The Soul Felt Its Worth
Christmas 2022
The Story. The Silence. The Savior (10AM)
January 1, 2023 • Mark Bassett • Esther 4
2022 becomes 2023. For many of us New Year’s Day is a day to reflect on the past year’s experiences, relationships, sorrows, joys, decisions, loves. It’s also a time to look forward. We make plans, promises, pledges for the months ahead. Not all of our plans and promises go as we’d hoped. Only 36% of those who make a New Year’s resolution are still at it a month later. Even worse … only 9% of resolutionists (I made that word up) make it to the finish line. I believe the greatest hope of the New Year is the hope for new beginnings, fresh starts, forgiveness. Christians believe God wrote that longing for new beginnings, for forgiveness, into the very fabric of our lives. His gift of love makes peace and forgiveness possible: peace with God, peace with ourselves, and peace with others. Not once a year, but every day, every hour, every minute. This morning my dear friend Mark Bassett (pastor in Ephrata) returns. He will be leading you through the life of a Queen named Esther. Her entire family, and her nation, were scheduled to die because of a law written due to pride and hatred. She would take a risk, speak up, even though it could have cost her everything, and in so doing, trusting God, she and her nation were given a new beginning.
You Are Worthy 10AM
December 25, 2022 • Dennis Whitcher • Matthew 6:25–34
The title of our Advent sermon series this year was "Till He Appeared and the Soul Felt its Worth." This phrase is found in the beautiful Christmas Hymn, "O Holy Night." Our soul is where our emotions come from. It seeks to be valued and to have a sense of belonging. We can never understand our worth until we accept Jesus’ coming into our lives. That is only when our lives have true meaning and the vacuum in our soul is filled. More than 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son into our messy world, a beautiful world that had been created for us, that man had corrupted, so that we might know our worth. So this baby, this tiny baby, born in such humble circumstances, so many years ago, it is He who gives our souls their worth. I can't help but wonder at this. How beautiful is God's grace? He gave His precious Son to us, letting us see just a glimpse of His love for us. For those of us who have experienced the overwhelming love of God, He wants us to let others see His love through us. There is no better time to express this than Christmas, but we can do this all through the year actually. So let’s make an effort to reach out to someone so that they will encounter Christ through us this year. Let’s not be a hindrance preventing others from seeing the love of Christ. As they experience this love who is Christ, their souls will also know their worth.
Love Down The Line (11AM)
December 18, 2022 • Curt McFarland • Matthew 1:1–17
Today is the final Sunday of Advent (Advent being the four Sundays prior to Christmas morning set aside to prepare for the miracle of Jesus’ birth). Christian faith claims that at Christmas God voluntarily left heaven and entered human history. When we rejected God He did not reject us. When we walked away from Him He did not walk away from us. Instead, He came for a specific purpose. Several times He stated, “I came to seek and save the lost.” That’s us. His birth was the first stage of a rescue mission. Our theme throughout these past weeks has been a line from the beautiful Christmas Hymn “O Holy Night” … “‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” When He appeared, and only then, did we begin to understand God’s love, and our worth. Today’s sermon passage is another unusual choice for an Advent message (as has been the previous three). This morning we will read through a long list of names found at the beginning of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life. Why would Matthew open his story of the greatest life ever lived this way? Why would he remind us, in this list, of all of the unsavory and questionable characters in Jesus’ lineage? What does this list of names tell us about God, ourselves, our worth? As we gain in years we often find a growing curiosity about our ancestors. Organizations, websites, DNA tests, are dedicated to helping us discover where we came from and who we are related to. Many hope to find a direct connection with someone famous, someone of influence, someone who helped change the world. When we find such a connection we can’t wait to tell others. “I’m the great, great, great, great cousin of …” Our past plays a role in defining how we see ourselves today. As we explore Jesus’ ancestors we will find something there that will define us too. When He appeared...
