A fairly lively service was required on the first Sunday evening in Advent, as the heating had 'decided' not to work on one of the coldest days of the year so far. Although there was only one carol, 'Joy to the World,' which was chosen and introduced by Margaret, the rest of the songs also had a Christmas theme. News was shared and prayers offered before Mick gave a short message encouraging fervent, 'burden-led' intercessory prayer for bringing people into the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Peter then started a seasonal series, which he called 'Christwas,' picking up clues about Jesus from the Old Testament. Basing this week on The Gospel Adam and Eve Heard (Genesis 3:15) by John C. Jeske, he showed how the gospel had been predicted to Adam, Eve and Satan in the Garden of Eden. Using the serpent as his guise, Satan had persuaded Adam and Eve that God did not have their best interests at heart and was 'holding out' on them.
So in a curse on the serpent, God pronounced that there would be emnity between Eve's offspring and that of the serpent. Her offspring would crush the serpent's head, and the serpent would strike his heel. It was going to be a war, and at some point in history, a descendent of Eve would destroy Satan. Gradually throughout history the Devil was to realise that it would be a descendent of Abraham, of the royal line of David. He succeeded in almost destroying that lineage, but a small stump remained, which produced a new shoot: Jesus. Meanwhile, Jesus (who existed in heaven even before the world was created) knew this meant that he would have to suffer greatly, but in the end he would destroy the Devil.
The serpent had persuaded men and women to see themselves as in charge, and God as an intruder. This attitude has been passed on to every generation, and those who wholeheartedly share this view could be described as the offspring of the serpent. However, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation."
Hesed hold their next service this Sunday at 6 pm in the Avenue Centre, Tenby. Telephone Rev. Peter Richmond on 01646 681805 or visit http://www.hesed.co.uk">www.hesed.co.uk for more information.