The Church and Her Practices

The Church and Her Practices

Andrew Lovette

The Church and Her Practices

(Acts 2:42-47) 

MIS: The gospel formed Church continually devotes herself to the scriptures, the prayers, and the fellowship. 

I. Devotion to the Scriptures (v. 42)

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” 

John 16:12-15

“He had promised the twelve that the Spirit should come to teach them what in His own earthly ministry he had left unsaid, and He kept His promise; so that the apostolic teaching was in reality the complete and final version of His own.” 

J.I. Packer

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” 

Ephesians 2:19-21

II. Devotion to the Prayers (v. 42)

For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ. 

1 Timothy 2:5

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” 

Hebrews 7:25

“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” 

Romans 8:34

“Let your gentleness be clear, for the Lord is near. Do not be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition, be thankful, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Philippians 4:5-7

III. Devotion to the Fellowship (v. 42-47)

Koinonia (κοινωνία) - sharing, harmony, unity, giving, communing, partnering, loving

1. “…Be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)

2. “…Wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)

3. “…Love one another…” (John 13:34)

4. “…Love one another…” (John 13:34)

5. “…Love one another…” (John 13:35)

6. “…Love one another…” (John 15:12)

7. “…Love one another” (John 15:17)

8. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love…” (Romans 12:10)

9. “…Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

10. “Live in harmony with one another…” (Romans 12:16)

11. “…Love one another…” (Romans 13:8)

12. “…Stop passing judgment on one another.” (Romans 14:13)

13. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” (Romans 15:7)

14. “…Instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14)

15. “Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (Romans 16:16)

16. “…When you come together to eat, wait for each other.” (I Cor. 11:33)

17. “…Have equal concern for each other.” (I Corinthians 12:25)

18. “…Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (I Corinthians 16:20)

19. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (2 Corinthians 13:12)

20. “…Serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)

21. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other.”
(Galatians 5:15)

22. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:26)

23. “Carry each other’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2)

24. “…Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)

25. “Be kind and compassionate to one another…” (Ephesians 4:32)

26. “…Forgiving each other…” (Ephesians 4:32)

27. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” (Ephesians 5:19)

28. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)

29. “…In humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

30. “Do not lie to each other…” (Colossians 3:9)

31. “Bear with each other…” (Colossians 3:13)

32. “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” (Colossians 3:13)

33. “Teach…[one another]” (Colossians 3:16)

34. “…Admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)

35. “…Make your love increase and overflow for each other.” (I Thessalonians 3:12)

36. “…Love each other.” (I Thessalonians 4:9)

37. “…Encourage each other…”(I Thessalonians 4:18)

38. “…Encourage each other…” I Thessalonians 5:11)

39. “…Build each other up…” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

40. “Encourage one another daily…” Hebrews 3:13)

41. “…Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)

42. “…Encourage one another.” (Hebrews 10:25)

43. “…Do not slander one another.” (James 4:11)

44. “Don’t grumble against each other…” (James 5:9)

45. “Confess your sins to each other…” (James 5:16)

46. “…Pray for each other.” (James 5:16)

47. “…Love one another deeply, from the heart.” (I Peter 3:8)

48. “…Live in harmony with one another…” (I Peter 3:8)

49. “…Love each other deeply…” (I Peter 4:8)

50. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (I Peter 4:9)

51. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…” (I Peter 4:10)

52. “…Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…”(I Peter 5:5)

53. “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (I Peter 5:14)

54. “…Love one another.” (I John 3:11)

55. “…Love one another.” (I John 3:23)

56. “…Love one another.” (I John 4:7)

57. “…Love one another.” (I John 4:11)

58. “…Love one another.” (I John 4:12)

59. “…Love one another.” (2 John 5)

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Fellowship or Koinonia grows from love in at least five ways. 

