Christmas Message 2025
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas! The Christmas story from Luke 2 may be a story that is new to some of us and to others it may be very familiar. We are going to look at the part of the story that is about the shepherds. Luke 2:8-9 we read, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.” Did you know that being a shepherd in Jesus’ day was one of the lowliest jobs one could have? They were in the fields all the time, they smelled like sheep and...
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Rescued by Truth: Week 52
Awake Us Now
A difficult and challenging message, this week we address the reality of hell. Hell is not a topic of regular conversation, yet the reality of hell is true. Therefore, it is essential we understand the consequences of our beliefs, our actions, and our behaviors, and that we understand what the future holds. The Bible teaches we have only two destinies: With God (heaven) - or - Apart from Him (hell). Which destiny are we living for?
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Two Year Gospel Study Week 104
Awake Us Now
The Gospel of John Week 26 Scripture: John 20:19 - 21:25. Today’s study will conclude our two year study of the Gospels with a dramatic and amazing ending. We begin with John 20:19, it is the first day of the week (Sunday) and the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly Jesus was standing among them saying “Peace be with you.” This is a phrase in English that sounds so common, like “have a good day.” But in Hebrew it carries much more meaning. Shalom (peace) more than just an absence of conflict or warfare, it refers to all creation - it...
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Merry Christmas
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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Christmas Message
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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Christmas Eve Message
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 15
Awake Us Now
This is the final week in our study of 400 years of Kings and Prophets from Solomon to Jeremiah. King Josiah • Young King seeks God • Spiritual cleansing of Jerusalem • Book of the Law discovered • Reform beyond Judah • Passover observance - King Josiah gives an order to all people to observe God's Passover. This had not been celebrated according to what was written, not even in the days of the judges, nor in the days of any of the kings of...
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The Christmas Story 2
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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The Christmas Story
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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Questions - Week 11: What About the Virgin Birth?
Awake Us Now
The message starts with Matthew 1:18 “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.” Pastor explores today’s question: “What about the Virgin Birth?” by tackling these 5 questions: ⁃ Is the “Virgin Birth” really that important? ⁃ Why do only Matthew and Luke mention it? ⁃ Couldn’t this have been a later development? ⁃ ...
info_outlineScripture: Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1-3, Lue 2:51, 1 John 3:1, Matthew 11:28-30
Do the ten commandments feel like just a negative list of “thou shalt nots?” Or like God’s trying to take away your fun, or trying to limit your enjoyment of life, trying to make you feel guilty?
Well, nothing is further from the truth. God is good and He is gracious! Today’s commandment doesn’t have a “shall not,” but it does have a promise:
Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
As it comes with a promise, God considers this an important command. Family is of primary significant importance. We even see that when the Living God took on flesh as Jesus, He came to a family. And we see Jesus obeying this command in Luke 2:51 “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” Even the incarnate son of God was obedient to His parents. Clearly it’s important to our Creator but also important to our culture.
The Family Is God’s Design
Application:
⁃ Authority - by God’s authority He tells us to honor our parents. Mom and Dad are His representatives on earth to nurture and raise their children.
⁃ Act Honorably - Kids are told to honor parents but parents are told they are to act honorably, too, in a way that gives God glory, sharing faith with their kids, giving godly love and discipline and modeling honoring God.
⁃ Honor Them - we honor our parents no matter how old we are - that doesn’t end when we leave home, we are to honor them always - even as they age.
We live in a day and age where families are falling apart - where people are trying to re-design the family -
When families disintegrate so does the culture. What do we do to deal with dysfunctional families and homes? We go to God’s Word - the Bible - a book filled with dysfunctional families. One example we can learn from is the story of Joseph. His father had 4 wives, siblings had anger issues, there were rivalries, bitterness, jealousy and hatred between siblings. But what we learn is that Joseph broke the chain! He had 1 wife and raised a godly family.
There is hope for every situation in life because our God is a God who redeems the parental wounds of neglect, absence, abuse and withholding of nurturing.
Restoration is available:
⁃ It is God the Father’s heart to love - 1 John 3:1 “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” By faith in Jesus we are the Father’s children. In Him is healing - in Him life is renewed.
⁃ Jesus’ invitation - No guilt - what is offered is an invite to hope. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” His invite is to come to Him - the one who forgives, gives strength, gives healing and gives hope. There is no limit to what God does. No limit to his grace.
⁃ Forgive and Release - the Bible gives a path to restoration and reconciliation in Colossians 3:13 we read, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” One of the most important steps in healing, particularly from parental wounds, is to forgive. This doesn’t mean their behavior is justified - it does mean that just as we have been forgiven by the Lord we forgive those who have hurt or wounded us. Saying, “Lord, I forgive them as You have forgiven me” is an important healing step.
Forgiveness changes everything - and this too is part of this commandment to honor our parents - even if they were bad parents.
Honor makes a huge difference in our lives, the lives of our family members and even into our culture.
Lord may we recognize the goodness of our heavenly Father’s heart in this command. May we hear Jesus’ invitation to come to Him and may we forgive as we are forgiven.
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