Sunday, December 29, 2019 | Christmas
First Sunday after Christmas: Holy Family
Year A
Old Testament Isaiah 63:7–9
New Testament Hebrews 2:10–18
Gospel Matthew 2:13–23
God came to me in a dream last night or should I say, this morning?
I dream about that church often. This time it was different, and I was told to write it down.
That church sits prominently in town on the main drag of town.
It is large and has lots of land.
It sits empty most of the time.
A developer came by one day. He wanted the property. He wanted to make money and was willing to pay top dollar.
This land was not being utilized nor the building. The city was not getting the tax they could get so they could help the community. It was to be a win win for the developer the city and the community.
They were thinking out of the box.
I dream of that church often. I dream of a day when it would be packed with God’s children.
That particular church is often a focus of many of a dream. But this time I really listened. This time when God spoke, I opened my ears and heart. This time, I had to write it down.
God is calling me to share this dream. It is not mine but God’s dream. God speaks, this time I listened to tell you what was said.
As FLC what is our Out of the box ideas to spread God love with the wealth of what God gives to us in love, the property of FLC
We need to get out of the way of God’s love. Be open to God’s love. Say yes to God’s love.
Good loves
God sent God’s son to love
So we could be loved
So we could love
So we could love God’s children.
Out of the box love is sending gods self into the world as a human child to grow up among us.
God’s out of the box love was to die us on a tree of Roman punishment.
God’s out of the box love was to turn that tree into a symbol of love.
God’s out of the box love was to raise Jesus from the dead so we could have life in the love of God for us in Jesus.
“A Strange Way To Save The World”
Verse 1
I’m sure he must have been surprised
At where this road had taken him
‘Cause never in a million lives
Would he have dreamed of Bethlehem
And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said
Chorus 1
Why me I’m just a simple man of trade
Why Him with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her she’s just an ordinary girl
Now I’m not one to second guess
What angels have to say
But this is such a strange way
To save the world
Verse 2
To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth
But Joseph knew the reason
Love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought
Ending
Now I’m not one to second guess
What angels have to say
But this is such a strange way
To save the world
This is such a strange way
Such a strange way
A strange way to save the world
Such a strange way (to save the world)
What is your out of the box response in love for God? “
What is your out of the box response to His love for us, that is love for God’s people?
What will our out of the box response here, at First Lutheran be because of the love God has for us in Christ Jesus?
Out of the box love
Out of the box love