near to Jesus, but as we grow in our faith, we realize what it truly means to walk with Him. We must examine our hearts, face difficult truths, and sometimes let go of things that hold us back. Still, even in the midst of these challenges, Jesus remains with us.

A Deeper Relationship with Jesus

This Sunday, we begin our new sermon series, Come With! by looking at Luke 5:1-11. By this point, Jesus had already been preaching, teaching, healing, and performing miracles. Some of His disciples had known Him for a while, but now their relationship was deepening. Peter even assisted Jesus by taking Him out in his boat so He could teach from the water.

For many of us, this story is familiar. Some have been walking with Jesus for years, growing in their relationship with Him. Others are just beginning their journey, eager to seek Him and learn more. And still, some may be meeting Jesus for the very first time, wondering what He is all about. No matter where you are, the invitation remains the same: Come with!

Yet, drawing close to Jesus can be terrifying. Peter was excited to help Jesus, but when he truly recognized who Jesus was, he cried out, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” The weight of being near Jesus overwhelmed him. But instead of turning Peter away, Jesus responded with love and reassurance: “Don’t be afraid! Come with!”

Join Us on This Journey

As we begin this series, we invite you to reflect on what Jesus’ call means for your own life. What is He asking you to leave behind? What fears must you confront? How is He calling you into something deeper?

We hope you’ll join us this Sunday as we begin this journey together. Whether you are taking your first steps in faith or have been walking with Jesus for years, His call remains the same: Come with!

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday at Mount Lebanon!

The Heart of Wisdom

The Way of the Wise: The Heart of Wisdom

As we journey into 2025, we are reminded of the Wise Men who hurried to worship Jesus, guided by faith and trust in God. In our lives today, we, too, are called to follow Jesus with a vibrant, lively faith. But what does that look like in practice? This month, we’ve been exploring what Solomon calls “The Way of the Wise,” and this week, we come to the heart of the series: trust.

Trusting God at the Center of Our Lives

In Proverbs 3:1-12, Solomon invites us to put the LORD at the very center of our lives. He encourages us to:

  • Trust in the Lord with all our heart.

  • Lean not on our own understanding.

  • Refuse to be wise in our own eyes.

It’s a call to let go of the things we often place our trust in—our name, our abilities, our wealth, and even our own understanding. Instead, Solomon challenges us to embrace a deeper wisdom, a wisdom rooted not in ourselves but in God.

The Fear of the Lord: The Beginning of Wisdom

Scripture tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). But what does this fear mean? It’s not about living in terror or dread. Rather, it’s about recognizing God’s sovereignty, majesty, and trustworthiness.

At its core, wisdom begins when we realize that no one and nothing else in this world is truly worthy of our trust. Not our wealth, which fades. Not our understanding, which is limited. Not even the people around us, who are fallible like us. Only God is worthy of all our trust, because He is unchanging, faithful, and perfectly good.

Why We Struggle to Trust

Let’s be honest: trusting in the Lord isn’t always easy. We live in a culture that prizes self-reliance and personal achievement. We’re taught to lean on our own understanding and find solutions on our own. Yet, Solomon warns us against this way of thinking.

Trusting in God requires humility. It means surrendering control and admitting that we don’t have all the answers. But this surrender isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. It’s a declaration that we believe God’s plans are better than ours, even when we can’t see the whole picture.

God Is Truly Worthy of Our Trust

In this week’s sermon, “The Heart of Wisdom,” we’ll dive deeper into what it means to trust the Lord. We’ll explore why so many things we place our trust in ultimately fail us and why God alone is the foundation we can depend on.

God has proven His trustworthiness time and time again. From His faithfulness to Israel to His ultimate act of love through Jesus, He has shown that He is a God who keeps His promises. He invites us to rest in Him, to lean into His wisdom, and to trust Him with all that we are.

Join us this Sunday, January 26, 2025, as we conclude our series, “The Way of the Wise.” Together, we’ll discover how to walk in the heart of wisdom by trusting in the Lord fully and completely.

Series Title: The Way of the Wise
Sermon Title: The Heart of Wisdom
Scripture Text: Proverbs 3:1-12

Let’s journey together on the Way of the Wise. See you there!

