Quick reminder that FMMF Charlotte will not meet this week, since many will be spending the Thanksgiving holiday with family/friends.
We’ll pick back up on our current series, Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller, next Friday, DEC 6th per normal. Rob Miller will lead us next week, covering chapters 5 & 6 of the book. #nuggetsalert
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. God’s blessings always!
Peace!
Welcome to a new FMMF Charlotte study series that we’ll kick off this week….”Hidden Christmas” by Timothy Keller. A very timely and interesting study that will span just 4 weeks, leading us right into the Christmas season! I can’t wait.
Now, if you’re wondering about this study and might be confused by an earlier announcement of another study series….well, we’re putting that one on hold for just a little bit. As a group, we want to focus and get our minds “right” for celebrating the birth of our Savior! Tim Keller has just the recipe!
This week, I’ll introduce the book and would ask that everyone read the book’s Introduction, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. Our author starts out boldly proclaiming the words from Matthew’s Gospel, cross-referencing Isaiah 9:2:
“the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
Matthew 4:16
The overall premise of the book is that our celebration of Christmas has become more and more secular over the years. Children, as one example, might ask adults, “What is meant by ‘angels we have heard on high’ ..” when walking through the malls adorned with festive ribbons, evergreen wreaths, and Santa Claus. It’s no coincidence that our author reminds us of the importance of the birth of Jesus by speaking of “light” in an otherwise darkened world.
We’re looking for leaders to pick up any of the next three lessons….visit our FMMF Charlotte Signup Genius at this LINK
Gather this Friday at the Cornwell Center at 7:30 am. Lesson starts at 7:45 am! See you then! Bring a (new) friend to join us this Advent season!
Peace!
My good friend and fellow FMMF Charlotte participant, John Paschal, will agree with the title of this week’s reminder. Back when John and I were classmates at West Point, we learned early about West Point’s line in the sand when it comes to questions of moral integrity: “Always choose the harder right over the easier wrong”.
When I think about the subject of this week’s final lesson from “12 Ordinary Men”, I have often wondered if Judas struggled in his mind about the decisions he would be making. Did he ever quarral with himself asking, “should I take the harder right…or the easier wrong?” From a human perspective, Judas had the same amount of potential as all the others we’ve studied. So how did things STILL go wrong for him?
There’s a lesson, naturally, in the story of Judas for us today. I think many of us are often faced with similar decisions….monthly, weekly, ….. even daily!
I’ll wrap up our study of 12 Ordinary Men this Friday. Recall, that I asked everyone which disciple you mostly identified with before reading the book. Now, I’ll ask again and it will be interesting to see if anyone has changed their mind.
See you Friday at 7:30 am at the Cornwell Center. Lesson starts at 7:45 am!
Peace!
Starting Friday: Men's Fellowship Through Accountability 
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