Sunday December 15, 2013 - In The Fullness Of Time - Randy Williams

Jim had suggested that if anyone wanted to write on the church blog,  just send him our thoughts.  So I decided (anonymously) to do just that.

There was no outline this week since we had a guest speaker.  But looking back over the Adult Sunday School Class, music, and message – God already had an outline.

This week was the 3rd Sunday in Advent.  Pastor Ron asked what the significance of the pink candle is in the Advent wreath.  The season of Advent at its origin, was to be a time of repentance and recognition of our need for salvation.  The purple candles (purple also being a color representative of Lent), are meant for contemplation of our penitence. The pink candle, as we look forward to the coming Savior, is one of Joy.    It has also been called the Shepherd candle.

Randy Williams (Gideons) brought us a message full of expectation. Those in the past and the present waiting for their Savior.   Mary expecting a miracle child from God, shepherds hearing the angels proclaim their newborn King, and Simeon holding the child Jesus and seeing the fulfillment of God’s promise. 

And our music in the same vein. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, and Joy to the World. 

I left the morning service with a renewed sense of the joy of life in Christ, and more importantly with great expectation of His return. The Christmas season sometimes leaves people with unmet expectations, but we come with hope.  Advent prepares us for eternal things, the hope of things not seen.

God’s outline was pretty awesome.