Emmanuel!

A few years back, I began a bit of a tradition (for me, anyway), by suggesting at Worship Services that we mirror the Easter tradition of saying, "He is risen" and responding with, "He is risen indeed!". My thought was that if this is how we remind each other of the true meaning of Easter, should we not also do something similar at Advent? So I stated, "Emmanuel", to which I had the congregation respond, "God with us!".

So, the natural question, as I post to this blog about Life Groups, Community and Belonging, is, 'How is Advent related to Groups Ministry?'

The answer (and it may already be obvious to you) is quite simply this:

Somewhere in eternity past, God put into motion a plan to create a world of beings that would exist to share Community with Him, who is Himself community. When those beings chose to rebel, His plan continued forward, carried out by a long thread of those who would trust Him, in spite of their own sin nature.

Thus, two millenia ago (give or take), in a crude, hay-strewn shelter for animals, placed in a wooden feeding trough, born to a carpenter and a virgin, sung of by angels, worshiped by shepherds, gifted by wise men, hailed by a star, the human descendant of prophets, priests, kings, prostitutes, widows and soldiers, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Almighty God and Savior of all mankind entered our world.

He would live as we live. He would face all the fear, pain, anger, loathing, suffering, temptation, sickness and struggle that we do, only to overcome it all on our behalf, and, in the end, overcome death itself. Why? Because God made us to walk with Him, to share Life with Him.

To know that we Belong.

Emmanuel! God with us! Merry Christmas.