A Note from Michael Gossett
A Note from Michael Gossett
Christmas Cheer (Really?) – How to love people well
There is one thing for certain…. Christmas naturally exposes every family dynamic. This is genuinely a blessing. If you have family and you are able to see them this Christmas, then it is a true blessing. However, what do you do at the Christmas table when crazy Uncle Eddy shows up and short circuits the entire Christmas vibe? Everyone has to come face to face with making a choice this Christmas. You can either give in and become annoyed or you can press in and be loving. In almost every case, this is easier said than done.
And what happens when the crazy Uncle appears in church? He is not your blood relative, but the person that is just difficult to be around. Everyone is tested in this area of life. There will be people in the church with different perspectives on worship styles, and they will have different perspectives on covid protocols. Or they disagree about preaching style or have different perspectives on small groups vs. Sunday school, and different perspectives on voting. They won’t agree with you when it comes to perspectives on tradition, culture, and language. The list will go on and on and on.
We know we need to love our “family” because they are our family. But, what about your church family? Jesus told his disciples, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35).
There are times that this comes naturally, even in our own families, but then there are times that this becomes really difficult. You have probably heard old adages like, “I love you, but I don’t have to like you.” Maybe you have heard, “I love you, but I don’t have to be around you.” Or maybe “I can love you and not go to church with you.” These are adages that I have personally heard over my ten plus years of pastoral ministry. The old adages actually make sense. Maybe, it is better to stay away from those you cannot “love” well, or at least stay away from the ones that you cannot get along with. Is this what Jesus had in mind?
Jesus said, “The world will know that you belong to Him, if you love one another.” Jesus did not say, “avoid one another so you don’t argue.” He did not say, “love the easy ones and deal with the difficult ones.” He did not say, “Do your best to bite your tongue.” No, Jesus said, “Love one another.” With any family, even more so with our church family, this seems to be a wearisome task if not an impossible task for you and for me. Do you believe the words of Jesus to be true? I do, and I know you do. Do you believe that the commands of Christ are to be kept? I do, and I know you do. Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourselves. Loving others is a big deal to Jesus and it will be one of the greatest reflections of His love in our own lives.
It is only through the power of Christ in us, that this impossible task becomes possible. Jesus said that if we depend on our own ability and our own power, salvation is impossible and loving others is impossible as well. But with Christ, all things are possible (see Matthew 19:23-26). If this is supposed to be the way we live, how does this become our reality in our own families, our own lives, and in our church as brothers and sisters?
Unity is possible. Do you believe this? I believe the early church gave us such great clarity on the possibility of unity as Jesus describes. The expectation is very clear and the way it is accomplished is just as clear. The early church emerged from all different types of religious customs, cultural preferences, and personal expectations of what the church should be and how they should live together. The early church was not immune to their own “wars” among them. There were different moral convictions that emerged as we see Paul write about the use of drinking wine or eating meat. There were different statuses economically among them with the slave and with the free. However, because of their differences and through their differences, they were unified. The night before the cross, Jesus prayed, “I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.” (John 17:23)
For the first church, there were difficulties that arose among them that caused friction and discord. Personal preferences and differences continued to emerge through the centuries and they exist today. However, in spite of our differences we can be ONE together because Jesus lives in us. This is the reality for those who believe in Jesus. You and I will never be united around styles of worship, song selection, preaching styles, Christmas tradition, politics, or any other “difference” among us. We will be united in one thing… Jesus.
Remember this truth as you gather with your family this Christmas. Jesus is our purpose. His mission is our calling. His love is our motivation. It is true of your family gatherings and it must be true of our church gatherings. Jesus came to the earth in the form of a baby so that He may live in those who believe in Him. Because He came, because He died, because He rose again, because He lives, WE can be united in Him. What a blessing Christmas truly is. We are a JESUS Church! Therefore, we will always be a united church not only during Christmas, but every season, every circumstance, every trial, and every difference.
I love you, church, and I am grateful to be your pastor!
I am excited to offer you a great deal! People often ask me what devotion I recommend to supplement their Bible reading. I am grateful to be a contributing author to a highly recommended daily devotional that will be available for purchase in the lobby of the church this Sunday! The book is a daily devotional packaged in a nice leather-bound style that will last you. They are priced at $24.99 per book, but we are able to sell them to you for yourself, or as a GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT for only $15.00 per book with an even BETTER deal at two for $25.00. You read correctly, we have them priced so that you can purchase two for the price of one! Just in case you are wondering, no proceeds go to me, but go to ministry purposes only. Get your copies Sunday or any day of the week during church business hours.
This Sunday at Green Acres
I am excited to worship with you! You can join us at the Tyler Campus at 9:30 or 11:00 for Worship, 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 Connect Groups, our Flint Campus at 9:30 and 11:00 for Worship and Connect Groups and our Español Campus at 9:30 for Connect Groups and 11:00 for Worship in CrossWalk.
As you pray and seek the Lord about your year-end giving, consider going above and beyond in two areas:
(1) Our annual World Mission Offering! We are currently almost 60% of the way there, and we have lots of ground to cover to reach our goal of $1,000,000.
(2) Pray about how you can help with our GENERAL BUDGET. We are currently around $400,000 behind our budget goal. Would you consider helping us reach our budget goal? Praise be to the Lord that our staff and committees have helped navigate our costs to keep our expenses below budget. Thank you for considering and praying how you can give! We cannot wait to see you this Sunday for worship as we continue in our sermon series, “God with Us!”
Christmas at Green Acres
I’m so excited to invite you to our GABC Community Night of Worship! Tonight (December 15), we will gather for a Christmas Night of Worship for the whole community! This incredible evening of Christmas worship will be led by our entire Worship Ministry, all campuses, and languages, along with some special guests! Join us at 7pm in the Tyler Campus Worship Center!
One of my most favorite Christmas traditions for our family is to attend the Christmas Eve service together. This Christmas Eve Service will include great worship, a sweet moment for the Kids, an opportunity to participate in the Lord’s Supper, as well as a candlelight component. It will be a great time for your entire family! This year our Christmas Eve services will be during our morning worship times at 9:30am and 11am at Tyler and Flint Campuses and Espanol Campus at 11:00am. There will be NO Connect Groups on Christmas Eve. Childcare is provided for preschool and special needs children. I hope that you are making plans to join us for this special Christmas Eve tradition!
Cannot wait to see you tonight and this Sunday!
You are loved and you are prayed for!
Michael Gossett