News: December 1, 2020
This Christmas season we’ll be looking into the epistles – the letters of Paul and John in the New Testament, to see what they say is the reason Jesus came. We’ll find that they celebrate the incarnation because of it meant the rescue of the world. Here’s the plan:
Date: December 6, 2020
Title: He Humbled Himself
Text: Philippians 2:5-11
Worship: O Come, O Come, Immanuel
Key Sentence: In the incarnation God the Son humbled himself and God the Father exalted him
Outline:
I. Humbled in the incarnation (Philippians 2:5-7)
II. Humbled on the cross (Philippians 2:8)
III. Exalted in the final victory (Philippians 2:9-10)
Philippians 2:5-11 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Date: December 13, 2020
Title: To Save Sinners
Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Worship: To Save Sinners
Key Sentence: In the Incarnation God rescued the chief of sinners.
Outline:
I. I am the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:12-13)
II. He came to save sinners like me (1 Timothy 1:14-15)
III. If me, then anyone – Praise God (1 Timothy 1:16-17)
1 Timothy 1:12-17 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
16But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Date: December 20, 2020
Title: The Father Sent His Son
Text: 1 John 4:7-14
Worship: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Key Sentence: In the incarnation God sent his Son as the propitiation of our sins.
Outline:
The Father sent the Son . . .
I. so that we might live (1 John 4:7-9)
II. to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10)
III. to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:11-14)
1 John 4:7-14 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
Date: December 24, 2020
Title: The Fullness of Time
Text: Galatians 4:1-7
Worship: Silent Night
Key Sentence: In the incarnation the fullness of God’s time was reached
Outline:
I. The time of preparation (Galatians 4:1-3)
II. The time of culmination (Galatians 4:4-5)
III. The time of fulfillment (Galatians 4:6-7)
Galatians 4:1-7 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Date: December 27, 2020
Title: The Fullness of God Dwelt Bodily
Text: Colossians 1:15-20
Worship: The Fullness of God in Christ
Key Sentence: In the incarnation of Christ the fullness of God became man
Outline:
I. The image of God. (Colossians 1:15)
II. The pre-existing creator (Colossians 1:16-17)
III. The head and firstborn of the church (Colossians 1:18)
IV. The fullness of God in reconciliation (Colossians 1:19-20)
Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV) 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Colossians 2:9 (ESV) 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
