Faith & Life Connections A Daily Devotion &

Resource Guide for Your Spiritual Journey From the Sermon-Teaching

Ministry of Fairhope UMC

“The Word Became Flesh”- Week of December 18, 2011 4th Sunday of Advent

John 1: 1-14Reflections on this week’s message:Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7

One of the names, or titles, assigned to Jesus is “Immanuel” or “Emmanuel” it means, “God is with us.” John begins his gospel by laying out the theological principle if the incarnation. Incarnation is a big word for the concept of something taking on or becoming flesh. In the case of how God relates to humankind, this principle is of the utmost importance. What we really celebrate at Christmastime is not just the birth of a baby, but God becoming human in that baby. Babies are born every day and it is good to observe and celebrate every birth. There was, however, only one baby who was God in the flesh.

So, why does it matter that God became flesh? I think that in ways we can only begin to comprehend, the incarnation demonstrates God’s love for us. Think about what it is like to love someone, to be in love. One of the things we want in a loving relationship is to understand the one we love. If we could do it, understanding could be gained by actually becoming the one we loved. Of course, this would be impossible for us, but for God, all things are possible. Well, in His love for us and in an effort to understand us, God became one of us! He also became flesh in order to teach us how to live and love and to become the sacrifice for our sins.

Please consider what it all means as you celebrate Jesus’ birth. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

ARE YOU READY FOR CHRIST?Love, Pastor Joe

This Week’s Challenge: Discover and share the ‘True Meaning’ of Christmas!

4th Week of Advent: Love is often the focus during the last week of Advent. God’s act of love in sending his son to live with us is an act of love that simply leaves us in awe. Spend some time this week reflecting on what this gift of love means to you. Ask God to open your heart & mind so that you might fall more deeply in love with him. God’s love is powerful and when the power of his love is at work in us we can do immeasurably more than we could ever imagine. In 1 John 3:16 the Bible helps us to understand love. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” When we allow God’s love to shine in our lives, God can use us

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in amazing ways. Our love for others is a sign that God is at work in us. Be a vessel of God’s love this week. Take advan-tage of every opportunity you are given to demonstrate God’s love to the world!

Listen to this week’s sermon teaching by clicking the Online Sermons link at www.myfairhopeumc.net. Faith & Life Connections

Begin with Prayer:Getting Started: Grab your bible & find a quiet, comfortable spot to begin your daily Bible reading. Light a candle & spend a few minutes relaxing, quieting your mind. Keep a notebook nearby to jot down distractions that interfere with your focus to put them out of your mind to deal with later. You may want to play your favorite hymns or praise music softly in the background. To quiet your mind & prepare to focus on God & His Word try one of the prayer exercises found under Spiritual Growth Resources. Then pray the suggested prayer starter personalizing it to your needs & desire for God’s guidance.

This Week's Prayer Starter:Heavenly Father,

This week we celebrate the birth of your Son, your most beautiful, indescribable gift of love. I could never begin to put into words how thankful I am for this precious gift. I am undeserving, and yet you give. I fail, stumble, & fall, yet still you reach out your hand to me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you, Lord, for sending Jesus to teach us how to live & how to love. Show me how to grow to be more like your Son. Help me to be so rooted & established in your love that I might begin to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. Fill me with your love, your joy, and your peace. Help me to be more fully devoted to you so that I might fall ever more deeply in love with you. Make me and mold me to be what you would have me be. Use me, Lord. Help me to be a vessel of your love in the world so that others might come to know & love you too. I love you, Lord. You are my King. Thanks for your amazing gift of love & grace. Amen.

day 1day 1 week of December week of December 1818

Read John 1:1-14Why does the Gospel of John begin ‘In the beginning…’ rather than at Jesus’ birth? What does this passage tell you about God? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What does it mean to you that God became flesh and made his dwelling among us? Do you think it is important that God became a human? Does the “incarnation” make a difference in your life? ______________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What does John’s emphasis on the pre-existing Christ mean to you? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________According to this passage, how can a person come to know God? Do you believe? Have you received Christ? How have you experienced the glory of the One and Only? ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rewrite today’s passage in your own words.

