It’s our last week of the “Do you see …?” series, looking through the eyes of the characters in the story of the coming of Jesus. What do they show us about Jesus, and how does their story illuminate our stories? This week we pick up the story of the magi (wise men) and the two kings (Herod and Jesus). We look at the journey (where are we going?), the search (how can we know?) and the challenge (how will we respond?). There’s something in here for both the believer and seeker as we look to Jesus!
Anna and Simeon on Jesus
Keeping with our theme of “Do you see…?” for Advent, we skip forward in the story of Jesus’ birth to when Mary and Joseph present their new baby at the temple and they meet Simeon and Anna. These two older people challenge our view of Jesus. He is not just the sweet little baby Jesus in the manger; he is the center of God’s story in the scriptures, and his mission is salvation for all nations. That Jesus both breaks our hearts and remakes our own stories.
Faith from the Heart
This week we looked at the Christmas narrative through the eyes of Mary and Elizabeth as it is told in Luke 1. This passage teaches us something crucial for the Christian life today: because Jesus came to us, we can come to him. This advent season, may we all reflect anew on the miracle of Jesus coming to us as our Immanuel, a name that literally means “God with us”.
Liberated to See by the God Who Sees
It was a joy to have Dr. Wes Vander Lugt as our guest preacher this week and look at the story lines of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Each week, we’re asking the question: do you see? This week we find people asking God that very question – and he does indeed see them. And they are liberated by the God who sees them … to see him and see others rightly. Let’s look through them and see!
Do You See? Eve
This month we are extending the invitation: Do you see? It’s the first week of Advent, and we want to look through the eyes of the key women in the story of Jesus’ coming. What do they show us about Jesus and God’s reign? Do we see what they see? For the first Sunday, let’s start way back at the beginning … with Eve in Genesis 3-4 and the 3 questions she asks. They are answered in Jesus.