Thank you for joining us for worship this week. I pray that this experience moves you closer to Jesus and makes you more aware of his love for you.
Worship Schedule:
9:30 am
Live at Wesley Chapel
Live on our Worship Line: (443) 252-2878
11:00 am
Live in person @Rock Hall Church
Live online @ https://yourrockhall.online.church
Here are this week's announcements
Advent: Joy
This is the Third Sunday of Advent.
Advent, meaning arrival, is the season for the church and disciples of Jesus to consider the impact of God's arrival in the flesh on earth.
A king in the form of a baby.
This week the focus for Advent is on the joy which Jesus brought into the world
Spend a moment considering how you can choose joy when life is hard.
Order of Worship
Welcome
Advent Reading
Morning Prayer
Opening Songs
Stewardship Moment
Pastoral Prayer
Message
Closing Song
Benediction
Songs for worship:
9:30am
“Light The Advent Candle”
"Like a Child”
“Away In A Manger”
“Angels From the Realms of Glory”
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
11:00am
Great Things
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Holy is His Name
Advent Reading:
Can you imagine the joy Adam and Eve must have felt to walk with God in the garden of Eden? They knew and experienced their Creator face to face. We can also imagine the despair they experienced when they were cast out of Eden for sinning against God. Yet in his mercy God began to restore the joy of knowing and experiencing him through a man he named Abraham and his descendants Israel.
God often leads people into trial so that we can learn to find joy in our relationship with him. He led the Israelites into captivity in Egypt for 400 years of hardship and toil. God did not forget them. He raised up Moses to lead his people out of captivity but the evil king Pharaoh would have none of it. To free his people God sent plagues on the Egypt, even killing Pharaohs firstborn son, a child the people believed to be divine. As God led the Israelites out of captivity he parted the Red Sea so they could walk across on dry land. Pharaoh chased after them and God crashed the waves down upon Pharaoh’s armies. As Moses and the Israelites stood on the far side of the Red Sea Moses’ sister Miriam sang a joyful song of thanksgiving for the deliverance God had brought.
Exodus 15:21 (NIV) “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”
Just like God delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt God planned to deliver his people from the even greater bondage of sin. By the power of the Holy Spirit the virgin Mary conceived a child. When she visited her relative Elizabeth who was also pregnant Elizabeth’s child leaped in her womb for joy. Jesus, the second Moses, has come to lead his people into freedom. As Mary carried the Christ child she like Miriam at the Red Sea sang a joyful song of thanksgiving.
Luke 1:46b-48a (NIV) “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
Now as we light the candle of joy we joyfully thank the Lord for sending Jesus, the one and only divine Son of God, to lead us out of our sin and captivity. Just as Moses was born and placed in a papyrus basket as a baby, Jesus was placed in a wooden manger. Just as Moses lead the Israelites out of captivity, Jesus leads any who repent and believe in him out of captivity to sin and into the freedom of eternal life. Let us sing songs of joyful praise like Miriam and Mary this Christmas season as we also celebrate the arrival of the one who will lead us home into God’s presence, a second final exodus.
by Jonathan Romig
Message Notes:
FAITH MATTERS
Some things to notice:
Genesis 18:1 NIV - An Encounter with Jesus
Genesis 18:2–8 NIV - The Lost Art of Hospitality
Genesis 18:8–9 NIV - God’s voice is loudest when we slow down
Genesis 18:9–15 NIV - God’s plan has it’s own schedule
Genesis 18:16–21 NIV - Understanding is found in God’s presence
Genesis 18:22–33 NIV - Prayer changes things
God’s word in our life:
Abraham - Standing in the Gap
The way we live affects others
Psalm 37:28 NIV
Luke 18:42–43 NIV
Proverbs 14:26 NIV
How we can fill the gap
Micah 6:8 NIV
Your faith matters
Bible Reading Plan:
Need a plan for studying God's word?
Here is one:
Study Guide
We live in a very individualistic society in which many of us function as if we’re independent from those around us.
The New Testament paints a much different picture of what it means to be a part of God’s family. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the human body as an analogy of how Christians are to relate to one another. As you read 1 Corinthians 12:14-31, what are some of the things that catch your attention in regards to how God wants us to function as part of his family.
Can you think of ways you’ve benefited from others playing their roles?
Can you think of any examples of how the body of believers might be hindered when someone isn’t willing to play their role?
In this weekend’s teaching, we were reminded that our righteousness affects other people.
The reality is that what we do or say will often affect and influence those around us just as it did in Abraham’s time. King Solomon had great influence in his life. What attitudes do you see reflected in his prayer in 1 Kings 3:7-10 that could help explain why he had such great influence?
Why do you think those attitudes are important for having a positive influence?
Can you think of any reasons why we all seem to struggle with consistently having these attitudes?
Most of us have had to live with the consequences of other people’s bad or sinful decisions. Their choice to use their influence negatively can have a major and often lasting impact on us. How could the following verses help someone who is facing this kind of situation?
Romans 5:3-4
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
What is most challenging to you about applying the principles in these verses in your life?
As you think about the influence you have on other people, is there anything from this week’s message or study that you think would help you to spread joy.
Study by Northcoast Church