Hey Friends…
I wonder if you’re up for turning the page. Not just in our teaching--we’re moving this week from the “bad news” of Romans chapters 1 and 2 into the good news of chapters 3 and 4—but also in the specifics of your personal life. Do you want to turn the page into an entirely new way of living? It is absolutely possible, and the Word of the Lord revealed in Romans 3 will unlock it for us. But there is a reason very few of us have turned this page just yet. I’ll tell you more about it in Deeper Thoughts below… But first…we’ve got several exciting things happening the next few weeks at Mt. Hope: · Ladies: NEXT Saturday, February 24 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., we will be creating “Baskets of Love” to share with those in need—for welcome, caregiving, well-wishing, or simply encouraging. Click here for more info and to RSVP! · Men: Let’s not get left behind by our God-seeking women. It’s time for us to step up into a focused set of challenges to follow Jesus Christ with passion and power. TWO Saturdays from now—March 2 at 8:30 a.m.—join us for a men’s ministry kick off breakfast sure to harden our arteries and soften our hearts before the Lord. Click here for details and to RSVP (required)! · Mark your calendars for a power-filled Palm Sunday celebration on Sunday, March 24. We will be sharing in a life-altering testimony and baptism you will not want to miss, followed by a yummy and joyful fellowship luncheon right after church. More details to come! · Coming Soon: an all-day Saturday event this April for prayer, discussion, and teaching with Chris Campbell to discover our Freedom in Christ. We will discover with certainty our fullest identity in Christ and absolute freedom from that which has kept us from that fullness. More details to come! · On a personal note: Sherri and I are going to take a much-needed rest break this coming week. We will be entirely “unplugged” and unreachable from Monday through Saturday, February 19-24. For any needs that arise during that time, our Elder Team will be available to pray, encourage, care for, and support you. Please contact Kristie Zoller at MtHopeLoudoun@gmail.com or 703-999-3156 (c) to reach the Elder Team. OK…that’s it today for you email skimmers and those who prefer to stay stuck right where you are. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… May I have your permission to be a little punchy…or perhaps better phrased “a little direct” with you? Thank you. Here we go: I am amazed at how much we complain about the negative circumstances and conditions in our life, but then we do not take the necessary steps to make an actual positive change. Ouch. Read that a second time, will you? Notice I very intentionally use the words “we” and “our”, as I see this same maddening pattern in my life just as much as I do in yours. I bumble along sometimes for months or even years in unhealthy and painful situations that I actually know how to fix, but I just don’t fix them. I’ve known for years that I need to lose a little bit of weight. My doctor tells me--and so do my eyeballs—that I’m carrying about two dozen more pounds than I should. I know exactly what to do: eat better, exercise, and sleep right. Check. But do I do it? I’ve complained for months about my stress levels and over-scaled pace of life. I know specifically what to do: make hard decisions and draw boundaries to my schedule, reduce my expectations, and take intentional sabbath every week. Check. But do I do it? I wish I had more vibrant intimacy with God. I’ve tasted seasons of the overwhelming presence of God where joy, peace, clarity, and hope were unmistakably real. And I know precisely what to do to stay in that place: be in His Word every single day and lay before Him in surrendering prayer. Check. But do I do it? You? You with me in this? If you are a follower of Jesus Christ who has paid any attention to your favorite Bible teachers, you--along with me—know precisely how and what to surrender to God. We often claim we have no idea how to break through to God. But I’d like to challenge that: We’ve been taught this clearly. Perhaps the real problem is that we do not like what the scriptures reveal must be done to break through to God. As a result, we simply do not actively surrender. Why? It’s almost as if we prefer the stalemate of a defeated life. I know that’s probably a bit of an overstatement, but you gave me permission a moment ago to be a little punchy. If we indeed know what to do to have freedom and joy in our lives, why do we not do it? What do we gain from staying stuck? There is, of course, the stability of the familiar, even if it’s a negative familiarity. And there’s the comfort we find in whatever habit we have chosen to medicate our pain (food, drink, smoke, social media, addiction, or [fill in the blank]…). If we’re super honest, there’s even a bit of an empowering energy to self-pity or pouting before God that He hasn’t stepped up to fix us instantaneously. But God wants so much more for us. We want it too, but its elusiveness may have more to do with subconsciously choosing to stay stuck than actually being stuck. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that we are saved by God’s mercy and grace—not by anything we do. We are rescued by God not because we stopped sinning or because we stepped up to do the things we know to do. The “good news” (Greek meaning of the word “Gospel”) of Romans 1:16-17 and 3:21-24 is that we are given a righteousness that is from God, not ourselves. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are “God’s workmanship”—His artwork—“created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” According to this Word of revelation, we cannot create this new life. God must birth into us something new, by His workmanship, by His Holy Spirit quickening (bringing to life) our spirit. The word “righteousness” simply means that things are right: things are as they should be. And we are given this from God. You want to turn the page away from things that are not as they should be? You want to turn the page to all the fullness of what God can do for you and me? You want God to birth something brand new in you that creates life “as it should be?” Then we need to look intently at God’s promise and His process as we continue our 20-week journey through the Book of Romans—“Uncharted Territory: Taking Life Where You’ve Never Been.” We need to discover what God does within us and what is our part to step up and actualize the change. There is a freedom, fullness, abundance, and joy waiting just on the next page if we will see it, choose it, and turn the page to it. Mmmmm…. This is going to be good!! 10:00 a.m. Sunday in-person (rocks!) or online livestream (decent…just not as fun as in-person!). Carefully read Romans 3 & 4 before Sunday. Can’t wait… Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend
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Dear Friends…
