We hope you enjoy and apprecaite tonight’s devotional inspiried by the song “Silent Night”

-2017 Ann Timberlake

I don’t think I had ever noticed how much JOY there is in scriptures related to the Christmas story until I began preparing for this devotion.

The story begins with the angel visiting Zechariah and Elizabeth to tell them that their son, John, will “be a joy to you.”

Luke speaks of Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives sharing the joy when they heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy.

When Mary visits Elizabeth the unborn baby “leaps up with joy”.

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary with the news that she would bear the Messiah the first words from her lips were “Rejoice” which means be full of joy.
Mary cries out in her response, “Yes, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”

The shepherds in the fields were told by the angel, “Fear not. We bring you good news of great joy!”

There are approximately 250 references to joy in the Bible and another 150 about rejoice. That’s a whole lotta JOY. is a major theme in God’s words to us. And if JOY is that important to God, then it should be important to me.

By the time you read this, I hope to have everything on my list finished. But as of now, I haven’t. As soon as I complete the shopping, send a few more Christmas cards, buy the stocking stuffers, decide on the menus, shop for groceries, cook, clean, wrap the gifts, finish decorating…and I am sure there is something else I have forgotten…then I can be JOYful!

Somehow though I don’t think it’s supposed to work that way. Perhaps if I focus on the JOY of the good news first, all the things that I think need my attention will not rob me of the joy I am to have as one of His children this Christmas. There is no doubt Mary and Joseph had plenty to think about as they began their lives together with a special baby boy to be born under very special circumstances, yet the angel told the shepherds, “Fear not. We bring you good news of great joy!”

This year, let’s put Joy first. That way, it can be carried through all of the rest of the things we must do, and we can keep a whole lotta joy in our hearts and lives.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the joy you give us through the birth of your son Jesus. This Christmas help us to focus on you and the joy of the blessed gift of your son. In your precious and holy name, I pray. Amen

-Yancey Washington, 2018

“The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers…”

These lines might seem like an odd opening to a devotion that is supposed to be about Joy, and while they certainly could have been written today, the words are, in fact, a portion of a sonnet by English poet William Wordsworth.  He wrote the lines about 1802, approximately 216 years ago, when the Industrial Revolution in England was in full swing, and people were manufacturing all types of goods and materials faster than ever before, and in so doing were spending a lot more time inside. 

In our current day and age, Christmas is an enhanced time of “getting and spending,” and seemingly more so every year.  The tangible gifts that we give each other can certainly bring joy.  It is particularly fun to watch children at Christmas. However, in comparison to what many children receive today, I think of my father telling me about his grandmother who was born in 1886 and grew up in Person County and Oxford. She felt lucky if received an orange, some nuts, and a small China doll.  Was her joy any less in an era of different standards?   

As adults and Christians, we know that the gifts we give each other are but tokens and symbols for the ultimate gift that God gave humankind in sending his son Jesus to live among us, to grow and to teach.  The revolutionary nature of Jesus’ teaching, in the beatitudes and throughout the New Testament, is a gift that should and does inspire joy.  We are no longer bound to be slaves to ritualistic laws of the past as were the Israelites of old.  We need only love the Lord and our neighbors – not easy in application – but cause for great joy, nonetheless.  Additionally, and moreover is the joy that comes in understanding that through God’s son who was sent to the world, we and all on earth have a path to everlasting life.  God’s love provides joy that endures and lasts long after “getting and spending” have lost their luster. 

Merry Christmas to all!

-Julie Earnhardt 2017

Romans 15:13 

May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in him…

Every year you hear people complaining about how much they are dreading the approaching holidays.  You know you’ve heard it too. Christmas brings chaos.  How will we ever find time to decorate? Our list of gifts to buy is overwhelming.  When will we be able to squeeze in enough time to attend all of the festivities?  For some the stress of the season evokes much deeper emotions.  Trying to mask your feelings of experiencing Christmas without a loved one for the first time can be almost unbearable.  Others are faced with financial burdens or a scary diagnosis that can create a sinkhole in your heart that seems impossible to fill.  These stressors all serve to steal our joy and make us lose our focus.

I challenge you to pause and reflect.  We can choose to make this Christmas different.  God has promised us hope and joy!

What brings you joy at Christmas?

Better yet, what brings you that giddy, child-like Christmas joy?

I am sure you have a vision in your head of a Christmas past that was filled with contagious joy.  …the kind of joy that makes all of those around you smile!  Maybe you immediately thought of a special family tradition, a meaningful gift, a favorite ornament, or possibly a Christmas carol.  Chances are you didn’t think about the hassle of shopping, the mounds of boxes cluttering the attic for decorating, or all of the other difficulties that can cloud our thoughts. 

