Podcasts about weary world rejoices

The holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year”… but for many of us, they aren't. In fact, studies show that nearly two-thirds of adults experience increased stress and declining mental health during the Christmas season. Between family dynamics, financial pressure, end-of-year deadlines, and the weight of unspoken grief, December can feel more like survival than celebration. In Part 1 of our Advent Miniseries — The Tension of the Season — we step into that reality honestly. Because Advent was never meant to gloss over our pain. It was designed to name it, hold it, and remind us that hope rises in the waiting. We explore the tension between what we long for and what actually is — between joy and exhaustion, celebration and sorrow, expectation and unmet reality. Through Romans 8:22–25, we look at the “groaning” Scripture says all creation experiences… and why that longing is a sign of our hope, not the loss of it. And we revisit the first Christmas — messy, chaotic, and anything but picture-perfect — to remember that Jesus doesn't wait for the world to be tidy or our hearts to be steady. He comes right into the middle of it. Into the noise, the fatigue, the ache, the silence. Into your reality. If this season feels heavy, complicated, or different than you hoped, you're not behind — you're right where Advent meets us: waiting, longing, hoping. In this episode, you'll be invited to slow down, breathe, and bring your honest heart before God. Because Emmanuel — God with us — is still drawing near. Not when we feel festive… but when we simply make room. Listen now as we begin the journey toward Christmas by acknowledging the tension — and discovering the hope that grows right there in the middle of it.

To start the Advent season, we'll hear from Psalm 62. Pastor Micah Hayers continues our sermon series, “Welcome Home”, preaching from Psalm 62. Notes in this sermon: In a weary world, we have a God-centered hope, an unshakable hope, and a joyful hope. Visit www.bluevalleychurch.org for more information about Blue Valley Church in Overland Park and Olathe, Kansas.

In this sermon we begin the Advent season around the question of how can a weary world rejoice? We look at a poem by Rev. Sarah speed about embracing grief and weariness as a part of what it means to arrive at joy. We look at the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth and the weariness they experienced that made them ready to receive God's joyful news that they will have their first child. We talk about how only those who have embraced their weariness can fully embrace the joy of God's arrival in Jesus. May we encounter the crucified Christ raised from the dead in these words.

This week, Benjamin Applebee begins our Advent Series called "Holy, Holy, Holy"!Want to learn more about Watermark?Visit: https://watermarkoc.com/We would love to start a conversation with you!

To start the Advent season, we'll hear from Psalm 62. Pastor Jonathan Lock continues our sermon series, “Welcome Home”, preaching from Psalm 62. Notes in this sermon: In a weary world, we have a God-centered hope, an unshakable hope, and a joyful hope. Visit www.bluevalleychurch.org for more information about Blue Valley Church in Overland Park and Olathe, Kansas.

Welcome to Week 1 of our Christmas series, A Weary World Rejoices. Today we begin with the first rhythm of Sabbath: Stop. Like the shepherds who were interrupted on the night Jesus was born, we're learning to pause long enough to notice what God is doing. In a world shaped by hurry, Jesus invites us to be still and rediscover the hope found in His presence.

Can anger be a good thing?!

In the lead up to Christmas we are calling a weary world to rejoice!

Eric continues our series, The Weary World Rejoices, exploring God's constant presence throughout Scripture. He emphasizes how Jesus provides comfort and strength during our trials and encourages us to live alongside God, trusting in His love and timing for deliverance.

Message from Cam Potts on November 30, 2025

Advent, which begins on this Sunday, is the season to prepare and wait for Christmas.  This is the first of four messages to dive into the words of O Holy Night – “the weary world rejoices”.  The message offers a perspective on how you can genuinely rejoice during times when you are waiting for what is longed for… as well as an interesting take on Mary and Joseph's preparation for the first Christmas.

Coast Bible Church, PastorTom Bennett, San Juan Capistrano, CA, www.coastbible.org

In this message the first week of Advent: that when hope is lost, God breaks in. That in the silence, He speaks. That in the waiting, He moves. And that in a weary world, joy is still possible.