In the last week, two very beloved saints from Mt. Hope passed into their boundless eternal reward in God’s presence. Late last week, retired pastor and beloved Walter Agnor passed peacefully; on Wednesday of this week, Delrae Dorrell also passed peacefully surrounded by family and some from our church. No date has been set for Walter’s memorial; a date for Delrae has been set and noted below. I’ll tell you much more in Deeper Thoughts below… But first… a handful of important items: · This Sunday—something special for middle schoolers and a bit of PG-13 content: We’ve been planning to pull aside our 6th-8th graders for some separate content and experiences, and this Sunday’s message suggests it would be a great week to try it out! o In my teaching this Sunday, we will be studying Romans 1 which includes certain topics that if addressed fully and honestly, may be worth parents considering the readiness of their younger students to absorb. o SO… at the regular message time, both Kids Connect and Middle School will be invited to join Chris Bowen and Jess Sauder downstairs for a moment of joint worship and then separate age-appropriate content experiences. o Parents, if you feel your middle schooler would benefit from an adult discussion of the topics in Romans 1, they are certainly welcome to continue to attend with you. · A memorial service for Delrae Dorrell will be held NEXT Saturday, February 10 at 1:30 p.m. at Mt. Hope. All are welcome to attend and share in the celebration of this dear woman of God who has graced our church these past two years. · Ladies: Mark your calendar for our next women’s event, Saturday, February 24. Details to come! · We are a praying church…so let’s engage a NEW function: If you would like a prayer need shared with the church family via this Friday email, just email your need to my personal Gmail account listed in my signature line by Thursday of each week. I’ll include a listing of those prayer needs at the end of our weekly Friday email. o AND… don’t forget that we have a weekly prayer meeting every Sunday morning, 9:15 – 9:40 a.m. in the sanctuary. All are welcome to come storm the gates of heaven on behalf of our church family! OK…that’s it today for you email skimmers and you who must avert your eyes from a beloved’s passing. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… There are no two ways about it. The death of a loved one is just simply hard. And yet, the Lord calls it a precious thing… and simultaenously a curse. It can all be very confusing. I’ve had the immeasurable privilege in recent months to be present with their families while two saints (Donald Beall and Delrae Dorrell) passed into glory, and to be in close conversation with saint Walter Agnor’s daughter shortly after his passing. To have a family’s trust to be part of these incredibly sensitive and personal moments is very meaningful. In all of these situations, long and productive lives had been led. Their individual passing came late in life and their families could celebrate decades of health, love, presence, and joy with their beloved. But so much more importantly, all three of these saints led lives of undivided devotion and faithfulness to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have noticed something common to all three of their stories: While it has been incalculably painful for each family to release their beloved to the next life, there has also been an unmistakable peace that is found nowhere else in all of human experience. The scriptures record that “precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15). We certainly don’t feel it as such a precious thing. But we do not “grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope”. Rather, “we believe that Jesus died and rose again and… that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep [died] in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Their transition to God's unfiltered presence is precious to God because they get to fully experience Him in all of His reality. This hope changes everything. God considers death an enemy, just like we do: “The last enemy to be destroyed is death,” Paul reveals in 1 Corinthians 15:26. We hate death for its inflexibility, its finality, and for how it takes our loved ones away from our immediate presence. We also hate it for the fear it personally brings each of us “…who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:15). But in each of these scriptures, God reveals not only His identification with our hatred and fear of death; He also reveals His victory over it. Consider: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he [Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15). Consider: “According to the Lord’s own word…the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise…and so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). Consider: “Listen, I tell you a mystery…in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet…the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed…then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.” …Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:51-57). Consider: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He [she] who believes in me will live, even though he [she] dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25-26). Friends, these are not just idle promises to recite at a funeral as “feel good” platitudes to ease our pain of loss. No! These words are the revelation of God—a revelation of reality that is far more stunning, far more real, far more concrete than anything we perceive in this life. So, let us “therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Oh…and does it strike you that I keep calling Donald, Walter, and Delrae “saints”? If you grew up in a more traditional church, you were likely taught that “saints” are a special breed of Christian—someone who has lived a life of absolute purity, performed miracles, led the Church, and been someone entirely abnormal in their faith. But this is not what the scriptures teach at all. Each of us who surrender our lives to Jesus Christ are “called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). So…are you standing in your sainthood in Jesus Christ? Are you prepared to “meet the Lord in the air?” Are you rejoicing in the security of your adoption into the Family of God through Jesus Christ? Are you filled with hope, peace, and joy—even while we mourn the present absence of our beloved? Let’s meet this Sunday and continue our study of Romans— “Uncharted Territory: Taking Life Where You Have Never Been.” Spend some time in chapter one beforehand. We’re going to learn a lot about how we got in this mess in the first place! Can’t wait! Much love to you all… Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend --- Some additional prayer needs for the Family of God at Mt. Hope… Please stand in biblical faith for: Randy House has a co-worker whose son has been missing in Stafford for many days. His parents are pastors from Ghana leading a church here in Northern Virginia. Click here for a news article on the situation. Hey All…
Have you ever walked in on your family that was halfway through watching a movie? You step right into the most thrilling action scene. The hero is swinging hard against the evil villain. The background music is intense and energetic. Victory is starting to emerge. Frankly, just jumping in here, you might find the movie quite enjoyable, even though you have no idea who these people are and what their backstory is. That’s precisely what we’ve been doing over the last three Sundays with the Book of Romans. And we’ll do it again this Sunday too. There’s a real purpose to this method of madness. I’ll tell you all about it in Deeper Thoughts below… But first…three things you need to know (and only two if you’re a fella…)… 1. Ladies: We are launching a brand-new, seven-week-long evening Women’s Small Group starting this next Tuesday, January 30 at 7:00 p.m.! Led by Tracey Schlitzer, this group will focus on hearing God and discovering our identity in Christ. Click here for more information and to RSVP! 2. Men and Women: Don’t forget one of our other brand-new small groups is open to anyone who wants to explore the “Basics of Faith.” Join Sherri and me at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights upstairs at the church. Click here to let us know you’re interested! 