Our annual Christmas Gift Giveaway will take place on Sunday December 12, 2010 at 10 am as we strengthen our value of social justice in the city of Toronto.

This year our Great Gift Giveaway will reach into our surrounding communities with the tangible love of Christ.  Our goal is to provide 200 gifts to families in need and connect them to our community at Liberty.  We understand that Christmas can be a financial challenge for some and Liberty wants to help assist those families in need.  The gifts will be presented to registered children between the ages of newborn to 12.

On December 12 not only are we hosting the GGG, but the Rumble Kidz will be performing “Christmas in the City” before the GGG.  Original and traditional Christmas songs infleunced by gospel and rap music.  Dance and spoken word will make this one of Rumble Kidz premier performances to date.  Admission is free, so come early and reserve your seat.

If you would like to register online click here.

If you would like to participate by purchasing a gift for a child this Christmas please pick up an ornament from our GGG tree on Sunday.

If you would like to make a financial donation online click here.

Looking forward to an incredible Christmas in the City as we celebrate Christ’s miracle birth!

We’ll be looking for you as well!

Dave

SCRIPTURE:

Luke 4:17-18 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
 ¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
      because he has anointed me
      to preach good news to the poor.
   He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
      and recovery of sight for the blind,
   to release the oppressed,
    ¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

OBSERVATION:

Jesus was born in a little fishing village called Galilee. At the time Israel was under military occupation by Rome. Rome’s rule was that the Jews could own land and continue to make a profit in business, as well as continue to worship God in the temple. However Rome imposed taxes on just about everything,(no wonder tax collectors get a bad rap in the bible). They heavily exported goods out of Palestine for their own use and to make a profit. What typically occurred is that certain favoured Jewish families were granted special status and were employed by Roman authorities to be involved in business and export. (Think of the Rich Young Ruler.) Because of this many Jewish fishermen and their families were not able to get work as individuals and were very poor. As well this would have caused common food shortages in Palestine.(Why did Jesus multiply so many fish, if Palestine’s waters were filled with enough to feed God’s people?) Because priviliged groups ruled over the temple, poor families were commonly not able to bring their own offerings for worship. Instead temple priests would force them to buy “good” animals to sacrifice at very high cost. This created a market for temple lenders. These were people who loaned money to poor families at extremely high interest rates so that they could buy the animals. This would send families into debt. (Forgive us our debts.) Debt was common in Jesus’ time and place. This was the world that Jesus came into. This is “the world” that Jesus calls us not to be like.  

APPLICATION: WHen Jesus called the rich young ruler to forsake what he had, he wasn’t doing this because he wants us all to be poor. He did this because the rich young ruler was able to get rich by exploiting others. Jesus was calling him to an allegiance to justice. He was calling him away from the systems of greed of the day. When Jesus said forsake your father and mother, he was condemning the rich families who stored up more than their fare share of the wealth that God had blessed all his people with. He was calling people out of the corrupt system. He called them to a different way of life. Acts 2:42-47 tells us that the early Christians shared all their possessions in common. Those who had, gave to those who did not. This is what God had wanted for Israel all along. Jesus came to bring about this. The ‘favourable year” Isaiah talked about and Jesus proclaimed had come through him, refers to the OT rule that every 50 years Israel was called to celebrate the “Jubilee”. In this year all money debts would be forgiven even if the party couldn’t afford to pay. All land would be reclaimed by the original tenants, so that everyone would own the land that God had given each family in the first place. All slaves would be set free. In other words if there was poverty in the land it would be no more.

Today, injustice still exists and we are called as Christians to proclaim the favourable year of our Lord.

Today’s Roman Empires - Canada? the United States? China? Europe?

Today’s Rich Young Rulers - Walmart? Apple? The Church?

Today’s Temples - Square One? Scarborough Town Center? Future Shop? Television?

Today’s Poor Fishermen - South American and Asian textile workers? Immigrants? Sex Workers?

Today’s proclaimers of the Jubilee?  Me? You?

PRAYER:

Dear Jesus let us proclaim your liberty and your salvation. Let us live as one person put it ‘more simply so that others may simply live.” Jesus may we abandon the ways of the Kingdoms of this World that wage war against each other in a violent game of power and greed. Jesus fill us with your Spirit so that we may live out your mercy and justice and grace. May this generation come together in the spirit of John the Baptist, to question the powers of this world and to put them to shame by living out a radically different calling. May we remember those who were exploited and do our part to bring about God’s way

S - scriptures: ³¹“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  ³⁴“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ^35’For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25: 31-36 NIV)

O - observation: These passages remind me that God cares for the poor, the foreigner, the sick and the lonely. So much so that when we care for them it is just as if we did it to Him. (Read also James 2:15-16, James 1:27; Acts 4:32-35) God will separate those who will obey this mandate and those who will not. And He is ready to give His Kingdom to those who will.

A - application: Our lives can be filled with so much concerns as well, but in this passages, I am reminded of those that Jesus cares about.

