The Witnesses of Christmas Luke 2:25-40 The Spirit falls on people who regularly worship and witness to what they have seen and heard. Each heart has been broken open to the world’s pain. Jesus’s birth heals them. Luke’s Cast of Christmas Characters in Luke 1-2: Zechariah and Joseph (Fathers) Elizabeth and Mary (Mothers) Worshipers and […]
Read More »Today, we listened to Zechariah’s sermon and hymn in Luke 1:67-80. For 9 months, Zechariah waited to preach this message. The old preacher’s — and new father’s — words are still relevant today. He explains that the way God changed the world back then is what he’s doing now. God not only wants us to […]
Read More »Fear overwhelms us. On the news, in the mall, in our neighborhoods, at home or school, around the world, many people dread what could happen to them. Everywhere we turn, there is an excuse to be afraid. During Advent, God takes our fears and uses them to transform us into people who kneel at the […]
Read More »Today’s worship service focused on Elizabeth and Mary’s commitment to the Lord. Elizabeth went into seclusion, and Mary left her home—not once, but twice—so that we could find Christmas. We heard a powerful testimony from Lynda Shackelford. She shared courageously about her journey through infertility and adoption. We also celebrated the baptisms of four new […]
Read More »Over the last few days, we’ve studied the Gospel of Matthew and learned ways that Jesus reaches people. Jesus reaches people in five very important ways. He reaches up to his heavenly Father depending on him for guidance every step of the way. He reaches across to others who were in their own synagogues and […]
Read More »Jesus teaches us how to reach out to the city, across to those in our church, down as servants, and into our homes. At every step of the way, Jesus reached up to his heavenly Father for guidance. Jesus reaches out to us so that we can in turn reach up to him. He changes […]
Read More »In Matthew 14, Jesus famously walks on the water showing his lordship over the wind and sea. Peter leaves the boat of disciples and tries to join him. When the impetuous disciple becomes afraid of the wind and the waves, Jesus reaches down to save him. Jesus not only triumphs over our fears but also […]
Read More »Thus far, we’ve studied how Jesus reaches out and across to people. Now we take a look at the way Jesus reached inside his own household to point out who his true family is. In Matthew 12 as Jesus teaches, as is their custom, someone interrupts him. Someone in the crowd brings a message from […]
Read More »In my last post, we looked at how Jesus—and FBC—will reach out to impact our city. Today, we study how Jesus reaches across to the people inside a synagogue and touches one of their own. A Man Stretches His Hand Matthew 12:9-14 9He left that place and entered their synagogue; 10a man was there with […]
Read More »Our church has adopted a strategic plan to “reach people for Jesus” over the next five years. Jesus shows us how to reach people in the ways that he reached people during his ministry. Our word for “reaching others” actually comes from a Greek word that means to “stretch out your hand” or to “reach […]
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