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Location:
6425 Jefferson Rd. For
directions, click here.
The
controversy over the presidential
election in 2000 threatened our nation
with deep division. Since September 11,
2001, we've been uneasy about war and
the threat of terrorism. Recent court
decisions are threatening to destroy
the institutions of marriage and family
as we know them. To
effectively deal with the uncertainty
that each New Year brings, we
desperately need God's
peace. "Peace"
is almost synonymous with the Christmas
season. The above text is the song of
the angels who announced Jesus' birth
to the shepherds. Words of peace are
common in Christmas hymns and cards.
The image of Mary, Joseph and baby
Jesus in the stall among the animals
leads us to thoughts of peace, serenity
and tranquility. But
wait a minute. Just how peaceful was
that first Christmas? Even as Jesus
slept in the manager, the nation into
which He was born was in turmoil. The
tramp of Roman soldiers could be heard
in the streets. As He grew up, things
became even worse. Indeed, it was
trouble and conflict, not peace, that
dogged His footsteps. Nonetheless
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Remember
what He told his disciples as he
prepared them for his death,
resurrection and ascension to
heaven? And
yet like their Master before them,
trouble and conflict followed the
twelve. They faced hardship, difficulty
and persecution because of the Prince
of Peace. Eleven of the disciples died
as martyrs. What
are we to make of all this? Obviously
the "peace" Jesus gives isn't the
absence of conflict, trouble and
hardship. Rather, it's an inner peace
that allows one to have serenity even
in the midst of the most stressful
circumstances. The
foundation of that peace is
Christmas. The
one, true God who created the heavens
and the earth has become Emmanuel, God
with us! That means God is present with
us and that He is on our side. God is
for us, He is our biggest
cheerleader. Is
something stealing your peace? is it
terrorism, war, fear, uncertainty, or
just the strain of everyday life in a
fallen world? Whatever it may be you
can take this three-step prescription
for a certain cure. Now
if we are children, we are heirs
-- heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his
sufferings in order that we may
also share in his glory. (Romans
8: 17) Who
shall separate us from the love
of Christ? Shall trouble or
hardship or persecution or famine
or nakedness or danger or sword?
.... No, in aIl these things we
are more than conquerors through
him who loved us (Romans 8:35,
37) He
[Jesus] replied "...I
tell you the truth, if you have
faith as small as a mustard seed,
you can say to this mountain,
'Move from here to there' and it
will move. Nothing will be
impossible for you. (Matthew
17:20) Let
the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, since as members of one
body you were called to peace.
(Colossians 3:15) And
surely I am with you always, to
the very end of the age. (Matthew
28:20)
May
the Peace of Jesus Christ be yours in
abundance for the Christmas season and
throughout the New Year. Remember:
God loves you and so does the
preacher!
Gateway
Church gathers
for worship
Sundays
at 10:30 a.m.
(Hwy. 129) in Athens,
Georgia.
Ministry
of the
Word:
Recent
sermons
Our quarterly e-magazine
Gateway
Today
For the Gateway family
Pastor
Jerry's Weekly
E-Mail
FROM
THE PASTOR
From
Gateway
Today
The
e-magazine of
Gateway Church
WINTER
2003 / 2004
Christmas:
God's prescription for peace
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his
favor
rests.
(Luke 2:14)
It
seems that each year's end brings with
it some issue that spreads a cloud of
uncertainty over the coming
year.
by
Jerry
Sermons
What's
wrong with this picture?Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give
you. I do not give lo you as the
world gives. Do not let your hearts
be troubled and do not be afraid.
(John 14:27)
Serenity
in the midstIf
God is for us, who can be against
us? He who did not spare his own
Son, but gave him up for us all --
how will he not also, along with
him, graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:31-32)
God's
peace prescription Step
one: Read the following:
Yet
to all who received him, to those
who believed in his name, he gave
the right to become children of
God -- children born not of
natural descent, nor of human
decision or a husband's will, but
born of God. (John
1:12-13)
Step
two: Believe it!
Step
three: Live it!
For to us a child is born, to us a son
is given.... And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