P - prayer: Father God, may I never be caught up with so much worldly concerns to the point that I forget those who are needy around me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

junn

What a concept! To love someone as much as I truly love myself, WOW! That would be quite a feat. When I consider the number of times a day I think of myself, put myself first and just plain do what I want; I must really love myself a lot!  To love someone, no everyone, that much is overwhelming!  It’s enough to make anyone want to give up; until you really take a look at what it REALLY means to love. I think love is as simple as a smile to someone when you running late for work or holding the door for someone as they come into the mall. To love others as we love ourselves can be overwhelming, if we let it be or it can be very practical, if we allow it to be.  True love is caring enough to stop thinking about yourself for a moment and think of someone else - anyone else.  I challenge you to love someone- anyone, everyday this week as you would love yourself. It may be as easy as helping carry something for someone when they need help or it may be as complex as giving a ride to someone who would  normally take public transit. WOW! True love, what a concept!

FREE FOOD!

“Knock, Knock, this is Dave from Liberty International Church I have some FREE FOOD, would you like some!”  This is what I just finished saying repeatedly, until all the food was distributed.

Today unexpectedly we received a pick- up truck full of personal pizza’s, french fries, and hot dogs. I figured the best thing to do would surprise our community neighbours with a load of food.

I must say, this wasn’t as easy as you would imagine.  Think about this for a second.  A guy calling himself a pastor comes to your apartment door and says, 1. he’s a pastor, 2. say’s he’s from the church, and 3. say’s he has free food!  As you could imagine a lot of people had their doubts.

But although there were some doubters the majority of people were thrilled to receive boxes of free food. It was amazing the divine appointments that God set up for us.

This is life in action, learning how to be the hands of Jesus extended to God’s people. Social Justice is as easy as taking a bunch of food and giving it away- who know’s what impact it will have?- but it’s what Christ commanded us to do.

Truth is, I didn’t do it alone- so thanks to all of our incredible volunteers that made this happen Curtis, Omar, Alex, Dagan, Carrie and Ali, you guys rock!

Dave

The investigation is on as Toronto police are looking into the stabbing death of a resident of Coin St. co-operative housing complex.  According to reports, a male senior citizen was found suffering from multiple stab wounds in his own home.  The man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead later in the afternoon.

MY NEIGHBOURHOOD

This is the 68th homicide in my neighbourhood in 2008.  

My neighbourhood consists of a large population of people with a variety of social and economic challenges.  

My neighbourhood is a place where young children are always on guard because of the unknown security issues they are confronted with daily.  

My neighbourhood is fighting for survival and looking for caring people to help.  

This recent tragedy takes place in the same building we facilitate weekly Rumble Kidz rehearsals .  When Jess got home from practice a few minutes ago - she told me that lots of the kids were unnerved and frightened.  Lots of them said they wouldn’t be sleeping tonight.  Many of them will be left with lots of questions.   I think about my own kids and realize that I can’t always protect them they way I want to protect them.    

Sometimes I wonder if I am growing calloused to this sort of violence, but  I pray that I’m not.   I pray that I never get used to seeing kids hide under tables because they are afraid.  I pray that I never get used to running programs under police lock-down.  I pray that I will keep faith that our neighbourhood can change. 

I am praying that we will start a movement to end the poverty, and hopelessness that seem to go hand in hand with cities.  68 murders in one place doesn’t have to be tolerated.  God can give us innovative ideas to reach our city with a message of hope, love and peace.  I will assure you that I am not a hippie - I am just a man sold out to the idea that things can change. 

Will you join me in this revolution?

Dave

So today I read that Switzerland has given the okay to the world’s most extensive legalized heroin program. And while I am sure that many people are appalled to hear about this - I am not so sure where I stand (I know, I run the risk of alienating a whole bunch of you out there - but please before sending me nasty emails - hear me out)

Maybe ten years ago - before I knew any heroin addicts I would have had the same aggressive anti-drug recovery stance that many of you might also have. But over the last decade I have met many heroin addicts and I know that their plight is nothing short of tragic. Each time I see one of my friends who is a heroin addict I wonder if this is the last time I am going to see them. And as we talk I am reminded that they are not just an “addict”, but they are people - who deserve my respect and my compassion. I have truly never met a heroin addict who wanted to remain addicted to heroin - they are trapped by their body’s chemical addiction. And so I really think that giving them one more option for recovery is a good thing. I am not convinced that these heroin programs will lure more unsuspecting kids into drug culture. In fact, I think it may do the opposite. I won’t say that I’m totally convinced of my opinion - but when I look into the eyes of people who are desperate for a solution - I’m willing to try anything short of sin to help them.

This news story got me thinking really more than just about recovery programs for drug addicts. It made me think about our own community and about the many broken people who are part of what we do. It made me wonder how we are creating an atmosphere for broken people to find wholeness - with judgement of fear or ridicule. I know first hand that this is not an easy thing to do. Hurt people do hurt people, but I am convinced that if we are going to be a community that really reflects Christ - we must be willing to accept the unlovely - even if we don’t understand it.

Let me know your thoughts.

Jess