Ebenezer Church Sermon Archive

The Company of Christians makes a difference. We are resident agents of reconciliation who get to tell people about what God is like, how to know God, how God can be experienced, and provide a scriptural and biblical witness to others that is unlike anything the world has seen. This is why we show up as agents of grace, knowing that we don’t work for ourselves but Christ. This is the power of community presence.

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus lifts how vital it is to respond with compassionate action to another, from sharing food with someone who is hungry to welcoming someone who feels like they don’t belong. Several people from the congregation tell their story of serving Christ in compassionate mission. What’s your story?  How is Jesus inviting you to missional service?  How will you put God’s love in action with those around you?

If we follow Jesus, we need to know what matters to Jesus. What is most important to him?  Jesus tells us in Mark 12:28-34: full-on loving God and loving our neighbors in the same way that we love ourselves. Romans 12:1-5 helps put hands and feet to living that out. Our new Focus 2030 priorities help us understand how to put that into practice, too. We are called to be ALL IN as we embody the priorities of Jesus together.

The birth of Jesus is evidence of God’s love for us and God’s desire that we not live this life alone. Jesus does not come when things are going smoothly. Jesus comes because they are not. The song Silent Night was not written when things were going smoothly either.  Hear the words of Luke 2:1-20 and the words of this Silent Night. Let God bring light and meaning to our imperfect, messy lives. Christ the Savior is born.

When do we turn toward the Lord and stay there to worship? As we turn the figures in our nativity sets toward the manger, let us also turn ourselves to the manger, focusing our hearts on Jesus. We are lifting the words of the carol O Come, All Ye Faithful as we study Isaiah 9:2-7 and Matthew 11:2-11. O, come let us adore Christ the Lord.

Playlists have evolved significantly over the past 75 years from jukeboxes and cassette tapes, to CD’s and streaming services. In this series, we’ll look at the songs of the season, the carols of Christ, and to have those songs etched on our hearts. This week, we look at “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” and humanity’s longing past, present, and future for a Savior to come and save, rescue, and redeem—that Savior is, was, and always will be Jesus the Christ.