TRUTH: Jesus’ presence allows us to be at peace!

1. Enjoy the moment
Luke 2:19 :: But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

2. Engage the experience
Luke 2:20 :: And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.


What does this mean for me?

1. Look for the good
Jeremiah 29:11 :: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

2. Relax
Matthew 6:34 :: Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

3. Give Thanks
Colossians 3:17 :: And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

TRUTH: Those who seek the gift of love are led to wise decisions!

Wise decisions come as we…

1. Know the word
Matthew 2:2 :: saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

2 Timothy 3:16 :: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness

2. Beware of secret
Matthew 2:7 :: Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.

3. Listen
Matthew 2:9 :: After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.

Proverbs 19:20 :: Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

4. Seek the right things
Matthew 2:11 :: And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 6:33 :: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

5. Discern the Holy Spirit's leading
Matthew 2:12 :: And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Romans 12:2 :: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.


What does this mean for me?

1. The more I follow God’s Word, the wiser decisions I will make

2. The more I listen to the Holy Spirit, the easier it will be to discern His voice

3. Wise decisions always include Jesus

TRUTH: The Good News of Jesus is a life changer!


Why is Jesus’ Good News life changing?

1. It brings great JOY!
Luke 2:10 :: 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.
2 Corinthians 7:4 :: I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

2. It is for all people!
Luke 2:10 :: 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.
Titus 2:11 :: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people

3. It provides peace!
Luke 2:14 :: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Philippians 4:7 :: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


What does this mean for me?

1. Joy is not dependent on my current circumstance

2. I have a responsibility to share this good news!

TRUTH: Jesus presence means my past can be redeemed!


Jesus’ presence means…
1. I can let go of fear
Matthew 1:20 :: But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”“
1 John 4:18 :: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

2. I can embrace Jesus’ grace
Matthew 1:21 :: She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
John 1:16 :: For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

3. I can make a better decision
Matthew 1:24 :: When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife
John 8:11 :: She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

What does this mean for me?
1. My past is no match for Jesus grace!
Romans 5:15-16 :: But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

2. My healed hurts can be used to to help others!
2 Corinthians 1:4 :: who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

TRUTH: Being Hospitable means allowing others into my space for God’s benefit!

WHAT? It is God’s example of grace
Leviticus 19:33-34 :: When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

WHY? In order to bring others into God’s family
Ephesians 2:11-12 :: Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

WHEN? At all times!
Hebrews 13:1-2 :: Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

What does this mean for me?
I have a chance to be an
ambassador for Christ!

Be intentional!

TRUTH: Loving well means setting my heart to serve others where they are, not where I want them to be


People have deep needs that go beyond what we can see
Luke 5:17-26 :: On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Loving people means getting in the mud alongside them
Philippians 2:3-8 :: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

What does this mean for me?
What are you willing to lay down to love people the way Jesus loves you?

TRUTH: Love does not place confidence in the flesh

Arrogance forgets…

Christ’s role in our lives!
1 Corinthians 3:7 :: So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Our need of others!
1 Corinthians 12:21 :: The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

That this world is temporary!
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 :: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

What does this mean for me?
1. I need to be more concerned about the spiritual than the physical
2. Humility must be my foundation
3. Arrogance is diffused when I rest in God’s promises

TRUTH: Love works hard to give honor, not receive it


We know honor is being extended when…

We become last
Luke 14:10a :: But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’

We create value in another
Luke 14:14 :: and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

We recognize the value others have
1 Corinthians 12:22 :: On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable


What does this mean for me?
It takes effort to outdo!
My thinking will need to be different than the world!
I don’t get to decide value!

TRUTH: Love believes that which is true


Some things should not be believed

There is an absolute truth

Untruth or unbelief does not give me permission to be unloving


What does this mean for me?

To SEEK truth should be a goal

Loving those whom I do not BELIEVE will be more difficult

I will need to GIVE the benefit of the doubt at times

TRUTH: Genuine love protects another by covering over suffering

Love bears all because…

It removes ovstacles in one’s path to Christ
1 Corinthians 9:12 :: If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Suffering is to be expected as a follower of Christ
1 Thessalonians 3:1 :: Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone
1 Thessalonians 3:5 :: For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

It is the example that Christ set
1 Peter 2:24 :: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.


What does this mean for me?

Bearing for another will help my witness

Love will require me to bear more than I want to

I will need to keep my eyes on Jesus
Mark 8:31-33 :: And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”