As Stephen explains, with so many of the pastors out on the West Campus this morning, “today you get me.” But what a lovely thing that ends up being!

Sometimes, no matter how many times God moves us, we keep ending up back in the same place. That’s not the plan God has for us!

Look around at where God has placed you. You are here. You are a piece of this community. Be part of it.

“It is our job not to be the generation that keeps God’s plans from moving forward.”

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14

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Lance often is asked for things by his children that aren’t the best for them, and after turning them down for a long time, he’ll allow them to discover the downsides for themselves.

Free will comes with choices. But it doesn’t shield you from consequences.

When God tells that He knows the plans He has for us, sometimes it doesn’t feel like good news. Sometimes it’s not exactly what we were hoping for.

But God has a bigger purpose in mind than anything we could ever imagine.

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14

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Lance remembers looking at his sons for the first time and thinking “who are you gonna be?”

Expectations can overwhelm us. Come to the waters and remember that you belong to God.

God is going to do a new thing. Can’t you perceive it?

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

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Today we remember the gifts that the Magi brought to Jesus. What’s the precious gift that you could give this king?

Jesus has given us quite a mission. Let’s see where he takes us in the year ahead.

My prayer for all of us that God would guide us to that perfect light.

Matthew 2:1-12

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Lance tells the story of a very odd thing: a king, born in a room for animals, lying in a feeding trough. As lowly an entrance as you could imagine.

But the story of this humble entrance is also the story of hope. Whatever mess you find in your life, that’s where Christ is born to you. Right where you need him the most, that’s where this gift will be.

Luke 2:1-20

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It’s easy for things to pile up, and if we aren’t careful, for anxiety to come and stop us in our tracks.

So what is the antidote? It is the state of our heart, the state of our mind.

A sense of gentleness and graciousness should mark the people of the Lord.

“Sometimes God calms the storm, but sometimes God calms His child.”

Philippians 4:4-7

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God is not just a starter, God is a finisher.

Look around at this church. It is easy to look at it and think that all the great things have happened. But God is not finished with us, and he is not finished with this church.

We bring the light out to those living in the darkness. That’s the power of the church.

Philippians 1:3-11

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We don’t like to wait, do we? We trust that God keeps his promises, but it is difficult to be patient.

But that’s how faith works. We are given just enough light to illuminate our next step.

We want to push away all of the darkness ourselves. But if we could, we wouldn’t have to rely on God.

We push back the darkness until Christ returns.

Let us be people who push back the darkness together.

By the way, pretty good Tigger impression in the sermon today!

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

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Lance wraps up the sermon series by remembering an old SNL sketch, “A Thanksgiving Miracle,” of a bickering holiday family brought together by the power of song. “Sometimes we need to sing the same song.”

There are so many things that separate us into “us and them,” but what divides us pales in comparison to what unites us.

We have been clothed in Christ - when people see us, they should see Jesus.

Galatians 3:23-29

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To show the ways that faith and works are intertwined, Lance tells the stories of churches that stepped out in faith, preparing for a future that was not yet fulfilled - doing the work to bring about the promises of God.

Faith without works is like a beautiful sailboat without wind, and we cannot just wait for the wind to come upon us.

We have work to do. Let’s go forth.

James 2:14-26

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