The HOPE of Christmas: “A Thrill of Hope, the Weary World Rejoices, for Yonder Breaks a New and Glorious Morn!”

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Online Service Sunday November 30, 2025Grace Community Church 5102 Old National Pike Frederick, MD 21702 Pastor Jon Keeler-Lead PastorPastor Kyle Barnette-Pastor of DiscipleshipPastor Paul Wareham-Community PastorWorship Set List-Heaven Everywhere-Francesca BattistelliAngels We Have Heard On High-Chris TomlinCome Thou Long Expected Jesus-Meredith AndrewsCrown Him (Glory In The Highest)-Aaron WilliamsFar As The Curse Is Found-StillCreekWelcome! Thank you for joining us today. Please check out our event on YouVersion to follow along with today's message.Make sure you head over to our website: http://www.gracetoday.org​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Email prayer requests to: GracePrays@gccfred.org

Message from Lyndsay Slocum on November 30, 2025

Paul Morgun preaching on "Hope" as we begin the season of Advent.

📝 Summary 📝 Title: A Weary World Rejoices Speaker: Jonny Greaves Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Isaiah 40 Overview: In this sermon, Jonny Greaves explores the Christmas story through the lens of weariness. Speaking from Luke 2, Jonny contrasts the brief, humble arrival of Jesus with the explosive, glorious announcement made to the shepherds. Just as the people of Israel waited through 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, we often find ourselves waiting in a weary world. But the appearance of the angels to ordinary shepherds reminds us that God has not forgotten His people. Key Points: The Reality of Weariness: Whether it's the exhaustion of raising children or the spiritual fatigue of living in a broken world, weariness is a real part of the human experience. The 400 Years of Silence: Jonny highlights the historical context of the "Intertestamental Period"—four centuries where God seemed silent, paralleling our own feelings of waiting for promises to be fulfilled. A Savior and a Sign: The sermon draws a powerful contrast between the angel's grand title for Jesus ("Messiah, Lord") and the humble sign given to identify him ("a baby in a manger"). Active Faith: The shepherds didn't just marvel at the angels; they responded with active faith ("Let's go and see"). They connected the ancient promises of God with the reality before them. Comfort, Glory, and Peace: Drawing from Isaiah 40, Jonny reminds us that the message of Christmas is one of comfort. God keeps His promises, His glory is revealed in unexpected ways, and He brings peace to a weary world. Call to Action: If you are feeling weary today, "Listen to the angels." Remember that God is working in small, inconspicuous ways to grow His Kingdom and that He has not abandoned you. 📝 Transcript: A Weary World Rejoices Speaker: Jonny Greaves Scripture Focus: Luke 2:1-20 Jonny Greaves: Thank you. Good morning, everyone. It's been a while. It's good to see you all. So start with the easy stuff. Hands up, who is feeling weary this morning? Some of you are willing to admit it. Some of you are so weary you can't even lift your hands in the air. That's tough, isn't it? Yeah, we are working our way through a couple of different talks in the Sundays coming up to Christmas, talking about, yeah, what it is that we as Christians look forward to at Christmas time. And what it is to worship God and to look to Jesus at this time in a weary world. Yeah, just out of interest, out of all of you who put your hands up before, how many of you had a baby this year? Anyone else? No, just me. I have to remind myself it's okay to feel weary sometimes. But weariness can take many forms and shapes, can't it? But it is also something that Nick's already talked about this morning—it permeates our world, not just our hearts and not just our feelings, but the world itself can seem weary. And this is why this is the subject that we're talking about this morning as we read this passage. We're going to be reading from Luke Chapter 2, if you want to follow along. But yeah, the reason that we're looking at this passage is because it speaks into our world today, and it's very relevant in so many respects. I'm going to be reading it for us in the NIV, and we're starting from verse one of Luke Chapter 2. "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." Just going to pause there a second because we've already done the entire Christmas story. Has anyone ever noticed that when they get to this bit in Nativity plays and stuff, you go, "That seems very anticlimactic"? Isn't this supposed to be the most exciting bit? That was seven verses. But Mary's prayer in the previous chapter was nine verses long. You know, when Mary says, "My soul magnifies the Lord"? Nine verses. And we just read the story of Jesus in seven verses, and one of those was about who the governor of Syria was. Sometimes the Bible is incredibly sparse on detail for some reason. That can be very perplexing sometimes. But often, it is for the very reason that the birth of Jesus in this