December 20, 2020
Pastor Michael King
Sermon Notes
Luke 1:1-4
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
4 Unshakable Realities:
1.Know the Certainty of God
God is Real, God is Active, and God is Unstoppable.
2. Know the Certainty of Jesus
Luke 1:31-35
1 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
3. Know the Certainty of Salvation
Jeremiah 31:31
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah
Jeremiah 31:34
34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
4. Know the Certainty of Faith
Luke 1:26-33
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:48-53
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
The Great mark of Christmas is the Joy of the Holy Spirit
Next Steps
- Today I realize that I don’t have the joy of Christmas. I am putting my faith in Jesus for the salvation from my sin for the first time.
- I have let the worries of the world cloud my beliefs about God. Today I commit to knowing the truth of God like a mountain, not like a cloud.
- Today I realized I don’t know the truth like I want to. I commit to joining a life group so I can grow in faith and relationships with other believers.
Deep Dive
- Have you ever experienced something that shook your beliefs to the core? What did you learn about God in that time?
- What truth of God does the Christmas season remind you of the most?
- Of our 4 unshakable realities, which one is hardest for you to keep as a mountain and not a cloud? Which one is easiest? Why do you think that is?
- How can you use your Christmas traditions to show others the Joy of the Holy Spirit this year?
Springboard
- What are some big life questions you often ask and why is it important to search the Bible for answers?
- Read 1 Corinthians 13:9-12. How does our weakness rely on God for truth?
- What is the danger of relying on religious acts instead of a relationship with Jesus?
