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2017 Holiday Season

In the Presence of a King, Don't Ask for Small Gifts

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Speaker

Dwight K. Nelson

Dwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.

Offering

Saturday, December 09, 2017
Program: 
As We Begin
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing • Gordon Young
Praise
The First Noel • O Come, O Come Emmanuel • Joy to the World/Our God Saves
Prayer
Brandon Von Dorpowski
Baptism
Andrea Lauren Saunders with Nathaniel Gibbs
Children’s Story
What Child Is This? • Raymond Haan
Worship in Music
I Hear the Prophet Callin' • Pepper Choplin
Sermon
"In the Presence of a King, Don't Ask for Small Gifts" • Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
There's a Song in the Air • 120

More In This Series

12/30/2017
The Gift of a Good Forgetter: Your #1 New Year's Promise
12/23/2017
Who Makes the Wind His Messengers: The Christmas Compact
12/02/2017
Have Yourself a Windy Merry Christmas
All Sermons
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"In the Presence of a King, Don’t Ask for Small Gifts"
www.newperceptions.tv

  • Gift #1
    • Galatians 4:4-5
    • Steps to Christ: "He who was one with God has linked Himself with the children of men by ties that are never to be broken. . . . When Christ took human nature upon Him, He bound humanity [us commoners] to Himself [the Royal] by a tie of love that can never be broken by any power save the choice of man himself." (14, 72)
    • Carl Cosaert: "Adoption was a legally binding agreement that guaranteed a number of privileges: (1) the adopted son became the true son of his adoptive father; (2) the father agreed to provide all the necessities of food and clothing; (3) the adopted son could not be repudiated; (4) the adopted son could not be reduced to slavery; (5) the natural parents were never allowed to reclaim the adopted son; (6) and adoption mandated the right of inheritance." (Galatians: A Fiery Response to a Struggling Church 88)
  • Gift #2
    • Galatians 4:6-7
    • John Witvliet: "Here are two missions, two gifts, two experiences of grace: God sent his Son, and then God sent the Spirit of his Son. The first gift arrived in Bethlehem. The second arrives deep within the souls of believers. The first Christmas gift came then and there. The second comes again and again in the here and now. Indeed, every single time anyone anywhere professes 'Jesus is Lord,' we can be grateful for the work of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3)." (Christianity Today December 2017 p58)
    • Gregory Boyd: "My life is Christ—nothing else really matters" is essentially "My life is the Holy Spirit—nothing else really matters."
    • Ellen White: "When the Spirit was poured out from on high, the church was flooded with light, but Christ was that Light; the church was filled with joy, but Christ was the subject of that joy. When the Spirit is poured upon His people in this day, Christ's name will be upon every tongue, His love will fill every soul; and when the heart embraces Jesus, it will embrace God; for all the fullness of God dwells in Christ." (Ye Shall Receive Power 332)
    • Desire of Ages: "The whole treasury of heaven is open to those [the Father] seeks to save. Having collected the riches of the universe, and laid open the resources of infinite power, He gives them all into the hands of Christ, and says, All these are for man. Use these gifts to convince him that there is no love greater than Mine in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness will be found in loving Me." (57)
    • Brennan Manning: "Everything has been given to us by the Father in Jesus. All we need now is to experience what we already possess." (Lion and Lamb 154)
    • Every new morning—ask for Him:  "Baptize me today, Lord Jesus, that I might be filled with Your Spirit. AMEN."
    • www.steps-to-personal-revival.info

When you get the One, you get them Both.

 

Offering for December 27, 2025

Michigan Advance Partners

When I was in my teens, I read a powerful promise, "Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish and a plain path before their feet" (Ministry of Healing, p.481).

It really was not relevant to me then because my parents provided my food, lodging, and basic needs. But after I got married and had our three children, many expenses ate our income rapidly. Every dollar mattered. I remembered wishing that our babies would hurry up and get out of the “diaper stage” because every diaper cost money.

It would be easy to rationalize that our children are part of our ministry, therefore, we didn’t need to give our offerings for several months. But that would put me in charge of running “God’s business” instead of allowing God to take care of our needs. We learned to step out in faith and depend on Him.

Now that I look back on those days, it is amazing how God came through in thousands of ways to provide for our needs! It was fun to see how He provided all our needs then and continues to do so now. Today, let’s not rationalize our commitment to God. Let’s trust God with all our needs by returning our tithes and offerings faithfully. 

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Church Office Holiday Closure: 12/22-12/26 & 12/29-01/02

Please note that the church office will be closed from December 22 to 26 and again from December 29 to January 2 for the holiday season. We will reopen on January 5. Our church services will proceed as always. If you have any announcements, please submit those no later than December 19. Thank you for your understanding. We wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year!

Christmas Blessing Opportunity

Be part of a Christmas blessing this year! Chiang Mai Adventist Academy, which serves primarily Buddhist students from around the country, is looking for a set of Bible story felts to use in teaching the Bible in their Sabbath schools. FARM STEW missionaries will be going to Thailand in January and deliver them. If you have a felt set you would like to donate or would like to donate towards buying a new set, please contact Deby Andvik. (andvik@andrews.edu or call/text 269-277-4145) 

Pioneer Women's Ministries 2025 Advent Devotionals

Pioneer Women’s Ministries’ Advent devotionals will highlight a few of the promises of Jesus. To receive the “Red Letter Promises” daily devotionals by email for the first 25 days of December, text the word “ADVENT” to 269-281-2345. You can also receive a short daily text message preview of each day's devotional by providing your cell phone number when you register. We pray you will sense the nearness of Jesus during this holy season through these devotionals.

House of Prayer
Pioneer Earlyteen Loft

Please join us for House of Prayer Wednesday evenings at 7pm in the Earliteen Loft for a time of singing, Bible study and prayer.