Church notes - December 2020

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6th December
Matthew 7:1 - 5

Matthew 1:18 - 25

Hope will be found when we look to God.

Psalm 8

Mary's initial reaction: She was filled with questions and doubts:

Luke 1:29
She was purplexed and anxious.
Joseph was hurt and broken hearted.
Matthew 1:19

The Shepherds
Luke 2:8 - 10
They were terrified; filled with fear.
The Magi were exhausted after a long journey through the desert.

All of them were overwhelmed.

This applies to us in 2020 - overwhelmed by the changes that this year has brought.

Hope
After Joseph is told what is going on with Mary he is filled with hope. The Shepherds boldly went and told others about the angels and the child.

Matthew 2:9 - 12

Hope: We find it in Jesus!
In His Birth, Death and Resurrection!

We need to change our focus to what God has done through Jesus.


13th December
Romans 8: 14 - 17

Isaiah 9:6
Isaiah 48:17, 18

Finding peace in our struggles
John 16:33
John 14:27

Philippians 4:6, 7
Even in the terrible traumas of life, we can have peace.

Consequences of disease outbreaks.
Up to 38% of our community suffers from anxiety and stress.

Reflecting on the past year, what have you learned from what you've endured.

Isaiah 9:6

A sense of peace.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
Reconcilliation between us and God.

Jesus gives us peace with God.
Luke 2:8 - 14
Good news - peace on Earth.

Isaiah 53:6
All our sins were heaped upon Jesus on the Cross.
Romans 5:10
By Jesus' blood He paid the price for us, so that we will be with the Father.

Jesus points us towards peace with others.
Jesus brings us the peace of Lordship.

Isaiah 48:17, 18
Peace isn't acheived by doing what we please. It comes with repentance. By turning towards God, not away from Him.

Jesus is not only our Saviour, but also our Lord.


20th December
Luke 2:1 - 20

Matthew 21:1 -11
John 17:1 - 5

Finding Joy in discouragements

We find joy in the story of Jesus.
Happyness - like waves on the ocean that go up and down according to circumstances.
Joy - Is deep. It's unmoveable, unaffected by the storms of life.
We depend on something greater than the things of this world.
Real Joy - Jesus as Emmanuel - God with us!
He is with us, in us, no matter what!
Great joy - hand in hand with the Good News.

Psalm 98

Repentance - to think and act differently. Turning to God.

Finding joy
Make room for Him in your heart. 'Let every heart prepare Him room...'
Saying yes to God is important, but we should structure our lives differently.

Worship.

Revelation 4:8 - 11


24th December
Isaiah 7:14

John 3:16
Jesus is the greatest gift!

He came to take away our sins!
He went to the Cross to pay the way

Unwrapping
Hope
Peace
Joy

Hope
Hebrews 6:19
We have access to the Holy of Holies
Mark 18:38

When He returns His justice will rule.

Isaiah 7:14
Emmanuel - God with us!
A hope - that Jesus will be with us.
An anchor - a place of security in the storms of this world.

Luke 2
The shepherds realsed they needed a Saviour.

Peace
Jesus was a real human, a historical figure.
There is no peace in history. But there is peace in Him.

Peace - the 1914 Christmas Truce

Isaiah 7
Luke 2:14

We need to unwrap the gift of Jesus the Savior to fully enjoy the gifts, but we need to share Him with others.


27th December
Psalm 46

Psalm 121

Romans 8:29 - 38

Faith Love Hope
1 Thessalonians 1:3 - 5
Live by faith
Be known by love.

Hebrews 11:1
Faith
- Calls us to live in ambiguous circumstances
e.g. Abram - Genesis 12:!
But - Genesis 12:10 - 20

Don't lose heart when you have to live with ambiguity.

James 2:14

Mark 2:1 - 12
The faith of the paralytic's friends.
It resulted in action and the man's healing.
We need to have faith like they did.
It's always risky business.
Risking everything for God.

What does it mean to be known by love?

He has reached out to us from the beginning.
Galatians 2:20
He died for you personally.

Hebrews 4:12 - 16
He understands us and has made allowance for us via Jesus death at the Cross and His Resurrection.

Romans 8:38, 39
Romans 15:7

Show others the love God showed us.

A community of love.
Love gives us the capacity of love.
1 Peter 4:8

Love calls us to serve one another

Jude 24, 25