Christmas is not merely about a season, a feeling, or a tradition. Galatians 4:4-7 reveals an unbreakable connection between Advent and your eternal identity. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Book of Advent
TEXT: Galatians 4:4-7
TITLE: The Great Christmas Effect
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. The Unfathomable Reality of Advent
II. The Unspeakable Reason for Advent

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

ILLUSTRATION: “The Christmas Effect”, Christmas being the cause of feeling miserable this time of year

“I do not doubt that for many, maybe even some here, this Christmas Effect is very real. Afterall, we live in a fallen world. If this Christmas Effect is your current experience, take heart, there is hope. And it’s not found in a disciplined diet, more sleep, or the emotional support of others during the holiday. I’m glad you’re here because you are about to hear the good news of another Christmas Effect. I call it The Great Christmas Effect because it will transform not only your Christmas but your life.”

“Last week we heard the good news that Christmas is coming. Today, we hear the good news of how Christmas changes everything.”

“Christmas is not merely about a season, a feeling, or a tradition. Galatians 4:4-7 reveals an unbreakable connection between Advent and your eternal identity.”

“I love the line we sang earlier: Who would have dreamed or ever foreseen that we could hold God in our hands. Few lyrics capture the unfathomable reality of Christmas like those. They create wonder and awe in your heart while simultaneously breaking your brain. Paul stacks up Advent phrases in our text that produce that same response.”

“When of Advent—’(4) When the fullness of time had come'.’ In God’s wisdom, He sent His Son into the world at just the right time. That’s the meaning of the fullness of time. The fullness of time wasn’t determined by a divine hunch or an alignment of the stars that God took advantage of. The fullness of time was thoroughly planned out before time even began.”

“In God’s providence, it was the time when the God-ordained cultural, political, and religious conditions were right for advancing the gospel. The Greek language and culture, which had become so common, made it ideal for sharing the gospel. The might and ingenuity of the Romans made it safer and easier to take the gospel to the world. It was a time when pagans, dissatisfied with the mythological Roman and Greek gods, were religiously hungry. And for the Jewish people, it was a time when they had grown weary of living as prisoners under the law, as Paul rehearsed in 1-3. It was just the right time. Not a second too soon, not a second too late, but at the perfect time, when the fullness of time had come.”

“Who of Advent—In the fullness of time—notice what Paul says next—God sent forth His Son. Paul reminds us of Jesus' deity. God sent Jesus from heaven into this world. The promised child of Isaiah 9, who was sent in the fullness of time, existed long before he showed up in Bethlehem. As we saw last week from another great Christmas passage—John 1 says Jesus existed in eternity past, with God, like God, indeed as God. The second person of the Godhead, Jesus, is eternal.”

“How of Advent—(4) But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law. Just as the word sent declares Jesus’ deity, the word born asserts his humanity. The One who has always been and is fully God entered the world fully human. Jesus had an ordinary birth. Mary changed his diapers. He learned to walk and talk. He grew in wisdom and stature. He had to learn about life and face its temptations. He was born of woman, taking on our flesh and nature in a fallen and sinful world.”

“This is the mysterious reality of the Incarnation—Fully God and fully man—one person, two natures, divine and human. Jesus was also born under the law. As a Jew, he was required to keep the Torah. He was expected to keep the Ten Commandments. He was expected to follow worship requirements. He had to keep the Feasts and celebrate Passover. And Jesus had to do all this perfectly. And he did!”

“This is the unfathomable reality and miracle of Christmas—God came to us as a man. And this reality is unfathomable as we read about the effect ‘God with us’ has.”

“It was the famous Clark Griswold who said—See kids, Christmas means something different to everybody, and now I know it means for me. Paul corrects Clark’s theology of Christmas in verse 5: The reason for the season is heavenly adoption.”

“God became flesh, Christ came into the world, to redeem those under the law by atoning for their sin. The manger led to the cross, where the penalty of our sins was paid with the precious blood of Jesus.”

“As good as the complete forgiveness of our sin is, and it would be enough, it is not the end of the matter. God didn’t stop there. Christ came to atone for our sins—notice (5) so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

“We don’t talk about our adoption in Christ nearly enough. It tends to get lost in the other aspects of salvation. But spiritual adoption stands on its own. Guarding against blending it with different aspects of our salvation is critical, lest we lose the unspeakable awe and wonder it’s meant to fan into flame within us.”

“Adoption is not Regeneration. Regeneration is about our inward nature being born again so that we may become God’s adopted children.”

“Adoption is not Sanctification. Sanctification is about our practice—how we live, as adopted children of God.”

“Adoption is not Justification. Justification is about our legal status. It’s a courtroom declaration of pardon by God, who is our Judge. Adoption is about a relationship that sees God, no longer as Judge, but loving Father. The moment we are justified, we become adopted into the family of God. We move from the heavenly court room to the heavenly family room.”  

“Adoption is about our identity. When an orphan is adopted, they don’t just get a new street address or better prospects for making it in life. Their identity changes. They bear a new name that reflects the family they now belong to. Their original birth certificate disappears, and a new one is drafted as if that child were born to their adoptive parents. That intimate belonging is what spiritual adoption is about. And it couldn’t be more relevant. We live in a society where personal identity AND the longing for belonging is paramount.” 

ILLUSTRATION: ‘Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is really a story of belonging, NOT Christmas.

“Spiritual adoption is the ultimate belonging. Sin has left us as spiritual orphans: no father, family, no future. But God’s love has brought us into His family.”

“Abba is the Aramaic word for Father that communicates a childlike intimacy. Abba Father is profoundly personal and affectionate. These are the exact words Jesus cried out in the dark moments on the eve of his crucifixion in the garden: Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will—Mark 14:36”

“The way Jesus addressed his Father is the same way our identity as adopted sons and daughters in Christ allows us to address Him. Think about that: His Father is your Father. Your Father is His Father. That means you are loved by the Father just as the Father loves Jesus.”

ILLUSTRATION: Final Adoption Hearing

“In Christ, you are a child and an heir to heaven and all of its eternal riches and blessings, just as Christ is, including, above all things, God’s divine affections.”

“Wherever you are this Christmas, let this truth have its full effect. The promised seed of Genesis 3 and the promised child of Isaiah 9 came to us—so that we could be the adopted sons and daughters of God who have the privilege of calling the God of the universe, Jesus own eternal Father, our Abba Father.”

“This is the unspeakable joy of Advent. Just as an orphaned child doesn’t have the right to be adopted by a particular family, we don’t have the right to be adopted by God. Oftentimes, a couple that adopts knows what they are looking for—a boy or girl, an infant or toddler, a particular nationality. We have nothing that appeals to God. In our sin, we are hopelessly unlovely and unappealing. That’s the wonder of divine adoption—God loves us as His own because He chose to love us as His own—it comes to us by faith, and it’s all of grace! So wherever you are this Christmas, I pray the Spirit gives you eyes of faith to see the wonder of The Great Christmas Effect in your life, so that you may have a truly Merry Christmas to the praise of your Abba Father’s glory.”

QUOTES:
John Stott- “What is emphasized in these verses is that the one whom God sent to accomplish our redemption was perfectly qualified to do so. He was God's son. He was also born of a human mother, so that he was human as well as divine, the one and only God-man. And he was born under the law, that is, of a Jewish mother, and to the Jewish nation, subject to the Jewish law. Throughout his life he submitted to all the requirements of the law. He succeeded where all others before and since have failed: He perfectly fulfilled the righteousness of the law. So the divinity of Christ, the humanity of Christ, and the righteousness of Christ uniquely qualified him to be man's Redeemer. If he had not been man, he could not have redeemed men. If he had not been a righteous man, he could not have redeemed unrighteous men. And if he had not been God's son, he could not have redeemed men for God or made them the sons of God.”

Sam Storms - “I rejoice in the fact that I've been justified and forgiven and granted eternal life. But to know and experience God as my Father, ABBA, is greater still. When you are justified by faith in Christ, you stand before God as judge and hear him declare: ‘Not guilty! Righteous through faith in Jesus!’ Praise God! But in adoption God the judge steps down from behind his legal bench, removes his stately robes, stoops down, and sweeps you up into his arms of love and says softly: ‘My son, my daughter, my child!’”

Phillip Graham Ryken -“It would be enough for God to release us from slavery, to rescue us from our captivity to the law, and so to redeem us from its curse. But God did not stop there. Once Christ had gained our freedom, he gathered us unto his family.”

J.I. Packer - “God receives us as sons, and loves us with the same steadfast affection with which he eternally loves his beloved only-begotten. There are no distinctions of affection in the divine family. We are all loved just as fully as Jesus is loved....This, and nothing else than this, is what adoption means.”

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Who Would Have Dreamed
O Come All Ye Faithful
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:15-20
We Are Yours Forever

CHRISTMAS EVE’S PASSAGE AND NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Luke 2:1-20, Advent and the Incarnation
Revelation 5, Advent and Eternity

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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~ The child in the hay is the Ancient of Days drawing near, do not fear ~

Each Christmas, we rejoice that the Ancient of Days has drawn near to us in the incarnation. In God’s wonderful plan of redemption, Jesus drew near to us by being born to us. There is so much more to the Gospel story, but it all begins in that little town of Bethlehem when the Ancient of Days drew near to a lost and fallen world.

This Sunday, join us as we sing a Christmas song written by Sovereign Grace Music called “Do Not Fear”. As we sing together, we will celebrate this incredible reality: We can draw near to Him, because He has drawn near to us. 

