Gospel Highlight

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Child, to destroy Him.” And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. … (Matthew 2:13-15a)

God gives Joseph very specific instructions;—where to go, and how long to stay there, and why. God isn’t taking any chances with Jesus’ safety.

Neither is Joseph! As soon as the dream is over, he wakes up the family and gets them on the road to Egypt. He doesn’t wait till morning. Joseph is in charge of the Son of God, our Savior;—and he isn’t taking any chances with Him.

That’s a great attitude for any parent;—and it’s the same attitude God showed toward us when human beings first fell into the power of sin and death. God knew we couldn’t rescue ourselves. And He loved us.

So God Himself came into our world, born as a Man, to be our Savior. When the time was right, Jesus lay down His life on the cross, to save us and bring us safely back to God’s family. And then He rose from the dead, never to die again. God handled our rescue Himself, from beginning to end. God takes no chances with us;—because He loves us.

(This Devotion is from the Lutheran Hour Ministries.)

JESUS CONNECTIONS
Angel Candle

All four Advent weeks lead us step by step toward the brightest candle of all—the Christ Candle, which we will light on Christmas Eve. Each week has helped us get ready, and this week the Angel’s candle reminds us that God shared the amazing news of Jesus’ birth with many people. Angels spoke to Mary and Joseph to help them trust God’s plan, and they appeared to the shepherds to spread joy and excitement. The angels show us that Jesus is God’s gift for everyone, and that’s why the Christ Candle shines the brightest.

Jesus is the light we’ve been waiting for!

FMI on upcoming Jesus Connections events and learning, reach out to 
Teacher Stephanie

Fellowship for Sunday, December 21
Holiday This + That


Be prepared with festive foods that make enough to keep everybody feeling holly jolly! Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas!

 Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone else.

Men's Fellowship Breakfast

Gentlemen, it’s time for food, faith, and fellowship!  Join us this Friday, December 26th, 8:30 a.m. @ Toki Ona for a delicious breakfast, great conversation, and time to grow together in faith.

This is a wonderful chance to connect with other men, share experiences, and encourage each other in our walk with Christ. Everyone is welcome, whether you're new or a long-time member!

Bring a friend, and let’s make it a morning to remember! 

LWML New Year's Eve Celebration!

LWML will be hosting a New Year's Celebration on Jan 3rd at 1:00 p.m., in the church fellowship hall. We will be doing potluck-style finger foods, so bring your favorite appetizer and a friend, sister, or mother, and join us for food, fun, and fellowship. A sign-up sheet will be in the hallway for a head count. 

All ladies are invited to attend.

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