Family Life Church-Hermitage, PA

Scripture: Eph. 4:30, 6:10-12, 1 Pet. 5:8-9, Eph. 6:13-18, John 16:33 Main Points: Dark Spirituality: There is an exponential increase in fascination with paranormal activity and dark spirituality. While this reveals that people are searching, it has implications for the Church. Vigilance: Christians do not need to fear the inevitable attacks of the enemy as long as we remain ready for attack through vigilance and spiritual preparation for war. Spiritual Obesity: The Church is stuffed to the brim with popular sermons and professional worship. It has depleted our need to live the Gospel and make that our worship. Unless we recognize the value of the Gospel and live our worship, we are not ready for Spiritual Attack.

Works, Baptism, and the Holy SpiritMain Points: Required Acts of Salvation: Jesus demonstrates a descriptive picture of salvation that lays outthe steps for submitting our lives to him. These are later expounded prescriptively by Paul.Obedience & Delight: Jesus was baptized to prove his place in the coming Kingdom and toascend as the High Priest. Our decision to be baptized joins in the Kingdom and acknowledgesour priestly calling by God (Mat 10:32, Luke 14:25-27, 1 Pet 2:9).HS Inclusivity: The Spirit is at work in the lives of all who call on God (1 Cor 12:3) but is alsoinviting us into a deeper relationship marked by power for life and witness.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2, 3:1-5Main Points:Biblical Creation vs Scientific OriginsBiblical Observations:Formless EarthEmpty EarthDark EarthWater/DeepBiblical Concepts:Young Earth CreationismOld Earth CreationismEquality with God-How does strata form?Radio-Dating 300,000 to 2,800,000 years oldWhat's up with Argon?How do fossils form?How did life begin?Similarity ≠ CommonalityWhat does AI teach us about genetics?Humility of the Scientific Process

Scripture: 2 Cor 5:11, 13-21, Matt 16:13-19, 1 Cor 9:22-23Main Points: 1. Next Generation: There comes a point when we have to call the Next Generation to stand. Ifthey are going to stand, then we must let them. This is how families grow!2. City of the Dead: The revelation of Jesus as Messiah is a turning point in Church history. If heis the Messiah, we have a mission to take authority over the darkness in our world!3. Build the Church: Paul recognized that the building of God's church hinged on his ability toidentify with those in need so that he could lead them to God. This is our task now.

Scriptures: Matthew 5:10-12; 10:16-22,32-36, Galatians 1:10Main Points:-Blessing and Persecution.-Snakes and Doves.-Division and Restoration.-Gratitude for Persecution.

Scriptures: Matthew 5:9, Psalm 34:8-14, Romans 12:17-21, 1 John 3:14-15, John 13:34Main Points:-How is PEACE attained?-Avoiding the work of peace is ungodly.-Grace-filled Compassion Purchases our Peace.-Our Love for Others Affects Our Eternity

Scriptures: Matthew 5:8, 21-22, 27-28, 6:22-24, Psalm 24:3-6, Revelation 4Main Points:-Is purity unrealistic?-Idolatry and deceit corrupt the heart.-Anything I prioritize over God is an Idol.-The most beautiful views come at a cost.Idolatry Checkup:Am I making decisions about my finances based on God, or am I making decisions about God based on my finances?Am I making decisions about my life based on God or decisions about God based on my life?

Scriptures: Matthew 5:7, 9:9-13, Luke 6:31-38, Proverbs 11:7, Hosea 6:4-7, 1 Peter 1:3Sermon Main Points:-What does it mean to be MERCIFUL?-Do you need MERCY?-Mercy is an act of Generosity.-Mercy comes with the greatest Cost.Sermon Notes:Unmerciful Acts-Loving the loveable is not love-Goodness toward good people is not good-Lending with security is not generosityMerciful Acts-Loving your enemies is love-Goodness without a return is good-Kindness to the wicked/unthankful is Kind-Compassion for those deserving punishment is Godly

Scripture: Matthew 5:6, Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:21-24, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10Main Points:What does it mean to be Righteous?Deconstructing Righteousness.Righteous people know their faults.

