Faith Today 2018

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018

2018 FAITH TODAY

Faith • Celebrating Jesus can be a year-round tradition • Make worship an integral part of the holiday season • Hear the angels sing • Legacy remains in Jewish History Center • and more

Today

THE SUMTER ITEM

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2018 FAITH TODAY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018

THE SUMTER ITEM

Bah humbug! …

Well, bless your heart

BY CHRIS MOORE Interim Pastor, Bible Fellowship Church STOP AND THINK Do you ever wish that the holidays would just hurry up and pass on by?

If you do, then you’re not alone. On the other hand, if post-Thanksgiving is your “season” and all the food, festivities and family gatherings energize you, will you take time to see things from a different perspective this year?

Remember there are those who aren’t as excited about the “most wonderful time of the year” as you are. This group struggles to find the joy of the season, and they are all around us.

Here are a few things I hope you’ll remember this Christmas season.

First, their “Bah humbug!” shouldn’t be taken personally. Sometimes there is something deeper.

I’ve been taught when I’m

caught off guard by someone’s unexpected response to simply ask, “Tell me more” or “Tell me why.”

Ask. Then listen. If they want to talk, they will. If they aren’t up for a conversation, remember some people can’t vocalize what they’re feeling, and that’s OK, too. Remember to give them space and extend grace.

Secondly, remember that people are at different stages of life and you never know what the past 11 months have thrown their way. This could be their first Christmas without a loved one who has passed away or they could be miles away from a family member for the first time, wishing they were still together. They could be between jobs. They might be struggling with an illness. They could even be ashamed that they want to buy you something or pay for your meal but don’t have the means to do so.

Honestly, they may just be an introvert. And there are those who may not believe what you believe.

So, just because someone isn’t “merry and bright” doesn’t mean that they hate you and your favorite season.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? For followers of Christ, Jesus is the reason for the season. Now, obviously I’m not telling you anything you haven’t already heard before, but can I

invite you to lean in, open your mind and heart and keep reading?

As a man for whom Christ died, I believe that Jesus came to save all mankind – there is no one so far that the hand of God can’t reach and redeem them. Jesus came without pomp and circumstance. He came as a lowly babe, wrapped in cloths and laid in a feeding trough – a place where animals had probably come hours before for a drink or something to eat. What a picture of who Jesus is!

He is the bread of life and living water for all those who hunger and thirst.

His birth was a humble birth. It was also a miracle and gift from God to all mankind. Christ’s arrival is worthy to be celebrated, then and now, but thank God the story doesn’t stop there.

Jesus knew his purpose.

His purpose was you.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE Recently one morning as I was reading my Bible, I was reminded of a truth that sparked me to share these thoughts.

The Apostle John gives us a wonderful picture of Jesus’s humanness while he was on His earthly journey. In John, Chapter 11, as Jesus is surrounded by his friends after the death of their friend Lazarus we read, “… Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with

her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled … Jesus wept.”

Friends, this Christmas, if you are weeping, you don’t weep alone. Jesus weeps with you.

What a blessing John’s Gospel is to us some 2,000 years later. Your Savior is one who can sympathize with you. He knows pain.

He knows suffering. He knows loss. Rest in those facts. Take comfort in those truths. Find hope to go on because Jesus knows, and Jesus cares.

More than 700 years before Christ, the Prophet Isaiah spoke these words: “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).”

This Christmas, remind yourself that you’re not just celebrating a baby but the entire story of our Savior who came on a specific mission, which was to save you and me!

Remember that not only can Jesus understand your pain – He felt pain in the death of this friend, Lazarus, and He endured the suffering of the cross – but His very name points to the fact that He is with us. Look to Jesus this Christmas season to find hope, and rest in the One Person who can perfectly understand all that you have or are currently going through. He is with us!

Simple suggestions to help those around you who may be struggling through the holidays this year: • Give them space.

• Extend grace.

• Pray for them.

• Invite them into a conversation.

• Listen.

• Just be present.

They don’t always need your advice.

• Acknowledge their pain.

• Don’t judge them.

• Ask them if there is something else that they’d rather go and do.

• Encourage and love them.

• Remind them that Jesus loves and is with them. That you love them, too.

Celebrating Jesus can be a year-round tradition

BY DELMAR PEET Pastor to Students and Families, Alice Drive Baptist Church Ok, let’s have this conversation. I know what I’m about to ask is polarizing, and I may have to suffer the consequences, but here is the question. When is it okay to decorate for Christmas? Seriously.