For me, my mind quickly takes me to the Hanging of the Greens Service at Oxford Baptist Church.  Ever since I was a little girl the gigantic tree in our church has amazed me.  The order of service is always predictable from year to year and I wait with anticipation as the candles are lit, the greenery drapes the railings, the wreath is placed perfectly, and the lights sparkle on the tree.  Although each part of this service is special to me, I have to admit that it is one particular part that brings me tears of joy every single year.  When Silent Night is coming to an end and the entire church is glowing by candlelight, I open my eyes and stare at the Chrismon tree that is twinkling.  The piano and organ begin quietly at first and then the most amazing sound takes over.   As the arrangement of the Lord’s Prayer rings through the church I feel calmness; calmness that only God’s presence can provide.  For a moment I forget about the busyness of the holiday season, I temporarily cast away the worries that have burdened me, and I am completely focused on the real reason we celebrate this season.  Joy! Pure JOY! Joy that brings me to happy tears!  Joy that gives me a contagious smile to share with others throughout the entire holiday season!   Of course there are other moments of joy that I could share from each holiday season, but I invite you to stop and reflect for yourself. (cont’d on following page)

(cont’d from previous page)

What ordinary events during Christmas give you true joy? Joy is a choice. Joy is a choice that God wants us all to experience this Christmas and every Christmas.  Sure life is hectic.  Sure we are faced with circumstances that we wouldn’t choose, but I encourage you to find the simple moments that give you great joy so that you can truly focus on the birth of the Holy One.  The greatest gift of JOY ever given to each of us!

Dear God,

Christmas can be a real celebration of new beginnings if we choose to focus on the joy of a tiny baby born in a manger instead of the distractions. We ask that you help us to find genuine joy in the chaos that each day brings.  Thank you God for simple reminders throughout this Christmas season that you are always with us.  Thank you God for giving us the greatest gift known.  Help us to share your JOY with others!

Amen

I challenge you to join me in creating a “Joy Jar” with your family.  Over the next few days leading up to Christmas, spend time each day alone thinking about what brings you joy during the hectic days right before Christmas. What or who has brought you joy at a difficult moment?  What or who helped you become closer in your walk with Christ during this time?  I invite you to take some time Christmas morning to share these with each other.  I think this could be a great time for reflection, growth, and pure JOY!

Good Morning!
Welcome to the Third Sunday of Advent. Today we light the rose candle on Gaudete Sunday as we continue to draw closer to the birth of the Messiah.
We hope you find today’s service meaningful and inspirational as we worship the Lord together.

Here is a link to the Oxford Baptist Church YouTube Channel.

The Service LiveStream should begin about 9:50, but if it is not there, continue to check back.
Should you miss us at 10am eastern, you will be able to find the service in the Past Live Streams section of our YouTube channel.

As you join us for worship, you may want to use the bulletin to follow along with our prayers and hymns. The link for that is here:

Please consider worshiping with us in person for worship next Sunday, December 20th. Anyone willing to follow the protocols set by the Deacon’s Logistics team may call or email the office by Thursday to reserve a spot. Details about making a reservation are in other posts below.

God bless you and have a great week.

–Chris Redmon, 2018

“Joy is more than a feeling.”

“Yes, but what is it?                           

“Joy” is one of those words used so often in this season that we rarely, if ever, stop to ask what it means. We know that joy is something more than positive emotion, since not even Jesus walked around happy all the time (Luke 22:42; John 12:27). We know that joy is something God desires for the world and for our lives. But if put on the spot, I doubt many of us would be able to articulate what Christian joy is really all about. I certainly couldn’t. My sense of panic, when asked to write a short piece on the theme of joy, sent me running to the New Testament.

Joy, Paul wrote, is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), the result of a life that has traveled with Jesus through suffering and death. For Paul, joy is never wishful thinking or naïve optimism. It comes to those who, like Jesus, have watched their very worst fears come true—separation, abandonment, failure, humiliation, and pain; in a word, the cross—and discovered that God was stronger still.

In the Gospels, joy is not the privilege of the rich and successful; it belongs to those who live at rock bottom. It is the discovery, again and again, that goodness and love are unstoppable despite every voice that tries to tell us the contrary. It is the blessing that awaits the poor, hungry, distraught, and excluded when Christ comes to set the world right (Luke 6:20-23).

