Knox Presbyterian Church Podcast Knox Presbyterian Church

The birth of Christ prompts many questions. "How will this be?" Mary asked. Looking at a child, lying in a lowly manger, heralded by angels, bestowed gifts by royalty, we are prompted to ask, "What child is this?" Who is this that has been born into the world? Why should that matter to me? When we truly come to realize who this child is, we are prompted to Mary in giving ourselves over to be servants of the Lord, used by Him however He sees fit. 

Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place.

The world was longing for it's Messiah for centuries before the arrival of Jesus. What the world didn't know was that the Messiah would be Emmanual, God with us. The time of longing has been fulfilled in the coming of Christ and yet, in our broken, sinful world, we still pray "Come Lord Jesus". 

Life is hard. Some days are great and some take all we've got to get through. We need a community of companions to cheer us on to keep us going strong. 

2 Corinthians 9.6-8 
6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 
Luke 17:11-19
11  On the way to Jerusalem Jesus  was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee.  12  As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance,  13  they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  14  When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean.  15  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.  16  He prostrated himself at Jesus'  feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.  17  Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they?  18  Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"  19  Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." 

Rev. Becca Bruner
Anyone who has lived in relationship with anyone for any period of time knows that there will come a time when you hurt one another. Forgiveness is what makes living in relationship with people possible.