This Christmas Season: A Call to HOPE
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I. Welcome
A. P. Dustin
II. Opening Prayer
A. Beth B.
III. worship
A. Songs:
a. “A King is Born”
b. “Hark the Harold Angels Sing”
c. “O Come Let Us Adore Him”
d. “Emmanuel (God with Us)”
IV. Communion
A. Song: “What Child is this”
V. Announcements
A. Christmas Decorating
B. A Green Mountain Christmas
C. Christmas Eve Service
VI. Sermon
VII. Offering
A. Song: “ Children God Where I send thee”
SERMON
INTRO
INTRO
I. Where We’re Headed
A. The Christmas Season is upon us!!
a. Over the next few weeks ea. sermon is going 2b building up 2 our Christmas Eve Service
At the Christmas eve service we read scripture, pray, sings songs, light candles
Ea. candle we light has a meaning behind it honoring Jesus & what his coming 2 earth ushered in...
B. This week will b the Hope Candle
II. The Need
A. Their dark Times:
a. 2000yrs ago Isr. had been oppressed for hundreds of yrs
Their oppressors, when the promise was starting 2b fulfilled, was Rome
i. ruthless foreign invaders who mocked their religion w/very little tolerance 4 differing beliefs
ii. high, gouging taxes
iii. corrupt government leadership
iv. a paranoid gov. throwing people in prison @the hint o disagreement w/their system.
v. corrupt religious leaders heaping heavy religious laws on their necks
b. take a look how the prophet Isa described Isr.’s circumstances
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
before they saw the great light…before the light shown
i. they walked in darkness
-darkness is a metaphor of ignorance of God, of sin, corruption & Godlessness
ii. they dwelt in a land of deep darkness
-dwelt: is 2 live in
-matt, in his Gospel, quotes Isa 9:2 & translates “land of deep darkness” as “the shadow of death”
*Shadow of death describes a state of great distress, terror, insecurity & danger
2. Isa wrote o events a couple hundred yrs b4 they happened & this deep darkness & shadow o death lasted 400+yrs.
i. Maybe their darkness sounds a bit familiar
B. Our dark times
a.locally
1. COVID-19 people afraid o sickness & death
2. Social isolation driving up depression, anxiety & suicide
3. fear o voter fraud & election tampering
4. fear o religious persecution arising
5. immorality on the rise
6. fear o wide spread corruption in the news, media, & social media
7. Four more yrs o the same president…/ 4 more yrs o the next president
i. Republicans & democrats r afraid o the other party having pwr.
8. Murder & chaos on the rise in the cities…w/rioting
i. & all this is just in our country...
b. consider the situation o the rest o the World:
famine & disease
wars, civil wars, & rumors of wars
religious persecution where just saying the name o Jesus is against the law
i. just 2 name a few...
c. & the holidays are upon us
It’s supposed to be a season o joy & happiness
but what about armed service men & women away from their families
folks who’ve lost loved 1’s around this time
loneliness where folks c other families happy, but r isolated & alone
i. feeling as if they’re invisible…maybe it’s just not worth it anymore
C. Our fears & circumstances r different than folks 2,000yrs ago…but maybe not so different
a. It seams we 2 walk in darkness & dwell in the shadow o death
Who here/watching from home could use a little hope??
b. God made a promise:
III. Main Verse
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
IV.Pray
V. Transition:
A. Light would shine on the darkness in the most unexpected way; see...
BODY
I. Their hope is our hope— what is our hope?
A. Our hope is a king
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
a. This king would
1. lead wisely (Wonderful Counselor)
2. b all mighty God himself
3. lead as a good & forever father
4. bring about great peace
5. lead righteously & justly
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
b. this king would lead forever
1. His Kingdom will grow increasingly forever
i. Wow could their b such a thing as a gov. leader who isn’t corrupt?
-such a person who isn’t crooked
ii. But where is this king? was he born? when? Where is he now in these dark times?
B. Our hope was born a child
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
a. He was born 2,000yrs ago
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
He was born a child
lived a perfect life
died 4 the sins o the world
was raised from the dead
established his Church in the world
& ascended to the right hand o the father
i. That means that...
C. Our hope is living
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
a. our hope lives & it’s a person!!
1. He came in the most unlikely of circumstances
2. he died & was raised again and in this death & resurrection we are reborn!
D. Our hope is eternity spent w/a perfect body w/ GOD!!!
a. this is (at least in part) the “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, & unfading, kept in heaven for you”
E. our forever king, living hope, born a child, is Jesus the Christ!
a. W/Jesus, as our living hope u will survive this season
1. No matter what happens over time
i. Even if COVID never goes away
-Even if we contract COVID & die.
ii. Even if the president u didn’t vote 4 gets elected
iii. Even if real persecution comes 2 USA
-Yes, If we lose our “rights” forever & Fascism / Socialism becomes the USA Gov...
2. We have eternity w/ a sovereign God king who lives & reigns forever named Jesus
i. He was born a baby
ii. lived perfectly & served others
iii. died on a cross
iv. rose again
v. & is coming back to establish his kingdom on earth forever!!!
-Take a look @what the Apostle Jn wrote regarding his vision frm God:
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
3. This is the fulfillment o Isa 9:6-7 that He will establish a 4ever kingdom & reign justly & righteously forever
i. He’s going 2 make all things new!!
OFFERING
OFFERING
I. Invite the Worship Team Up
II. Thank u 4 ur generous gifts
A. It’s by your giving that:
a. keep the lights on
b. continue to stream live
c. help those in need
d. continue renovations even through the pandemic
1. God has called us to move forward not hunker down / stall out
III. 3 ways to give
A. online: greenmtn.org
B. text the word “give” to (833) 966-2042
a. already gave via text: just text the amount to that same #
C. mail a check to 440 Main St. in Bennington
IV. A continued need above ur tithe & Offering:
A. Building Fund!
a. lots o maintenance & renovation to b done
1. Can select when u fill out the web based form
2. Or put Building fund in the memo line of ur check
V. Close in Prayer
A. Song: “”