Scriptures: Matthew 5:5, Psalm 37:3-11, Romans 12:14-21, Micah 6:6-8, Ephesians 1:11Main Points:-Meekness vs. Weakness.-Running ahead of God.-Doing right when you feel wronged.-Walk humbly with your God.Notes:Stay humble when…You are persecutedOthers are happyOthers mournThere is discordSurrounded by “lowly people”You think you're rightYou've been wrongedTempted to act dishonorablyDisagreeing with someoneYou desire revengeGod fights for youYour enemy is in needEvil is crouching at your door

Scriptures: Matthew 5:4, Isaiah 61:1-3, James 4:7-10, John 14:15-17Main Points:-Mourning for WHO? About WHAT?-God OPPOSES the enemies of his people.-Repentance for OUR sins.-Who needs COMFORT?God Opposes...The Proud –James 4:6The Arrogant –Isaiah 2:11The Wicked –Psalm 11:5Oppressors –Isaiah 10:1-2The Dishonest –Proverbs 11:1Murderers –Proverbs 6:16-17Idolators –Deuteronomy 32:16Liars –Proverbs 6:16-17The Immoral –Colossians 3:5-6Hypocrites –Isaiah 29:13The Corrupt –Isaiah 5:20The Divisive –Proverbs 6:16 & 19

Scriptures: Matthew 5:3, Isaiah 66:1-3, Psalm 51:16-17, Ephesians 5:9-14, Matthew 6:33Main Points:What does it mean to be POOR?Without God, I have NOTHING…God wants my HEART.Love Others, Love God. Avoid: Sexual Immorality, Impurity, Greed, Obscene stories, Foolish Talk, Coarse Jokes.The COST of the Kingdom.

Biblical Relationship Between the Heart & MindScriptures: Romans 1:21-22, 28, 7:21-23, 8:5-6, 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:21-23, Philippians 4:8-9Sermon Notes:-Finding God's good, pleasing, & perfect will-Have the desires of my mind been changed?-A renewed mind enjoys the peace of God.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Corinthians 4:15-18Main Points:-Run with PURPOSE-Run with DISCIPLINE-Run with PERSEVERANCE

Scripture: Psalm 33:12, John 8:31-32, Galatians 5:1Sermon:Let's suppose that sometime this week you turned on the News and heard these 3 Announcements:#1 “The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has just issued this statement: ‘Divine Providence (that's God) has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty ... of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.'” (This was a portion of a Letter to John Murray, October 12, 1816)#2 “Inquiries by our reporters reveal that almost every state legislature has now passed a law requiring all elected officials to take this oath: ‘I do profess faith in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ His only Son... and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old & New Testaments to be given by divine inspiration.'”#3“Legislation was passed today in Congress to affirm that, ‘The Congress of the United States approves of and recommends...the Holy Bible for use in the schools.'”FREEDOM FOR ALLRESPONSES TO ONE'S FREEDOM-The First Amendment to the United States Constitution:What does the law say there? Freedom of religion, in other words, Freedom of FAITH.

Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-27, Jeremiah 17:9-10, 17:5-8, Matthew 11:28-30Main Points: The HEALTH of my heart determines my future.A BAD heart believes in human strength.Jesus can TEACH my heart to rest in Him.Notes:How do I examine my heart?What do I think about the most?What do I worry about the most?What is my first thought about how to fix a problem?How bad do things have to get before I involve God?Where is the bulk of my time and money being spent?

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 103:8-14, Hebrews 12:5-11, Luke 11:11-13 NLTMAIN POINTS:The CHARACTER of a good father gives life to his children.restrainedcompassionateforgivingyieldingmercifulpatientcarefulsteadfastlovingunderstandingforgetfulThe DISCIPLINE of a good father gives life to his children.The GUIDANCE of a good father gives life to his children.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15Main Points:Giving to God is a MINISTRY to reach the lost and provide for the poor.Generosity leads to abundance and a DELIGHT in sharing with those in need.Notes:Generosity FalsehoodsYou can't afford to giveThe church is greedyGod understands you need your moneyGiving is legalistic and Old TestamentYou will give when things are betterGiving your time is enoughGod's Generosity Pathway (Old Testament)Honor God with your wealth, and your blessings will overflow(Proverbs 3:9-10)Generosity = Prosperity(Proverbs 11:24-25)Your money doesn't last because you don't honor God(Haggai 1:5-6)Stop cheating God and watch him bless you. Test him!(Malachi 3:8-10)God's Generosity Pathway (New Testament)Treasures impact your heart's desires. God will provide!(Matthew 6:19-21 & 31-33)Generosity to the poor matters(Matthew 19:21)Tithing is just the beginning of honoring God(Matthew 23:23)Generosity = Prosperity for sharing with others(2 Corinthians 9:6-12)

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 11:25-29, Exodus 20:8-11, 31:12-17, Mark 2:27Main Points:Why does a pastor need to take a Sabbatical?Make Time to rest.Generational Stress.Notes:What is a Sabbatical?NOT a vacation or a break from the work of ministry.NOT a reward for time served in ministry.An investment into the future of ministry.A chance to heal from the emotional and spiritual strain that accompanies ministry.A time, through healing, to reconnect with God in the quiet.A time for safety from surprise traumas or eventsEmotionally Healthy Spirituality-Pastor Peter ScazzeroSabbath is a 24-hour block of time in which we stop work, enjoy rest, practice delight, and contemplate God.”Stop – God is in control, not meRest – Intentional recovery for the soulDelight – Enjoy God's gifts/creationContemplate – Focus your life on GodThe Science of StressStress releases adrenaline and cortisolIncreased BP, Heart Attack & StrokeDecreased immune functionHormonal imbalancesDigestive disorders and ulcersMuscle tension, headaches & body painAlters memory, mood & emotionsShortens DNA protective caps, telomeresAnxiety, Depression, & sleep disruption

