An invitation to worship...
Joyfully Waiting
December 19, 2025
Good Day College Church,
This Sunday we gather to worship in anticipation of the celebration of our Lord's birth. On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we will hear from the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 7:10-16, who spoke of the coming of Immanuel through a virgin; we will pray Psalm 80, which is a plea for the Lord to restore us, that we may be saved and we will hear the story of Joseph receiving the news that his "fiancé" was with child, in Matthew 1:18-25.
And even though it is still Advent and not, strictly speaking, the Christmas Season, we will sing Christmas carols this Fourth Sunday of Advent. We will sing "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "O Little Town of Bethlehem, " and "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne."
Because it is so hard to wait. We just can't wait. (Imagine not singing a Christmas Carol until after December 25th?)
But there is a truth in celebrating Christmas early. Our waiting on God is supposed to be done with such confidence, that it is almost as if what we are waiting for has already happened. So our waiting is not done wondering if God will work, our waiting is done knowing that God will work, which makes our waiting joyful.
So celebrating Christmas throughout the season of Advent can be an expression of our faith after all, that the One for whom we are waiting is so certain to come, that we can't help but celebrate early.
See you Sunday, when we celebrate our Lord's Advent and arrival, all on the same Sunday!
Pastor Mark
Good Day College Church,
This Sunday we gather to worship in anticipation of the celebration of our Lord's birth. On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we will hear from the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 7:10-16, who spoke of the coming of Immanuel through a virgin; we will pray Psalm 80, which is a plea for the Lord to restore us, that we may be saved and we will hear the story of Joseph receiving the news that his "fiancé" was with child, in Matthew 1:18-25.
And even though it is still Advent and not, strictly speaking, the Christmas Season, we will sing Christmas carols this Fourth Sunday of Advent. We will sing "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "O Little Town of Bethlehem, " and "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne."
Because it is so hard to wait. We just can't wait. (Imagine not singing a Christmas Carol until after December 25th?)
But there is a truth in celebrating Christmas early. Our waiting on God is supposed to be done with such confidence, that it is almost as if what we are waiting for has already happened. So our waiting is not done wondering if God will work, our waiting is done knowing that God will work, which makes our waiting joyful.
So celebrating Christmas throughout the season of Advent can be an expression of our faith after all, that the One for whom we are waiting is so certain to come, that we can't help but celebrate early.
See you Sunday, when we celebrate our Lord's Advent and arrival, all on the same Sunday!
Pastor Mark