Wisdom’s Worth: Join Us This Sunday + Connect Groups Kickoff

Wisdom’s Worth: Join Us This Sunday + Connect Groups Kickoff

As we continue into the new year, we’re excited to gather this Sunday, January 19th, for worship, fellowship, and the kickoff of our Connect Groups!

This week, we’ll dive into the third part of our series, “The Way of the Wise,” with a sermon titled Wisdom’s Worth (Proverbs 3:11-24). True wisdom from God has value for every aspect of our lives. Jesus, who is Wisdom from God, walks beside us, calling us to follow Him with lively, faith-filled hearts.

In this week’s message, we’ll reflect on how the Teacher urges us to treasure wisdom, holding it tightly and letting it shape our lives. Through this series, we’re discovering God’s wise way for following Jesus. His commandments guide us, teaching us to fear, love, and trust in Him above all things. These principles form the foundation of walking in wisdom and living a life that honors God.

But Sunday isn’t just about worship! We’re also kicking off our Connect Groups, and we couldn’t be more excited to invite you to join one.

What Are Connect Groups?
Connect Groups are an essential part of our mission to help people grow closer to God and to each other. These groups exist to connect us to the two things we need for life and eternity:

  1. God’s Word – Connect Groups are a safe and intimate space where we can wrestle with, understand, and apply God’s Word to our lives.

  2. God’s People – In these groups, we build meaningful Christian relationships centered around studying God’s Word and supporting one another in faith.

Our prayer is that Connect Groups will give everyone a place to grow deeper in their walk with Christ while fostering friendships that last a lifetime.

Join Us This Sunday!
We’d love for you to be part of this special day as we worship together and kick off a new season of growth and community through Connect Groups. Here are the details:

📅 Date: Sunday, January 19, 2025
📖 Sermon Title: Wisdom’s Worth (Proverbs 3:11-24)
🎉 Connect Groups Kickoff: Right after the service

Whether you’re new to our church or have been here for years, there’s a place for you to connect, grow, and thrive. Bring your family and friends—we can’t wait to see you!

Let’s seek wisdom together as we begin this new year with faith, love, and community.

We are his! Pastor Nate

Walking The Way of the Wise: Seeking God’s Gift of Wisdom

This week, as we journey through The Way of the Wise, we’re diving into some of life’s most profound questions:

  • What is wisdom?

  • Why does it matter?

  • And how do we gain it?

In Proverbs 2:1-22, Solomon paints a vivid picture of wisdom as more than mere knowledge or cleverness. It is a treasure—a precious, divine gift that requires intentional pursuit. He challenges us to actively seek wisdom with open hearts and eager spirits, tuning our ears to its call and searching for it as we would for hidden treasure.

Wisdom: A Spirit-Given Gift

While Solomon urges us to seek wisdom diligently, he also reminds us of a crucial truth: wisdom is not something we can manufacture or earn. It is a Spirit-worked gift, bestowed by our Heavenly Father through His grace. True wisdom, rooted in God’s truth, provides clarity and direction for our lives, shaping how we navigate challenges, love others, and follow Jesus.

In our pursuit of wisdom, we echo the prayer of Solomon:
“Lord, give me this wisdom!”

Why Wisdom Matters

The gift of wisdom is transformative. It’s not just about making better decisions; it’s about living a life that reflects God’s character. It equips us to discern right from wrong, to love deeply, and to walk confidently in God’s purpose.

Join Us on This Journey

This week, we invite you to explore what it means to seek and receive wisdom from the Lord. Together, we’ll discover how this divine gift leads us to a life of greater peace, purpose, and alignment with God’s will.

Let’s walk the way of the wise together and allow His wisdom to guide our steps.

Walking Wisely

A parable is told about a madman who ran about in broad daylight, swinging a lantern. He cried out frantically, “I seek God! I seek God.” As you can imagine, people just laughed at him. They mocked him. They ridiculed him. They thought he was out of his mind. But then he pierced them with his eyes and asked his questions and made his claim, “Where is God? I will tell you. We have killed him - you and I.”

As we come to understand the parable, told by its atheist author, we learn that this is not a claim against the resurrection. This is not a claim that God doesn’t exist, though you might expect that from the author. He is making a claim that God holds no authoritative place in people’s lives anymore. That people no longer fear him. That not even Christians fear the Lord.

