"Rightly Dividing the Word" (2 Timothy 2:14-17a)

"Rightly Dividing the Word"

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:14-17a

14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,

Sermon Notes:

1. As a ______________ worker for God

2. As a person ____________ to God

3. As a ____________ ___________

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

"For This Cause" (John 18:33-37)

"For This Cause"

Scripture: John 18:33-37

33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Sermon Notes:

1. Many people live as _____________

2. Jesus was dedicated to His __________

3. You should know your ____________

4. You must know _______ ____________ for you

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

"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.