Advent 2018 Sermon Series on Christmas Hymns
This year, I chose to preach an Advent Series based on four of the most beautiful, theologically-sound hymns of Christmas. You can read the sermons and sing-along here.
Read MoreThis year, I chose to preach an Advent Series based on four of the most beautiful, theologically-sound hymns of Christmas. You can read the sermons and sing-along here.
Read MoreIn the New Testament, the Son of God begets sons of God – children of God – when they believe in his name (John 1:12, 14). And when Christ returns, God would have accomplished what he had planned from creation: perfect communion between him and his adopted children in a new heaven and new earth where his people will dwell with him “evermore and evermore!”
Read MoreScripture Readings: Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 2:8-14 December 16, 2018 • Download this sermon (PDF) Today is the third Sunday of the Advent season. This season, the month of December, I’m preaching on the beautiful songs of Christmas, and how they refer to the Bible. In the last two Sundays, we studied the hymns, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.” Today, we will study the beautiful Christmas hymn, “What Child is This?” This is one of the more Biblical modern Christmas hymns. It came from…
Read MoreNumbers 24:15-19; Matthew 2:1-12 January 7, 2018 • Download this sermon (PDF) Last Sunday, our New Testament reading was also from Matthew 2 the first seven verses. We looked at the wickedness of King Herod, who was a prime example of the wicked man in Psalm 10. He was arrogant and godless, full of lies and curses, and murderous. In his jealous rage, he ordered the massacre of all infants in Bethlehem two years old and younger. Today, our text includes the first 12 verses of Matthew, but we…
Read MorePsalm 10:1-18; Matthew 2:16-23 December 31, 2017 • Download this sermon (PDF) Beloved Congregation of Christ: Now that Christmas festivities are over, are you experiencing post-Christmas blues? One day, you’re exchanging presents and enjoying cheesecake with your kids and grandkids, the next day, you’re all alone in the house. This feeling is not merely something we read on the Internet or hear from friends, but is real. It happens to all of us. The Christmas narrative seems to end in a similar letdown. There was exceeding joy when the angels…
Read MorePsalm 98:1-9; Luke 2:8-14 December 24, 2017 • Download this sermon (PDF) Beloved Congregation of Christ: “Merry Christmas!” “Happy Holidays!” “Are you ready for Christmas?” These are a few greetings that we usually hear every Christmas season. Today is one of the most important days of the year for Americans. All of us long to be “home for Christmas” or “home for the holidays,” so we can gather together with our families. And we also love to sing and listen to our favorite Christmas carols. Speaking of Christmas carols,…
Read MorePsalm 146:1-10; Luke 1:46-55 December 10, 2017 • Download this sermon (PDF) Beloved Congregation of Christ: Daily, we are faced with many choices, and one of the most important choices is whom to trust: other people (including ourselves), or God. Most of the time, even Christians choose the first, whether consciously or unconsciously. It’s our hearts over our minds. We know that the Bible commands us to trust the LORD rather than other people. In the past, we used to trust politicians who run our nation. For the most part,…
Read MorePsalm 74:1-23; Luke 1:67-80December 3, 2017 • Download this sermon (PDF) Beloved Congregation of Christ: Do you remember seeing images of Muslims in the Middle East celebrating the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York on 9/11? In addition to that, there were reports, not televised, in New Jersey of a few Muslims who also celebrated the terrorist attacks. Our text today is a psalm of lament by Israel after the Babylonians invaded their land and destroyed their cities and their fields. They also destroyed their capital city…
Read MoreJoin us this Advent and Christmas season as we praise Jesus who was born to save us from our sins! December 3 Psalm 74:1-23; Luke 1:67-80 “Remember Your Congregation” December 10 Psalm 146; Luke 1:46-55 “Blessed is He Whose Hope is in the Lord” December 17 Psalm 85; Matthew 1:18-23 “Restore Us Again, O God of Our Salvation” December 24 Psalm 98; Luke 2:8-14 “Break Forth into Joyous Song!” December 31 Psalm 10; Matthew 2:16-18 “Break the Arm of the Wicked!”
Read MoreIsaiah 52:7; Luke 2:14 December 25, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: “Today this message [of peace] goes out to the ends of the earth to reach all peoples, especially those scarred by war and harsh conflicts that seem stronger than the yearning for peace.” So preached Pope Francis on Christmas day this year. Citing our text about peace on earth, he went on to call for peace in Syria, Palestinian territories, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, South Sudan, Congo, Ukraine and Myanmar, places where war and terrorism seem…
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