Could this atheist be right? It would be easy for us, as Christians, to simply respond by saying, “No!” But that would be too easy of an answer.

Perhaps, we should ask a different question: Do we fear Him? We say that we should in our explanation to the commandments when we say that “we should fear and love God that…” But do we still tremble in his presence? Do we fear his gaze? Do we fear his punishments? Again, we’re told that we should. Yes, “we should fear his anger and not disobey what he commands.” But do we? Do we fear him? Or has God become too commonplace for us? Our buddy. Our co-pilot. Our advisor. Our help when we’re in a tough spot.

This year, we’re going to spend some time in Proverbs. Not only do we want to know Wisdom, who is Christ, but we beg God in our prayers to give us the wisdom James tells us to ask for. As we do this, we will start at the beginning. Solomon says that the very beginning of wisdom is “the fear of the Lord.” This means that we can’t even enter into a conversation with these words of wisdom without faith. At its very beginning “to fear the LORD” means to know what he has done for us and to enjoy a filial, father/son relationship with him. It means that because God has done so much for us that we want to do the things that please him. To state it negatively, we don’t want to disappoint him. We fear that. We don’t want to let him down.

The fear of the Lord means that we want to do what pleases the One who has done so much for us. And he has done much. He has spoken to us through his Son with whom he created the world. He has spoken to us in his word wherein he reveals his will to us - his will to save and his will for our living.

This is where we’ll begin tomorrow! See you in the morning.

We are his!

PB

Watch Night Service

Watch Night

Tuesday, 12/31 at 6pm

Watch Night is a service held on New Year’s Eve.  It provides the opportunity for Christians to review the year that has passed and to make confession for the sins of their past. We then find refreshment and restoration in the grace, mercy and forgiveness of our Savior Jesus.  We also prepare for the new year by listening and resolving ourselves to take on a new life.

Watch Night services have added significance in the African American community.  Many slaves were said to have gathered in churches on New Year’s Eve in 1862 to await news and confirmation of the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, on January 1, 1863.

This Watch Night we do something similar.  The sins of our past are confessed and washed away in the forgiveness of sins and at the Supper of our Lord.  We set our minds to live anew life for Jesus starting now.  And we lift up our eyes to the skies from where our Savior will come.  We look to him to return and to set us free from this veil of tears.

O Come, Emmanuel

EMMANUEL

O God among us, come

ANTIPHON:

O God among us, come

Great king who gives the Law

To gather nations nigh,

O Lord our God, Redeemer,

To save your children, come!

REFLECTION:

O Immanuel, O God with us is the last of the Seven Great O Antiphons and where our expectations and and hopes joyfully culminate. He is here! He has come among us! A miracle and a wondrous mystery.The infinite as an infant. The foundations of mankind’s salvation. God has come nearer than any mind could have imagined, closer than any heart dared to hope. Our response to this glorious truth is to simply come and worship God manifest in the flesh. He is glorious!

May your heart be filled this Christmas season with wonder, hope, peace, joy, and love for Immanuel, God is among us. And may we all respond with the ancient Aramaic call, Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 16:22).

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with joy

And our minds with perception of your presence

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Christmas at Mount Lebanon

This Christmas, cry out with us.

We’d love to have you in worship with us.

We’d love to celebrate Christ’s birth with you.

Christmas Eve at 6 pm.

Christmas Day at 9:30 am.

+++

Christmas is a festival for exiles who are longing for home and waiting to go there. If you think back, that was the purpose of the ancient festival that is called “Passover.” The Passover was a festival for those who once were slaves but now were not. It was the festival that called the people to remember the exodus from Egypt and to long for another exodus. In the same way, Christmas is a festival for exiles who are longing to go home. It is a festival that looks back to the Messiah who came; the God wrapped in clothes. It is a festival that looks ahead to his return when he will give us another exodus, this time into his eternal kingdom. Yes, Christmas is a festival for exiles who are longing for home.

And what do the exiles cry? “Come! Come, Emmanuel! Come, Dayspring from on High! Come, King of the nations.” They cry out for help!

