Community Devotions

Christmas was just the beginning

The birth of Christ is definitely "good news of great joy...for all people" (Luke 2:10). Yet Jesus did not remain a baby. His birth was only the beginning. Jesus grew to be a man "in wisdom and in stature" (Luke 2:52). He lived a life of perfection in order to fulfill the law, died our death on the cross as a payment for our sin and was resurrected from the dead to cause, "us to be born again to a living hope" (1 Pet. 1:3).

Still it does not end there. He ascended to sit on the right hand of the Father so that the Holy Spirit may come to empower us to be His witnesses here on earth. Pastor Mark Batterson succinctly captures this initial work of Christmas, "at Bethlehem, He is GOD WITH US. At Calvary, He is GOD IS FOR US. At Pentecost, He is GOD IN US". Seen in this light, we realize the triune work of God in our great salvation!

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.