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12/29/2015 Luke 2:40-52 ~ Longing for that which you already have (Story of Jesus in the Temple) ~ Carl CrouseRead Now At my house, there are several places I set down my keys at the end of the day. How many times a week do I want to get in my truck and have to go back and forth looking in all the likely places for my keys. Not long ago I spent five minutes wearing a path in the house searching ~ at last I brushed up against the corner of the hallway, heard a familiar tinkle of the key sound, and found them/// on my belt loop!
“You long for what you already have…” I watch people searching for peace, answers, satisfaction, desiring rest…. You already have what you need! You are discontent, wanting more, wear a path searching for that elusive something to make your life complete, and not realizing that what you are longing for is already within your grasp. Today’s scripture is a story with a purpose. The only story in the gospels from Jesus’ boyhood, Jesus is showing us how to enlarge our view of God in our lives, to grasp God who is waiting for us to see…to be at home with God. Discontentedness is a curse of our age. Unrest. Hurriedness. Incompleteness. It turns out that what we long for is within our grasp. We need God. An awareness of Christ takes time, listening, asking questions, patience… and the irony, we long for what we already have…God is waiting…
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12/22/2015 Luke 2:36-40 ~ From the Cradle to the Cross to the Crown: The Story of Anna ~ Carl CrouseRead Now Anna the prophet has the final word in the nativity stories in the book of Luke to underscore the importance of the world changing birth of Jesus Christ. What burns within Anna is the need to tell others about the life transforming salvation offered through Jesus Christ. Simeon, in last week’s scripture, knew Jesus was all about Salvation, but he held Jesus in his arms and responded by saying my life is complete, I can now die in peace (Luke 2:29). Mary, the mother of Jesus, famously responded to her newborn child by “pondering in her heart” what it all means (Luke 2:19). She knew something amazing had taken place, but she is not a prophet and is not able to put it all together. Anna response is different, READ Luke 2:38. “spoke about the child…”
I am reminded when Esther, our oldest was born. Sally’s mother had come from California. The truth is that Sally and I are private people. I may stand in a public setting every week but there is much you do not know about our family life because we are both introverts. A few days after Esther was born we went to Bellis Fair with her very proud grandmother. I will never forget strolling through the mall, and Lucia is so excited about Esther, she starts telling every stranger we meet, “This is my grandchild… this is my new grandchild…” and she tries to strike up conversations with people we’d never met….  The cross of Christ is central to the Christian faith. It is both a symbol of shame and a symbol of victory ~ a symbol of shame because it represents death and punishment. Nobody brags that the one they love is in jail and sentenced to die. One N.T. writer called it “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles” meaning it gets in the way and it makes no sense. Yet we are invited to embrace the cross on the pathway to victory for it is on the cross Jesus Christ willingly hung. Jesus died on the cross because of his great love for us and it is on the cross that he took our place paying the price of sin. Today in this Christmas season we celebrate the cross of Jesus Christ. A wise man, a forward looking prophet, sees beyond the stable as he holds the baby Jesus in his arms and he prepares the mother of Jesus for what is to come.
 Beyond the Stable…the story of Simeon. The traditional nativity scene is rather fascinating. It is not a single event ~ but it is several events compiled into one scene. Like a collage of photographs in one frame… [set up the nativity scene briefly describing each character and where it comes from… Sometimes even a drummer boy… I looked up tradition of the drummer boy and it comes from a 1955 song recorded by the Von Trap family of “Sound of Music” fame…] The nativity ~ a collage of pictures in one frame… today and the next two weeks we’ll spotlight two important missing figures from this collage: Simeon and Anna. Simeon and Anna are prophets of God given insight into the purpose of God sending Jesus Christ.
Next week’s message, “From the Cradle to the Cross” ~ Simeon pronounces his life is now complete as he holds the baby Jesus, but first he points to the cross, the pain, the hurt… May Simeon be a reminder that Jesus came for the purpose of salvation, he came for the purpose of bringing hope in a dark world. Simeon points beyond the stable. 12/1/2015 Luke 10:5-7; 38-42 ~ Listen (Story of Jesus’ friends Mary and Martha) ~ Carl CrouseRead NowThe story of two sisters, Martha and Mary, is simple. There is more to the story than the importance of housekeeping. Although there are a number of great memes/posters: “Instead of cleaning, I just watch an episode of ‘hoarders’ and I realize how fantastic my house really looks.” OR, “I’m starting a group meeting at my house for people with OCD. Not because I have it, but surely one of them will be bothered enough to clean it.” OR, “A clean house is a sign of a broken computer.” This is not about housecleaning! It’s about priorities. It’s about choices. It’s about the huge need to LISTEN. As Jesus travels, the sisters open their home: READ Luke 10:38. I included Luke 10:5-7 because I think Jesus entering the home of Martha and Mary is an example of the principle expressed to the disciples about entering homes.
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Carl Crouse, Pastor
At SACC we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Every Sunday the worship service includes a message from the Bible. My words are an attempt to understand and apply the Bible to our daily living. I post weekly sermons and other biblical messages on this page. May you find meaning and hope as you read through each message and seek to hear God's voice. Leave a comment to ask questions or inspire others with your insights. Categories
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