For God So Loved the World

Introduction

Announcements & Answers to Prayer

Gospel Communities, Jan 7-12

LV Sessions, starting Jan 14

Ben Graber and Karen Johnson prayed for peace and comfort for me as I was struggling with my mom’s passing last week. I live my life compartmentalizing and I couldn’t quite get a grip. Plus I get the Holy Spirit as my comforter. Yes I know it’s only been 12 days but it’s not like I wasn’t expecting it. Anyway the intercessory prayer worked. I don’t have the black cloud of doom and gloom nor do I feel like I’m going to cry every 5 min.

My husband has been having a rough couple months fighting viruses and needed scans of the neck and throat. After an ultrasound last week they thought he could possibly have a reoccurrence of his thyroid cancer in the lymph node in his neck. Blood tests also indicated thyroid cancer. They did a biopsy on Monday. Our life group and friends/family have prayed over him, including at last Sunday's service. The biopsy was negative for malignancy. Prayers answered!!! Praising God!!!

How to preach a sermon for Christmas Eve?

Historical facts of the nativity story?

Reliability of the Bible as a historical source?

Historical evidence that shows the story of Jesus is true?

No. For many people, before we ask if Jesus is true, we ask if Jesus is good. Before we wonder about the truth of the Bible, God, faith, or Christianity, we wonder about the goodness of the Bible, God, faith, and Christianity. Is God good? Is the Bible good? Is Jesus good? Is Christianity good? I want to show you that not only is Jesus true, but Jesus is good.

God is love. Last week we saw how God saved the lives of a widow, her son, and a prophet in the Old Testament. Today, we’ll see how God saved the life of someone from our own church. And I want you to notice, as you watch this video, how many times he mentions family and church. God works through our relationships to give life, to sustain life, and to save life.

Justin’s Story (video)

The Gospel

A snapshot of God’s goodness (Psalm 68:5-6).

The meaning of “believe” (John 3:16-18).

Look at how many times John mentions believing in these verses. What does it mean to “believe in him?”

Self-proclaimed “experts” in our society, academics and philosophers who themselves deny having any faith, have redefined faith as “belief without evidence.” But in the Bible, “faith” or “belief” means “trust.” It’s time that those of us who do have faith recover the original meaning of faith, which is “belief as trust.”

Go back and re-read John 3:16-18, and put the word “trust” in place of the word “belief.”

The Invitation

Do you trust God? If not, will you trust God?

Will you trust the God who sent his prophet to another country just to save the lives of a widow and her son?

Will you trust the God who stands in as a Father to the fatherless and the orphan?

Will you trust the God who defends the oppressed and stands with those who have no advocate?

Will you trust the God who sets the lonely in families?

Will you trust the God who sets the captives free?

Will you trust the God who saved a young man in this church from suicide, alcoholism, and drugs?

Will you trust the God who brings comfort to those who’ve lost loved ones during the holidays?

Will you trust the God who answers prayer and restores hope in the face of a cancer diagnosis?

Will you trust God even if his answer is not to heal you but to walk with you through the cancer?

Will you trust the God who sent his one and only Son to save the world from sin and death?

Will you trust the God who became a man named Jesus, and gave his life to save yours?

John 3:16-18, with “trust.”