Lyrics

VERSE 1

Humble virgin, arise and take heart
You’ve been chosen to carry a son
Give no heed to the trembling inside
For the wonder has only begun

CHORUS

Do not fear, do not fear
The child you will hold is the Savior foretold drawing near
Do not fear

VERSE 2

Lowly shepherds, look up and take heart
See the glory of heaven burn bright
Hear the anthem of joy and good news
Hope has dawned in a stable tonight

CHORUS 2

Do not fear, do not fear
The child in the hay is the Ancient of Days drawing near
Do not fear

VERSE 3

Weary children, be still and take heart
Every longing you feel is a cry
For the rest He has offered to all
Come to Him, for His burden is light

CHORUS 3

Do not fear, do not fear
The God who redeems you and ever will keep you is near
Do not fear

As we consider the Advent and the Prophets, look at this promise found in Isaiah 9: CHRISTMAS IS COMING. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Book of Advent
TEXT: Isaiah 9:6-7
TITLE: Christmas is Coming!
PREACHER: Brett Overstreet
BIG IDEA: In the promise of Christmas, we find an extraordinary child who will do extraordinary things for sinners like us.

POINTS:
I. An Extraordinary Promise
II. An Extraordinary Child

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

ILLUSTRATION: Facing a long, miserable summer, “We love Christmas and all that comes with it, so we've learned to love that reminder that promise to the other in the midst of our despairing, that Christmas is coming.”
“This morning we find that very promise, ‘Christmas is coming!’, here in Isaiah 9 spoken some 2700 years ago. As we will see, God's people are in a place of great darkness and despair. And yet, in the midst of this place, God speaks a promise to them through his prophet Isaiah. The very first Christmas is coming, and all that it will bring is coming. Our task this morning, as we consider the Advent and the Prophets, is to look at this promise found in Isaiah 9 and consider what it means for us.”

“As we begin, I want to acknowledge something upfront. Isaiah 9 is a very familiar Christmas passage. It is being preached all over the world this month, and for many of us, it probably appears on the list of our favorite Christmas texts. It’s because we know that this text speaks of the coming of Jesus. It speaks of a baby who would be born into this world, born to us – and on this side of redemptive history, we don’t have to wonder who this is – it is Jesus, God made flesh. But as we approach this text, we need to remember that these words are being spoken some 700 years before Jesus would be born, and they are spoken to a people who could not look back and see the cradle, cross, and grave. And so, it's not only important, it's critical for us to understand the context of what's going on around Isaiah Chapter 9 if we are to understand this extraordinary promise.”

“As we approach chapter 9, there is a rising darkness, a growing sense of gloom and despair among God’s people. Long gone are the golden years of King David and King Solomon. The kingdom of Israel has split into two different kingdoms – north and south. If we go back to chapter 7, we see that things are starting to heat up. At the beginning of chapter 7 we are introduced to a character named Ahaz. Ahaz was in the line of Davidic kings and was ruling in Judah at the time of Isaiah 9. You can learn more about him in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28, but let me give you his quick resume: He did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He installed pagan worship in the temple. He murdered his own son in a pagan sacrifice. He despised the prophets and listened to the wisdom of necromancers instead of God. He did not care for and protect his people like a king should. In short, he was a terrible king.”

“At this same time, a great enemy is rising in the region, threatening to destroy Judah. This would be Assyria, a pagan powerhouse to the North. The northern kingdom of Israel has allied with Syria against Assyria and has asked King Ahaz to bring Judah into the alliance against the threat of Assyria. Ahaz says no, and Israel threatens to attack Judah. As all of this is playing out, and the threat is growing, the Lord speaks to Ahaz through Isaiah and tells him, ‘Trust in the promises of God, and I will be your salvation.’”

“He does the unthinkable: rather than trusting in the protection and promises of God and leading the people to do the same, He goes not to God, but to the pagan powerhouse Assyria for help. We read in 2 Kings 16:7-8, ‘So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.’ Ahaz also took the silver and gold that were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasures of the king’s house and sent a present to the king of Assyria.”

“Ahaz is sending gifts and groveling and begging the Assyrians to come and deliver them from these threats. Ahaz fails his greatest test as king over the people of God. Rather than leading them to trust in the promises of God, he leads them willingly into the arms of their enemies.”

“Eventually, Judah becomes a puppet state for the pagan nation of Assyria. And in Isaiah chapter 8, the prophet announces that God will pour out his judgment on Judah because they have rejected God and turned away from Him. Ironically enough, this judgement will come at the hands of the Assyrians. The very nation they chose to put their hope in will turn around and crush them.”

“Chapter 8, verse 22, paints a grim picture for God’s people. Notice the language Isaiah uses: distress, darkness, gloom, anguish, thick darkness. In fact, in 9:2, Isaiah is describing the same conditions as 8:22 and calls it a deep darkness. That word translated ‘deep darkness’ here is the same word used in Psalm 23, which translates to ‘shadow of death’. the picture here is not that the people are just living in tough times waiting for their big break, they are living in the shadow of death.”

“I don’t think we have to labor too hard to get the picture here; gone are the peaceful, prosperous days of King Solomon. There is nothing but darkness and gloom on the horizon for the people of God. This (the shadow of death) is the setting for what we are about to read in chapter 9. I want to understand the context here because we were reminded last week that in order to understand and appreciate the good news, we must understand just how bad the bad news really is.”

“On the heels of this dark forecast of this nation being plunged into political, social, and economic ruin, we find a promise of God to act.”

“I can only imagine the fear and terror in the hearts of the king and the people when judgment is pronounced in Chapter 8, to be quickly followed by weeping and rejoicing that it will not last forever. Because that’s what’s happening here: the deep darkness of 8:22 is not final. Make no mistake, the judgment announced in chapter 8 will come; you can read about the Assyrian invasion into Judah in 2 Kings 18. But what we see next is that it is not the final word in redemptive history – God is not done with his people.”

“Do you see the seeds of the promise of God’s grace to His people? Do you see the seeds of the promise of God’s grace to us?! God’s people are dwelling in the shadow of death, and yet there is this promise that a great light is coming that will shine into and shatter their deep darkness.”

“This all sounds great, but how will it happen? How will God do this? What is this light that will shine into our darkness? How will all of this come to fruition? Because, as great as it all sounds, all of these wonderful events laid out in VS 1 – 4 must have a cause! In verse 6, God gives His answer. And what does He say? Christmas is coming!”

“He doesn’t say, I will raise up an army from the east or from the west. He doesn’t say a great military power will come and usher in this new age of light. No, he says, I will send a child.”

“These words are spoken hundreds of years before this child is born, and yet Isaiah speaks as if it were presently happening. The wisdom of God’s redemptive plan is found, not in worldly powers, but in the coming of a helpless, weak child. God doesn’t say, the calvary is coming. He says, Christmas is coming! The great light that is promised in 9:2 that is to shine into the darkness, that is to shine into the deep shadow of death, is a child!”

“The promise is not a great military power; the promise is God incarnate. The word made flesh. Jesus, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary in a little unremarkable town called Bethlehem. Do you believe that? That God’s answer to everything that has terrorized us is a child?”

“Listen, if it’s difficult for you to relate to everything we’ve seen in Isaiah so far, let's remind ourselves, this history is our history. We may not be facing God’s judgment through a coming Assyrian invasion, but our forecast was even worse than Judah’s. See, Romans 1 reminds us that the wrath of God is coming against all sin and unrighteousness and that our hearts have been darkened by sin. And while we may not look around and see gloom and darkness all around us, spiritually, our sin has put us in a place of absolute darkness. And you and I are in desperate need of a great light to shine into the darkness of our sin!”

“Do you remember the funeral in the garden last Sunday? We looked at Genesis 3 and saw that The Fall was the funeral for mankind. But at that funeral, there was a promise spoken. Just as 8:22 was not the final word for the kingdom of Judah, the fall and curse in Genesis 3, which was the result of our sin, this was not the final word for us in God’s plan of redemptive history. Because He gave us a son – His own son. Who would not only come in the flesh as a baby, but this child would grow up and experience this world in every way that we do, except he would never sin.”

“At a young, prime age of 33 years old, Jesus would willingly and lovingly die a miserable death in our place, and though sinless, he would be covered in the blackening darkness of our sin so that we receive the light of eternal life.”

“God’s promise to shine a great light into our great darkness is found in the birth of a child.”

ILLUSTRATION: Birth is common to us in nature, “But here’s the difference: this to be no ordinary child. No, as we are about to see this is will be an extraordinary child.”

“Verses 6 – 7 give us so many clues as to who this child is and what he will be like. There’s a lot to unpack here, but notice the very first clue that Isaiah gives us about this coming child. [6b]…and the government shall be upon his shoulder. Apparently, this child is to govern, he is to be a ruler, a king. The term “king” is never mentioned in this passage, but it is clear from the references to government, throne and kingdom that this text is speaking of a kingly figure. In other words, this child that is promised to be the great light that shines into the darkness is a royal person – a king. …[and] what remains clear from our text is that this coming ruler is going to be different than the rulers before Him.”

“Notice that he is not just to be a king but that his kingdom will be eternal. His Kingdom will not lie stagnant or end in ruin like the kings before him, even many of the good kings before him - no, his government, which is to be a government of peace, and righteousness, and justice, will not only last, but will increase forever.” 

ILLUSTRATION: If you want to learn more about Jesus, you should study his old testament names

”’His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor…’ This king will be a wise king. His counsel will be full of wonder. This would have been music to the ears of the people in the kingdom. They know all too well the difference between a wise king and a foolish king – King Ahaz was a smart but foolish king who sought counsel from necromancers, not God. Isaiah wants them to know that this king and His eternal kingdom will be different – He will be a wonderful counselor. That Hebrew term for counselor is the same term used elsewhere in the OT to speak of a king’s trusted advisor. This king will need no worldly advisor because he himself is the wonderful counselor. His counsel goes beyond mere human thought and human wisdom.”

“What does our sin do to us? It reduces us to fools, doesn’t it? Titus 3 reminds us that before Christ, we ourselves were once foolish. In our sin we were fools, denying God and His glory. Denying our desperate need for Him. And so, what does God do? He sends, in this child, a wonderful counselor to come and rescue us from the foolishness of our sin.”

“‘His name shall be called Mighty God…’ If there was any doubt that this child was to be a divine child, this king a divine king, Isaiah puts it to rest. He says this child will be called Mighty God. The term used here is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to God. The root word here gives the sense of a strong, mighty warrior. This child is to have the very strength and might of God because He is God. He Himself is the God who is ready to unleash His power to rescue and defend His people. This may have very well brought back images of the exodus when the Israelites’ mighty God delivered, rescued, and defended his people from the hands of their enemies.”

