Christmas Service: The New Normal

The New Normal

Can you picture what life was like before phones. Not cell phones, I am talking about phones.

Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. patent for the invention of the telephone in 1876. Elisha Gray, 1876, designed a telephone using

No you can’t because we don’t even think about phones anymore, all we have today is the cell phone. But there was actually a date when the first phone was invented.

I kind of can, the first phone I remember my parents owning was like one of those military type looking phones. Huge, and it was like military grade.

That was the first cell phone.

1. The Normal before Jesus.

They did not know what they were looking for but they were looking for the messiah.

Luke 1:26–38 NASB95

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Even church plants have a normal, or at least they did before COVID.

As you begin to plant a church you have an idea in your head what it will look like.

Of course all those ideas in your head are the perfect church.

One great theologian said those who want a perfect church want no church at all because there are people involved.

As we get geared up for 2022 I have no idea what it holds. But let’s move forward in holding onto this that walking with and living with Jesus is the new normal.