1. Awe (v. 43)

Phobos (φόβος) - panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror

“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” Acts 9:31

 2. Unity (v. 44)

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14

3. Generosity (v. 45)

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9

4. Hospitality (v.46)

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:8-9

5. Evangelism (v. 47)

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

“Now the Christians O king, by going about and seeking have found truth, for they know and trust in God the Maker of heaven and earth who has no fellow, from Him they receive those commandments which they have engraved on their minds and which they observe in the hope and expectation of the world to come, they refuse to worship strange gods, and they go their way in all humility and cheerfulness, falsehood is not found among them, they love one another, the widow’s needs are not ignored, and they rescue the orphan from the person who does him violence, he who has gives to him who has not unbegrudingly and without boasting, when the Christians find a stranger they bring him to their homes and rejoice over him as a true brother, they do not call brothers those who are bound by blood ties alone, but those who are brethren after the Spirit and in God, when one of their poor passes away from the World each provides for his burial according to his ability, if they hear of any of their number who are imprisoned or oppressed for the name of the messiah they all provide for his needs and if it is possible to redeem him they set him free. If they find poverty in their midst and they do not have spare food they fast two or three days in order that the needy might be supplied with the necessities. They observe scrupulously and the commandments of their messiah living honestly and soberly as the Lord their God ordered them. Every morning and every hour they praise and thank God for His goodness to them, and for their food and drink they offer thanksgiving. Such O’ king is the commandment given to the Christians and such is their conduct.” - Aristedes 

The Church & Her Leaders

The Church & Her Leaders

Ian Thomas

The Church & Her Leaders

1 Timothy 3:1-13 | Acts 20:28-35 

Main Idea: Jesus’ church is designed to be led by elders who shepherd the flock and deacons who serve faithfully. 

I. Elders Shepherd the Flock

Terminology: Overseers (20:28a), elders (20:17), and pastors (20:28b ‘care for the church’) are used interchangeably in the NT to address the same office & position, with elder occurring the most often. Elders are pastors and pastors are elders. 

Who are Elders? Elders are called men of exemplary Christ-like character who lead in a particular local church

• “Called” speaks to both “aspiring” (1 Tim. 3:1 &) to the office, confirmed & commended in the local church to ensure the Holy Spirit has brought this about (Acts 20:28)

• “Men”: the office of elder is reserved for men in the Scriptures and it always appears as a plurality

• “Christ-like character” (1 Tim. 3:2-7) is a necessity & qualification, not a preference

What do Elders do? Elders shepherd the flock of God by:

• Knowing the Sheep, caring for the flock among them. 

• Feeding the Sheep (1 Tim. 3:2 | Acts 20:20, 27, 32), the word of God which is able to build up.

• Leading the Sheep, both in example and in organization so that it might flourish.

• Protecting the Sheep, from false teachers (Acts 20:29-31) & from the dangers of sin. 

Why are Elders important? 

Elders who lead faithfully as “under-shepherds” will keep watch over your soul while pointing you to the “Chief Shepherd,” the one who obtained the church “with his own blood” (20:28). They reflect the authority, heart, and voice of Jesus himself, all to the benefit of the flock. 

Hebrews 13:7, 17: “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith… Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

II. Deacons Serve the Flock

Elders serve by leading, while Deacons lead the church by serving. 

Who are Deacons? Men and women of exemplary Christ-like character who lead by serving the church faithfully. 

While the office of Elder is consistently reserved for men in the NT, the office of deacon is less clear: 

• “Their wives” (1 Tim. 3:11, ESV) is simply “women” in the Greek

• Phoebe in Romans 16:1 is called a deacon, and seems to have some kind of official role in the church at Cenchrea

• Women have served in the role of deacon throughout church history, from the early church to modern-day amongst churches that share our theological persuasion

Since deacons do not hold a ruling or teaching office over the whole church (as the elders do), appointing both men and women to the office of deacon best honors the unique & diverse gifts that God has given to the whole body of Christ.

What do Deacons do? Deacons serve the practical ministry needs & opportunities of the flock alongside the elders. 

Acts 6:1-6 shows shows us 3 principles of the (future) role of deacons:

1. Deacons care for practical ministry needs and opportunities

2. Deacons are concerned for the unity of the church

Of the many lessons for deacons from Acts 6, perhaps most overlooked is their role in preserving congregational unity. The situation was no mere culinary quibble. The apostles were faced with a natural fault line that threatened to fracture the very unity Christ died to achieve. The gospel insists, after all, that our unity in Christ supersedes any worldly difference. So make no mistake: the apostles did not delegate this problem to others because it wasn’t important, but because it was. They could have imposed a swift, superficial solution and moved on. Instead they laid groundwork for an ongoing solution and a permanent church office.” ~ Matt Smethurst 

3. Deacons work in a supportive role alongside the ministry of the elders

Why are Deacons important? 

