The Apostle's Creed - Articles 4, 7, 9, and 11

Introduction
This past Sunday, my church held a unique service different from our typical Sunday service.  This service was based on the 12 articles of the Apostles' Creed.  The Apostles' Creed is a short statement of core Christian beliefs that has been used by the Church since ancient times. It summarizes foundational doctrines about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness, resurrection, and eternal life. The Creed is called the Apostles' Creed because it is traditionally believed to reflect the teachings of the apostles, though it was not directly written by them. It serves as a unifying confession of faith for Christians across denominations, guiding worship and teaching while connecting believers to the historic Church.

The service included scripture and 12 hymns associated with each article of the creed.  You can watch the full service here.  In this blog, I want to share the short sermonettes I gave for articles, 4, 7, 9, and 11.  

Article Four – “…He descended to the dead.”
I think most people in our congregation are familiar with the statements from the Apostles’ Creed that say: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.”  But the last statement may be unfamiliar.  “He descended to the dead.”

The confusion stems from the fact this statement about Christ “descending to the dead” or “descending to hell” is included in the traditional forms of the Apostles’ Creed but not the ecumenical form many congregations have used.  The ecumenical version was used in many congregations (like ours) for the last century, but the traditional Apostles’ Creed has been used for most of the Christian Church’s history for 2000 years.  Some creeds, including the oldest creeds that were used in the 2^nd and 3^rd century, did not include the phrase “He descended to the dead.”  But the overwhelming majority of Christians through the centuries included the phrase “He descended to the dead (or hell)” as they recited the Apostles’ Creed.   Well?  Did Christ descend to the dead or not?

1 Peter 3:18-20 in the Bible says of Jesus: "He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built."  The “imprisoned spirits” were people who died before the time of Christ.

Ephesians 4:9 says, "What does 'He ascended' mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions?"  Where else could Jesus have descended but hell (or the place of the dead)?

There is an understanding in Scripture (and among early Christians) that Jesus descended to the place of the dead (Hell or Sheol) and shared the Gospel with those who died before He came so they too would have an opportunity to repent and believe and be saved.  Think of all the heroes of the Old Testament era like Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, and David.  These people never had a chance to hear Jesus’ message of salvation.  They died before He came.  But God, in His infinite mercy and ultimate justice, would not leave anyone out of His plan to save the world—even if they lived and died before Jesus’ time on earth.  So, Jesus descended to the place of the dead (AKA Sheol or Hades or Hell) and preached the Good News.  And anyone who believed and accepted God’s grace was saved.

The points we can take away are these:  First, God is just – God would never condemn someone without them having a fair chance to be saved. Second, though Christ was God, He was also human and really did experience everything it means to be a human—including death and the reality of what can happen to sinners who face judgment in hell.

Article Seven – “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” (see Acts 1:9-11)
This really is an important statement to affirm.  Christ was clear.  He said He would come again.  The angels were clear.  Christ will come again.  The Bible is clear.  Christ will come again.  It has been nearly 2,000 years since Christ ascended into Heaven.  After so long, some might think Christ will not return as promised.  But we affirm He will.

And Jesus said no one knows when the second coming will happen, but that He will return “like a thief in the night” and catch many by surprise.  So, we should always be ready and live as if His return is imminent. 

You will see Jesus face-to-face in your lifetime.  Either He will return for the whole world al at once in the second coming or He will return for you individually when you die.  And when He comes, what will He find when He evaluates your life?  Will He say of you, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”  Or will He say, “Away from me, you have lived a wicked life and never repented and turned to me as Lord.”

Remember, none of us knows how long we have—whether it is years or days, or moments.  Therefore, repent and turn to the Lord now for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Article Nine – “I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.” (see Colosians 1:18, Ephesians 1:22-23, & Hebrews 12:1)

I get more questions about this one statement in the Apostles Creed than any other.  I get it. 
It was the same question I raised when I first attended a Methodist Church as a boy and recited The Apostles Creed.
I thought we were Methodist.  Why do we say we believe in the “catholic Church”?

