Advent- Love

Notes:

LOVE A feeling of deep affection. A central theme in Scripture and Christian theology and ethics. Defines our relationship with God and dictates how we should treat others.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Love

LOVE

An inner quality expressed outwardly as a commitment to seek the well-being of the other through concrete acts of service. Love is a central biblical concept for defining the relationship between God and humans.

Love is a deep affection that leads to action. Love is a choice that you make to do whats best for others. (seek the well being of others)

Chrisians recieve love from God and give it out to everyone.

Love is the choice you make to seek the well being of others

God sent Jesus to come down to earth to be with us.

Alright guys, its kids time but today is a bit different. Before you guys come up here with me, I want everyone to stay where you are and try and remeber something from their life. I want you to try and remember a choice you had to made recently in your life and share it with the person beside you. I am going to give you about two mins to share about the choice you had to make.

Maybe the choice was what to get someone as a gift?

Or what you should have for breakfast?

Or maybe a bigger decisison.

Take a moment to share it with the person beside you.

Alright, kids come on up here for kids time.

We are soo close to Christmas, does anyone know how many days are left?

Thats right! Together we have been opening one gift each week to help us celebrate the birth of Jesus. Today’s gift is about the idea of Love.

Now the word love doesnt just mean that you really like something, like when we say “I love icrecream”, Love is an inward quality that allows us on the outside to choose to do things for others.

Love leads to action and today our focus is love.

Are you guys ready to open our gift today? Are any of you guys the ones who will grab a present and shake it to listen to whats inside? I thought you might be. Let me give the box a shake and see if that gives you a clue to what could be on the inside.

Lets open it up.

Its a whistle. This was what I would use when I worked as a lifeguard. A number of years ago I worked as a lifeguard here in langley, helping people stay safe at the pool and teach people how to swim. I really enjoyed my job. Then one day I had a choice to make, I got the opportunity to come and work here at the church and so I had to make a decision. Should I stay at the pool, or should leave that job and come work here to serve God in the church.

Any guesses what I chose?

Yah, I chose to leave lifeguarding and serve God in the church and because of that I am standing here today.

Now at Christmas, we celebrate a choice God made. God’s choice to send Jesus to be with us and to be our saviour because of his love for you and me. He knew that we needed a rescuer and at Christmas we can remember, enjoy and experience Gods love through Jesus.