“This is the one who has come to us. Not a Savior, but the Savior. One who is mighty enough to defeat our great enemy, conquer our sin and deliver and defend us from the shadow of death. We try to look elsewhere, don’t we? Our own efforts, our own strength, our performance – but the reality is, there is only one strong enough to deliver us.”

“‘His name shall be called Everlasting Father…’ This is not a reference to the first person of the Godhead, but a reference to the fatherly care, compassion and protection that a father offers to his children. I think about my son Jack and the levels of affection, care and duty to protect that I have for him as my son…. How much greater are the affections and love and providential care of Jesus – who is to be our everlasting father!”

“‘His name shall be called Prince of Peace…’ To a group of people facing war and oppression all around them, the Prince of peace would have been exactly what the doctor ordered. This extraordinary king is to be a king who comes in peace and brings peace, establishing it and keeping it. His reign would be a peaceful reign - Much unlike the many kings that came before him. This king will usher in Shalom, peace.”

“We all long for peace in our lives, don’t we? Maybe you’re here this morning, and that’s the one present you want for Christmas – peace. Peace at home. Peace in your relationships. Peace in the workplace. Peace in the world. We desperately want peace in our lives. But our greatest need isn’t for peace in the world, or peace with the people around us. We don’t like to admit it, but our greatest problem as a human race is that we are not at peace with God. We had peace with God – but like we saw last week, that peace was broken in the garden. Our sin wages war against God, and our greatest need is for peace with him. This child – the Prince of Peace - comes to restore what was lost in the garden. He comes to make peace between us and God.”

“Four wonderful titles for our Savior. What do we find when we look at these 4 names? Wisdom, Strength, Care, Peace. Aren’t those all things that everyone is searching for? But what do we do – we look for them in the wrong places. We look to social media for these things, we turn to sex, money, and drugs for these things, we grind and grind in our self-sufficiency, hoping for these things. We search the ends of the earth to find these things, but always end up running to empty vessels. Why? Isaiah tells us why: All of these things are found fully and completely in a person – Jesus.”

“I would ask each of us to consider those 4 things that we see in the names of Jesus: wisdom, strength, care, and peace, and to ask ourselves, where do we look for these things? As you walk through suffering and trials, life decisions, and relationship difficulties, where do you look for these things? Because let's be honest, the world is full of competing spectacles. The world offers a lot of places for us to look. There is no shortage of trends, ideas, vices, and five-step programs for us to turn to. But all of those things will one day fail us. Maybe not today, maybe tomorrow, but one day – certainly on the last day – all of the offerings of the world will fail us. But do you know what won’t fail us? The wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. So why would we look anywhere else besides the one who is all of these things for us?”

“After all of this is promised, look what the Lord says through His prophet Isaiah: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. That word “zeal” speaks of the passion of God. And in this context, it speaks of God’s passion for our salvation. So great is the passion of God to bring people out of a great darkness, so great is His passion to deliver His people from the shadow of death that Isaiah considers everything he has just said and speaks these words in full and utter confidence - the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

“This is what we celebrate at Christmas! This is why I love the words that my wife reminds me of every year: Christmas is coming! That is the promise that is whispered in the garden in Genesis 3. This is the promise given in Isaiah 9. This is the promise, as we will see on Christmas Eve, fulfilled in Luke chapter 2. The coming of an extraordinary child who does extraordinary things for sinners like us.”  

APPLICATION:
- If you are aware that, because of your sin, you are not at peace with God, there is only one thing you need to hear today: There is no hope for you outside of this extraordinary child. There is nothing that this world can offer. No amount of success, no amount of money, no amount of good deeds or church attendance or Bible reading that can make a sinner at peace with a holy God. But there is One who can: Christ Jesus. It's this Great Light that shines into the darkness. It’s this child that was promised 2700 years ago, that was born over 2000 years ago, and died in your place on the cross bearing the full penalty of your sin against God so that you might be forgiven of every sin you have ever committed and every sin you will ever commit.

He simply asks you to confess your sins and trust in Him for salvation.

- For the believer…we aren't off the hook. Even if we have believed and put our trust in this extraordinary child, we are still prone to look elsewhere as we walk through life, our hearts are often divided. As we have considered these four names given to Jesus, I pray we are increasingly convinced that there is nowhere we can look to find better hope, better news, better wisdom than by looking to HIM. Consider those 4 things that we see in the names of Jesus: wisdom, strength, care, and peace, and ask, “Where do I look for these things?”

- Every time I look at a Christmas light on a tree or in the yard or on the roof, I want to be reminded of Isaiah 9. To be reminded that this child is the great light that shines into and shatters my darkness. As we enjoy Christmas this year, may we find every little way to be reminded of the great light that shines into our darkness. And then let's turn and worship Jesus!

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
John 1:6-8, 14 
 1 Corinthians 1:30
John 1:12
Ephesians 2:13-14

QUOTES:
 John Oswalt - “The gloom is not final. God will not be satisfied that His people have experienced the just results of their rebellion. That experience is not an end in itself but a means, a means whereby God’s goodness can be manifested in the salvation of a land now aware of its true source of life. When every human attempt to bring light has failed, then God will bring light, not because He must, not because human craft has discovered the key to force Him, but merely out of His own grace.”

Ray Ortlund - “God’s answer to everything that has terrorized us is a child. The power of God is so far superior to the Assyrians and all the big shots of the world that He can defeat them by coming as a mere child. His answer to bullies swaggering through history is not to become an even bigger bully. His answer is Jesus.”

John Calvin - “It is good for us that he is called strong or mighty because our contest is with the devil, death, and sin, enemies too powerful and strong, by whom we would be vanquished immediately if Christ’s strength had not made us invincible. Thus we learn from this title that there is in Christ abundance of protection for defending our salvation, so that we desire nothing beyond him; He is God, who is pleased to show himself strong on our behalf.” 

Paul Tripp - “With words carefully chosen, because they were carefully directed by the Holy Spirit, Isaiah is telling us that the Messiah son is exactly what every Sinner desperately needs. He is the ultimate answer to every destructive thing that sin does to us. Isaiah, with beautifully poetic words, declares to us that Jesus is all we need. He is the solution to the sin that we cannot avoid or escape. Long before we were born, God had appointed for us the one who would be the remedy for every symptom of the sin that would infect us all.” 

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Prepare Him Room
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-14
Heaven Has Come To Us
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
He Who Is Mighty

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Galatians 4:4-7 Advent and Our Identity

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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In the midst of all the lies and broken promises, Christmas is the most magnificent, consequential, and profound promise ever made and kept. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Book of Advent
TEXT: Genesis 3:1-24
TITLE: Advent and the Garden
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

“Life is filled with broken promises. Some are minor and nonconsequential, while others are utterly devastating and leave scars. In the midst of all the lies and broken promises, Christmas is the most magnificent, consequential, and profound promise ever made and kept.”

“Today, we begin a Christmas series called The Book of Advent. Now you won’t find the word advent in the Bible, but its meaning, coming or arrival, is everywhere. When you think about it, the Bible is The Book of Advent because from beginning to end it is about the promised comings of Christ.”

“Here's how we are going to celebrate Advent this season:
- Isaiah 9 - Advent and the Prophets
- Galatians 4 - Advent and our Identity 
- Revelation 5 - Advent and Eternity
But we begin in the beginning. The first promise of Advent is in the Garden.”

“Our Need for Advent - The first seven verses record mankind’s darkest day ever. Tempted by Satan, who took the form of a serpent and twisted God’s words—a reminder that the seed of sin is doubting God’s Word—Adam and Eve ate from the one tree God forbade them to eat from. Their disobedience immediately plunged humanity into sin. Adam and Eve knew it—read 7-8. They were afraid, they were overwhelmed with guilt, and their shame drove them to run and hide from God. This is humanity’s story, and it was once our story: guilty sinners running and hiding from God.”

“Of course, no one can hide from God. Where can I go from your Spirit and where can I flee from your presence is the confession of Psalm 139. No one can hide from God. So God dealt with Adam and Eve, and Satan, through His righteous judgment. God’s holiness demanded that Adam’s sin be dealt with, and it was, in the form of a curse—read 14-19. The world continues to bear this curse.”

“These verses explain why the world is as it is:
- Pain and suffering
- Disease and Death
- Loneliness and Addiction
- Gender dysphoria and same-sex infatuations
- Relational conflict and abusive relationships
- Adultery and Abortion
- Futility and frustrations of work 

If you can relate to these things, and we all can, it’s because the effects of sin and its curse are everywhere, and our life experiences affirm it. But there’s an even deeper problem. What we see in 14-19 are just symptoms of humanity’s real dilemma.”

“Because of their sin and guilt, Adam and Eve were separated from God’s presence. Banished from Paradise. Their fellowship with Him was broken, and they spiritually died.”

“This is the great human dilemma that Advent is meant to fix. We are born under the curse. We are cursed by the cursed.  And we can do nothing to make things right. Our politics can’t fix it. Our morality can’t fix it. AI can’t fix it. Science can’t fix it.”

“In January, we begin preaching through Romans. Paul spends a good portion of the first seven chapters unpacking the nature of this dilemma. Through Adam, we have inherited a sin nature that leads to our personal sin and guilt, making us like Adam, separated from God and spiritually dead and under the wrath of God like the rest of mankind—Merry Christmas!”

“God’s Promise of Advent - And surprisingly, the plan for that divine pursuit is embedded deep in the curse itself—read 15. Buried deep in the Genesis 3 curse is the first promise of Christmas. It’s known as the Protoevangelium—first announcement of the gospel.”

“The serpent, that is Satan, will bruise the heel of Eve’s offspring. To bruise the heel is to cause suffering, which Jesus experienced at the cross. But he could not be destroyed. The grave could not hold him down. He rose triumphant over sin and Satan. But Eve’s offspring, specifically Jesus, will bruise the head of Satan. To bruise the head is to do more than cause suffering—it’s to crush and destroy.”