story is just the setup. It's just the setup to what we're about to read in the next little section. Which is really interesting. And this is the thing—those of you who have ever been on journeys with babies will know it was not uneventful, shall we say. Erica and I, when we only had one baby, decided, "I think it should be fine for us to drive all the way back from Aberdeen in one go." Right? Didn't we? We thought, "It's only seven hours or so with a one-year-old in the back. How bad could it be?" And we got as far as Leeds and he had a meltdown. Bless him. He said, "You have gone too far. This is as far as I can go." Sometimes journeys can be really hard work with babies, and we don't get a lot of detail, do we? We're just here that Mary and Joseph are on their way, that they've been summoned, they have to travel, they're going to the town of David, to the place Joseph's family comes from. And when they get there, a baby arrives. And that's the setup for the rest of the chapter. And then we're going to read the next bit. From verse 8, it says: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.' When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." It's quite an amazing reading to think, when you put it in that context, that the birth of Jesus himself is just a small little first part of this story. If you're splitting this into a three-act play, the birth of Jesus is just the beginning. Op, Jesus has arrived. There he is. He's in Bethlehem. And then the crazy, incredible revelation that comes in the second act is: Angels appear to shepherds. Random nobodies who are out in the middle of nowhere. And God breaks in and appears to them in this crazy and powerful way. If you're wondering, you know, as I said, sometimes the Bible is very sparse on detail. We don't get a lot of detail about the birth of Jesus. And yet we get loads of detail about what is going on in the lives of these shepherds. A day in the life of what it is being a shepherd in Bethlehem. One day, it's probably very just trying to keep warm and stare at sheep. And then the next day, Heaven itself opens up and angels are appearing and there's praising God and there's blinding lights and there's terror! People fearing for their very lives because the very presence of God breaking in. This is not a normal Tuesday for a shepherd, is it? This is crazy. This is something incredible. And yet the story is that the revelation of God to these normal, everyday shepherds is about that very story that I just said had no details about. It's about the thing that had just happened. Jesus had been prophesied. Jesus had been talked about to his mother. If you read in Matthew's gospel, angels had also spoken to Joseph, his father. And they knew this baby was coming. They knew this baby was going to be special. But when the baby arrives, he just arrives. It's just a normal day in a sleepy little town. And there he is. And yet just outside, out on the hills, Heaven opens up and something is revealed to just normal everyday people about this baby. This baby is special. So special that something is revealed to these shepherds. And that's what we're going to look at. And the things that the angel speaks about. First of all, is not to be afraid. It's one of those interesting stories that we kind of forget that when these stories happen in the Bible, so often biblical characters throw themselves on the ground in fear and terror. That they see something that they are not expecting. Something so far outside normality they fear for their very lives. Because the presence of God is breaking in to this place. The analogy that we often use with our kids is talking about how the sun is really, really good for you. But if you get too close to it, you're going to get burnt. And it's the presence of God is incredible and life-giving, and also terrifyingly dangerous. And that they're in the midst of this weird place where God is revealing Himself to them and the angel comes and speaks and says, "Do not be afraid." This is why, because of what he is declaring. This is good news of great joy for all people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God. It says a baby has been born. A Savior. A Savior has been born in verse 11. And then in verse 12, the sign that the Savior has been born is a tiny baby wrapped in cloths lying in an animal food trough. What a weird juxtaposition, hey? What a weird contrast of God saying that his promised Savior has arrived, and a little baby is lying in a place where they've just not got enough space to fit a baby in. In a crowded house full of people and animals. Here's a baby that's just arrived. And yet this is the sign. This is the sign to them that God is doing something. I'm just going to jump in here to ask you, how well do you know the history of the country that you live in right now? That you're in? We're going to do a little quick quiz. Can we have the next slide? Here's a question for you. If you roll back the clock 400 years, what do you know about the year 1625? Come on, hands up. Anybody? Anybody