Latest / Goodlife Church Formation Podcast / He Shall Be Called: Unpacking the Christmas Message
Transcript
- Jack O'Brien: All right, welcome back to another episode of the Good Life Formation podcast. I am Jack O'Brien. I am in my usual position. Dave Conant, where in the world are you? Dave Connett: This has become quite the start to a podcast because it's actually quite funny. Because the Thursday mornings that we do this, Jack, I could be anywhere. So if it was another day, I would be either definitely in my home office or at my church office. But today I am at the car park. It's quite the dodgy car park on the Medowee turn off the Pacific Highway. I had to find some internet. I had to find enough internet to be able to sit. Jack O'Brien: Alright. Dave Connett: in the car and do this. Jack O'Brien: You could get yourself an instant coffee, rotary, drive to survive. Drive to survive, driver, driver survivor? What are they called these days? Dave Connett: I don't know, but they're not here. So not at the Medaille turn, they're not here. ⁓ But ⁓ no, they're back on the other side at the rest stop over there. And I don't know if they're happening right now. And if it was instant coffee, I would say no in Jesus name. Jack O'Brien: Fair enough. ⁓ Alright, Christmas is coming. I'm no longer the Grinch, self-described at Good Life a couple of weeks, start of November, end of October. ⁓ Dave Connett: Yes it is. I hear you've even got, you've got lights. You've got lights, Christmas lights up at your house, Jack. You have changed. Jack O'Brien: Yep. Yeah, we have. If you live in Fern Bay, you could submit our address for the, to win the prize. The neighborhood prize. I don't know. Well, I think it's pretty contrived. It's a real estate agent that's running a thing for people to look at people's houses. Right. So well played. Yeah. Dave Connett: What price? the, is there a neighbourhood prize at Fern Bay? Aha! That's clever, but you could be an entrant, I hear. Jack O'Brien: Well, I don't think Christmas is about Christmas lights. ⁓ None of the, none of the Western fanfare Christmas is about Jesus, right? Dave Connett: Yeah, I suppose. Jack O'Brien: Yeah, it's a bit grinchy to be against anti-Western fanfare. That's the commercialism that smells, Dave Connett: It smells. What does it smell like Jack? Right out. Right. It does. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. I didn't think I did not think that you would be against ⁓ capitalism, Jack. I thought you'd be a ⁓ rampant, raving, a rabid capitalist. Jack O'Brien: It reeks. It reeks of capitalism. capitalist extortionism, let's say. But anyway, not around good luck. Bye. I'm against secular capitalism. Dave Connett: Ooh. Jack O'Brien: But I'm not against biblical capitalism. Dave Connett: Right, Wasn't Jesus a Marxist? Didn't he preach like a socialist? Jack O'Brien: There's a difference. ⁓ he was Palestinian refugee. Dave Connett: This podcast has taken an odd turn. This was not in the show notes. Jack O'Brien: ⁓ Palestinian refugee. That's hilarious. Maybe something to with the French Foreign Legion. Dave Connett: Could be, could be, could be. Hey, let's get off Christmas capitalism, Jack. And yes, we are heading towards a Christmas series. And it's not just about a preaching series, but I suppose it's about us taking all the opportunities afforded to us as individuals, as worshipers of Christ, but also as a church community that wants to transform the world, wants to see people come to Christ. That's what we're thinking. We're thinking all of the things that are happening and are coming up and taking the opportunities that are coming away. Jack O'Brien: Right, right, right. ⁓ What's it called and why is it called? Actually, you know what I love, Dave? This is a sermon series that doesn't really require that much explanation, which I'm impressed. Dave Connett: Yeah, look, it doesn't. ⁓ Well, it's it's called He Shall Be Called. So out of the Isaiah prophecy of Christ, you've got the, is the lyrics to Handel's Messiah, He Shall Be Called. And my message is going to be on the wonderful counselor. Jack O'Brien: I wonder, sometimes I'm sure listeners would also wonder whether you just pick sermon series titles so that you can sing the, there's a, there's a melody usually behind most sermon series titles. my observation correct? Dave Connett: Look, sometimes you're looking for something memorable. You're looking for something. We're not looking for sermon titles or series titles first. We're actually looking for what's God saying? How are we building the church? How are we building disciples? How are we building health in the individuals, the families and across all of the church and leading into next year? That will be for one church. So we've generally thought for the longest time. all of my 17 years we've had multiple campuses so you're thinking where's God taking us as a church but that's across you know any between two and five of those churches