Scripture: Luke 6:12-19, Exodus 17:8-11, Mark 5:21-34Main Points:Find time for Prayer.Find your People.Love the One in front of you.Prayer in the BIBLE:1 Thessalonians 5:17 = pray without ceasingMatthew 6:5-13 = it doesn't have to be fancyRomans 12:12 = pray constantlyColossians 4:2 = continue steadfastly in prayerLuke 18:1 = always pray, don't lose heartPhilippians 4:6-7 = rid of anxiety and gives peaceMark 6:5-13 = Reminds of who God is, puts him in his rightful placePsalm 4:1 =gives reliefMark 11:24 = gives us what we ask forJames 5:14-15 = brings healing and forgivenessMark 11:25 = brings forgiveness for you as well as for othersPsalm 34:17 = deliverance from troubles

Scriptures: 1 Peter 1:13-16, Leviticus 20:7-8, John 14:15-17, 16:7-14, 20:19-22, Galatians 5:16-26Main Points:Righteous Response3 days laterLiving with GodHoly Living for JesusRom. 12:1-2 – Live as Holy SacrificesEph. 4:1 – Walk worthy of your callingTi. 2:11-12 – Renounce ungodliness2. Cor. 5:14-16 – God's love controls usGal. 5:16-25 – Life in the Spirit (Fruit)Phil. 2:12-13 – Work out salvation in fear & tremblingHeb. 12:14 – Without holiness, no one will see God1 John 3:2-3 – Hope compels us to purify ourselves

Scriptures: Romans 4:18-24, Romans 4:25-5:2, John 8:31-36Main Points:Impossible PromisesThe Hope of GloryThe Hope of FamilyResurrection OutcomesIs. 53:5 & 1 Pet. 2:24 – Paid the penalty for our sinsRom 3:25 & 1 John 2:2 – Satisfied the justice of God2 Cor 5:18-19 & Rom. 5:10 – Reconciled us to GodEph 1:7 & 1 John 1:9 – Forgave our sinsRom. 6:6-7 & Col. 1:14-14 – Defeated the power of sinCol. 2:15 & Heb 2:14-15 – Defeated Satan/Devil1 Cor. 15:2—22 & Rev. 1:18 – Defeated deathJohn 11:25-26 & 1 Pet. 1:3-4 – Gave us eternal life

Scriptures: John 3:28-34, John 1:29-30, Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 10:32-33Main Points: -I'm NOT Him.-The Lamb of God.-Beyond a Prayer.Prophecies of the MessengerMal. 3 – A messenger declaring the Messiah and judgementMal. 4 – Another “Elijah” to turn hearts of fathers/sonsLuke 1 – Gabriel says child will have the “spirit of Elijah” and to name him John (God is gracious)Luke 1 – Zechariah prophecies “prophet of the Most High”Public Professions of FaithPeter - Matthew 16:16Martha - John 11:27Nathanael - John 1:49Andrew - John 1:41Demons - Luke 4:41Centurion - Mark 15:39Disciples - Matthew 14:33Paul - Acts 9:20

Scripture: Isaiah 53:3-9, 1 Peter 2:22-24, Romans 8:3-11Main Points:Sustitutionary deathGod ForsakenOut of Control

The Church was not designed for SundaysScriptures: Acts 2:42, 5:42Main Points:Love one another… John 13:34Serve one another… Gal. 5:13Carry one another's burdens… Gal. 6:2Encourage one another… 1 Thes. 5:11Be devoted to one another… Rom. 12:10

The Prodigal SonLuke 15:11-31, Isaiah 1:18-19Main Points:Livestock, cash, and kids.The longing of the Father.Passio pro mortuis suffering for the Dead.

Sermon Title: The Parable of the Unforgiving ServantScripture: Matt 18:23-35, Rom 6:16-23, Matt 11:28-30, Josh 24:14-15, Matt 18:21-22, 6:14-15Main Points: 1. Forgiven & Forgiving: We are constantly walking through the simultaneous action of beingforgiven by God and forgiving others. Our debt is far greater than those who sin against us!2. Debtors & Slaves: Biblically, someone is a slave to whoever they owe a debt. We were bornas slaves to sin, but have offered the opportunity to become slaves of God. Choose your Master.3. Limitless Forgiveness: Forgiving others becomes easier when we realize how great our debt isto God and how gracious he was to forgive us. No one gets forgiveness because they deserve it.Dig Deeper:1. Why is forgiveness so difficult when someone has sinned against us?2. Share a testimony of something God delivered you from when you were a “slave to sin.”3. What does it mean to become “slaves to righteous living?”4. How do we typically approach the concept of forgiving others? Do we love them afterwards?5. Take a few moments and contemplate if there is someone you need to forgive. What is stopping you?