Christmas has always been the festival of exiles who are crying out. That’s what Christmas was for Zechariah and Elizabeth. When Zechariah’s tongue was loosed, and he held John in his arms, he couldn’t help but sing the song that exiles sign: “God has come and visited his people; he has come to redeem and rescue us. He has come to give us salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us” (Lk 1:28, 72). He knew he didn’t fit in; he was oppressed on every side. He was an exile longing for home.

So was Mary. When she sang her song of Immanuel, when she lifted her supreme Magnificat, she couldn’t help but sing about her God making things right again, lifting up the lowly, and knocking down the proud and the mighty from their thrones (Lk 1:52). And what is it that Luke tells us about Simeon and Anna? He tells us that they longed for the consolation, the redemption, and even the restoration of Israel. These were all exiles longing for home.

And so were those who read the letter to the Hebrews. They were Christians who were living in the midst of a culture and a world where they didn’t fit. They didn’t fit in with the Roman world – its gods and its culture. They didn’t fit in with the Jewish world – its god and its culture. And there was great pressure on them to conform, fit in, and go along to get along. They were exiles, foreigners, an island of light in the middle of an ocean of darkness. These were all exiles longing for home. The little letter to them was meant to encourage them and to unwrap God for them.

Christmas is the festival of exiles who are longing to go home. I don’t think that I have to work very hard to prove this to you. We live in aworld that is constantly pressing on us to fit in. The laws and the ethics of our land often run so contrary to the Word and will of God. I don’t need to show you how because you know all too well how true this is. More than that, the things that people around us value, run so counter to what our God teaches us to value. Our very gathering for Christmas Day worship is so counter-cultural. It’s not the thing that most people do or even think about. Christmas Day is a time for family, a time for gifts, a time for pj’s, and a time for eating. And all of those things are wonderful gifts from our God. But that’s not what this day means to us – not at its core. This is a day for us to unwrap to God, to remember again who it is who lies in the manger.

But that’s why you’re here. You’re here today to unwrap God, to ponder the majesty and the mystery, to rejoice that God became man for you. You’re here in a silent protest against the culture that presses against you. You’re here to sing praises to the God who came for you and will come again for you. You’re here waiting to go home like ancient Israel did as they waited for God to come for them. See, Christmas is the festival of exiles longing to go home.

That’s the way that Zechariah went to the temple to carry out his duties. He went to the temple with the hope that God would come and rescue him, his family, and his people. He went to the temple singing a song of longing for salvation from all of his enemies and for all those pressed against him. That’s the way that Simeon and Anna woke up every morning. They got up each morning, rising early, heading to the temple, and waiting for the day that they would hold in their hands the Savior of the world. They couldn’t wait for God to come and bring them exile.

This is the song of hope that resides in the heart of the writer to the Hebrews as he lifts Jesus up for us and shows us how great he is and what he will do (Read Hebrews 1:1-9). Yes, he will sit on his throne, and all his enemies will lie under his feet. That’s the song that John sings in his opening doxology; there, he exalts Jesus as truly God who came to live in our neighborhood, to live among us, and to show us God (Read John 1:1-18). Yes, this is even the song of Paul as he delights in showing us God who emptied himself to fill us, who gave up heaven for a time so that he could give us heaven (Read Philippians 2:5-11). These are all exiles who are waiting to go home.

Yes, dear people of God, we are citizens of this city, part of this tribe – a tribe of every nation, language, people, and ethnicity. We are part of this great number that no one can count. We are part of this city. We are part of this kingdom that crosses time and space. We stand with Zechariah, longing for salvation from our enemies. We rise with Simeon, longing to see this salvation with our own eyes. We are numbered among these exiles, these aliens; we belong to this island of light in an ocean of darkness. And this is the festival we celebrate to our King, the one who came – God in the flesh.

Yes, we are the people of King Jesus. We are his people. He has come and visited his people. He lived among us for a while, truly sharing our flesh. He has redeemed us, and we are his. With his own blood, he bought for us God. We are the people of King Jesus, who truly radiates God. Like light from the sun, Jesus is light from God. Like heat from a fire, Jesus is warmth from God. He truly radiates God and shows who God is and what he is like. If you want to know what God is like, then get to know your King Jesus. We are the people of King Jesus. He is the One together with whom God created this world and sustains it still. The one who puts bread on your table and protects, even rescues, you from your enemies. We are the people of King Jesus. The one who humbled himself that we might be exalted; the one who is exalted now that we might have an exodus, a way out and a way to his eternal kingdom. We are the people of King Jesus. He gives grace in place of grace already given. We are the people of King Jesus, and he has come to save us.

