What Does God Want for Christmas, week 1: Unity

This was the first week of our four weeks of combined services with St. Stephens Baptist Church, a primarily African-American congregation here in town. We have the pleasure of worshiping in their building as they led us in worship this past Sunday, and then I had the pleasure of bringing the message.

The question of all the Sundays leading to Christmas is, "What does God want for Christmas?" We answered this Sunday in both action and in word: He wants unity.

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Kingdom in Our Midst, part 5: Built on the Rock

We finished our Sermon on the Mount series Sunday with a look at the parable of the two builders. It's so simple, preschoolers can be taught the story and its principles by heart. Yet it serves as an important test for us as we finish our study. Are we going to hear and walk away unchanged or are we going to practice the gospel of the Kingdom, building our lives on the Rock, Jesus Christ?

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Kingdom in Our Midst, part 4: Recognizing the False Kingdom

The Kingdom of God is right here within our grasp, but it is unseen to the eye. A counterfeit kingdom, spread by false teachers and the Father of Lies, is also hidden, disguised as the real thing. How can we avoid false teaching and keep to the "narrow path," the way of Jesus?

Jesus answers that question as he warns his listeners not to be deceived.

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Kingdom in Our Midst, part 3: The Narrow Road

Are most people going to heaven or hell? Has God answered that question? Some might point to Jesus' "narrow road" in Matthew 7 and Luke 13 and say that He has. But what is Jesus really saying about the narrow road? What should we do about it?

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The Kingdom in Our Midst, part 2: There for the Asking

We have become accustomed to instant information. Google (and Siri, etc.) provides the answer to any question that might float into our minds. Amazon and other online retailers provide what we need with a quick search and a few clicks (or just by asking "Alexa").

Jesus promises that the Kingdom of God is not too far removed from this idea. The resources of the kingdom are "at hand," there for anyone who will ask, seek, and knock. And we can be sure that our Father will not trick us but rather care for us. And in conclusion, Jesus makes a surprising (but familiar) statement about what this means for our responsibilities to one another as citizens of the kingdom.

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Kingdom in Our Midst, part 1: Three Warnings About Judging Others

"Judge not."

These might be the most famous words of Jesus in our current society. People use this phrase as if Jesus was really saying, "Anything goes. Do what you think is right and keep to yourself." There's a whole other blog post that is needed to dismantle this interpretation, but most of us know that's not what Jesus meant.

So what does Jesus mean here? What is Jesus' warning here about judging others?

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The Worry-Free Life, part 4: Living the Worry-Free Life

What keeps you up at night? What occupies your mind or churns your stomach? Worry is a burden that we all deal with. Jesus speaks with compassion toward us when as he tells us how to be free of the burden of worry and rest in the care of our Father.

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