feeling super confident that they know anything that happened in the year 1625? (Interacting with audience) Yeah? (Audience member speaks) Not quite, but you're close! Yes. We did get a new monarch. Does anyone know who it was? It was Charles I. There you go. We went from James I to Charles I in 1625. So Charles I arrived on the throne of England in 1625. Anyone want to take a stab? We didn't have Prime Ministers. Who was the speaker of the House of Commons? Anybody? Speaker of the Parliament? Do I hear Sir Thomas Crew? I had to Google that one. I didn't know that one apparently. Yes. Over in America, the Dutch colonists called a tiny little place New Amsterdam. They settled that in 1625, which is now one of the biggest cities in the world, New York City, was founded 400 years ago in 1625. When I asked this question last week to the youth and I said to them, "What do you know about the year 1625?" I said, "There was rumblings that a Civil War might be breaking out in this country. How many of you knew that a Civil War happened in the 1600s?" I got a range of responses from "What?" all the way to "Oh yeah." That was the spectrum. And what I didn't get a single one was, "Of course. Obviously everyone knows about King Charles coming to the throne in 1625. Everyone knows about the English Civil War." What I definitely got was a few responses of, "So what?" "So what?" 400 years is ancient history to us. As I just demonstrated. I also demonstrated when I was speaking to them, I said, "Thank goodness. I'm really pleased that your biblical knowledge is slightly better than your English history knowledge." That we have some a bit more idea because we're working through the timeline of the Bible with the youth at the moment. And this is exactly the kind of things I'm wanting them to help to understand. The timeline of the Bible is significant to the story of the Bible and was significant to the people in Jesus' day in this story. But here's the question. How relevant was it do you think? If 1625 is ancient history to us and the stories of the Bible at this time when Jesus was born—the stories of Nehemiah returning and rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after they've been thrown down, and Ezra re-establishing a temple that had been stripped out and destroyed and trying to bring the people back to worshiping God the way that they were supposed to—all these things are centuries old. At least 400 years old. And since then? Nothing. There have been no prophets. There have been no signs. There have been no angels appearing to people for 400 years. Not only was it not a normal day in the life of a shepherd, this was not normal in the life of Israel at this period in time. What this period of time was signified by was a time of waiting. And waiting. And waiting and waiting and waiting. For generations. The people of Israel had been waiting and waiting and waiting because God had made promises. And the people were asking, "What do these promises really look like? And what do they mean for us today?" Interestingly, as I said, some of those last stories we have of the Old Testament, that Jerusalem was destroyed and burned down and had been almost completely obliterated, and that God had brought back his people bit by bit and they'd rebuilt the walls and they re-established the temple. Jerusalem itself was looking pretty good at this period in history at the time of Jesus. It was quite prosperous. It was quite rich. They had rebuilt a really big fancy temple. Also, they had Romans marching on the streets. They had an occupying force who was really pulling the strings. They had a puppet King on the throne who was living very nicely and doing very well for himself. But they were also a people that were occupied and oppressed by other nations. They weren't truly free and they weren't truly sovereign. And yet, some people were saying, you know, "The promises of God. We've just got to hold onto them and wait for them." Some people must have been saying, "It's been centuries. Surely God's forgotten about us." So it's really amazing to see that the changes that happen when God breaks in at this period in history. He does it in a sleepy backwater town, outside the town, up in the hills. Angels appear to shepherds. Lowly, everyday working people. And God breaks in and shows to them, and here's why. This is what the angel says. "This is good news of great joy for all the people." This is for you. This is for them. These were nobodies in the society of their day. And the good news of Jesus is that a Savior has been born and it's good news for you. It was good news for everybody. And that's what we declare, isn't it? It is good news for all of us. The verse I really particularly want to focus on—can we have the next slide up, Graham?