Christmas is the festival for exiles longing to go home. And we are the people of King Jesus. He has come to set us free.

So, cry out to him. Come, O Come, Emmanuel!

Waiting for Wisdom

SAPIENTIA

O Highest Wisdom, Come

ANTIPHON:

O Highest Wisdom, come.

While reaching end to end

In sweetness ordering all,

To us, O mighty Savior,

Discerning judgment teach.

REFLECTION:

We are now in the season of Advent. “Advent” means coming or arrival. This means that it is a season of anticipation, longing and hope. We look forward to and long for the coming of Christ even while we celebrate the fact that he came.

This Sunday, we sit right at the edge of our celebration of Christmas. It just a few days away now. It is so close we can almost taste it. Oh, how good it will be when he walks through the door and ushers us into eternity.

Wisdom speaks to us through the Scriptures and tells us, “Blessed are those who wait at my door…for those who find me find life.”

Check out the Mount Weekly for all the blessed opportunities we have to wait at the door to wait for Wisdom and find life!

Merry Christmas!

PB

O Come, Clavis David

Midweek Advent Devotion

Wednesday

12/18/24

4:30 pm and 6 pm.

Mount Lebanon School Christmas Service

12/19 @ 6 pm.

CLAVIS DAVID

O Key of David, Come

SCRIPTURE:

Revelation 3:7-13

ANTIPHON:

O Key of David, come.

Unlock what none shall bind,

And lock what none shall loose:

The captives in the darkness

Imprisoned, now set free.

REFLECTION:

This antiphon uses a symbol traditionally associated with kingly rule and authority. The one who has come, Jesus, is David’s long-awaited heir, who is the key to the kingdom. He is the holy one who wields David’s key. He opens, and no one can close; he closes, and no one can open. All power and authority are in him and him alone. This Advent season, we call on David’s Key to release us from our sins and unlock the chains that bind us. We ask him to lead us out of darkness and to burst our bonds apart (Psalm 107). May you look to him and invite him to visit you with both the comfort that comes through his deliverance and the confidence that arises from his steadfast love.

PRAYER:

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with love for one another

and our minds with wise counsel

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

See you Wednesday!

Wisdom's Delight

SAPIENTIA

O Highest Wisdom, Come

REFLECTION:

The countdown is on. Each Sunday that passes in this season of Advent brings us one Sunday closer to our remembrance and celebration of Christmas. Hope begins to grow. Expectation and joy begin to increase. This only grows when we consider who Wisdom truly is: He is Christ, the Lord. The One who sits on heaven’s high throne. The One who gives all gifts for body and life, even for soul and eternity. The One who is the eternal Son of God, truly God and truly human being, in one person. Today, we learn another thing. He was there at the very beginning, creating this world together with the Father and the Spirit, delighting in what was being created and finding joy in us, the crown of God’s creation. He is Wisdom, the one who is delighted with us.

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

This Sunday, we see that Wisdom was not only there before the world was created but also at creation. He was constantly at the Father’s side, rejoicing in his presence and delighting in humankind.

ANTIPHON:

O Highest Wisdom, come.

While reaching end to end

In sweetness ordering all,

To us, O mighty Savior,

Discerning judgment teach.

PRAYER:

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with your love

And our minds with your wisdom

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Nate

Be sure to check out the Mount Weekly linked below for all of the other awesome stuff going on.

O Come, Radix Jesse

Midweek Advent Devotion

Wednesday

12/11/24

4:30 pm and 6 pm.

RADIX JESSE

O Root of Jesse, Come

SCRIPTURE:

Isaiah 11:1-10

ANTIPHON:

O Root of Jesse, Come.

This ensign raised for all

To whom the nations pray,

Before whom kings keep silent:

To rescue quickly come.

