An Explanation of the Liturgical Calendar Used by the Topinabee Community Church

 

Introduction

The Topinabee Community Church (TCC), as an interdenominational body, follows a liturgical calendar widely recognized across many Christian traditions. This approach reflects the diverse backgrounds of its members, who come from traditions such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, Episcopal, Congregational, Lutheran, Evangelical, Pentecostal, and others.

Beyond honoring various denominational influences, TCC’s use of the historic liturgical calendar serves as a continual reminder of its connection to the larger Christian tradition—one that spans centuries and unites believers across generations. Though unaffiliated with a specific denomination, TCC remains part of the living organism of the Christian Church, bound together through faith in Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Structure of the Liturgical Calendar

The liturgical calendar at TCC operates on a three-year cycle:

• Year A
• Year B
• Year C

Each year presents a thematic focus guiding worship and preaching. Within this cycle, two primary liturgical seasons shape the rhythm of observances:

1. The Advent-Nativity Cycle – Reflecting on Christ’s birth
2. The Lenten-Paschal/Easter Cycle – Commemorating His death and resurrection

Origins and Significance of the Liturgical Calendar

Many ask: How did the liturgical calendar come into existence? Why should it be followed? These are valid questions that deserve reflection.

While the New Testament does not provide direct instructions for structuring Christian worship, Jesus and St. Paul offer guiding principles rather than rigid prescriptions.

• In John 4:16–30, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that worship is no longer confined to specific locations or Old Covenant rituals. Instead, true worship occurs “in Spirit and in truth.”

• In 1 Corinthians 14:40, St. Paul emphasizes orderly gatherings without prescribing particular liturgical observances. However, he does stress the importance of approaching the Lord’s Supper reverently.

A Biblical Clue to Christian Liturgy

Although the New Testament lacks specific liturgical instructions, one important clue emerges in the accounts of the Upper Room (Matthew 26:26–30, Mark 14:22–26, Luke 22:14–38).

Many ask: Where does Jesus inaugurate a new liturgical calendar in these verses?

Understanding this requires recognizing how biblical writers often used shorthand references to convey broader teachings.

For example:

• On the cross, Jesus cries, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Psalm 22:1). This is not merely a cry of despair—it points to the entire Psalm, which ultimately declares victory rather than defeat.
• Similarly, Jesus transforms Passover, shifting its meaning from Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt to God’s salvation through Him.

This shift in focus—from Israel to Christ—marks the foundation of the Christian liturgical cycle. His life, death, and resurrection become the central themes replacing the Old Covenant’s structure.

The Old vs. New Covenant Liturgical Cycles

The Old Covenant followed a structured liturgical cycle, with annual observances centered on spring and autumn. Israel observed seven holy days, plus weekly Sabbaths and new moon celebrations.

The Holy Days of the Old Covenant

Spring Cycle:

• Passover – Commemorating Egypt’s firstborn’s death and Israel’s deliverance
• Days of Unleavened Bread – Remembering Israel’s hurried departure
• Feast of First Fruits – Marking the giving of the Law at Sinai

Autumn Cycle:

• Feast of Trumpets – Signaling movement during Israel’s wilderness journey
• Day of Atonement – High priest entering the Holy of Holies for Israel’s atonement
• Feast of Tabernacles – Commemorating Israel’s temporary dwellings in the wilderness
• The Last Great Day – Symbolizing Israel’s reliance on water in the wilderness

Similarly, the Christian liturgical calendar was developed to guide communal worship, helping believers reflect on Christ’s life, death, and resurrection through seasonal observances.

The Purpose of the Liturgical Calendar

Jesus taught that worshipers of the Father are led by the Spirit. Since Christ fully reveals God to humanity, everything we need to understand about God’s nature is found in Him (John 14:9, Colossians 2:9).

As we journey through the liturgical cycle, worship becomes more than a remembrance of the past—it is a continual revelation of God Himself.

Ultimately, God’s purpose is to bring humanity into the eternal community of love shared within Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through Christ, we are welcomed into this divine fellowship—and as we worship through the liturgical calendar, God deepens our understanding of His love, presence, and salvation.

The Liturgical Year Begins

The liturgical year begins in late autumn, during the bleakness of the season—a symbolic moment of hope emerging from the struggles of the present world.

