Sermon Central
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Empty The Jar At Christmas
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 26, 2023 (message contributor)
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1. Ready For The Journey
Contributed on Nov 26, 2023
The wise men are a surprising twist to the narrative from Matthew. What does their presence indicate and how does getting to know them help us prepare for Christmas?
You may have noticed the chalkboard signs that are scattered around the church building. Each has a different saying- “Be the Branch,” “Catch the Wind,” “Wreck the Roof,” “Grip the Plow,” and “Empty the Jar.” They come from a small group video Bible study our groups participated in a while back. ...read more
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2. The Opportunities We Miss
Contributed on Dec 2, 2023
Why did King Herod - and all of Jerusalem - miss the opportunity to go find Jesus in Jerusalem? And how can we avoid "missing" our opportunity find Jesus as well?
We opened by singing the first verse and chorus of “We three kings of Orient are” “We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar. Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. CHORUS: O, star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright. Westward leading, ...read more
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3. The Gifts We Bring
Contributed on Dec 10, 2023
The gifts we give on Christmas are often given in gaily wrapped paper. The paper conceals what is hidden inside the present. Similarly, the gifts of the wisemen were like wrapping paper concealing special gifts of great value. Do you know what they were?
Humorist Dave Barry wrote about the gifts that were brought by the Wise Men. He suggested that if you examined that story carefully, you’d find that there is an overlooked theological fact in the story. There is no mention of wrapping paper. Why? First, these guys were wise. And second… they were ...read more
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4. The Sacrifices We Make
Contributed on Dec 16, 2023
Joseph sacrificed a lot because Jesus was in his life, and he never complained. Are we called to make sacrifices when we follow Jesus, and what kind of sacrifices could we make?
There was a Christmas play where a little boy desperately wanted to be Joseph. But when the parts were handed out, his biggest rival was given that part, and he was assigned to be the inn keeper instead. He was really bitter about this. So, during all the rehearsals he kept plotting in his mind ...read more
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5. What Journey Shall We Make
Contributed on Dec 23, 2023
This Christmas Eve Meditation focused on the example the Wisemen set for us in following the star to find Jesus. What can we learn from how they followed the star and worshipped Christ?
PLAY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpuQ8lAi8Pg (a clip of the opening scenes from “Ben-Hur”, the 1959 movie starring Charleston Heston and focusing on the arrival of the Wisemen to see Jesus) Tonight, we’re going to take a journey to find Jesus - but we will not be following the star. ...read more
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6. The Journey He Made
Contributed on Dec 24, 2023
John helps us see that the Word is God, creator, light, man. The journey Jesus made started before creation and will last for eternity. What does that mean for us? Consider these thoughts from our Family Minister, Scott Jewell.
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about when is the right time to get into the Christmas spirit? How do you know you’re ready to celebrate this holiday? For some, it means putting the outdoor decorations up as early as the day after Halloween (after all, why not get that done before it’s freezing ...read more