REFLECTION:

This week of Advent, we remember that God has remembered his people in the root of Jesse. A living root sends up a shoot or branch; thus, the root of Jesse was a root from which more descendants would come. The image refers to the family tree of Jesse, which leads to King David and ultimately to Jesus Christ as the son of David. Through the prophet Samuel, God had promised David that his offspring would establish an eternal kingdom, something that the Apostle Paul reinforces in Romans 15 (7-9, 12) acknowledging Jesus as this root of Jesse in whom the Gentiles are to place their hope.

This Advent season, we ask him to fill our lives not only with this memory of God’s plan of salvation arriving through this root of Jesse. Remembering is important and good, but let us also ask that this meaning would run deeper in our hearts, as a good root should, that we might abide in him. The root of goodness and beauty and truth is found in Jesus Christ. He is the root of it all! And as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can we, unless we abide in him. As his branches, may we live close to Jesus who is the vine, who is the root. Abide in him and experience his comfort and presence.

PRAYER:

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with more of your presence

that they would overflow with love for all nations.

Fill our minds with understanding to serve them

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

See you Wednesday!

Come and Worship

SAPIENTIA

O Highest Wisdom, Come

REFLECTION:

We are now in the seasonof Advent. “Advent” means coming or arrival. This means that it is a season ofanticipation, longing and hope. We look forward to and long for the coming of Christ even while we celebrate the fact that he came.

Today, we meet John the Baptist who cries out, running ahead of Jesus, preparing the way for him. And what does he say? What does he tell us about Jesus, true Wisdom of God? He declares the greatness and eternity of Jesus, of Wisdom: “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me” (John 1:15). That was his clear and loud testimony. “I am not worthy to stoop down to untie his sandals” (Luke 3:16).

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT

This Sunday, we bow down in worship before the eternal Son of God, Wisdom himself, our Savior. We gaze back into all eternity when the true Wisdom of God, was begotten of the Father, God from God and Light from Light, very God from very God. O Come! Let us worship him.

FIRST ANTIPHON:

O Highest Wisdom, come.

While reaching end to end

In sweetness ordering all,

To us, O mighty Savior,

Discerning judgment teach.

PRAYER:

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with your love

And our minds with your wisdom

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Nate

Be sure to check out the Mount Weekly linked below for all of the other awesome stuff going on.

O Come, Adonai

Midweek Advent Devotion

Wednesday

12/4/24

4:30 pm and 6 pm.

ADONAI

O Lord of Israel, Come

SCRIPTURE:

Exodus 3:1-15

SECOND ANTIPHON:

O Lord of Israel, come.

Through bushes breathing fire,

To Moses you gave Law;

O Come, redeeming Ruler,

with arms outstretched to save.

REFLECTION:

The second of the “Great O"‘ Advent Antiphons, O Adonai, speaks to the divine name of God that, over time, became too sacred for mankind to utter. This sacred name was replaced with Adonai (My Lord) so that unworthy human beings could say God’s name without blasphemy. The beauty and hope of Advent is that the unknowable, wholly other, infinitely holy Lord became known to us. He bore a name on this earth, and he chose to inhabit human flesh and dwell among us. He chose a people, a language, and a place. He chose his arms to become outstretched so that he might save and deliver a people.

As this antiphon prayer considers the marvelous glory of God manifested to Moses in the burning bush, we see God’s presence within it yet the bush is not fully consumed. The great Lord Jesus would one day come and be fully God yet also fully man. An Advent miracle!

This Advent season, may your heart experience peace because the great Lord Jesus Christ entered our world and our lives and made what was once unknowable knowable - our redeemer Ruler has made a way for us to dwell in his presence in full.

PRAYER:

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with your love

And our minds with your wisdom

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

See you Wednesday!

Pastor Nate

The Gifts Wisdom Gives

SAPIENTIA

O Highest Wisdom, Come

REFLECTION:

We are now entering the season of Advent. “Advent” means coming or arrival. This means that it is a season of anticipation, longing and hope. We look forward to and long for the coming of Christ even while we celebrate the fact that he came. We call out to him through this antiphon to come. But for what do we call him to come? We long for Wisdom to come to order all things in might, power and wisdom. We look fo rWisdom to come to meet our needs. We hope in the coming of Wisdom to give us our eternal inheritance.