3. We are carefully exploring an expansion to our church facility. We discussed all the details last Sunday night, and our Covenant Partners (voting members) voted unanimously to take a few next steps. Here’s what you need to know: o We are considering a direct expansion to our sanctuary that would occur in two phases: First, taking the east wall (facing Belmont Ridge) and moving it seventeen and a half feet towards the street; and then secondly, doing the same to the west (towards the brick education building) sometime much later. Each phase would provide us 70 new seats per side and can be completed in a fiscally responsible manner. o The next steps are to engage JTC Consulting to manage the architectural design phase of the project (with congregational input and approval) and handle zoning issues with Loudoun County. Maintaining the historical beauty, architecture, woodwork, culture, and appearance of the sanctuary (and its exterior) is a non-negotiable first priority, following the example of our church forefathers in their previous expansion of the sanctuary in 1898. o To get caught up on all the details, click here for the PowerPoint presentation that goes with it. o As always, our door (and email inbox) is wide open to any questions, thoughts, concerns, or ideas! OK, that’s it today for you email skimmers and you who only care about the exciting action scenes. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… The New Testament book called Romans is perhaps the most comprehensive and important explanation of Christianity in all the Bible. It starts out with bad news. Very bad news. So bad, in fact, that if you don’t read it with the good news in mind, you’re likely to get up and walk out of the movie. I’ve only walked out of two movies in my life. The reason: They were both painful beyond repair. They were so bad, so offensive, and I didn’t know where they were going. I stuck with them for a little while to see if the value would improve. But at about the 20-minute mark, with no clarity that anything was going to turn the least bit worthwhile, I bailed. There are a lot of people doing this with Christianity. Instinctively, people dislike the pain that our story begins with. If we are to be really honest, the first 20 minutes of our story doesn’t sound very hopeful. A hapless couple blows it for the entire human race. They lost the perfect garden that God had created for us all. Then, sin infects every one of us before we were born. It becomes a nasty “body of death” hanging around each of our necks. We get stuck in this up-and-down, success-and-failure cycle over and over again. We know God wants--even expects—better for us. But we end up battling immense amounts of guilt and shame as the sin just keeps rolling on and on and on and… Ugh. So, society bails. Who wouldn’t? Without the hope promised in Romans chapters 5 - 8, all the world sees in Christianity is a negative message of sin, guilt, shame, and damnation. Now, I know you all can handle the tough word we find at the beginning of Romans. In fact, we do need to face it squarely, as there’s some bad news that we need to recognize about ourselves that might even include a few present-tense patterns among us. And we will do that NEXT Sunday. But just not yet. Why? Well… here’s what I want for every one of you, and what I believe God wants for you: That you would be so well-versed in the Gospel narrative of victory that when we square up on the bad news, you are fully armed and ready to be the hero demolishing all the evil villains in your life. Those robust action scenes you love in the movies? How did the hero get so well-equipped to face the enemy with such creative, instant, and skillful battle? They prepared. They became a master of their battle-craft. And that’s what we are doing with Romans. Can you become a master of the Gospel promise, so that when we square up with what we need to know about the bad news, we are armed, ready, enthusiastic, and prepared to joyfully do the right thing with it? We only have one more Sunday to get this right before we turn to the bad news. Get the master-craft down tight this week, will you? Believe with clarity and resolve what the Gospel promises you, and how the Gospel defines you. Put your faith down fully upon it. Reject the outright lies about your identity that the enemy is flaunting. Grasp firmly and forever the weapon of Truth found in this Gospel narrative. We will lay it out one more time this Sunday, cycling carefully and in ever-widening fashion from that core promise of Romans 8:1—that “there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Spend some time digging around Romans 6 this week. Compare it to what we’ve read and studied thus far in Romans 7 and 8. Then, let’s hammer it. God’s promise in the Gospel is your identity, which to so many of us is an “Uncharted Territory: Taking Life Where You’ve Never Been.” Can’t wait!! See you Sunday… in-person (yay!!) or online livestream (ok…I guess…um…but wanna come in person???)… 10:00 a.m. Much love to you all! Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend Hey folks…
Can you picture the swelling, foreboding music on the cable newscast and the “Breaking News!” banners excitedly flashing across the screen? If you’re like me, you’re instantly skeptical of another round of advertising-motivated media hyperbole. Oh…and it is guaranteed to be 100% negative (‘cuz we Americans never pay attention to “breaking news!” about warm fuzzy things like kittens and puppies…). Well… please forgive me… I have some Mt. Hope Church “Breaking News!” that if I had swell music bumper and a bold-colored kairon graphic to share, you’d be getting it. I really want you to tune in on this news… in Deeper Thoughts below… But first… · Please don’t miss THIS Sunday night, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. for an all-important church vision and prayer night! We have some important (not quite breaking, but super-important nonetheless) news to share with you, get your feedback and reactions, and most vitally to pray about. We have a new proposal about a modest expansion to our physical worship space that is within our reach to responsibly consider. We need to read you in on this, and we want your reactions and ideas shared with the construction project manager who will be in attendance Sunday night. o All are welcome (even newbies to Mt. Hope…please come!)… and you official voting church members (Covenant Partners), this meeting will also serve as our quarterly business meeting. o Snacks and Cider are coming, too, and they must go home inside your bellies. o Youth group is meeting at the same time downstairs, so parents, c’mon out and bring your teens! · Ladies: don’t forget your 2024 Vision Board event tomorrow, Saturday, January 20, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the church. Click here for more details and to RSVP! · Youth: THIS Monday, enjoy your day off from school with bowling! Grades 6-12 (bring friends!) are invited to join Chris Bowen and the youth at The Branch bowling alley in Leesburg, 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Cost is $4.00 plus tax. Yep!! How cheap is that?? (Bring some additional money for snacks/food.) Click here to email Chris Bowen to let us know you’re coming—or text him at 240-422-6287. · We have a great snow removal team, so the parking lot will be clear, the sidewalks awesome, the coffee hot, and the heat running on Sunday. So, c’mon out! OK…that’s it for today for you email skimmers and you who would rather dodge important news that might change your life… BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… Here’s the banner headline: “You are not at all who you think you are.” As the bumper music pounds in the background, your anchor shares the news with somber face: “Reports have been uncovered revealing that everything you have thought