Advent: The Beginning of Hope

Advent, meaning “Coming,” follows a progressive retrogression—starting with the future, moving into the present, and leading into the past. This reminds us that beyond life’s difficulties, hope remains, both for individuals and for humanity as a whole. This belief is affirmed in the ancient creeds of Christianity.

The Four Sundays of Advent

1. First Sunday of Advent – Focuses on Christ’s future return, when He will come in glory, ruling with justice as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
2. Second Sunday of Advent – Centers on the hope we experience each day, as Jesus comes to us through Scripture, prayer, and the gospel. As John Calvin wrote, “Christ comes to us clothed in His own Gospel.”
3. Third Sunday of Advent – Calls believers to mirror John the Baptist, who pointed to Christ as “the hope of Israel”—a reminder that, even in uncertainty, God remains faithful.
4. Fourth Sunday of Advent – Shifts focus to Bethlehem, where God chose the humblest setting to reveal Himself to humanity.

Christmas: The Nativity

The prophet Amos declared: “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12).

Yet God did not arrive in splendor, heralded by rulers. He came as a newborn, in a stable among livestock and shepherds—disenfranchised individuals ignored by society.

In this moment, the incarnation is revealed—Jesus came in the weakest human form, yet remained fully divine.

Epiphany: The Manifestation of Christ

Observed on January 6th in many traditions, Epiphany at TCC is celebrated on the nearest Sunday.

This season focuses on three events in Jesus’ life, each unveiling who He truly is:

1. The Coming of the Magi – Though their journey led them to Jesus about two years after His birth, their visit became part of the Nativity story. Their gifts symbolized:
• Gold – Jesus as King, the rightful heir to David’s throne.
• Frankincense – His role as High Priest, interceding for humanity.
• Myrrh – Used for embalming, pointing to His coming sacrifice.
2. The Baptism of the Lord – Jesus is baptized, marking His public ministry. The Trinity is revealed as the Father speaks, the Spirit descends, and Jesus is proclaimed the Lamb of God.
3. The Wedding at Cana – Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine, illustrating that He brings new life and calls people away from legalism into grace.

The Presentation of the Lord

Forty days after Christmas, Jesus is presented at the Temple—not only as Mary and Joseph’s firstborn, but as the Firstborn of all humanity, through whom salvation comes.

At this moment, Simeon and Anna recognize Jesus as the Messiah, reminding us that every church service presents Christ anew—as our Savior and God’s presence among us.

Transfiguration Sunday

On Transfiguration Sunday, Jesus ascends the mountain, and His divine nature is revealed. The Father’s voice echoes: “This is My Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

This moment foreshadows the ultimate confirmation of Christ’s identity—His resurrection at Easter.

The Lenten Season: Preparation for Easter

The word Lent comes from an old term meaning “spring”. Originally, Lent was a season of baptismal preparation for new believers in the early Church.

Since Easter baptisms became tradition, Lent evolved into a time of deep reflection and preparation—centered on encountering Jesus at Easter.

Holy Week: The Journey to the Cross

At TCC, Lent concludes on Palm-Passion Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week.

Palm-Passion Sunday

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, while Passion Sunday shifts focus to His journey to the cross—leading to His crucifixion and resurrection.

The Holy Week Triduum (Three Sacred Days)

Holy Week culminates in the Triduum, the powerful sequence leading to Easter:

• Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) – Jesus’ Upper Room discourse, including the act of washing His disciples’ feet, a powerful symbol of humility and service.
• Good Friday – The day of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion, fulfilling God’s decree for humanity’s salvation.
• Easter Sunday – Celebrating the resurrection, confirming Jesus as the Son of God, and establishing the tradition of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day.

The Great 50 Days of Easter

Easter Sunday marks the beginning of the 50-day Easter season, culminating in Pentecost.

During these weeks, believers reflect on their relationship with Jesus Christ and His role in overseeing our lives. Through His resurrection, He continues to guide, sustain, and transform all who trust in Him.

The Ascension: Christ Reigns in Glory

Forty days after Easter, Ascension Sunday redirects our gaze toward the heavens, where Jesus reigns. His ascension affirms His ongoing roles as:

• High Priest
• Intercessor
• Advocate
• Head of the Church
• Mediator

From His heavenly throne, believers await His return—when He will come again as the glorious King.

Pentecost: The Outpouring of the Spirit

Pentecost commemorates the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church and all believers throughout history.

