"The First Christmas Hymn" (Luke 1:46-55)

"The First Christmas Hymn"

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

46 And Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,

And holy is His name.

50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him

From generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with His arm;

He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,

And exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things,

And the rich He has sent away empty.

54 He has helped His servant Israel,

In remembrance of His mercy,

55 As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

Sermon Notes:

1. Christ’s arrival changed the lives of ___________

2. Christ’s arrival upended __________ ________

3. Christ’s arrival fulfilled God’s ancient ___________

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"Jesus Christ: The Same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow"

"Jesus Christ: The Same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow"

"Jesus Christ: The Same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow" is about the Christmas story and how it still speaks to people today.

Special thanks goes to those who participated in and helped with today’s program.

Program Director: Debbie Betts

Nativity Characters:

Mary: Audrey Schafer

Joseph: Gryphon Walls

Shepherds: Harrison Bechtel, Landon Breeden

Angels: Isabella Cottom, Emma Heffner, Addilyn Hill, Bethany Schafer, Madalynn Skelton

Magi: Lucas Heffner, Caroline Schafer, Hannah Whistler

Scripture Angel: Stacey Schafer

Wee Worship Choir: Eamon Draper, Reece Draper, Henry Huffman, Josie Palm

Narrator: Pastor Betts

Modern-Day Shepherds: Lee Walls, Ron Hofmann, Kathy Cotton

Modern-Day Wisemen: Jon Tofte, Tom Jackson

Dialog Skit: Ian Hartsook, Stacey Nance

Stick Drama: Christopher Critchlow, Tyler Critchlow, Desiree Gonser, Ian Hartsook, Noah Heffner, Christeena Parksey, Phoenix Parksey, Jonas Palm, Noah Palm, Daryl Walls, Cameron Whistler

Bell Choir: all of the nativity actors

"The Advent of Joy" (Luke 3:7-18)

"The Advent of Joy"

Scripture: Luke 3:7-18

7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”

11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.

Sermon Notes:

1. Joy begins with ________________

2. Joy works through _________________

3. Joy focuses on the ________________

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"The Advent of Peace" - Dec 5, 2021 - Pastor Marlin Betts - BrazilNaz Sermon

"The Advent of Peace"

Scripture: Luke 3:1-6

3 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

'Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled

And every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places shall be made straight

And the rough ways smooth;

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' "

Sermon Notes:

1. God is the __________ of real peace

2. Personal peace comes through _________ ____________

3. We have to _________ to __________ God’s peace with others

4. God’s peace is God’s offer to ________________

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"Hope" (Psalms 25:1-10) (Guest Speaker Ian Hartsook)

"Hope"

Scripture: Psalms 25:1-10

1 In you, Lord my God,

I put my trust.

2 I trust in you;

do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3 No one who hopes in you

will ever be put to shame,

but shame will come on those

who are treacherous without cause.

4 Show me your ways, Lord,

teach me your paths.

5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

7 Do not remember the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you, Lord, are good.

8 Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful

toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.