Wk 52 Christmas Week

WORSHIP SET 1

Angels (Glory to God)

His Name Shall Be

ADVENT

Candle of Hope or Prophecy

This first candle represents hope, an expectation in the anticipation of the coming Messiah of the world, not just for the Jewish people.

Bethlehem Candle or Love

The second Sunday of Advent has a highlight focused on God’s immense love for all of humanity for God to send his Son. The Word encourages that humanity to embody God’s self-giving love through acts of compassion, kindness, believing and confessing — His son as Lord of lords.

Candle of Joy

the third Sunday of Advent had a focus last week on the resilient gladness that’s rooted in God’s presence.

When we are graphed into, Jesus the Messiah, the Heavenly Vine, we become branches that bear much fruit… “Fruit of love, joy, peace… against such there is no law.”

TODAY — The Candle of Peace

Normally, the candle is celebrated during the second week of Advent.

However, to fit our series I slipped the Candle of Love into that slot.

This fourth Sunday of Advent falls just before the Christ Candle that we will celebrate Christmas Eve at 5:30.

The Candle of “Peace” focuses on the reconciliation and wholeness that Jesus brings to the world.

You may have heard it before in scripture or even movies… shalom!

It is Peace Upon You!

It is wholeness or completeness, not missing anything or broken, but the ALL OF THE PEACE OF HEAVEN.

Thus, we get a clearer picture of Jesus as the “Prince of Peace” and what he brings to our lives that are broken, shattered, and ravaged by sin.

LISTEN TO THIS DESCRIPTION OF JESUS...

Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 9:6 NLT

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

As believers are called to be peacemakers in their daily lives.

Philippians 4:7 NLT

7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

How SO? by his BLOOD

Colossians 1:19–20 NLT

19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

What NOW?

Matthew 5:9 NLT

9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

Jesus is the “Prince of Peace”

PRAYER & SONG “His Name Shall Be”

MEET & GREET

Marcie

WORSHIP SET 2

O Little Town of Bethlehem

We Three Kings

What a Beautiful Name

King of King (Chorus)

GENEROSITY

CELEBRATION IN OUTREACH

NOW — Christmas Gifts

UPDATE

MIDWEEK SERVICE looks different this week with Christmas being Thursday.

5:30 CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE

Carols, Candlelight, Communion and true Connections.

OUR daily bread — Devotions for the quarter, but also there are the 10 Devos of Christmas.

Pick one up today

Christmas A to Z

BIG THOUGHT:

This series is about discovering the Spiritual window behind the celebration of gifts, sparkling lights, tinsel, and carols. About God reaching down to mankind and bringing us a Savior, forgiveness, restoration of our World.

GEST:

Thus, to investigate God’s plan to restore mankind to His heart, in the midst of tinsel and lights.

BEST LINE:

CHRISTMAS A-Z: Finding God in the tinsel and lights.

Actually...

Jesus A-Z: Finding God in the tinsel and lights

We have looked at A to L

from Angels to Hope to Immanuel and ending last week at Lights and Love.

Remember: Jesus A to Z

he is referred to the Alpha and Omega.

This reference refers to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, Alpha (Α, α) and omega (Ω, ω)

and a title of Christ or God in the Book of Revelation. 

We see this title given four times in the Book of Revelations — they all mean the same — That Jesus is the Real Deal — You are Complete in Him.

Like this one in chapter 1 verse 8.

Revelation 1:8 NLT

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

So today we look at

NOW 7 MORE LETTERS:

M - Mistletoe, Merry, Miracle

N - Nativity, Noel, Nutcracker

O - Ornaments, Outreach, O Holy Night

P - Poinsettia, Peace, Presents

Q - Quiet, Quarters (e.g.,  holiday quarters)

R - Reindeer, Ribbon, Rudolph

S - Santa Claus, Sleigh, Stocking

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE LETTER!

IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS.

Jesus is the MIRACLE

Jesus is the NOEL (Christmas/birthday)

Jesus is the ORNAMENT (hanging on a tree/cross at Calvary)

Jesus is the PEACE

Jesus is the QUIET (the stillness in the busyness/no room in the Inn)

Jesus is the RIBBON (wrapped in the redness of his blood that would save the world and deliver it from sin/ribbon of blood)

Jesus is the STOCKING (in him is everything you and I need/ Alpha & Omega)

IQ Test…

Still lacking… we ALL Need Jesus!

