Scripture for December 30th: Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon: By A Different Road

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."

Another year is passing and another year is soon to begin. Will the new year be any different than the last? Yes, I am sure we all will experience new joys, circumstances and challenges. But God still calls us to follow Him, and as we do, He encourages to travel down a “different road.” The road we are called to travel is not the same one our society advices to travel. No, the road we are to travel is “narrow” and difficult (Matthew 7:13-14) and it is one that calls us to discipline, self-denial and sometimes hardship. But it is also the road in which we experience the joy of the Lord and the meaning of life. It truly is a better way of life.

The Magi travelled this same road. It was a road that led them to the very wisdom of God – Jesus Christ. There they found great joy and hope. It was not the road that many would have taken. In fact, many in their day would mock or criticize the Magi for their travels. But as we look back at their decision to travel that road, we agree that they were indeed wise men.

This coming Sunday we will discuss travelling the road of the Magi as we complete our sermon series, “A Different Kind of Christmas.” I hope to see you then!

Scripture for December 23rd: Matthew 1:18-25

"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."

Why did Jesus come? This is a question that is often asked by children during the Christmas season. If Jesus was God, why would He come as a baby? The answer is found in the Biblical passage above: “…He will save His people from their sins.” The reason Jesus came was to save us from our sins – to allow us to receive forgiveness that we could not obtain on our own. Jesus was born to a virgin, He lived a sinless life and at the end of His life He offered Himself a sacrifice for our sins. Through what He did we are able to obtain forgiveness through faith. This is the true Christmas message: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

This coming Sunday, we will celebrate the Christmas season by remembering that Christ came for us to experience forgiveness and in doing so, empower us to forgive those in our lives that have hurt us as we continue our sermon series, “A Different Kind of Christmas.” Hope to see you then!

Scripture for December 16th: Matthew 25:41-46

Sermon Title: Sermon – Jesus Wish List

Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

This text may seem like a strange passage to read during Advent – it speaks more of prophecy and the return of Christ than it does of the birth of Christ. However, I believe that in this text we find what really matters to God. First, we see that God cares about what we do and, even more importantly, who we are. Our actions count and when we are selfish and self-centered, we act in a way that is counter to how God wants us to live. His desire is to transform our hearts so that we can live selflessly and loving others through the power of the Holy Spirit.

God also cares for the poor and needy. This text makes that very clear, but we also find passage after passage throughout the Bible that speaks about God concern and love for those who are in need. Make no mistake about it: God is partial to those who are weak. God desires that we, too, make those in need an important part of our life. As followers of Christ, we have no excuse for ignoring the poor.

But more than anything else, God desires to have a relationship with every human being. This is the true message of Christmas – God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us so that He could have a relationship with us. This is the “love” that is found in Christmas – God loves us with the greatest love that could ever be expressed. What is the greatest thing that you could give to God? Your heart and life. He desires you – will you give yourself to Him?

This coming Sunday we will talk more about what Jesus wants the most as we continue our sermon series, “A Different Kind of Christmas.” Hope to see you then!

Scripture for December 9th: Luke 1:26-34

Sermon Title: Giving Up on Perfect

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”


What is a perfect Christmas for you? A Christmas surrounded with family, a good meal, lots of presents under the tree and your family at harmony with one another? Unfortunately, most people don’t experience a “perfect Christmas” – in fact, their experiences are far from it. Their world looks bleak, their family members struggle with so many problems and they themselves are weak and powerless to change things in their world and life.

This was exactly what the first Christmas was like. The world was under the control of the Roman Empire, and the governor of Judea (where Jesus was born) was a terrible and evil leader who ruled those under him through terror. Mary was not perfect; she was a sinner, just like every human is (Romans 3:23). She had her own shortcomings and doubts. And she was weak and powerless – not only was she merely a woman (women did not have any rights or authority in that era), but she was not rich or part of a royal family. And yet it was in the midst of this imperfect world and imperfect life that God performed His greatest miracle.

So it is with us today. God desires to perform miracles in our lives. We object – we say the world around is deserves not miracles, but judgment. Those in our lives have so many problems and fall so short of God’s standards. And, we, too, personally are so powerless to influence those we love or even change some of our own behavior. But God still works in our lives and wants to perform miracles – because it is when we are at our weakest, God does His very best work. (I Cor. 1:26-31).

This coming Sunday we will talk more about how God uses the imperfect to do His work as we continue the sermon series, “A Different Kind of Christmas.” Hope to see you then!