Christmas Eve

Rivers of God’s Love

“Love is the source, grace is love in action, joy is the fruit of grace, and peace is the atmosphere created when all four flow together.”

Genesis 2:10–14 “10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.”

The water flowed out of EDEN in GENESIS

Today it flows from the same… it flows from HEAVEN through CHRIST

CHRISTMAS isn’t about new material things

BUT

CHRISTMAS is about CELEBRATING the NEW COVENENT

IT IS the START OF THE GOSPEL

IT IS THE GOOD NEWS

EVERY GOOD THING — IN Fact ALL THINGS —- FLOW from Christ

Christmas is about a BEGINNING, a NEW START.

The LAW fulfilled and GRACE ABOUNDING

This season we CELEBRATE the BIRTH of CHRIST

and the BIRTH OF THE GOSPEL.

God Sent HIS Son, so that we could believe and have eternal life

_______________________

That we would have PRESENTS for OUR FUTURE

All things in our NEW LIFE flow from GOD as RIVERS of PLENTY

God PROVIDES

“The Four Rivers of a Transformed Valley”

Let me give you a picture that helps us understand how love, grace, joy, and peace

work together in the life of a believer.

High in the mountains there is a hidden spring,

fed by a deep underground source that never runs dry.

That spring represents the Heart of God Himself.

It all begins with Him.

Scripture says, “God is love,”

and from that love flows everything else He pours into our lives.

From this single spring flow four rivers,

and each one plays a different role in transforming the valley below.

The RIVERS ——- TRANSFORM OUR LIVE IN CHRIST DAILY.

The first river is Love. Love is the river that starts everything.

It breaks up the dry ground.

It softens what was hardened.

It is the initiating force of God toward us.

Without love, nothing else downstream can exist.

The second river is Grace. Grace is love in action.

Where love desires to bless, grace delivers the blessing.

Grace carries the nutrients that the dry soil could never produce by itself.

Grace is God doing for us what we could never do on our own.

It is His love taking shape in our lives in forgiveness, mercy, and empowerment.

The third river is Joy. Once love has softened the soil and grace has begun to nourish it, something starts to grow.

Joy springs up.

Joy is not manufactured; it is the natural fruit of a heart receiving God’s grace.

Like bright flowers and fruitful trees appearing across the valley

, joy becomes the visible evidence that God’s love and grace are at work.

The fourth river is Peace. When love flows,

when grace nourishes,

and when joy begins to grow,

peace settles over the whole valley like a calm, steady atmosphere.

Peace is the climate created when everything else is in its proper place.

It is not just the absence of trouble;

it is the presence of God’s steady, guarding hand.

And here is the truth for us:

When we allow the spring of God’s love to flow freely in our lives,

all the other rivers follow.

Grace begins to shape us.

Joy becomes our natural response.

Peace becomes the atmosphere in which we live.

But if we block the spring

—if we resist God’s love—everything downstream dries up.

We become WANTING..…

So we gather on this CHRISTMAS EVE to CELEBRATE that

God has provided JEHOVAH JIRAH

So the invitation today is simple:

Let the spring flow.

Let

God love you.

Receive His grace.

Walk in His joy.

Rest in His peace.

And watch how He transforms the entire valley of your life.

WE RISE TONIGHT TO LOOK INTO THE BEAUTY OF THAT VALLEY TO SEE WHAT we cannot see in the VALLEY

We PAUSE and PRAY

WHAT an AMAZING GOD WE HAVE

Look from the MOUNTAIN

SEE THE RIVERS

The Four-River Spring

Imagine a mountain spring high above a valley.

The spring is fed by a deep underground source that never runs dry.

From that spring flow four rivers, each nourishing the valley below.

Together they transform a barren landscape into a thriving, fruitful place.

1. The Source: God’s Heart

At the very top is the source of the spring:

God’s own character—His steadfast love.

Everything begins here. Without the source, no river flows. Scripture: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

River One: Love — The Flow That Starts Everything

Love is the initiating river, the first outflow of God’s character.

It pours into the valley with a force that awakens life.

Love is what moves God toward us

and moves us toward others.

In the illustration:

Love softens the soil, breaks up the hardness, and makes growth possible.

River Two: Grace — Love Expressed in Action

Grace is love taking form,

love doing something,

love meeting need.

Where love is the desire to bless, grace is the blessing delivered.

In the illustration:

Grace becomes nutrient-rich water flowing through irrigation channels,

bringing exactly what is needed to barren ground

—no earning, no deserving.

GOD SUPPLYING IT

Grace is the mechanism by which God’s love becomes tangible and transformative.

Scripture: “From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace” (John 1:16).

River Three: Joy — The Life That Springs Up

Once love and grace saturate the land,

joy sprouts naturally.

Joy is the evidence that the land is being nourished.

It is the fruit, not the cause.

Joy does not create grace or love; it responds to them.

In the illustration: Joy appears as vibrant plants,

blooming flowers,

fruit-laden trees.

It is visible, overflowing, and life-giving.

Joy comes from receiving grace and resting in love.

Scripture: “In Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).

River Four: Peace — The Atmosphere of the Transformed Valley

Peace is the climate created when love, grace, and joy all operate.

Where joy grows and grace flows,

peace settles in like a calm, nourishing air.

Peace is not simply the absence of conflict.

It is the full, stable flourishing of a well-watered valley.

In the illustration: Peace becomes the gentle breeze,

the stillness, the sense of security.

Nothing is frantic. Nothing is lacking.

Scripture: “The peace of God… will guard your hearts”

(Philippians 4:7 “7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Putting It All Together

Biblically, we see how Jesus invites each of us from different backgrounds and walks of life.

Think of the Samaritan woman at the well— different culture—

but Jesus offered her living water.

Just like the rivers that come together,

our diverse paths in faith flow into a single body of Christ,

showcasing His grace and power when we unite for a common purpose.

God’s love is the source.

Grace is love applied.

Joy is the fruit of receiving grace.

Peace is the environment created when love, grace, and joy have done their work.

Where the spring flows freely, the whole valley thrives.

CHRISTMAS is the RESULT of GOD’s LOVE

John 3:16 ESV

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

Jesus is the Water of LIFE

Jesus is POURED out from the SPRING of GOD’s LOVE

CONVERGING together in the NEW LIFE

that was BORN on CHRISTMAS DAY

The story of the early settlers in America shows how communities thrived where rivers met.

They would hold festivals to celebrate the rich sources of food and trade the rivers provided.

These gatherings illustrated how collective joy and effort could build connections.

When we come together in our church community,

celebrating our differences allows us to grow stronger and mutual support flourishes.

We are all different, EVERYONE of US.

God has never made another YOU. nor will there every be

you are HIS WORKMANSHIP

UNIQUE and LOVED

a source to be your own RIVERS in to the life of OTHERS

TONIGHT, TOMORROW and for the REST OF YOUR LIFE

LET THE RIVERS FLOW INTO YOU

CELEBRATE the SOURCE

LETS Collect our JOY

and allow these RIVERS FLOW FROM US

GIVING THANKS TO JESUS for ALL THINGS