Dec 24, 2017
“Love in Advent” – 1 John 4:7-12
By: Jonathan Waller
Series: Advent 2017

“Love in Advent”

1 John 4:7-12

 
  1. Introduction: When you pack for a Christmas trip, what do you choose to take with you?
    1. Most of the time we focus on the essentials, but sometimes we pack things to take with us that we shouldn’t
    2. The Apostle John wrote 1 John to 2nd and 3rd generation Christians who had a lot of baggage from their upbringing
    3. We tend to carry baggage from our experience
  2. Sometimes we pack the wrong things and carry around unnecessary baggage
    1. The early church had adopted several false doctrines they needed to abandon
    2. When we carry unnecessary baggage, we limit what we can pick up
    3. We can discover what we don’t need by focusing on that which we do
  3. Sometimes we don’t pack enough of the right things
    1. The church had love because they had God, however they didn’t have enough love because it didn’t affect the way they interacted with each other (So how should we love?)
    2. Love is displayed by sacrifice
    3. Because God sacrificed for us, we can sacrifice for others
  4. Sometimes we pack the right things in the wrong way
    1. There’s a right way to pack the right cargo
    2. Doctrine is certainly important but we must be looking at our doctrine through the lens of love
    3. If our doctrine doesn’t point us to love, it is the wrong doctrine
  5. Conclusion: When we have God, we have love!
    1. We have to lean into love, when we do, God will show us the things in our lives that are unloving
    2. In order to love, we can’t keep a safe distance from others because God didn’t give us that example
    3. So, do we really want God and the love He brings or do we want to continue to carry around unnecessary luggage?
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  • Dec 24, 2017“Love in Advent” – 1 John 4:7-12
    Dec 24, 2017
    “Love in Advent” – 1 John 4:7-12
    By: Jonathan Waller
    Series: Advent 2017

    “Love in Advent”

    1 John 4:7-12

     
    1. Introduction: When you pack for a Christmas trip, what do you choose to take with you?
      1. Most of the time we focus on the essentials, but sometimes we pack things to take with us that we shouldn’t
      2. The Apostle John wrote 1 John to 2nd and 3rd generation Christians who had a lot of baggage from their upbringing
      3. We tend to carry baggage from our experience
    2. Sometimes we pack the wrong things and carry around unnecessary baggage
      1. The early church had adopted several false doctrines they needed to abandon
      2. When we carry unnecessary baggage, we limit what we can pick up
      3. We can discover what we don’t need by focusing on that which we do
    3. Sometimes we don’t pack enough of the right things
      1. The church had love because they had God, however they didn’t have enough love because it didn’t affect the way they interacted with each other (So how should we love?)
      2. Love is displayed by sacrifice
      3. Because God sacrificed for us, we can sacrifice for others
    4. Sometimes we pack the right things in the wrong way
      1. There’s a right way to pack the right cargo
      2. Doctrine is certainly important but we must be looking at our doctrine through the lens of love
      3. If our doctrine doesn’t point us to love, it is the wrong doctrine
    5. Conclusion: When we have God, we have love!
      1. We have to lean into love, when we do, God will show us the things in our lives that are unloving
      2. In order to love, we can’t keep a safe distance from others because God didn’t give us that example
      3. So, do we really want God and the love He brings or do we want to continue to carry around unnecessary luggage?
  • Dec 17, 2017“Peace In Advent” – Colossians 1:18-23
    Dec 17, 2017
    “Peace In Advent” – Colossians 1:18-23
    By: Jonathan Waller
    Series: Advent 2017

    “Peace In Advent”