—is this particular little verse. That I've been talking a lot about just how incredible and crazy it is when these angels appear and what that experience must have been like. But in particular, I want to focus on how they respond. So the first angel appears, makes these promises, declares that a Savior has been born. They're going to see a sign when they see a baby. And then verse 13 it says: "A great company of heavenly host appear with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'" It's a declaration of a Savior coming and a declaration of peace. And then verse 15 says: "When the angels had left them and gone into heaven..." When the darkness closes back in... This is what they say to each other. They say: "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." When I was talking about what the people of Israel would have been thinking about when you've been waiting, waiting for centuries, the question they would have been asking is: Does God keep his promises? Does he keep his promises? Because God had promised so many things to Israel and to his people. That the latest promises in the times of the prophets, the ones that they had heard most recently in their history, were promises that God wasn't going to abandon them. That God wasn't going to leave them. That God wasn't going to let them be forgotten and waste away and just disappear. They weren't going to be just like all the other nations. That these were a people that God had chosen for a particular purpose with a particular plan in mind. That way, way back, millennia before, in the times of Abraham, God had promised that the people of Israel were the ones who were going to bring blessing to the nations. That through the children of Abraham, God was going to establish blessing. He wanted to bring goodness and life and love back into a world that is full of all the opposite of those things. We already talked about just how weary the world is. The people of Bethlehem at this time would have known the weariness of the world. Nothing is new under the sun. There are wars and there are famines. There's natural disasters. There's the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. All these things have been going on for all time. And yet those promises had been spoken over those people, and they hadn't seen anything. And then this incredible story is God appearing, speaking to shepherds, and this is how they respond: "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened." They've heard God speak in an incredible and powerful way. But they don't just take that as, "That's not it. They're out there and all of a sudden they have this amazing bright shining light. They fear for their lives. They don't know what's going on. But when it goes, their response is, 'Let's go and see.' Let's go and see." Let's go and see if God is doing what he promised. This word is saying that there's a Savior coming, and the words of a Savior, the promises of a Savior had been spoken over the people of Israel for centuries. So many promises. You go all the way back to the time of Moses, when God talks about reclaiming his people and healing them and restoring them. And you read the prophets that speak about God giving his people new hearts and re-establishing his promises to them, and re-establishing those ancient promises to bless all the nations through them. All those promises... they'd been waiting to see fulfilled. And some people have been looking. Some people have been looking for God to keep his promises. That's one of the patterns as you read Luke's gospel all the way through. We haven't read Chapter 1, but if you read Chapter 1 and you read Chapter 2 onwards, you see introductions, tiny little slice of life of characters who are people who believe in God and are waiting for him to keep his promises. Centuries on, when they've seen nothing. Some of them are very, very old. My favorite Bible story is when you get to Simeon who meets Jesus when Jesus is just a tiny baby. Because he's described as a person who has just been waiting. Waiting, waiting, waiting. That's all he's been doing. And that there would have been many people in Israel who were still waiting at this time. And when they hear the promises of God, that God is going to rescue his people, they want to go and see it. That's what they want to do. They want to go and see it. Let's go and see. So that's what they do. They go to see it. They see the promises fulfilled and they see the baby just lying there. I always wondered, you know, it doesn't actually say... it's interesting, the angel says, "A Savior is going to be born and this is going to be the sign, the sign is going to be a tiny little baby." Doesn't necessarily put two and two together. The angel says, "There's going to be a Savior and this is the sign, an incredible thing is going to happen, you're going to find a baby in a weird place." And yet the shepherds put two and two together. They see him and they say, they speak about the promises that were made over him. They put those two things together. They see a tiny baby, but they're like, "But what we heard... the promises of God is that this guy is going to be the Savior. This tiny little baby is going to be the Savior of our people." It's incredible that this is the response that they have. And yet it's really encouraging to me. You know, these shepherds would have known what it is to live in a weary world. And in that respect, they're a lot like us. So, let's look at some of the things that come up through this passage. Can I have the next slide up, Graham? God is speaking and has been speaking for centuries. And it's at this point in the Bible, when we read this story, centuries of promises are coming true. I'm going to read a quick passage from Isaiah Chapter 40. God had been speaking through the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before. And this is one of the promises that were made through the prophet Isaiah. This is from Isaiah Chapter 40, starting at verse 1. