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DECEMBER 5-7, 2020
2020 FAITH TODAY
Faith Today
C2-No matter what, take comfort in knowing we have Jesus C2-A faithful God for an uncertain year C3-The universal God C3-Comparing the birth of Christ to the new birth
THE SUMTER ITEM
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2020 FAITH TODAY
DECEMBER 5-7, 2020
THE SUMTER ITEM
A faithful God for an uncertain year
BY THE REV. ZACH SOMERVILLE Associate minister, Trinity Missionary Baptist Church As we embark upon the Christmas season and 2020 comes to a close, we have learned this year, as the author Derek Hough, states, “The only thing certain in life is uncertainty.” In the year depicted as the year of clear vision; many of
us never expected to see the COVID-19 pandemic and its overarching effects. Job losses, financial and relational setbacks, dreams shattered, overwhelming health issues and the death of many celebrities and loved ones. Overall, I think we all can admit 2020 has been a year where we have been blinded by bitter disappointments, senseless acts of violence and, as my favorite poet, Langston Hughes, would say, “our dreams deferred.” We can see clearly that this year has been a year filled with uncertainty. This holiday season has left many of us scared, anxious and filled with worry. This Thanksgiving has presented us with unforeseen challenges. We are not able to hear the familiar sounds of family and friends cooking in the kitchen, sharing wisdom and laughter. We sorely miss the camaraderie of cheering on favorite teams and sharing family stories. This year, many may be left to
reminisce about the days of watching favorite Christmas movies, caroling and opening gifts with family as they are home alone, stressed, depressed and wondering will things get better and if the uncertainty will ever end. But, I want to encourage you that, despite the uncertainties we face, there is one thing that is certain: God has still been faithful and will continue to be faithful. In Lamentations 3:23, it simply says “great is thy faithfulness.” Jeremiah wrote this Scripture in a time when Jerusalem had fallen, when the temple had been destroyed, and many of the people were cast into exile. Jeremiah found the time to put pen to the paper and give us hope. He says, simply, if we can’t count on anything else; we can count on God’s faithfulness. There is so much power in those words. If we look at the plight of our world today,
the hundreds of thousands of people passing away due to COVID-19, the racial tensions that have eroded our country, despite so much uncertainty I can wholeheartedly say God has still been faithful. Through it all, God’s love and compassion always prevails and always shows up when we need it most. Remember if you lose a loved one, God is still faithful. If your marriage is on the rocks or relationships fall apart, God is still faithful. If you lose a job, if you begin to have health scares, God is still faithful. Why? Because things could be so much worse. To know that God is there for us through every season no matter who we are or what we have done should give you a sense of peace and relief. We must remember a lot of things have happened that we have no control over, but what we do have control over is how we respond to the uncertainty. This Christmas season,
don’t let fear and uncertainty get you stuck in a place that you can’t get yourself out of. Instead, use this time to push yourself to love harder and to strive to make your goals and dreams a reality. Use these uncertain times to grow closer to your families, strengthen your relationships and marriages. Parents: take this time to hold your kids a little tighter. Spouses: reminisce about why and how you fell in love with your mate. Grandkids: take time to check on your grandparents. We should all use this time to love on and encourage ourselves to be better than we were before this pandemic. I believe that if we do these things, we will all experience amazing exponential growth in the midst of this time of uncertainty. Always remember there is nothing more certain than us knowing that God loves us.
No matter what, take comfort in knowing we have Jesus
BY DR. JOEY DURHAM Open Bible Baptist Church
The Christmas message that my Lord has laid upon my heart for you today is, “Unto you is born a Saviour.” In Luke 2:10-12 we read, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” (KJV) Here in this passage, the angelic host has set the skies ablaze over the hills of Judea, and they are rejoicing over the message of great hope that they have the privilege to give to the shepherds. Please notice that this message wasn’t given in an ornate palace to the social elite of Rome’s grand Empire. This message of peace and hope was given to lowly shepherds who received it and then went and spread the good news to anyone and everyone who would hear it. If I could please, I would like to present
Loring Mill Campus Dec 23 & 24 5 PM 1305 Loring Mill Rd.
a message of deliverance, hope and peace to the precious people of our community all because of the birth of the babe in Bethlehem’s manger on that night when the angels said to the shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” What does the word “Saviour” in this passage mean? It literally means, “God the Deliverer.” In other words, God Almighty robed Himself in a body of flesh and entered into a world of precious people, people that He so loved, people that were hurting and needing deliverance that only God Himself could provide. The grand purpose of God at Christmastime is wrapped up in the words of John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV) Mary wrapped God’s gift of love to the world that night when she wrapped God’s only begotten Son in swaddling clothes.