The word catholic means universal. We do not profess to believe in the “Roman Catholic Church” (which is only one denomination of the WHOLE Christian Church). No, we believe in a universal Church that transcends denominational lines and includes every person around the world who follows Jesus Christ as Lord. This universal (or Catholic) church includes Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Seventh Day Adventists, people who attend non-denominational churches, and people from every other Christian denomination.  It even includes Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians if they truly follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.  This is the universal (or catholic) Church.  And I believe in the holy, catholic church.

The second part of article nine is important too and related: “I believe in… the communion of saints.”  The communion of saints is the community of all believers—both living and dead—who follow Christ.  The communion of saints includes you and me (if we are truly Christian) as well as all the Christians who lived over the last 2000 years and are now living with Jesus in heaven.  Even though we cannot see those saints in Heaven, we join with them in praising God every time we worship.  They care about us and cheer us on as we seek to live for God in this life (Hebrews 12:1).

Article Eleven – “I Believe In The Resurrection of the body."  (See Job 19:25-27 & Romans 8:11)
That seems straightforward enough, but I think we don’t fully consider what it means.  The idea of Heaven is common in popular religion in America.  Even those who do not attend church may believe the idea that when a person dies, their spirit will go up to heaven.  But Christians boldly proclaim, “I believe in the ressurection of the body.”  Of the body…  The teaching of the Holy Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, and therefore the belief of the Christian Church, is that our physical bodies will be resurrected.  We will not be disembodied spirits floating around in heaven.  No.  We will live forever with Jesus with a perfected, healed, physical body.  God created Adam and Eve as physical creatures with perfect bodies and we will ultimately have our broken, sinful bodies healed and restored to perfection. 

Jesus is our example.  He was born as a baby and lived on earth in a physical body.  He died after His physical body was crucified on a cross.  And then He rose from the grave on the third day.  He was not a spirit or a ghost.  He ate breakfast with His disciples.  He told Thomas to touch His physical hands and feel the actual nail scars.  If Christ rose to eternal life in a physical body, so too will we.  So, we believe in the ressurection of the body.”

The Full Apostles’ Creed
Now that we have examine the meaning of these articles of the traditional Apostles’ Creed, read the whole creed as one and contemplate the meaning in these historic words. What new insight do you find in them?

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father,

He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Closing
Today, we have examined 4 articles of the Apostles' Creed, affirming the foundational truths of the Christian faith. We have declared our belief in God the Father, the Creator of all; in Jesus Christ, the Savior who conquered sin and death; in the Holy Spirit, who empowers and guides us; and in the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the ressurection of the body, and life everlasting.

As we leave, let us carry these truths in our hearts and live them out in our lives. May the faith we have affirmed today shape our actions, inspire our worship, and deepen our love for God and one another.

Remember, this Creed is not just words we recite—it is the foundation upon which we build our whole life.  It guides us to live boldly for Christ, trusting in His promises and sharing His love with a world in need.

Now, as you go, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, now and forever.  Amen.

 

The 2025 State of the Communion Address

Introduction
At the beginning of each year, I like to review highlights and achievements of our church over the past year and also look forward to what I think should be our priorities for the coming year as we listen for God’s Word in Holy Scripture.  Let me begin with the Scripture God placed on my heart today.

Philippians 3:12-14
¹⁰ I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, ¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Paul’s Words of Encouragement
These are the words of the Apostle Paul, encouraging the Christians in Philippi.  Even Paul realized he was far from perfect.  He had work to do.  And he encouraged the Christians in Philippi—and us—to follow his example.  We need to leave past failures behind—and successes too.  We need to focus on pursuing the ultimate goal: the heavenly prize of eternal life with Christ. This passage encourages believers to persevere in faith, grow in holiness, and press forward with purpose and determination, trusting that God calls us to a greater future through Jesus.

Persevere in Faith
We can’t give up.  Eternal life is granted immediately when we decide to follow Christ.  But real life change takes time.  Holiness, healing, deliverance, peace, joy, the fruits of the spirit…  It usually takes time before they overflow in our lives.  We have to walk with Christ.  Often, we have to suffer Christ before we enjoy the full benefits of citizen of heaven in this life on earth.  So we have to persevere in faith.