now it's one focus laser focus so this is the last sermon series that we'll do together with two campuses and that it's been thought of what's the best for the group ⁓ but obviously Christmas isn't is an easy one so we're We're going down the line of what was promised, what did Jesus come up with and how did Jesus fulfill those promises? ⁓ And so, yeah, we go through what's God saying, how are we going to deliver that? And then we think who are the best preachers? And then we think how do we actually pitch something that's not outlandish, but not old, tired. So you're actually looking to be able to deliver something that ⁓ captures people's attention. The thing is with churches capturing people's attention is I've got people who've been at, ⁓ look, they've been Christians longer than I've been alive. ⁓ You've got people that have been a part of this church for decades and they've seen everything. They've seen everything across four pastors. ⁓ But then I've got people who are brand new. I've got people that were raised in church. I've got people that it's their first time at church this week. And how do we actually capture that kind of attention? So that's what we We sit down and get the brains trust together to work that out. And sometimes you just go, I don't know how we pitch that. How's this sound? it's, know, it's just, there's a group of people, a group of staff and volunteers, but a committed team just trying to work out how we best pitch and gather people for what we're trying to achieve. Jack O'Brien: Hmm. I like it. Yeah. I mean, it's no, it's no mean feat to pack. have to have not have to, but we get to pack it. Oh geez. That's a bit of a cliche, isn't it? You don't have to get to, uh, yeah, don't click. Uh, it's a bit cringe straight out of the eighties and nineties. Um, but we, we are packaging a message that we do every year. Like very predictable that we'll be doing a Christmas series and we need to take what is timeless and make timely. Dave Connett: He's just a little bit... Right. Right. Jack O'Brien: I guess we're always in a unique, unique cultural setting, unique cultural moments. The world looks differently upon Christmas each year and certainly given the, you know, what's going on around us socially, et cetera. So how would you encourage good lifers to think about the Christmas season specifically for 2025, where we are right now? How should we think about this Christmas season and our faith generally? Dave Connett: ⁓ huh. Look, there's going to be, it's probably going to be three things. First of all, ⁓ Christ came for you. Before you think about what happens after that, Christ came for you. How he came is significant. How he lived is significant. ⁓ How he died is significant. What that means is significant. ⁓ He is not just true. He is the definition that all truth is taken from. He is the yardstick of truth. is the ⁓ ultra truth that every truth sits upon. so, ⁓ and it's ⁓ when you know the truth, the truth will set you free. It's not just knowing what is true, but when you know the truth, which is Jesus. And so I would say, take every moment you can to open up your heart to that truth, to that one. Let God make something that you've done how many Christmases and make it the newest freshest most beautiful thing open up your heart for an encounter with God that he takes you from exactly where you're at and Gives you the strength gives you the focus gives you the purpose gives you the resources to actually not just get through the coming year, but to ⁓ to thrive into the coming year But take you've got to take the moment. You've got you've actually got to slow the pace and find Christ. think then you're looking at then those personal moments then come to how do I then celebrate Christmas personally? How do I celebrate with my family? How do I tackle all those different very personal things? The next one I would say is that you're then looking at what can we do as a church? ⁓ What can we do as a church? And truth be told, ⁓ study after survey after study after survey shows that when people People will come to church if they're invited by a friend or family member. They will come. You may have to chip away. You may have to think of ways to do it. But Christmas is the prime, the prime opportunity to invite. So what we do at Good Life is we do Christmas over a month. Note that we don't do big events. Now, what we're trying to do is we're trying to see people come to Christ and see people become a part of. the body of Christ and a part of his church. And so we focused our Christmas efforts not on a big event, but on lots of epic services where they get to be a part of what God is doing weekly. We do Christmas things. We always try to work out how to jazz it up, how to do some items, how to make sure that it's not just we're doing a presentation for presentation's sake, but to be able to capture people's hearts. And so I would say look for opportunities to make invitations, make