Hopefully you’ve all had a great week!  There’s been a lot going on at the church, including the chili dinner and decorating for Christmas.  It’s hard to believe 2011 has nearly come and gone, and that Thanksgiving and Christmas are imminently near.  With that having been said, we will soon begin worshiping through songs that focus on the birth of Christ.  The Worship Ministry is deep into our preparations for the Christmas Worship Concert, which will be on Sunday evening, December 4th at 6:30pm.  We hope to see you there.

This Sunday in our corporate worship gathering, we will focus on John 3:1-21.  This passage contains what is likely the most widely known verse in all scripture: John 3:16.  This verse comes within the context of a conversation Jesus has with Nicodemus concerning the new birth, that of water and of the Spirit.  Jesus’ use of the terminology, “born again,” was difficult for Nicodemus to understand, and may still today be difficult for many of us, despite having the complete scripture to give us insight.

I believe Jesus was saying, having been born in the flesh, and into the depravity that plagues all mankind, we have a desperate need for cleansing.  Otherwise, we would have no hope for fellowship with the Father.  Hebrews 10:22 says “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  In the Old Testament, water was often symbolic of spiritual cleansing.  The washing with water in Hebrews 10 refers to the Spirit’s cleansing of the heart, which makes the person who has sacrificed himself pure in God’s sight and, therefore, worthy to live in fellowship with God by the merit of the Spirit’s cleansing.

Having been born into death, it is required that we are born into life in the Spirit that one would inherit eternal life.  This week, we will sing of God’s saving provision as we focus on the saving work of Christ and the Spirit’s working within us to seal and perfect that salvation.  I look forward to worshiping with you this weekend.
-Jeff B.

The order this week is:
Our God Saves
Our God
Mighty to Save
Amazing Grace
Light of the World