Advent of Our Lord

Advent, which means coming,  is a traditional observance among more liturgical Christian bodies. It is spread over several weeks leading up to Christmas, each Sunday of Advent offers us a look into the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For this year 2012 Advent will start on Sunday December 2 and will end on Sunday 23. Advent actually begins a segment of the liturgical  calendar which extends into January with the Epiphany  

First Sunday of  Advent:Jesus' Coming

When we look at the Advent season, it can fill us with such hope that can sustain us through difficult times. The first Sunday of Advent points us to that time in human history in the years to come when there will be difficult days, yet in spite of all the hardship of those times God will faithful and be with His people and will accomplish His purpose in human history and in our lives.  Jesus will come, He will return and bring a time peace and right judgement over all things.
The Word of God tells us
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Matthew:24:36, 
We can not know when Jesus is coming, but we can see the general timing, as the world around us is in disorder ,deception, devastating weather, social upheaval and all the other conditions that characterize the "end time".
Yet , we can be hopeful is going to God will send His Son Jesus and the ancient prophecies of His righteous rule will be fulfilled;

^"For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty

will accomplish this"Isaiah:9:6-7

This is only one of the hopeful images that Holy Spirit inspired which speaks of the certain hope of the days of Lord Jesus' coming;  as the glorious King and Lord. This should keep us hopefully alert to times in which we live, always mindful that day is coming.

The Second Sunday of Advent: He Is Come

This Sunday of Advent turns our eyes to the time when the voice of John the baptist cried out as in the wilderness preparing the way for Jesus' public ministry to begin as our Lord walked this earth. John raised his voice mightily announcing that Jesus, the Messiah  was come, and even through the people did not recognize Him , He was there moving among the people:
 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"Mark:1:3

 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know.
He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."John:1:27

If they had only known that the very One whom they longed for stood in their midst they could have hope. And John was faithful to point Jesus out "as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"

This is what we all should do, our lives should boldly proclaim in the wilderness of the world, as the voice of John did, that One stands among them who is there to help and comfort them. That One whom all humanity truly seeks, they just need to know that He is there.

The Third Sunday of Advent: Rejoice

This Sunday of Advent in ages past was sometime called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin word that is translated "rejoice" .  John  called the people to repent, that is change the way they thought and behaved. He called on them, in light of the coming of Messiah who  was at hand   to alter their lives , to be free of the ways that led to hart ache and suffering and every other evil they experienced.

"In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" Matthew:3:2-3

Jesus' coming always calls on us to repent, to change, and  in doing so we can truly "rejoice and be glad in Him" that  we can be free from the  past ways of thinking and behaving, that brought on so much suffering. There is hope.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent: Jesus' Nativity

The Fourth Sunday depending on the year, may bring us to Christmas Eve, or just prior to it. This is the moment in the past when the great God took on our humanity, the incarnation, and joined with us and became one of us. Consider what this tells us about the God who speaks from the Holy Bible, He did remain aloft in the heights of Heaven  He came to us in the birth of His Son Jesus Christ. He sought us out on our own level.That should speak to us of the love that He has for humanity, we in all our brokenness limitations and filth of sin, yet He came. He is one of us. This should cause us to praise God that the same Jesus Who came in the flesh is still even now in the heights of Heaven adorned in His glorified resurrect Humanity, the same humanity He entered this broken world is now there at the Throne of God, where He is still one of us.

 "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;" Hebrews:10:5

Jesus was not born in a sterile environment, but rather a barn full of animals.A place of filth and stench of dung. Yet,  here it is that He is found , the great God coming to us in an unlikely  place, the home of animals. 

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."Luke:2:6-7 

That tells us ,that Jesus meets us where we are,  in all our filth, where we may not think to find one so holy so glorious so great, yet He comes to us so that we might come to Him.

God loves us more then we can understand, His love transcend the gulf between Heaven and earth, He came to you and I and all who will but freely receive His love. This is the Hope of Advent, He is come. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington, Pa.and 1710 AM in Bentleyville , Pa. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

Seeing Heaven Open

The Apostle John while under house arrest on the Island of Patmos for preaching about Jesus Christ has an encounter with the resurrected glorified Jesus Christ, this encounter with Jesus results in the Book we find in the Bible known as the Book of Revelation. This book was written in 90-95 AD in a highly symbolic style called apocalyptic literature. It was inspired  during a time of great strife and uncertainty for the early church. Many Christians were suffering great hardships and trails,  some were losing all things for their faith in Jesus.Many were beginning to ask if Jesus Christ was going to return and bring to pass the rule of God over all things. Some were losing faith.
The Roman Emperor  Domitian had declared himself to be the earthly embodiment of the sun god Apollo and was demanding worship. There was persecution from Rome, from Jews, from Judaizers  in the church, authority driven clergy and divisive laity. There were many things that confronted the early church.

The Holy Spirit begins to open to John, and to all Christian ,regardless of whatever time in which they live , revelation about the person of Jesus Christ, that is who he is in spite of what is happening in the world or our lives. The book of Revelation is not about events , but rather about Jesus Christ. When we read the Book of Revelation just to see a series of events then we diminish Jesus to be just a participant in a series of events. But he is much more than that, he is the point of  the book.

Heaven Opened

The times were difficult and uncertain, much as they are in the modern world. It is in such a time that John sees the heaven open and sees our Lord Jesus, revealed in great glory.

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war." Revelation:19:11.

John sees Jesus  dressed in white mounted on a great white horse.In the ancient world  white clothing and a white horse was a symbol for victory. Roman generals would ride on white horses arrayed in white  into a conquered territory followed by their legions.  This image of the glorified victorious Jesus would have been familiar to the Christians of that day emphasizing Jesus as the victorious Lord  whom they followed.

This and other Scripture raised the eyes of those Christian above the hardship of this age to the victorious Christ. Consider how this would have impacted those who were suffering so much for the gospel message , some were being cast into prison, their property confiscated they were giving up all for Jesus, many were in chains and in the midst of hardship and destitution  Jesus is seen in victory followed by Christians from all ages. This speaks of glorious victory for the people of God in spite of circumstances.

Not for the Future Alone

Some Christians see this glorious vision for only the future at the seconded coming of our Lord, but the word of God is not stationary riveted to any one time, it speaks to all Christians in all times, not just to those  who live at the end of human history . It speaks to us about Jesus as that One who leads us even now in victory not just"some day". This is not just at that moment when our Lord will at the sounding of the seventh trumpet will descend in great power glory to bring the reign of the Kingdom of God. Matthew:24:30-31, Mark:13:26-27, Luke:21:27, 1Corinthians:15:51-56
This is for us every day.

A Open Heaven

John sees through an "open heaven" to view our Lord, the word translated open is from the Greek word anoigo, this same word is used to describe how the heavens was opened to Jesus at his baptism there at the Jordan River  in Matthew :3:16 

It speaks of accessibility and of the receptivity of the great God to each and all of us if we will but look up.  When we come to believe in Jesus, Heaven is opened and we see Him as our Lord who has over come all things of this world, Jesus speaking to the Apostles just hours before His death, said   "do not be afraid, for I  have defeated the world" John:16:33.

Jesus has always been victorious, when He descends from the Heavens at the time in human history, that moment only shows us what has always been true. His victory is ours', and when we come to believe we see Him as victorious, that Heaven is opened  to each of us and in Him we have victory as well.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1Corinthians:15:57

This victory is not ours through the power of our own selves but ours' in Jesus Christ. We are caught up in His the wake His of victory and are seen sharing that same victory that is His.

"The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean"  Revelation 19:14

For Now and Always

This is for us each day even in the midst of hardship testing, injustice suffering, what ever this world can bring against us as the people of God, in spite of our circumstance you are now even in the midst of it all , you are victorious in Christ. Consider how the early church would have rejoiced over this truth, the divine contradiction to their circumstance, even as they sat in the dungeons they were victorious in Jesus. This is the same for us, no matter what we face Heaven is opened to us, now not just some day, but now.

The Book of Revelation lifts our eyes above the strife and difficulties of this world and sets our minds upon Jesus. 