about yourself is no longer true, experts say…” And then, in true manipulative ad-selling fashion, we cut first to a commercial break… <<< Cue the Mt. Hope “Breaking News!” lead-story commercial break; read with a smooth, calming, yet enthusiastic voice: You’ve noticed, have you not, that things around Mt. Hope are getting a little crowded? This is a good problem—coming from Holy Spirit-empowered momentum and joy in our church family. New people are coming super-hungry for the community, authenticity, openness, and enthusiasm we are all experiencing here. Many are bringing their doubts, fears, challenges, and needs to the forefront quickly because of the obvious love that our church displays to one another. And best of all, God is meeting these new folks—and all of us—with healing, spiritual strength, freshness, and power. It's a good problem to have. But it is still a problem. This has happened before at Mt. Hope. In 1897 (um…127 years ago for you historians) this little country chapel in the rural farmlands of Waxpool, VA (before it was known as Ashburn) had outgrown its space. God was at work. The original church built in 1853 was bursting at the seams. So, they gathered some humble resources, met for a while in “a grove of trees” out back, and expanded the chapel into what you know today… including those ornate (if not slightly stiff) pews recovered from an old and dying church in Washington, D.C. Following the example of our church family multiple generations ago, we are exploring the possibility of expanding this sacred chapel once again to accommodate the movement of God and to prepare for the future in our now-not-so-rural Loudoun suburbs. BUT…we need your help. We will brief you on the potential project THIS Sunday night, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m., and then ask for your wisdom, reactions, ideas, and desires. Please join us for this super-important vision and prayer night! <<< Dramatic voiceover: “And now…back to ‘Breaking News!’” You. You are not who you think you are, experts say. When it comes to spiritual matters, most of us have a rather dismal view of ourselves. It may be a specific guilt or gripping shame about some dark corner of our past (or present). But more generally speaking, even for those who are living the good life, optimistic, and joyful most of the time, there is this subtle nagging belief that we’re just not that good at spiritual things. When viewed through the lens of more traditional approaches to religion, we hear the fiery preacher and see his boney finger pointed out across the congregation. “Sinner!!” he declares, almost gleefully. We don’t like shame. It is painful. That fiery preacher yelling “sinner” rings in our head—and we instantly see all those terrible things we do (or have done) that confirms the dismal diagnosis. And then we look to scripture and see very clearly that we fall short of God’s ideal in so many ways…and even the scripture declares that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), and that “there is no one who is good.” At all. (Romans 3:10). So, it seems the verdict is in. Since shame is painful, our society has decided to just eliminate shame altogether by suggesting that nothing the Bible declares as sinful actually is, and instead celebrates sin under warm ideals such as “acceptance” and “tolerance.” (Tragically, many in the Church have bought into that cultural strategy…something Romans will deal with us in a few weeks…) But God has another solution to shame. He designed shame as a positive inner emotional “nervous system” to alert us to destructive behavior. It was designed to show us our limitations, establish boundaries, and warn us where the dangerous cliffs in life are. But He never intended for that system to define you. Did you catch that? The devil is called the “accuser” who accuses us “day and night” (Revelation 12:10). Being the “father of lies…he speaks his native language” (John 8:44) and tells us shame is not merely a behavioral boundary, but it is our identity. “Sinner!” he defines us—and we own it as an identity rather than a behavioral status. This Sunday, we will continue our study of the Book of Romans taking us into “Uncharted Territory.” We will discover that our success with God is not a matter of keeping up with the "do's and don'ts" of religion, but rather an identity to be understood—a right-standing with God (righteousness) that comes by faith in HIS work, not ours. Operating from this new identity, we can live without shame and condemnation, AND in true right-ness with God and others. Nose around Romans 3 and Romans 8 beforehand if you can. I truly love you all and am looking forward to a great Sunday with much great (breaking!) news…will you join me? Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend Hey Folks…
No, I don’t mean this Chris… though I hope by now you all know that I try to be an “open book” with you to share the raw and honest picture of who I really am. It’s one of the things about Mt. Hope that Sherri and I love so much: We are a family where we can each be real, be loved, and be transformed. But I digress. No, I want to tell you about another Chris you’re going to get to meet this Sunday. More on this in Deeper Thoughts below… But first…just three quick reminders: · “Really Big Deal” Mt. Hope Family Meeting and Worship Night – Sunday, January 21, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. We have some exciting and significant vision to discuss with you and pray together about, to include some important developments in our pursuit of expanded capacity on our church campus. Mark your calendars and plan to attend! (For our “Covenant Partners” (official church members), this will also serve as our quarterly business meeting.) · We need new Small Group Hosts and Facilitators! Would you be willing to learn more about what is involved in helping create and facilitate small group life at Mt. Hope? No commitment implied by attending—and DO NOT think you’re too unqualified—but we’d love for you to join us THIS Sunday after church for a discussion (11:45 – 12:30 or so) to share with you the vision, purpose, and process of leading or hosting a small group. Click here to let us know you might be interested! · Ladies: To kick off the new year, we will be creating individual “Vision Boards” for 2024 with goals or aspirations we each have for the new year. Saturday, January 20, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the church. Click here for more details and to RSVP! OK, that’s it today for you email skimmers and you who don’t want to know anybody new. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… I met Chris Campbell when I was 23 years old. He had just been stood up by someone I knew, and the jam he was in got passed along to me. I was a brand-new young adult pastor serving at my alma mater’s campus church out in northeast Indiana. (Those were great years: I got an extra four years of the fun side of college life…I moved out of the dorm on graduation week, carried my junk across the parking lot to a small church parsonage, and got to hang out and goof off with college kids for four more years…all while being paid!) My boss called me into his office late one Wednesday afternoon and asked if I could clear my schedule for the weekend and make a quick trip to the middle of nowhere West Virginia--some ten hours away—to bail out some youth pastors whom I had never met. Seems that at the very last minute, a buddy of ours from another church had cancelled his commitment to speak for this gaggle of West Virginia youth groups at their winter ski trip. They called my boss desperate. I got drafted. I wrangled another of my buddies to go with me to lead the singing and off we went to what we assumed was going to be pure hillbilly territory deep in the Appalachian hollers. We city-slickers may have mouthed the “Deliverance” theme song and giggled more than once on our ten-hour drive. What we found there was one of the most amazing groups of Christ-followers I have ever met. Chris Campbell and the other youth pastors I encountered there became fast friends. Not only that, but Chris also became one of those brothers I looked to as a profound peer-mentor of sorts. We’re just about the same age, but there was a layer of wisdom and authentic spirituality about him that far exceeded my own spiritual maturity. I’ve always felt that about him—that he exemplifies a unique angle of the character of Christ that very few men I’ve met possess. I’m sure he will disagree with me, and he’ll probably be chapped that I am telling you this. (Let’s keep it between us, shall we?) But you see, that’s the character part I’m talking about. Chris has a humility and biblical meekness that Jesus teaches that makes him shy away from applause and recognition. But true meekness--Jesus kind of meekness—is anything but weak. It is the very strength of God powerfully at work within a brother who knows from Whom he draws his capabilities. After many years of friendship and sharing together almost annually at his West Virginia youth camps and retreats, I had the tremendous privilege to invite Chris to co-pastor with me a church we had planted just one mile from Mt. Hope back in the early 2000’s—CrossCurrent Ministries, which is now known as “Acacia Church” in Ashburn. Chris served four years alongside me in that role before he moved back to West Virginia to earn his professional licensure as a clinical therapist and open his now-thriving clinical practice in central WV. I’ll spare you all the other details—and Chris the embarrassment he’d be feeling right now if he were on our email distro list. But this Sunday, you’re going to get to meet Chris as he comes to lead Part Two of our new teaching series, “Uncharted Territory: Taking Life Where You’ve Never Been.” We are engaged in a 20-week journey studying the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians that he wrote in 57 AD. This letter is the New Testament’s most comprehensive promise to each of us of our profound identity as adopted and beloved children of God. Our identity--when fully rooted in Christ Jesus—will truly set us free to live a life of abundance, a life of personal righteousness, and the life-altering power of walking and living by the Holy Spirit. If you missed last Sunday’s kick-off teaching, click here to take it in before this week. We laid the foundation for the victory available to us from this terrible “Cycle We Cannot Seem to Break”—that up and down, good and bad, healthy and unhealthy life we all experience in our flesh. Then, this Sunday, Chris Campbell will launch us into the uncharted territory of resetting our minds to live by the Holy Spirit in such a way that it changes everything about how we live. Oh… and we’ll tell you about a special program called “Freedom in Christ” that Chris hopes to come back and walk us through later this spring. You won’t want to miss it. Dig around Romans 5:1-11 and 8:5-11 before you come. I can’t wait to share my dear friend with you… See you Sunday, 10:00 a.m.!! Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend Hey All…
When was the last time you smacked your forehead and said, “Why did I just do that?” Or clenched your teeth with rising emotions you just couldn’t seem to control? Or worse…looked in the mirror through your tears and said with desperation, “what is wrong with me?” For some of us, it might have been a while; for others it was just earlier today. But we ALL have faced these questions of why we can’t seem to do or be what we wish we were. There is victory over this cycle we cannot seem to break, but it seems that very few have found this treasure promised in scripture. I’ll tell you more about it in Deeper Thoughts below. But first…a few important new year’s items: · “Really Big Deal” Mt. Hope Family Meeting and Worship Night – Sunday, January 21, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. We have some exciting and significant vision to discuss with you and pray together about. Mark your calendars and plan to attend! (For our “Covenant Partners” (official church members), this will also serve as our quarterly business meeting.) · We need Small Group Hosts and Facilitators! Would you be willing to learn more about what is involved in helping create and facilitate small group life at Mt. Hope? No commitment implied by attending, but we’d love for you to join us NEXT Sunday, January 14th for an after-church discussion (11:45 – 12:30 or so) to share with you the vision, purpose, and process of leading or hosting a small group. Click here to let us know you might be interested! · Ladies: To kick off the new year, we will be creating individual “Vision Boards” for 2024 with goals or aspirations we each have for the new year. Saturday, January 20, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the church. Click here for more details and to RSVP! · Oh… and winter is here! The weather forecast this weekend has some cold rain, slush, and a bit of snow late on Saturday, but it looks like it will all be clearing overnight before Sunday. We will have the parking lot and sidewalks treated, the heat on, and the coffee hot for church, so c’mon out! IF the weather turns significantly, we will send an email and post on our website any updates to our status by 7:00 a.m. on Sunday. (If you decide to hunker down at home (boo!!), don’t forget we are online-livestream at 10:00 a.m… and be sure to say “hi” in the chat so we can connect with you!) OK…that’s it today for you email skimmers and you who have absolutely perfected your life. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… I know you are just like me. If you claimed you weren’t, I would think you were lying. (Gosh…did I start that off a little too blunt??) There are tons of things in my life that I regret, and many that I do not. I’ve done some really stupid things, and others have been brilliantly positive moves. I have tripped up in relationships, compromised my values, and disappointed God, others, and myself. And then, I have stepped up and been a fantastic friend, I’ve followed Jesus with integrity, and have been blessed by God. You? There is a cycle to it, isn’t there? It is up and down. Good and bad. Consistent and inconsistent. Righteous and unrighteous. Godly and ungodly. Holy and sinful. We see it in our workplace: Sometimes we are easy to work with and make others feel fantastic; other times we are a total grump and alienate everyone around us. We see it in our emotions: Sometimes we have a settled confidence and joy about us; other times we feel the rage or fear or nastiness boiling uncontrollably inside us. We see it in our morals: Sometimes we are the most honest, stable, gentle soul we know; other times we are well aware we’re cutting corners and compromising, but we just can’t seem to stop ourselves. We see it in our relationships: Sometimes we are loving, patient, attentive, and true; other times we are selfish, abrasive, hurtful, and stupid. So, go ahead and smack your forehead right now, won’t you? Let’s say it out loud together: “What is wrong with me?” There is something wrong, but it may not be what you think it is. If you’re like me, when you are on the upswing and things are going well, you quickly pride yourself with your success. You enjoy a confidence that you’re a pretty good guy [gal], you’ve got things nicely figured out, and you’re not that bad after all. And then the downswing comes. Circumstances come unglued