Author: pastor.gerooney@gmail.com

“Sovereign LORD, as You have promised, You may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation.” Luke 2:29-30 

Levitical Law required that the Baby Jesus be presented at the temple with a sacrifice of either a lamb, a pigeon or a pair of doves, thirty three days after His birth. Mary and Joseph offered the least of these three options, therefore revealing that they were humble, poor people. Jesus left the limitless riches of Heaven to live among earth’s most deprived and needy population.

A righteous and devout man named Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit and had been assured by God that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts on the day of Jesus’ consecration. When he saw the baby Jesus he knew Him and praised God. (verses 29-32) Simeon recognized this Holy Child as the fulfillment of God’s saving purpose for the entire world.

God didn’t sneak Jesus onto the earth. There was much celebration and fanfare all throughout the event.  He revealed His news with those willing to share the beginning of a love that conquers every demon and foe the world will ever know. Like Simeon and all the others that saw the face of God, we too will know peace when we seek and find His Face.

Love,

Gretchen

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

Aaron’s prayer.  God is the giver of all things, in particular PEACE.

Happy 2021, Day 2!

Gretchen

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:16 

The shepherds left their flocks, went into Bethlehem and found the Christ Child.

On this night, God became very personal. His power and glory is displayed throughout all the universe, His voice is heard through prophets that gave assurances and hope of His presence among us. AND THEN…..God chose to unite Himself personally with mankind.  The Creator entered His own creation and became like His created, just to reveal a personal love for each of us.

Through this gift, God provided a way to bear our sins, break death’s grip and pay a debt to reconcile humanity to his original perfection. What man could not do for himself, Jesus came to do for them.

Nativity scenes are some the most magnificent artwork human eyes have ever seen, but don’t let the artist’s craft or nostalgia dull the foundational doctrine of salvation: Jesus was the fully human Son of God. Born to die, so you could live.

There is a hymn associated with the first Christmas night, Silent Night, Holy Night. A quick google search will reveal the manner in which this world famous tune and lyric came to be. A broken organ and a desire to worship in spite of obstacles brought about this beloved carol. Those that gathered in the manger went out of their way, put aside their daily lives, to worship.  This Season of Celebration, don’t let man’s obstacles inhibit your worship and praise.

As 2020 closes and we all ask 2021 to bring us health and healing, please don’t let go of the Season that first brought us hope, through love and faith.

Happy New Year!

Gretchen

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11 

These are the words of the Angel Gabriel, spoken to shepherds out on the plaines of Judea.  The foretold time of a Savior’s arrival had come. There was great expectation. THE event of the ages was about to happen and without a doubt, Heavenly evidence was confirmation. Supernatural guidance led chosen people from all walks of life to a manger to witness, worship and testify. 

Each of the first three Gospels speak to certain groups: Matthew the Jews, Mark the Romans, Luke the Greeks. John spoke to all of mankind with the message that Jesus is the Son of God, God Himself. Greeks prioritized culture, wisdom, reason, education. Luke tells his story of the nativity in a classical, orderly manner that has been called The Most Beautiful Story Ever Told….and it is. He shows the wonder of the night, the glory in a manger and the universality of God becoming man. 

It’s just my imagination, but I think and hope that someday when I reach Heaven, God will sit me down and say, “Hey Gretchen, look at this!” He will take me back in time for a moment and let me hear the angel choir and peek inside an animal’s shelter to see my Savior’s radiance on that night of Greatest Gift Giving, the night of Peace everlasting.

Just a little trivia on this final day of December, 2020.  Bethlehem, the City of David, is the burial place of Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, the birthplace of King David, the home of Ruth and Boaz, and home to The Church of the Nativity, the oldest church in Christendom that sits atop a cave said to be the birthplace of Jesus, and IS the place where Jerome spent 30 years translating the Bible into Latin.

Blessings,

Gretchen

He will be their peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders. Micah 5:5 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day 

Micah was a small town prophet who was well know to kings. He lived in a time of great political and religious corruption.  A contemporary of Isaiah, Micah’s three themes to the nations of both Israel and Judah were, their sin, their destruction and their restoration. In addition, he is the prophet that named Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Christ Child.

Samaria and Jerusalem will both be destroyed, but Micah sees a time when Jerusalem will be the religious center of the world.  A Messiah would come. The numbers in this verse are not specific, but symbolize that God will provide whatever is needed to protect and triumph. 

The most beautiful aspect of this prophecy is the peace that will occur in the midst of an attack.  Man cannot fathom peace in a raging storm, but knows the peace that passes all understanding when God’s presence fills a space and security and assurance is no longer hope, but reality.  Jesus came to give peace!