When is it ok!? Some say not before Thanksgiving.

Some say after Black Friday. Me? I may have been seen decorating my house for Christmas on Halloween a couple years ago.

Regardless of when we decorate, I know that for many of us traditions affect everything. We put up the tree on Thanksgiving day at my parents house because that is when we always have.

An educated guess would surmise that putting up the Christmas tree isn’t the only tradition either! For many it’s going to Swan Lake to see the lights. For many, it’s going to a relative’s house …or them coming to yours! For some, it is finally having an excuse to eat that one extra cookie. I had a pretty elaborate tradition of figuring out what I was getting for Christmas growing up, but that is for another time. Regardless, one thing is true. Traditions are good! Traditions are the moments today

that turn into the memories for tomorrow.

It makes sense that Christmas naturally has traditions. It is, after all, built on the tradition of remembering Jesus Christ’s birth. In my house, no Christmas is complete without reading the Christmas story and going to a Christmas Eve service. No Christmas is complete without somehow hearing about our Savior’s birth. I think that is great! Merry Christmas!

So let me ask another polarizing question. Can you be too weird about Christmas spirit? I know right now there is a professor at North Greenville University who ends every conversation with “Merry Christmas.” I’m not kidding. You graduate, “Merry Christmas.” Your car breaks down and you call him for help, “Merry Christmas.” It’s Easter, “Merry Christmas!” I think that can seem a little

much and a little extreme, but at the same time I have to admit that I think he’s on to something.

See, as humans, most of our life events fit nicely into boxes so we can celebrate them as a tradition and move on (birthdays, marriages, anniversaries, etc.). It’s only human that celebrating Jesus’ birth would be similar. Here is a date. Here is an event.

Boom! Christmas. However, I have come to experience that, as humans, we carry daily brokenness, shame, and sin (wrong doing). Our brokenness doesn’t fit nicely into any box. It lingers and changes us. So what we need is not another tradition but something that lingers and changes us.

The truth is that Christmas story is only part of the amazing story known as the gospel story. It’s the story of our God coming down to earth and dying on a cross to pay the price

for our sin and shame. After dying on that cross, He resurrected from the dead and is eagerly waiting for you to know Him! He offers you forgiveness of sin and hope in the midst of your brokenness. We are in need of this love and grace every single day. His story isn’t a story we only celebrate on Christmas and Easter. No, His story needs to be a part of our story every single day of our lives!

So, today I want to challenge you to start a new tradition.

Don’t wait until Christmas to celebrate Jesus birth.

Don’t wait until next Christmas to once more thank Him for loving you well.

Start right now. Keep doing it until you meet Him. Until then, Merry Christmas.

Make worship an integral part of the holiday season FROM METRO

The hustle and bustle of the often hectic holiday season can make it easy to overlook religion during this special time of year.

Come the holidays, adherents of Judaism celebrate Chanukah while many Christians celebrate Christmas. Though different, the two holidays share some similarities.

In celebration of Chanukah, families gather for an eight-day commemoration to honor the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem and a miracle in which a small amount of oil illuminated a menorah for eight days. Perhaps because it falls

during the holiday season, Chanukah has become one of the most well-known Jewish celebrations, even for those who do not adhere to the Jewish faith.

For devout Christians, Christmas isn’t about eggnog and Santa Claus. Christmas (Christ’s Mass) is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the son of God. Christmas is a day of great joy in the Christian faith because it marks the beginning of Jesus’ time on earth.

Both Chanukah and Christmas, while joyous celebrations, are laced with solemnity. The Second Jewish Temple was dese-

crated by Greek-Syrians who had erected an altar to Zeus and sacrificed pigs within its sacred walls.

At this point in time, Jews had to practice their faith in secret, reading the Torah underground and using dreidels to simulate games and confuse Greek soldiers. However, the Jews, led by a small group of rebels known as the Maccabees, persevered, marking the joy of Chanukah for years to come.

The period leading up to Christmas known as Advent is a time for repentance and preparation for the grace and miracle of Jesus’ birth. According to Christianity.com, the word “advent”

is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” meaning “coming.”

Advent is a time to both reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Much like Lent, Advent is intended to be a season of fasting, prayer and reaching out to God. During the holiday season, houses of worship customarily host prayer sessions and special holiday-related events. The faithful are encouraged to participate in these events in celebration of their faith.

Prayer can help remove distractions during the holiday season, helping individuals reconnect with the true meaning of the holiday season.

