What are we waiting for?

www.EasTview.org
Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light.
Hold unto the truth revealed to you. Hang on. Don't become a spiritual whiner. Jesus invites you into a covenant relationship.
Luke 6:20 the poor get blessed. Those who walk in rags will be blessed.
There are conditional covenants. The Lord of all has a unilateral unconditional everlasting covenant of love and forgiveness that you can accept or reject. Jeremiah
People let you down. We disappoint each other.
Paul had promised to visit twice. 2Cor 1:15-16 He couldn't keep his promise. Say yes mean no?
V18 God's Word does not waiver between yes and no. What he says he'll do.
Integrity. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.
Do you send desperate smoke signals to God? Are you open and honest with Him?
You say
Impossible
God says all things are possible
There are many such problems that God has a positive answer for.
Deut 29 covenant. God will establish you. In a place best suited for you.
2 million people wandered aimlessly for 40 years. 30 train car loads of manna provided by God daily.
Never try to explain God if you can't trust him in obedience. Quiet time.
Lies vs truth
Tired.. I will give you rest
Nobody loves me... God does
Can't go on... God's grace is sufficient
Communion

Yearbook

The deal is signed

The $100,000 tree!

Christmas in the Graveyard

Very very cold! And lonely!

Casting Call Christmas Eve

Justin had to work late closing the store. Hope he makes it out. He came in an hour late. But he came! I'm looking forward to our traditional cheese fondue tonight!

It came upon a midnight clear! Wonderful to sing together!

Casting Call
Who wants to act in this live nativity scene?
You want to audition? Can you play the angel? Joseph?

You want to be Mary? Nothing is impossible to God. Just look at Jesus.

Too much cheap acting and not enough worship. Alayna walked out.

King without a king's life and yet he is the king of kings. God with us.

A strange way to save the world. Song.

Let's find a different Christmas Eve service next year. Anyone know of a good one?

Pastor Delbert: God chose ordinary people. 2012 is a reference to the birth of Jesus. St James brother of Jesus. St Paul built the church. We have so many references to Jesus.

Jesus never wrote a book. He was not from an important family. Yet he changed the world. We can't imagine a world without Jesus. Everything hinges on Jesus's birth. Everything that happens in this world is recorded in reference to Jesus's birthday.

Jesus spoke the most powerful words anyone has ever spoken: I am the truth. No one comes to the Father excerpt through me! Do you know Him personally? You can know him tonight. If you know him your heart is celebrating this day in the year of our Lord.

Reimer Family Christmas today

Camp Arnes is a good place to relax. My phone is out of range. This weekend is grandma's gift to the family. Not all the family could make it.

What are we waiting for? NEW?

www.EasTview.org
Christmas eve services: Casting Call
Tonight at 6:30
Tomorrow 5:00 & 6:30 p.m.
Don't miss it!

Audition for the Wiseman

Dave Ens Pastor
The story is so familiar and often we miss the essence of the story.

The Wiseman traveled from afar and they have some royal connections. They are overjoyed when they find the baby. Gold frankincense myrrh. What is that?
Anna the prophetess and Simeon have a different reaction.
The magi leave quietly. They saw something else. Gold fit for a king. Incense to worship God. Myrrh for his death and burial.
The baby in a manger. Nice food trough. That's the picture we give away. We don't give bloody Easter cards to our friends. Why not?
There is a new way of living now. Jesus came to make things new.
Magi might have seen death on Jesus's face. Is that why they left? For something new to happen, something has to die. There has to be space created for the new light and life. We can't look at the manger and not see the cross.

Isa 9,6 a child has been born. Zeal will change the world. Passion. Happens all over. Anger and jealousy are part of the zeal of the season.
God's zeal comes in a way we don't expect. Rom 5,6 God proves his love. While we were still sinners Christ died for us. The passion of God. The zeal of God.
Christmas starts small. A baby in a small town, shepherds with small influence. God will make all things new.

We recognise the true story when we remember Christ's death.

The birth of Jesus sets hope and joy into motion. The cross makes it real. Rev  21,3 all things new. No more mourning no more tears. No more pain in Newtown CT.
God is in the midst of our suffering.

In us there are things that need to die. So newness can come in.

Herrod sees the baby as a threat. So he in desperation starts to get rid of all perceived threats. He killed all young children and his sons and wife to maintain his status. He found no peace.

We try to change our circumstances but find nothing has changed. God wants to bring newness into our lives. That's what this season is all about.

Do the hard work and allow the baby to look into your heart and let him change you. Put to death what needs to die.

A hotel with a plug-in!!!

Makes a happy customer!
Holiday inn on Bloor St Toronto

Choir Program

Wonderful program. I feel sorry for you if you missed it. Lots of good old fashioned Christmas carols and songs well presented under the humble leadership of Lisa Hamm.

What are we waiting for? A Present Hope

Emmanuel Messiah
www.Eastview.org

Come at 7 pm for the choir Christmas program
Christmas eve Services: Dec 23 6.30p.m. Dec 24 5.30 & 7.00 p.m.

In the beginning was the word and the word was God. He came to bring light. He lived among us.

There is a beautiful simplicity to the Christmas story. The word took up residence in a messy neighborhood. John does not worry about the details. John says there is no darkness that God's light can't overcome.
There is hope for today and for the future. Is the message really true? The Baptist asked Jesus.
Go and tell John what you see and hear. The present hope is still changing things today? Do you know that hope? Navigating our world distracts us. Jesus gave us himself. We make it complicated. God with us is uncomplicated.

Proposition: ask yourself, what is the gauge to judge that this season will be good. Restore that which is broken. What would that look like? What are you going to do?

God has been with us and will continue to be with us.

What are we waiting for? Birth and Rebirth

2000 years ago God sent his son to show us his love.
Www.Eastview.org

Dave Ens:
This is the first Sunday of advent. Advent season started 1400 years ago. Christians recognized that the story was so important they had to prepare for it.

The Christmas season changes the world. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Matth 1:1 the Christmas story starts with a list of names. Matthew was deliberate about writing this genealogy. We tend to tell our stories but leave out some of our less reliable relatives.
There are significant things in this list. Tamar is in the list. She seduced her father in law. She and her son are in Jesus' genealogy.

The trajectory God uses to tell us that these people were entirely inadequate to be in the blood line of Jesus is very deliberate.
The story is full of people who shouldn't be there. They are an embarrassment. But the good news of the gospel is for the worst of us.
Jesus offers a receptive redefinition of who you are. You can get out of your past.

These people needed forgiveness. Jesus redefined them. They are in the company of Jesus.

Jesus didn't come so we could pretend we're ok. There is an invitation to cleanup things in our lives. Jesus wants to give us a new name. And a new life.

Take this opportunity to say to Jesus: happy are those whose sins are forgiven. I acknowledge my sins. God forgave.