Often regarded as the birth of the Church, Pentecost signifies far more than an anniversary—it is the continuation of Christ’s ministry through His people, as well as God’s personal revelation to believers through His Spirit.

Trinity Sunday: The Fullness of God

On Trinity Sunday, the fullness of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—comes to the forefront.

This day highlights the divine relationship within the Trinity and its impact on worship, preaching, and Christian life.

Christ the King Sunday: The Reign of Christ

This observance looks toward the future, when Christ will rule over all the earth following His glorious return.

It will be a time of peace and justice, fulfilling humanity’s deepest longing throughout history. However, Christ’s reign is not merely future—it is present in our lives now, as we submit to His authority and follow His teachings.

At TCC, Christ the King Sunday is often marked by the Hanging of the Greens, as the church is decorated for the upcoming Advent-Christmas season.

Reformation Sunday: Honoring Church Renewal

TCC also acknowledges Reformation Sunday, celebrated on October 31st.

This commemorates Martin Luther’s nailing of the 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Chapel—an event that ignited the Protestant Reformation.

The Lord’s Supper: A Sacred Communion

The Lord’s Supper, also called Communion or the Eucharist, is observed at TCC on the first Sunday of each month—underscoring its deep significance in Christian worship and remembrance.

Through this sacred meal, believers partake in Christ’s presence and sacrifice, renewing their connection to God and one another.

Ordinary Time: Growth Beyond Seasons

Throughout the liturgical year, ordinary time is interspersed between major seasons, providing space for a broader exploration of Scripture. This ensures believers grow in their understanding of God’s Word beyond seasonal themes.

The liturgical observances embraced by the broader Christian community at TCC are not forced upon the Church or observed under compulsion, unlike the Holy Days of the Old Covenant.

That covenant—made between God and Israel at Mount Sinai—continued until Jesus Christ’s death upon Mount Calvary, bringing it to an end.

The liturgical year we now follow has been formed over centuries, led by the Holy Spirit, who always directs us to the person of Jesus Christ.

It is to Jesus that we offer all worship and wholehearted devotion, for it is through Him that God has fully revealed Himself to us all. 

Benediction: May We each and all ever be led to Worship our Great God as he has revealed himself to us in the Person of his Holy Son Jesus Christ , Today, Tomorrow and Forevermore Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

Christmas: A Holy Contradiction

“'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2Cor:8:9

St. Paul wrote to the Christians in the Greek city of Corinth, and to Christians throughout the ages, about the Holy contradiction that the Great God, the one who is Lord over all things, the one who St. Paul tells us “was rich” “became poor” all for our benefit and salvation.

This Holy contradiction was not done out of some judicial necessity but completely out of God’s divine love for us, that is, for all humanity if they will but freely receive it.

At that time the Emperor Augustus issued an Imperial proclamation regarding census and taxation requiring those who lived in Palestine would return to their ancestral homes to register and be counted for the tax census.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.” Lk: 2:1-3

It is due to this Imperial proclamation that Joseph and Mary travel to their ancestral home the town of Bethlehem.

Into an Humble Estate

Our God has come to us in the humblest and lowliest of estates, in a stable, bedded in a manger which is the feeding trough of animals.

Our God has come to us this way showing us his identification with us all.

The Great God, the eternal Son of God the second person of the Holy Trinity stepped out of the glory of eternity and joined us here upon the Earth. Our Lord did this not out of necessity but rather out of love for each and all. 

This is a Holy Contradiction, the highest come low as the words to an ancient creedal hymn sung in the early Church declared. And these divine lyrics are introduced by the posture of mind which Jesus displayed in the incarnation and that we are to emulate that of putting others first which is what Jesus has done for each and all.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philp: 2:5-8

Jesus descended into that place of humiliation in that stable in the city of Bethlehem. 

It is likely that the Holy family of Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem after dark making it difficult to secure a guest room. All that could be found for the one who is deserving of the royal of accommodations was a place in a stable along with the livestock, a place which would have stank of dung, straw and animals, yet it is in such a place that our Lord came forth into the world .

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”Lk: 2:4-7

There were no royal swaddling clothes of silk or satin blankets to place him in, only old linen clothes to wrap about him which prefigured the burial shroud he would be wrapped in thirty three years from this moment.

