Shhhhh... God Is Speaking

Notes from our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

"The invisible, intangible God has made himself visible and tangible in Christ." ~ Carlo Carreto

We were ushered in to Christmas Carols by the Felix Folks. The service began with a moving rendition of O Holy Night by Dana Stroschein. Scripture readings from Isaiah 9:2-7 and Luke 2:1-20 set the tone. After carols, prayers and special music, Pastor Brad opened his heart to share a special message: Shhh.... God is Speaking

Sometimes when people speak they give little clues that indicate this is important. Examples include the teacher who states, "This will be on the final." Or while you are watching television, the beeping sound with scrolling words, "We interrupt this program..."

Pastor Brad has been talking lately about the kingdom of God. God wants to speak to the world about what matters most. And God has spoken to the world through the Christ. As Scripture says, God speaks to us through His son. (Hebrews 1:2) He is the exact imprint of God's very being.

"This is what I am like," God is saying. "If you want to know my heart, my character, my nature... look at Jesus." What God thinks and feels is revealed in Jesus. If you want to know the heart of God, the place to begin is with the life of Jesus.

And here's what you'll find: not just a wise man (though He is), not just a wonderful person (though He is). God became a real human being.

He is a big God, but He speaks in a quiet voice, not a big voice.

Why would God come as a baby instead of with a big splash? Kierkegaard told a story about a king who loved a poor woman who lived in a hovel. He wanted badly to show his love for her, but feared he would overwhelm her if he came in his regal splendor. He traded his palace for a hovel and his robes for rags in order to approach her without frightening her off. The story serves as a metaphor for how God reaches out to us in Jesus as detailed in this beautiful passage from Philippians 2:5-11

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God set aside His glory for ragged sin-filled peasants like you and me.
God in Jesus is speaking to the world.


The author of this blog had been told that the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at New Life Covenant was a very special service. And indeed it was. Merry Christmas and blessings to all.

Remembering the Saints

On a beautiful sunny day in rural Northern Minnesota, Pastor Brad Shannon began the service by sharing a moving story about a man who lived a tragic life... alcoholic, philandering, and ultimately abandoning his wife and children, never to return. This man's oldest son joined the marines after years of being "the man of the house" to two much younger siblings. While in the marines, a church reached out to him, inviting him in to an evangelistic service. Because of the faithful witness of this church, a church that embraced the lost, Pastor Brad and his brothers learned the love of their Savior, Jesus. The marine, whose father had abandoned his home, was Brad's father.

Today was Communion Sunday, and today's message was intended to prepare our hearts for the Lord's Table.

The Scripture Readings can be found in Psalm 119:137-144 and II Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12.

Pastor Brad began his message by saying, "There are a couple truths I would like to put before you." Everyone of us knows that we have been chosen and loved from before the foundation of the world. What a remarkable truth that we are here with a good conscience only because of the forgiveness of Jesus and His merciful work on the cross. What's more, each of us is a legacy of someone else's faithful response to God.

Our faithfulness creates a ripple effect that expands throughout the world.

Jesus said, "You didn't choose me, I chose you, to bear fruit that will last.

"Think about those whose faithfulness resulted in your coming to God or bringing you to where you are," Pastor Brad said. Then, he asked us to share aloud, identifying those who have been an influence or significant in our coming to know the mercy of God. Several shared names of people who influenced them, and many in the congregation remembered others who have touched their lives in powerful or important ways.

The only thing that matters is what we do today. Those who can be trusted with little will be trusted with much. Citing the great passage in Hebrews 12, Brad shared an insight regarding that "great cloud of witnesses." We carry forward what they began.

In the passage, it is noteworthy that discipline is not a punishment. Discipline is what produces a harvest of righteousness.

What a privilege, then, to be partners with God to serve the world and make it a better place.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." ~ Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

Oswald Chambers once said we will never see the full impact of our faithfulness on this side of eternity, for if we could see the impact, we couldn't stand the glory.

God’s Daily Manna

Pastor Shannon returned this week saying, “If I could begin with a theme, it would be gratitude. I am grateful for you.”

The two texts that formed the basis for this Communion Sunday message were taken from the Old Testament book of Numbers, chapter 11:4-15, and from Luke 17:11-19. The foundational idea behind the message was the importance of recognizing who God is and what He has done.

Luke 17:11-19 tells the story of Jesus’ healing of ten lepers, but only one came back to thank Him.

Numbers 11:4-15 is an account of Moses’ meltdown during the Israelites’ wanderings in the desert. In this passage, Moses is harassed by the discontented rabble. The were weary of eating manna, the miraculous food that appeared each morning.

The rabble, whether in olden times or today, seems to be comprised of people with a low threshold of discomfort and a high propensity to complain. Another problem… the rabble never leave. They want to see you fail. They are so focused on the pastor or leader that they can’t see God.

The word “manna” means, literally, “What is it?” It is not an uncommon question.

“What is it that’s going on here?” and, to God, “What is it you have for me?”

The answer to these questions is found in the Gospel of John chapter six. The true manna from heaven is Jesus.

What is the Lord Jesus Christ doing today… in your life and in your church? This is the correct question. What counts is today. Some people are preoccupied with the future. Some are preoccupied with the past. But the only place where you find manna is now. The manna is only in the present.

In modern times, life goes very fast. The pace of life used to be much slower. Let’s not let the present slip away from us, or get so caught up in the past or future that we neglect this most important thing: today.

What is it that you will be about… in your life? In this church community?

Pastor Shannon closed by returning to his original theme of gratitude. “It breaks my heart that only one of the ten lepers came back and gave thanks.”

We proceeded, as a church family, to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.