Unto me, unto you and unto the whole world is born God’s deliverer from sin and from all of the harm that comes from sin. When a person has Jesus Christ as their Saviour, then they also have a personal shepherd who has promised to supply for their every need, a shepherd who will never leave them nor forsake them, a shepherd who will be a friend that will stick closer than a brother and a shepherd who will comfort in the darkest hours of life. When that angel uttered the words that night “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord,” the greatest hope and peace that any person could ever experience in this life was made available by the God of Heaven because only Jesus can satisfy the soul. I want to take this opportunity to wish our entire Sumter community a Merry Christmas, and may you experience and enjoy the peace of God that passeth all understanding this Christmas Season.
Pocalla Campus Pocalla Property Dec 24 @ 5 PM 65 Masters Dr.
Bring a chair and come enjoy a short candle-lighting celebration of the birth of Christ! There will be plenty of room for social distancing.
2020 FAITH TODAY
THE SUMTER ITEM
DECEMBER 5-7, 2020
The universal God
BY PASTOR JAMES BLASSINGAME Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church Sumter In I Kings 20:28, we read, “And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, ‘The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.’” In our text, the Syrians had come together to fight the children of Israel. They concluded that God was a God the hills only. He did not nor could not
win in the valley. The Syrians said Israel looks like two little flocks of kids. The Syrians said, “Their gods are gods of the hill, therefore they were stronger than we, but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” This was a profound mistake the Syrian soldier made. I fear that the whole world is making the same mistake that these soldiers made. But for the sake of discussion, what if we wanted God to be a God of sorrows, despair, tragedies and gloomy situations, and say that we can fight for ourselves on the mountains? There are those who confine God to the hills of speculation but exclude Him from the valleys of daily life. He is too great to be realized. They are saying that God will not come down to everyday experiences and take an immediate part in the common progress of life. They say He is great but useless. He is glorious but unapproachable. His sanctuary is on hills that cannot be climbed or in clouds that cannot be entered, but He has no agency in the valleys. Then, there are those who
recognize God in the valleys of trouble but ignore Him on the hills of strength and joy. They call Him in as a professional. He is kept for the hour of distress. They use religion as a night bell that they can pull in times of exigency. He is sympathetic, pensive, helpful, but in the hour of progress and festival and conquest, He is neither needed nor called for. People make a convenience of God. God is a God of our prosperity as with our adversity. He giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the rigtheous; He is a buckler to them that walk up rightly. God is a God of hills and the valley. There are those that contend that God is a God of fair weather; but useless in foul weather. He is sufficient for the whole life. He is equally strong at every point.
He brings righteousness out of unrighteousness. He does as it pleaseth Him. He does not need numbers. Two fish and five loaves of bread. Not 30,000; But 300 faithful dedicated, warriors are sufficient. His power is everywhere. In the sickroom or a courtroom. On the cross or in the grave. He’s God in Jerusalem, and He’s God down in Egypt. He’s God at the Red Sea, and He’s God in the wilderness. Wherever you are, He’s God. He’s universal. Don’t make the mistake of thinking He’s just the God of the hills. The Syrians made the mistake of believing that God only works on the hills. He works there, too. It was om a hill called Calvary where He botted out the ordi-
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nances that were against us and nailed it to His cross. But He worked also in the valley of Ajalon. He caused the sun to stand still. He’s universal. Wherever I go, it does not matter. On the Sea of Galilee, down in Nain, in Cana of Galilee, up in Tyre and Sidon, where He gave the woman the crumbs. So, when you are going through your valley experiences, just know He’s there. He is an omnipresent God. David said, “If I ascend into heaven, He’s there, if I make my bed in hell, He’s there, wherever I go God is. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the outermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy hand hold me” (Psalm 139:810). Whatever your problems are; and wherever they are, God is able!
