Balancing Ministry N' Work

This morning we are continuing to look at Jesus’ life and ministry. Last week we looked at Jesus dedication and the role model Simeon who showed us some key things. Like how we need to let the Holy Spirit guide us every day, even to the point of letting Him guide us to where He needs us. How we need to study God’s Word and truly believe it and follow it. We need to be praising God regardless of the storms in our lives and that we need to be boldly proclaim that Jesus is the Savior for all. Simeon was a good role model. Isaiah 40:3 “A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.” This was Isaiah prophesizing about John the Baptist. Who was going to wander around in the wilderness and desert. John did just that. He wandered around the Jordan River in his camel har robe calling out for people to repent of their sins. Matthew 3:7-10 “ 7  When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to...

As we were heading into the Christmas season, I mentioned that we would spend the next several months talking about Jesus. We started with the Manger period or the time leading up to that very first Christmas. That was a period of faith for Mary and Joseph and a time to celebrate all that Jesus’ life on earth point to. We took a couple of weeks off, but this morning we are entering the Life and Ministry portion of the series. The plan was to transition from the Life and Ministry segment to the Cross with Palm Sunday and Easter, and then spend a couple of weeks talking about His second coming. As I have been reading the gospels so far this year, if felt like we would be skipping so much and not be doing justice to Jesus’ Life and Ministry. At this point I think the series has been extended by a couple of months. We will see how the Holy Spirit guides. During our Christmas service we ended in Luke chapter 2 with the shepherds returning to their fields and praising God for all they ...

In my opinion partaking in the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of the year is one of the best ways to start out the new year. Being new around here, when it clicked that we would be having the Lord’s Supper this morning I got excited. The start of the new year is a time to look at our lives and reflect on the things we like and the things we are not to happy about. When we set time aside for the Lord’s Supper, we should be doing the same thing, but focused on our walk with Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is a time to re-connect with God. It is an act of remembering the sacrifice that Jesus willingly gave for each of us. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 “ 23  For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24  and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25  In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the ...

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7:14; 9:2-7 “ 14  Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” “ 2  The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. 3  You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. 4  For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as you did on the day of Midian. 5  For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6  For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7  The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. ...

John 1:14 “ 14  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ Jesus Christ came down to earth as a little child so that He could dwell among us. Plato once said, “some day there will come forth from God a logos, a Word, who will reveal all mysteries and make everything plain.” 300-400 years after Plato said that John wrote these words. John 1:1-3 “ 1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was with God in the beginning. 3  All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.” Jesus existed from the very beginning of time. He existed before His birth in Bethlehem. While the birth we are celebrating is the beginning of His ministry on earth. It is a vital step that eventually led to Jesus being the ultimate ...

Kicking off the first of our Christmas themed messages this morning. Which is also the beginning of a series of messages that will carry us past Easter. For roughly the next 6 months we will focus on Jesus. Here in December we will focus on His birth and the things leading up to it, then we will move onto His life and ministry, followed by His death and the meaning of the empty tomb. Then we will wrap up with a look at His second coming.   This morning we are going to look at things leading up to Jesus’ birth. From the end of the Old Testament until we see God at work before Jesus’ birth in the Gospels is roughly 400 years and knows as the years of silence in which there are no documented cases of God speaking through prophets. Then, without anyone knowing, God began to work behind the scenes. Luke 1:8-17 “ 8  When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9  it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priest...

Last week we looked at 3 different relationships and saw how they all pointed to our relationship with Jesus. Wives submit to their husbands as we all are to submit to Jesus. Husbands are to give of themselves to their wives as Christ gave to us. Children are to obey their parents as we are to obey our Lord. Fathers are to point their children to Jesus as we are to disciple the next generation of believers. Slaves demonstrate for us what it means to serve Christ without questions. Masters treating their servants well shows us that we are all equal in the eyes of our Lord and we need to do the same. All of it points to Loving People. The world should see Jesus in how we treat others. This brings us to our final message in Ephesians. Ephesians 6:10-13 “ 10  Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11  Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but...