Sermon Title: The Parable of the Persistent FriendScripture: Luke 11:5-10, Jas. 5:16, Gal. 6:2, Jas. 4:1-3, Matt. 6:9-13, Luke 11:11-13Main Points: 1. Sacred Responsibility: Prayer is not just about asking God for what we want. It fulfills thesacred responsibility of caring for others by lifting them and their needs in prayer.2. Prayer Motives: Why we pray is just as important as the things for which we are praying.James reminds us that our motives must be pure and Godly for our prayers to be answered.3. Wills & Needs: True prayer challenges our will and wants by putting them in alignment withGod's will for the things we need. What we need most is the Holy Spirit.Dig Deeper:1. What are most of your prayers about? Are they for you, or are they for others?2. What is something you've been praying about for a long time that you're still waiting to see?3. How can you make sure your motives are Godly when you are praying?4. How do you balance the difference between what you want and God's will when you pray?5. Why should we pray for more of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

Sermon Title: The Parable of the Two SonsScripture: Matt. 21:28-32, John 8:34-41, Gal. 3:6-9 & 29, Jas. 2:26Main Points: 1. Love in Action: Our intentions do not define our love for God. It is our actions that we liveout daily that displays the depth (or lack thereof) of my love for God and his will.2. Heritage Cannot Save: A lineage of faithfulness does not connect us to God. We areindividually connected or disconnected from God. It's a relationship, not an association.3. Firm Faith: Faith is not simply belief. Faith is belief in action. Without action, it is not faith.We only act upon that which we truly believe. That should tell us a lot about our true beliefs.Dig Deeper:1. Share a story of a time when you knew you should obey God in something but didn't.2. Why does obedience to God (even when we've done it grudgingly) feel so good in the end?3. Who in your family tree is the “Pillar of Faith” that you look up to?4. What are some things you think you believe but struggle to walk out in faith?5. What is something you've been avoiding that you need to obey? It's not too late!Note:There are over 30 parables that Jesus taught throughout his ministry. The point of them was to use simple concepts to teach deep and difficult theological ideas. They are not whimsical or merely recommendations. They are some of the most important lessons of Christianity. In this one, Jesus shows that intentions are no comparison to action. Our faith in action is the only way to truly obey God. Many people think they are secure in their relationship with God because of their lineage of faith. Some may even say, “My mom is religious enough for all of us!” That truly isn't the case. Faith is a relationship with God, not an association with God's people. We aren't included by default. We follow by decision. Our decisions speak the truth about our true beliefs. We will not follow through on things that we do not actually believe. If we do not believe them, then we have not truly accepted the message of Jesus. This is why obedience is so important. Sometimes, we have to obey to make ourselves believe instead of waiting until we believe to start obeying.

Sermon: Otherly LoveScripture: Matthew 9:9-13 NLTMain Point: Love broken people before they are fixed.Misconception #1: Jesus loves everyone but only likes Christians. Truth: Jesus invites everyone to follow him out of a life of brokenness.Misconception #2: Jesus only accepts people who have it together. Truth: Jesus loves us as we are, but doesn't leave us that way.Misconception #3: Jesus separates himself from hurting people. Truth: Jesus wants us to go where the hurt is.

Sermon Title: American Jesus, Part 2Scripture: Matt. 25:1-13, Heb. 12:14-17, Matt. 25:14-30, John 15:2, Jas. 2:14-26, Matt. 25:31-46,Main Points: 1. Endurance: It is not just about starting the race, we have to finish. Jesus reminds us thatsalvation is a marathon that must be run to the end or we will miss the prize of eternity.2. Active Faith: True faith is alive and active. It reproduces itself and reproduces the Gospel inthe lives of others. It is so much more than the personal thing we make it.3. Compassion: Jesus offers more than a social Gospel. The activity of our salvation shouldproduce a heart that sees the needs of others and seeks to be a blessing to the least of these.Dig Deeper:1. How is our relationship with God more like a marathon than a sprint? How can we show that to others?2. What are some characteristics of a person who is living their life completely sold out for Jesus?3. What has God given to you that you could use to build His Kingdom?4. Why is compassion ministry so important to God? Why should it be more important to us?5. What could you be doing to show compassion to the “least of these?”