Grow in Holiness
And we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to grow in holiness.  We are to be holy as God is holy.  It’s not enough to simply say, “I’ve been saved.  I’m going to heaven.”  Strive to become more like Jesus.  He deserves your full obedience.  He wants you to be full of love—for everything you do to be motivated by genuine love.  He has already saved you if you follow Him.  But what good is it to say you believe in Him if you will not allow Him to refine your character?  Grow in holiness.

Press Forward with Purpose and Determination
So, let us not grow weary of doing good.  Let us press forward with purpose and determination.  Christ did not give up when he faced the suffering of the cross.  He was determined to win our salvation.  He suffered the shame and endured the cross for our sake.  Let us follow His example by pressing forward to do His will on earth.  Let us commit tell people everywhere about our Lord Jesus, testifying to how He saved us and is changing lives.  And let us encourage others to follow Jesus too.  For He commanded us in Matthew 28:19-20:  “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Review of 2024
In 2024, we got a brand new start in a new denomination.  Pleasant Grove transferred into the newly formed Global Methodist Church, seeking to fulfill our desire to be part of a new, global methodist renewal movement. Seeking to be faithful to the God of Scripture in a new age.  We began with great excitement and hope of leaving the tumultuous past behind and walking boldly into an excited, yet unknown, future.

We saw new growth in our church.  We had 4 Baptisms, 2 new Professions of Faith, and 7 New members.  Our average Sunday attendance for 2024 was 126 people.  I know that may seem exaggerated, because when we look around on most Sundays, we don’t see more than 100 people in our sanctuary.  And indeed, the average in person attendance in our sanctuary was on 79 last year.  However, we live in a new age.  And not only our church, but every church in our country has experienced dramatic decline in in-person attendance for decades, and especially since the pandemic in 2020.  However, our attendance in 2024 included an average of 47 people participating in our live online steaming worship service, meaning our total average attendance—in-person & online—was 126, which is better than our attendance prior to COVID.

A New Hymnal & A New Bible
One of our goals for 2024 was to supply our church with a new church hymnal, which we proudly have in each of our pews today.  And along with this new addition, we also refreshed and upgraded our pew Bibles, with larger print so that every worshipper in our congregation has easy access to both the music of our service and the Word of God.

New Church Directory
Another goal for the year was to publish a new church pictorial directory, the first since 2018.  Thanks to your cooperation in being photographed and the hard work of Tom Dickson and Jeremy Barfield, we have a beautiful new church directory.  And I think it’s the best looking directory we’ve ever had.  It includes pictures of 56 families from our church as well as numerous examples of different groups and activities from 2024.  I encourage you to take one of our directories with you after the service—especially if you are new to our church, because it is a great way to get to know the new names and faces of our church family.

Updating Up Membership Roll
The third goal we had for 2024 was to continue work auditing our church membership roll.  Thanks to the faithful work of Donna Phillips, we have fully transferred our membership roll from the old analog books to a new digital format that is easier to edit, update, search, and organize.  We have discovered a number of corrections that are needed on our membership roll.  This year, we will be reaching out seeking your help in identifying people on our roll which we need to contact, remove, or update their status.  It is important to us—and to me—that our church membership roll is accurate and up to date.

It is impossible to name all the wonderful work we have done over the last year.  And when I try, I will inevitably take too much time and still leave something important out.  But this year I had some help from our music minister David Crawford, who wrote and recorded a great song to remember some of our highlights from the year.  And I want to share that with you now.  Click here to watch David’s music video recap of 2024.

Pleasant Grove’s Strengths
Now, I want to turn my attention to our goals for the coming year—2025.  Recently, we sought your feedback about what we do well at Pleasant and how we can improve.  According to your feedback from those surveys, Pleasant Grove is widely recognized for its vibrant music and impactful preaching, offering a blend of traditional and modern worship that resonates deeply with members. The church is celebrated for its warm, welcoming atmosphere and strong sense of family, alongside its diverse outreach efforts, including snack packs, trunk-or-treat, shoe boxes, and community meals. You highly value our work with children, youth, and Bible study, and appreciate our sermons for being biblically grounded and inspiring. Additionally, the church’s technical capabilities and streaming quality are appreciated, providing flexible ways to worship. Your feedback also indicated financial support for meaningful causes, and dedication to youth and children’s ministry are key strengths.  (Obviously, we would like to see more children and youth in our church, but we have wonderful leaders and programs dedicated to ministering to them.  We just need to encourage more families with children and youth to participate.  Will you help us invite more families to join with us this year?)