If I ascend into heaven, He’s there, if I make my bed in hell, He’s there, wherever I go God is. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the outermost parts of the sea, even —(Psalm 139:8-10). there shall Thy hand hold me”
Comparing the birth of
Christ
to the new birth BY PASTOR RON DAVIS Sumter Bible Church
Let us consider five concepts surrounding the birth of a baby, in particular the birth of Jesus. The first concept is that of rejoicing. Mary said in Luke 1:47, “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” We also see rejoicing in the birth of John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus. “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.” (Luke 1:12-14). It was this John who was the first to rejoice in the coming of Jesus, and he did it when both were unborn
children still in the womb! See Luke 1:44. When a person trusts Jesus as his personal Savior and is born into the Kingdom of God, there is great rejoicing in heaven. Luke 15:10 says, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” As a sidenote, notice it say “repents” not “believe” only. Repentance is needed for salvation. The demons believe (James 2:19), but they are not saved because they have not repented. Anyone who says he believes and continues in a lifestyle of sin has not repented, and thus, has not been born into the family of God. The second concept surrounding the birth of a baby is that of delivery. The delivery of a baby requires great strength. Mary, in her “Song of Praise” acknowledged that when she proclaimed, “He hath showed strength with his arm…” (Luke 1:51). When a person is born into the kingdom of God, he is delivered from death unto new life. Birth is all about a new life. Jesus went into death and rose again to deliver us from sin and from the eternal con-
sequence of hell, the ultimate destiny of all who are not delivered from sin through Christ. Concerning Jesus, 2 Corinthians 1:10 testifies, “Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” The “good news” is that no matter how much you have sinned, Jesus can still deliver you from hell and deliver you to salvation in heaven forever. The third concept surrounding the birth of a baby is that of naming the baby! It seems every prospective mother is asked “Have you picked out a name?” There is great joy and fun that comes with naming a baby. But for Mary and Joseph, the name had already been chosen for them. Matthew 1:21 says concerning Mary, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” The name Jesus means Savior, for He is the only Savior in the world. Jesus is the only way to God. After a person is born into the family of God, it is important that we do not bring shame and reproach to the name of Christ,
as we call ourselves “Christians.” Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Ecclesiastes 7:1 says, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.” The fourth concept surrounding the birth of a baby is that of fulfillment. The “due date” is also a question that is often asked. God had a “due date” in mind for Jesus to be born. He knew this before the creation of Adam and Eve. The date that Mary’s delivery would be was right on time. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” There are no miscarriages with God. Herod and others could not thwart God’s plan of salvation through Jesus from being fulfilled. No one can thwart the fulfillment or completion of the new birth when one is born into the kingdom of God. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ.” The fifth concept surrounding the birth of a baby is that of resemblance. Who does the baby look like - his sibling, his mother, his father? Jesus was the exact image (resemblance) of the Father. Hebrews 1:3 says, speaking of the resemblance of Jesus to God, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” As Christians, we should resemble our heavenly Father. Since the day we were born spiritually, God has been transforming us into His likeness. Every person is born for a reason: to reflect and resemble the image of God. But because of sin we could not resemble God. Therefore, God sent His Son Jesus (the Savior) to die in our place so that we could have a new birth and see these five concepts developed in our own lives. How much do you resemble our heavenly Father? Is it more than last Christmas?
MAYESVILLE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 109 W. Sumter St., Mayesville, SC www.mayesvillearpc.org (803) 453-5759 Brian C. Peake, Pastor Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. • • • •
We are open for in-person worship on Sundays. Entry is by the side door only, beginning at 10:45. Masks and social distancing guidelines are required. All guidelines are posted at www.mayesvillearpc.org. Due to the pandemic, Sunday school classes are not being held at this time. We regret that, due to the pandemic, our annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will not be held this year.
“Life is Good in Sumter,” is an annual community guide that showcases local businesses and residents of Sumter. It also serves as a resource guide to newcomers.
Advertise today Karen Cave karen@theitem.com
Mark Pekuri mark@theitem.com
Devin McDonald devin@theitem.com
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2020 FAITH TODAY
DECEMBER 5-7, 2020
THE SUMTER ITEM
Come experience the wonder of
Christ!
Christmas at C H R I S T
C O M M U N I T Y
C H U R C H
Reserve a seat at www.cccsumter.com/christmas
christmas eve services on december 23 at 5pm & 7pm december 24 at 4pm & 5:30pm
LOCATED AT 320 LORING MILL ROAD SUMTER, SC 29150