“GOD WITH US: REFLECTIONS ON THE INCARNATION” BY CHARLES SPURGEON

Christmas is a time for beholding the glory of Christ. This collection of reflections by the great 19th century pastor and preacher, Charles Spurgeon, helps us do just that. In this book, Spurgeon unpacks the most wonderful and glorious of realities: that God has come to be with us. His meditations on the key scriptures of the Christmas story stir up the reader to sing and savor the glories of the Savior. Here’s an excerpt from the book:

“Glory to God in the highest.” The instructive lesson to be learned from this opening note of the angel’s song is that salvation is God’s highest glory. He is glorified in every dewdrop that twinkles in the morning sunshine. He is magnified in every wood flower that blossoms in the copse, although it is born to blush unseen of man, and may seem to waste its sweetness on the forest air. God is glorified in every bird that warbles on the trees, and in every lamb that skips in the meadows. Do not the fishes of the sea praise Him? From the tiny minnow to the huge leviathan, do not all creatures that swim in the waters laud and magnify His great Name? Do not all created things extol Him? Is there aught beneath the sky, save man, that doth not glorify God? Do not the stars exalt Him, when they flash His brightness in arrows of light piercing the midnight darkness? Do not the thunderpeals extol Him when they roll like drums in the march of the God of armies? Do not all things that He hath made, from the least even to the greatest, exalt Him?

But sing, sing, O universe, till thou hast exhausted thyself, yet thou canst not chant an anthem so sweet as the song of Incarnation!…There is more melody in Jesus in the manger than in the whole sublime oratorio of the Creation. There is more grandeur in the song that heralds the birth of the Babe in Bethlehem than there is in worlds on worlds rolling in silent grandeur around the throne of the Most High…The whole of God is glorified in Christ; and though some part of the Name of God is written in the material universe, it is best read in Him who was the Son of man, and also the Son of God.”

You can purchase a copy of the book here.

LET’S CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SUNDAY MEETING SPACE

We’re so grateful to host our Sunday services in the heart of DTSA. As an expression of that gratitude, let’s continue to commit to being the best tenants we can be by remembering a few simple rules:

1. Parents, please keep an eye on your children throughout the entirety of our Sunday morning gatherings to ensure their safety and make sure they’re remembering the rules below:

• No running or wrestling (inside or outside) at the Ebell Club

• In the Courtyard, please stay on the turf and sidewalk, do not walk in the planters, or climb on the guardrails

Thanks for doing your part to love our meeting space!

NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 5

Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

WEEKLY MEETINGS ARE CANCELLED FOR DECEMBER

In the world of agriculture, soil must remain “fallow” once every few years to maintain its fertility for years to come. To lie fallow is to lie unplowed and unplanted for a time in order for nutrients to be restored. In the month of December, we are letting our church calendar lie fallow. Why? Not so that you can pull away from the life of the church, but instead to press into natural and more intimate opportunities to relate to your church family and neighbors. The holiday season is notoriously one of the busiest times of the year. We want to help you to take advantage of the few free moments you have to spend unhurried, unscheduled time with one another and with family for the grand purpose of allowing your heart to be re-fertilized by the work of Christ, fellowship with the saints and companionship with unbelieving neighbors.

WHAT’S NOT CANCELLED?

• REGULAR SUNDAY SERVICES

• CHRISTMAS PARTY ON DECEMBER 11 (HOULTON HOME at 6:00PM. Watch the blog for more details & potluck sign up sheet)

• NEIGHBORHOOD CANVAS on December 18 - INVITING OUR FRENCH PARK NEIGHBORS TO CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE (10am-12pm)

• CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE (Ebell Club Courtyard at 5:00 PM)

If you ever have any questions about church events, you can look to our church calendar, which is always updated to reflect changes to meetings or events.

Subscribe to the church calendar here.

PRAY FOR THE LORD TO WORK THROUGH JASON’S INTERNSHIP

As a church, we offer internships, albeit unpaid internships, for the purpose of evaluating those who sense a call from the Lord to pastoral ministry. Internships are for the purpose of giving these individuals an opportunity to test out their giftings in particular areas of ministry, as well as for the purpose of evaluation. Thus, this involves you, the church. Your role in internships is to graciously, yet seriously assess whether or not a calling is there. 