We cry out, “O Highest Wisdom, Come!”

THIS SUNDAY: THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

This Sunday, we see that Wisdom has all the riches of heaven in his storehouse. He is pleased to give these gifts to us today in our lives and eternally in heaven. Come, O Wisdom!

FIRST ANTIPHON:

O Highest Wisdom, come.

While reaching end to end

In sweetness ordering all,

To us, O mighty Savior,

Discerning judgment teach.

PRAYER:

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with your love

And our minds with your wisdom

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Nate

Be sure to check out the Mount Weekly linked below for all of the other awesome stuff going on.

Wisdom behind the Throne

During these services to wrap up the year, the weekly email will include an overview and some points to ponder in preparation for the coming service.

During the coming weeks leading up to Christmas, we will cry out, “O Come!” The title of our series comes from the O Antiphons. These are short sentences and prayers that historically have accompanied the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from Dec 17-23. These sentences embody a a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative “Come!” embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.

Our Sunday services will follow the theme: O Come, Wisdom.

+++

SAPIENTIA

O Highest Wisdom, Come

FIRST ANTIPHON:

O Highest Wisdom, come.

While reaching end to end

In sweetness ordering all,

To us, O mighty Savior,

Discerning judgment teach.

REFLECTION:

During our Sunday services in preparation for Christmas, we celebrate and reflect on the wisdom of God, which is Jesus. This wisdom is not common, but one that is from on high. His gospel is not shallow, but one that is deep and passes understanding.His is a wisdom in which the greatest intellect would be drowned! Scripture teaches us that Christ himself is wisdom. As Wisdom from on high, he comes to us to give us rich gifts, most of all life through his death and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
We cry out, “O Highest Wisdom, Come!”

CONCLUDING PRAYER:

Lord God,

Fill our hearts with your love

And our minds with your wisdom

So that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,

Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

THIS SUNDAY: CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY

We see that Christ truly is Wisdom behind, above, and through every throne. Yes, it may seem to most that Christ and the message of his cross is foolishness and weakness, yet he is truly the Wisdom and Power of God. And, since that is the case, he is the power behind all thrones since he sits on heaven’s highest throne.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Nate

Be sure to check out the Mount Weekly linked below for all of the other awesome stuff going on.

What if...

It’s such a beautiful letter. So, moving and touching. With a deep desire for so much forgiveness. Paul writes with such passion and love that he would even pay the debt in the place of the sinner. He told Philemon, “If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me” (18). Yes, like I said at the beginning, this is such a tender letter of love and a desire for reconciliation that both Philemon and Onesimus would fight for the family.

     How can I say anything more than that? Our pastoral hearts beat with a desire that confessions would be made, forgiveness would be given, and God’s people would be restored to one another. How sweet would that be for our family here at Mount Lebanon and beyond if we would “fight for the family” and live together like this? How sweet would this be for our families at home and at work if we would “fight for the family?” If we would confess our sins to another when we have sinned against them? If we would forgive their sins when they have sinned against us (even if they don’t confess)?

       What would that say to the community around us if we were known as the church that “fights for the family?” What if we were known as the church that, in love,confronts sin in others and among us – and then forgave it!?! What if we were known as the church that lives together like this?

       Oh, dear people of God, “Refresh my heart in Christ” and let’s live together in love like this.

God grant it to us!

See you Sunday!

Pastor Nate

Be sure to check out the Mount Weekly linked below for all of the other awesome stuff going on.

The Cost of Forgiveness

Many scholars, even Christian scholars, agree that forgiveness includes a wrong that is committed. One writer states that “when an individual forgives, his resentment is overcome not by restraining themselves the right to the resentment, but by making an effort to view the transgressor with understanding, kindness, and compassion, while acknowledging that he has deliberately surrendered his right to them.”[1] In this explanation, she admits that something is owed. Another notes that forgiveness is defined as “a willingness to abandon one’s right to resentment, negative judgment and indifferent behaviour toward one who unjustly injured us.”[2] Again, he notes that a debt is owed to the one who ultimately forgives.