Sermon Title: American Jesus, Part 1Scripture: Rom. 10:9, Luke 14:25-30, Matt. 4:18-22, 16:21-28, John 16:33Main Points: 1. The Cost of Salvation: To truly accept the gift of salvation means that we have to rejecteverything that isn't part of that salvation. We forsake all others and cleave only to God.2. The Cost of Following: We say that we are “following Jesus,” but the truth is we are oftentrying to lead him and include him. Following means surrender and a second seat to Jesus.3. The Cost of a Soul: We all want God to bless us with a good life, but God wants to bless oursouls with salvation, even if it costs some comfort in this life.DIG DEEPER-1. What has your salvation cost you? What changes has it made in your life?2. What have you given up for the sake of following Jesus?3. Where do you think that God is leading you in your life? What's his plan?4. Share a story of a time when the challenges of life caused you to question God's goodness.5. If God is most concerned with our souls, what does that mean for our everyday lives?

Sermon- Omnipotence (omnis potentia)Scripture: Genesis 1:1-3m, 2 Samuel 7:8-11, 1 Peter 1:3-5Main Points:The Paradox of the STONE .God needs NOTHING to create everything.God's power and plan EXCEED our imaginations.God's power to SAVE is the greatest miracle of all.SERMON NOTES:Omnipotence in the Bible Genesis 1:1 - God creates everything ex nihilo Job 42:2 – God can do all things Psalm 33:6 – God created by speaking Jerimiah 32:17 – Nothing too difficult for God Isaiah 40:28 – God never gets tired Matthew 19:26 – Nothing impossible for God Ephesians 3:20 – Beyond what we can imagine

Sermon: Omnipresence (omnis praesentia)Scriptures: Psalm 139:5-12, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Matthew 18:19-20, 2 Chronicles 7:13-15Sermon Notes:Omnipresence in the BibleJeremiah 23:23-24 – God fills the whole earth1 Kings 8:27 – Earth cannot contain GodProverbs 15:3 – God's eyes are everywhereMatthew 28:20 – God is with usActs 17:27-28 – God is never far awayEphesians 4:6 – God is over all and in allColossians 1:17 – All things held together by GodMain Points:1. Comfort & Challenge: God sees and knows all things. It comforts us because there is no difficulty that escapes his view. It challenges us because he sees every sinful heart. 2. Fellowship Reflects God: God's presence is inside us, but his glory is reflected in our fellowship and communal worship. Inviting his glory activates his power. 3. God Dwells In Righteousness: Humility and prayer are important, but God responds to righteousness because it's sacrificial and reflects the sacrifice he made for us. Notes: David is uniquely positioned to speak of God's Kingdom Authority because he himself is a king. He understands that a kingdom is accessible to a king, but that a king is not always accessible to the kingdom. However, he sees God's ability to be everywhere at all times for all his people and he marvels over it. God's presence is in us personally, but his glory is found in our fellowship and corporate worship. He says he is always with us but makes it so that we must gather two or three to see his power activated fully. The presence of God is further activated through upholding a Biblical standard of righteousness in our lives. When we live for God, it invites him to move in and through us with greater fluidity. Humility and prayer are good, but it takes turning away from sin to truly see the power of God activated personally and/or corporately.

Sermon Title: New Year, Same God, Part 2- Omnibenevolence (omnis benevolentia)Scriptures: Genesis 1:31, Genesis 2:15-17, Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Jeremiah 29:11-14Main Points:Why should God get all the credit for good things and none of the blame for bad things?God demonstrates his goodness through instruction.Human will conflicts with the goodness of God's will.Even when it hurts, God has a good plan for my life.Sermon Notes:Definition: Possessing perfect and limitless goodnessThe goodness of God can be conceived in terms of God in himself (ad intra) and God's work in creation (ad extra). A thing is good to the extent that it is all that it can and should be—namely, perfect. God alone is all that he can and should be. Thus, since God is wholly perfect, lacking nothing, he is the supreme and absolute good. Moreover, since he is already himself fully perfect according to his nature, there is no end—no good—toward which he strives. That is to say, God is immutably incapable of becoming more good or less good. To refer to God's goodness is simply to refer to God himself. That is to say, God's essence is identical with goodness, and goodness is an essential and necessary attribute of the divine nature. Since God is infinite, his goodness is as immeasurable as his being and nature. Moreover, as self-sufficient, God does not derive his goodness from anything else. Thus, he rests in himself as good. -Lexham Survey of Theology, God's GoodnessInevitably, when we talk about the goodness of God, this is the question that plagues most people. We treat this question with incredulity because it seems unfair in our eyes that God should only get credit for something if it's good. Even for those who believe in God's ultimate goodness, there remains the question of the things that he allows which are not good. He himself is good. He has the power to stop that which is not good. If he doesn't stop that which is not good when he instruction, stop it, how can he himself still be good?How do we teach out children what the word hot means? Some of us will tell a kid over and over again, ”No. Don't touch. That's hot.” Now the truth is a child does not know what hot means until one day they touch something either because you permitted them, they disobeyed or a combination of the two. When a child gets burned, are you a bad parent because that happened? No. You had warned them. You had even scolded them for getting too close to whatever was hot. instruction, the fact remains that they did not know what hot meant until they got burned.