You’ve already seen Jason serving in a number of ways – as small group leader and Sunday teams leader, but you’ll see him being positioned in a number of new ways. His internship will last between 6-12 months and we’ll keep you apprised of where it seems the Lord is leading. Please encourage him. Ask him questions. At the end of his internship, we’ll ask for your feedback and your observations. Above all, pray for him his wife, Kayliegh, as they enter this new season together.

JESUS IS GOD’S MAN AND THE GOD-MAN

1 Samuel and the Old Testament as a whole cause us as readers to wonder, “will there ever be a good king? Or a perfect priest? Or the promised prophet like Moses? Jesus’ arrival into this world and subsequent baptism followed by the Father’s declaration, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17), were essentially a loud yes to the above questions. Which of those three questions? All of them.

The title of Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) is translated into English as “anointed one”, which in layman’s terms simply means “the one God appointed”: God’s man. Christ’s identity as God’s Messiah implies that in Him is perfected every role and office that every man and woman in the Old Testament failed to perfect. Jesus is the sum of all our needs; the sum of all necessary parts. Yet, this Christmas season, we need to remember that Jesus did not become the sum of all parts just to be one part of your life. He came and has always existed to stand at the center of your life and all things. Listen to the first message in our 2021 advent series to learn more.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THE SEASON OF ADVENT STARTS THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday marks the start of the Advent season! A season that celebrates the “advent” or “coming” of Christ into the world. Over the course of the next 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas, we’ll prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas as we sing well-loved songs about the Savior of the world, see the glory of Christ shining through the pages of Scripture, and celebrate the fact that Jesus not only came once but is coming again!

A WEARY WORLD REJOICES

We celebrate that Christ came into the world in fulfillment of God’s promises of old in order to accomplish our salvation. We long for the day he’ll come again to make all things new. During Advent, we look both backward and forward as we worship the one who came from heaven to earth and will one day come again to usher in a new heaven and earth.

As we prepare our hearts to enter into the Christmas season which is so full of so many wonderful things, would we prioritize the most wonderful of them all: Jesus Christ who was born for us. Prioritize the Christ of Christmas this Christmas season and prepare your heart to celebrate his birth by:

• Studying the birth of Christ - As an individual or a family. Open up God’s word, study the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth, and walk through Advent devotional as you count down the days to Christmas. Here are a few suggested resources:

  • Children
    Prepare Him Room by Marty Machowski
    The Promise of Christmas by The Daily Grace Co.

    Adult Devotionals
    The Dawn of Redeeming Grace: Daily Devotions for Advent by Sinclair Ferguson
    Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional by Paul David Tripp

• Singing the birth of Christ - Not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout the entire season! Fill your mind and heart with songs that celebrate the coming of Christ and sharpen your affections for him. Add the following albums to your Christmas playlist:

  • Heaven Has Come by Sovereign Grace Music
    Prepare Him Room by Sovereign Grace Music

• Spending time with brothers and sisters in Christ - This Christmas season, prioritize Christ by prioritizing his people. Take advantage of our December “Fallow Month” by prioritizing fellowship with one another in the church. Use the times during the week we’d normally meet as a church to: go ice skating in the city, have a game night, host another family for dinner, or do whatever you enjoy with other members in the church.

• Sharing the good news of the birth of Christ - Make your joy in Christ more full by sharing it with others. Pray for opportunities to share the good news of Christ’s birth with those in your life who have yet to receive him this Christmas season. Join us for an optional Christmas Canvas of our Floral Park Neighborhood on 12/18 at 10am. Invite your friends, families, and neighbors to our Candlelight Christmas Eve Service at 5pm on 12/24.

Join us for our Christmas Series, “The Christ of Christmas,” as we behold the glory of the One who came to save us!

“GRACE AND PEACE, OH HOW CAN THIS BE; LET SONGS OF GRATEFULNESS EVER RISE, NEVER CEASE”

We are a people who have much to be thankful for!

Thankful that we are loved and cared for by our Heavenly Father!

Thankful that we belong to Christ and have passed from death to life!

Thankful that we have the fellowship of the Spirit who gives us peace, comfort, and joy!

Thankful for all we have received from the gracious hand of God!

Thankful that we get to be the church together here in Downtown Santa Ana!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM CROSS OF GRACE SANTA ANA!

NOVEMBER 22 - NOVEMBER 28

Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11TH AT 6PM

In lieu of our regularly scheduled meetings in December, we are coming together for an optional Christmas Party! Save the date for Saturday, December 11th at 6pm at the Houlton Home. Stay tuned to the blog for more details.