again, or the bad behavior pops up out of nowhere, or you realize the choice you just made was not nearly so brilliant as it seemed an hour ago. In those moments—if you are like me—you probably consider yourself to be the worst of the worst… the dumbest, weakest, ugliest… [you fill in the blank…]. And you certainly consider yourself to be a terrible Christian, do you not? The Apostle Paul—arguably one of the holiest, most devout Christians to ever live—revealed his own up and down cycle that looks an awful lot like ours: “I do not understand what I do,” Paul wrote, set down his quill, and smacked his forehead. “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” He goes on: “I have the desire to do good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:15-19). He even expresses that chilling despair I know you have said at least once in your life, and I have too: “I know that nothing good lives in me…” (Romans 7:18). Theologians have been debating for oh… roughly 1,967 years ever since Paul wrote this down in the early spring of 57 AD. It just cannot be, they say, that the apostle whom God chose to write the majority of the New Testament and reveal the core of the Christian life to us was also a man who couldn’t keep his act together. But a quick dive into the original Greek language Paul was writing reveals that he chose his words carefully in the immediate present tense. This is him. This is real. This is just like you and me. But thanks be to God, we are not trapped in this cycle. And neither was Paul (see Romans 7:24-25). This Sunday, we are going to embark on a 20-week journey as a church studying every inch of Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians. We are going to discover an incredible “Uncharted Territory: Taking Life Where You’ve Never Been.” We are going to discover the unbelievable promise of how we break free of the cycle we cannot presently seem to stop. We are going to see the path of faith to a day-by-day victory that Paul was discovering and presenting to us. We will orient our small groups around this study. We will provide you with resources and midweek content. We will empower you to understand the strength of God for your life that is far beyond what you ever imagined. We will discover together the door that stands wide open for you and me to step through into a brand-new way of living. You in? Let’s start this Sunday… 10:00 a.m. Dig around Romans 7 and 8 before you come! Much love to you all… Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend Hey All…
I’m sure you’re like us in the Eads house with a ton of activity surrounding the Christmas weekend. SO…I’ll keep this super, super short today: · Christmas Eve is Sunday!! We have two opportunities for you to celebrate as a church family: o Sunday morning, 10:00 a.m., we will hold our regular Sunday worship experience, but a tad abbreviated and a bit more laid back: § We’ll aim for just an hour or so; the kids will stay with us for the whole service. § Instead of a traditional teaching time, Pastor John Zoller, Chris Bowen, and myself will “co-teach” via sharing some fun ideas and challenging thoughts about the real power of Jesus in the manger! o Sunday evening—5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. two identical Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship services in the historic and beautiful Mt. Hope sanctuary. § Invite your friends and family—we will tailor all our comments to be very relevant and engaging for the unchurched. § Nursery will be available for children 0-4 years old at the 5:00 service only. Please click here to RSVP your child so we’re sure to be properly staffed! § We expect the 5:00 service to be full, so if you’re flexible, please consider 6:30 as an option! § Oh…and yummy: Emily Firestone’s world-famous chocolate chip cookies and Chris Nicholson’s epic hot cider will be featured between services…stick around or come early! Yum!! · Be sure to check out this week’s Mt. Hope Prayer Experience video… Gordon Albert shares this week’s testimony. He is passionate in prayer and God has moved miraculously many times with him. Click here to watch!! OK…that’s it for everybody… let’s celebrate Jesus Christ this weekend! Here we go... Much love to you all… Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend Hey All…
That doesn’t sound very nice, now does it? Didn’t you play that game with each other when you were kids? You’d prank your brother or sister or friend on the playground… an unsuspected trip, or push, or shove. It was great fun, was it not, to pull the chair away from your buddy right before he sat down and cause him to stumble? Or am I the only childhood hoodlum reading this email? As we mature, we learn that pranks intended to be funny can hurt people, so we stop the shenanigans and act more civilized. So, when it was said that Jesus would trip you on purpose…um… what??? Oh, you didn’t read that in the Gospels? Well…let me show you… in Deeper Thoughts below. But first… · Next Up: Christmas Eve!! Invite your family and friends to join us on Sunday, December 24th for a wonderful day of Christmas celebration: o 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning – a simple and laid-back experience as we worship and share together as a church family. o 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday evening – two identical candlelight Christmas Eve services to usher in the Advent of Jesus, complete with a worship choir, special music, relevant teaching, and beautiful candlelight worship. o IMPORTANT: Have you noticed that we’re getting pretty full these days around Mt. Hope? Based on historic patterns, we are expecting the 5:00 p.m. service to run out of space. We’ll have a small video overflow room set up, but if you have any ability to make your plans to attend the 6:30 p.m. service, it would be helpful to balance the building’s capacity. · Don’t forget to spend some time with our weekly Mt. Hope Prayer Experience videos. Click here to see Sandra Cravens share her journey with prayer! OK, it’s pretty simple today for you email skimmers and you who have never pulled a prank. Ever. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… I can’t even begin to explain myself or defend it. It made absolutely no sense, nor do I have any idea what I was thinking. It was move-in day, freshman year of college. I was rooming with a high school buddy of mine and one other fellow we’d never met. We had all three settled our belongings into the dormitory room that was just a tad smaller than my current closet at home. And now it was time to go to dinner. I guess we were all nervous, being college freshmen and never out on our own before. My buddy was sitting on the edge of the bed tying his shoes, and for a split second, I thought it would be funny to kick him in the side of the head. My teenage impulses proved stronger than my humanity, so I fulfilled the idea. Hard. He did not think it was funny. (Nor do I, now. “Boys will be boys,” as the saying goes, surely has its roots in such ill-conceived tomfoolery!) You probably missed where Jesus engaged in similar mischief in the Gospels. You’d be correct—I can’t think of anywhere where Jesus is said to have kicked his buddy in the side of the head just for kicks and giggles (did you see what I just did with that?). But there are a few places where it was said of Jesus that he would trip people up. On purpose. And it wasn’t a prank. It had to have been an overwhelming and magnificent day. Jesus was just five weeks old. Mary and Joseph took him to the temple to dedicate him to God as the Law of Moses prescribed. Just seeing the grandeur of the temple alone would have been a bewildering sight for this simple backwoods couple from the hill