GBC Community Update: Final thoughts on developing character like Jesus

​Good morning. I hope you’re making this a great week!  We’ve had our first substantial snowfall of the year which means Christmas is coming.  Tuesday I sent out an advent devotional and Sunday we start our Christmas series.  May we all not just enjoy but grow through the season.
 
 
Our annual Kid’s Church/Youth Christmas (With lunch!) is next Sunday!
One of my favorite Sunday’s of the year is our annual Kid’s Church and Youth Christmas program.  The event will feature presentations from each group along the Christmas theme and is followed by a free lunch which all are invited to attend. This is always a popular event and the lunch just adds to it. I hope you’ll mark your calendar and be with us Sunday December 3.
 
 
GBC December calendar
Our December calendar was emailed out and is at the back of the auditorium. There’s lots of ways to be involved, grow and serve. Also, be in prayer for what God is doing in and through here.
 
 
"You are to give him the name Jesus"...Redemption has come. Join us Sunday
We pause our series on the book of Luke to take a closer look at the Christmas story. We will be looking at the prophecies telling of a coming savior and then the event itself with the idea of better understanding what this means for us as we prepare for Christmas and celebrate that redemption has come.
This Sunday Pastor Dan will be looking at probably the most famous of the prophecies and its implications for today.
If you want to prepare, please read Isaiah 9:1-7. 
If you can’t make it, you can connect through our website:  
www.guelphbiblechapel.ca  our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE
 
 
Thought for the Day: Final thoughts on developing character like Jesus
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been challenged personally by what I’ve been sharing about developing positive character traits using Jesus as our guide.
Before I begin to share some Christmas related thoughts I have one last one to thought that Jesus showed so often: Humility
Jesus had every opportunity and right to demand praise and honour for His miracles and teachings, but He never did. Even when the crowds sought to make Him king, He rushed away from them. He didn’t want to become a sideshow performance that people could enjoy. Rather, He wanted to seek and save the lost and offer forgiveness for sinful people. Yes, He could have traveled around in order to show off His powers in other towns, but He chose not to.  As we read in Philippians 2, he humbled himself, became nothing, acting like a servant. Wow!  What an example.
So, that’s it. That’s what I’d like to share. As for some final thoughts I’d say this:
While the world needs more positive role models, what it really needs more of is Jesus—the ultimate role model. People will not find a better person to emulate positive character traits from than Jesus Christ himself.  With that in mind though, its important to remember that Jesus was God and so was perfect.  While we can learn from him and his example we have to be careful how we measure ourselves against him too.  We’ll never be perfect this side of heaven like he was so the key then becomes using him as a guide and being the best possible versions of ourselves we’re capable of being. It’s a tough challenge but a worthy endeavor. Strive!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris