What Does God Want for Christmas? Spread the News!

It was our third week of combined services with St. Stephens Baptist Church. This time, we met at St. Stephens, and after a wonderful time of worship (and before a great meal), we spoke about Jesus' command to the church before he ascended to heaven: make disciples. If we ask God what he want for Christmas, he might answer with: "Can I get a witness?"

Jesus promises power to the church to be his witnesses everywhere and to everybody. Let's join together and tell the world what we have seen and heard.

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What Does God Want for Christmas? Obedience & Thanksgiving

This Sunday we welcomed the St. Stephens Baptist Church family into our building to worship, take the Lord's Supper, and to eat together. Rev. Daryl Hope, pastor of St. Stephens brought the message. It was a powerful call for us to live our lives in joyful thanksgiving to the Lord, obeying him out of love, because he first loved us.

Psalm 116:12: "How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?"

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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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