Scripture: Psalm 90

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

The marvelous annual retelling of stories like Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol should not be limited to fiction. Let us share openly with one another how God has transformed our humbug attitudes into hallelujah dispositions and rejoice in contemporary Christmas miracles. 

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Since services on December 23 were cancelled, this sermon also contains topics originally slated for that sermon:

"Writing a good ending to your Christmas Carol"

Like Scrooge, each of us is given both the opportunity and the ability to write a good ending to our Christmas story. It is never too late to change who we are and what we do because we can collaborate with God, our coauthor. His experience and expertise miraculously can change all our humbugs to hallelujahs.

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18

When we prayerfully examine the relationships that shove us into humbug experiences, we can expect God to give us remarkable ideas for reconnecting with those sometimes difficult personalities. These divine insights will help us celebrate others and give Tiny Tim-like blessings far beyond our human abilities to grant. 

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Ordinary holiday practices, which often focus on secular expectations, tend to leave us disappointed and depleted. Like Scrooge, we need to revisit the times when we experienced holy, festive moments. Then, to be transformed, we should start building memories that will reawaken Christmas joy, not only for this season, but for many years to come. 

Scripture: Luke 1:39-55

In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge needs special intervention to confront the negative choices he has made that imprison his heart, mind, and soul. Likewise, each of us must face the Christmas chains we have forged and ask for God's help to break them, so we too can be free to celebrate Advent with a hallelujah spirit.

Scripture: Luke 1:67-79; Isaiah 53:4-6

The Christmas season, with all its added pressures, can tempt us to use Ebenezer Scrooge's expression: "Bah! Humbug." But with careful planning, these next five weeks can be a glorious "hallelujah" time, as we learn to rejoice in God's great gift of his Son to the world. 

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7, Ephesians 5:15-20

The Heart of Worship is also expressed in quiet worship which is attentive, silent, beholding, bowing, humbly revering, patiently waiting, and listening. This is a worship that goes beyond words and songs. This is eyes wide open, face down worship, which is sometimes raw, emotional, and messy; but always very real. We wear our hearts on our sleeve and seek to go near to the heart of God. We realize our desperate need to get our hearts righted by God.  

  Message Activation Questions (61KB) 

Scripture: Psalm 40, Romans 11:33-36

The Heart of Worship is expressed in Praise! Praise which lauds and applauses God. Christ centered praise is contagious and it will someday conquer the entire world. For "...at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 

Scripture: Psalm 47, 1 Timothy 6:13-16

The Heart of Worship is a monogamous love relationship with Jesus. Worship both flows from and is re-fueled by a dynamic love relationship with Jesus Christ that is real and fresh. Worship which revolves around, or is fixated on, mere religious beliefs, traditions, rules, and rituals has no heart in it and cannot connect us to God. 

 Message Activation Questions (70KB)

Scripture: Isaiah29:13, Mark 12:28-34

In True Worship we willingly trust God with our spiritual nakedness. The goal of worship is to come face to face with God by completely opening up our hearts. 

 Message Activation Questions (78KB)

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 28:9-10, Proverbs 20:27, Hebrews 10:19-25  

Worship is so much more than a Sunday church service. Worship is our response to God in relationship to what God says and does in our lives. The heart of worship is being awed by God to spontaneous praise and offering. 

Scripture: Matthew 15:29-38

When you strip worship down to the bare essentials, it truly is a matter of the heart: a heart that longs earnestly for God and can't help but praise him.  

 Message Activation Questions (96KB)

Scripture: Psalm 63, John 4:23-24

  Message Activation Questions (90KB)

Scripture: Romans 12:1-13

Scripture: Romans 15:1-13

Scripture: Galatians 5:1-6

Scripture: Colosians 3:12-17

Scripture: John 10:7-21

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34, 1 Peter 5:6-7

Scripture: Genesis 16, 2 Chronicles 16:9

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35