country some ninety miles to the north. Add to it all the big-city sights, smells, and sounds. Then in the temple, the choirs and incense and pomp and circumstance. Oh, what an experience! An old, saintly man approached them. You’ve probably met a man like this before—you can just tell he knows God. The sweetness of his spirit. His gentleness. Yet his eyes fierce with passion and clarity. His name was Simeon, and the scriptures record that “the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25). As he took the baby Jesus in his arms, he declared that his eyes were seeing the salvation of all mankind, that peoples from all over the world would see a great light, and that Israel would once again be glorified. “The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him,” Luke records. (Luke 2:33). And then he told them that Jesus would intentionally trip people. “Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” And just in case those words weren’t troublesome enough, he capped them off with a direct word for Mary: “And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:34-35). These are the parts we leave out of the Christmas story because they don’t match the warmth, beauty, comfort, and peace with which we associate this season. In the words of one commentator, the story of a precious baby in a manger “has in it an unexampled loveliness” that we “revel in…with a kind of pleasant satisfaction.” Babies are innocent, precious, lovely. Even more so a baby born with such joyful announcement that drew the attention of angels, shepherds, Magi, and aged saints. But the reality of what Jesus had come to do was anything but warm and peaceful. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth,” the adult Jesus would later say. “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). Say what?? The angels had proclaimed the night of his birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men…” (Luke 2:14). So, which is it? Peace or a sword? Or is it both? This Sunday, we’re continuing our Advent teaching series called, “Would You Like a Savior?” We are looking at what a savior really is, and from what we need to be saved. Simeon prophesied that Jesus would cause people to trip and fall (read Luke 2:25-35). So did the prophet Isaiah (read Isaiah 8:13-17). The Apostle Peter echoed the sentiments after he had known and lived with Jesus for several years (read 1 Peter 2:4-8). In the course of saving us, Jesus intends to trip us up. It is not to be a prank. It is not to hurt us. It is to ultimately bring us the peace and joy of his salvation. But it requires that we bump into--and sometimes trip over—some very important truths. Shall we meet on Sunday and explore them together? He loves you far more than you can ever imagine. Sherri and I are following Him in loving you too…for you are so greatly worth it…. Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend Hey Everybody…
We learned last Sunday that when Jesus came to “save his people from their sins,” it was SO much more than simply a rescue from the eternal consequences of our sin. We learned that God’s salvation for us is a “material rescue from all danger and harm.” Wouldn’t you like to be saved from all manner of danger, suffering, and harm? But are there limits to this for you? Are there corners in your life that you’d simply prefer the Savior stay clear of? I’d like to explore with you a radical rescue Jesus wants to perform in your life and mine. For many, this might just be in the “off limits” category. I’ll explain more in Deeper Thoughts below. But first… · Are you ready for some yummies and fun?? THIS Sunday night, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. join us for a delicious potluck fellowship dinner, live nativity, and lots of friendship. Chris Nicholson’s world-renowned pork loins will lead the festivities. You’ll bring some additional sides and desserts--Click here to let us know what you’re bringing! o A live nativity with alpacas, mini goats, and the real Mary & Joseph can be the backdrop for your family pictures and are sure to thrill the kiddos… and adults… o And then… around 6:15 or 6:30-ish, we’ll gather in the sanctuary for a super-fun Christmas Pageant presented by our kids and teens! · Make plans and invite friends for Christmas Eve at Mt. Hope! On Sunday morning, December 24th, we’ll have a simple and meaningful family service. Then, in the evening, two candlelight worship celebrations, 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. · Oh…and don’t miss our continued Mt. Hope Prayer Experience testimony videos… this week, Al Villaflor shares his experience with prayer; the last two weeks Sherri shared hers, and I shared mine as well. Click our names to see those videos! OK…that’s it today for you email skimmers and you who have no hard corners for God to poke around in. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts… We have all been hurt. At least once. Some hurts are minor. Simple disappointments, subtle rejections, a biting word, mistakes and miscommunications. These get under our skin for sure. They burn a bit, but we typically get over them without much fanfare as time moves on. Occasionally--perhaps rarely—we will have the tough conversation with those who hurt us, and a new and healthier relationship can emerge. But then there are hurts that mark us profoundly. Sometimes permanently. A harsh and stunning betrayal. A deep offense. Destructive and harmful behavior. These are the stories that are terribly difficult to name: Abandonment. Abuse. Adultery. Addiction. Assault. Alienation. For most of us, at least one deep wound is in our story. We keep it very well hidden. But it is there, quietly lurking layers below the surface. We don’t think about it every day. But subtly, quietly, imperceptibly, it still has energy and drives much of our emotional life. Would you like a Savior from this? What happens when we are deeply hurt is extremely common. But it is emotionally and spiritual paralyzing all the same. It eats away at our self-confidence. It leads us to walk on eggshells in any situation that feels remotely similar. It drives us to avoid certain relationships or certain situations for fear of being wounded again. It can torment us with unforgiveness, bitterness, or anger. It simmers and then manifests in irritability, emotional unavailability, and anxiety. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Wouldn’t you like a Savior from this? For many, this is in our “off limits” category not because we wouldn’t like to be free of it. We know it is quietly killing us. But the thought of being delivered from it seems wildly impossible and far too difficult to confront. Even God seems incapable to fix it. He certainly wasn’t there to save us from the hurt before it happened--or so it seems—so how could He possibly help us now? “Ummm… Chris… you’re killing me, bro. Did you have to bring all this up today? Isn’t the Christmas season supposed to be about joy, and peace, and hope??” There was a Savior born in Bethlehem. When God announced this Savior, His message was clear: “[Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Your sins are forgiven. You get this, right? So how can this be a “material rescue” from the impact of all the hurts and wounds that others have wrought in your life? Your sins are forgiven. Check. But how about theirs? At the root of every deep hurt is somebody’s sin. Sometimes it’s multiple people’s sins. Sometimes it’s our own sin. Sometimes it’s a combination of their sins and my sins. Sometimes we are purely innocent, and they alone have sinned. And Jesus has come to save us—to “materially rescue us”—from all of it. SO…if you’ve read this far and haven’t bailed on me yet, can I ask you to