We See This When We Worship

In Revelation 19, we see that the chapter begins with worship, then Jesus is revealed as the Victorious Lord who has overcome the world system. When we worship we receive a greater revelation as to Who Jesus is, not just will be.

 "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,for true and just are his judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

And again they shouted: “Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!”

Then a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!”

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” 

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” 

Enter Boldly In Victory

In Hebrews The Holy Speaks that as Jesus has passed into the Heavens He is there now to assist us in our darkest times , we are told that as this is true we can come boldly to the throne of Grace. Hebrews 4:16

 At times we missed something vital in this simple admonishment, it is called the Throne of Grace, not only because it express God's willingness to help us reflected in the word Grace, and we might miss the Throne which speaks of God's power and authority to help. This tells us that God not only is willing but able to help and deliver us so we cans we the victory of Jesus in ever part of our lives regardless of our need. 

The Heaven is open so that we might see the victory that is our in our Lord Jesus Christ, look up and see that open heaven and our Victorious Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington, Pa.and 1710 AM in Bentleyville , Pa. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

This  is based on notes from a sermon delivered by Rev.Todd Crouch at a Community Thanksgiving Service on Nov, 20th 2012 in Bentleyville, Pa.

We , in America of all people live in a land that has been blessed with so much; we have been given resources, wealth,  peace and in comparison to other lands a free and civil society.

We as a nation have been blessed with power, and dominance, strength; we have been “the head and not the tail” 

All Things From God

We may, when we look upon these things be tempted to believe that it was and is due to our own ingenuity and cleverness and strength that these blessing were secured. But  it is not.

  The Holy Word of God tells us that

 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James: 1:17

All things come from the providence of the Great God and it is to Him that we owe all thanks and allegiance, honor and worship.
 It tells us in His word   Psalms: 92:1-"It is good to give thanks to the Lord". It is good for us to acknowledge the Lord God as the One Who blesses all of us.To know just where all that we have been given truly comes from.

  Yet we as a nation may be on the verge of forgetting from where our great national blessings have come. The Great men and woman who were the founders of this nation understood the necessity of this or any nation to give thanks and honor the Great God who speaks to us from the page of the Holy Bible.

Voices From American History

The statesman Benjamin Franklin wrote to an associate: about his realization that we as a people need God

 “Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth-that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow can fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it.’ I firmly believe this.”   

President Lincoln

America's  greatest president, Abraham Lincoln , who so often articulated a discerning  grasp and insight stated, the need for the American  people to turn their collective hearts and minds toward the God of the Bible and the need for His guiding hand in the life of this people.

Whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.”

Thanks Offering

 In the word of God, speaking to the people of Israel , we read:  “Sacrifice thank offerings to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High, Psalms: 50:14

and also;

"He who sacrifices thanks offerings honors me, and he prepares the way (by giving thanks) so that I may show him the salvation of God."  Psalm: 50; 23

The Word here tells us that it honors God when we offer thanks to Him. That is when we as people, or as Christians, bow our heads and give thanks to the Lord God He is honored, and when we thank Him, the way is prepared for us to see His salvation.

Do we thank God, do we acknowledge Him in our lives? Do we take the  time to give that Sacrifice of Thanksgiving,  which honors the Great God? 

 Do we honor God personally and as a people, as a nation? When we honor Him with thanks we prepare the way to see His salvation. The way is prepared to see His mighty salvation work in our lives in ways we may never had thought possible.

 Do we thank him for the blessings that have come upon us in this land? If we as a people, as a nation would give thanks to God could we see His salvation in our great social problems,in education,the  economy, the crisis in leadership at the highest levels of this  nation , in the plague of   government corruption,  community problems and many other challenges and ills that we as a people face? Could we see His salvation made manifest in the breakdown of the families, and see Him restore and bind up that which is broken down. Do we honor Him for all that He is, not just,  for what we have been given.

  Not Just The Material 

 We in America have so much, but do we thank the God of Heaven? But not just  for the material blessings but the less tangible blessings?

We as a nation have long lived in freedom and a civil society. Do we honor Him for these blessing? They are not wrought by our own hands but from Him.  A nation,or  any nation that acknowledges the God of the Bible will have these blessing.  And when this nation, or   any nation does not, then those blessing will fade away. 