    Colossians 1:18-23

    1. Introduction: Have you ever noticed how peace tends to disappear around Christmas time?
      1. Our quest for “perfection” often steals away our joy
      2. We should recognize that a “perfect” Christmas isn’t attainable
      3. This is due in part to the fact that the Christmas celebration is rooted in several sources
    2. Before we can experience peace, we must have the right outlook of Christ (v.18-20)
      1. He is the head of all things
      2. He will reconcile all things to himself
      3. The peace treaty has been drawn up
    3. Before we can experience peace, we must have the right outlook on how we see each other and ourselves (v.21-22a)
      1. We are holy (set apart)
      2. We are without blemish
      3. We must see ourselves the way God would have us to
    4. Before we can experience peace, we must have the right outlook on God the Father (v.22b-23)
      1. The war is over
      2. We are free from accusation
      3. God doesn’t accuse us, Satan does
    5. Conclusion: Peace comes through the gospel
      1. We don’t have to labor for perfection to have peace
      2. We should pursue perfection because it is pursuing Christ
      3. Christ established a relationship of peace with us through love
     
    youtube link:  https://youtu.be/V8DWCSm5sro
  • Dec 10, 2017“Joy in Advent” – John 16:16-24
    Dec 10, 2017
    “Joy in Advent” – John 16:16-24
    By: Jonathan Waller
    Series: Advent 2017

    “Joy in Advent”

    John 16: 16-24

    1. Introduction: Today we are continuing our celebration of Advent by focusing on the second major theme, joy
      1. Christmas is a time of season in which we are reminded to have joy
      2. Belief in God doesn’t come from the Bible
      3. Belief in God comes when he reveals himself to us
    2. As children of God, we have every reason to have joy, but we often allow the heavy burdens of this life to make us forget that joy
      1. Jesus dropped a heavy burden on his disciples
      2. There is no satisfactory answer for “How long is a little while?”
      3. With joy we can choose to focus on heavy burdens or to focus on the joy that is found in Christ
    3. The source of sorrow is the absence of Christ
      1. Jesus doesn’t abandon his disciples to their sorrow
      2. Imagine the great sorrow of the disciples when Jesus was crucified
      3. All our source of sorrow is because of the absence of Christ in our lives or in the lives of others
    4. We have the assurance of God himself that our grief will turn to joy
      1. Jesus gives us his disciples four assurances to comfort them and lead them to joy
      2. Jesus leaves another assurance, granted prayer requests when we ask in his name
      3. Asking in Jesus’ name isn’t done by tagging “In Jesus name we pray, amen.” to the end of our prayers
    5. Conclusion: God has and will continue to reveal himself until all has been revealed
      1. We won’t have sorrows, we won’t even have questions
      2. This assurance is a great source of joy in the life of a believer
      3. No matter what we face in the night, joy will come in the morning
  • Dec 3, 2017“Hope In Advent” – Luke 18:18-30
    Dec 3, 2017
    “Hope In Advent” – Luke 18:18-30
    By: Jonathan Waller
    Series: Advent 2017

    “Hope In Advent”

    Luke 18:18-30

    1. Introduction: What are you hoping for this Christmas?
      1. We all have a list of things we’re hoping for
      2. Many of us are broken and feel unable to hope anymore
    2. Hope that is misplaced leads to disappointment
      1. There are things that we hope for that we are not encouraged to hope for in scripture
      2. The rich young ruler put his hope on his own ability to follow the law
      3. Scripture might be warning us not to put our hope in certain places we usually do
    3. Our ability to somehow hope again isn’t going to be developed from within
      1. The rich young ruler went away broken because there are some things that we have an inability to do
      2. We likewise might have a belief in our own abilities that isn’t realistic
      3. If we don’t know where we have inabilities, God will be happy to show us
    4. Hope that’s placed in Christ is hope that doesn’t disappoint
      1. God will show us our weaknesses so that we will rely upon Christ for strength
      2. Hope in Christ comes with certain assurances
      3. There are things that hope in Christ guarantee
    5. Conclusion: Broken hope is a great place to start with Jesus
      1. Instead of pretending that we’re better off than we really are, we should simply ask the Lord to help us where we are
      2. God will always send deliverance to those who ask for it, that’s what Christmas is all about
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