May your Wednesday be Blessed,

Gretchen 

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel-which means ‘God with us.’”  Matthew 1:23

From very early in the history of man, God chose Abraham’s family line to deliver His Son into the world. Two of the Gospels give us this genealogy. Matthew’s accounting is condensed, going from Abraham to Joseph.  Luke goes from Mary all the way back to Adam. The bloodline of Mary shows Jesus’ connection to The House of David, the prophecy fulfilled. As Joseph’s son, Jesus is a legal heir to the promises given Abraham, He is royalty.  Isaiah’s words have come to life! (7:14)

A lot is said about the virgin birth of Jesus, but there was a virgin conception first.  The power and activity of the Holy Spirit brought the birth of Jesus, the incarnate God came into His own creation… This believe is fundamental.  Jesus is The Son of God, and The Son of Man.  As the Son of God, He has all the power and glory of Heaven, as the Son of Man, He feels what we feel, is tempted as we are. He suffers pain, sorrow, insult and isolation and yet, brings Heaven to earth so that we may share in His inheritance and live eternally in the home He has prepared for us.

The Christmas Season is full of carols referencing Immanuel, God with us.  I hope you embrace the miracle and gift that the virgin conception has given mankind.

Have a Wonderful Tuesday,

Gretchen

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives. Isaiah 61:1 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Isaiah was a Messianic prophet.  He knew that from the people of Israel, specifically Judah, a great blessing would come. God would fulfill His covenant with Abraham, to bless all nations.

This chosen nation is in shambles. They expected much, but gave nothing.  God requires obedience but that was too tall a request. Continually defying His commands, God’s people turned their back on His love and crumbled their own hope. BUT there is a bridge between shame and dying and freedom and healing.  It’s God’s Son, the Christ Child.  A Redeemer and Healer is coming. 

When Jesus enters His ministry, after His baptism and temptation, He goes to the synagogue as every Jewish man did. He read this passage quoting Isaiah and announced that it had been fulfilled. (Luke 4:16-21)

The greatest gift of Christmas is the power of victory that Baby brought to earth. When you see the nativity, you see Heaven and know every promise God has given will be kept.

There is a Christmas tune, O Come O Come Immanuel, based on this passage from Isaiah.  Enjoy it sometime today and soak in its assurance.

Love,

Gretchen

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:9 

Verses 5-11 are probably a quotation from an ancient hymn.

He that drew the adoration of Heaven, came to earth a helpless baby, lived humbly, served paupers, and was given the name Jesus. His model is our call. The Prince of Heaven,  relinquished all His entitlements, including His life, to personally show us the way Home.

The Philippian church was Paul’s first mission in Europe.  Home to Luke, it was a medical center, Roman colony and prosperous region. This church suffered its share of persecution, but divisions in theology began to arise.  Rather than remind this congregation of the fundamentals in Christian living, Paul wrote to encourage greater spiritual maturity. Live as Christ lived. Put away pride and prejudice, love and serve others without question or malice and live in accord with one another. 

Jesus: A name that sets the captive free, calms the storms, heals the broken in body and soul and gives strength to the weary. It is above all others.

Happy Post Christmas Weekend,

Gretchen

Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD, You are great, and Your name is great in might. Jeremiah 10:6 (Read the entire chapter, it’s a good one!)

Babylon’s invasion of Judah resulted in many gods becoming a common, acceptable part of everyday life for the Jewish people dispersed and separated from their communities and families.  Jewish craftsmen participated in the manufacture of false gods, making easy monetary gain from something insulting to the God. 

Things created by the hands of man are inanimate, soulless and powerless, yet we exchange our hearts and minds for these, rather than worship, trust and love in and of the One who designed us to fit perfectly in the universe He set in motion. 

God is the One True God, there is none like Him. Man invests the dreams of his lifetime in wooden and paper idols that have no power except to compromise integrity and destroy hope, peace and joy.  It simply makes no logical sense. 

He is not just the All Mighty God of the Ages, He is the All Mighty God of your today! 

Merry Christmas,

Gretchen 

“And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.” Matthew 16:19

Jesus must become real to His disciples.  He can no longer be the man of the prophecies, certainly not the opinions of the pharisees and sadducees, or just a man of miraculous deeds, He must become the Son of God, the Messiah, their Savior.  

Peter had spent two and a half years working beside Jesus serving others, healing and teaching and finally he understood and confessed that Jesus was the Heir of Heaven.  This single truth is the foundation of all Christendom. Peter was not given the power to forgive sins, but through the Holy Spirit he and the other disciples delivered the means. He was the orator on the the day of Pentecost, the birth of the church for both Jew and Gentile. 

Just like Peter, we must discover Jesus as our own Messiah.  We rely so heavily on tradition and what other people say, but like the twelve disciples, we must diligently seek Biblical truth and the intimate, personal Savior Jesus died to be. 

Love,

Gretchen