Love Has Come

Advent Intro

Merry Christmas my friends. God is Faithful. As we light the Advent wreath today, We prepare to light the final purple candle. the last candle of preparation.

We have already:

Prepared for His Peace

Prepared for his Hope

Celebrated in His Joy

And Now we prepare to receive His love this Christmas.

Intro

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Stop, Breath, Compose your Thoughts and Proceed.

For God So Loved: The World

For God so Loved the World:

That in Sins Infancy, God spoke Hope:

you may have won the Battle, but oh Sin you have lost the War.

Then God Began the healing process by which He ran after us.

Genesis 3:14–15 NIV

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Eve was Deceived. Adam had sinned. Paradise was lost. Humanities brief innocence given in a moment of lust pride and greed. the Crunch sweet, yet oh so bitter.

The realization rising within Adam that he had betrayed his Lord. He had promised. I will never touch that.

Yet in one moment death wraps is venom around Adams neck.

Then Adam hears,

Adam. The sound of footsteps in the garden. It is his Lord. It Creator. Yet unlike past times. Instead of hearing the voice of the creator calling him. all he hears is the voice of satan saying Run.

Fear,l anxiety, horror. the holy one comes.

Well God comes:

Adam, where are you? Adam and Eve come out. God deals with them cursing humanity. then he turns to Satan:

This isn’t over. I’m sending my Son!

I’m coming for them. Why?

For God so loved the world. My Son will pay the price. He will crush you. Because I love them.

Stop, Breath, Compose your Thoughts and Proceed.

For Go God So Loved: the Unclean

Mark 1:40–43 NIV

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:

A man walks up Jesus, Unclean, Unclean, Unclean, Thew Bells are ringing on his clothes. He is outcast, alone, and hopelessly lost. Unclean Unclean.

Picture, the crowd parts as this leper moves through it, everyone scatters except one. Jesus stands his grounds. Unclean, Unclean, Unclean,Unclean,

The leper falls before him and says, “If you are willing I know you can make me clean.

Jesus says I am willing, He then reaches out and touches him and says, I am willing. Healing Him

But you the touch here is as powerful as the words, because Jesus is say, I am different.

Sins touch makes things unclean, but the touch of Christ, makes all thing new.

Everyone ran from the Leper, except Christ.

Everyone may run fro m your mess. From your broken life. But hear me now. Jesus never will.

Stop, Breath, Compose your Thoughts and Proceed.

For Go God So Loved: The Lost

Luke 23:39–43 ESV

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Hard cases. The ones where you have given up hope. You and I may give up. But Christ has not.

Think about think man, He is a thief. a nameless worthless criminal. Who was chosen by God to die with His Son.

This man, was going to go to Hell, He lived a life that did not honor God, but in his final moments, God was reaching out to him. It’s interesting. The Son of God is on the Cross, dying, being mocking. The Holy Spirit is in Jesus, strengthening him and helping in these final moments. Yet, in these anguishing moments for the Spirit, He looks over and sees an opportunity. this thief is ready. So he strengthens the the thief to defend Jesus.

This man, has done nothing wrong. Jesus please remember me.

Then in that moment the Spirit strengthens Christ again, to raise head, Today you you will be with me in paradise.

Isn’t it interesting that God orchestrated all of this to reach this thief. Why?

For God So Loved the World. Because the Father Loved the Thief. He loved him so much that He hung Jesus next to him, just to redeem Him. Hallelujah.

Stop, Breath, Compose your Thoughts and Proceed.

For Go God So Loved: You and Me

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Behold a Virgin shall conceive. Why? For God So Loved the World.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Have Eternal Life. Why did Jesus come? Because He loves you!

Now your mom, may not have loved you, your dad may not have loved you. you spouse or Boyfriend may not have loved you.

But I tell you today. There is one who Loves you! That Jesus!

I tell you now you and I can have His hope, His Joy, His peace and Yes his Love if we will surrender to Him

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (Altar Call)

If you are here this morning and you want that life that Jesus paid for. If you want that new life that Jesus gave the man with leprosy, then I invite you to start your journey with Jesus today.

If everyone would bow their heads wit me.If you are here today and would like to start or restart that journey today. I would ask you to come forward to receive him. now this may be out of your comfort zone I understand, but It’s not a decision to take lightly. If coming forward is a deal breaker, you will have a hard time standing for him in the crowd.