Sermon Title: New Year, Same God, OmniscienceScriptures: Psalm 139:1-4,16, Romans 8:26-30, Hebrews 4:10-13Main Points: God has a PLAN for me in 2025.I need the Holy Spirit more than a resolution.I will give an account to God for everything.Sermon Notes:While there are many doctrines that are not agreed upon universally, the doctrine of omniscience has always been an ecclesial belief. It is deeply rooted in scriptures of the Old and New Testatments. The word omniscience can only define God. It is derived from the Latin words omnis (all) and scientia (knowledge) and literally means that someone possesses “all knowledge.” Who, other than God, could ever truly embody this concept?If you are someone who has had their life completely changed by one day… are you willing to believe that it can happen again?When we read the Bible, it REVEALS to us what is already EXPOSED before God, to whom we must someday give an account!

The Christmas Story, Life-Altering Journeys to Jesus, Part 5-Why are you here?Scriptures: Luke 2:15, Matthew 2:2, Luke 1:38, Matthew 1:24, Matthew 2:3Main Points:The Shepherds-Hunger for MoreThe Magi-Hope and ExpectationThe Parents-Blessing and ObedienceThe Kings-Fear of the UnknownSermon Notes:There were a number of individuals who were part of the birth story. The question we might ask all of them is “Why are you here?” What's a magician from the far east doing here? Why are there shepherds here? What's this young girl and her husband doing here? Let's take a few minutes to look at the reasons they were there and finally the reason that one person didn't show up. Which one is most like you?There are some people who find their way to Jesus because at one point in their lives they had an experience that changed their perspectives. Something happened that sparked just enough interest in them to create a “hunger for more.” So, they go looking. But be careful… sometimes our hunger for more ends in disappointment because we think that more is going to be grandiose and experiential. Make sure your hunger fore more doesn't drive you away from God after the goosebumps and the hype are gone.We've been hearing about the coming Messiah. We've come a long way because we want to find him. If he's real, we want to worship him! Sometimes we show up because we need some hope in our lives and we are filled with just enough expectation that Jesus could be the answer to some longing within us that we don't even understand. It comes on the heals of the “there's got to be more than this” moment that most of us have or will experience. What if Jesus is the more? What if God is the answer? What if giving my life to God would change the way I see myself and the world around me? I am hoping he's the answer to everything I'm expecting. That's why I'm here!Some people end up at the feet of Jesus just because that's what you're supposed to do. God commanded it. So, I'm going. God said I have to give my heart to him. God said I have to follow him. God said I have to obey him. That's why I'm here. They can't imagine not being here. It wasn't always that way, but somehow at some point God got ahold of their hearts and they can't even consider doing anything but obeying now. The amazing part of Mary and Joseph's story is that there was a blessing in their obedience, not just for them, but for the whole world!We have all these people who showed up for different reasons to be part of the birth of Jesus. Then, we have a group that was no where to be found. They are typified through King Herod. He was the “King of the Jews” at the time of Jesus' birth. When he was told by the Magi that they had come to find the newborn King of the Jews… he was disturbed by that. The announcement of the Messiah was disturbing to all of Jerusalem. Why were they so surprised? They should have known. They probably did. However, there was fear. Life is cushy. It's manageable. What will happen if Jesus takes over? What will it do to my world? What will it do to my kingdom?If you are someone who has had their life completely changed by one day… are you willing to believe that it can happen again?

Sermon: Hope is AliveScriptures: Psalm 16:1-11, Psalm 84:10-12Main Points:Hope begins when we make the decision to follow God completely.Hope follows Trust in Jesus as we let Him show us the Way of Life.Sermon Notes:What does it mean to completely trust in God?John 11:25 – God will save you from your sinDeut. 31:5 – God will never leave you or forsake youJas. 1:5 – God will give you wisdom to guide youPs. 37:3 – God will direct your steps if you are righteousMal. 3:10 – God will provide for you if you are generousIs. 55:8-9 – God sees and knows what you do notMatt. 6:33 – God will take care of everything if you put him firstRom. 8:28 – God is working good things for those who love himHow can we confidently approach 2025 and hope for it to be a good year? Let's move away from ideas that it might be “the best year ever” or “a better year than last year.” We are too downtrodden with our thoughts. There is a biblical pathway for choosing hope in our lives and it begins with a foundation of godliness that we must each choose to build upon each day.