invitations. We connect people to Christ. Our efforts of personal evangelism are relationship example and invitation. And so if you've done the relationship, you've done the example, ⁓ or done as best as you can in way, because no one's expecting perfection, but you've given your best shot, then the invitation is actually what we need to do. And the Bible says the righteous are as bold as a lion. And so I take the opportunity. And if someone says no, what's the worst? They can just say no. Someone can just say no. No, I'm too busy. But the good thing is you've got so many because the way we do it, there's so many opportunities to invite. Hey, don't worry, this week's fine. Come next week or come at Christmas Eve or come at Christmas Day. And so that's the beauty of not just having one event, but all the way across. So it's the personal connection, reflection and receiving from Christ, how you then express that in your celebrations. And then I would say, take the opportunity to get everything out of what God's doing through the church. And I would say, ramp up the invitations. If people say no, what's the chance that six months later they'll say yes? And it didn't happen at Christmas, but you got the chance to sow the seed right now. Last thing I would say if you're talking Christmas is that the theme of He Shall Be Called is gonna be talking all the way down into the granular of how Jesus was the ⁓ predicted Messiah and how he fulfilled that over and over and over and over and over again. There's gonna be so much to learn and learn and grow with the depth. So when someone's preaching, Bring your paper Bible, bring your paper notebook, get ready to take notes and to pour over that. Let God really, really speak to you and grow you. So there you go. I think I said three things, but that really was four. So that's pretty good. I was pretty happy with that, Jack. What do you think? Does that sound like a good idea? Jack O'Brien: Mm. Thanks. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. I think for me, it's, um, it's the season that's all about Jesus. I mean, our faith is about Christ always, but there's different seasons where it'll be, um, you know, about provision and blessing and these seasons where it's leaning into the fruits of the spirit of the gifts of the spirit. And there's different seasons of church life, but there's always an anchor in our calendar where the focus is on Christ. And so for me, my Personal walk, it is often thinking, you know, I love reading, um, this is the nerd in me. I'm sure there'll be plenty of fellow nerds listening, but, you know, I love reading on the incarnation from Athanasius every year around Christmas, or at least parts thereof, just becoming enamored with the person of Christ and the fact that God would send his son for us. And what that means, you mentioned the fulfillment of prophecy and the necessary components of salvation, all of those things, just becoming enamored. Dave Connett: Yeah. Jack O'Brien: personally all over again afresh with the Jesus who is given in the manger through to our Lord who shows us how to live in our Savior on the cross. For me, is, I just love that season of focus on Christ. And I love that the world is focusing on Christ. For me, it's ⁓ such a great season to talk about Jesus. There's an easy conversation opening because we are, the world is celebrating. Christmas and the coming of our Savior. ⁓ I'm always, this season for me is a great opportunity to ask questions and talk about Jesus with others. How can I ask what people do for Christmas? You know, what do they think about when they think about Christmas? What do they think about Jesus? ⁓ It's a great opportunity to lean into those conversations about the reality of Christ, the historical proof that points to the fact that Jesus was a man that walks this earth 2000 years ago, showed us how to live, died on the cross, the historical accuracy of all of that. And yeah, it's such a great opportunity to invite people into a conversation around Jesus that may often lead to an invitation to church. So I'm often having conversations about Christ. I've started actually a couple of... new version reading plans with friends who are asking questions about Jesus. I'll I'll start reading the Bible with them and I'll say, can talk to you about Christ, but let's, let's read about him and don't just take my word for it. And those conversations are often what will ultimately lead to either someone accepting, saving faith in Christ or, or coming and or coming along to church. So it is just a wonderful season to focus everything in and around Jesus. Dave Connett: Jack, you are, your personality is very unlike mine. And ⁓ so that's, that's, it's well known. And I've for the longest time, I've found people that have said, cause I'm ⁓ passionate to win the last, I'm passionate to take every opportunity to do that. And I think. of that's God's gift and part of it is appreciation of what Christ said, but