This sermon explores how Christmas Eve holds both light and darkness, using the biblical account of Jesus's birth and subsequent flight to Egypt to show how even the first Christmas had its struggles. The message offers two key encouragements for those facing difficulties during the holiday season: "Always remember, it could be worse" (drawing parallels with Jesus's family in Egypt) and "Always remember, it will get better" (pointing to Christ's ultimate victory over darkness). Through both personal anecdotes and biblical truth, the sermon reminds us that Christmas was made precisely for our difficult times, as it represents God's plan to overcome darkness through the coming of Christ.

In 'An Upside Down Christmas,' we explore how Jesus' arrival transforms bad news into good news. Through Joseph's story, we see how God can turn our darkest moments into opportunities for His glory. Joseph's obedience to God's plan, despite potential ridicule, exemplifies trust and submission. This Christmas, reflect on how God is for us, with us, and working through us, even in challenging times.

Ken explores the concept of "foolish wisdom" through the Christmas story, arguing that God often works in ways that seem foolish to worldly wisdom, such as the wise men traveling far to worship a baby and believing in miracles. He emphasizes that true wisdom involves recognizing God's sovereignty, believing in supernatural interventions, and understanding that Jesus is the ultimate King who transcends human understanding and earthly power. The sermon challenges listeners to embrace a counterintuitive faith that sees beyond material explanations, recognizes the inclusivity of Christ's message, and believes in the transformative power of God's seemingly foolish plan of salvation.

Matthew's genealogy of Jesus reveals that God's plan of redemption includes unexpected and marginalized people, showing that Christ came to bring everyone into His kingdom. Through Jesus' lineage, we see that God works through imperfect people to accomplish His perfect plan, demonstrating that no one is beyond God's grace and inclusion. Christmas is ultimately about God turning everything upside down - transforming brokenness into purpose, outsiders into insiders, and bringing hope to those the world has rejected.

Following Jesus requires more than just knowing or believing His words - it requires putting them into practice in our daily lives. Through four vivid contrasts from Matthew 7 (gates, prophets, disciples, and builders), Jesus teaches that the difference between life and destruction, between true and false faith, comes down to whether we actually do what He says. While our culture celebrates endless choices, we aren't free to choose the consequences of our choices, so we must build our lives on the solid foundation of not just hearing but actively practicing Jesus' teachings.

Jesus taught that righteous judgment aimed at restoration, not condemnation, is appropriate. We must examine our own flaws before addressing others, and speak the truth in love with the grace of the cross in view. The sermon emphasizes humbly judging ourselves first so we can help others without hypocrisy.

Jesus addresses worry in the Sermon on the Mount not as a normal part of life, but as a serious issue that reveals our struggle to trust God completely. Through examples of birds and flowers, Jesus demonstrates that our heavenly Father provides for all His creation, making worry both unhelpful and a sign of distrust in God's goodness. Rather than being consumed by worry about material needs, Jesus calls us to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness," promising that God will provide what we need when we focus on His purposes for our lives.

Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:19-24 that having "healthy eyes" means cultivating both generosity and single-mindedness in our spiritual vision. Just as we can't physically focus on two things at once, we cannot serve both God and material possessions - we must choose whether our eyes will be full of light (focused on eternal things) or darkness (focused on earthly treasures). The sermon emphasizes that when we seek first God's Kingdom with healthy spiritual vision, maintaining a generous heart and undivided focus on heavenly things, God will provide everything we need.

Jesus Christ is celebrated through eight powerful movements of prayer and worship, moving from praise to mission, each featuring beautiful invocations of His names and attributes. This October 20th service weaves together ancient liturgical traditions with contemporary expressions, creating a deeply meaningful journey through confession, repentance, help, resurrection, thanksgiving, and glory. Each section is anchored in Scripture and led by different prayer leaders, culminating in a call to declare God's glory among all nations.

In this sermon, Ken explores Jesus' teachings from Matthew 6:1-18 about performing righteous acts (giving, praying, fasting) with the right motives, rather than seeking attention or praise from others. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on God as our Father and prioritizing His kingdom over personal agendas, warning against the dangers of becoming "hypocrites" who do good deeds for the wrong reasons. The sermon encourages listeners to cultivate integrity, find security in their identity as children of God, and practice "undercover" acts of service to develop a heart that seeks heavenly rewards rather than temporary earthly recognition.