Love Down The Line (9AM)
December 18, 2022 • Curt McFarland • Matthew 1:1–17
Today is the final Sunday of Advent (Advent being the four Sundays prior to Christmas morning set aside to prepare for the miracle of Jesus’ birth). Christian faith claims that at Christmas God voluntarily left heaven and entered human history. When we rejected God He did not reject us. When we walked away from Him He did not walk away from us. Instead, He came for a specific purpose. Several times He stated, “I came to seek and save the lost.” That’s us. His birth was the first stage of a rescue mission. Our theme throughout these past weeks has been a line from the beautiful Christmas Hymn “O Holy Night” … “‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” When He appeared, and only then, did we begin to understand God’s love, and our worth. Today’s sermon passage is another unusual choice for an Advent message (as has been the previous three). This morning we will read through a long list of names found at the beginning of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life. Why would Matthew open his story of the greatest life ever lived this way? Why would he remind us, in this list, of all of the unsavory and questionable characters in Jesus’ lineage? What does this list of names tell us about God, ourselves, our worth? As we gain in years we often find a growing curiosity about our ancestors. Organizations, websites, DNA tests, are dedicated to helping us discover where we came from and who we are related to. Many hope to find a direct connection with someone famous, someone of influence, someone who helped change the world. When we find such a connection we can’t wait to tell others. “I’m the great, great, great, great cousin of …” Our past plays a role in defining how we see ourselves today. As we explore Jesus’ ancestors we will find something there that will define us too. When He appeared...
Ruining Our Reputation (11AM)
December 11, 2022 • Curt McFarland • Luke 18:35–43, Luke 19:1–10
“‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Last Sunday our focus was on two sons and the warmth and love of their father. This morning we are introduced to two others. The first is outside the city, blind, poor, overlooked, begging. The second is inside the city, short of stature, rich, despised, seeking. And then He appeared... and their souls felt their worth. The “He” who appeared was Jesus. It was clear as Jesus approached Jericho that He was a popular man. The large crowd following had high hopes and great expectations. They envisioned victory, a revolution against their Roman oppressors, a reprieve from their suffering. The reality would be quite different and the victory more profound. No one but Jesus understood that each step He took towards Jerusalem was a step closer to rejection, suffering, humiliation, and death. As the crowd celebrated around Him, He carried a heavy heart. And yet, all the way to the cross He taught, He demonstrated God’s heart, He saw, He called, He healed, He invited. His journey began in Bethlehem. This advent Sunday we celebrate the Joy of Christmas. Our passage this morning is not a typical “Christmas” season “joy” passage. And yet, every passage in the Bible is, at its depth, a Christmas and Easter “joy” passage. Each verse and story depend on Christmas, and each verse and story points to the cross and empty tomb. What did the blind beggar and a rich tax collector in our story have in common? They were told in a dozen ways that they were worth-less. And then He appeared. When He called them, for the first time, their soul felt its true worth. Where did, or will, Jesus appear to you and me? On the road, in a tree, at a desk, in a pew, sitting alone at home, by the bedside of a loved one? And when He appeared... Joy!
Ruining Our Reputation (9AM)
December 11, 2022 • Curt McFarland • Luke 18:35–43, Luke 19:1–10
“‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Last Sunday our focus was on two sons and the warmth and love of their father. This morning we are introduced to two others. The first is outside the city, blind, poor, overlooked, begging. The second is inside the city, short of stature, rich, despised, seeking. And then He appeared... and their souls felt their worth. The “He” who appeared was Jesus. It was clear as Jesus approached Jericho that He was a popular man. The large crowd following had high hopes and great expectations. They envisioned victory, a revolution against their Roman oppressors, a reprieve from their suffering. The reality would be quite different and the victory more profound. No one but Jesus understood that each step He took towards Jerusalem was a step closer to rejection, suffering, humiliation, and death. As the crowd celebrated around Him, He carried a heavy heart. And yet, all the way to the cross He taught, He demonstrated God’s heart, He saw, He called, He healed, He invited. His journey began in Bethlehem. This advent Sunday we celebrate the Joy of Christmas. Our passage this morning is not a typical “Christmas” season “joy” passage. And yet, every passage in the Bible is, at its depth, a Christmas and Easter “joy” passage. Each verse and story depend on Christmas, and each verse and story points to the cross and empty tomb. What did the blind beggar and a rich tax collector in our story have in common? They were told in a dozen ways that they were worth-less. And then He appeared. When He called them, for the first time, their soul felt its true worth. Where did, or will, Jesus appear to you and me? On the road, in a tree, at a desk, in a pew, sitting alone at home, by the bedside of a loved one? And when He appeared... Joy!
