Dec 22, 2024
An Insignificant Christmas
Series: Christmas
Christmas is about the birth of the baby Jesus, God’s promised Messiah. The Jews had been anticipating the coming of the Messiah for hundreds, if not thousands of years. They had expectations about what would happen and what the Messiah would be like. The Jews expected the Messiah to be a conquering king & hero – they figured He would be born as royalty, in the line of David, and that He would take the throne, restoring Israel to its former glory.
Instead, the birth of the Messiah reads like and exercise in insignificance – Jesus was born in an insignificant place, at an insignificant time, to insignificant people. But, as we look at all of that, I believe God shows us the Significance of Christmas.
Jesus Christ gives significance to life.
Luke 2:1-7
Dec. 22, 2024
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- Dec 22, 2024An Insignificant Christmas
Dec 22, 2024An Insignificant ChristmasSeries: ChristmasChristmas is about the birth of the baby Jesus, God’s promised Messiah. The Jews had been anticipating the coming of the Messiah for hundreds, if not thousands of years. They had expectations about what would happen and what the Messiah would be like. The Jews expected the Messiah to be a conquering king & hero – they figured He would be born as royalty, in the line of David, and that He would take the throne, restoring Israel to its former glory.Instead, the birth of the Messiah reads like and exercise in insignificance – Jesus was born in an insignificant place, at an insignificant time, to insignificant people. But, as we look at all of that, I believe God shows us the Significance of Christmas.Jesus Christ gives significance to life.Luke 2:1-7Dec. 22, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Dec 15, 2024Finding Favor with the Father
Dec 15, 2024Finding Favor with the FatherSeries: ChristmasThe Christmas story is one we’ve heard so many times, we could probably recite all the details without ever opening the Bible. We’ve got a pretty good handle on the characters and details. In fact, we sing songs about them throughout the Christmas season. Yet, for as familiar with the Christmas story as we may be, there is still much we can learn about God from these experiences.In Luke 1:26-38, our author focuses in on Jesus' mother Mary. She was an ordinary girl whom God chose to be part of His extraordinary story. Her faithful response to God’s call on her life serves as an example to all of us. Three things stand out: 1) Favored Followers of God Live Faithful Lives; 2) God Gives Grace to His Faithful Followers; and 3) We Should Willingly Pursue God’s Plan for Our Lives.God’s favor rests on those who believe His Word and trust His will.Luke 1:26-38Dec. 15, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Dec 8, 2024Jesus’ Family Christmas Tree
Dec 8, 2024Jesus’ Family Christmas TreeSeries: ChristmasMatthew provides us with 1 of the 2 genealogies of Jesus found in the New Testament. One might expect that when giving the record of the royal line of descent for the Messiah, you would focus on the good and righteous people in His family. Yet, this genealogy is kind of a mixed bag. Yes there are heroes of the faith, but, then there are people with shady reputations. There were ordinary people, good people, and evil people.One of the more peculiar things about Matthew’s list is that he includes the names of 4 women, in addition to Jesus’ mother, Mary. While there is a lot we could unpack here about all the people in the list, I want to focus our attention this morning on the 4 women. Each of their stories show us something about God and His dealings with people. 1) God is Gracious in Spite of Our Sin; 2) Faith Makes Us a Part of God’s Family; 3) Redemption is Received by Those Who Believe; and 4) God Can Still Work in the Worst Situations.God faithfully provided a perfect Savior from imperfect people.Matthew 1:1-17Dec. 8, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Dec 1, 2024The Privileges of Adoption
Dec 1, 2024The Privileges of AdoptionSeries: GalatiansGod has lovingly reached out to save us from ourselves and the consequences of our sin. He sent His Son, Jesus, to redeem and adopt us as His children, offering us the full rights & privileges of being heirs to His promises.In Galatians 4:1-7, Paul presents us with an analogy helping us to understand the relationship we can have with God through faith in Christ. Paul shows us that: 1) Apart from Christ We Live in a Condition of Bondage; 2) God Sent the Savior to Redeem Us from Slavery and Make us Sons; and 3) Our Adoption Offers Us Full Rights as Family.Faith in Christ frees us from the futility of living by the Law.Galatians 4:1-7Dec. 1, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Nov 24, 2024One in the Son
Nov 24, 2024One in the SonSeries: GalatiansThere is no hierarchy when it comes to God’s offer of salvation. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. All of us come with equal need of God’s forgiveness, and all are equally offered that forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.In Galatians 3:26-29, Paul makes 3 points about the truth that it is by faith alone that we can enter into a right relationship with God: 1) Faith in Christ Makes You a Favored Child of God; 2) Faith in Christ Makes You Fully Equal with All Other Believers; and 3) Faith in Christ Makes You an Heir to the Father’s Promises.All believers are equal heirs to God’s promises through faith in Christ.Galatians 3?26-29Nov. 24, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Nov 17, 2024Following Where the Law Leads