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Memorize John 1:14. “And the Word became flesh…” Spend some time reflecting on the glory of our Lord.

Faith & Life Connectionsday 2day 2 week of December week of December 1818

Read Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:20-23Why do you think God chose to send Jesus to us as a human baby? When you think of the Baby Jesus; what do you see, feel, & believe? ____________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________What does the name Immanuel mean? How does knowing ‘God is with us’ impact your life? _______________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What reason does Matthew give as to why Jesus was born? How have you experienced Jesus as Immanuel in your life? _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Are you celebrating ‘God with us’? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pray for your church’s Christmas Eve & Christmas Day services. Pray that all attending would be touched by the Holy Spirit & experience Immanuel in new, life-changing ways!

day 3day 3 week of December week of December 1818

Read Philippians 2:1-11Why does it matter that God became flesh? _______________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What do you think it was like for Jesus to leave heaven & become human? To take on himself all of the sin of mankind? _ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What stirs in you as you consider the depth of God’s love for you in that out of his love for you and in an effort to understand you he was willing to become like you? What do you understand about Christ’s love when you consider that he became human to teach you how to live & how to love and to be the sacrifice for your sins? _____________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you bow & surrender yourself at the name of Jesus? Is Jesus your Lord? What does it mean to confess with your tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What difference does following Jesus make in your everyday life? ____________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pray for God to increase your understanding of his ways & help you fall more deeply in love with him.

Listen to the song ‘Welcome To Our World’ ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6livTQ_Coc) & prayerfully consider why God sent Jesus to the world as you prepare to celebrate his birth.

Faith & Life Connectionsday 4day 4 week of December 18week of December 18

Read Galatians 3:26-4:7What did God do when the time was right? _______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________What does it mean to become a child of God? How did God make the first move toward us in love? How did you become a part of God's family? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What does it mean to be clothed with Christ, to be one in Christ Jesus? What effect does being 'in Christ' have on relationships among believers? ________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What does it mean to you that God came & lived among us so we could be saved? _______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why would God send the Spirit of his Son into our hearts? What does this tell you about God’s love for you? _________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pray for those who do not know Jesus that this might be the day they believe and are saved.

day 5day 5 week of December 18week of December 18Read Psalm 98

Why should we sing to the Lord a new song? What marvelous things has God done for you? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Do you expect God to do new things in your life? Or do you think a lot about how God should change others? _________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________In what ways does God’s gift of Jesus give you reason to burst into joyful expression? In what ways do you notice God being praised by His creation? ________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________In what ways has God revealed his righteousness and made his salvation known? In what ways have you witnessed the victory of our God & experienced salvation? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Luke 2:1-20 in preparation of celebrating the birth of our Savior on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. 

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Make reading this passage a part of your family traditions if it isn't already. Make time to thank God for his indescribable gift to the world today.

The story of the birth of Jesus may be very familiar to some. Try reading this passage in a different translation such as The Message or the new Common English Bible (www.commonenglishbible.comwww.commonenglishbible.com) to experience this story in a fresh, new way.

Faith & Life Connections

After reflecting & praying through this week’s readings & sermon teaching, I feel God is nudging me to take these steps:

“Seek first His kingdom & His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33

Dig Deeper:Dig Deeper:

Praise The Lord Oh My SoulRead Luke 1:39-56Consider Mary & Elizabeth & their relationship with the Lord.

Reread Mary’s Song (vs. 46 – 55)Mary’s song, known as The Magnificat, invites us to participate with God in his mission for the world.

What does The Magnificat say about the heart of God?

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you think of those close times you can have with your Savior. Try to put it into a sentence of praise to the Lord!

Throughout Advent our congregation will be writing a shared psalm. Add your line of praise to the psalm by writing it on the poster in the narthex of our church or email christianed@myfairhopeumc.net or revjwright@myfairhopeumc.net and we will be glad to add it for you.