The Christmas Story, Life-Altering Journeys to Jesus, Part 2 The Kings Scriptures: Micah 2:12-13; Micah 5:2-5; Philippians 2:6-11; Matthew 2:12-16; Revelation 17:14 Main Points: 1. The Servant King 2. The Fearful King 3. The Insecure Kings 4. The King of Kings Sermon Notes: Within this story, there are four kings. The first King in the story is the the easiest to discuss. His name is Jesus. We see in scripture that he is heralded as a coming king who will change the world. His coming was foretold for hundreds of years. His journey to Earth is not something that we can so quickly glance over. While the rest of us are on a life-altering journey to Jesus, he was on an unbelievable journey of humiliation and blessing. The other three kings of this story are the Parthian Emperor Phraates IV, the Roman Emperor August Caesar and the King of the Jewish territory, Herod the Great. The book of Revelation describes the ending of everything as we know it. It's the end of the world. It's the end of human suffering. It's the end of sin and evil's dominion. It's the time when the King of all Kings defeats every enemy of the world, past, present and future, and established eternal peace for his people. It is a battle won for the Glory of God and only those who are “with” him will be the victors. So, why do we keep fighting against him? Why do we scheme to maintain a façade of control in our lives, thinking that we could never truly surrender to God? The only way we win is if we lose.

The Christmas Story, Life-Altering Journeys to Jesus, Part 4- The Parents Scriptures: Matthew 1:18-21,2:11; Luke 1:26-38,2:16-18,25-28 Main Points: 1. The Challenge of Faith2. The Response of Faith 3. The Fruit of Faith Sermon Notes: There are times when following God is not going to be easy. When I stop to think about the things that Mary and Joseph endured, it feels like it's too much. Imagine being a 12-year-old girl and trying to explain to your parents and your fiancé that your pregnancy is God's doing and that you are not a fornicator. How well do you think that argument went? On a side note... I wonder how many times that excuse has been tried since then? Then, imagine you are Joseph. I don't want us to lose sight of how marriage worked in this her but. Mary and Joseph were not marrying for love. They were marrying because Mary needed a husband and Joseph needed a wife. He was entering into a contract to care for Mary. Imagine his reaction when he finds out that this young woman has been unfaithful to him? That may not sound like a huge deal in our time, but it would have been appalling to them. Even for us, this is a stretch. A 12/13-year-old girl is pregnant? Where were her parents? How did this happen? As if all this isn't bad enough, God sends an angel to Joseph to tell him that he should not divorce pregnant, should still take her as his wife. God has brought disgrace to Mary by impregnating her out of wedlock. Now, he is bringing disgrace to Joseph by asking him to care for a wife who is pregnant, and everyone will know it is not his child. There is shame and disgrace surrounding everything. Yet, this is the way that God chose to bring about the birth of Jesus. Here's the “Challenge of Faith.” God just might birth something in you that doesn't make sense to anyone else, or even worse, could harm your reputation and bring shame to you! God wouldn't do that! He did. He does. He is less concerned with our earthly reputations than we are. That means we have to be open to what God is doing, even when we don't fully understand it. We may have had an idea in our head about how something was going to go. That may not be God's plan. He may do something that alarms us or confuses us. We have to see the response that these parents had and be open to God. “I am the LORD's servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” There are few things in the world that can bring such awe and trepidation as to say to the creator of the universe… “Have your way with me. Do what you think is best. Do what is best for your Kingdom. Do what will accomplish your will. Not my will, but your will be done.” These are faith-filled responses. Writing a blank check with your life and handing it to God is terrifying, but it's also satisfying. Mary and Joseph both had a decision to make. They could have said, “No.” They could have refused God's plan. He likely would have used someone else, but they would have been removed from the story. We read in the birth narratives that “Mary treasured these things in her heart.” What did she treasure? Was she merely treasuring the moment? Or, was she treasuring her decision to say yes so that she could be there? It's hard to say, but important to consider. There will be times in your life when you realize, ”I'm here and part of this because I said yes.” There may also be times in our lives when we stop to consider, “I wonder what would have happened if I had said yes?” Let's not forget that along the way there may be a few times when you think, “Why oh why did I say yes?” They are all part of the process of trusting God and following his lead for your life. If you stop to consider some of the greatest events in scripture, most of them came after someone said yes to something really difficult.

