In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. 

All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. 

In Him was LIFE. And the LIFE was the LIGHT of men. The LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:1-5

Simple. Authentic. Jesus

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If you are a disciple (follower, student) of Jesus, you should long to put into practice His way of life. You want to love like He did, serve like He did, and show kindness and mercy as He did. The problem is… this is a hard thing to do! Thankfully, God’s Word has revealed to us the way to live this out: by presenting yourself to God every day. 

 Big Idea: As a disciple of Jesus, I must daily present myself to God.

 To present myself to God, every day I must…

• Flee my sin
• Remember my Savior
• Submit my soul

So what? 

• Trust in Christ fully.

Present Yourself to God: Romans 6:13

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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There are few things that all people can agree on. One of them appears to be that we all hate to wait. But waiting is a mark of the Christian life. We don’t have a choice about whether we will wait or not, but whether we will wait well or poorly. What do Simeon and Anna teach us about waiting well?

 Take-Home Message: Worshippers wait well.

 Waiting well:

• Simeon’s Wait and Worship (25-32).
  • Lessons about Waiting:
    • Waiting is not weakness. 
    • Waiting is not laziness.
    • Waiting well requires a Comforter.
    • Waiting well requires trusting the Lord.
•  Christ’s Cross (33-35). 
• Anna’s Wait and Worship (36-38). 

Scripture: Luke 2:25-38

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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What does it mean to be “saved FROM our sins”?  
Not only did Jesus come to save us from our sin, but He also came to deliver us from the POWER of sin! 

In other words, the gift of Jesus is not just forgiveness from sin, but victory over sin!

Romans 6:14-:“For sin has no dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.”

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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God sent His Son…

• At the perfect time (4a).

     For the perfect reason (4b-5a).
 

• • Good things that don’t save us
     
    • Baptism
    • Communion 
• Church attendance
•  
  • Being a “good person”
• We are saved…
   
  • By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

• With the perfect results (5b-7).
   
  • The perfect results
     
    • Family— adoption as sons 
    • Freedom— no longer a slave, but a son 
    • Future— an heir through God

The Reason for God’s Son

Galatians 4:4-7

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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In the moment God began the Christmas story, He also revealed the answer to the question; “Who Needs Christmas?”
- WE ALL DO! Jesus is our only hope.
- -              Jesus… is… the… PLAN!

Scripture: Genesis 12: 1-3

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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What does the Bible say about thankfulness?

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18 

Even when we don’t understand, we can rejoice, because God’ is in control. And therefore, be thankful, no matter what our circumstance. God is not asking us to be thankful “for” every circumstance, but to be thankful “in” every circumstance. There’s a difference! 

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus. 

Jesus, Israel, and the Fig Tree

 How should we respond to the events in Israel? Jesus rebuked those who knew how to interpret the weather and not the signs of the times. While no one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return, He expected his followers to interpret current events through the lens of Scripture. When a tree begins to grow leaves, we know that summer is near. In the same way, Jesus’ prophecy points us toward the “leaves” that will precede His return. Christ’s command continues to echo through the centuries: “Stay awake!”

 Scripture: Luke 21:29-36

 Take Home Message: Be ready.

 The Parable (29-31)

-          Signs of the times

-          Birth pains (8-19)

-          A specific sign (20-24)

-          Final signs (25-26)

-          Christ’s return (27-28)

-          How should we respond to the events in Israel?

1.       Pray 

2.       Support

3.       Watch 

4.       Take Heart

 The Guarantee (32-33)

 The Warning (34-36)

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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You may not feel as though your specific set of gifts and graces are fit for ministry, but they are!    Give them to Jesus and ask how HE would want to use them!

 Parable of the Ten Mina’s

 Scripture: Luke 19:12-26 He said, therefore, “A nobleman went to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them; ‘Engage in business until I come’. But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him saying; ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered his servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called back to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him saying,’ Lord, your minas, have made ten minas more.’ And he said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Because you have been faithful with a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came to hm saying, ‘Lord, your minas have made fie minas.’ And he said to him, ‘You are to be over five cities.’ Then another came to him saying,’ Lord, here is your mina which I kept laid away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ And he said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit, and reaping what I did not sow. Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank, so that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those standing by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas. And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ I tell you, to everyone who has more, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away…’

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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We can only receive God’s salvation in humility. There is no other way. Humbling ourselves before God can feel like spiritual open-heart surgery, but the result is righteousness and peace! Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy (Proverbs 28:13). The Pharisee justifies himself and remains in his sin. The tax collector humbles himself and receives God’s mercy. Which are you?

Take Home Message: Before we can be saved, we must first admit that we cannot save ourselves.

 Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

 The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector:

• The Reason (9).
• The Pharisee (10-12).
   
  • Marks of Self-Righteousness
     
    • Self-Absorption
  •  
    • Comparison
  •  
    • Self-Justification
  •  
    • Spiritual Pride
  •  

• The Tax Collector (13).
   
  • Marks of True Repentance
     
    • Personal
  •  
    • Specific
  •  
    • Sincere
  •  
    • Dependent
• The Result (14).

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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