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Denise Gallichio

Dec 03
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Week 1 – Zachariah: In Wonder of God Showing Up

By adventdevotional2023 No Comments

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord.”

 18And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.” Luke 1:13-15a, 18-19, 63-64a

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 

1) Read Luke 1:5-25,57-80.
2) How do you see Zechariah respond with wonder at what God has done?
3) What about the story of Zechariah can you relate to in your life today?
4) How does the story of Zechariah point to the advent theme of hope this week?
5) How can you look for opportunities to be awakened to the wonder of God showing up this week?
6) This week’s Advent theme is hope. Pray that God will deepen your wonder of His hope this week.

FAMILY CHRISTMAS TRADITION IDEA

 

  • Read Luke 1:5-25.
  • Talk with your family/friends at dinnertime about how God has shown up for you this year. Write down on paper and display it throughout Advent.
  • Go see a Live Nativity or a church hosting a Walk Through Bethlehem
Apr 01
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Saturday, April 1

By Lenten Devotion 2023 No Comments

SCRIPTURE:

12 “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 ‘It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21:12-13

REFLECTION: (written by David Hazelip)

Thousands of out-of-town visitors came to the Temple during Passover, and they were charged excessive fees to exchange their foreign money for local currency to pay the Temple tax. Because of the long journeys, many travelers could not bring their own animals, and many of those who did bring their own had them rejected for imperfections. As a result, the people were charged exorbitant prices for sacrificial animals by the merchants. When Jesus entered His Father’s House, He found no room for worshipers in the Court of the Gentiles because of the dishonest money changers and greedy merchants. Jesus was grieved. In His grief, He acted

His actions in the Temple were motivated by a heart of righteousness. In righteous indignation, Jesus cleared the way for dignity to be restored to all people, and He cleared the way for all to enter into His father’s House

RESPOND:

  1. How does God call us to respond when injustice and sin in our world cause harm to others?
  2. How might God be calling you to advocate for the marginalized and persecuted?

PRAYER: 

Lord, thank you for blessing us every day in so many ways. As we study during Lent, please give us the wisdom to understand the love and grace that You bestow on us. Protect us from anger and instead, help us to give love and grace to others, to fight evil with goodness, and to be a light in the darkness. Come, Holy Spirit, come! In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray, Amen

Sanctuary Lent 2023 Spotify Playlist

Mar 31
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Friday, March 31

By Lenten Devotion 2023 No Comments

TURN THE TABLES by Caroline Cobb

You exploit the ones who would worship
Use devotion to make a dime
Sell the sacred to turn a profit
Make the holy into merchandise

When all the world tries to get in the building
They can’t get in the door, ‘cause it’s
Overcrowded with goods and salesmen
In the holy house of the Lord

Jesus comes in, turning over tables
Flies into a righteous rage
Makes a whip and drives out the idols
He’s jealous for his Father’s name

When all the world tries to get in the building
He’ll stand like an open door, ‘cause in
Three days gonna raise a signal
This way to the house of the Lord

Turn the tables, turn the tables over
Turn the tables, turn the tables over

Do you want to make a cut on the story
Do you want to see your name in lights
Do you want a percentage of the glory
It’s not something you commodify

Don’t you know that your heart is a temple
He’s knocking down your door, so
Let him in and he’ll turn over tables
Make your heart a house for the Lord

Turn the tables, turn the tables over
Turn the tables, turn the tables over
Turn the tables, turn the tables over
Turn the tables, turn the tables over
Turn the tables, turn the tables, turn the tables over
Turn the tables, turn the tables, turn the tables over

RESPOND:

  1. What words or phrases resonate with you in these lyrics?
  2. Which tables is Jesus turning over in your heart?

 

Sanctuary Lent 2023 Spotify Playlist

Mar 30
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Thursday, March 30

By Lenten Devotion 2023 No Comments

SCRIPTURE:

12 “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 ‘It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21:12-13

TESTIMONY: (Written by Jay Cabassa)

Being a lover of music and experiencing the industry on both a local and professional level, I have been able to encounter different sides to it. As a child, my love for singing was an innocent one and a gift that I didn’t embrace until I was in high school. My intentions were not really centered on God; I just knew that I loved the arts and I wanted nothing else than to succeed in it. I was given opportunities to travel professionally and even had opportunities to perform with the likes of Whitney Houston, Michael Bolton, and Alicia Keys. However, I never recognized the Gift-Giver, just the gift.

It wasn’t until I gave my life to Christ that I recognized the Gift-Giver. I was using my talents for the world, and I was exploiting my gifts and my desires for me and not for God. A lot of times we are robbing ourselves of what our gifts were truly intended for by operating in a selfish mode of what we feel is best and in turn, we rob God from the true blessing he called us to be in His world. When Jesus entered the temple, he saw nothing but selfish people trying to profit and gain, not for God, but for self. They were not thinking of how they could best serve, but rather how much they could gain and profit from others.

Mark 8:36 says, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

RESPOND:

  1. Where is your heart today?
  2. What are your goals?
  3. How are you incorporating and including the Father into your plans, goals, and future?
  4. Are you just passing through life or are you truly seeking the will of the Father?

PRAYER:

Jesus, I believe that if we hold you as the single most important factor in our lives, then we will care about the will of our Father. Today that is my prayer. That we will be in the Father’s will and that it will please you Jesus. Amen

Sanctuary Lent 2023 Spotify Playlist

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