This Advent season we studied Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus found in Isaiah 9:2-6, specifically centering around the names Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. This in-depth look at each name of Jesus heightened my awareness of God’s plan and deepened my understanding of His nature. All month I wrote about each of these in effort to prepare my heart and yours for celebrating the Incarnation for more than one service on Christmas Eve. It’s been a challenging time for my family as we deal with loss, and the themes we find in Advent- longing, anticipation, and hope for a Savior – have been comforting to me personally. I hope this Advent season has been a time of reflection and worship for each of you.

As we make final preparations for Christmas, here are some posts you may want to revisit:

• Advent: More Than A Manger – Advent is the perfect season to teach the full Gospel. Does the church do so?
• Christmas: The Worst Cover Song Ever – Like Michael Bolton stripping away the heart of classic soul songs and shellacking them with power-ballad lacquer, the secular world has removed the soul from the song of Christmas.
• Redeeming Christmas – Shame on us if we allow society to settle for a consumeristic Christmas! Who will redeem this holiday, if not the church?
• Mighty God or Helpless Babe? – How can it be that this baby born in a manger is “Mighty God”?
• Jesus, The Everlasting Father – Jesus as “Everlasting Father”? I thought he was the Son?
• It’s The Most Delusional Time Of The Year – If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, if we have received hope, love and peace through the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, why don’t our lives reflect this?

CHRISTMAS EVE //
DURHAM // 5pm
Pastor Todd’s home, 606 Wofford Rd., 27707

RALEIGH // 5pm, 6pm
Raleigh West Campus, 117 S. West St., 27603

This song relates to yesterday’s post, “It’s The Most Delusional Time Of The Year”. The title and opening line speaks of the reality of Isaiah 9:2, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” It is only through Jesus Christ that we are reconciled with God, and through Him we know joy, peace and love. Our hope is in Jesus alone, let us prepare to worship Him together this Sunday.

In preparation for Sunday, read Isaiah 9:2-6 and Romans 5:1-11. Here are the songs we’ll sing:

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Red Mountain Church
Audio Clip
Purchase here

Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art,
dear Desire of ev’ry nation, joy of ev’ry longing heart.

Joy to those who long to see thee, Dayspring from on high, appear;
come, thou promised Rod of Jesse, of thy birth we long to hear!
O’er the hills the angels singing news, glad tidings of a birth;
“Go to him, your praises bringing; Christ the Lord has come to earth.”

Come to earth to taste our sadness, he whose glories knew no end;
by his life he brings us gladness, our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.
Leaving riches without number, born within a cattle stall;
this the everlasting wonder, Christ was born the Lord of all.

Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king,
born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.

O Come, All Ye Faithful
Lyrics

To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born
Lyrics
Mp3
This advent hymn is based on Isaiah 9:6, thus making it a theme song of Vintage21 Church’s advent series on the same passage. The recording below was taken from the 6:00 pm service at Vintage21’s West Campus on December 5, 2010. You can find Bruce’s recording of this hymn and others here. Follow @cardiphonia on Twitter!

http://vimeo.com/17564119

Joy Has Dawned upon the World
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2004 Thankyou Music

Joy has dawned upon the world,
Promised from creation—
God’s salvation now unfurled,
Hope for ev’ry nation.
Not with fanfares from above,
Not with scenes of glory,
But a humble gift of love—
Jesus born of Mary.

Sounds of wonder fill the sky
With the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of Life
Shelters in a stable.
Hands that set each star in place,
Shaped the earth in darkness,
Cling now to a mother’s breast,
Vuln’rable and helpless.

Shepherds bow before the Lamb,
Gazing at the glory;
Gifts of men from distant lands
Prophesy the story.
Gold—a King is born today,
Incense—God is with us,
Myrrh—His death will make a way,
And by His blood He’ll win us.

Son of Adam, Son of heaven,
Given as a ransom;
Reconciling God and man,
Christ, our mighty champion!
What a Savior! What a Friend!
What a glorious myst’ry!
Once a babe in Bethlehem,
Now the Lord of hist’ry.

