What happened to the happy ending?
Dear Mosaic Family,
I don't know about you, but I can stand movies with heart-wrenchingly sad endings. Manchester by the Sea, Shutter Island, and Se7en, round out my top three saddest movies ever. Stay away. I don't need to get punched in the emotional gut by a movie. I watch movies to be entertained. Want more sadness? Read the news.
If you're from a non-American background, or if you've been exposed to lots of international movies, one the things you immediately notice is America's obsession with movies ending happily. Maybe American filmmakers learned early on that happy movies tend to sell better, partially because the desire for a happy ending isn't just American, it's human. We long for good to triumph over evil, for the resolution of conflict, for love to overcome.
We've spent three months mining the majestic depths of the book of Nehemiah, and the whole time, I've been dreading this sermon, mostly, because it's not a happy ending. It's actually tragically sad. The people of God, who had all the best intentions of obeying God, return to their former ways of rebellion, and the book ends bleaker than it began. Where is the hope? The bleakness of this tragic ending paints a silhouette of the true hero we're longing for, not Nehemiah, but the greater Nehemiah, Jesus Christ.
Join us tomorrow as we study the conclusion of Nehemiah, chapters 10-13, and ponder the hope we have in Christ, who is the only one capable of offering us life happily ever after.
Praying for you,
Pastor Jan
Announcements:
Holiday Services. Sunday, Dec. 24 and Sunday, Dec. 31, 11:15 a.m.
Mosaic Boston Brookline will be holding ONE service at 11:15 a.m. on the Sundays of Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 and New Years Eve, Dec. 31. Both will be family-friendly services, and Mini Mosaic will not be offered.
Full Childcare at 9:30 & 11:15. Mini Mosaic is growing! We are now offering full childcare for nursery, preschool and elementary children in the 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services. The nursery classroom will now be open to newborns.
Mosaic Youth Group. Every Sunday, Mosaic holds a youth group gathering during the 9:30service. If you know anyone looking for a youth group, let them know!
Pre-service Prayer. Join us in the upper hallway of the Temple Ohabei Shalom for a time of pre-service prayer on Sundays at 8:45AM and 4:30PM. It's an opportunity for us to pray for the church, the city, and the world.
Mosaic Boston App. Did you know Mosaic has an app? You can download it here.
Mini-Mosaic Performance. Sunday, December 17, 9:30 a.m.
Our kiddos in Mini Mosaic will be performing a special Christmas song during the 9:30 a.m. service. Come and be encouraged!
College Lunch. Sunday, December 3, 1 p.m.
Our next college lunch will take place after the 11:15 service. Come for a time of food, discussion and fellowship with other students.
Songs for Sunday. If you would like to know what we'll be singing on Sunday (so you can be ready to sing your heart out!) you can find the playlist here.
Give to Fund the Mission. Giving is a joyful and sacrificial act of worship to our Lord, who has given everything to us and for us. We offer you the opportunity to invest in God's mission here. The easiest way to give your tax-deductible gift is through our secure portal on our website, found here.