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Weekend Recap – Red Letters Everywhere

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Like I mentioned last week, at Crestview, one of the helpful rhythms we have relates to starting the year with a Week of Prayer. On the heels of this week highlighting how we speak to God, we typically follow up with a sermon on how God speaks to us or the importance of the Bible. This is meant to rekindle joy and that some will engage in Bible intake with more regularity.

This year, my friend Kole Farney gave these two messages and they were so helpful. Yesterday, January 12, 2020, Kole’s sermon was entitled Red Letters Everywhere: Bible Reading As Listening to Jesus. He made the case from John’s Gospel that anytime we open up our Bibles and read, we are reading Jesus’ words. What a blessing to be able to start the year in this way. I hope you’ll engage with Kole’s sermon and find grace as you live this year.

Some resources Kole mentioned were:

The Dwell Bible App (the audio Bible app many use)

I love some Bible reading plans, too:

Don Whitney’s Check Off Sheet

The Bible Eater Plan

The Discipleship Journal Plan

Week of Prayer 2020

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Each year, our church begins with a Week of Prayer. It’s our way of saying, there are some basics that we constantly need to be reminded of. It’s the equivalent of helping your teenager remember to tidy up their room. Prayer is so essential to the life of the church because the posture of prayer is the essence of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Prayer is saying, “I’m not God and I can’t fix this, help me.” So, each year, around the start of the year, we begin with this rhythm.

This year, I asked my friend, Kole Farney, to serve us with a sermon on prayer. He chose Psalm 130 as his text and help us understand something about how needy we are and who God is. I hope you’ll listen to his sermon Wait for the Lord.

Kole also wrote a week of prayer devotional for our body. It’s so encouraging. Why don’t you take some time this week and join us in admitting that we can’t fix anything and we need God? You’ll find Him ready to draw near to you as you draw near to Him.

Weekend Recap – On Kings and Kingdoms

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My 12/29/19 AM sermon, On Kings and Kingdoms (Reviewing 2019), dug into many of the truths we looked at in 2019 and even back into the previous decade at Crestview. The sermon itself helped remind us how earthly leaders will often disappoint, they can be so promising, but only Jesus fulfills what we truly long for and deeply need. Therefore, we should labor to trust Him. I hope all of this encourages you as we wrap up this year.

Weekend Recap – Fulfilled

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My 12/22/19 AM sermon at Crestview, Fulfilled (Matthew 2:13-23), is now online. This sermon wrapped up a brief series I did through Advent covering Matthew 1-2. It focused on the Flight to Egypt, Bethlehem’s sorrow, and setting in Nazareth and how these things fulfilled God’s Word. I was personally challenged by Herod’s slaughter of the innocents and what this might mean for the holiday season. I hope this sermon encourages you.

Antiphons at Advent

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On December 1, Burk Parsons tweeted out…

This got me curious, so I dug into some research on Advent Antiphons and learned this…

Each stanza highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Each verse praises the coming of the Savior by a different name, and closes with petitions appropriate to the title. According to musical scholars, the arrangement was not accidental. It is called an acrostic, something known to puzzle fanatics. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one – Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia – the Latin words ero cras are formed, translated as, “Tomorrow, I will be [there].”

So, when these are sung, they help express a longing for Jesus to come and each of these longings make an acrostic with a promise: “Tomorrow, I will be there.”

Now you may think, “I wish I could hear this song.” And, fortunately, you have probably heard it and maybe sung it already:

1 O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

4 O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain

5 O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode. Refrain

6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

7 O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain 

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel on Hymnary)

May this season be one in which you reflect on the longing those first-century people had as the Christ came and may you long for the returning Lord, as well.

Weekend Recap – Come and Worship

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What a Sunday! We enjoyed an amazing Children’s Christmas Program (in spite of the weather!) at Crestview. The content, memory work, singing, and service of our children/students made for a great morning.

My sermon, Come and Worship (Matthew 2:1-12), sought to wrap up the program, continue our short series in Matthew 1 and 2, and unpack the story of the Wise Men and Herod. The sermon was only 15 minutes, so I’d love for you to connect to this content.

In the afternoon, we had an Open House for church family and friends. Again, in spite of the weather, we have so many show up and bring us joy this holiday season. We were so blessed.

Then, the day wrapped with our Small Group celebrating Advent together. We celebrated with readings from Isaiah, Psalms, Matthew, and James, as well as sang some great songs and lighted 3 candles (for week 3). We had some snacks/drinks and it proved a perfect wrap for this day. What a day!

Weekend Recap – The Birth of Jesus Christ

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My 12/8/19 AM sermon, The Birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:18-25), is now online. This sermon dug into the familiar narrative of Jesus’ birth to help us see the progression of how God brought Jesus into the world. This sermon continues a short series I’m doing through Matthew 1 and 2 to help us marvel at the incarnation of Jesus the King. I hope it encourages you.

Some Advent/Christmas Stuff (2019)

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There are lots of tools that I use during the Advent/Christmas season. Each year, I’m trying to find new music, resources, to other things that might help my worship.

Some books/reading:

I’m reading Repeat the Sounding Joy by Christopher Ash. This is a simple devotional walking through Luke 1-2. Speaking of Luke, I saw on social media a reading plan that meant reading Luke 1-24 on the days leading up to Advent, so I designed this plan to read, using the Illuminated Scripture Journal on Luke.

Using Tony Reinke’s #IsaiahChristmas plan, I’m incorporating his notes into a fresh reading of Isaiah. And, I’m also reading the He Reads Truth Advent Devotional. Also, there’s a section of Paul Miller’s JCurve book that focuses in on Incarnation. Been thinking about this a lot.

I’ll probably do a follow up on some music for this year.

Weekend Recap – Backstory

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My 12/1/19 AM sermon at Crestview, The (Glorious) Backstory out of Matthew 1:1-17, is now online. This was the first sermon in a short series I’m preaching for Advent out of Matthew 1 and 2. And, I spent the sermon digging into the backstory of Jesus. How did the Old Testament anticipate Him? How do God’s promises find a face in Jesus?

I hope this sermon helps kickoff Advent well for you. Enjoy.

A Psalm for Thanksgiving

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1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.

3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.

4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.

5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.

6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.

7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;

8 they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

(Psalm 111)