Previous Advent posts:

• Advent: More Than A Manger
• Christmas: The Worst Cover Song Ever
• Redeeming Christmas
• Mighty God or Helpless Babe?
• Jesus, Everlasting Father
• It’s The Most Delusional Time Of The Year
  

]]> http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/12/preparing-for-sunday-december-19/feed/ 0 http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/12/its-the-most-delusional-time-of-the-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=its-the-most-delusional-time-of-the-year http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/12/its-the-most-delusional-time-of-the-year/#comments Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:26:15 +0000 Matt Stevens http://worship.vintage21.com/?p=1817 The secular version of Christmas is fascinating to me. In a previous post I called it the “worst cover song ever written”, as the consumerism and overindulgence of the holiday season point to worship of ourselves replacing worship of God. At it’s best, secular observances of Christmas are times when mankind lifts up peace on earth and good will toward men. These traits are noble and the world is a slightly more pleasant place for a few weeks but there’s no lasting change. This is because on our own we’re incapable of peace. Can anyone point to a culture or civilization who has achieved lasting peace? This isn’t due to the mysterious nature of peace but our corrupt and sinful nature; we cannot live out peace when war rages inside our hearts and minds. The result is a season when everyone tries really hard to be kind to one another, all with the nebulous explanation “It’s the spirit of Christmas!” Come January, the decorations and lights disappear, the lustre of our gadgets becomes commonplace, and we’re back to the way things were.

Perhaps the most powerful example of man-willed peace occurred during World War I. During the 1914 holiday season troops from Germany and Britain were engaged in trench warfare. The horrific conditions and close proximity to the enemy (in some places as close as 30 yards apart) made for a terrifying experience. In an unpredictable turn of events soldiers left their trenches on Christmas Eve and peacefully engaged their enemies. They played pickup games of football and even exchanged gifts of tobacco and food. All because of “the spirit of Christmas”! Yet even the power of this tradition of peace brought no lasting change. On December 26 the bombs, sniper fire and hatred resumed.

This isn’t to say that Christians don’t see brokenness or experience selfishness. Sadly, some of the most horrific acts occur from those who claim to follow Jesus. In addition, churches are full of Christians who struggle with depression, anger and hatred. The Western Church’s portrayal of peace is often as ineffective as that of the world. Whether we live it or not, God’s word teaches us that the hope for true peace comes from Jesus. We sing of peace not because we can achieve it, but because Jesus is Prince of Peace. Our goodwill towards men is only possible because “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). As amazing as it sounds, the secular world’s idea of peace is weak. If we all agreed to end war, murder and rape, this will not solve the problem of our selfish hearts and separation of our souls from God. As history has proven, the worship of self above God goes back to the beginning of time, and no man has ever come up with a solution.

Except the man Jesus.

The peace of Jesus is more than a cease of outward harm to one another; it’s reconciliation with God. His sacrificial death on the cross and powerful resurrection have brought about “at-one-ment” with God. Because Jesus is also Mighty God and Everlasting Father, this peace cannot be shaken. Therefore, no matter the state of the world, we as followers of Jesus should and can let the peace of Christ rules in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Just as history betrays the inability of man to achieve peace by our will, it points to the ability of God to bring about peace through His Son. The actions of martyrs who face constant persecution and death with joy and peace have been perhaps the greatest testimony of a living God. This is only possible through the peace of God, given to us by His Son: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) For thousands of years, men and women have faced trials and tribulations with peaceful hearts.

Where is this peace in the Western church? Instead of the peace of Christ ruling within our hearts (Col. 3:15), too often we find ourselves living in fear of man or disbelief of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Why is this? If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, if we have received hope, love and peace through the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, why don’t our lives reflect this? Through hardship and suffering over the past few years, the picture of rejoicing in suffering found in Romans 5 has been distant to my wife and I. While I believe it in my head, this truth struggles to take root in my heart. Have you experienced this as well? Please share thoughts or experiences below- I don’t believe we’re alone in this. During this time of year as we consider Jesus as Prince of Peace, let’s taken an honest look at our hearts. Are they troubled? Are we afraid?