It's wonderful to celebrate our strengths and I appreciate your encouragement by sharing the things we do well at Pleasant Grove.  It is gratifying to know you notice and appreciate our efforts to lead and serve well.  We will continue to strive to do all of things well at Pleasant Grove.

Areas for Improvement
We also appreciate your suggestions for how we can improve. And based on your feedback, I have identified three main areas for improvement that we can focus this year.

Number 1 – Enhanced Communication
The was a lot of feedback related to communication.  Some called for a weekly, Sunday bulletin.  Others shared they have difficulty reading the weekly emailed newsletter we email we call The Leaf.  Some indicated they get too many emails from the church while others said they wish they received more.  All this indicates to me that we can do a better job communicating more clearly and concisely.  So that’s one of our goals.  I would like to reformate the Leaf as a weekly bulletin that we can print and email in a format that can be read clearly by all.  We are going to work on that.

Number 2 – More Volunteers
Feedback from surveys also highlighted a need for more volunteers and increased commitment from members of the church, especially younger ones.  Something I have personally noticed since the pandemic in 2020, volunteer engagement has gone down significantly in our church.  And I want to point out, it not just our church.  This is a problem in Christian churches all over our nation.  And it extends beyond the church as well.  Volunteer engagement in civic organizations is lower as well.  Fewer and less committed volunteers is a new pandemic we are experiencing in our churches and our communities. 

Sadly, this leads to burnout in our church.  Those who do volunteer find themselves being asked to serve more often—to the point it can seem they are the only ones doing anything.  This is a plague I’ve seen specially with our children’s ministry for some time now.  Our children’s ministers cannot find the help they need.  They helpers they do enlist are overworked.  And our children’s ministers quickly find themselves burned out.  And we had some great children’s leaders, but we’ve also had too much turnover.  And the root cause often comes down to not enough help. 

Bottom line, we need more volunteers.  What can we do about it?

We need leaders to manage volunteers.  We often have people willing to help, but they don’t know what to do.  And often our volunteers feel like they are the only ones serving.  So, we need help supervising volunteers.  Some people need to step forward as leaders who have a gift for organizing, recruiting and motivating volunteers, creating volunteer schedules, and keeping everyone on track. 

People want to serve and they want to feel good about serving.  Is God calling you to help organize a team of volunteers?  I can see several areas where we need help with this:

1.     Children’s volunteers – Summer, our children’s minister, is already available to organize and schedule volunteers.  But she needs more helpers with nursery, Sunday school, and children’s church.

2.     Ushers – I want to see a group of at least 4 men serving as ushers each Sunday:  greeting people and making them feel welcome and safe in our service.  Who will organize and schedule a group of ushers?  Who will serve as an usher?

3.     Youth Volunteers – Amy does a wonderful job teacing our youth.  But she needs help in the form of volunteers who come on Wednesday nights and sit in during the youth program.  She also needs chaperones who can go on youth trips with her.

4.     Handy Men – It would be wonderful to have a team to assist with small tasks for church members in need, promoting involvement in service for people in our church.  Who can volunteer?  Who hand lead and organize?

There are lot’s of ways to serve.  But we must have volunteers.  And we need leaders with a gift to organize our volunteers so they don’t get overwhelmed and burn out.

Number 3 – Enhanced Community Outreach and Engagement
Pleasant Grove is well-known for our creative and effective outreach programs, such as: 
Snack Packs, Trunk or Treat, Super Bowl Sunday, The Community Easter Egg Hunt, & VBS.
But perhaps we can find ways to better encourage people who benefit from these large outreach efforts to also participate in deeper ways with our church—through weekly worship, study, and fellowship.  In 2025, we will consider how we might enhance community outreach through follow-ups and ongoing engagement with people in our community.

