This Week at Mountain View

Next Sunday, December 6, is the first Sunday of Advent. The following is a short study for this first Advent:

A thrill of HOPE!



Advent is an expectant waiting & preparation for both celebration of Jesus Christ's birth AND His return at the second coming!

These four Sundays leading up to Christmas have a different focus, to help us remember what the season is REALLY about.

This week is HOPE. The belief that something desired will come true, or about.

READ: Matthew 1:16-25 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Joseph: He had every reason to bolt... and DIDN'T. He is a just, righteous man, who had to decide - trust God's plans or his own hesitancy. He was faithful in the midst of uncertainty because he believed God. Believing that there is a different ending from what is in front of us is HOPE. Like Joseph, our choice to believe in this greater HOPE despite circumstances that tell us otherwise is what defines our faith.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (NKJV)

Right now, this is more relevant than ever. Where have we put HOPE? In the government, the vaccine, or GOD? Think about Joseph this week.

Let the THRILL of HOPE empower you... thrill means charge, as in power. Our Power comes from the HOLY SPIRIT.

December 1 at 7 PM: Beginning this Tuesday, December 1 at 7 PM, we are starting a 30-minute online prayer meeting live. Brother Randy will be hosting the live stream event with the goal of lifting up our church body and prayer requests. You can send prayer requests live in the chat window or send them to the church email address at e633magnesium@outlook.com. Let's take 30 minutes of our Tuesday evenings and spend some time in prayer together. The Live Stream will begin at 7 PM on the church Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/e633magnesium or on the church web page at https://mountainviewag.net