Pastor: Olu Brown

Sermon Title: Emmanuel

Scripture: Matthew 1:23 CEB

Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will call him, Emmanuel. (Emmanuel means “God with us.”)

Introduction:

· Matthew 1:23, “Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will call him, Emmanuel.” (Emmanuel means “God with us.”)

· Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.”

· Matthew 28:20 “Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age”

What’s going on in our world?

Mother, mother

There's too many of you crying

Brother, brother, brother

There's far too many of you dying

You know we've got to find a way

To bring some lovin' here today

Father, father

We don't need to escalate

You see, war is not the answer

For only love can conquer hate

You know we've got to find a way

To bring some lovin' here today

Community

Country

Globe

What’s going on in our lives?

We often mimic the world and don’t always reflect the hope of Christ.

Challenge to believe and live by faith.

Emmanuel is Hope

God is present in all aspects of our experiences

God is calling us to be Emmanuel Disciples and Emmanuel Churches

Pastor: Paul Thibodeaux

Sermon Title: New Life in Christ

Scripture: Luke 2-8-11

8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord

Celebrate the News

Savor the moment when you experience God’s goodness

Believing that God will come through

Be prepared when the good news comes

Celebrate your Faith

Choose to “look” with your faith and not your sight

Choose to “look” to God without looking at circumstances

Make an effort to trust God with every moment

Celebrate God

Remember God’s mighty acts, the good news of the coming of Jesus.

Celebrate salvation

Celebrate new life in Christ Jesus

Prayer:

Dear God, help me to be open and present to your glory and all that you want to announce in my life. At times I feel unworthy and wonder why you choose me, but I am grateful, and I surrender to your call and favor for my life. At times I feel like all I get is bad news, help me to look to the good news that Christ gives me. Good news of healing for my pain. Good news of recovery from my suffering. Good news of being able to handle the bad news. Let me be filled with joy as I look to the future and overcome the fear of what you have in store for me. Amen!

Pastor: Olu Brown

Sermon Title: Heaven on Earth

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 NIV

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I. Worth the wait

The fulfilling of the prophecy was worth the wait.

Even if your expectations were different.

II. Now that you know

What does it mean to have a Wonderful Counselor?

What does it mean to have a Prince of Peace?

III. A Great Moment

The work of the Holy Spirit in this moment makes it spectacular.

A Savior who can identify with the pain and suffering of our world and our human experiences.

Pastor: Olu Brown

Sermon Title: Heaven on Earth

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 NIV

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I. Worth the wait

The fulfilling of the prophecy was worth the wait.

Even if your expectations were different.

II. Now that you know

What does it mean to have a Wonderful Counselor?

What does it mean to have a Prince of Peace?

III. A Great Moment

The work of the Holy Spirit in this moment makes it spectacular.

A Savior who can identify with the pain and suffering of our world and our human experiences.

Pastor: Orlando Evans

Sermon Title: Unveil

Scripture: Ephesians 1:17-19 (CEB)

17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers,19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength.

{Introduction}

"As God Draws Us Closer for a Deeper Relationship, the Lover of our Soul unveils Wisdom Revelation, Hope, and Power.

{Transition}

"While 2020 is the Year of Vision, it's NOT from the Perspective that we Expected"

"It's Less of Looking into Our Future, and More of Accurately Perceiving our Present"

{KEY POINT #1}

Wisdom Revelation

(vs. 17): I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. {separate slide}

Revelation through Relationship

Surface Relationship vs Substance Relationship

Maintain Genuine and Consistent Connection

{Key Point #2}

See the Hope

v18: I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers…

Look Beyond Today's Trials and Celebrate Tomorrow's Triumphs

Inner Illumination

{Key Point #3}

Power Conferred

v19: …what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength.”

Speak things into Existence

LoveCraft Country Logo

Name Yourself

Pastor: Olu Brown

Sermon Title: Keep Pressing

Scripture:

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Persistence

Vs. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Willingness to hang in there…

Purpose

Vs. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Knowing who you are and where you are going…

Forget

Vs. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead...

Letting go…

Focus

Vs. 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Seeing the future in the present…

Pastor: Paul Thibodeaux

Sermon Title: “A Crazy Weekend” - Day 2

Scripture: 2 Kings 3:21-25 (AMP-Amplified Bible)

21 Now all the Moabites heard that the [three] kings had come up to fight against them, and all [a]who were able to put on armor, as well as those who were older, were summoned and stood [together in battle formation] at the border. 22 When they got up early the next morning, the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water across from them as red as blood. 23 And they said, “This is blood! Clearly the kings have fought together, and have killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil [and the plunder of the dead soldiers]!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land, killing the Moabites [as they went]. 25 They destroyed the [walls of the] cities, and each man threw a stone on every piece of good land, covering it [with stones]. And they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until they left nothing in Kir-hareseth [Moab’s capital city] but its stones. Then the [stone] slingers surrounded the city and destroyed it.

