Luke 1:39-45

As evidenced in the incident when Mary met Elizabeth, the presence of Jesus brings joy. Later, when the angels declared His birth, it was with great joy. Sometimes we accept pleasure as being joy, when in fact, it is only temporary; whereas Jesus can give us everlasting joy. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Paul exhorts us to rejoice in the Lord always, for that is the source of spiritual strength.

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John 14:25-27

The prophet Micah, in chapter 5, prophecies of a Redeemer who will be born in Bethlehem and bring peace to the world. That peace comes when we allow Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to guide our lives through the Holy Spirit. We can have peace with God if we choose things of the Spirit, instead of things of the flesh. Then we can be ambassadors of peace to others.

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Isaiah 40:27-31

We begin a 4-part Advent series. The Advent of Jesus is an Advent of Hope. As seen in the Isaiah passage, suffering can lead to bitterness, unless we surrender to God. Hope entered the world in Jesus. He is everlasting; He is Creator; He is powerful; He understands. You have not been ignored. Give up and put Jesus in charge. Don't walk alone.

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Matthew 28:20b

Concluding the series on the Great Commission, we consider the fact that He has promised to be with us always. In order to have an effect in this world, we need to spend time with Him. We need to be quiet enough to listen to Him, to know His love, to be like a child, and to work with Him. Allow Him to guide your day.

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Matthew 28:19-20

As we continue the series on the Great Commission, we see that we are called to make disciples of Jesus. To make disciples of Jesus, as He instructed us, we must be disciples of Jesus. In Hebrew culture, young men sat under the tutelage of Rabbis, to grow in their spiritual walk.  To be a disciple of Jesus, we must ask ourselves: do we spend enough time with Him? Does our life look like that of Jesus? Do we do the things that Jesus did? 

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Matthew 28:16-28

This first of a 3 part series on the Great Commission, challenges us to go into the world in the authority given us from Jesus. God wants to use all of us. We are to be apprentices of Jesus as his image bearers. As we step out to influence the world with His resurrection life, our faith will be strengthened. Jesus makes us new.

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Philippians 2:1-11

In his teaching about the Body of Christ, Paul makes it clear to the Corinthians that all believers are part of one Body, regardless of country, social status, heritage, etc. In seeking to embrace all peoples, we need to set aside our way, and seek Jesus's way, which is one of sacrifice.

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Psalm 137

Continuing our "LIfe in Exile" series, we consider the struggle of the Israelites while in Babylon. They were nostalgic for their time in Jerusalem, when they felt God's presence and could worship Him freely, yet God was still with them. In the midst of our daily lives, we may yearn for "the good old days", yet we should have Kingdom-focused nostalgia. We must deeply desire God's presence with us today, not the circumstances of our past, knowing that is what brings the joy and peace we need, .

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Esther 4

As we continue the sermon series, "Life in Exile", we look at the life of Esther, as she faced a difficult decision to speak truth, despite the possibility of retribution and suffering. However, she realized that God had placed her where she was in order to fulfill God's purposes. In God's providence, we are given opportunities to do good. Although obedience can be costly, we must be honest about the opportunities God has given us.

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Jeremiah 29:1-14

The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter to the Israelites held in exile in Babylon. He encouraged them that God would eventually bring them back to Jerusalem, but also gave instruction as to how to live in exile. They are encouraged to live normally, and to seek peace and prosperity in the city where they dwell. As our nation seems to drift further from God, we should still seek to be a positive influence of peace where we live, knowing that our citizenship is in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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