“Buried deep in the curse, God says to Satan, who has seemingly destroyed God’s perfect creation, I will crush you. I will defeat and destroy you.

“Think of Genesis 3:15 as the prophetic promise of the three C’s of Satan’s demise: C#1 Christmas: The first blow to Satan was when Jesus was born into this world to inaugurate God’s promised plan of redemption. Christmas is the beginning of the fulfillment of this glorious promise made in the darkest hour of human history. In the manger lay Jesus, a fully human baby boy, yet still fully God, who came into this world to redeem sinners from the curse by becoming a curse for us. He was born in a manger, grew up in sorrow and grief, and died on a cross to destroy Satan and liberate sinners from his bondage, just as the Christmas angel proclaimed: She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins—Matthew 1:21.”

“C#2 Cross: The DECISIVE blow that defeated Satan was at the cross. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil—Hebrews 2:14.”

“The cross removed Satan’s one certain weapon against us—his accusations before the throne of God that we are guilty sinners that deserve to perish along with him—and he’s right. But the cross nullifies those accusations because in a crucified and risen Savior, we are justified—made right—before God! Not because of anything we did or can do, but wholly based on Jesus' blood and righteousness. We see this in a veiled way in our text—read 20-21.”

“In the Garden, God didn’t just pursue Adam and Eve by calling out to them. He provided for their need. He covered their shame and guilt by mercifully providing and protecting them by clothing them with animal skins. Guess what had to happen for them to be covered in this way—the blood of the animals had to be shed. Just as Hebrews 9:22 says—no bloodshed, no forgiveness of sins.”

“C#3 Consummation: The final blow to Satan will be Christ’s return, the second advent, according Romans 16: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet—Romans 16:20. So this scene in Genesis 3 becomes so clear now. Buried deep in the middle of the curse is the beginning of Advent. Here’s the big question—How do we respond?”

“UNBELIEVER: At a time of year when the most popular question is What do you want? But the true Christmas question is the same question God asked Adam and Eve in the Garden—read 8-9. The moment Adam and Eve fell into sin, God pursued them with these words: Where are you?  That question doesn’t reveal a lack in God; it reveals the love of God. This is the heart of Christmas—we run and hide from God, but God graciously calls and relentlessly pursues. God mercifully pursuing sinners, even to the point of God himself taking on flesh, becoming a servant, and ultimately offering Himself as a sin sacrifice, and revealing Himself for salvation.”

“This is why we want to build our lives into the local church. This is why we want to grow in evangelism. This is why we want to plant a church on the east side.”

“But those who don’t know Jesus—Where are you? Whether you realize it or not, you are running from God. The Spirit wants to stop you in your tracks today—BELIEVE!”

“CHRISTIAN: The same question this Christmas—Where are you?  Are you spiritually parched? Haunted by the guilt and condemnation of past sins? Under the crushing yoke of addiction? Does sinful anxiety paralyze you? Is loneliness dogging you relentlessly? Have worldly pursuits left you spiritually apathetic? Is physical suffering suffocating your joy? Are you running toward the world and away from God? Allow the Spirit to stop you in your tracks today, and return to the true JOY and HOPE of Christmas. Here’s one way to practice this: Over the next few weeks, you will be repeatedly asked, "What do you want?" In that moment, allow that question to move you to remember what you have already been given.”

“You don’t have to be a holy roller here—Thank you, but I don’t need anything because I already have everything in Jesus. The truth is this: Buried deep in the experiences and busyness of your life is this wonderful, unchanging gospel reality: God Himself, the same God who walked in the cool of the Garden graciously calling for Adam, put on humanity to die on a cross for your sin. God has been faithful to provide for your greatest need. Once you were separated from God and under His eternal judgement, but now in Jesus, you belong to Him as His beloved, FOREVER. This is the Christian’s hope in life and death! Allow the many moments you will be asked, What do you want?, to be moments of rehearsing, relishing, and resting in the greatest gift you can ever possess, Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior.”

“Prayer - Lord, you know the hearts and needs of your people. We humbly ask you, wherever we are this Christmas, when Satan tempts us to despair, when discouragement tries to suffocate our joy, give us eyes to see the promise buried deep in Genesis 3:15, that the Garden would lead to a manger that would lead to a cross for our that would pave the way for our salvation and secure the promised return of our Lord and Savior who will one day bring us home to live in your glorious presence, free from the curse of sin and full of wonder and awe—Forever!”

QUOTES:
John Piper - “It’s a season [Christmas] for cherishing and worshipping this characteristic of God—that he is a searching and saving God, that he is a God on a mission, that he is not aloof or passive or indecisive. He is never in maintenance mode, coasting, or drifting. He is sending, pursuing, searching, saving. That’s the meaning of Advent.”

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Hope of the Ages
God Made Low
Who Would Have Dreamed
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7
What Child Is This
God Is Faithful (Psalm 114)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Isaiah 9:6-7 - Advent and the Prophets

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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In Nehemiah 4 (through 6), God’s people showed remarkable faith and perseverance in the face of unimaginable opposition. As we pursue planting a church on the east side, what can we learn from them? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: PLANT
TEXT: Nehemiah 4-6
TITLE: An Unfailing God in Times of Unimaginable Opposition
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Because God is for us, we can endure whatever is against us.

POINTS:
I. Expectations of Great Opposition
II. Greater Expectations of Our God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

“1 Corinthians 10 reminds us that what happened in Nehemiah’s day was written down for our instruction. They are an example that teaches, equips, and prepares us for our gospel mission. Here’s what we will learn today: Because God is for us, we can endure whatever is against us.”

“In Nehemiah 4, we find God’s people facing significant opposition in their call to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.”

“Public opposition from powerful leaders - In particular, opposition came from three leaders:
- (1) Sanballat—A Horonite governor in Samaria 
- (3) Tobiah—Ammonite leader 
- Geshem (Ch 6)—Arabian leader”

“Sanballat seems to be the ring leader. As a governor in Samaria, he was probably concerned that a rebuilt Jerusalem would diminish the loyalty of his constituents and, worse, draw a forceful response from the Persian rulers, who would no doubt immediately squash any uprising. This would have serious repercussions in Samaria, especially since the Persian King allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall. For Sanballat and Tobiah, a weak, vulnerable, and compliant Israel played to their political ambitions and advantage. So the opposition began at the bully pulpit with public mockery and derision. When that didn’t work, they resorted to violent threats.”

“It’s easy to underestimate the threats made against God’s people here. Notice the list in 7. The Ashdodites were Philistines who ruled west of Judah. Sanballat was north of Judah in Samaria. Tobiah and the Ammonites were east of Judah, and Geshem and the Arabs were to the south. In other words, the Jews were surrounded by powerful opposition. From a human perspective, they faced unimaginable opposition.”

“Opposition from Insiders - The grave situation unfolding began to wear down the morale and faith of God’s people. Can we really build this wall? This isn’t working out as we thought? We didn’t sign up for this kind of risk. The task seems too big, too dangerous, and we are too weak. In some ways, it’s the worst kind of opposition!”

“Opposition form Observing Insiders - As Sanballat and Tobiah ramp up their plans to attack, friends and family, fellow Jews not personally involved in the mission of rebuilding the wall, they begin to question their wisdom and plead with them repeatedly—Stop. Come home. It’s too dangerous. It’s not worth it.”

“From the likely to the unlikely, God’s people faced opposition as they did His work.”

“As we consider planting on the east side, we should expect opposition. But what kind of opposition should we expect? I drew the pastoral team into this question.”

“Our most vigorous opposition from the outside will probably come from friends and family, some of whom may even be believers, who don’t understand your sacrifice and commitment to the mission of your church. The busyness of a church plant may mean you miss events and gatherings that used to be non-negotiable. It’s not uncommon for people to question our commitment to them relationally—All the time in the world for your church, but no time for us. As a result, there can be judgment and pressure not to be so focused on what God has called us to. Like those in 12, some fellow believers don’t understand the sacrifices of time, money, and opportunity we willingly and joyfully make for the sake of Christ and the mission of His church.You turned that job opportunity down because it would interfere too much with what your church is doing? You chose not to move closer to your family because you wanted to stay in Tucson and be part of a church plant? You sure you’re not in a cult?”  

“Then there’s opposition within our own walls. Lack of trust in leadership that erodes our unity. The jeering and divisive words of Sanballat and Tobiah in 1-3 are just as easily spoken in the corner of the church lobby, on a group text, or at a friend’s house. What are we doing? We’ll never have a church on the east side, we’re too small. I’m not in.”

“We’ll experience opposition in our own hearts. The idols of personal convenience, a craving for comfort, the all-consuming pursuit of worldly priorities, or the discouragement of unmet expectations. Pastor Tom wisely warned us of a lack of faith due to a pragmatism that leads us to have all the answers before we move, all the boxes checked before we go, desiring to see everything clearly rather than having an anchored hope in things not seen.”

“The effect of all this is what we see in 10—The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. Faith grows weak. Morale sinks low. The magnitude of church planting overwhelms. Discouragement sets in. Faithfulness is abandoned.”

“In our efforts to plant a church, we should expect great opposition. Here’s why: Behind the human opposition is the great opposer himself—Satan. Whether it is the flaming arrows of public ridicule, judgment, grumbling, or inward discouragement, Ephesians 6:12 reminds us: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

“There are fewer things Satan would love to spoil and frustrate more than a church plant. He knows the wisdom and power of God at work in and through local churches. BUT GOOD NEWS: Satan ultimately has no power over us.”

“In our efforts to plant a church on the east side, we should expect great opposition, but we should have even greater expectations of our God.”

“In all the opposition, what did God’s people do?—(6) So they built the wall. They continued to give themselves to the Lord’s work. Look down at 17 for a picture that says it all.”

“I love it! In the face of unimaginable opposition, God’s people didn’t quit. They didn’t run. They didn’t despair. They didn’t doubt. They didn’t capitulate. They did what they needed to do to stay on mission.”