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.'" The promises of God are that the glory of God is going to be revealed. Through the prophet Isaiah, God is preaching comfort to his people. Knowing that they've got centuries of waiting to go. They've got to trudge through a weary world over and over, generation after generation, and all they've got to hold onto is the comfort of knowing that God has promised something and that God keeps his promises. They never saw it. You read Hebrews Chapter 11 and it describes all the heroes of faith going all the way back to the beginning of the Bible and it speaks about all these towering figures of faith like Moses and Abraham, and describes how they lived their life in faith. And at the end of the chapter it says every single one of these people never saw the fulfillment of the promises. But they lived by faith because they understood: God keeps his promises. Even if we don't see it. God keeps his promises. That's the comfort that God is establishing for his people. He has not forgotten them. And he's not abandoned them. And yet these promises that I'm reading to you now, for the shepherds, were hundreds of years old. They had to believe: "Is this really true? Does God really keep his promises?" The comfort that was found in knowing that God keeps his promises was illustrated to them by the glory of God. We speak about glory as, you know, bright shiny lights. That's how I depicted it on my slides. You know, that it says the glory of the Lord shone around them. And yet it's a picture of the reality. You know, I said that this wasn't a normal Tuesday for the shepherds. It says heaven opened up. And when you see inside, you see the heavenly host praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest" and "on earth peace." That's a normal Tuesday for them. That wasn't a one-off. But when heaven is opened up and you see the heavenly host revealed, they're always praising God. They're always speaking that truth. They're always demonstrating God is the same God. A God who keeps his promises. A God who sends a Savior. Just wait. Just wait. Because it's coming. And then these are the lucky ones. The blessed shepherds who get to see God is keeping his promise. And they get to experience the joy of knowing that God is bringing his promises into reality right there in front of them in the shape of a tiny little baby. [Baby cries in background] Hello. Just woken up. God is speaking comfort. God is speaking of glory. God is bringing joy into the world. Into a weary world. So we're going to respond by singing together. We're going to do a Christmas song. Because that's what I want to do. Graham's going to put a song on for us together. Feel free to stand up, sit down, whatever you want to do. But we're going to sing with the angels. Are you feeling weary? You don't have to put your hand up this time. Because it's okay if you are. It really is. Because weariness is reality. It's the reality of this world that we live in. And the other reality is what we see peeled away when heaven opens up in front of these angels. That's reality. Angels praising God and saying "Give glory to God in the highest and on earth peace." God is bringing and establishing peace. So how are we going to respond? The best piece of advice I can give to you is... I think David Eden said it best... Angels aren't just for Christmas. Listen to the angels. That's my advice for you. If you're feeling weary today, listen to the angels. Because the angels are speaking comfort to people. God hasn't forgotten us. God hasn't abandoned us. They're speaking of his glory. He has a plan. He has sent a Savior. He is the one who has established the plans to bring Jesus into this world in small and inconspicuous ways. This is how God's kingdom grows on the earth. This is how God's kingdom is growing in us and through us. In small and inconspicuous ways. But God is establishing his kingdom. He's turning the world upside down. And also joy. If you want to experience joy today, listen to the angels. The angels are speaking of glory to God and peace on earth that is because of Jesus. Because of this little baby who arrived. Knowing that the sacrifice he was going to make was going to reclaim his people from death. And sin itself was going to be destroyed. These are the message of hope that the angels proclaimed. So we're going to respond by singing together.