Make sure to join us this week at Vintage21 Church as @PastorTyler Jones preaches on the Prince of Peace from Romans 5 and Isaiah 9:6. Will you invite your friends, neighbors and family? This issue of peace within our hearts is something everyone struggles with, and the truth will be shared on Sunday. Many people will attend church during the Christmas season!

Visit worship.vintage21.com tomorrow as we unveil a new song we’ll sing this Sunday at the West Street campus.

Previous Advent posts:

• Advent: More Than A Manger
• Christmas: The Worst Cover Song Ever
• Redeeming Christmas
• Mighty God or Helpless Babe?
• Jesus, Everlasting Father

For those who do not believe in Jesus but still celebrate Christmas, where do they find joy, peace and goodwill toward men? If the world is trying to find hope in the goodness of mankind, wouldn’t Christmas be the most depressing time of the year? Both the past and present betray mankind’s inability to live in peace. Yet Christians do not present much of a case for peace either. The biblical concept of “shalom” means so much more than a ceasefire, and most Christians do not live this out.

Join us tomorrow on worship.vintage21.com as we examine Jesus as Prince of Peace. On Thursday we’ll release a new song for @V21Church’s service at the West Street campus. Please join in the conversation by leaving comments, verses and questions, or email matt at vintage21.com with questions, ideas, or topics you’re interested in.

Vintage21 Church has five services across three campuses in both Raleigh and Durham. Yesterday I had the privilege to visit both Raleigh campuses – appropriately titled Raleigh West (117 S. West Street) and Raleigh East (110 S. East Street). It was exciting to see and hear both campuses worshiping God through song, and I was reminded of the beauty of the Advent hymns we sing. These songs often become rote tradition, and lose their meaning amidst the noise of the secular celebration of Christmas. You’ll hear “Oh Holy Night” in between “Jingle Bell Rock” and “White Christmas”, and over time it feels like a song of tradition instead of a hymn of praise.

Hearing the church sing these songs with fervor and joy quickly brought these back to their proper place of worship. As we continue this season of Advent, consider the words we sing. Are we responding with joy at the good news of Immanuel – “God with us”?

The footage below was taken with my phone at the Raleigh East and Raleigh West campuses. Make sure to check back to worship.vintage21.com each day this week as we prepare for the fourth sunday of Advent!

Previous Advent posts:

• Advent: More Than A Manger
• Christmas: The Worst Cover Song Ever
• Redeeming Christmas
• Advent Has Begun!
• Mighty God or Helpless Babe?
• Jesus, The Everlasting Father

]]> http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/12/vintage21-church-advent-week-three/feed/ 1 http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/12/jesus-the-everlasting-father/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jesus-the-everlasting-father http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/12/jesus-the-everlasting-father/#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2010 13:06:46 +0000 Matt Stevens http://worship.vintage21.com/?p=1791 During this Advent season we’re preparing our hearts each day for the upcoming Sunday and ultimately, Christmas Day. The scripture for this series is Isaiah 9:6, and the theme of this week is Jesus as Everlasting Father. Good or bad, we all have an understanding of a father, which makes this week’s sermon from Isaiah 9:6 particularly interesting. While the concept of Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace all seem quite lofty, there is a familiarity to the name father. From our own experience we may associate a loving, caring man with this word, or an absent or abusive jerk. Maybe your father is reserved, cold and unloving, perhaps he was warm and kind while unreliable. No matter the case, we’ve all experienced or heard the sin of our fathers. For those of us who are fathers, we have a new understanding and association with this role. From my own experience as a father God’s love for me has become more tangible as I consider both the sacrifice the Father made to send His Son to die on the cross as well as the love He must have in order to reveal himself as “Everlasting Father”. The role of counselor, God and prince can all be achieved from a distance, while a true father is close to his sons and daughters. He walks with them in every step, finding great joy in their happiness and experiencing deep sorrow when they suffer. In the powerful words of Stuart Townend, “How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.” Indeed.

