2020 has been a remarkable year. None of us could have imagined all that has happened. This year draws to a close, we are expecting of a celestial event that has not happened in 800 years. This event will occur on the Winter Solstice which is the shortest day and longest night of the year. On the darkest day of the year, God will place a light to shine in the sky that reminds us of the divine light that God showed the wise men over 2000 years ago. It is a reminder that hope is still alive. We are given a light to remind us of a greater life that came to illuminate our darkness. This Christmas season, God is giving us a reminder that there is hope, there is a purpose for faith, and is worth giving our lives for.

2020 has been a remarkable year. None of us could have imagined all that has happened. This year draws to a close, we are expecting of a celestial event that has not happened in 800 years. This event will occur on the Winter Solstice which is the shortest day and longest night of the year. On the darkest day of the year, God will place a light to shine in the sky that reminds us of the divine light that God showed the wise men over 2000 years ago. It is a reminder that hope is still alive. We are given a light to remind us of a greater life that came to illuminate our darkness. This Christmas season, God is giving us a reminder that there is hope, there is a purpose for faith, and is worth giving our lives for.

2020 has been a remarkable year. None of us could have imagined all that has happened. This year draws to a close, we are expecting of a celestial event that has not happened in 800 years. This event will occur on the Winter Solstice which is the shortest day and longest night of the year. On the darkest day of the year, God will place a light to shine in the sky that reminds us of the divine light that God showed the wise men over 2000 years ago. It is a reminder that hope is still alive. We are given a light to remind us of a greater life that came to illuminate our darkness. This Christmas season, God is giving us a reminder that there is hope, there is a purpose for faith, and is worth giving our lives for.

The gospel of John is different from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John’s gospel was written much later in his life, and he presents a different view of Jesus than the other three. John recorded the events of Jesus’ life to prove to the reader that Jesus was the son of God and that in believing, we might have life through His name. John’s writing draws many contrasts: between light and dark, between believers and non-believers, and the distinction between Jesus’ humanity and His divinity. In his classic Tale of Two Cities, Dickens draws contrasts: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. In our text tonight from John Three, the writer tells the tale of two sinners. The story of Nicodemus and the woman at the well in Symeria contrasts two different people, from two very different backgrounds, but both have an encounter with Jesus. Nicodemus could trace his lineage back to Abraham, while the woman at the well had a more checkered past. Indeed, we do not even know her name, much less her ancestry. Jesus’ response to both of these people was the same: They had to be changed by the power of God. We often compare ourselves to the bible stories. Are we more like the prodigal or the father? Are we the 99, or are we the one? If we look closely, we are more like the woman at the well than we are Nicodemus. But like both of these people, we all need to be changed by the power of God.

The gospel of John is different from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John’s gospel was written much later in his life, and he presents a different view of Jesus than the other three. John recorded the events of Jesus’ life to prove to the reader that Jesus was the son of God and that in believing, we might have life through His name. John’s writing draws many contrasts: between light and dark, between believers and non-believers, and the distinction between Jesus’ humanity and His divinity. In his classic Tale of Two Cities, Dickens draws contrasts: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. In our text tonight from John Three, the writer tells the tale of two sinners. The story of Nicodemus and the woman at the well in Symeria contrasts two different people, from two very different backgrounds, but both have an encounter with Jesus. Nicodemus could trace his lineage back to Abraham, while the woman at the well had a more checkered past. Indeed, we do not even know her name, much less her ancestry. Jesus’ response to both of these people was the same: They had to be changed by the power of God. We often compare ourselves to the bible stories. Are we more like the prodigal or the father? Are we the 99, or are we the one? If we look closely, we are more like the woman at the well than we are Nicodemus. But like both of these people, we all need to be changed by the power of God.

The gospel of John is different from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John’s gospel was written much later in his life, and he presents a different view of Jesus than the other three. John recorded the events of Jesus’ life to prove to the reader that Jesus was the son of God and that in believing, we might have life through His name. John’s writing draws many contrasts: between light and dark, between believers and non-believers, and the distinction between Jesus’ humanity and His divinity. In his classic Tale of Two Cities, Dickens draws contrasts: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. In our text tonight from John Three, the writer tells the tale of two sinners. The story of Nicodemus and the woman at the well in Symeria contrasts two different people, from two very different backgrounds, but both have an encounter with Jesus. Nicodemus could trace his lineage back to Abraham, while the woman at the well had a more checkered past. Indeed, we do not even know her name, much less her ancestry. Jesus’ response to both of these people was the same: They had to be changed by the power of God. We often compare ourselves to the bible stories. Are we more like the prodigal or the father? Are we the 99, or are we the one? If we look closely, we are more like the woman at the well than we are Nicodemus. But like both of these people, we all need to be changed by the power of God.