come just a little bit further? This Sunday, I want to show you Jesus. I want to show you how Jesus rose above all the profound and desperate hurt he encountered, and how he can rescue you from yours. I know it’s not really the mood we would prefer for Christmas. But I bet for a lot of us, these things Jesus wants to rescue are indeed lurking below the surface no matter how joyful the Christmas songs, how yummy the cookies, how beautiful the decorations, how exuberant the celebrations. I’ll give you just one reading assignment before Sunday, and then let’s go there. It will be joyful--I promise—for the joy of deliverance will be the greatest Christmas gift you could ever receive. The freedom, the abundance, the comfort, the peace that will explode as you receive salvation from this deep wound… Oh… it’ll be awesome! Read this: Matthew 2:1-23. Do you notice the part of the Christmas story that we typically leave out of all the musicals and carols? (** Parents, see a special note below my signature line.) It’s right there in verse 16-18. Its impact was every bit as profound as anything you’ve encountered in your life. And Jesus rose above it. Way above it. Let me show you how. Oh, beloved… we have a Savior! Let’s invite him into our deepest corners and find His victory. This will be SO good… (BTW…Looks like a rainy Sunday in the forecast… c’mon anyway… we’ll have umbrellas, the heat will be on, and the coffee hot!!) Much love, joy, and peace…in Jesus!! Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend Hi All…
It is spray painted on nearly every highway overpass between here and Indianapolis. It is held up on poster boards at NFL football games. It is scrawled in chalk on railroad freight cars across the nation. It is even tattooed on the biceps of a fair number of brawny faithful. It is the phrase, “Jesus Saves!” But what does this mean? Jesus saves from what? Do I need to be saved from anything? Careful here… beware of just glazing past this as one who has declared themselves to be a Christ-follower. Don’t just “check the box” that you already have all that needs saved because you have confidence in your eternal destiny. Let’s look a little closer in Deeper Thoughts below. But first… · Are you ready for some Christmastime fun? Our annual Mt. Hope Christmas Party and Christmas Pageant is NEXT Sunday, December 10! o Potluck fellowship dinner from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. Chris Nicholson’s world-famous pork loins will be our main dish; we need your help with the sides, drinks, and desserts. Click here to sign up for what you can bring! o From 6:30 – 7:15-ish, our Kid’s Connect and our youth ministry are teaming up to bring you a fun celebration of Christmas in drama and song. A live nativity will be a part of the evening as well… Ryan Sauder’s beloved llama doppelganger returns this year! o Parents, please note we have rehearsals both tomorrow (this Saturday) and next Saturday. Ping Chris Bowen for details—240-422-6287. · Not enough Christmas fun for you? Ladies… on Saturday, December 9, you’ll be getting together for cookies, tea, and crafty gift-making, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Click here for info and RSVP! · And lastly (for now…), mark your calendars for Christmas Eve candlelight services 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, December 24. We’ll also have a low-key Sunday morning worship service at our normal time Christmas Eve morning. OK, that’s it today for you email-skimmers and you who don’t have anything in your life that needs fixed. BUT… Some Deeper Thoughts It was shouted by the angels to a rather unsuspecting crowd. Not only did it startle them; it downright freaked them out. They likely hadn’t bathed in weeks. That’s an irrelevant and smelly point to our story except to set the stage that these were roughneck fellows working a hard manual job devoid of most creature comforts. If they had a family, they likely saw them only a night or two every week or more. Romance, family dinners, or attending their children’s events were cherished moments precious few times per year. Some scholars suggest they were known as “Bedouins,” a nomadic sheep-tending people who wandered the deserts of North Africa, Arabia, and Mesopotamia, most notable that they may have been Arabs—a people often antagonistic towards the Jews. Other scholars consider that these were just Jewish local boys from Bethlehem tending flocks on neighborhood farms. Whether they were Jewish or Arab is unknown. But we do know they were the least likely to be the heralds of important news. And yet God chose to surprise them with the most important message of all time. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born,” the angels declared. It was “good news of great joy that will be for all the people,” they said. Did you catch it? “Good news… that will be for all the people.” That means you. It means me. So, what do you need a Savior for? What needs to be saved in your life? The concept of salvation implies a rescue. In the New Testament, it is the Greek word “sozo”, which means “material deliverance from danger and suffering.” It is a complete and thorough rescue from all that brings harm. If you grew up in a Bible-teaching church, you have been relentlessly encouraged to receive Jesus as your “personal savior.” I am certain that a vast majority of you who read this newsletter have done just that—put your faith in Jesus as the Son of God who forgives all your sin and will take you into heaven. We have been “rescued from our sin” by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This is all absolutely biblical and very good. You should be certain you have “checked that box” and trusted Christ to save you from your sins. (If you have not, let me know…I can help you do that!) But is this all that needs saved? I desperately need a one-way ticket to heaven, to be sure. With the death rate right at 100% for my kind, I need the bedrock certainty that none of my deep-seated sin issues will trip me up when my time has come and I see those proverbial pearly gates. And thanks be to God, He has given me this certainty in the baby born in Bethlehem who would later atone for all my sins. But there are a few other lingering and pesky problems in my life that could use a little help. How about you? How about your anger, frustration, sadness, and fear? None of these are sins in and of themselves; they can lead to bad choices, but these painful emotions are normal, not wrong. Or how about loneliness? Or stress and anxiety? Or boredom? Or self-loathing? Or your gripping sense of insufficiency, insecurity, and insignificance? Could you use a Savior in these matters in life? This Sunday, we begin our four-week Advent celebration—advent meaning “the arrival of a notable person or event.” When the angels declared to smelly shepherds that a Savior had been born nearby, a notable person had very much arrived. But as we study this, let’s look carefully at what needs to be saved. “Would You Like a Savior?” is our Christmas teaching series. Let’s go deeper than the traditional and predictable narrative of the baby, and Incarnation, and Joseph and Mary, and shepherds and wise men. Let’s talk about you and me. Do we not only know salvation from our sins and a free ride to eternal bliss, but do we also know the complete and thorough salvation of everything broken within us? Can a baby born in a Bethlehem stable really fix the long list of ills that haunt my daily life? And yours? Come with expectant and open hearts this Sunday. Let’s see what God might be able to do. Sherri and I cannot wait to see you and share our love for you. Chris Eads Mt. Hope Pastor Friend |
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