“So what was the source of their strength? In 10, we find them admitting they could not do the work on their own. What was the source of their strength? Answer: They stayed close to God.”

“They stayed close to God through prayer—(9) And we prayed to our God. They stayed close to God by remembering who He is—(14) Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. They stayed close to God by trusting Him—(20) Our God will fight for us.”

“They stayed close to God. It’s that mysterious but wonderful biblical message of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility—They had great expectations of God, so they trusted him by staying close to Him. As we faithfully and passionately follow the Lord to the east side, we must stay close to God by being prayer warriors both individually and collectively.”

“We must stay close to God by planting ourselves in His Word, where He reveals His unmatched greatness, power, and glory in promises like Ephesians 3:20, which says—He can do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”

“We must stay close to God by trusting Him to go before us, protecting and providing. He will fight for us because He has already fought for us at the cross. Whatever the east side holds, no matter how our church planting efforts fare, we know Christ is holding us fast and will never let go. Part of assurance is knowing that in saving us, Christ has given us a purpose bigger than ourselves. We see this at the end of 6.”

“They had a mind to work, meaning, they had a deep conviction and desire connected to a purpose that transcended even their own lives. The moment God saved you, He lifted you out of your self-made kingdom and put you in His kingdom, with a new purpose and mission which is to glorify and make known Jesus Christ to the world.”

“The gospel gives you a purpose that transcends promoting self—you are an ambassador promoting Christ and eternity! Paul says it succinctly in 1 Corinthians 16:19-20—You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 5:14

APPLICATION:
Q: Where am I vulnerable to internal opposition? 
- Identify it
- Study the Scriptures about it
- Share it
- Work overtime to cover it in the blood of Jesus

We have spent the last four weeks stirring up our affections for and our expectations of the greatness and power of Christ to advance the kingdom of God through planting a church on the east side. 

As we roll into the Christmas season, stay close to God, keep your hearts planted in prayer and His word, remembering what He has saved you for and called you to, and trusting Him to protect and provide for us on the east side.

QUOTES:
J.I. Packer - “We think of Satan as our spiritual enemy, and so he is, but we need to realize that the reason he hates humankind and seeks our ruin is because he hates God, his and our Creator. He is not a creator himself, only a destroyer; he is a fallen angel, the archetypal instance of good gone wrong; and now he seeks only to thwart God's plans, wreck his work, rob him of glory, and in that sense triumph over him. When God initiates something for his praise, Satan is always there, trying to keep pace with him, planning ways of spoiling and frustrating the divine project.”

J.I. Packer - “Altogether, the devil is an enemy who has to be taken very seriously. Yet we should not panic in the face of his attentions. Christ has overcome him; Satan is now a defeated foe, a lion on a chain, and what he can do against us is sovereignly restricted on a day-to-day basis, for God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. We who are Christ's should detest Satan but not dread him, since God now provides us with all-purpose combat equipment for use against him.”

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Jesus, There's No One Like You
Behold Our God
Glorious Christ
Turn Your Eyes
God Is For Us

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Genesis 3:15 - Advent and the Garden

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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This is the exciting message of one of the seemingly most boring passages in Scripture. God uses ordinary people, people just like you and me, to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: PLANT
TEXT: Nehemiah 3
TITLE: An Ordinary People Used for An Extraordinary Purpose
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God uses ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.

POINTS:
I. Embrace Our Ordinariness
II. Rid Ourselves of Ourselves
III. Trust Our Extraordinary God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

ILLUSTRATION: Top 50 Neurosurgeons in the country, only wanting the best-of-the-best

“God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. We see that in Nehemiah 3, where we learn that: God uses ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.”

“That’s the exciting message of one of the seemingly most boring passages in Scripture. God uses ordinary people, people just like you and me, to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. God is not waiting for you to make the cover of Top 50 Christians in Tucson to use you.”

“Here’s my prayer today: The Spirit of the Living God uses this list of ordinary people to move us to an extraordinary sense of faith, privilege, and gratitude in our mission to plant a church in East Tucson. I believe the Spirit will do that as we own three things in the text.”

“Embrace Our Ordinariness: I considered not reading the text today because it’s a list of obscure names and repeated job descriptions. Then the Spirit brought two things to mind. First, 2 Timothy 3:16—ALL Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable. Second, I wanted us to feel the ordinariness of the text. It’s 445 BC.The Temple had been rebuilt 70 years earlier, but Jerusalem remained a shell of what it once was. Among other things, its walls and gates were still in ruins.”

“In Nehemiah 3, we find God’s people responding to Nehemiah’s call in 2:17-18 to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. It was a monumental and extraordinary lift. You and I would have hired professionals, people whose faces were on the cover of the Top 50 Wall Builders in Israel. But not God—He entrusted His mission to ordinary people.”

“Look at 4—Baana and his son, Zadok. They helped repair the wall around the Fish Gate. Do they sound familiar? How about 6—Have you ever heard of Joiada and Meshullam, who laid the beams and set the doors, bolts, and bars of the Yeshanah Gate? In 12, we meet Shallum, who had his daughters swinging a hammer with him at the Tower of the Ovens. How’s that for a father-daughter date night! Down in 20, we find a man doing repairs to the high priest’s home named Baruch—ring a bell? In 32, we read about merchants, businesspeople getting their hands dirty for once as they worked on the Muster and Sheep gates.”

“I think I counted 45 names, not including fathers’ names, in Nehemiah 3. Numerous groups are mentioned—goldsmiths and perfumers, leaders and laborers, Levites and priests, merchants and businessmen. There were men, women, and children. Some were locals, others out-of-towners. Some built gates, others hung gates. Some rebuilt while others repaired. Some set wood beams, some installed steel bolts and bars. Some worked on the homes of priests, while others patched up obscure outer sections of the wall. These are the ordinary people, people you have never heard of, that God put together to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.”

“Fast forward 2500 years to Tucson, AZ, and you will find a group of ordinary people from all walks of life, with all manner of vocations and life experiences. Nothing extraordinary about us except this: We love Jesus. God has given a passion for His gospel purposes. And we long to see Jesus glorified and worshipped throughout our city. This is why we want to plant on the east side.”

“But here is the temptation for us all: Believe we need to be somebody before God can or will use us.”

ILLUSTRATION: GoPro Girl, “You have to be a vlogger”

“She thought I needed to be somebody to have a GoPro. God doesn’t work that way. It’s not your extraordinariness or adequacy that makes you qualified or useful to Christ; it’s your ordinariness and inadequacy. God loves to use the weak and foolish, the unable and unlikely, to accomplish His purposes—That’s the way God rolls! And He rolls that way to silence all boasting in self and ensure all glory to His name!”

“Rid Ourselves of Ourselves: You probably noticed this as we read, but the phrase next to them or next to him appears 14 times. The author uses the phrase after him or after them 16 times. Our text is an extraordinary display of unity, a holy togetherness in their mission. No one was gunning for prominence. No one was jockeying for position. Except for the Tekoite leaders in 5, who refused to stoop to serve the Lord, everyone knew and embraced their place and part with eagerness, humility, and joy. This includes those being asked to serve in a way that didn’t match their personal preference of gifting—read 8.”

ILLUSTRATION: Me as a worship leader, I needed to rid myself of myself. We all do.

“Ridding ourselves of ourselves for the sake of Christ’s glory in and through His church. This will be our test.
- Time on your hands—Will you use it for your church?
- Flexible work schedule—Will you use it for your church?
- Financial resources beyond need—Will you use it for your church?”

“Why do you believe God has blessed and positioned you as He has? Could it be to passionately throw yourself into the mission of your church in a unique way? No single person could have repaired the walls and gates of Jerusalem. Each had a place to fill and a job to do. Planting a church on the east side of Tucson will take every one of us, working together in unity, willing to rid ourselves of ourselves to play any part we are asked to play.”

“Only one thing has the power to rid ourselves of ourselves—fill ourselves with the matchless worth of the gospel and the unrivaled glory of Christ through His church.”

“We actually get a glimpse of the goodness and beauty and glory of Christ and the mission of his church in our text—read verses 1 and 32.”

“Did you catch that? The work began and ended at the Sheep Gate. The Sheep Gate was significant. It was the closest gate to the temple through which the animals used for sacrifice entered. Think about that. The Sheep gate represented sacrifice. Forgiveness. Purification. Salvation!”

“The rebuilding of the wall and gates of Jerusalem was really the last significant event in redemptive history before the birth of Jesus that led to his saving death and resurrection.”

“Here, in a seemingly boring list of names, we find Jesus. Jesus was our sacrificial lamb, slain for the forgiveness of our sins, the purification of our souls,  and eternal salvation. This is what must flood our hearts!”

“To the degree our hearts are flooded with the wonder and awe of Jesus is the degree we will rid ourselves of ourselves for the sake of Christ’s glory through His church.” 

“The Israelites believed God was passionate about His purposes and that He could and would provide all they needed. Their confidence wasn’t in their leader, Nehemiah, or their own abilities. It was in their extraordinary God. We are no different. Let’s be honest, we don’t even really know what we’re doing. We are Going Not Kowing. Who are we? We are nothing. We are ordinary. We don’t have it all figured out. We aren’t professionals. No one is paying attention to us. We are ordinary people saved by grace, in love with Jesus, and on a mission to share him with others.”

“Our confidence is in Jesus, who has promised to build his church. Our confidence is in an extraordinary God who does extraordinary things and has an extraordinary zeal to save sinners through the blood of Jesus for His eternal praise and glory. That is our confidence! Nothing else and no one else.”

APPLICATION:
Do something that seems very ordinary—PRAY! The greatest way we delight in our dependence on God is to pray. In January, we will present a prayer strategy for the east side. Until then, pray God will provide people, money, and divine opportunity. Pray for direction on your personal participation. Pray for clear leadership and vision from your pastors. PRAY. Do the ordinary work of praying to an extraordinary God who can do extraordinary things. 

We are on a mission to see the worship and glory of God across our city. You don’t need your face on the cover of the Top 50 Christians in Tucson to play a part because: God uses ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.

