Fields United Methodist Church

Side by Side with Jesus.                                                  Pastor Tom Joyce

November 25,2020

“Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all the people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  Isaiah 40:4-5

The season of Advent will be like none other in our history; COVID19 restricting much of our gatherings, people getting sick not only with COVID19 but with other maladies that ravage our human bodies. Access to so much has been limited in this season. Yet God has other plans; through the birth of Jesus, there is unlimited access to the love of God; no restrictions, no barriers. All that could possibly hinder our relationship with God through Jesus Christ has been removed, as long as we turn away from all that stuff that keeps us apart from God like sin.  Sins are like valleys with no easy path out, mountains that are impossible to climb, uneven ground that makes every step a challenge, and uneven places that make navigating through life impossible. But there is hope; God has offered us the gift of Jesus who removed all barriers that we have created between us and God; Jesus came to give us life in abundance, making straight the path that leads to eternal life. The only obstacle we have to living a new life in Christ is sin, and the only cure for sin is Jesus; all we need to do is repent, confess, and accept the grace that is being offered to us. Advent is a time of preparation and acceptance of salvation through Jesus Christ. We journey through the season of Advent in the shadow of the cross led by the One who neither “slumbers nor sleeps” and who has gone to extreme measures, even death on a cross, for you, especially you. It may be a challenging time in life today, but God through Jesus Christ has cleared a path for you to celebrate the gift of an eternal relationship with our Savior and Redeemer, and no pandemic, no disease, no quarantine, no restrictions, no nothing will ever “separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39) That is a promise to you, especially in times such as these. 

Rev. Tom Joyce