That is, true freedom comes from God. Understand, that freedom, in the Biblical sense, is not just the freedom to prosper or  be successful and be comfortable.  True freedom is the freedom to fail; and if God removes from us the potential to fail then we do not have true freedom. 

But with true freedom, we can rise above failures and have success.  This true freedom, that fosters personal responsibility and accountability to make choices and to have free thought that allows for and encourages an  industrious and innovative  people, who will be charitable and fair in their dealings with those around them,  all this comes from the great God and  is sustained by a individual and national relationship and worship of the creator God through Jesus Christ.

 When This is Gone

 However, when a people removes our Lord Jesus Christ from the public conversation out of  the daily living of people , then this freedom will be lost, for Biblical Christianity preserves freedom both individually and nationally.  If you want to understand why a people losses  its freedom; it is because they have traded

 away the worship of God for something else. 

 A nation is made up of individuals  it is the sum of all us,  so if  we as individuals turn our hearts from God then we as a people will have turned our hearts from  Him as well.

Alexis de Tocqueville the French noblemen and sociologist came to America and wanted  to understand why this nation was so blessed and  so great. He traveled across this land and studied American society, his findings were published in his  two volume work Democracy in America-published in 1835 & 1840

Speaking of America’s relationship with and toward the God of the Bible and the blessings which flowed out of that relationship. 

“Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secrets of her (America’s) genius and power”

“America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great”

“Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts-the cradle of its infancy, and the source of its claims” 
   

 That is, de Tocqueville was seeing that the blessing of freedom which produce a great nation is produced guided and sustained by Biblical Christianity which is a relationship with God not a religion.

 

From Him Comes Freedom

  Without acknowledgement to and of the great God  as the  true source of our freedoms, then these freedoms  are unattainable or unsustainable, they will bleed away without us noticing until they are gone.  A person or  a nation, loses National Freedom when they first lose their spiritual freedom. When we as a people as nation begin to look to something other than the Lord Jesus Christ as the answer to our problems then our freedoms, can and will be taken away little by little under the facade of equity and  tolerance.

.

All From Who He Is

All the blessings for which our Lord is due thanks and honor come not just by an act that He performs, but come out of WHO HE IS.   Do we honor Him for Who He Is?

 This God who defies description , reaches out to broken humanity, through His Son Jesus Christ.  The Apostle Paul writing to believers in Rome said 

 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" Romans: 11:34-

We cannot know His mind; but we can know His heart,  He has showed it to us all in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Shows us the Father’s Heart,  a Heart that loves us all more than He loves Himself and demonstrated it by dieing in the person of His Son Jesus. Jesus just dose not tell us about God , He showed us about God.

  Do we honor Him with thanksgiving for Who He is? He is there for us to help and comfort and encourage us, seeing us through difficult days and seasons of our lives. We do not have to fear tomorrow because of Jesus,  nor anything, not  even death.

 Yet , when we individually or as a people trade away the worship of the God of the Bible there are problems

Psalms: 16:4-"sorrows are multiplied on those who hasten to “barter” for another “god”"

Yet so many in our nation are now trading away the God of the Bible for some cheep imitation, which promises much but delivers little. Nothing can do for us what only Jesus Christ can do. If you want to understand why we are facing mounting national troubles and sorrows it is because we are tuning from the Great God.

  The Great political thinker President Thomas Jefferson feared the day when his fellow countrymen would ignore and forsake the God of the Bible.

“I tremble for my county when I reflect that God is just: (and) that justice cannot sleep forever” Thomas Jefferson

Give Him Thanks

Not only in this season, and even beyond this season,  but from this day forward when we gather in our homes with family and friends before us and eat together;  take just a moment and give God that thanks and honor Him for all that we have and for all He is and has done for us , and for all the blessings God has blessed us with; and if we do this, then we will see His salvation manifested in our lives and in our nation.

Let us as a people honor the great God and give Him Thanks. 

  "He who sacrifices thanks offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."  Psalms: 50: 23,  Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington, Pa.and 1710 AM in Bentleyville , Pa. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com