QUOTES:
Martyn Lloyd-Jones - “The whole trouble in life is ultimately this concern about self…that is something we must rid ourselves of entirely. We must rid ourselves of this constant tendency to be watching the interests of self.”

J.I. Packer - “All who love Jesus Christ the Lord ought to care deeply about the church, just because the church is the object of Jesus’ own love. Church-centeredness is thus one way in which Christ-centeredness ought to find expression.”

James Hamilton Jr. - “If we are going to live for something more than our trivial agendas to make our own names great, we must be convinced of the truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel of Jesus Christ and advanced in the work of the church. If we are going to sacrifice personal luxuries and advantages in order to live for the gospel and advance it in the church, we must not only see but experience the truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel and advanced in the work of the church. If we lay down our lives for the gospel and the church, it will be because we have seen, experienced, and lived for the truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel and advanced in the church.”

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
The Solid Rock
My Soul Will Wait (Psalm 62)
How Great Is Your Faithfulness
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
Let Your Kingdom Come

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Nehemiah 4 - Uncommon Courage Unfailing God

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Books that Shaped Us (Sovereign Grace Journal, October 2024)

By Churches, Sovereign Grace

Buy on Amazon

To download a FREE PDF version of this journal (and other past issues), please visit: https://www.sovereigngrace.com/journal

Grace empowers believers to focus on God’s missional purposes! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: PLANT
TEXT: Nehemiah 1-2
TITLE: God’s Mission – Our Passion 
PREACHER: Tim Lambros

POINTS:
I. God’s Passion for His Mission
II. Nehemiah’s Passion for God’s Mission
III. Our Passion for God’s Mission

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

ILLUSTRATION: looking up to people growing up, God’s use of individuals in scripture to inspire us

“For context: 2 Chronicles 36:17-23. But God. God’s remnant. God, who is passionate about His mission, has a remnant He will show mercy to. God raises up two men – Ezra as a priest and Nehemiah as a governor. Ezra leads two waves of exiles back to Jerusalem, and Neh will lead the third according to Cyrus’ decree. BUT GOD. God is a patient God. From Abraham to this point in redemptive history. Why a remnant? BECAUSE GOD IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS MISSION!”

“God has always been on mission. He doesn’t get distracted like we do. God has always raised up leaders to lead His people to advance His mission. Now we see how God uses  Nehemiah to advance His mission.”

“A Man Affected by the mission (1:1-4)  - Neh has a high-ranking position in a foreign country. He is in exile in Babylon. We’ll see in just a minute how God has strategically placed him. It’s the month of Chislev, which is around the time of our month of December. He locates himself in the citadel of Susa.”

“Notice the details in V. 2. He gets some news from his brother about those who had escaped Babylon and returned to their land. He’s referring to the two waves of people who had returned. Nehemiah is vested in God’s mission; he has questions about the wave of returning exiles and Jerusalem. Then in V. 3, Nehemiah gets some bad news.”

“READ V. 3: The remnant is in trouble. They are in shame because the wall is broken down and the gates have been destroyed by fire. Rather than digging into what that meant, I want us to notice in V. 4 how Nehemiah responds. He is emotionally affected. He is impacted by this news. He’s invested in  God’s mission, so how can he not be affected?”

“He is emotionally affected. He is impacted by this news. He’s invested in  God’s mission, so how can he not be affected? We are created to be responders. All day long, things come at us and we respond. Sometimes it’s good and godly responses, and most of the other times we respond sinfully and have to RUN to the grace of repentance.”

“Why is Nehemiah a compelling example for us? He weeps THEN TURNS IMMEDIATELY TO PRAYER. We aren’t told any specifics, but Nehemiah’s affections are stirred because God’s purposes for God’s people are in trouble. AS SOON AS I HEARD THESE WORDS … Nehemiah is immediately affected. He’s instantly impacted, sits down, and weeps. The text says he mourns for days. He begins to fast.”

“Why such a dramatic reaction to the news? Look at the last verse of Neh. 1. READ  Neh. 1:11b God strategically placed Nehemiah as the king’s cupbearer. Think butler.  He dies if there is food or wine brought with poison in it. A king eats multiple times a day. He is busy. He has responsibilities. Yet what do we see? He stops whatever he’s doing, sits down, and weeps. He mourns for days and fasts before the Lord. By God’s grace, Nehemiah is so connected with God’s mission that when news like this comes to him, he CANNOT be UNAFFECTED. His life is so tied up in God’s mission, his affections are immediately impacted.”

“How about you? Does news about the inevitable struggles of our mission in this Church ever affect you like this? As we next look closely at Nehemiah’s prayer I think you’ll see why his life is literally and functionally tied to God’s mission.”

“A Man with convictions about the God of the mission (1:5-11) - Nehemiah is convinced of at least two things. First, God is approachable. There appears to be no hesitation on Nehemiah’s part. He is living in exile; there is no temple location for God’s presence, no routine, no sacrifices, but he immediately turns to prayer.”

“Yet notice in V. 5 how he addresses God. GREAT AND AWESOME – WHO KEEPS  HIS COVENANT – STEADFAST LOVE. Nehemiah knows God, and he knows God’s Word – he’s praying through truths about God from Exodus and Deuteronomy – He knows His character – God is a covenant-keeping God. He has been in God’s Word, what has been revealed to that point in redemptive history, and prays accordingly.”

“This is an impressive prayer! Nehemiah is convinced; he believes God’s plan to create a people for Himself. He’s been in God’s word, and he’s seen, over and over, God stating, ‘I will be your God and you will be my people.’ He prays the reality he knows from God’s word – you promised destruction and scattering if we  disobeyed, but you also promised that if we turned back to you … you would gather up all your people even if they are scattered ‘in the uttermost parts of heaven.’”

“Notice V. 11 His final petition … READ V. 11B ‘Give success and grant mercy’.  Nehemiah has convictions about God and God’s word, but he also knows he’s been called. He knows he’s called to lead through this difficult time in the mission and knows at some point he must TAKE A HUGE RISK and approach the king for permission to do some important things to advance the mission of God’s people getting back to the promised land.”

“Nehemiah’s example for us today isn’t just that he’s available, “here I am, send me.”  That’s an important element, but a man who is available and is convinced about who God is and what God is about … well, that’s a man who will be focused and undistracted.”

“A Man taking risk and action for the mission (2:1-11) READ V. 1-3 - King Artaxerxes is who Neh serves at a high level. He has already given  Ezra and some exiles permission to return to Jerusalem. For Neh the risk is that the king might see him as disloyal.”

“Neh is afraid. He fears for his life. Yet for the king’s part he sees something – he must  know Neh because this scene is like you noticing the body language of someone in your  Community Group and asking, ‘hey, are you ok?’ Neh tells him his concerns … V. 4, and the king responds favorably.”

“Notice what happens next – V. 7 letters to the governors Beyond the River. Why? Ezra  4:7-9 says that these leaders had convinced King Artaxerxes to stop the rebuilding of the city. Then he asks for more. No wonder he prayed before he asked anything. He requests a letter to Asaph so that he would have access to some of those great cedars from  Lebanon for materials to build!”

“What’s so exemplary about this scene? Nehemiah is not only a man in action; it appears he’s been thinking and planning, and waiting for a moment like this. He’s not just serving up the wine, waiting for God to give him some sign in the sky that it’s time to move. He’s thinking, planning, praying so that the moment there’s an opening BOOM, he’s ready. Nehemiah is a strategic thinker!”

“In Christ, we have the Holy Spirit given to us to empower us for mission. Acts 1:8.  Grace empowers believers to focus on God’s missional purposes.”

“What can we take away from Nehemiah’s example? Grow and increase your affection for God’s mission. By God’s amazing grace, you can increase your love and affection for God’s purposes. How? Spend time in the Word! That’s how our desires get synced up with God’s desires! God’s summons of you and me occurs as His Word convinces us we are best off when we are giving our lives to His purposes.”

“Increasingly allow prayer to be your first impulse. Church, I’m convinced that whatever God wants to do through us on the east side – He will grow us in our need for prayer. Growing us to a place where news like Neh got instinctively moves us to pray.”

“Prepare yourself for action. Learn to talk about Christ in longer conversations.” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Acts 20:22–24

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
All Things
The Lord Almighty Reigns (Psalm 93)
From Everlasting (Psalm 90)
Is He Worthy
Our Song From Age To Age

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Nehemiah 3 - Ordinary People, Extraordinary Work

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Books that Shaped Us (Sovereign Grace Journal, October 2024)

By Churches, Sovereign Grace

Buy on Amazon

To download a FREE PDF version of this journal (and other past issues), please visit: https://www.sovereigngrace.com/journal

God has saved us and called us to engage in His eternal purposes of redeeming other sinners and building His church. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: PLANT
TEXT: Matthew 28:16-20
TITLE: A Church Planting Missiology
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. Our Mission
II. Our Strategy for the Mission
III. Our Confidence in the Mission

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

“This morning marks the beginning of a four-part series that we are calling 'Plant'. As Christians, we are on a mission. By mission, I mean: God has saved us and called us to engage in His eternal purposes of redeeming other sinners and building His church.”

“We believe this mission is fulfilled primarily through church planting. On our church website, you will find seven biblical values that define us as a local church and unite us with our family of churches, SGC. If you don’t know them, I encourage you to take the time to get to know them. They are:

1. WE ARE REFORMED
2. WE ARE GOSPEL-CENTERED
3. WE ARE CONTINUATIONIST
4. WE ARE COMPLEMENTARIAN
5. WE ARE PASTOR LED
6. WE ARE INTERDEPENDENT 
7.   WE ARE MISSIONAL”

“What does that mean—We Are Missional? Our gospel-centrality entails not only treasuring the gospel personally but sharing it passionately. The risen Christ commissioned His church to make disciples of all nations. We believe that commission falls to us and to all believers and that it is fulfilled in a primary way through church planting, whereby the gospel is proclaimed and converts are formed into communities of disciples. We are eager to pursue this mission, relying fully on the Holy Spirit, to see the gospel proclaimed and churches planted throughout the world, that God may be glorified among every tribe, language, people, and nation.”