The Glory Revealed

The Glory of the incarnation was announced to some of the who were the least esteemed in the society of that day. Shepherds who were in the country side tending their sheep. This announcement was made through the agency of an angelic messenger who proclaimed it as a message to dispel theirs’s and all humanities fears. 

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”(8-12)

This announcement was followed by the singing of the angelic host worshiping the great God

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”(13-14)

At the departure of the angels the shepherds seek out the Messiah which the angelic messages proclaimed to them finding him in Bethlehem with Joseph and Mary. Here in the stable some of the lowest of Earth meet the highest of Heaven. It is not great kings who have sought him out this Holy night so long ago but rather the outcast and the lowly who have received the divine announcement delivered through the angel who have come.

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”(15)

Having encountered their Messiah the shepherds are compelled to tell others about his coming. His coming which should have been announced by Royal heralds receives rather the lowly voice of the lowly shepherds.  

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Lk: 2:16-19

The Holy Contradiction

Jesus, the one who came that night two thousand years ago, disrobed himself for a time of the glory of his divinity , yet still retaining that divinity to it's fullest extent, and took up the ragged mantle of our humanity, all for us that we might come to know our God and see his glory.

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.” John: 17:1b-6b

Jesus Exulted

Jesus the one who has come to us, none higher has come lower, even to the point of humiliating death only to be lifted high once again. Again the words of the ancient Church hymn speak of this very truth.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue  acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.Philp:2:9-11

Our Lord Jesus condescended to our low estate all for us, not out of judicial necessity but only out of love, the rich became poor for us that we might share in his riches. St. Paul wrote of this very Holy contradiction.

“'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2Cor:8:9

The one who held and possessed all riches and glorious power, the one who should have been received by the Royalty and the great of the Earth and who was worthy of the highest worship and adoration came in the lowliest and humblest of places on that Holy night long ago as we reckon time, all so that we might be made rich in him. This is the Holy Contradiction of Christmas.

Benediction: May we each and all ever bow our knees before that one who became poor so that we might become rich, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

 

The Season of Advent: The Hope of Jesus' Coming

 

“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,

that the mountains would tremble before you!

As when fire sets twigs ablaze

and causes water to boil,” Isa:64:1-2a

During this time of year many Christians celebrate the season of Advent, which is observed over four Sundays and leads us to the Christmas-Nativity of Jesus. Advent is the beginning of many Churches liturgical year.

Advent means coming, and the first Sunday of Advent looks into the years to come to that moment when Jesus Christ will descend from the Heavens and be seen by all who dwell upon the Earth.

 The coming of Jesus Christ is a real hope for all peoples in all nations. Jesus’ Advent, that is his coming, gives humanity a hope that the human race will not go extinct and faded into the darkness of death and non-existence, but rather, has a future ordained by the great Creator God who brought all things into being, the very God who called forth Abram out of Ur and led Israel out of Egypt and has come to us in the person of his Holy Son Jesus Christ. It is this God, who assures his human children that there is a true hope of a future awaiting us.

 Hope

 The coming of Jesus gives hope to a world which has been wracked with strife and countless problems that it will one day know peace, true peace, even when this peace seems remote amidst the turmoil of the world. Be assured that there will come a day when the heavens will be rent at the sound of the heavenly trumpet which will sound and all eyes will see him.

 Christians have long watched for the fulfillment of this blessed hope of the coming of Jesus.

 “while we wait for the blessed hope--the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Tit:2:13

This time of the blessed hope of the coming of Jesus and the conditions which will be resident upon the Earth and lead up to Jesus’ glorious coming is spoken of in Apocalyptic imagery, which was  taught in the Rabbinical Schools of the day, in our Lord’s own Olivet Prophecy. Matt:24, Lk:21 and Mk:13.

 Conditions

 Jesus’ employing Apocalyptic oratory devices depicting human civilization struggling with conditions ranging from everything from spiritual deception to war, economic challenges, to natural disasters to epidemics; each challenge growing in intensity up until that moment when our Lord Jesus comes at the sound of the Heavenly Trumpet.

"Look, he is coming with the clouds," and "every eye will see him, even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him." So shall it be! Amen” Rev: 1:7 

“then they will see the Son of Man coming with the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory” Mk: 13:26

 Come Down O Lord

 This time of the coming of Jesus is what the Prophet Isaiah in a prophetic prayer expressed in Apocalyptic language when he cried out to the God of Israel to come and bring his salvation to Israel and to all nations. The Prophet was calling for the hope of the coming, the Advent of Messiah so that all nations, not just Israel, would know the one true God.