Holy Communion
I can’t think of a better way to end our time together today than with Holy Communion.
Through this sacrament, we remember that Jesus is with us always, and we find nourishment and strength for the work He’s given us.  So let us seal our commitment to our goals for this new year with the sacrament of Holy Communion.

 

A Baby Shower for Mary | A Christmas Message from Luke 2:1-7

Luke 2:1-7
¹ At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ² (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. ⁴ And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁵ He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. ⁷ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

A Baby Shower for Mary
It’s a common tradition these days to have a baby shower for first time mothers.  This celebrates the special occasion, provides much needed baby gifts and supplies for the child. It’s also common for people to encourage the parents and offer helpful advice for raising a child.

It struck me that, probably, no one threw a baby shower for Mary.  The circumstances of her pregnancy were a scandal in the small town of Nazareth.  She was pregnant, out of wedlock, in a strict religious community where the penalty for that sin was being stoned to death. 

Joseph originally planned to break his engagement with Mary quietly (Matthew 1:19). But the Angel Gabriel convinced Joseph to stay with Mary and help her raise God’s Son, Jesus.

Still, Mary’s pregnancy was not the kind people in Judea would celebrate with a baby shower.  So, at a time when Mary needed her community's support the most, she had none.  In fact, she had to travel to Bethlehem with Joseph in the last stages of her pregnancy, because it would be too dangerous to stay in Nazareth without her husband where the “righteous” people of the town wanted to stone her.

 There was no baby shower for Mary.  

And that got me to thinking, what would we say to Mary if we threw her a baby shower? People love to give advice to first-time moms and dads.  And it can be quite helpful.

I asked people on Facebook what advice they would give to a first-time mom.  One guy said, “Don’t have a baby!”  HAHA!  I guess children aren’t for everyone.

A lot of great advice was shared, and I want to pass some of it along to you today. Even if you’re not a first-time mom, we all have a “baby” of some sort—something precious in our lives that needs care, attention, and love.

As I share this, think about what that “baby” might be for you. Maybe it’s a project, a relationship, a calling, or even your own spiritual growth. This advice can apply to any season of life where you’re nurturing something important.  

Take Care of Yourself: Nap when the “baby” naps.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Accept that you can’t do everything—give yourself grace.  It’s okay to rest and let things go; the house can wait.  Take time for self-care; a healthy mom is better for the baby.

Cherish the Moments: Enjoy every stage—it goes by quickly.  Take lots of pictures.  Don’t wish away the early days by rushing milestones.  Answer the toy phone when your toddler hands it to you.

Build Community: Find your “village”—family, friends, or church—to help.  Surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you.  Talk to others when you feel overwhelmed.

Trust Yourself: Trust your instincts and don’t compare yourself to others.  Everyone is learning as they go—there’s no “perfect” way.  Pray for your child and over your child.  Love is more important than being perfect.

Focus on What Matters: Model a life that treasures Christ.  Prioritize time with your child over housework.  Teach your child by example—prayer, kindness, and faith.  Don’t stress over the little things; focus on love and connection.

Embrace the Journey: Motherhood is overwhelming, but it’s also precious.  Comparison is the thief of joy—focus on your unique journey.  Give them roots and wings; prepare them for life while keeping home a safe place.  You’ll look back and cherish even the hardest moments.

Focusing on Mary
After asking my Facebook friends for advice for first-time mothers, I followed up with another question: “What advice would you give to Mary, the mother of Jesus, if you were at her baby shower?” That question stumped a lot of people—and I get it. How do you prepare someone to raise a child who is both God and man?

In many ways, Mary was just like any other mother. But she was also raising Jesus—the Son of God and the Savior of the world. That’s an overwhelming responsibility! Still, maybe the advice we’d offer Mary is something we need to hear for ourselves. There’s wisdom in her story that can guide us in our own lives.

Trust and Lean on God: Pray for guidance in all that you do. Listen and trust what God has revealed to you. Hold Jesus close in your heart and trust His plan. Have faith—God is faithful, and Jesus will come again!

Embrace the Moment: Life’s seasons can feel long in the moment, but they are brief in reality. Endure the hard times and savor the good. Treasure the moments of joy because your relationship with Christ is the most unique and precious one in the world.