The Christmas Story, Life-Altering Journeys to Jesus, Part 1 The Magi Scriptures: Matthew 2:1-12, John 3:12-15, 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, Matthew 13:44-46, Main Points: 1. Intellectual Journey 2. Earthly Wisdom vs Heavenly Wisdom 3. Don't forget where you came from or where you're trying to go. 4. An intellectual journey to Jesus takes a lot of time and effort. 5. Discover the value of knowing Jesus. Sermon Notes: The Magi represent those who have a more intellectual approach to seeking Jesus. They want the answers. They want the clues. They want the proof. If they see proof, they will follow up the lead, but they aren't taking anything on faith. There are several interesting aspects of their discovery which led them to Jesus. We have evidence of this today. Is there an intellectual journey to Jesus that we can take to find him? Yes! However, there are a few guidelines we must carefully consider along the way. The first is evidenced in a conversation that Jesus had with a man named Nicodemus. He was a teacher of the law, a Pharisee. He was well-educated in the scriptures and had spent his entire life pursuing an understanding of the things of God. He was teaching the law and highly regarded. Yet, when Jesus steps on the scene he is confounded by the things Jesus says. Jesus makes one thing very clear to him in his conversation that we can read in John 3. To be clear… both exist. There is wisdom that can be found, interpreted and applied here on earth. The book of Proverbs, the teaching of Solomon and a lot of Jesus's teaching attest to this truth. There is a pursuit of earthly wisdom and understanding that is important. However, this must be accompanied by a pursuit of Heavenly wisdom. This kind of wisdom is not as easy to ascertain and understand. It's not as easy to comprehend or teach. It is part of the journey to Jesus.

The Christmas Story, Life-Altering Journeys to Jesus, Part 3 The Shepherds Scriptures: Luke 2:8-20; Psalm 23; John 10:11-16 Main Points: 1. The God of One Day. 2. The Message of Hope. 3. The God of Tomorrow. Sermon Notes: One of the most encouraging things about God, is that he only needs one day to change everything. However, this can be deflating when we are waiting for our day! The very first prophecy of the Messiah had come somewhere around 700 years before Jesus was born through the Prophet Isaiah (Is. 53). I don't know about you, but that's a long time to wait! God is a good shepherd! He provides for us. He protects us. He strengthens us. He leads us. He anoints us. He blesses us! Jesus is The Good Shepherd! He lays down his life for the sheep and he gathers those who are not yet his. He won't rest until they are under his care. He is pursuing them with an everlasting love! He died and rose again for people who were not worthy. We were like sheep without a shepherd (Matt. 9:36) and he rescued us. We were wandering around aimlessly, with no one to care for us. Then… ONE DAY… Jesus became our shepherd. He gave us his promise and sealed it with his blood. He gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins. He laid down his life so we don't have to die for our sins! This is the message of hope! It's a life-changing, life-giving message! Why aren't we sharing it?

Sermon Title: Grateful Over Hateful Scriptures: Philippians 4:2-9, Matthew 5:9, 23-24, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Ephesians 4:30-32. MAIN POINTS: 1. If you have a disagreement with someone... Fix it 2. If you see a disagreement between Believers... Fix it 3. Prayer is a defense that protects you from offense 4. Fix your thoughts before you fix someone else's 5. In choosing between being right and showing love… love like Jesus

Sermon Title: Jonah, pt 3- Does God give second chances? Scriptures: Jonah 3:1-5,4:1-3,5-9,10-11, Genesis 39:2-4,21-23,41:38-40 Main Points: 1. Who gets the blessing? The inclination to return to God and obey him is much greater when we think that it will result in a blessing for us. We desire the restoration of our path and God's plan. We want the blessing that will come from reconciliation. How will we respond if we find out that the blessing goes to someone else for our obedience? 2. Look for the Lesson. While the storm certainly teaches us about obedience, this is not the only lesson. On the other side we find that God is not simply teaching us about obedience, but he is giving us an opportunity to gain perspective. 3. Is God's plan worth it? At the beginning of the message, I gave you a list of individuals to whom God gave second chances. The interesting thing about nearly all of them is that by the end of their lives, they are praising God for all that he has done. They've gone through the process of storms. They've received the gift of 2nd chances and the lessons that are imparted during that process. They get to the end of their lives with a profound love for God and a perspective of his goodness. I see this as a “Perspective of Praise.” Jonah, however, did not. NOTES: There is no conclusion to Jonah's story outside of his anger with God's plan of mercy for the Ninevites. The book ends with a question from God that Jonah never answers. I think that God did it this way on purpose. He's good at stuff like that! I think the answer to the question wasn't for Jonah. I think it was for us. Jonah got a unique perspective of God's process and at the end was faced with the totality of God's plan. It was for the salvation of 120,000 people that God cares about. The numbers, people and places aren't the real question. God's question that echoes down to us is simply this, “Is my plan worth it?” That is a question that we each must answer, often without knowing the totality of the impact. What do you say to your storm, your struggles, your lessons and God's plan? Is it worth it? Is he worth it? Can you trust him? The answer is up to you…