LET’S START AT THE END AND WORK FORWARD.

Revelation 22:13 NLT

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

This scripture clarifies the passage from Rev. 1.8 as it say the “Beginning and the end”

In Revelations 22...

vrs. 12 says he is coming to give payment to the world for what they have done— good or bad.

vrs. 14 says he wants us ready to receive the tree of life and enter the eternal gates of heaven for ETERNITY!

JESUS IS COMING BACK… Soon Coming King

Matthew 24:44 NLT

44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

My reward is with Me This indicates that Christ will bring rewards with Him at His return. The idea of reward is consistent with biblical teachings on divine justice and recompense, as seen in passages like Matthew 16:27 

Matthew 16:27 NLT

27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.

and 2 Corinthians 5:10.

2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT

10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

The reward is not merely a future promise but is tied to the presence of Christ Himself, suggesting that the ultimate reward is being in His presence.

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega and he is the “Great I Am”

What does the bible say bout this “I Am”?

Theologically, Jesus refers to Himself as eternal God

We see it don’t we?

Didn’t the disciples see it too?

miracles, special events— water into win, raising people from the dead

his teaching was with power, not rules and empty rituals

John 8:58 NLT

58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!”

Where does Jesus get this...

Exodus 3:14

Exodus 3:14 NLT

14 God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.”

John’s writings are connected to this way of “I Am” thinking...

John 1:1 NLT

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

How did this happen....?

The Trinity !!!!

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Jesus is the Alpha and Omega because He is a member of the Holy Trinity. From creation to the end of history, Jesus is the beginning, the end, and the eternal hope we can trust. He was made flesh to deliver us— a sacrifice once and for all.

More from the Old Testament

As the Alpha and Omega, Jesus connects Himself with statements of God from the Old Testament such as Isaiah 44:6 

Isaiah 44:6 NLT

6 This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: “I am the First and the Last; there is no other God.

and Isaiah 48:12, which refers to the eternality and pre-existence of God before the dawn of time.

Isaiah 48:12 NLT

12 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, Israel my chosen one! I alone am God, the First and the Last.

YOU ARE MADE COMPLETE IN JESUS!

Believers are described in Scripture as having a renewed sense of self defined by a relationship with Jesus.

This status is not merely an external label-it is a total transformation of a person’s character, purpose, and eternal destiny.

From the creation account in Genesis to the apostolic letters in the New Testament, the Bible teaches that identity in Christ reshapes every dimension of human existence: our standing before God, our daily conduct, and our hope for the future.

One of the major themes of the book of Colossians is “completeness.” 

Colossians 2:10 NLT

10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Colossians teaches that Jesus is better than anything or anyone, and that our lives are complete when they are found in him. He is better than anything else we can seek to fulfill our lives.

We need this message in an age where we’re constantly surrounded by people and institutions feeding us the same lies—claiming to have what we need to fill what seems to be lacking in our lives.

Jesus’ very name means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). But these false teachers claimed that God was keeping his distance from us!

No!

When we trust the Son of God, there is no need for intermediary beings between us and God (1 Timothy 2:5).

1 Timothy 2:5 NLT

5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

He has given us full access to God and welcome in his presence (Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 10:19).

Ephesians 2:18 NLT

18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Ephesians 3:12 NLT

12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

It’s Jesus Christ who makes us complete. Period. 

He makes us right with God and redeems our lives for his glory.

 He repairs what is broken.

He fills up what is empty.

He is what we have been looking for this whole time.

So there’s nothing wrong with establishing a new habit that will help your life become healthier. 

But don’t fall into the subtle trap of believing that habit will fulfill you or make you more satisfied with your life.

Your discipline does not make your life complete. 

Only Jesus can fill that role.

That’s on his job description, not yours! 

wrap up

Knowing who Jesus is matters as He is the only One who was worthy to die for the sins of humanity.

Placing faith in anyone or anything else–money, our works, charismatic leaders—is fruitless.

Jesus asked His apostles...

Matthew 16:15–16 ESV

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

May we answer as Peter did,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Let’s Pray