The question that none of them seems to answer is: Who pays the price? If a person were truly wronged and a debt (guilt) was incurred, then who pays for that? God teaches us this very thing when we sin against him. He does not sweep our sins under the rug. He does not tell us that it is okay. He doesn’t just “forgive” it and move on. Instead, he takes guilt from us and gives it to his Son. In this way, his Son pays the price for our sins. His Son pays dearly, with his own lifeblood. This our God did for us not because we deserved it. In fact, we deserved the very opposite. It is grace from his Father’s heart that led him to this. It is something that is given to us. Yet, the question remains: Who pays the price?

The answer to the question must first be found in the cross of Jesus. Further investigation into the lived experience of these participants shows how vital and meaningful his cross is to them in their lives. They found hope, comfort, and strength in his cross. Christ paid the price.  He paid the price for every sin that was ever committed against God and every sin that was or will be committed against another human being. Christ paid the price for all of them at the cross. It was a costly thing for him.

It is also a costly thing for the forgiver. Even when a form of restitution is made after a transgression, the forgiver pays a price. When I forgive my friend for failing to pay back the $500 he borrowed from me, this means I no longer ask him to pay me back. But who paid the price in this scenario? I did. I absorbed the loss of the money I loaned him. My forgiveness turned that debt into a gift to him. This is a concrete way of imagining how the forgiver pays the price. I admit that this is clear, but that in other cases, it is much harder to quantify and describe. Yet, it seems clear that forgiveness is costly. A cost is always paid, first by Christ and then by the one offering forgiveness. This is what Paul calls us to offer up to each other. Finding strength in the cost paid by Christ. And, then, paying the price of forgiveness toward those who offend against me.

[1] Gicheru 285-286.

[2] Egan 388.

Coming Clean

The process of conflict reconciliation has both a vertical and horizontal dimension. It has a vertical direction because it deals with each person’s relationship and standing with God. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ in this vertical relationship. We have reconciliation with God because God has not counted sins against us but has, instead, counted our sins against Christ. And, instead of counting sins against us, he credits Christ’s righteousness to us. We’re good with God.

But there still remains reconciliation in my horizontal relationships. There still remains reconciliation in the relationship with the people who sinned against me. There still remains restoration in the relationship with the people against whom I have sinned.

No one understood this better than Joseph and his brothers. Try to imagine what this conflict was like and how long it lasted until their reconciliation. His brothers sinned against him when they sold him into slavery. It was seventeen years or more before he saw them again. It was even longer before they had any sense of forgiveness and reconciliation between them.

It was undoubtedly painful for them. Two things had to happen to move toward forgiveness and reconciliation: Sin had to be brought out into the open and confronted.It also needed to be confessed, not just to God but to the person against whom the sin had been committed.

As we seek to learn how to work through conflict toward reconciliation, these two acts are vitally important. Sin must be gently confronted and corrected. Sin must also be confessed. As we dive into the story of Joseph and his brothers, we will deal with these two acts: Confrontation and Confession.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Nate

Fighting from a position of grace

When conflict has happened, we often think to ourselves that something must be done for peace to be achieved, realized, and experienced. In one dimension, this is true.When we stand next to, in front of, or even just around people with whom we have had a conflict, there can’t be peace until something happens. That’s what this whole series is about: pursuing peace and reconciliation after sin has happened between two people, or even between groups of people. Sin must be confessed. Forgiveness must be given and received. Restitution and other steps to restore the relationship must be taken. Reconciliation does require work on the side of both parties. As we stand before people, something has to be done for peace to be achieved.

         This is true as we stand before people. This is also true as we stand before God. Something must be done. Something had to be done. But it was not our doing. It is not something we need to do. There is no box that we need to check. God doesn’t look at us to say, “I’ll forgive you after you…” No, the work is all God’s. The work is all Christ’s. He has done the work to forgive. We have peace with God. We stand in a position of grace and righteousness.

         Standing in this position of “recipient of grace” sets our hearts at ease as we move toward reconciliation with people after a conflict. In fact, this standing in grace is absolutely essential before we move toward the other people involved in the conflict. You are at peace with God. You have received grace from him. You are justified. Just soak this in and experience the peace that comes from this truth.

Don’t forget! TRUNK OR TREAT IS COMING TOMORROW (SATURDAY) FROM 3-5 PM.

See you Sunday! Pastor Nate