I'm also quite the sanguine and that's so therefore I've got a lot of energy while I'm doing it. I've got a lot of energy while I'm explaining that. yet you are not that passionate sanguine, but yet you have a lot of focus and intent and fruit around that area of life. I actually love it because I've felt like people have almost excused well that's just Dave and that's just his personality or hey he's an evangelist. I've had people call me an evangelist and I don't know. I end up being a pastor and I've got apostolic vision and I want to see the lost come to Christ and I'm just serving God with all of my heart but I love for the fact that your great intent as an introvert, as a detailed, as a male kind of personality. And your fruit has not been by replicating maybe my style of doing it, but finding the passion and finding the principles and finding your way of doing it. I think that's really, really quite the example, Jack. that's, I mean, it's a very, very, I'm very publicly praising you and I don't know how you feel about this, but I think, I think it's, I think it's a great example. And I think taking the opportunities to do that, no matter your personality, does take faith and boldness. How's that journey for you? Jack O'Brien: Probably my recent realizations is that the more I study the scriptures and learn about our faith and spend time in the presence of God, the more I have a heart for other people. so having an evangelistic heart isn't something you can manufacture, nor is it a personality trait. It is a natural outworking of time with God leads us to having a heart for others. So I just found that passion for evangelism come out of my personal relationship with God. then probably, think, ⁓ thinking about what you'd shared before, and then me, I'm less of an invite guy and more of a ask questions and have conversations guy. And neither of right nor wrong, but like as an introvert, I'm not like, along to the party, come to the event, come with me, come and sit with me. It's loud as fun. That's not my M.O. Dave Connett: Yeah. Jack O'Brien: My MO is more like, Oh, Christmas is coming. What's your, like, what's your holiday plans? Like does, does church fit in that? It's like, what do you, what do you think about Christmas? You know, is it just a happy holiday? Is it just a happy holiday season or is there any like, religious or faith kind of component to it for you? So, so for me, it's more conversations that will eventually lead to a faith conversation that probably will lead to an invite. Um, so I'm more curious to connect on a personal one-on-one level. Dave Connett: I it. Jack O'Brien: ⁓ and I think that's probably the beauty of how this makes the world go around is that we are different in a complimentary sense. Dave Connett: Yeah, look, even so my personality might leak like it's I've also got a bit of pump factor on a daily. But even when it comes to the relationships that I've got with people that don't know Christ, it is a it's a consistent I'm very consistently in their world. It's probably very pastoral in the way that I'm like, Hey, how you doing? How's this? How's life has ⁓ and then Also, because they know they all know I'm a pastor, a padre. They're always the I mean, I've got that concept as well. So I probably need to really prove to people that I love them for them before I'm looking to get a, you know, in their eyes, a notch on my belt. And so I'm doing a lot of that and then waiting for the opportunity to go, mate, can I pray for you? And then I'm trusting God for the right deal. So I'll invite a bunch of my aunt's old mates. You want to come this Christmas and some of them come along. Some of them have been coming in and out for years and so on. But I think it's being you, but also being ready to be involved, engaged, intentional, and then take your opportunities. Jack O'Brien: Right. I think there is freedom and flexibility in the expression of style and preference, but there is not, there is a deliberate and a specific calling for each of us to, to carry and share the gospel to go and make disciples. ⁓ so, so we can't show that that's not optional. How you do it is optional, but doing it is not optional. Dave Connett: Totally. Yes. Right. And I love it that doing it is the adventure that Christ has included us and asked us to be on because it's the best thing for us. He's not trying to get something out of us. This is the adventure of following Christ. And there is so much fruit and reward in the journey for those people who are ready to do it. So. Hey, Jack, we need to wrap up. Jack O'Brien: We do, gotta get some work done. You've gotta, you've gotta get some work done. Dave Connett: You gotta get some work done as well. Jack O'Brien: So we're looking forward to seeing you on Sunday. Looking forward to this season. He shall be called. Get amongst it. Good life. It is our time to get to work. Dave Connett: Love it. Thanks for having us, Jack. Ciao. Jack O'Brien: Bye bye.