Jay Mayo opens The Weary World Rejoices by exploring Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28–30, reminding weary hearts that real rest is found by coming to Him.

What does it mean to be forgiven? Introducing a new series, The Weary World Rejoices, Pastor Josh Leake preaches on how Jesus moves us from self-driven forgiveness to identity-based forgiveness. 

Pain is temporary, Glory is forever...

"Beyond the Sermon" is our Wednesday podcast episode, where we dive deeper into Sunday's sermon, answer questions from our congregation and listeners, and discover how we can make life application with what Scripture says. If you have questions about Sunday's sermon, you can submit them by going to immanuelbaptist.com/beyondthesermon or by clicking "Podcast Questions" under the Media section of our app.

John Hellams - "The Weary World Rejoices" | This message was from our Modern Service on March 9th, 2025. To dive deeper into today's sermon, check out our "Beyond the Sermon" episode released every Wednesday.

Pastor Jack Leaman preaching on Christmas Eve. December 24, 2024. Find us online at: Website: www.capitalcommunity.ca Facebook: www.facebook.com/capitalcommunitychurch Instagram: www.instagram.com/ccc_fredericton YouTube: www.capitalcommunity.tv The Conversation Podcast: www.anchor.fm/ccc-theconversation Sermon Archive Podcast: www.anchor.fm/capitalcommunitychurch

The Christmas season can carry the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Yet, as followers of Jesus, no matter where we find ourselves, we have reason to rejoice. Jesus didn't just come for a moment, He came to stay. He is God with us. Join us as we celebrate the good news of our Savior this Christmas.You can catch the sermon at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or bridge.tv/sermons. Support the show

December 24, 2024 Morning Service. Part of the Advent 2024: The Weary World Rejoices series. (Luke 2:8-20)

In the midst of darkness and despair, God answered by sending His son, Jesus, bringing light and hope to a weary world. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus offers redemption and victory over sin to anyone who receives Him.

December 22, 2024 Morning Service. Part of the Advent 2024: The Weary World Rejoices series. (Luke 2:1-7; Matthew 2:10-15, 19-21)

"O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shinning.  It is the night of our dear Savior's birth...A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices.  For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."Are you weary this holiday season?  Like Elizabeth, are you playing the waiting game?  We have many reasons to rejoice and to be hopeful, even while waiting. Take a break from your Christmas preparations and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and listen to this week's episode.  It is full of encouragement for weary moms.  It will help you turn your weariness into worship.  Pour yourself a latte, put your feet up, take a deep breath, and Join Carrie for a little coffee break.Support the showPurchase Homeschooling High School: A Handbook for Christian Education.Purchase Just Breathe (and Take a Sip of Coffee): Homeschool Simply & Enjoyably. Join The Coffee House, Coffee With Carrie Premium Membership. Join Today! Subscribe to Coffee With Carrie email newsletter and blog at https://coffeewithcarrie.org Follow on Instagram @coffeewithcarrieconsultant.Amazon Prime! Use this LINK. Check out Carrie's homeschool recommendations & help support the show at the same time. Instacart! Use this LINK. Save time and money on your grocery bill and meal prep!

Today we continue our series, "The Weary World Rejoices." Listen as Pastor T unpacks the love of God within a seemingly impossible scenario and how we can respond to God's grace this Christmas season.Connect with our church: @ascentchurchvaConnect with our lead pastor: @pastor.tlane

HYMNS OF JOY The Weary World Rejoices 12.8.24 1) Tamar (Genesis 38 - Matthew 1:3) · In the story of Tamar, we learn God's plan for salvation is not thwarted by sin but God works through the brokenness of humanity to accomplish His purposes. 2) Rahab (Joshua 2 - Matthew 1:5) · In the story of Rahab, we learn nobody is beyond God's reach. He redeems those society deems unworthy. 3) Ruth (Book of Ruth - Matthew 1:15) · In the story of Ruth, we learn how God brings hope and redemption, even in foreign lands and desperate situations, using unexpected people and circumstances. 4) Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11 - Matthew 1:6) · In the story of Bathsheba, we learn even the gravest sins and tragedies are not beyond God's redemptive power. 5) Mary (Matthew 1:16) · In the story of Mary, we learn that God will bring about his promise of salvation through the Messiah in the most humble and unlikely way. Jesus, born into a lineage marked by scandal, loss, and redemption, fully identifies with our brokenness and steps into our world. Miracles by C.S. Lewis In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; down further still… to the very roots and seabed of the Nature He has created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him. One may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid-air, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death-like region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to color and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover. Advent is waiting. Advent brings unexpected peace. Advent brings redemptive joy. Advent doesn't eliminate the tension of living in a broken world, but it fills us with the hope, peace, and joy of what Christ is bringing.

Today, Pastor T begins a new series, "The Weary World Rejoices," with an invitation to receive Jesus in a meaningful way throughout the Christmas season.Connect with our church: @ascentchurchvaConnect with our lead pastor: @pastor.tlane