Deacons ensure that the ministry of the church is maintained, unified, and carried out, while they reflect the ultimate Servant who “came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk. 10:45)

The Church & Her Members

The Church & Her Members

Ian Thomas

The Church & Her Members

Romans 12:3-16

“The reality of God’s family is that people have different backgrounds and personalities and opinions. They will clash. It will be messy. It’s a huge challenge committing to a family like this, but it’s not optional. Adopted sons & daughters of God can’t just throw in the towel and retreat to our just-like-me friend groups and homogenous cliques. We must lean into the awkward conglomeration of people who comprise the church.” ~ Brett McCracken

Main Idea: The church is the body of brothers & sisters in Christ, called to serve and love one another.  

I. The Church is a Body (12:3-8)

The imagery of the “body” signifies two things:

1. Unity

Ephesians 4:1-6: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

2. Mutual Dependence

Implication: The church ought to serve one another (12:6-8) in order to build up the body of Christ.

“This truth should give you confidence: your particular gifts have a valuable, God-appointed place. It should also humble you: your particular gifts are simply one part of the body, and you desperately need other people with their particular gifts… this truth should increase your love for the local church: the gifts in the body are exactly what God knows your congregation needs. Because of God’s sovereign choosing, no part is missing, and every part is valuable.” ~ Megan Hill

The various “lists” of spiritual gifts in the NT can be categorized broadly into Speaking Gifts, Leading Gifts, and Serving Gifts. Regardless of gifts or categories, the exhortation is “having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (12:6). 

II. The Church is a Family (12:9-16)

As the “household of faith” (Gal. 6:10; 1 Tim. 3:15), the church is:

1. Divinely Selected: Though we did not choose one another, we are given the gift of one another. 

“By their simple and repeated use of the term brothers and sisters, the writers of the Epistles underscore that the people in the pews around us are in, in fact, our family. Like the members of our biological family, we haven’t chosen them for ourselves, but they have been chosen for us, and we are therefore inseparably bound to them. Because we are allied with Christ, we are allied with his family.” ~ Megan Hill

2. Deeply Interconnected: We are designed to be with real people, in a particular place, with a meaningful presence in one another’s lives, embracing uncomfortable & counter-cultural accountability as a gift from God (i.e.: church membership).

3. Steadfastly Committed: Despite our inevitable family dysfunctions and difficulties, we are called to commit to one another through the ups and down of ordinary life

Implication: The family of faith ought to love one another, in both affection and action. 

• Affection: Brotherly affection, fervent in spirit, rejoicing, constant in prayer

• Action: contributing to the needy, showing hospitality, turning away from evil, holding fast to what is good, pursuing the lowly & overlooked

“At her best and at her worst, Jesus loves his church. He laid down his life for her (John 10:11). He will never leave or forsake her (Hebrews 13:5). He will complete the work he started in her (Philippians 1:6). In other words, Jesus never looked for more of God by having less of the church. Instead, he married her. The church is the chosen, beloved Bride of Christ.” ~ Scott Sauls

Worthy of Worship

Worthy of Worship

Andrew Lovette

The Long-Expected Son

The Long-Expected Son

Ian Thomas

The Long-Expected Son

John 1:14

“The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and someday suddenly wake up and discover why.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Main Idea: Christmas is the good news that God has come to us full of grace and truth.

I. God Has Come

Christianity says that the ‘Word’ (‘logos’; cf. Jn. 1:1) has come as a person. Christmas tells us that God is not content being studied as a concept or being theorized about from a distance; God has gone to great lengths so that we might know him personally. 

“The birth of Christ was the incarnation of God: it was God taking upon himself humanity—a mystery, a wondrous mystery, to be believed in rather than to be defined… Infinite, and an infant — eternal, and yet born of a woman — Almighty... supporting the universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms — King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph — Heir of all things and yet the carpenter’s despised son.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

“Dwelt among us” lit. means “tabernacled” among us. The OT tabernacle dealt with two realities:

1. God’s Presence

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, The Message)

2. God’s Glory

An encounter with God’s glory is dangerous in the Bible (cf. Ex. 33), but yet in Jesus Christ we have “seen his glory.” 

II. Full of Grace & Truth

Jesus comes full of both grace and truth; he does not “balance” these two attributes out, but embodies both of them fully, at all times. 

God’s glory, grace, and truth come together in a cosmic way at the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus is ultimately “glorified” on the cross (cf. John 13:31-32), which means we must always connect the cradle to the cross  to appreciate the full message of Christmas.