No One Gave Him Anything (11AM)
December 4, 2022 • Curt McFarland • Luke 15:11–32
“‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” One event in all of human history caused a radical shift in how we understand our value, and the value of others. One event. One life. One Divine life. When He appeared our value was reaffirmed, our place in the world and in eternity reconfirmed, our relationship with God re-established. We are drawn, literally drawn by God, into this time of Advent. Advent is the word used inside the Christian Church to set apart the four weeks prior to Christmas as a time of waiting, of declaring, of reflecting, of preparing, of expectation. Each week, as we move closer to the miracle in Bethlehem, we find the miracle Himself moving closer to us. Despite all attempts to minimize, marginalize, commercialize, the larger purpose, meaning, and presence of Christmas keeps intruding into our world, and our lives. Even the hardest hearts warm a few degrees … think the Grinch or Ebenezer. This morning as we enter the second week of Advent we reflect on the gift of Peace. When Jesus first appeared, born at the end of a long journey … a journey much farther than traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem, peace was in short supply. The Roman army enforced what they called the Pax Romana (the Peace of Rome). But a forced peace is no peace. Real peace can only come from God. He takes root deep in our soul and grows. God provides the confidence that when He appeared, our soul found, and felt, its true worth. Do you know that? Do you feel that? Two sons, struggling to find their place, their worth, their father. And then He appeared...
No One Gave Him Anything (9AM)
December 4, 2022 • Curt McFarland • Luke 15:11–32
“‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” One event in all of human history caused a radical shift in how we understand our value, and the value of others. One event. One life. One Divine life. When He appeared our value was reaffirmed, our place in the world and in eternity reconfirmed, our relationship with God re-established. We are drawn, literally drawn by God, into this time of Advent. Advent is the word used inside the Christian Church to set apart the four weeks prior to Christmas as a time of waiting, of declaring, of reflecting, of preparing, of expectation. Each week, as we move closer to the miracle in Bethlehem, we find the miracle Himself moving closer to us. Despite all attempts to minimize, marginalize, commercialize, the larger purpose, meaning, and presence of Christmas keeps intruding into our world, and our lives. Even the hardest hearts warm a few degrees … think the Grinch or Ebenezer. This morning as we enter the second week of Advent we reflect on the gift of Peace. When Jesus first appeared, born at the end of a long journey … a journey much farther than traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem, peace was in short supply. The Roman army enforced what they called the Pax Romana (the Peace of Rome). But a forced peace is no peace. Real peace can only come from God. He takes root deep in our soul and grows. God provides the confidence that when He appeared, our soul found, and felt, its true worth. Do you know that? Do you feel that? Two sons, struggling to find their place, their worth, their father. And then He appeared...
The Rich Man & Lazarus (11AM)
November 27, 2022 • Alex Rule • Luke 16:19–31
This Sunday is the first of Advent, it is HOPE, it is the waiting time for the coming of Jesus our Lord. It is the great moment that changed the history of human beings, children of God. Jesus being rich became man and poor; He came to the world to save His people from eternal death. In today's passage we will learn the story of a rich man with no name and a poor man with a name. The two lived different lives on earth but before they died there was HOPE of an opportunity for the two to truly know each other and through this relationship to know the love of God, their true Creator and the purpose for their lives. Lazarus about to die asked for mercy from the rich man which he never showed to him. The rich man continued to live a life full of good food, luxuries and comforts; he was defined by his material possessions here on hearth and did not accumulate treasures in heaven. Lazarus, the poor man, was waiting for his death as a gift to go on to eternal life to live forever with God his Father.
The Rich Man & Lazarus (9AM)
November 27, 2022 • Alex Rule • Luke 16:19–31
This Sunday is the first of Advent, it is HOPE, it is the waiting time for the coming of Jesus our Lord. It is the great moment that changed the history of human beings, children of God. Jesus being rich became man and poor; He came to the world to save His people from eternal death. In today's passage we will learn the story of a rich man with no name and a poor man with a name. The two lived different lives on earth but before they died there was HOPE of an opportunity for the two to truly know each other and through this relationship to know the love of God, their true Creator and the purpose for their lives. Lazarus about to die asked for mercy from the rich man which he never showed to him. The rich man continued to live a life full of good food, luxuries and comforts; he was defined by his material possessions here on hearth and did not accumulate treasures in heaven. Lazarus, the poor man, was waiting for his death as a gift to go on to eternal life to live forever with God his Father.