“As we continue to explore planting a church on the east side, our prayer is that over the next four weeks, God will use the Plant series to strengthen our faith by igniting a greater passion for God’s purposes as we give ourselves to the extraordinary work of advancing the gospel for the glory of our ever-faithful God.”

“After the gospels, the NT is an account of advancing God’s kingdom through the planting of local churches. We see this particularly in Acts, which focuses on Peter and the church in Jerusalem in the first twelve chapters, but then shifts to Paul and church planting in the latter part of the book. The great church planting movement we see in Acts is ultimately an outworking of the Great Commission in Matthew 28.”

“The pattern and purpose of our mission are found in three key verbs that make up the Great Commission—Go, Baptize, and Teach.”

“GO and Baptize—read 19. Every believer is called to GO to the lost. The mission is not—Be ready when the lost comes to you. The mission is to GO to the lost with the good news of Jesus. Too often, we equate gospel mission with traveling to a foreign country. That may be God’s will for some, but for most, the call to GO is a call to GO with the gospel to where you already GO every day. GO to your neighbor. GO to your co-worker. GO to your unbelieving spouse. GO to your atheist uncle. GO to the fellow team parent. GO to your classmates. GO to your children. GO to your lost sibling. GO and be my witness (Acts 1:8). GO and be my ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). GO and tell others about Jesus. This is why we emphasize and equip for personal evangelism. Jesus commands us—GO with the gospel.”

“Now, when those we GO to with Jesus, believe in Jesus, 19 commands us to BAPTIZE (second verb of the Great Commission) them with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Scripture is clear—baptism is symbolic, not salvific. It doesn’t save anyone, but it is a precious sacrament of the church that symbolizes an inward spiritual conversion. The phrase "Go and baptize" simply represents the conversion of those we witness to.”

“TEACH—read 20a

The mission doesn’t end with conversion. It’s just getting started. If we just GO and BAPTIZE, we have new BIRTH but no GROWTH, and that’s an ABORTED mission. A fully orbed mission, according to the Great Commission, includes teaching disciples how to be disciples. Through the gospel, God has made us new creations. How do we live as the new people in Christ that we are? We have to be taught. Go. Baptize. Teach. That is the Great Commission given to us by the risen Christ. So what is our strategy?”

“I once heard someone say—The Great Commission NECESSITATES the local church in our missiology. A missiology that truly flows from the Great Commission demands the centrality of the local church. He’s right. He’s right because the local church is where disciples grow through: 
- Sunday Morning Preaching
- Community Group
- Opportunities to serve and give
- Youth
- Men’s and Women’s Ministries
- Pastoral Counseling
- Other teaching and equipping ministries of the church”

“They all grow us as disciples of Jesus. If you’re wondering what does discipleship looks like around here? It looks like everything I just mentioned because it all teaches us how to love and live for Jesus in joy and obedience, which is what a disciple is and what a disciple does. These things happen, first and foremost, in the local church.”

“This is evident in Paul’s letters to the churches, where he repeatedly exhorts and encourages them to build their lives on the Word of God and the gospel within the context of the corporate body. The writer of Hebrews boldly charges the Christians in Hebrews 10—Do not forsake the gathering. Ephesians 3 declares it is the church that reveals the manifold wisdom of God.  We could keep going.”

“This is why we have such a robust doctrine of the local church. The centrality of the local church is not a SG thing—It’s a God thing. God has made the local church central to the Great Commission.”

“We need to keep this before us. The truth is, Christian history is littered with people of great faith, vision, a tremendous sense of sacrifice, and an overwhelming personal burden to take the gospel to the world.  David Livingston in Africa, Jim Elliot in South America, Hudson Taylor in China, and Amy Carmichael in India are just a few.”

“However, what has happened over the years—not taking anything away from how God has used the people and organizations like those I just mentioned—is that the church, in many ways, has given away the Great Commission to individual personalities and non-church organizations. Too often, mission is something done outside of the church, disconnected from the local church, while the local church sticks to the churchy stuff. Mission has become about my personal calling instead of our corporate calling. As a result, the formula for missions has become something like: The Gospel + The Believer + The Individual Call = Missions”

“The effect of that formula is that individuals or missionary societies enter the mission field with God’s Gospel, but do not establish God’s community. According to Matthew 28, that is an incomplete mission. But a correct understanding of Matthew 28 forces us to think more like this: The Gospel + The Believer + The Local Church = Missions”

ILLUSTRATION: An Ambassador (individual) and their Embassy (local church)

“This is how we see the Great Commission being applied in Acts and beyond. Christians (ambassadors) go into their personal worlds with the gospel, disciples are made and added to the local church (embassy) where they are taught to live for Jesus, and then churches are planted to duplicate it all over again. But when we remove the local church from the equation, it’s like an Ambassador without an Embassy.”

“The east side is filled with people who need the message of the gospel. But we will be much more effective if we have an embassy on the east side. That’s what we’re doing—building a gospel embassy for our current and future East Side ambassadors.”

“This is our missiology strategy—Church Planting.”

“Here’s some good news—we are not in this alone. This is just one reason we love being in partnership with Sovereign Grace Churches—they are passionate about and committed to advancing the Great Commission through church planting. SG launched four church plants in September.”

“We share the vision and mission with these church plants and their sending churches. Like in their cities, East Tucson is filled with lost and hurting souls. Church planting is both exhilarating and daunting. So, where is our confidence for the mission?”

“Jesus bookends the Great Commission with one great hope—a gospel guarantee. In his death and resurrection, Jesus stands highly exalted with all authority over all of creation. ALL authority over Satan and his schemes. ALL authority over every government, king, president, and legislative body. ALL authority over every neighbor and co-worker, and family member who is indifferent to or is hostile toward your faith. I like to call this the GOSPEL GUARANTEE.”

“In the call to mission, He promises to be with us in ALL authority. He is with us in power and purpose. This is his mission. The church belongs to him. He came for his church. He died for his church. He was raised for his church. He is interceding for his church. He will return for his church. And right now he is building his church through his people with his people.”

“He is with us in power and purpose. This guarantees the success of our gospel mission. Not our size. Not our prospects. Not our affiliations. Not our creativity. Not our missional resolve. It’s the unwavering resolve of Christ to transform sinners into disciples, build his church, and return for his bride—with all authority—ensuring our gospel mission is unstoppable. This is God’s mission. He is the Great Evangelist. He is the Great Church Planter.”

APPLICATION:
Allow this series to do three things:
1. Shape your prayers - for your personal evangelism and for our church plant!
2. Challenge your comfort zones - we will all play a part!
3. Consider your participation - for the sake of the great commission!

QUOTES:
George Peters - “The primary historical significance of the Great Commission lies in the fact that it gives to the church the pattern and purpose of missions. It defines and delineates the missionary task. We have in the Great Commission a compass, a charter, and a plan.”

Dave Harvey - “Church planting is the New Testament method for proclaiming and applying the gospel.  Armed with the good news, the disciples would penetrate new regions with a goal of both communicating God’s word and creating God’s community. In contrast to traditional missionary enterprises which often centers primarily upon proclamation, church planting establishes a mission base for proclamation, integration and expansion.”

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Before The Throne Of God Above
All I Have Is Christ
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me
All Glory Be To Christ
Let Your Kingdom Come

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Nehemiah 1-2 - Passion for God's Purposes

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Books that Shaped Us (Sovereign Grace Journal, October 2024)

By Churches, Sovereign Grace

Buy on Amazon

To download a FREE PDF version of this journal (and other past issues), please visit: https://www.sovereigngrace.com/journal

This Sunday, we begin a four-part series that we’re calling Plant. As Christians, we are on a mission: God has saved us and called us to engage in His eternal purposes of redeeming sinners and building His church.

We believe that the mission is fulfilled primarily through church planting. On our website, you will find seven biblical values that define us as a local church and unite us to our family of churches known as Sovereign Grace Churches. I encourage you to check them out HERE. Value number six is We are Missional. Here’s what that means:

Our gospel-centrality entails not only treasuring the gospel personally but sharing it passionately. The risen Christ commissioned His church to make disciples of all nations. We believe that commission falls to us and to all believers and that it is fulfilled in a primary way through church planting, whereby the gospel is proclaimed and converts are formed into communities of disciples. We are eager to pursue this mission, relying fully on the Holy Spirit, to see the gospel proclaimed and churches planted throughout the world, that God may be glorified among every tribe, language, people, and nation.

As we continue to explore planting a church on the east side of Tucson, our prayer is that the Plant series will strengthen our faith by igniting a greater passion for God’s purposes as we give ourselves to the extraordinary work of advancing the gospel for the glory of our ever-faithful God.

Plant. Don’t miss it!

If walking with Jesus is the difference between your life being a living branch and a dead branch, then getting this right—and we have the Spirit’s help—is critical. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The I Am Sayings of Jesus
TEXT: John 15:5
TITLE: The Vine Life
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. The Command to Abide
II. The Promise of Fruitfulness

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

ILLUSTRATION: ’80s anti-drug TV campaign, simple and clear message

“Jesus is the difference between your life being (a living vine, producing fruit, and a crispy, dead vine). Let’s close in prayer. The vine and the branches—a simple and clear message.”

“Yet, it seems we spend our entire lives learning how to live in what Jesus describes here. There are two reasons for this. First, the message of John 15 is simple yet profoundly deep. Two, we tend to approach John 15 with either a legalistic attitude or a prideful presumption upon God’s grace, both representing an arrogant and ignorant understanding of the gospel.”

“But if walking with Jesus is the difference between your life being (vines), then getting this right—and we have the Spirit’s help—is critical.”

“The keyword in our text is abide. Eleven times, Jesus uses it. It means to reside or remain. The thrust of the word is to stay put, not go anywhere. In the context of John 15, it simply means to walk with Jesus. Here, it is a command—Abide in me.”