“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” ~ Tim Keller

Luke 2:10-11: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

The Long-Expected True Israel

The Long-Expected True Israel

Ian Thomas

The Long-Expected True Israel

Matthew 2:13-23

“We ought to be reminded that Jesus is not born into a gauzy, snowy winter wonderland of sweetly singing angels and cute reindeer nuzzling one another at the side of his manger. He is born into a war zone.” ~ Russell Moore

Main Idea: The hostility of Jesus’ childhood proves he is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan and our only hope.    

I. The Hostility of Christmas

There is hostility in this scene at 3 levels: 

1. Jesus’ coming evokes hostility from the world

“If you read the Bible, you’ll see that nobody who ever met Jesus Christ ever had a moderate reaction to him. There are only three reactions to Jesus: they either hated him and wanted to kill him, they were afraid of him and wanted to run away, or they were absolutely smitten with him and they tried to give their whole lives to him.” ~ John Stott

Psalm 2:1-2: Why do the nations rage

    and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

    and the rulers take counsel together,

    against the Lord and against his Anointed

2. Jesus’ coming evokes hostility from the Evil One (Cf. Revelation 12:4-5, 17)

“What’s noteworthy about [Herod] is that [he] takes the rage he had against Jesus in particular and directs it toward babies in general. When it’s Jesus versus the self, babies are caught in the crossfire. And it’s always that way… the demonic powers hate babies because they hate Jesus. When they destroy the “least of these” they’re destroying a picture of Jesus himself, of the child delivered by the woman who crushes their head.” ~ Russell Moore

• John 8:44: (the Devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. 

• John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy...

3. Jesus’ coming evokes hostility within us

Luke 2:34–35: And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

II. The Hope of Christmas

Matthew is drawing attention to the divine orchestration of God in dealing with Israel that finds its ‘crescendo’ & ‘fulfillment’ in Jesus Christ. 

Before the Prince of Peace had learned to walk and talk, he was a homeless refugee with a price on his head. At the same time, in this passage and several others, Matthew insists that we see in Jesus, even when things are at their darkest, the fulfilment of Scripture.” ~ N.T. Wright

1. Jesus is the Greater Exodus (2:15; Hos. 11:1), who comes to rescue his people from their bondage to sin & Satan.

2. Jesus is the Greater Return from Exile (2:17-18; Jer. 31:15), who will bring hope & a new covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34) out of pain & mourning. 

3. Jesus is the Greater & True Israel (2:23), who leads not only a return from Egypt and from Exile, but a return out of the grave & a promised return from Heaven. 

John 1:46: “Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

The Long-Expected Desire of Nations

The Long-Expected Desire of Nations

Ian Thomas

Main Idea: The coming of Jesus reveals the desires of our heart and invites us to worship the true King.

This passage reveals 4 responses to the birth of the true “King of the Jews”:

I. Threatened By the King (2:1-3a)

• The ‘wise men’ (Magi) were Gentile, pagan astronomers who followed a star to the place where they assumed the new “King of the Jews” would be born: Jerusalem

• Herod (“The Great”) was a violent, paranoid, and oppressive ruler over Judea. He is “troubled” (lit. ‘disturbed’) by the news of a new King, since the birth of Jesus was a political threat to his power.

“If you want to be king, and someone else comes along saying he is the king, then one of you has to give in. Only one person can sit on an absolute throne… Jesus is calling for an allegiance to him so supreme that it makes all other commitments look weak by comparison. It is a claim of absolutely authority, a summons to unconditional loyalty, and it inevitably triggers deep resistance within the human heart.” ~ Tim Keller

“Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you… Humility is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God.” ~ Andrew Murray

II. Anxious About the King (2:3b)

“All Jerusalem with [Herod]” were also “troubled” by the news of the newborn King. They are likely troubled for 2 reasons:

1. If Herod is troubled, all of Jerusalem will be troubled with him

2. The announcement of the true King of the Jews will result in a “shaking” of the status quo

Haggai 2:7: And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures (‘desires’ in KJV) of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts.

III. Apathetic Toward the King (2:4-6)

Though the Scribes & Chief Priests (who were polarized politically & theologically) pinpoint the exact prophecy from Micah 5:2 about the Christ being born in Bethlehem, they are spiritually indifferent to this news. They do not go and investigate this claim & their hearts remain unaffected. 

