The family of God here at Dowagiac Church of Christ wishes to extend to you a warm welcome.  If you have questions about our worship services and why we do what we do, we will be glad to give you a biblical answer.  The uniqueness of the Church of Christ is that we are trying to restore to the best of our ability those things that we see the first century Church doing.  We are also working hard at building the spirit, unity, and love that Jesus taught and prayed for.  We have no clergy, but are working together as equal co-workers trying to serve one another and the area in which we live.  Come study with us, grow with us, and serve with us as we strive to do God’s will in all things.


Remember our Sunday night studies at 6:00 tonight.  We are continuing our study on the miracles of Jesus.  Tonight we will be reviewing the miracles we have studied, and will be seeing the ultimate purpose that each miracle had.  There is a great deal of erroneous teaching and misunderstanding about miracles in our world today.  Join us for these classes and grow and expand your Bible knowledge.
      

THANKS:  Last night we had a ladies appreciation dinner prepared and served by the men of the congregation.  A fundamental part of Christianity is to honor and to serve one another.  Thanks to all the men who participated and worked to make this dinner happen. 
PLANS:  Last Sunday Bill Gibson distributed a report on the finances of the congregation.  Our expenses are quite minimal right now and will be until we hire a full time evangelist.  Jim and Brenda Harasewicz are working on getting the carpeting purchased and installed in the fellowship area.  We are discussing the possibility of blacktopping the parking lot.  We encourage everyone to let Bill know their thoughts on this possibility and what we should do while we have resources to improve our facility.  

Why did the Israelites wander in the wilderness for 40 years?

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What is the wilderness ?
    Then--wandering with no stable settled home
    Now--Instability, dissatisfaction, isolation, loneliness
The wilderness is about heart--verse 2
    Verses 12-17--rosperity brings arrogance.
    Your heart can wander when times are good.
    Let experiences shape you, not embitter you.
    We have talked a lot about heart.  Why? 
The wilderness is about humility--verses 2-3
    God hates arrogance, egotism, pride, self righteousness
    What did September 11, 2001 teach us?
    Note--God allowed (suffered) hunger--He didn't cause it.
    "Man shall not live by bread alone…" Matt 4:4

"Through it all, through it all, I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God.  Through it all, through it all, I've learned to depend upon His word."--by Bill Gaither

The wilderness is about hunger--verse 3
    Note--"manna which you did not know…"
    It is easy not to know where your blessings come from.
        -  Why were you born in America?
        -  Why do you have the talent that you have?
        -  What led you to be here today?
Being in the wilderness is an option.
    Over and over God gave the Israelites choices.
        -  Cross the Red Sea or not
        -  Cross the Jordan or not
        -  Look at the Fiery Serpent or not
        -  Not keep the manna or keeping it
    Always there were consequences to these choices.
    God gives you choice.
       -  Stay in the wilderness of sin or obey Him.
        -  Live as God instructs or do as the world says.




Some years ago I was doing a series of sermons on the life of Christ.  The third lesson was on the birth of Christ.  It was during the summer months, but we sang songs like "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Joy to the World."  A visitor said they were shocked at this.  "I thought congregations of the Church of Christ did not believe in the birth of Jesus," one said.  In our attempt to avoid denominational traditions and man-made laws and rules, we have sometimes put ourselves in strange positions.  Many in the Church take offense at mentions of the birth of Jesus at this time of year since we do not know when Jesus was born, and since it almost surely was not in December.  There is a useful parallel to this situation in the celebration of two festivals by the Jewish people of Jesus' day which were not commanded by God anywhere in the Old Testament and yet which Jesus participated in. 

One is the Feast of Purim which celebrated the deliverance of the Jewish people as recounted in the Book of Esther.  This is almost surely the feast that Jesus was present at in John 5, since that feast fell on a Sabbath day.  The second is the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah, at which Jesus was present in John 10:22-23.  This festival originated during the days between the Old Testament and the New Testament and celebrated the cleansing of the temple.  Both of these feasts were from humans and not commanded by God.

Daniel Rouse said, "If God's people chose to spontaneously celebrate the cleansing of their temple and their deliverance as a people, could not God's people today similarly celebrate the birth of the Savior and his resurrection from the dead?"  While we do not know when the Nativity happened, late December is a good time to draw attention to the birth of Jesus.  Others around us are doing the same, so our teaching emphasis will provide good reinforcement for the precious truth of God's incarnation.