To God’s Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
JOY TO THE WORLD….
Really?
It is hard to be joyful in real life, and without the deep truth and experience of the Gospel, impossible.
The Bible calls us to rejoice always…to be joyful in all circumstances, and this centeredness that impacts our emotions is not easy!
The world says we should walk through grief in three different ways:
- Deny: Pretend it is not there, have a stiff upper lip, and keep on going as if the reality of our tragic brokenness does not exist. This is the British, Keep Calm & Carry On. There are some benefits to this in terms of survival, but it is not healthy, and God calls us to go deeper. Sometimes we can't, "just get over it".
- Despair: This is the grief that has no hope and sits in the grief long term and denies that there can be a good life moving forward because of the perceived pain of past realities. This is the pathway that acknowledges pain, and stays there stuck in the rut of hopelessness that only seems to deepen, with a bleak future of more brokenness. There are some benefits to this in terms of survival, but it is not healthy, and God calls us to go deeper.
- Discount: This is the grief that deals with the reality of the brokenness but will not take into account the promises of God and the hope of eternity. This to some degree is where all of us find ourselves in the midst of a fallen world and the battle with our flesh, and there are some benefits to this in terms of survival, and it is better than denial or despair, but God wants more.
So…what is the solution if I am not to deny, despair, or discount? The answer is authenticity in terms of including God in our thoughts and feelings. GO DEEP. The only truly healthy way to live biblically in a broken world is to do so with hope. Hope in the Gospel. Hope in the reality of eternal life in Christ. Hope in the Sovereignty, Wisdom and Goodness of God. Joy that is commanded is possible if we truly experience in the depth of our souls the glory and goodness of God and His love and purpose for us to bring Him glory.
So, when we hear repeatedly this Christmas season that we are to have JOY, that Jesus has brought joy to the world, if you are struggling to experience this because of what is going on around you, don’t just have a stiff upper lip and deny your authentic grief, don’t despair as if God is not real or relevant, don’t discount the promises and presence of the eternal all powerful God…DO go deep in your understanding and experience of the Gospel.
Romans 8:31-32 is written (as are so many other passages, like the one we studied Sunday, 1 Peter 1:6-8) so that we can be authentic and honest in our broken world and with truth that can be experienced..REJOICE. So…REJOICE ALWAYS…and yes this will include discipline, but it is so much more and authenticity with the Person, Power and Presence Of Jesus will allow you to REJOICE ALWAYS, and AGAIN I SAY REJOICE.
This Christmas might not feel joyful, for some of you it is the most difficult time of the year, YET...you can REJOICE in the reality of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done...so we all can have a JOYFUL CHRISTMAS!
Sunday Is Coming:
I love Christmas…so thankful for Kids Ministry and our last Sunday of their ministry to us. Cute, and the message powerful.
Title: Christmas Is About God’s Love
Text: John 3:16
- How does Christmas remind us of the love of the Father for us?
- How does this gift give us what we need most, forgiveness?
- What does it mean to believe?
- How can you share this love with others this Christmas?
Merry Christmas, we are blessed by His love, and JOYFUL always because of our experience of His GRACE.
Pastor Rob
Bulletin
Discipleship Classes Christmas Break
Classes returning on Jan. 12th at 9am. For the next few weeks we'll be taking a short break and coming back on Jan. 12th with new and exciting classes for all ages. Stay tuned for more details on the topics of each of our classes.
Christmas at Cloverdale Baptist
Invitation cards for our upcoming church Christmas events are now available for pick-up at the Welcome Centre. Be sure to grab one or two and invite friends and family to celebrate the birth of Jesus with Cloverdale Baptist Church.
Fellowship Ministry Baking Needs
We're looking for 21 dozens of nut-free baked goods each Sunday in December. Please deliver to the kitchen or office in Ziploc bags starting today. Thanks for supporting our fellowship team!
Family Ice Skating
Dec. 23rd / 9:15 am / Cloverdale Arena We've rented out the Cloverdale Arena starting at 9:15am and at 11 we'll be returning to the church for some hot chocolate and light refreshments. This church-wide event is free and for all ages, and if you don't own skates, the arena will have some available free of charge. Please come early as last year there were big line-ups!
Christmas Eve Service
Tuesday, Dec. 24th / 5–6 pm / CBC Join us for a joyous family service to celebrate the birth of Jesus with carols, a Christmas message, and more! Also, every child in attendance will receive a special gift bag from our Children’s Ministry. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Baptism Sunday
Sunday, Jan 12th / During Service We’re excited to witness a few people taking a step of obedience in their faith by going through the waters of baptism. If you have put your faith in Christ and would like to be baptized, sign up today at cloverdalebapitst.ca/