2018 FAITH TODAY

THE SUMTER ITEM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018

Hear the angels sing

BY NICK CHEEK Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Sumter Have you ever given someone close to you a special Christmas gift that made you more excited to give than to receive? As with every great and wonderful gift, keeping it a secret can prove to be challenging. You do your best to wrap it all up when no one is looking and keep it hidden under a blanket in the closet or in the attic until it’s time. The excitement just grows and grows until, finally, on Christmas morning, you see the face of your loved one light up with joy while it is being opened.

On that first Christmas Eve long ago, the heavens were filled with a similar excitement. As the baby Jesus let out his first cry, a celebration began. Shouts of joy filled the heavenly courts, and exuberant choruses of angels sang songs of praise. In fact, there was so much excitement that even God couldn’t keep this precious gift a secret for long. At the proper time, God flung open the gates of heaven, sending angels into the world. Off they went, swiftly flying through the space and time in order to proclaim the good news. But where would they end up, and whom would they tell? Would they find their way to the courts of a king or someone with great political power? No. The angels pass by the King. But what about the rich? Surely, the angel’s journey would end at the

front door of a luxurious mansion ornately decorated with gold – the home of someone famous and perfectly polished. No. The angels flew past the rich. What of the religiously devout – the priests, the pastors and the pious? Might the angels land beneath a prominent steeple in town? Again, no. But if not the powerful, if not the rich, if not the religious, then who were these angels searching for that night? Who were they so excited to tell?

On the edge of a hill, in the quiet wilderness just outside of Bethlehem, the angels locate their main audience. They are lowly shepherds resting in fields keeping watch over their flock by night. Suddenly, a bright light engulfs the darkness, and heaven is finally given its chance to celebrate with earth.

The host of angels sing together, “We bring you good news of great joy for all people. In the city of David a child is born to you, the Messiah. Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace to all!”

Low and behold, God was most excited to share this incredible gift first with those whose roof was the canopy of the stars – with folks who oftentimes were labeled as outcasts by others. On that night, God’s love went searching for the ones who society often forgets.

Love came looking for the humble, the meek and the poor; the homeless, the refugee and the migrant.

That is where the angels were headed that night.

The Christmas story of God sending angels to shepherds is a reminder to us all that the gift of Emmanuel is not for a select few.

Rather, it is for everyone, especially the lowly. This news of great joy is to be shared in our homes by the fireplace, but also in the alleyways of our city streets. This news is to be shared in our warm candlelit sanctuaries, but also with those who need a warm place to rest their heads. This gift is to be

shared at our dinner tables with family but also at our neighborhood soup kitchen with strangers.

It is to be shared at the boarders of our nations and in the brokenness of our hearts.

There is where you will truly

hear angels singing this Christmas season. So, what are you waiting for? Go! Go and spread the exciting news. Go and share the gift.

Go into the places where angels are singing and maybe, just maybe, you will hear it too: “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace to all!”

Trinity United Methodist Church 226 West Liberty Street; Sumter, SC 29150 Senior Pastor: Reverend Joseph James, Jr. Associate Pastor of Discipleship: Reverend Angela Marshall

Sunday Worship at 8:45 am & 11:00 am | Sunday School at 9:45 am

Special Events December 2nd

3:00 pm

December 6:00 - 8:00 pm th th th 7 ,8 &9 December 16th 11:00 am

Festival of Choirs presented by the Woman’s Afternoon Music Club The Living Christmas Story

One Worship Service | Sunday School at 9:45 am Children’s Music Ministry: Christmas Program (During Worship)

4 :00 pm

Handel’s Messiah presented by the Sumter Christmas Chorale One Worship Service | Sunday School at 9:45 am Trinity Choirs present: Classic Christmas followed by Lessons and Carols

December 23rd

11:00 am 4:30 pm

December 24th

3:00 pm 5:00 pm

Christmas Eve Living Nativity Worship Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion Worship

December 30th

11:00 am

One Worship Service | Sunday School at 9:45 am

The Living Christmas Story: A Drive-Thru Bethlehem Experience

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2018 FAITH TODAY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018

THE SUMTER ITEM

Legacy remains in Jewish History Center

BY ANNIE RIVERS Executive Director, Sumter County Museum Since it opened in June, Sumter’s Temple Sinai Jewish History Center has welcomed about 1,500 visitors of all ages, ethnicities and religions. We have had groups visit from local churches, various synagogues in South Carolina, public and private schools, retirement homes and other local service organizations. As word of mouth continues to spread about the center, we receive more and more calls from groups around the state that want to visit.