By the end of this activity we will have written our own church & online community psalm! Thanks in advance for your contribution of praise!

The Lord has done great things for us!

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Fairhope UMC’s Mission Focus: We exist to love & serve God by loving & serving others, for the purpose of making & maturing disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Faith & Life Connections Resource

Mission in ActionAdvent 2011

1. Pray for our nation & community. Pray for our church, pastor, staff, leaders, faith family, & the ministries, mission, & vision of our congregation. Pray with conviction believing that Christ really can change the world.

2. Give an alternative gift in honor of someone this year. Make a donation to a mission project or charity that is important to them. Consider supporting a mission project through our local congregation or the UMC. Consider sharing the cost of the gift with extended family, friends, co-workers, small groups, etc and work together to make a difference in the world. Visit http://www.myfairhopeumc.net/Alternative_Gift_Ideas.html for some ideas.

3. Start a family tradition involving the whole family in making room for Jesus during the season of Advent. Visit http://www.myfairhopeumc.net/Advent.html for some ideas to get you started.

4. Visit someone from your congregation who is unable to come to church or someone you haven’t seen in church recently. Pray with them.

5. Make a commitment to practice welcoming others on Sunday morning. Introduce someone you know to someone they may not yet know.

6. Consider how you might be cut back on the amount of time you spend decorating & baking for the holidays. Use the extra time to practice random acts of kindness and spread joy and love to others. Be Christ in the world!

7. Write letters or send a care package to someone serving in the military.8. Give an equal amount of what you spend on Christmas gifts for family & friends to

outreach ministries & missions that serve the poor in spirit and those in need.9. Offer to wrap gifts, babysit, or provide a meal for an overworked & tired parent.10. Use your Facebook status to tell others about Jesus. Post your church worship

service and activities, share your favorite Scripture, and/or tell how Christ has changed your life.

11. Invite 3 people from your neighborhood or extended family to church during Advent & on Christmas Eve.

12. Mug someone. Buy some inexpensive mugs & fill them with hot chocolate packets & inspirational notes. Leave them on the desks of co-workers, or businesses you visit during Advent & Christmas.

13. Go caroling! Go out into the community and meet people you don't know—don't just visit people from your congregation. Make it an outreach project! Hand out colorful brochures or flyers with basic church information (location, web URL, etc.).

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14. Tell the Christmas story to someone who may not know Jesus. Pray that they would come to know Christ in new & deeper ways this Christmas.

15. Be an instrument in changing someone’s life. Give someone the Word of God this Christmas. Tell them about the Common English Bible, a new translation written in easy to understand language. Visit www.commonenglishbible.com for more information.

16. Give the gift of your presence to those closest to you! Faith & Life Connections Resource

Family Connection:Family Connection:Story a Day for Advent

“…we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,his power, and the wonders he has done.” Psalm 78:4

The season of Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year. The word Advent means “to come.” Advent is a season of waiting, a season of preparation. It’s a time for waiting and watching for Christ. During the season of Advent we prepare our hearts and our lives to celebrate God’s greatest gift, the birth of our Lord & Savior. We prepare to receive Christ into our hearts and wait expectantly for Jesus to come again. Advent is a hopeful time as we anticipate that wonderful gift of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us.This is a fun time of year, but we are also faced with many distractions that can keep us from focusing on the true meaning of the season. God reminds us through His Word that we are to tell others the wonders He has done. Our children need us to pass down the stories of God’s goodness and hope so that a future generation will one day praise the Lord (Psalm 102:18). Create some family memories by making time to tell the stories of Christmas, of God’s work in the world, or family memories during the season of Advent. Select 24 Christmas stories, family memories, or scripture passages and read one as a family each night during Advent. You may want to use a basket or bag & write down the titles of those favorite stories & select one each night to enjoy together as a family. Consider asking grandparents or other relatives to share their favorite scriptures or family traditions. After reading the story, spend some time talking about the story. Share why it is a family favorite or how the lesson in the story or scripture applies to your lives today. Practice retelling the story and talk about some creative ways to share the story with others.Some suggestions to get you started: Favorite Christmas stories from your childhood, scripture passages from an Advent calendar, or readings from a Jesse Tree devotional (some of the great stories of God preparing the world for the birth of his Son). Whatever you choose, remember to have fun, keep it simple, & focused on keeping Christ at the center of your holiday preparations!