In becoming a father I’ve developed a strong, almost primal sense of security for our children. Despite sleeping through apocalyptic thunderstorms, if I hear a sound that could be someone coming into our house I jump out of bed and run for the front of the house, simultaneously loathing and pitying the intruder who is about to be attacked by a crazy man. Mind you, the only one to pity is our dog Margot, who is utterly confused as to why her owner is running through the hall in the middle of the night, muttering “Oh no you don’t”. My immediate reaction stems from an immeasurable love for our girls; I would do anything to protect them. This isn’t heroism, it’s simply love. I didn’t choose this love, but it entered my heart the minute I found out Christin was pregnant with our first daughter. This same love welled up inside in October, when my wife Christin shared the news that she was pregnant with our third child.

This is why the past week has been the most difficult of my life. During a routine ultrasound last week, our doctor said “The baby’s heart has stopped.” The shock and grief that accompanied this news was overwhelming and unceasing. In the midst of this pain I feel helpless as a father. There was nothing I could do to help my child. The love that produces the protective nature also brings deep sorrow from this loss.

I’m reminded that it’s impossible to protect my children from all harm, no matter how much I love them. This experience has left me humbled but not hopeless, and I’m looking forward to hearing @PastorTyler preach on Jesus as Everlasting Father. Before studying Isaiah’s passage, I thought this perhaps was a reference to the triune nature of God, stating that He and the Father are one. It’s more than an allusion, as Jesus supersedes the fatherhood of Adam. We are given new life, and in Jesus “you are all sons of God, through faith” (Gal. 3:26). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus stands over us as Father (Heb. 2:13). Unlike an earthly Father, Jesus is perfect in every way, all-powerful and unchallenged as King. Through Him we are children of God, and even death has no power over us (Romans 8:15-16). As we loudly proclaimed in worship through song last Sunday at the West campus of Vintage21 Church, “The man Jesus Christ put death in his grave.” The last word is not my helplessness as a father or this death, but the everlasting fatherhood of Jesus Christ. Therefore my love for our children compels me to pray this would be true for them:

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
(John 1:12-13 ESV)

What about you? Is the idea of Jesus as Everlasting Father comforting or confusing? Any questions you’re hoping @PastorTyler will address with this topic?
To the parents, do you find more comfort in your own abilities or the power of God? Does that change depending on the circumstance?

Many of us at Vintage21 Church have experienced the sorrow of a miscarriage. In going through this I’m reminded of the importance of a church family, both at large and through Community Groups. If you are experiencing this tragedy or another, please let us walk with you in this. Email me at matt at vintage21.com.

Call To Worship
Today we celebrate the second week of Advent, and continue our series on Isaiah’s prophecy found in Isaiah 9:6. How can Jesus be both Mighty God and helpless infant? Our Call to Worship this morning contrasts the mighty power of God in Jesus and the humble role he played in becoming our sin (2 Cor. 5:21)

Leader: “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7)
People: “Whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world.” (Hebrews 1:2)
Leader : “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2)
People: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:3)
All: “And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”

Let us now worship Jesus, Mighty God, through song.

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Words by Charles Wesley, 1745
Music by Rowland Pritchard, 1830
Arrangement by Red Mountain Church

“Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.”

To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born
Words: John Morrison, 187
Music: Bruce Benedict, 2009 cardiphonia.org

This hymn arrangement by Bruce Benedict is one of many amazing songs he’s written, sung and produced. As Worship Director at Christ The King Church here in Raleigh, NC, Bruce leads their congregation in rich liturgies each week. His influence and friendship is valuable to me, and his support is invaluable as we go through our Calvin Grant process. His arrangement of this hymn is so beautiful, several band members said “Can we just play it exactly as it’s recorded?” That is essentially what we did.

This advent hymn is based on Isaiah 9:6, thus making it a theme song of Vintage21 Church’s advent series on the same passage. The recording below was taken from the 6:00 pm service at Vintage21’s West Campus on December 5, 2010. You can find Bruce’s recording of this hymn and others here. Follow @cardiphonia on Twitter!