Despite this enthusiasm, we still often encounter residents who do not realize Sumter has a Jewish History Center or even that the city has a synagogue. The state of South Carolina, including the city of Sumter, has a Jewish heritage. Did you know that Charleston had the largest Jewish population in North America in 1800? Several of these families decided to travel inland and make Sumter home, starting with the Solomons around 1815.

From the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, vital nearby rail lines made Sumter a thriving retail, textile and

manufacturing center in the area, and there was a steady Jewish presence at the heart of it.

As in many small-town southern communities, however, the latter half of the 20th century saw the congregation dwindle.

Younger generations of Temple Sinai families left for bigger cities. The ease of assimilation in Sumter contributed to the decline in congregation membership; as interfaith marriage became more common and children were raised in other faiths.

While the Jewish presence has significantly declined in Sumter recently, the legacy of the families’ contributions persists.

Do you remember shopping downtown as a child? What stores did you visit? Did you buy clothes or shoes at Brody’s? Purchase gifts at Naomi and Warner? Did you visit Dr. Rubin for your annual eye exam? Have you enjoyed taking in shows at the Sumter Little Theatre or exploring the beautiful exhibits at the Sumter County Gallery of Art? Sumter’s Jews once owned many of the businesses that line Main Street.

They worked as doctors, lawyers and teachers and were prominent in many other professions. They

contributed financially and served on the boards of local service and art organizations and even helped start several of them. Many served the community as local and state officials.

Though Temple Sinai still holds services today, members thoughtfully acknowledged several years ago that they had to accept that the congregation isn’t growing and that something needed to be done to care for their beautiful, historic 1913 synagogue if the day ever came when they would cease to congregate.

This is one of the reasons we created the Jewish History Center. We wanted others to have the opportunity to view the remarkable stained glass windows, a true Sumter treasure, for years to come. More importantly, however, we wanted to ensure that the historic memory of this portion of the people and their contributions would be preserved and not lost to future generations of Sumterites. Our mission is to remember, celebrate and share Jewish history with the people of Sumter and their visitors.

A large portion of the Jewish History Center focuses on the Holocaust,

including the story of a beloved Sumter resident, Abe Stern, who is a survivor. As violent episodes of antisemitism grow around the world, reports of the Holocaust being removed from history textbooks also increase. We aim to teach the lessons of this horrific event so as not to forget. We want to be a resource for local schools to help students fathom the realities of the Holocaust. In a world filled with violence and hate, the center strives to encourage an appreciation of different religions and backgrounds.

The center’s main exhibition is divided into seven sections: Discover Judaism, Finding a Place; Jewish Immigrants Arrive in South Carolina; Jewish Life in Sumter; the Holocaust; Sumter Connections to the Holocaust; a Holocaust reflection area; and Congregation Sinai.

After going through the galleries, visitors can pick up a guide to their walk through the sanctuary and marvel at the extraordinary stained glass windows. Guests also can view Sumter’s Holocaust memorial, recently relocated from the former site of the city and county government offices to the grounds of the temple,

where it enjoys greater visibility.

We chose the word “center” to call attention to the fact that it is more than a static exhibit. We are busy planning educational programming, including lectures and even a chamber musical performance in 2019. Our education manager, Amanda Cox, is working on lesson plans and field trip guides for teachers. While the exhibit installation is mostly permanent, portions will change, and artifacts will rotate over time. We are very excited to announce that we will be renovating the former Sunday School wing to make space for traveling and rotating exhibits, classroom programs and receptions.

We hope you will visit the Jewish History Center soon. As the only permanent exhibit on the Holocaust between Richmond and Atlanta, we reach a large region; but our mission centers on the Sumter community. Reach out to your organizations and consider scheduling a group tour and supporting part of what makes Sumter unique.

The Temple Sinai Jewish History Center is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Not available during those times or want to schedule a group visit? We are happy to accommodate you.

Please give us our Jewish History Center site manager, Diana Roof, a call at (803)468-8630. Looking for a gift for a Jewish friend?

We’ve recently expanded our gift shop. Interested in experiencing a Jewish service? Temple Sinai holds Shabbat services every other Friday at 7pm.

All are welcome. For more information, please visit our website at www.sumtercountymuseum.org.

Oops! I Forgot!

BY MARK YODER Lead Pastor, Christ Community Church It’s only happened once, but once is enough.

I was early in my teens and Christmas morning had come as usual. One present was opened the night before; got to bed fairly late; got up Christmas morning as soon as I began to hear noises.