“To help us, Jesus uses the imagery of a vine and its branches, with the vine, of course, being Jesus, and we are the branches. Jesus begins by saying in 1—I am the true vine. This metaphor would have been familiar to the disciples. In the OT, Israel is often likened to a vine in passages like Psalm 80, Jeremiah 2, and Ezekiel 15.  Typically, the metaphor is used to show that Israel had become a wild vine, imagery that communicates their rebellion and sinfulness in turning away from God to the world around them.”

“Just as Jesus supersedes the temple, the sacrifices, the feasts, and Moses, he is the true vine, the only connection to and life of God in His people.”

“We have seen this repeatedly over the past few weeks: Whether Jesus claims to be the bread of life, the light of the world, the door, the good Shepherd, the resurrection, the life or the way, at the center of each claim has been this—Jesus is the source, the only true source, of life and vitality and joy in the Christian life. The vine and branches imagery makes that clear.”

“Jesus says, the branch has no life unless it is connected to the vine. He goes on in 6 Jesus to say—A branch that is not connected to the vine withers and dies. But when the branch is connected to the vine, it has life and bears fruit because it receives life and nourishment from the sap it draws from the vine. The branch is entirely dependent upon the vine.”

“We know this life-giving connection to Jesus as our union with Christ. By faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Spirit unites us; he connects us to Christ, who becomes not only our identity but the source of our very life.”

“This is at the heart of the Christian life and experience. Christ’s life is our life. He dwells in us and we dwell in him. His sufferings are our sufferings. His death is our death. His resurrection is our resurrection. His strength is our strength. His seat in the heavenly places is our seat in the heavenly places. His heavenly Father is our heavenly Father.”

“Now, for the unbeliever or fake believer who looks the part (some commentators believe Jesus has Judas in mind), Jesus' teaching is a call to repentance and faith in himself as the true life-giving vine. Unless you are connected to Jesus, you can't bear fruit that has any eternal value. Instead, you will, as it says in 2, be removed, and according to 6, thrown into the fire. In other words, hell is your destiny unless, by the mercies of God, you turn to Jesus in repentance and faith—something you can do right now.”

“For the believer, the imagery acts as an encouragement, for some a warning, to cling to Christ, so that your life will bring glory to God by bearing the fruit God desires. To be sure, there is no such thing as a fruitless Christian. Jesus’ teaching in Luke 8 about how a good tree bears good fruit settles that. But a true Christian can live contrary to the union they have with Christ. When we choose NOT to live in the goodness of the gospel or in a way that is NOT in keeping with the gospel, in a sense, we separate ourselves from the vine. In doing so, our lives are not as fruitful as they could be or as God desires.”

“Of course, the BIG question is—How do we know if we are abiding in Christ? The text tells us. We abide in Christ by depending on him - read verse 5.”

“We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is simply trusting in Jesus. It is recognizing that you are utterly dependent upon him for salvation. That never changes in the Christian life. Day by day, we walk with Jesus trusting him for all we are and need before God—day by day, we choose to believe his promises and rely on his presence to endure in holiness.”

“What do we call that? We call that depending on Jesus. And we rely on him because we can do nothing apart from him. That’s part of abiding in Jesus.”

“We abide in Christ by embracing God’s loving discipline—read verses 1-2. Here, we are introduced to the vinedresser. That is God Himself. Not only does the vinedresser remove the branches that do not belong to Him, but He prunes those that do. His pruning is His discipline.”  

“One of the ways you promote the health and growth of a plant is by pruning the excess branches so they can produce even more. Spiritually, we refer to it as becoming more like Christ. This is what is happening in sanctification. Through the trials and circumstances of our lives, God, the vinedresser, is pruning us so that we will bear more fruit. In this way, God does truly work all things for our good (Romans 8:28).”

“We abide in Christ by obeying his word—read verses 7-10. Abide in me…my words abide in you…Abide in my love, they all communicate the same BIG idea. To abide in Christ is to walk in obedience to his word. It is to allow all Christ taught about himself, his Father, the Spirit, and their eternal purposes to fill our hearts, guide our steps, shape our actions, inform our thoughts, and direct our lives.” 

“Abiding isn’t a touch-and-go relationship. It isn’t checking in with Jesus periodically. Abiding isn’t just a Sunday morning thing. It’s about daily fellowship with Christ, feasting on his word, obeying his word, and trusting his promises because we love him and long to experience his life at work in us for our fruitfulness and most of all God’s glory! This is life in the Vine, The Vine Life, and it is good!”

“Critical: At the heart of all three of these is the gospel—read 9. Jesus says, 'I love you with a Trinitarian love; now abide in my love.' 1 John 4:10 says the nature and depths of that love are most clearly seen at Calvary, where God gave His only Son, Jesus, for our sins.”

“We abide in Christ by clinging to his cross. In one sense, the relationship between a vine and the branch is natural. But in the Christian life, it must be cultivated. Jesus calls, indeed commands, us to something here. Abiding is not automatic. But our abiding must always take place in the shadow of the cross, where we find our motivation, our strength, and our hope.” 

“Jesus attaches a promise to abiding—fruitfulness. Jesus wants us to bear fruit. Seven times he uses the word fruit. In 8, he says a spiritually fruitful life glorifies his Father. There is no higher goal than that.”

“In 16, Jesus says—You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed that you should—Have a hassle-free life? Experience the American dream? Live free from health issues? No, he says, that you should go and bear fruit.  And Jesus promises a cornucopia of fruit: 
7—Answered prayer 
8—God’s glory in our lives 
11—Fullness of joy
12&17—Love for one another
27—Gospel witness” 

“We have to keep spiritual fruit in our lives in perspective. Fruit is ultimately evidence of Christ abiding in us, not our abiding in him. The life and power that creates fruit is in the vine, not the branch.”

“I would like to conclude with a story that puts all this into perspective. During a season of spiritual struggle, the great missionary Hudson Taylor wrote a letter to his sister:

The last month or more has been perhaps the happiest of my life, and I long to tell you a little of what the Lord has done for my soul. My mind has been greatly exercised for six or eight months past, feeling the need personally for our mission of more holiness, life, power in our souls. I felt the ingratitude, the danger, the sin of not living nearer to God. I prayed, agonized, fasted, strove, made resolutions, read the word more diligently, sought more time for meditation; but all without avail. Every day, almost every hour, the consciousness of sin oppressed me. I knew that if I could only abide in Christ all would be well, but I could not. I would begin the day with prayer, determined not to take my eye off him for a moment, but pressure of duties, sometimes very trying, and constant interruptions, apt to be so wearying, caused me to forget him. Instead of growing stronger, I seemed to be getting weaker and to have less power against sin; and no wonder, for faith and even hope were getting low. I hated myself, I hated my sin, yet gained no strength against it. I felt I was a child of God—the spirit in my heart would cry, in spite of all, ‘Abba, Father!’—but to rise to my privileges as a child I was utterly powerless. All the time I felt assured there was in Christ all I needed, but the practical question was how to get it out. He was rich, truly, but I was poor; he was strong, but I was weak. I knew full well that there was in the root, the stem, abundant fatness, but how to get it into my puny little branch was the question. As gradually light dawned, I saw that faith was the only requisite, was the land to lay hold on his fullness and make it mine, but I had not this faith. Then Mr. Taylor mentioned something a friend recently wrote him: How do you get your faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful One. … As I read that letter, I saw it all. I looked to Jesus and saw, and when I saw, oh how joy flowed! That he had said, ‘I will never leave thee.’ Ah, there is rest! I thought. I have striven in vain to rest in him; I’ll strive no more, for has he not promised to abide with me, never to leave me, never to fail me? He never will. Nor was this all he showed me, not one half. As I thought of the vine and the branches, what light the blessed Spirit poured direct into my soul! How great seemed my mistake in wishing to get the sap, the fullness out of him. I saw not only that Jesus will never leave me, but that I am a member of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. The vine is not the root merely, but all root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit! And Jesus is not that alone; he is soil and sunshine, air and showers, and ten thousand times more than we have ever dreamed, wished for, or needed. Oh the joy of seeing this truth!” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Galatians 2:20
Hebrews 12:10-11

QUOTES:
Leon Morris - “Israel had failed to produce the fruit that would have been expected; they were false to their God, who had done so much for them….But where Israel failed and had become a false vine, we now see the true vine, the vine in which the purpose of God would be worked out.”

Charles Spurgeon - “Do not merely find a temporary shelter in me, as a ship runs into harbor in stormy weather, and then comes out again when the gale is over; but cast anchor in me, as the vessel does when it reaches its desired haven. Be not as branches that are tied on, and so can be taken off, but be livingly joined to me—Abide in me!...Dear friends, beware of a Christless Christianity. Beware of trying to be Christians without living daily upon Christ. The branch may just as well try to bear fruit apart from the vine as for you to hope to maintain the reality of Christian life without continual fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ......There is the great canon of the Christian life. Hold fast to Christ. Not only live with him, but live in him—Abide in me! Let Jesus not be merely your companion now and then, on holy occasions, but let him abide in you; make your heart a temple; let him find his sweetest rest his home in you.”

D.A. Carson - “This fruit is not the inorganic growth of external accretion (not the effect of all our spiritual activity). It is organic growth, internal growth, driven by the pulsating life of the vine in the branch, and only this kind of growth produces fruit.”

APPLICATION:
I think for most of us, our impulse is to leave here more aware of what we need to do than who Christ is. But the ultimate point of our text and the entire I Am series: Christ is the fullness of true life.

In the strength of the Spirit and with the motivation of the gospel, we abide in Christ; depending on Jesus daily; feeding and nourishing our faith with the word and prayer, walking in joyful obedience to all God calls us to, knowing that those activities are not the fullness of life, but expressions of our faith that Jesus IS the beautiful and glorious fullness of life that is ours by faith.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
He Will Hold Me Fast
All Things
When We See Your Face
All I Have Is Christ
A Christian's Daily Prayer

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Matthew 28:16-20 - A Church Planting Missiology

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Books that Shaped Us (Sovereign Grace Journal, October 2024)

By Churches, Sovereign Grace

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