The popular Christmas song says that this is the most wonderful time of the year. For many, it is anything but wonderful. For far too many, they are missing real joy. They are not missing more presents; they are missing His presence. The angel in our text brought tidings of great joy. It was exactly what they needed after such a long silence. The joy that the angel spoke of is not the joy of the world. The world’s definition is very different from God’s joy. Webster says joy is a feeling of great happiness. The joy that God gives is more than just how we feel. Our emotions are up and down; God’s joy is consistent. When we have God’s joy, it changes everything about our life. The great joy we know from God is lacking in our world. We look at our job, school, or marriage and find no joy. That is based on circumstances or things that happen. Joy does not keep us from life, but it helps get us through life. While we may have issues with our job, school, or marriage, those things should not steal our joy. Circumstances may have changed, but we cannot allow those things to rob us of our joy. We cannot afford to lose God’s joy. Happiness is not joy. Happiness is based on what happens to us. The world equates happiness and joy, but they are not the same. We can have joy even on bad days. Joy is not the absence of suffering; it is the presence of God. Joy is what we draw from when we are tired and weak. There may not be happiness, but we can still have joy. Joy is a fruit of the spirit, a gift. The psalmist in our text today says there is fullness of joy in His presence. However, this joy is not just for us. The angel said that this joy was for all people. It is for the shepherds, the king, and the commoner. There is fullness of joy in His presence, but it takes more than just being in His presence to receive it. That there is fullness of joy implies that we can experience less than fullness. What do we have to empty from our life to make room for the fullness? Joy is a choice. It is something that we must accept and make a conscious choice to receive. Joy is a gift from God.

The popular Christmas song says that this is the most wonderful time of the year. For many, it is anything but wonderful. For far too many, they are missing real joy. They are not missing more presents; they are missing His presence. The angel in our text brought tidings of great joy. It was exactly what they needed after such a long silence. The joy that the angel spoke of is not the joy of the world. The world’s definition is very different from God’s joy. Webster says joy is a feeling of great happiness. The joy that God gives is more than just how we feel. Our emotions are up and down; God’s joy is consistent. When we have God’s joy, it changes everything about our life. The great joy we know from God is lacking in our world. We look at our job, school, or marriage and find no joy. That is based on circumstances or things that happen. Joy does not keep us from life, but it helps get us through life. While we may have issues with our job, school, or marriage, those things should not steal our joy. Circumstances may have changed, but we cannot allow those things to rob us of our joy. We cannot afford to lose God’s joy. Happiness is not joy. Happiness is based on what happens to us. The world equates happiness and joy, but they are not the same. We can have joy even on bad days. Joy is not the absence of suffering; it is the presence of God. Joy is what we draw from when we are tired and weak. There may not be happiness, but we can still have joy. Joy is a fruit of the spirit, a gift. The psalmist in our text today says there is fullness of joy in His presence. However, this joy is not just for us. The angel said that this joy was for all people. It is for the shepherds, the king, and the commoner. There is fullness of joy in His presence, but it takes more than just being in His presence to receive it. That there is fullness of joy implies that we can experience less than fullness. What do we have to empty from our life to make room for the fullness? Joy is a choice. It is something that we must accept and make a conscious choice to receive. Joy is a gift from God.

The popular Christmas song says that this is the most wonderful time of the year. For many, it is anything but wonderful. For far too many, they are missing real joy. They are not missing more presents; they are missing His presence. The angel in our text brought tidings of great joy. It was exactly what they needed after such a long silence. The joy that the angel spoke of is not the joy of the world. The world’s definition is very different from God’s joy. Webster says joy is a feeling of great happiness. The joy that God gives is more than just how we feel. Our emotions are up and down; God’s joy is consistent. When we have God’s joy, it changes everything about our life. The great joy we know from God is lacking in our world. We look at our job, school, or marriage and find no joy. That is based on circumstances or things that happen. Joy does not keep us from life, but it helps get us through life. While we may have issues with our job, school, or marriage, those things should not steal our joy. Circumstances may have changed, but we cannot allow those things to rob us of our joy. We cannot afford to lose God’s joy. Happiness is not joy. Happiness is based on what happens to us. The world equates happiness and joy, but they are not the same. We can have joy even on bad days. Joy is not the absence of suffering; it is the presence of God. Joy is what we draw from when we are tired and weak. There may not be happiness, but we can still have joy. Joy is a fruit of the spirit, a gift. The psalmist in our text today says there is fullness of joy in His presence. However, this joy is not just for us. The angel said that this joy was for all people. It is for the shepherds, the king, and the commoner. There is fullness of joy in His presence, but it takes more than just being in His presence to receive it. That there is fullness of joy implies that we can experience less than fullness. What do we have to empty from our life to make room for the fullness? Joy is a choice. It is something that we must accept and make a conscious choice to receive. Joy is a gift from God.

We are all familiar with the concept of washing with water. For Christians, the first thing that may come to mind is the washing away of sin by water baptism. But what about the “by the Word” part of our scripture? The Psalms have several descriptions of the word of God and its impact on us. It is clear from these, and many more, that the Word of God also has a cleansing property. Another possibility is the value of the preached word of God. There is power in the spoken word of God. Both of these have a contribution to our sanctification, but there is one more possibility. Bro. Starks takes a trip back to the old testament and the wanderings in the desert to explain the cleansing power of the Word.