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Christmas
Contributed by Chris Appleby on Dec 29, 2002 (message contributor)
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1. Peace On Earth
Contributed on Dec 29, 2002
God offers us peace with him, with each other and peace from worry.
It was dark and cold and the small group of men huddled around their fire to keep warm. In the social strata of the day, you’d have to say they were near the bottom rung. But still, despite their lack of education and social status they were aware of much more than the intelligentsia might have ...read more
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2. Celebrating Jesus
Contributed on Feb 7, 2005
We celebrate Jesus’ enlightening presence among us; the coming of the one who brought the whole creation into being; our new found status as children of God, the fact that God has lowered himself to human form and dwelt among us; and we celebrate the glor
What are we here to celebrate today? 1 The light which enlightens everyone v9 Jesus Christ, who will bring them true enlightenment. What is enlightenment? Enlightenment is one of those concepts that’s very popular these days. I’m not sure anyone really understands what they mean by ...read more
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3. Surprising Words
Contributed on Apr 21, 2007
God’s power is at work whenever the gospel is preached. If he could do the things we read about here in Luke 2, there’s nothing he can’t achieve.
You may have heard this story before. A chauffeur had been driving a chemistry professor to dozens of speaking engagements. He’d heard the same speech time and time again. Finally he said to the professor as they were driving to the next engagement, "Professor, I reckon I could give your speech ...read more
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4. A Child Is Born
Contributed on Apr 21, 2007
The Christmas Story is full of surprises: Surprises that reassure us that GOd uses ordinary people, is in control of history, gives us significance and accepts all people.
What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you? Is it lunch with your family? Is it singing carols? Probably not after you’ve been hearing them in the shopping centres for the last 2 months! How about Christmas presents? Are you like Garry’s wife in this cartoon? Does it matter whether you ...read more
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5. Immanuel -God Is With Us
Contributed on Aug 7, 2008
Jesus came to overcome those who are opposed to God. So we can have confidence, not in our own ability to overcome those who oppose the gospel, but in the God who sent his only Son as both a sign of his love for us and as the means by which that love coul
There are times when we find it hard to trust God to look after us. There are times when we think our situation is so bad there’s no way out. There are other times when we think we know the best solution to our problems so we don’t bother to ask God for help. All three of those statements were ...read more
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6. A Word From God - Christmas 2007
Contributed on Aug 7, 2008
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ we celebrate his enlightening presence among us; we celebrate the coming of the one who brought the whole creation into being; we celebrate our new found status as children of God, we celebrate the fact that God h
Did you notice the common theme that comes through in the two Bible Readings we just heard? Not just the theme that God has sent his Son in the form of this child Jesus. No, I’m thinking of the fact that God has sent him to communicate with us. God has spoken to us by a son, Hebrews tells us. Jesus ...read more
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7. Light In The Darkness
Contributed on Aug 31, 2009
God sends Jesus to bring light to a world darkened by sin.
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-- on them light has shined." Not many of us today have any real concept of darkness. We probably think of it as dark right now, but in fact we live in a world where even in the dead of night light ...read more
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8. God's Gift Of Mercy
Contributed on Jul 5, 2010
Christmas is the ultimate family celebration because Jesus’ coming among us is the means by which we’re now able to become part of God’s family. Jesus is born as our saviour, to save us from our sins, to send us his Holy Spirit to renew and cleanse us so
here’s a certain irony in the timing of the failed Copenhagen climate conference isn’t there? Just a week or so before Christmas but there was little in the way of Christmas spirit in evidence with the leaders of the nations involved in the conference wheeling and dealing to get their ...read more
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9. A Savior, Who Is The Messiah, The Lord
Contributed on Jan 19, 2011
Christianity is sometimes dismissed because the package isn't attractive enough. That was the problem with the first Christmas as well.
I have a problem with Christmas. Not with the idea of celebrating Jesus’ birth of course. Nor with the idea of giving gifts to our loved ones. That’s good because it helps us remember that God gave us the greatest gift of all. It’s not even the temptation to eat more than I really ...read more
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10. God Has Favourites
Contributed on Feb 15, 2014
Christianity is unique in our belief that God has become one of us. and Mary waste one favoured by God to bring this miracle to birth.
The Incarnation’ as we call it, God becoming a human being, is the fundamental belief that sets us apart from Judaism and all other religious followings. It really is where the rubber hits the road in terms of the Christian faith. We Christians are the only people on this earth who ...read more