Sermon: Isaiah 9:6 and Hebrews 1:1-3
@PastorTyler Jones

Death In His Grave
Words and Music by John Mark McMillan
This is not an Advent hymn, but was requested by Pastor Tyler as we study the topic of “Mighty God” in Isaiah 9:6. The following quote, taken from his sermon, explain why we sang this song on this Sunday of “Mighty God”:

He is all the beauty of God, He is all the forgiveness of God. He is all the love of God. He is all the pursuit of God. He is the light of the world. Jesus is the glory of God. Here’s the dumbfounding thing that we must conclude with. 2 Corinthians 5 says that he emptied himself of this glory. He set it aside, and he became the opposite of this glory. He became my lust, and he became my hatred. He became our genocide and he became our rape. He became our most broken things. He became our sin. Why would he do that? How does that resonate in your heart to such a level that you leave different than when you came? In response, we’re going to sing a song, “Death In His Grave”. The words of this song so articulate what Jesus has done.

To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born
Words: John Morrison, 187
Music: Bruce Benedict, 2009 cardiphonia.org

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
This traditional Advent hymn beautifully portrays the tension of this season. We sing longingly “Come, Emmanuel” and also “Rejoice”. The beauty of Advent is the existence that we can rejoice at the saving grace of Jesus the Messiah as we long for his return.

Drums: Joshua Snyder
Bass: Josh Phillips
Keys: Scott Andrews
Lead Guitar: Steven Suits
Vocals: Heather Pond
Vocals, Synth: Kevin Donnelly
Vocals, Guitar: @MattStevensNC

Join us tomorrow as we prepare our hearts for the third Sunday of Advent. @PastorTyler will preach on the name “Everlasting Father” from Isaiah 9:6.

Over the past few weeks on this site we’ve noted the small view of Christmas held by many Christians. Jesus is often relegated to the baby in the manger, with other factors holding equal places of importance – the setting in which He was born, His parents, the guests, even the animals. At best, we recognize that this is an amazing act of God – He sent His only Son to be born as a human! We worship the Father in Heaven but find it difficult to worship the baby. Until Jesus grows up and becomes a man, we’ll stick with the Father and Spirit, thank you very much.

Scripture doesn’t leave this as an option. There are four names Isaiah called the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. The difficulty of understanding these names in relation to Jesus as a helpless baby is natural. How can it be that this baby born in a manger is “Mighty God”? Of the four names Isaiah prophesied this is the most difficult to comprehend. The baby could grow into the roles of counselor, father, and prince, but no one grows into the role of Mighty God. In fact, this isn’t a role at all, but denotes the nature of Jesus. @PastorTyler will be preaching from Hebrews 1:1-3 this week, which reads “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” He does not grow into or earn this; it’s who he is. In addition, each name given in Isaiah 9:6 isn’t something he earns, they describe the nature of Jesus.

That Jesus was born as a helpless babe while being Mighty God in his nature is a testimony to God’s power and mercy. It was necessary that Jesus be both God and man in order to absorb the wrath of God and wash away the sins of every believer. Were his mediation as God alone, he would be unable to live a sinless life as a human on our behalf. Thomas Torrance writes it this way: “…the whole work of reconciliation depends upon the fact that one person acts both from the side of God, and from the side of man, both in his divine acts and in his human acts, and that these acts are really and truly identical in the person of the mediator.” The name “Mighty God” implies that Jesus’ holiness and sinless nature was not earned by his works as an adult. Therefore the Christ child is Mighty God, as is God the Father in heaven who sent His Son and the Holy Spirit who was present. They are the same. He is the triune God. If we miss this, we miss the essence of the Three-in-One God.

In preparing for Sunday, consider the helpless babe in the manger as Mighty God. Do you find this difficult to comprehend or accept? Are there aspects of the Christmas story that distract you from worshiping God?

Join us tomorrow as we introduce a new song we’re singing this Sunday!