Exploring the Night SkyTake a drive on a clear night & enjoy some of the Christmas lights around your neighborhood. End the evening by

spending some time exploring the night sky, one of God' most beautiful creations. Dress warm & bring along some blan-kets & hot cocoa as it may take a half an hour for your eyes to fully adjust to the dark so you'll see the most stars.

What helps you to find your way in the dark? Can you count the number of stars that you see? What do you notice about the moon? Share your hopes & dreams with each other as you gaze at the night sky. How does it feel to know that God who created the galaxies and placed each star in the sky knows all about you,

even the number of hairs on your head?

Read Matthew 1:18-25 Luke 2: 1-20. Isaiah 9:2-6.

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What stirs in your hearts as you read of the wonder of Jesus birth under the night sky? Imagine what it would have been like to have been one of those shepherds. How might you have reacted to the

angel's message? What does it mean that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us? How does Jesus help you to find your way in a darkened world? How does Jesus bring us hope?

Close in prayer under the night sky.

Faith & Life Connections ResourceDig Deeper:Dig Deeper:

What does the nativity mean for us today?How can rediscovering Christmas change our lives & our world?

The season of Advent is an opportunity for us to celebrate the wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is a season of worship. Every year we hear the Christmas story, but do we really get it? What does our response to the story of Jesus’ birth say about our hearts? Christmas changed the world the day Jesus was born in a cold, dark stable. Christmas will change the world again. Do you really believe this? Every character who encounters the infant King in the nativity story has the same response. They worship. Examine the characters in the Christmas story & look at their response to Jesus coming. How do they worship Jesus? How does what you learn about their response to the news of our Savior’s birth move you to respond to the greatest gift God has ever given you?

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 1:26-56, Luke 2:1-20

Mary:

Joseph:

Shepherds:

Wise men:

Is Jesus truly the desire of your heart? Think about your actions & activities. What do you worship? Where does your worship drive your heart? What message does your worship send to those around you? Is your worship an outpouring of your heart? What changes do you need to make this Christmas season? Will you celebrate, sing, dance, pray, meditate, & love your way into the Advent story & experience the story that is of great joy for all people? Will you be like Mary & sing to God, like Joseph & obey without regard to cost, like the shepherds and drop everything to worship Jesus, or like the wise men and face anything that stands in the way of your worship? Will you be so filled with the love of Christ that you will stop at nothing to share Jesus’ message of love & hope with others? Do you take Jesus seriously & desire the same things that move His heart? Do you give like God has given to you? This Christmas season remember there are those who are shopping for more than just material gifts. We live in a world full of people looking for hope, acceptance and love.  How is God calling you to move into the Christmas story & be Jesus to them?

For further exploration read The Advent Conspiracy by Rick McKinley, Chris Seay, & Greg Holder

Our Spiritual PlateOur Spiritual PlateYour physical heart requires a balanced diet to be healthy & so does your spiritual heart.

Check out the Spiritual Growth Resources tab & use one of the suggestions to help you develop spiritual habits to cultivate a heart that is completely committed to Christ.

Download this assessment to explore core traits of discipleship.Where you are on the journey of knowing, loving, & serving God?

http://fairhopechurch.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/traits-of-discipleship-assessment-questions.pdf

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Download this Spiritual Growth Assessment & spend some time reflecting on your spiritual heart.http://fairhopechurch.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/spiritual-growth-assessment-tool.pdf

What’s on your spiritual plate? Are you feeding yourself a well-balanced spiritual diet?

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