12-05-2021

12-05-2021
Dr. E. Dale Locke (Loxahatchee & Online), Rev. José Marerro (WPB), Rev. Efrain Silva (COH Español)
Sermon Series: Come Home; Jesus left home so that you could come home
Week 2: Say It Again?
English PDF file for printing.
Para imprimir el archivo PDF en Español

1. Read our theme verse from this series, John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

From last week’s sermon, what does it mean that Jesus is full of both grace and truth?  Describe grace.  Describe truth, as it relates to this passage and what Jesus came to offer us.

2. We lit the 2nd Advent candle representing hope. How would you define hope? 

Read Luke 1:26-38 – In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

     29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

     34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

     35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”  (King James Version, “Nothing is impossible with God.”)

     38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

3. In the culture of that day, women survived by marrying and being cared for by a husband.  So, imagine all that Mary was risking as she accepted this assignment from God.  Discuss the challenges that she would have faced. 

4. Note Mary’s question in verse 34: “How will this be?” If you’ve had a situation in your life where you wanted to ask God, “How will this be?  How can this work?” – share about that with your group. 

This story reminds us of several things:

·      Genuine Belief is Seldom Easy

5. The virgin birth is one of the most challenging things that Christians believe. It reminds us that real faith sometimes takes some work.  What are some aspects of the Christian faith that have been a struggle for you to believe over the years? 

6. One day we will no longer need faith, because we’ll be able to see with our own eyes that everything the New Testament says about Jesus is true.  What has helped to strengthen your faith regarding those things in Christianity that you’ve found difficult to believe?

7. Belief in the virgin birth paves the way for us to believe other seemingly impossible things about Jesus, especially that he rose from the dead. Theologian Sam Storms wrote: “The Virgin Birth alone insured both the full deity and full humanity of Jesus. If God had created Jesus a complete human being in heaven and sent Him to earth apart from any human parent, it is difficult to see how He could be truly a man. If God had sent His Son into the world through both a human father and mother, it is difficult to see how He could be truly God.” 

What do you think about this? 

8. In his book Irresistible, pastor and author Andy Stanley tells of meeting woman in China who became a follower of Jesus, despite how dangerous that is in China. She told Andy she was puzzled about something.  Given the freedom people have in America, why don’t all Americans go to church?  If she had asked you that question, what would you have said to her? 

·      God is always working

9. What are some situations in your life where you desperately want God to work, but you can’t see or feel that He is working?

10. What helps a person trust God in this kind of situation or in a time of deep heartbreak?

·      Yielding is the First Step of Hope

11. Note in verse 38 how Mary simply yielded to God, despite all the risks involved. Mary says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”  Yielding to God is the first step toward hope.  Why is that?  

12. Take some time now to pray and yield over to God the situations you are struggling with. Trust Him that He is good and has good plans for you, even when He asks you to do something difficult. 

Ready for your next step? – If you would like to take a next step in your faith journey, such as trusting your life to Christ or getting baptized, text the word “Next” to 561-264-6079 and follow the steps there, and we’ll contact you to help you do that.

News and Announcements:

·      New Here?  Let us know who you are by texting “connect” to 561-264-6079.

●      Looking for new small group leaders and host homes:  We’re looking for people interested in leading a small group, so we can start some new groups in January.  You don’t have to be a Bible expert.  Group leaders don’t teach, and they don’t need to know all the answers. They just facilitate the discussion and encourage caring and friendship among their group members.  We give training and support, and we find your curriculum for you.  We’re also looking for people who would be willing to just open their home and host a group led by someone else. To sign up to lead or to host, go to: communityofhope.church/groups. 

·      12 Days of Christmas Devotional – Family Ministries Team created a 12-days of Christmas Family Devotional to help you and your family see how the entire Bible leads up to and points to Jesus. You can pick one up this week at our Christmas movie night on December 3rd, or any time after that. There’s no cost, but you need to register at communityofhope.church/12days to reserve your devotional.  

• Blue Christmas, Sunday, December 12, 5pm – Advent is a wonderful time, but it can be a difficult season for people who’ve experienced loss. That’s why we’re offering Blue Christmas services at both our West Palm Beach Campus and our Loxahatchee Campus as a time of remembrance and hope for anyone grieving loss of any kind. This is a great event to invite someone you know who’s lost a loved one in recent years or recently been through a tough season in other ways. More information at communityofhope.church/bluechristmas

• Christmas Missions Offering: As we do every year, we’re inviting everyone to give an extra amount this Christmas to support our missions and outreach over the coming year. This year’s goal is $150,000 to expand our ministry to the poor in our community by purchasing a box truck with a lift and a also pick-up truck. We will use any additional funds as seed money to build a facility on our Loxahatchee Campus that would enable us to have cold food storage and additional space for our “Love the 561” ministries and for other needs we have as our church grows. You can give all throughout Advent and at our Christmas Eve services.

·      Thank you for your regular financial support, which makes it possible for us to minister to you and to our community!  If you haven’t already, consider setting up automated giving to help you be consistent even when you’re traveling. To give to Community of Hope go to https://communityofhope.church/give.