 “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,

that the mountains would tremble before you!

As when fire sets twigs ablaze

and causes water to boil,

come down to make your name known to your enemies

and cause the nations to quake before you!

For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,

you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.

Since ancient times no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides you,

who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

You come to the help of those who gladly do right,

who remember your ways” Isa: 64:1-5

 This coming down of the great God to this earth is the hope of all humanity. This is the hope that Christians, that is, believers in Jesus live in continually. But not just someday, for in the message of salvation has Jesus come down to them through the Gospel .Jesus has come in all the power of deity even now to set the captives of this world free to live under his reign even now. To live as children of God, not just some day

 When we hear the message of the Gospel which is sounded like a trumpet throughout the Earth, it is, as if, the Heavens have been rent asunder and we see our God in the person of God’s Holy Son Jesus Christ.

 Jesus comes to us and when he does the high places of our lives, like mountains, are shaken, and brought down before him.

 When we embrace Jesus as our Messiah, the Holy Spirit, like a fire, is kindled in our lives. When Jesus comes to us it is an Apocalyptic moment and the water of the Spirit boils within us and we are then moved to live out Jesus’ coming to us each and every day not just some day.

 “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!

As when fire sets twigs ablaze

and causes water to boil, (1-2a)

  Having Come to Us

 As we live out the hope of Jesus’ coming to us, others can see his coming in our lives and then they too can come to know Jesus through the people of God.

 “come down to make your name known to your enemies

and cause the nations to quake before you!” (2b)

 This means that, our lives are to be lived out in the Apocalyptic reality of the coming of Jesus. The lives of Christians are to declare as a trumpet that our God has come down as the Prophet has prayed.

 Our God has, in the person of Jesus comes down and continues to come down to each and all through his Holy Son Jesus through the Holy Spirit. 

 We are as Christians to have our lives filled with the Apocalyptic reality of our Lord Jesus’ coming, his Advent to us, not just someday in the years to come but even here and now. Our lives are to be lived out with this present hope which is to declare the future reality of Jesus’ coming, his Advent, to all people.

 This is Hope of the Advent season, the hope of Jesus’ coming to each and all now, not just someday.

Benediction: May we each and all live out the reality of our Lord Jesus’ coming to us through the Gospel, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

All Things New

 

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" 2Cor:5:17

We live in a time when hope is diminished in the land. It is is a time when some people feel that their lives are meaningless and without hope. Hope is dead for many and unfortunately even Christians can succumb to this sense of hopelessness.

Hopelessness

 Hope for many is dead, some don’t even know that there can be hope, they live out their hopelessness in meaningless pursuits or they live with misplaced hopes looking to something in which to find their needs met, yet it never seems to fulfill that deep need.

Dead Spiritually 

Many people pass through life unaware of what Jesus Christ has accomplished on their behalf, that everything needed for salvation has been accomplished for them by and in Christ. This salvation is there for them , an all-new life is there ,they could experience it, yet they do not.

They do not know that a whole new life is there for them, but instead of this new life much of humanity goes its way in ignorance or indifference, and in some cases rejection of who Jesus is.

They are dead spiritually, that is, they are not living that life which they could be, as were all of us, until through Jesus, God moved to make away for a whole new life.  

"And You being dead in your sins and the circumcision of your flesh" Col: 2:13a.

This is how we all conducted ourselves, dead in our sins, yet, this is the state of spiritual slumber humanity lives out of in the ignorance of who Jesus Christ is.

 We “lived” in death. There was no hope in this ignorance of who our Lord is and all that Jesus has done for humanity. This sense of deadness characterizes the lives of millions. Too many follow after meaningless pursuits and attempts to give humanities' temporary existence meaning, but nothing answers this need.

All around us there are those whose lives are marked with attempts to gratify the flesh hoping to fill this hopeless void within themselves. It is almost, as if they are searching for evidence that they are alive. These varies pursuits might tantalize and stimulate for a time, but it can't last.

Many think only in terms of “the now” , many people seem to be going nowhere ,lives becomes meaningless, hopelessness leads some to a life of futile pursuits , sin and debauchery.

One reason the society around us is degrading into sinful life styles and the abandonment of moral purity is, the loss of hope. When hope fails moral restraints are cast away, the idea is "live for the moment".