Recognize the Mystery: There are many things about Jesus and God we may never fully understand—and that’s okay. Let the mystery deepen your faith, challenge you, and draw you closer to Him. Embrace the wonder of His love and grace.

Lean on Your Support: Submit your struggles to the Heavenly Father, and lean on the people God has placed in your life. Whether it’s your spouse, family, or friends, allow them to walk with you on the journey of faith.

A Heart of Gratitude: In all things, give thanks for the gift of Jesus. Let gratitude shape your heart and remind you daily of God’s incredible love.

Come. Repent. Be renewed. Jesus is waiting.
As we reflect on the advice we’d give Mary and the lessons we take for ourselves, there is one truth that surpasses all others. The most important gift we can receive—and the most important advice we can give—is to repent of our sins, be saved, and follow Jesus as Lord.

Christmas is full of love, joy, peace, and hope. But how can we fully embrace those gifts if our hearts are still far from God? If we are living in rebellion or simply drifting through life without Him, we’re missing the very reason Jesus came.

Jesus wasn’t born into this world just to be admired as a baby in a manger. He came to live, to die, and to rise again so that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. His birth was the beginning of a journey that led to the cross—where He paid the price for our sins—and to the empty tomb, where He conquered death and offers eternal life.

If we ignore that invitation, we risk losing everything that truly matters. The joy and peace we long for can’t be found apart from Christ. Without Him, we face an eternity separated from God. But with Him, we are promised new life—both now and forever.

Tonight, as we prepare to gather at the altar for Holy Communion, let this be a moment of decision. As you kneel, bring more than just your presence—bring your heart. If there is sin that needs confessing, bring it to Jesus. If there is distance between you and God, close that gap. Don’t leave this place without knowing that your heart is right with Him.

Let this be the night you fully surrender to Christ. As we light candles and sing Silent Night, let each flame remind you that the Light of the World has come—and He invites you to walk with Him forever.

Come. Repent. Be renewed. Jesus is waiting.

Fight, Flight, or Follow | A Message Based on Matthew 2:13-18

Introduction
Thank you for coming to worship.  There are many other things you could be doing today, but you chose to be here despite the rain and nasty weather outside.  The Sunday after Christmas is typically the lowest attended Sunday of the year.  Many families travel, and the holiday exhaustion often leads to lower turnout the Sunday after Christmas.  Plus today, we have the wet weather.  My wife got called into work at the hospital today, so even she couldn’t be here.  But you are.  So, perhaps God has a special Word for you today.  I hope you hear Him.

The small crowd today is a big contrast to last Sunday for our wonderful Christmas cantata when so many people were here and also to the glory of the Christmas Eve service Tuesday, with a sanctuary full of beautiful candlelit faces.  But perhaps it is fitting today, because today we are reminded how the Christmas story took a dark turn.  Lest we naively think of Christ’s birth as only a sweet sentimental moment, the story today reminds us that Jesus’ family dealt with real life--poverty, misfortune, and the threat of death in ways we can only hope we never experience.  Let us turn then to their story from Matther 2:13-18.

Matthew 2:13-18
¹³ After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

¹⁴ That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, ¹⁵ and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

¹⁶ Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. ¹⁷ Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

¹⁸ “A cry was heard in Ramah—
    weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
    refusing to be comforted,
    for they are dead.”

Reponses to Danger
In this story we see two responses to a threat.  One is fight; the other is flight.  First, Herod felt threatened by the birth of the Messiah.  He responded by fighting to protect his throne.  In a murderous plot, he killed all the babies in Bethlehem.  The second response is modeled by Jesus’ family.  When the Angel of the Lord warned Jesus’ family of the plot, the responded to danger by fleeing to Egypt.  What a horrible and tragic story!  The birth of Christ is no fairytale.

The instinct common to most animals and humans when danger arises is fight or flight.  In an instant, a creature will choose—unconsciously—to either fight with vicious intensity or flee for safety as fast as it can.

But as I ponder this fight or flight mechanism, I realize there are a couple other options in the animal kingdom as well.  Some animals will simply freeze.  I’ve notice this in rabbits in my yard or when walking in the woods.  I have walked up on rabbits that were frozen so still, I hardly noticed them until I was within just a few feet.  Even deer, sometimes, when they see the bright headlights of an approaching car, will freeze unable to move—giving us the expression for people so surprised or frightened they cannot move or even think; they are “like a deer in headlights”.

