South Lansing Christian Church

We nearly never approach human relationships like we do our relationship with God. People who are close want to spend time together. When we want to get close to God, we often turn to spiritual disciplines and checklists. Psalm 84 teaches us that instead of a flurry of activity, faith is a relationship that requires presence.

This year at SLCC is all about what’s NEXT. A new year gives us a chance to make a clean break with the past, overcome things that have been holding us back, and set a new course with purpose.

When you love something, you want to be close to it. You want to interact with it. It draws you in. God loves his creation. God loves people who were made in his image. This week, we talk about the Advent of Jesus and how God’s love draws near. The question for us is how will we respond? Will we step in or will we run away

At the center of the religious and cultural practices that make up our understanding of Christmas, we find the idea that buying the perfect gift will bring us JOY. Paul gives the Philippians 3 life changing gifts that we could perfectly find on the bottom shelf.

When Isaiah prophesied of the coming of the Emmanuel to King Ahaz, he called the coming child “Prince of Peace.” In the announcement to the shepherds, the angels pronounced “peace”. Peace, by its very nature is optimistic. It looks beyond present conflict into what can be. This Christmas, we encourage you to look forward, and to seek peace.

Due to the way that our society views Christmas, we have lost what it means to have a biblical version of Hope. Jesus’ birth inaugurates a hope that goes beyond just our comfort but promises renewal for all of creation.

We all have moments of instant regret in our lives. Some of those instant regret moments only last for a moment like the mouth full of cocoa powder. Sometimes they last a little longer and have a lasting effect. For the Israelites, it happened a lot—and their mistakes lead to years of wandering and snakebites! Yet, God, in the bronze serpent story, made a way for them to overcome their mistakes, they simply had to acknowledge their faults. Same way with the cross of Christ. He made a way, we have to acknowledge our need for his grace to receive it.

The punishment for Moses’ seemingly small infraction at Meribah seems extremely harsh. Yet, Hebrews tells us that God disciplines those he loves. In contrast to the people of our world who avoid as much responsibility as possible, the people of God should seek his discipline in our failures and triumphs.

The people God brought out of Egypt made mistake after mistake, culminating in their rebellion and refusal to follow God into the Promised Land. Their mistakes had consequences, even as God offered grace. Similarly for us today, our mistakes have very real consequences. Yet through it all, we are covered by the grace of Jesus.

Chapters 18-25 contain the “Book of Holiness.” These are specific instructions about how a Holy God is to be served. What’s morally wrong about mixing cloths, seeds in a field, or animals? Nothing. But, God’s people are to be separate. The Israelites were needed reminders to be separate. We also need those reminders, as we’re tempted to “mix cloths” today in areas of patriotism, syncretism, and general worldview.

God draws near to his people, Israel in Exodus 19 and puts himself in the midst of them in the Tabernacle. All is well and good if Israel stays faithful and clean. Unfortunately, they are Israel. God has to give them ways to stay pure and in his presence.

Exodus ends with the God’s presence filling the recently-finished Tabernacle. Then, in Leviticus, he calls to Moses and gives some very practical instructions for sacrifice, community living and more. If God is your neighbor, you need to figure out how to live! These very specific customs and rules clue us in today on the significance of being a people who belong to God. We today are also called to be holy. We today are also called to be set apart.

At Mt. Sinai, the Israelites agreed to a covenant with very strict consequences. Then, they quickly turned to sin and broke God’s law. They deserved death. What they found was God’s grace, as he chose to continue to lead them to the Promised Land. God’s grace is the same for us today. We deserve death. We find grace.

Just like Moses, we often display hesitation in responding to God’s call. Yet, just like Moses, when we submit and are obedient, we’ll find that God is not calling us to go it alone. He’s present, available, and ready to help.

Even after all the wrong he had experienced, Joseph was still confident in God’s power. That’s because God is at work, and has perfect power and sovereignty, even though he doesn’t always do what we prefer. God works for our good, not for our wants.

God, through His covenant, has bound himself to Abraham and his descendants. As the story continues on, we meet Jacob, who has good moments and bad moments in his life. Yet, Jacob’s story is a part of God’s story, even the ugly. We know his story because, as the Torah Says, God was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We are a part of that story if we allow our stories to look backwards to move forward..

The story of Hagar and Ishmael shows us that even when things seem hopeless and we feel unseen, God can help. God’s help is not according to our timelines or methods, but God’s help is the best possible help.

Genesis 2 shows us that God recognized a problem for Adam that Adam may not have even understood himself. Then, God stepped into help, and created Eve. God is still the same today. Even when we can’t put our finger on what is wrong, God knows us, he understands our troubles, and he can help.

(Commandment 10) “To be American” is “to covet.” Coveting is the inward since which produces so many of the others: lying, theft, murder, adultery, and idolatry. The good news for us is that God has made a way through Jesus for us to be reconciled, and that Jesus truly is enough.

(Commandment 9) It’s easy for us to recognize the dishonesty in others. It’s less-so in ourselves. Commandment #9 was given to the Israelites to bolster their confidence in justice and community. Honesty serves the same function among God’s people today.