Crazy – Extremely enthusiastic

Hope – a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen

Crazy Hope – Extreme enthusiastic expectation for something to happen

Hope is in the process

You will do the work if you are expecting something to happen in the process

Hope is in God’s work

You have no idea how crazy God’s work will be

Hope is in reality

When it finally happens, our crazy hope is confirmed and we encouraged to keep up the crazy hope.

Hope – “the final refusal to give up” - Dr. Martin Luther King

Pastor: Paul Thibodeaux

Sermon Title: “A Crazy Weekend”

Scripture: 2 Kings 3:9-20 (AMP-Amplified Bible)

9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They made a circuit of seven days’ journey, but there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “We are doomed, for the Lord has called these three kings to be handed over to Moab.” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here from whom we may inquire of the Lord?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who [c]used to pour water over Elijah’s hands.” 12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to Elisha.

13 Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What business do you have with me? Go to the prophets of your [wicked] father [Ahab] and to the prophets of your [pagan] mother [Jezebel].” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to be handed over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts (armies) lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you [king of Israel]. 15 But now bring me a musician.” And it came about while the musician played, that the hand (power) of the Lord came upon Elisha. 16 He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley (the Arabah) full of trenches.’ 17 For thus says the Lord, ‘You will not see wind or rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, so you and your cattle and your other animals may drink. 18 This is but a simple thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also hand over the Moabites to you. 19 You shall strike every fortified city and every choice (principal) city, and cut down every good tree and stop up all sources of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.’” 20 It happened in the morning, when the sacrifice was offered, that suddenly water came [miraculously] from the area of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

Crazy – Extremely enthusiastic

Faith – complete trust or confidence in God

Crazy Faith – Extreme trust and confidence in God

1. PERSISTENCE

2. PRAISE

3. PREPARATION

4. PATIENCE

Pastor: Olu Brown

Sermon Title: Homecoming

Scripture: Joshua 4:19-23a CEB

19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They camped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 Joshua set up at Gilgal those twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask their parents, ‘What about these stones?’ 22 Then you will let your children know: ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ 23 This was because the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you crossed over.

Living

Vs. 19 “The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They camped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.”

• Living is a journey… “The people came up out of the Jordan”

Learning

Deuteronomy 8:3 NRSV

• God humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

• What have you learned through your living?

Legacy

Legacy is what we leave…

• Vs. 20-22 “20 Joshua set up at Gilgal those twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask their parents, ‘What about these stones?’ 22 Then you will let your children know: ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’”

Legacy is what we are given…

• Vs. 23 “This was because the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you crossed over.”

Pastor: Olu Brown

Sermon Title: Shift

Scripture: Genesis 13: 14-18 CEB

14 After Lot separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “From the place where you are standing, look up and gaze to the north, south, east, and west, 15 because all the land that you see I give you and your descendants forever. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth. If someone could count the bits of dust on the earth, then they could also count your descendants. 17 Stand up and walk around through the length and breadth of the land because I am giving it to you.” 18 So Abram packed his tent and went and settled by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.

Separation

• Vs. 14 “After Lot separated from him...”

• Strategic Separation

• People – Places – Processes

Confirmation

• Vs. 14-17 “14 After Lot separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “From the place where you are standing, look up and gaze to the north, south, east, and west, 15 because all the land that you see I give you and your descendants forever. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth. If someone could count the bits of dust on the earth, then they could also count your descendants. 17 Stand up and walk around through the length and breadth of the land because I am giving it to you.”

• Can God trust you with vision and purpose?

Salutation

Vs. 18 “So Abram packed his tent and went and settled by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.”

• Salutation: “A gesture or utterance made as a greeting or acknowledgment of another's arrival or departure.”

• “Thank You and Goodbye”

Shift Blessing:

• Genesis 14: Abraham blessed by Melchizedek / Demonstrates Tithing

• Genesis 15: God Made a Covenant with Abraham

• Genesis 16: Abraham Lost Faith in God’s Plan

• Genesis 17: God Changed Abraham’s Name

(Abram: Exalted Father / Abraham: Father of a Multitude of Peoples)