Other animals will “play possum” like the opossum who may play dead when faced with a dangerous predator.  The “play dead” response tries to ward off danger by making the animal look so dead and unappealing the predator will leave them alone.  These instinctual responses can guide us as we think about our walk with Christ.

Fight: Standing up to the Enemy
Let’s look at the instinctual option to fight when faced danger.  In some instances, our first instinct to confront challenges head-on and stand up to the enemy.  We want to fight! I think of the strong-willed disciple Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane.  In John 18:10-11, when soldier came to arrest Jesus, Peters first instinct was to draw his sword and strike, slashing off the right ear of the high priest’s slave.  His fight reflex makes sense to many of us.  When faced with an enemy trying to take Jesus away, Peter wanted to fight.  But Jesus called for peace.  He said, “Put your sword back into its sheath.  Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”

Jesus also had the option to fight.  He could have called down 10,000 angels to defend Him, but Jesus knew God’s plan was for Him to be arrested and die to save the whole world.  Peter responded with unthinking instinct.  Jesus responded with reason and purpose and compassion.  Jesus followed God’s plan—even when it called for suffering.

Fighting is sometimes the right response.  But fighting in our own power is often futile.  And fighting for the wrong reasons (or for no reason at all) can be dangerous and destructive.  For those inclined to fight, you must recognize you are soldier in God’s army.  And a good soldier follows orders—knowing when to fight and when “put your sword back into its sheath.”  The key for good fighting soldiers is following the Lord’s orders.

For the fighters among us, is Jesus telling you to fight or “put your sword back in it’s sheath”?

Flight: Knowing When to Move
Sometimes, fleeing is the wise choice to preserve life or sanity.  The Angel of the Lord warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt.  It makes sense.  What kind of fight could Joseph and Mary put up against Herod’s soldiers?  So, they fled.  But they didn’t just flee out of fear; they fled in obedience to God’s command.  So even though they were “fleeing”, they were also following the Lord’s command.

There are times God calls us to step away from toxic environments, harmful relationships, or dangerous situations.  For people with the natural inclination to flee, that’s welcome guidance from God.  They will gladly run away from a fight.  But it may be hard for those who are inclined to stay and fight.  But the choice to fight or flee is the Lord’s to make.  Our job as disciples of Christ is to follow the Lord’s commands. 

Are you listening to the Holy Spirit’s voice? 
Is He telling you to stay and fight or is He saying flee to Egypt?

Freeze: The Temptation to Do Nothing
Of course, we cannot forget the lessons from nature.  There are still two other possibilities besides fight or flight.  We may freeze up and do nothing.  Freezing can stem from fear or being overwhelmed.  I think about the story of Lot’s wife from Genesis 19:26. When God destroyed the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, He sent an angel to evacuate Lot’s family.  But as the family fled, Lot’s wife hesitated and looked back. 
How could she leave behind her home and the life she’d built?  Her hesitation to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and be saved froze her into a pillar of salt.

Fear can paralyze us; so can our hesitation to leave behind the sins of the past and follow God.  Even our reluctance to forgive others can leave us frozen and unable to heal.  Fear and hesitation keep us from moving forward in faith.  Are you stuck in place, afraid to step out in obedience and follow the Lord?

Play Dead: Avoiding Responsibility or Action
Or maybe you’re more like a nasty possum.  You just want to “play dead,” avoiding confrontation, avoiding responsibility, or avoiding the call of God.
If that’s you, you’re like the prophet Jonah who tried to escape God’s call by running in the opposite direction.  God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, he didn’t want to go.  Why should he preach repentance to the Ninevites?  Why should they have a chance to repent.  Jonah wanted them to be burned up by God’s wrath.  He wouldn’t preach to them.  And you probably know how that story ended.  Jonah ended up in the belly of a big stinky fish.

Ignoring God’s direction doesn’t make His call disappear.  And if we can learn anything from Jonah’s story, it’s that God will have His way, one way or another.  Are you pretending not to hear God’s voice? 
You better watch out.  There might be a big fish coming to swallow you!