Nov 17, 2024Following Where the Law LeadsSeries: GalatiansIn chapter 3 of Galatians, Paul has been taking a critical look at the Jewish Law. While it may have appeared that following the Law would lead to a right relationship with God, Paul has been showing that it is in fact a dead end.There are 4 things about the Law which Paul highlights in our passage: 1) The Law Reveals Our Unrighteousness; 2) The Law Promotes God’s Promise; 3) The Law Shows the Grace of the Gospel: and 4) The Law Leads Us to the Lord.The purpose of the law is to lead us to Christ.Galatians 3:19-25Nov. 17, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Nov 10, 2024Irrevocable Living Trust
Nov 10, 2024Irrevocable Living TrustSeries: GalatiansIn the world of legal documents some things can be changed easily. Other things can be changed with great difficulty. And then there are some things that simply cannot be changed – Documents like a person’s Last Will and Testament, after they have died, or an Irrevocable Living Trust, where an inheritance is irreversibly left to others. Once it’s done, it cannot be undone.This is the sort of example Paul uses in Galatians 3:15-18 as he continues to defend the idea that we receive salvation by faith and not by obedience to the Law. Paul argues for the superiority of the covenant God established with Abraham, based on faith. The Jewish Law, which God gave through Moses centuries later, could not in any way revoke or revise God’s covenant with Abraham.With that in mind, Paul shows us two things in this passage: 1) The Path to Receiving God’s Promises Has Never Changed; and 2) God’s Promises Come to Us Through Faith in Christ.Faith is still the foundation of a right relationship with God.Galatians 3:15-18Nov. 10, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Nov 3, 2024Signposts at the Fork in the Road
Nov 3, 2024Signposts at the Fork in the RoadSeries: GalatiansSignposts can be very important. They offer direction and warn of dangers. Just imagine how hard and hazardous it would be to try getting around if there were no street signs or stop signs. Now, of course, those signs don’t keep us from having troubles by themselves. We have to heed the warning.God’s Word does a great job of providing direction and warning for our lives. Throughout history, people have questioned which road leads to salvation. In Galatians 3:10-14, Paul draws our attention to 4 signposts at this spiritual fork in the road: Signpost #1 – Those Who Can’t Keep God’s Commands are Under a Curse; Signpost #2 – A Right Relationship with God is Found Only by Faith; Signpost #3 – The Law is Based on Behaving Rather Than Believing; and Signpost #4 – The Curse of the Law is Only Removed by the Cross of Christ.Believing is the pathway to blessing.Galatians 3:10-14Nov. 3, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Oct 27, 2024It Has Always Been About Faith
Oct 27, 2024It Has Always Been About FaithSeries: GalatiansWhy is it that we sometimes think things are more complicated than they actually are? We can unnecessarily complicate tasks or relationships, when they actually may be quite simple. This seems to also be the case when it comes to the topic of salvation. Throughout the centuries and continuing today, people have added “requirements” to salvation, ultimately doing nothing more than complicating a simple issue, and thereby making it ineffective.God has given us a simple solution for salvation from the consequences of our sin – believe in His promises. Salvation from sin comes by faith. This always has been true, and always will. In Gal. 3:6-9 Paul points back to Abraham as proof that this is true. With a couple of quotes from Genesis, focusing on Abraham’s life, Paul shows his readers that: 1) Right Standing with God is a Result of Faith; and 2) God’s Greatest Blessing is Received by Those Who Believe.We are saved on the basis of belief in God’s promises.Galatians 3:6-9Oct. 27, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
- Oct 20, 2024A Good Work Ethic Won’t Get You There
Oct 20, 2024A Good Work Ethic Won’t Get You ThereSeries: GalatiansIn Galatians 3:1-5 Paul uses a series of rhetorical question posed to these believers in an attempt to shake them up and bring them back to the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. In a sense, these questions are not really questions because the answers are obvious, so obvious that they don’t need to be answered. The basic question Paul is driving at is, “How can you know that you are a Christian?”Three truths show up in what Paul has to say: 1) Christ Crucified is the Cornerstone of the Christian Faith; 2) God Gives His Spirit to Those Who Seek Him by Faith; 3) Christian Maturity is Not a Result of Self-Righteous Effort.God’s Spirit sanctifies us and seals our salvation, not any outward sign.Galatians 3:1-5Oct. 20, 2024To watch the video of this message, click here.