Joy is our hard, slow creep into the life of God. It is our becoming like God as we learn to conform to the rhythms of death and resurrection. Which is to say, joy hurts. If we are not “happy” in this season, it does not that mean we have done something wrong. Joy is not an accumulation of happy moments, but the shape and direction of our entire lives as we learn to live more and more like Jesus.

When we sing of “joy to the world” this season, that, I hope, is what we mean. Joy is who we are and who, with God’s help, we will become.

-Ruth Finch 2018

6-      For unto us a child is born: Unto us a son is given:  And the government shall be on

          His shoulder: And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God,

         The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7-      Of the increase of His government and Peace there shall be no end.

-Isaiah 9: 6, 7

         In the scripture from Isaiah announcing the birth of the baby Jesus, He is called the Prince of Peace. What does that mean to us at this Christmas season?  Are we all aglow with the thought of a sweet little peaceful baby?  What does this life of peace mean for us?

If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, then I wonder if we are called to be the peacemakers? Are we to love ourselves, to give up unkind words, and violent tempers? Can we accept and celebrate the difference in others? Can we actively engage in making Christ’s peace for the world around us?  

Peacemaking was Jesus’ Lifestyle. He worked for things that made peace.  If we embody the actions of Christ by following in His footsteps, then His work of peacemaking is now ours.  In so doing, we will make a difference. The birth of the Prince of Peace can truly be celebrated at this joyous Advent Season as we make Peacemaking our watchword.  

-Beth Gray 2017

I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was to be a routine CT scan.

Moments later, he was being rushed to the ER by medical personnel administering CPR.

Throughout the next 48 hours, we began to transition forward into life without my father.

“There is no way I will survive this,” I thought to myself.

So many painful reminders of his absence with each Holiday, birthday, or special occasion, and then one day it hit me:

God knew, first-hand, of the grief and sorrow that I had been experiencing. He understood my tears and broken heart.

After all, he had lost his only son.

Life isn’t always filled with excitement and happiness. We can feel shattered and broken by events in life. We can feel tangled up — a mess — like strands of Christmas tree lights.

God tells us in John 16:20, “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

He offers us peace and assurance in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Recently, I read that because of Christmas, we have an eternal Hope that will overcome the heart-break that we suffer. I like to think that is a gentle reminder of God’s undying love for us, that he is clearly in control of every- thing, thus we should be at peace and rest in his assurance.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for never leaving me alone. Help me to always have the faith needed to trust and obey your word. Cast away my doubts and reassure me that no matter what might happen, you are always with me. Stand beside me as I grow in faith, and grant me your peace.

Amen.

-Chip Fudge 2017

Scripture Reading:   Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

When I hear the phrase “peace on earth” I immediately think of the Christmas story from Luke and the words of the heavenly host: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14, KJV).  My thoughts immediately go the ending of war and strife between nations and thoughts of people coexisting in a loving manner.  But when I jump to the end of the Bible to see how the story ends (Revelation), I learn that peace on earth will not occur until Christ returns.  Is this the peace to which the heavenly host referred?

Isn’t it strange how our thoughts center on the failings of others without looking inward first? Let’s turn this inward. What have I done to make peace in my community? And more intimately, what have I done to make peace with my next door neighbor, my parents, my siblings, my children, my spouse… and, oh yeah…my God? Until I make peace with God, I cannot enjoy His peace (Philippians 4:7). And until I am in a relationship with God, I cannot enjoy real peace with others. So, how do I make peace with God? I begin by coming into agreement with God that I am in need of repentance and by accepting his gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Then, I develop and grow in inner peace as I grow in my relationship to God. 

God created us to have an intimate relationship with Him. If that is true, then what work can be more important than growing in that intimacy? (This is an important question.  Please stop, take a moment, and think about it.)

Though I accepted Christ at a young age, I did not begin working on my intimacy with Him until I was in my forties.  I eventually learned the importance of setting time aside for God every day. For me that is the first thing every morning, for you that may be just before bedtime or at another set time.  The key is to set some time aside for God every day.  If your days are hectic, start with just 10 minutes at a time.  Find a quiet spot where you are less likely to be distracted.  During your time with God, speak to him, pray, and read your bible.  Be completely honest with Him and with yourself.  He knows your inner most thoughts anyway and He understands you better than you understand yourself.  If you don’t know where to begin reading, I recommend the Book of John.  The key is to commit to giving God this time every day.  Do this and watch peace blossom!

We hope you find our second mid-week Advent Devotional helpful and uplifting.
Thank you for joining us on this Advent Journey!