Follow: The Way of Christ
All the instincts of the animal kingdom reside in our animal bodies.  But we were created to be more than animals.  We are called to be God’s royal priest.  We are to follow the Lord.  Let us then follow the Mary and Joseph’s example.  They fled because God told them to flee.  They followed God’s guidance, trusting that He would provide and protect. 

The same Spirit that told Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt lives inside you if Jesus is your Lord.  God’s Holy Spirit dwells within you, guiding your steps, assuring you that God is with you.  In moments of danger, uncertainty, or fear, the best response is to listen and follow where God leads.

How Do We Listen to God’s Guidance?
You need to practice listening to God’s voice.  I hope you will take this seriously in 2025.  Train yourself to hear God’s guidance through the Holy Spirit.

• Stay Tuned to the Spirit: Through prayer, Scripture, and worship.
• Surround Yourself with Godly Counsel: Seek wise advice from trusted believers.
• Be Willing to Move or Surrender: Trust that God’s way is higher than our own.
• Act in Faith, Not Fear: Even if the path ahead is unclear, take the next step.

As we close today, I want to pray the Wesley Covenant Prayer together.  This is a traditional prayer that goes all the way back to the 1700s and John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who often led his congregations to pray this prayer on New Year’s Eve as an act of spiritual reflection and recommitment, allowing individuals to renew their covenant with God, surrendering their lives fully to His will.

As we pray this together today, I encourage you to pray with a sincere willingness to surrender your instinct to fight, flee, freeze, or play dead—and instead, commit yourself to follow Christ completely, wherever He leads.

The Wesley Covenant Prayer
Leader: I am no longer my own, but Yours.
People: Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will.

Leader: Let me be employed by You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low for You.
People: Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

Leader: I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.
People: And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are mine, and I am Yours. So be it.

All Together: And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

The Song od the Savior | A Message from Luke 2:8-14

Introduction
We’ll have a short sermon today, because the main message is in the music the choir sings though our cantata.  Music is a divine gift that touches the soul in ways nothing else can. It reaches beyond words, stirring emotions and memories buried deep within us. I have a friend here in Dalton whose mother has Alzheimer’s.  She cannot remember much, but whenever my friend visits her in the nursing home, he brings a guitar and she plays and they sing together.  Somehow the music resets her memory and she remembers the songs they used to sing together when my friend was a boy.  Music is a language of the heart, bridging the gap between the seen and the unseen, the known and the mysterious.  Truly, music reflects the beauty and creativity of our Creator. 

I want to read a passage from Luke 2:8-14 about the heavenly music that announced the Savior’s birth.

Luke 2:8-14
⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

The Message in the Music
Did you know, this is the only time recorded in Scripture where angels sang music to humans on earth?  There are several places where the Bible records heavenly being singing or playing music in heaven, but this is the only time the angels sang to people on earth.

And as they sang, they proclaimed glory to God and peace on earth.  The birth of Christ was a unique moment in history when Heaven broke through to shower God’s glory on earth as the angels announced the Son of God’s birth.  God became a human and was born as a baby.

The angels' song highlights Jesus as the bringer of peace and reconciliation.  True peace comes not from circumstances, but through the Savior’s presence in our lives.  The Holy Family’s circumstances were not the best.  A pregnant mother in painful labor. 

A worried husband unable to provide for his wife and newborn child. 
A stable filled with sounds and smells farm animals. 
And only a manger full of straw for the baby’s bed.
These are not peaceful circumstances.
Yet the angels sang:  “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Jesus is the Prince of Peace and peace comes when we walk with Him through the storms of life. 

Joining the Angelic Song
Just as the angels worshipped, we are invited to lift our voices in praise.  Our choir’s cantata is a way to echo this angelic celebration, glorifying God together.  You may notice, all the songs today focus on the baby.  May our music help you focus on this miraculous child who was conceived by the Holy, born of a virgin, suffered under Pontious Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried and who rose again on the third day, who will come again one day to judge the living and the dead.  Let the message of Christ’s birth inspire joy and peace in your heart beyond today.  How can we bring the song of hope and peace to others this Christmas season and all year long?