Matthew 15:7–9: You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

‘This people honors me with their lips,

  But their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

  Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” ~ C.S. Lewis

IV. Worshipping the King (2:7-12)

The only group to respond appropriately to the news of the birth of Jesus are the Gentile, pagan Magi. This is foreshadowing and fulfilling the work of the Messiah who will reign not only over Israel but  over every tribe, tongue, nation, and people (cf. Micah 5:2-5).

Isaiah 60:1-3: Arise, shine, for your light has come,

   And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

           For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,

   And thick darkness the peoples;

               But the LORD will arise upon you,

   And his glory will be seen upon you.

           And nations shall come to your light,

   And kings to the brightness of your rising.

The worship of the wise men invites us to worship in 3 ways:

1. We worship joyfully (2:10)

2. We worship humbly (2:11a)

“Christ is always born in Bethlehem among the little ones. Big hearts never get Christ inside of them; Christ lives not in great hearts, but in little ones. Mighty and proud spirits never have Jesus Christ, for he comes in at low doors, but he will not come in at high ones. He who has a broken heart, and a low spirit, shall have the Savior, but none else.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

3. We worship generously (2:11b; cf. Isa. 60:6)

The Long-Expected Savior

The Long-Expected Savior

Ian Thomas

The Long-Expected Savior

Matthew 1:18-25

“In a very real sense, the Christian community lives in Advent all the time. It can well be called the ‘Time Between,’ because the people of God live in the time between the first coming of Christ, incognito in the stable in Bethlehem, and his second coming, in glory, to judge the living and the dead… Advent contains within itself the crucial balance of the now and the not-yet that our faith requires… The disappointment, brokenness, and pain that characterizes life in this present world is held in dynamic tension with the promise of future glory that is yet to come. In that Advent tension, the church lives its life.” ~ Fleming Rutledge

Main Idea: The incarnation of Jesus is a disruptive reality to save us from sin and free us from fear.

I. Christmas is the Fulfillment of God’s Plan (1:18, 22-23)

Christmas is more about a coming than just a birth. The birth of Jesus was the incarnation of God himself, fulfilling God’s plan and promise. Matthew identifies Isaiah’s interaction with King Ahaz and the promise of Immanuel (Isa. 7:14) as being fulfilled in the greatest sense in the birth of Jesus. 

“[Matthew] saw in Isaiah’s prophecy of the Immanuel sign-child a picture of our ultimate salvation. We face a coalition of hostile powers far worse than Syria and Ephraim of old. We face the alliance of sin and death, they never go away, and we are no match for them. But at this ultimate level the baby Jesus fulfills the truest meaning of Immanuel, “God with us.” Political crises come and go, but God goes with us into battle against the enemies that can oppress us forever. ~ Ray Ortlund

“The incarnation is the universe-sundering, history-altering, life-transforming, paradigm-shattering event of history.” ~ Tim Keller

II. Christmas is the Assurance of God’s Presence (1:19-20, 24-25)

The story of Christmas is not a sentimental, clean, or tidy account of a birth of the Savior. Christmas was disruptive in every sense for Joseph & Mary, and it is still meant to be disruptive in our lives today. This disruption is God’s grace to awaken us to the gospel. 

Three implications of “Immanuel” for our lives:

1. We do not have to fear (1:20)

2. We can embrace the cost of following Jesus (cf. 1 Cor. 1:23; John 8:41). 

3. We can relinquish control (cf. Matt. 28:16-20)

III. Christmas is the Promise of God’s Pardon (1:21)

The name ‘Jesus’ is the Hellenized version of the Hebrew “Joshua” which means ‘the Lord saves.’ Jesus came for a greater mission than no one else could take on: he came to save a lost humanity from our greatest enemy & tireless foe: our own sin. 

“The crucial significance of the cradle at Bethlehem lies in its place in the sequence of steps that led the Son of God to the cross of Calvary… the Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity – hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory – because at the Father’s will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message that the world has ever heard, or will hear.” ~ J.I. Packer.

The Long-Expected Messiah

The Long-Expected Messiah

Rob Lourcey

The Long-Expected Messiah

Matthew 1:1-17

Main Idea:

The story of Advent begins with a genealogy to show that this is good news and not good advice.