Mom made everyone a quick breakfast, which we ate with enough speed to get to “the main event,” but not so fast that we appeared ungrateful or greedy. And then came the presents.

I’m not sure what your tradition entails in regard to opening presents, but our family’s practice meant we went around a circle so everyone could watch everyone else unwrap their presents. As we were about midway through the unwrapping, it hit me. Oh no!

Among our siblings, we had exchanged lists and each drawn one name out of the hat before Christmas. That is who we were responsible for providing a gift. And as we sat there unwrapping our presents, I realized I had totally forgotten to get my sisterin-law, whose name I had drawn, a gift! What in the world do you do to cover

that up?!

I remembered that on her list she had placed “a set of mixing bowls.” So in a flurry, I got up from “the unwrapping circle,” went into my mom’s pantry closet where she already had a fairly new set of stainless steel mixing bowls. Do you know how long it takes a 13–year old to wrap mixing bowls?

Not long. It didn’t look great, but it was a gift. I did my best to subtly slide it among the other gifts as they were now close to being finished. You should have seen my mom’s face when my sister-in-law unwrapped her bowls!

To this day, we’ve never talked about me forgetting her gift. She certainly had to know, but she was more than gracious to not complain or humiliate me about forgetting. My mother, on the other hand, held that against me for a bit!

But I gotta be honest – it’s not the last time I’ve forgotten a Christmas present. This entire gift-giving tradition surrounding Christmas is quite unique. We give gifts to each other as a way to celebrate the birth of Christ. We’re not talking about gifts to the One whose birth we celebrate; we’re talking about gifts to each other. Quite different.

How many Christmases have come and gone without us giving a gift to the One who is most worthy of receiving a gift? Has Christ even made your list of those to get gifts for?

So, what do you give to One who needs nothing?

To One who has everything? Early in the history of God’s work with a fallen mankind, He expressed His desire, “Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I

am the Lord your God…” (Exodus 6:7). God wants a people who will represent Him to the world.

Here’s a quick note: “people” here doesn’t just mean plural of “person.”

He doesn’t just want “a whole bunch of persons” – He wants a people. So, this Christmas, how about giving to the Savior born in a manger what He has always wanted – a people.

Be a part of the people He leads. Unite with others to be molded by Jesus into His image, worshipping Him in joy and gratitude, reflecting Him to a world that He also wants to join in being a part of His people.

Don’t be a forgetful 13-year old this Christmas. Be thoughtful to give to Christ what God has always wanted. Join in a church gathering together, yearning to be the people He longs to lead.

2018 FAITH TODAY

THE SUMTER ITEM

Why Jesus Came!

BY LARRY C. WESTON Pastor, Trinity Missionary Baptist Church Philippians 2:5-11– 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father Unsaved people can’t celebrate Christmas because they don’t have a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We must understand the incarnate (God in the flesh), and pre-incarnate (Before Jesus became man in the flesh). God is co-equal, co-existent in the flesh.

Jesus is not merely like God; Jesus is God! Jesus is our Emmanuel; God with us. When Christ was born, God became man. In His divine nature, He clothed Himself in humanity. He took on the role of a slave to serve us.

Christ was a different man. Hebrews 4;15 tells us that Christ was tempted

in all points, as we are, but He didn’t sin (Hebrew 4:15-- For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.) Christian means to be Christ-like — to follow in His footsteps. It means to be loving, giving, etc. We cannot be Christians and not Christ-like. Whenever we talk about sin, it’s often about sexual immorality, stealing, alcohol and drug abuse, etc. However, hatefulness, gossiping, robbing God, etc. are all forms of sin.

Yet, we must remember that it’s not about what we have done, but about what God has done. God did not come to condemn us. It is not about condemnation, but it’s about salvation.

Christ came into the world to die for our sins. Christmas is all about sin when we think about it. Christ came into the world to save sinners. Luke 19:10– 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

When we “mess up, we must ‘fess up.” I John 1: 8 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

If the Lord had not come, the grave would be your final resting place.

Because He came, there’s going to be a “Great Getting-up Morning!” Like the songwriter says, “Your grace and mercy brought me through….” If Jesus hadn’t come we would be hell-bound sinners. Christmas is about Christ.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018

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‘Magnify the Lord with me’

BY Pastor, RON DAVIS Sumter Bible Church Mary, the mother of Jesus, received some news one day that would change her life. The angel Gabriel said to her, “The Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28), and she would definitely need this assurance for the news he was sent to give her. The angel told her that she would conceive and give birth to a son. She was a young, pure teenager who had never had physical relations with a man.

