by The Rev. Wayne Brooks Callas Community Church Greetings from the Community Church of Dallas, at this blessed season celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. No other event has changed the course of history like the coming of. Jesus our Savior and God. No other one can take your soul, cleanse it of all guilt, fill the loneliness, sider the person whose birth we celebrate. The angel announced to Joseph, ‘‘and she shall bring save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). It happened the way Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 7:14) had predicted many years before, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is God with us’ (Matthew 1:23). The Apostle John adds this divine commentary, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the onlybegotten Why did God leave heaven to come to this earth to become one of us? Listen to the testimony of God’s Word. ‘“...There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that ...There is none that doeth good, no, not one’’ (Romans 3:10-12). ‘‘Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”’ (John 14:6). \ “Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24). ‘“...What must I do to be saved? And they said, Belieeve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved...” (Acts 16:30,31). Have you personally committed your heart and life to this one whose birth we celebrate? Are you a personal disciple of Jesus Christ? We at the Community Church are always eager to share the message of Christ. We want you to know the Savior. We are here to be of spiritual service. Hope your holiday is aglow with happiness. GUYETTE’S COMMUNICATIONS, INC. SS Memorial Highway, Luzerne 288-7686 Wishing you all the blessings of a joyous holiday season. Sincere thanks one and all. R. L. EYET JEWELER Alertness and action by The Rev. Robert W. Harris Lehman-Idetown-Jackson United Methodist Churches In the Gospel according to Luke we read of shepherds ‘keeping watch over their flocks by night.” They were alert for any danger and sensative to the slightest change in their surroundings. When the ‘angel of the Lord’’ came they were afraid but did not flee. They heard the angels message and they heeded it. After hearing the Angel they ran down into Bethlehem to see for themselves. When they had seen, the sought out others and told them. In the Gospel According to Matthew we read of wise men from the East. These men studied the stars, the Scriptures and history and anticipated a new King in the land of the Jews. When they saw the star, they invested almost two years of their lives to travel to Jerusalem to give gifts and homage to the new King. These men, as the shepherds, left their normal pursuits: Unlike the shepherds they returned home by a different way - and vastly different themselves. They had found even more than they expected - not simply a new king for the Jews - but The King of Kings. Neither the shepherds or the wise men fully com- prehended the significance of-the angels message or the star. However, they both by position and temperment knew it was important enough to act on - and knew that it came from God. They were men committed to the protection of life and the pursuit of truth. There were others who saw the star - maybe even others who heard the heavenly music. But no one else was alert enough to follow - concerned enough to care. Many will hear the sounds and see athe sights of Christmas this year. How many will be alert to their true significance? And if alert, how many will act - and have their lives changed? Will you? IMAGES 18 Church Street, Dallas HOURS: till 9 daily, Sun., 12-5 PAGE SEVENTEEN In all the literature of the world, the greatest story ever written is the story of Christmas. In it we are told that the everlasting Creator of the heavens and the earth took upon Himself a human nature, experiencing human disappointments, pain, suffering and death, for the purpose of redeeming man from his sin. Many non- believers have become Christian thru the reading of this marvelous story of God’s love. Luke tells us that shepherds: were, thru the night, watching the Temple animals when suddenly there stood before them an angel, and the splendor of the Lord shone round about them. They were stricken with terror, but the angels said: ‘Do not be afraid: I have good news for you. There is a great joy coming to all people. Today in the city of David a Deliverer has been born to you -- the Messiah, ‘ the Lord!” ‘‘Fear”’ is never absent from the human heart. We are afraid of many things. In this devastating state of mind Heaven comes to us with ‘‘Do not be afraid, I have glorious news of great joy...Today, a Savior is born to you!” This message is a personal one ‘Unto You!” It comes not to the powerful, the wealthy, the privileged calss, but “to you.” This story always thrills me because the shepherds did something that we all should do and often do not. The Shepherds said - - ‘Come we must go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.” Is the story that we have heard true? Is the vision an hallucination, or is it real? ‘‘Let us go to Bethlehem and find out!” The greatest gift that we can wish for you is a joy- ous, loving holiday. Carol Eason's Beauty Salon These shepherds did not poston their search until a more convenient time. They followed the tiny clue they had, and their search was rewarded. They found the Babe lying in the manger. Having ascertained that the heavenly message was true, they returned to their fields ‘praising and glorifying God for what they had heard and seen.” In this simple story we have the secret of a tran-- sforming religion, of a transcendent life that no hurricane, or nuclear explosion can touch. ‘‘Let us go to Bethlehem! Let us do something!”’ A hearsay religion is a poor tool in the hour of crisis. A transforming faith is the result of a person experience. The shepherds saw the Deliverer, the Lord. Each one of us must go to Bethlehem and have a spiritual encounter with Christ. We need not travel to the Palestinian Bethlehem, but to the spiritual Bethlehem. Indeed our journey to Bethlehem must be a spiritual one. Paul exhorts us...‘‘Let Christ be born in you.” Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. As the sweet sounds i of Christmas echo round] the world, we wish you all the blessings of a joyous holiday season. COMMONWEALTH TELEPHONE CO. aiff fl fit . angels sing out our thanks and warm wishes for your every happiness Thi dnl We hope you and yours blessed with the warmth and happiness that are so abundant throughout this holy season, Many thanks. ara TOM & MARTHA REESE ALL OF US from the TOY BOX Wish You A kingston - Season. |
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