1. Understanding the Setting

2. Understanding the Characters

3. The Continuing Story

I. Understanding the Setting

Meta-Narrative of Scripture:

God the Father is redeeming a people through God the Son, uniting them together by God the Holy Spirit, for His glory and our good.

II. Understanding the Characters

As Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience, he uses two characters from Israel’s history that are well known: Abraham and David

Matthew 1:1

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Three groups of people:

1. The Known

2. The Familiar

3. The Obscure

The Known (vv. 2-6a): 

The Obscure (vv. 12-16)

2 Chronicles 36:22-23

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

23 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.'"

“So the return from exile under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah didn’t solve the people’s problems. The decree from Cyrus is incomplete because the authors of the [Old Testament] were still waiting for a real return from exile and the coming of the Messianic kingdom of God. God’s people need a deliverer from a deeper kind of exile than simply being ruled by Babylon. In Chronicles, the literal exile has become an image of Israel’s ongoing “spiritual” exile, their slavery to evil and sin and their inability to obey the [Law]. This is all representative of the human condition: home and yet not home until the kingdom of God comes. The Chronicler, and the people, are anxiously awaiting this day.” -The Bible Project

III. The Continuing Story

If there’s room for people like this in Jesus’ family, there’s room for you and me.

Persevering Together

Persevering Together

Ian Thomas

Persevering Together

James 5:13-20

Main Idea: The church showcases the gospel through a deep interconnectedness, faith-filled prayers, and loving pursuit of those wandering.

I. A Connected Church

James assumes that his audience is connected in a meaningful way to a community of faith in the church. The church among you ought to know:

• If anyone is suffering, cheerful, or sick (5:13)

• The elders of the church who are spiritual shepherds for the flock (5:14)

• If someone is wandering away from the truth (5:19-20)

“The church is one of the God-ordained means God uses to keep us faithful. God is sovereign, and He does the preserving, but He does it through the church looking out for, caring for, and loving one another to keep one another from sin. This is yet another reason we ought to be involved in the lives of others in the church. God has ordained brothers and sisters who will share life with you to keep you close to Him, to keep you obedient to His commands, and to persevere you until the Lord comes back.” ~ David Platt

II. A Praying Church (5:13-18)

A few categories that James gives us regarding prayer & the church:

1. Pray in Every Circumstance (5:13)

1 Thessalonians 5:16–19: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

2. Pray for the Sick (5:14-15a)

The anointing of oil is likely symbolic (not medicinal or sacramental), reminiscent of “consecration” ceremonies in the Old Testament (cf. 1 Sam. 10:1); this was done to set apart the sick person for special attention from the Lord, asking that they might be healed. 

The assurance that the “Lord will raise him up” likely has a double meaning; it could refer to physical healing in this life from sickness or a reference to the “raising up” of the saints at the day of resurrection. 

3. Pray for Sin (5:15b-16a)

What is the connection between sickness & sin? On the one hand, not every sickness is a direct result of sin (cf. John 9). On the other hand - sin can indeed lead to sickness, and in an ultimate sense sin is the reason why sickness is in this world. Sickness has a way of helping us see our spiritual state clearly. 

“Sickness is very humbling. Sickness knocks you down. So often you will be able to see sins, you’ll be able to admit flaws you couldn’t any other time. Sometimes the spiritual healing and confessing and getting right with God actually causes physical healing, but other times the physical sickness actually causes the spiritual healing. The Bible is saying here you must always do them together. You must always use physical sickness as a time for spiritual renewal. You must always make sure you’re working on spiritual healing as well as physical healing at the very same time.” ~ Tim Keller

4. The Power of Prayer (5:16b-18)

“Many of us do not pray as we should, and one of the reasons for this is that we do not believe our prayers will make much of a difference. Deep down, we don’t think they will change anything. And so prayer can become just a token thing, a gesture to others, a way of checking in with God without really expecting anything major to happen.” ~ Sam Allberry

III. A Pursuing Church (5:19-20)

To “wander from the truth” is a lifestyle pattern of a proclaiming Christian that leads them away from God, away from faith & obedience, and away from the community of believers. 

Where the sick person is to call the elders, it is every Christian’s responsibility to proactively look out for those who wander from our own community. We must pursue those who are wandering from the truth with love and gentleness. 

Galatians 6:1: Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

 A church that embodies this ethic of persevering together will be a community that is marked by the power and presence of Jesus himself, the one who “came to seek and save the lost” (Lk. 19:10).