“How shall this be seeing I know not a man?” she asked (Luke 1:34).

Though she did not fully understand, she believed the message and wanted God to be glorified through her life. In her “Song of Praise” that we read in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel account, we see seven things that she magnified. Please refer to this chapter as you read below for greater understanding.

First, Mary magnified the Lord (46). The word translated “magnify” is the Greek word megalunei, which means “to make great.” This is done like a telescope, which brings something large and distant into clear view. It is not magnified like a microscope, which enlarges something small. Mary wanted her life and her response to the news to bring God closer for others to see.

She said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” This means she wanted her affections and personality (all the impulses that control the body) to glorify God. Jesus prayed in John 17:5 that God would glorify Him. Mary never

prayed that God would glorify her. She wanted God to be glorified, and Jesus is God. One name attributed to Jesus is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” May He be magnified!

Mary magnified her joy (47). She said “my spirit hath rejoiced in God.” We cannot magnify the Lord for what He is doing until we rejoice over it. She referred to God in this verse as her Savior because Mary needed to be saved from sin, too. No one can sing, rejoice, and magnify God until God is his Savior.

Mary magnified her humility (48). Her reference to her “low estate” showed her proper self-esteem. Mary did not consider herself as a “mediator” between God and man. Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man. At the first miracle Jesus performed, Mary said to the disciples, “Whatsoever he says, do.” When she said all generations would call her blessed, it was not because of her own worth but because of God’s grace. Blessedness comes after “believing” (1:45).

The phrase “He hath regarded” (48) reflects her humility as what was pleasing to God and what was outstanding in His sight. God hates pride!

The word “I” does not appear in Mary’s “Song of Praise.” She refers to herself as a “handmaid.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem.”

Mary was high in grace.

She magnified God’s blessings to her (49).

She was confessing that God had made her into something special. Bill Gaither’s song “Something Beautiful” comes to mind. “He made something beautiful of my life,” the song says. God’s greatness can do great things in you, for you, and through you. She didn’t tell what she was doing for the world, but what God was doing for her. She stated, “Holy is his name” and not “holy am I.” What the angel had told her in 1:35, she

now experiences personally.

She magnified God’s goodness to all (50). Beginning in verse 50, her praise switches to what God has done for others not just for herself.

His mercy sweetens the attributes of might and holiness. It is the Lord’s mercy, not Mary’s. His mercy is available to all, but it is only upon all that fear Him. Only one woman could be the mother of Jesus, but everyone ever born can receive His mercy!

She magnified the Lord’s power (51-52).

With His extended arm, He gathers or scatters.

Pride and humility - one brings destruction, and one brings honor. Pride is wrong even if it is only in the “imagination of their hearts.” Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 16:5). The Lord will destroy the house of the proud. (Proverbs 15:25). God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble (James 4:6). Humility puts you in a place where God can use you, for He cannot use the proud.

She magnified the Lord’s provision (53).

This was prophetic. He fed the poor physically and spiritually. Are you hungry? The measure of your hunger is the measure of God’s supply. Are you rich (feel self-sufficient)? You will miss all of God’s supply and go away empty.

She magnified God’s faithfulness (54-55). He is the same today as He was for Mary, Jacob, and Abraham. God chose Mary, Israel (Jacob), and Abraham not because any of them deserved it but because He is a God of mercy and compassion.

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together (Psalm 34:3).

Loring Mill Dec 23 @ 7 pm Dec 24 @ 5 pm Dec 24 @ 7 pm 1305 Loring Mill Rd

ALICE DRIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

Pocalla Church Dec 24 @ 5 pm Pocalla Springs Elementary School 2060 Bethel Church Rd

ALICEDRIVE.ORG One Church | Two Locations

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018

2018 FAITH TODAY

THE SUMTER ITEM

A Service of

Lessons

Carols AND

The Extraordinary Story of the Birth of Jesus Christ Told Through Scripture and Song

Sunday, December 16th 10:30 a.m.

Featuring Music by the Chancel Choir The Taylor String Quartet Hamilton Stoddard, Organ Evan Thompson, Trumpet Michelle Blassengale, Bella Land, and John Michael Osteen, Vocal Soloists Child Care available

Christmas Eve Service

December 24, 2018 • 5:00 PM Candlelight Service with Communion Featuring music by the Chancel Choir and Brass Ensemble

9 W. Calhoun Street • Sumter, SC 29150 • 803-773-3814 www.fpcsumter.org