{"id":13403,"date":"2017-01-03T15:12:03","date_gmt":"2017-01-03T19:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=13403"},"modified":"2020-06-07T16:50:49","modified_gmt":"2020-06-07T20:50:49","slug":"entering-a-jughandle-rotary-or-roundabout-12616","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=13403","title":{"rendered":"Entering a Jughandle, Rotary, or Roundabout (12\/6\/16)"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we approach Christmas, Pastor Jim has been preaching a series entitled “An Advent Road Trip.” This was the 2nd part in that series. Is Christmas just a destination? Buy the gifts, wrap the gifts, take down the tree and move on? Is there something we can take from Christmas; not only from Christmas Day but from the journey to Christmas?<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The following recording is from the 11:00 service. Click on the play button, then scroll down to follow along…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Our scripture readings were from Isaiah 64:1-9 and Luke 1:39:56. Open the below drop down box to follow along. Pastor Jim read from The Living Bible. The New Living Translation is shown below…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Scripture<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Isaiah 64:1-9<\/span><\/h5>\n

1 Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in your presence!<\/p>\n

2 As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, your coming would make the nations tremble. Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame!<\/p>\n

3 When you came down long ago, you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked!<\/p>\n

4 For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!<\/p>\n

5 You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. But you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved?<\/p>\n

6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.<\/p>\n

7 Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins.<\/p>\n

8 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.<\/p>\n

9 Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Please don’t remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people.<\/p>\n

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Luke 1:38-56<\/span><\/h5>\n

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.<\/p>\n

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town<\/p>\n

40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.<\/p>\n

41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.<\/p>\n

43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?<\/p>\n

44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.<\/p>\n

45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”<\/p>\n

46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.<\/p>\n

47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!<\/p>\n

48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.<\/p>\n

49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.<\/p>\n

50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.<\/p>\n

51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.<\/p>\n

52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.<\/p>\n

53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.<\/p>\n

54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.<\/p>\n

55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”<\/p>\n

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.<\/p>\n

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Holy Bible, New Living Translation \u00ae, copyright \u00a9 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved. <\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/span><\/p>\n

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Chainsaw Humor…<\/span><\/h3>\n
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This opening story doesn’t have anything to do with the sermon, and you may have heard this joke before. <\/span><\/p>\n

But, just remember: ‘Tis the season to be jolly!” <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n

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What’s a Jughandle?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Under the assumption that our website audience may include listeners who are not from New Jersey, a bit of clarification may be needed regarding the title of this sermon. Here are two terms that might be specific to those of us in New Jersey…<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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