This is the very state that our Lord has come to set us free from, to give us all redemption, to instill new meaning to life all through Jesus, we could not have done it for ourselves.

"He has quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses “Col: 2:13b

 New Creation

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" 2Cor:5:17

 We are new creations, now, not will be. This newness is experienced by belief and faith in who Jesus is, that is, when we believe in Jesus we see what Jesus has done for us our lives are made new in Him.

The early church thought deeply about the entrance of Jesus into human history ,they pondered its meaning, they asked "what did it mean?" what had changed in humanities relationship with God? 

St.Paul says in  2Cor:5:14 "we have considered", this tells us that though prayer, discussion, and most possibly with contention the early church developed a theology regarding the incarnation and it's impact upon humanities relationship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  

What is it that they considered? "That one died for all, therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who for them and was raised again"  2Cor:5:14-15  

"I am the Resurrection"

  "I am the Resurrection" when we read this so often we think of this as speaking of Jesus' coming again from the grave , or any future resurrection, but Jesus says this even before his own death.

The resurrection is who Jesus is not just an event that Jesus is a part of. The bodily resurrection of Jesus only showed what has always been eternally true. Death can not hold him, this is why we read in the Book of Acts, which quotes the Psalm.

 "you will not permit your Holy One to see corruption"Act:13:35

The power of Jesus being the Resurrection changes us , and all things forever, for if Jesus does not live we could not live either. 

 In Jesus "all died" , and in Jesus the same "all", we are told, has been "raised" . Jesus could do this as being fully God yet fully human. He has brought the race(all) out of death into life, and can be entered into by simply accepting it by grace.  

Out of death we are brought into a new life with and by and Him. Jesus Being God , is not bound or confined by time, therefore his life, death and resurrection has eternal impact, stretching from eternity past and into eternity future , and touching even all humanity.

The Death of Nothing

There was nothing, that is materially, in the nothingness of the past before creation , and out of this nothing, and it was into the nothingness of death God spoke and brought the material creation into being. The Lord God brings creation and life out of the death of nothing.

"In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth" Gen:1:1 

In the Gospel of St. John, the Apostle is moved by the Holy Spirit to open his account of the life of Jesus in the eternity past , even before the Great God brought the universe into being.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God .He was with God in the beginning"  Jhn:1:1-2 . 

St. John here is using an important literary device, by equating the coming of the Messiah with the uses of the words " In beginning", we see the opening words of the creation epic. St. John is stating that the introduction of Jesus into human history ,as one of us, is a creation event, an all new creation, and in Jesus this new creation is accomplished , as well as, speaking that the very one who created is the one of whom St. John and the other Apostles were proclaiming. God has brought life out of death by Jesus alone. Jesus is life incarnate and has come to retrieve our material nature out of the nothingness of death's grasp.

All Things New

When we see this, and come believe that God makes All Things New in his Son Jesus, this gives us hope of the New Creation that he has made us to be in Jesus; and that we could not have done this on our own . He did it all for us through Jesus Christ.

We are now a new creation, made new, then we walk in newness of life, this new life is what St. Paul wrote of to Roman Christians in his epistle Rom:6:4,  we are now alive and in Jesus.

We are assured of a life in eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ, we have hope . A real hope. A hope that is ours' here and now not just someday in eternity to come, but an all new life here and now upon the Earth.

To Whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory mystery among the gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory" Col:1:27

This hope sustains us even in the face of adversity and crisis, ever with our eyes focused on Jesus, as the One ,who gives us such hope, Rom:8:18-25.

In Eternity 

In the end, what has been made true is that the New Creation which he has made us to be , will be ours' completely and fully. It will be what Jesus has already accomplished for us all fully experienced.

All Things Made New in Jesus. All those things of this life ,and even the old creation will all pass away, leaving only the New Creation . Rev:21:1-3.  

 These words speak of things that are, in truth, beyond the minds of any of us to fully take in and comprehend.

God gives each of us just a glimpse of this eternity that is for each who will but freely receive it.

Yet, there will be some, that will reject this freely given Gift of God, they love their sin more than their Savior. 

But God has called us to have all things made new in his Holy Son Jesus, even here and now and on into Eternity.

Benediction: May we each and all live in that newness of life found only in Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore .Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

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                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"