Christmas Luke Psalms Sermons 

A Tale of Two Conceptions

  Psalm 51:5; Luke 1:30-35 (texts); Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 14 December 18, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: To most evangelicals, “Virgin Mary” or “Mary, Mother of God” are easily dismissed as Catholic ideas. But the title, “Mother of God,” is both early and a mistranslation. It was used of Mary as early as the mid-3rd century, and the Greek term used, Theotokos, is literally, “God-Bearer” or “Birth Giver of God,” not “Mother of God.” The controversy over the title Theotokos began when Nestorius, bishop of…

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Christmas Sermons 

The King-Priest is Worshiped at His Birth and Honored at His Death

  Psalm 45:6-7; Matthew 2:7-12; John 19:38-42 (text) December 20, 2015 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: Everyone loves the Nativity scene: a cute baby in a manger holding out his hands in blessing; Mary and Joseph in wonderment of their firstborn son; lowly shepherds and three kings kneeling in worship; and adorable sheep and cows in the background. But Nativity scenes are far from real, and not even Biblical. A few years back, Dr. Jack Kinneer, professor at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, wrote a…

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Christmas Sermons 

“That Where I Am You May Be Also”

  Isaiah 33:13-16; John 14:1-7, 15-18 (text) December 13, 2015 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: In 1949, Ira Stanphill composed a song entitled “Mansion Over the Hilltop” that was made popular by Elvis Presley. This song is based upon the misleading translation and mistaken interpretation of Jesus’ promise in John 14:2, “In my Father’s house are many monai.” The King James Bible translates the Greek word monai into “mansions,” which in 1611, simply meant “dwelling-places.” Sadly, even though the word “mansion” has a very different meaning today,…

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Christmas Sermons 

Christmas in the Gospel of John

  Our Advent 2015 sermon series: Date Sermon Title Texts November 29 True Food and True Drink from Heaven Numbers 11:4-13; John 1:14; 6:51-59 December 6 “I AM the Light of the World” Isaiah 9:1-7; John 1:1-9; 8:12 December 13 “That Where I am You May be Also” Isaiah 33:13-16; John 14:1-7, 15-18 December 20 The King-Priest is Worshiped at His Birth Psalm 45:6-9; Matthew 2:7-12; John 19:38-42; Text: John 19:39-40

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Christmas Sermons 

“I AM the Light of the World”

  Isaiah 9:1-7; John 1:1-9; 8:12 (text) December 6, 2015 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: Why is Christmas traditionally a season of lights? Many want to outdo one another in lighting up their homes, malls and other buildings with multi-colored lights and decorations. We’re all amazed at the creativity of those who surround their homes with all kinds of lighted decorations. Most people in the northern hemisphere say that it’s because they want to brighten long, dark winter nights. But even in tropical countries where it is not…

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Christmas Sermons 

Our Only Comfort and Joy

  Readings: Isaiah 40:1-5; 42:5-7; Luke 2:22-35; 2:29-32 (text) December 24, 2014 • Download this sermon (PDF) Finally, the promised Seed of the Woman, the Offspring of Abraham who would be the Blessing to All Nations, the Prophet greater than Moses, the Son of David who would be the Everlasting King, has come! He was born of a woman, but conceived by the Holy Spirit. Although “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col 1:19), because of God’s love for his people, he came down from…

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Christmas Church Blog KSYC Program 

The Shepherd-King from Bethlehem

Micah 5:2-5 (text); Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 2:1-11 December 21, 2014 KSYC (Yreka, CA) • Download this meditation (PDF) “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days… And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD” (Micah 5:2-4). This Sunday before Christmas we will focus on the little town of Bethlehem and the wise…

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Christmas Church Blog Worship 

Liturgy for December 21, 2014

  Welcome and Announcements Coming into God’s Presence * Song of Praise and Adoration: “O Come, All Ye Faithful” #193:1-3 (Brown Hymnal) * Call to Worship: Psalm 148 * Opening Prayer * Invocation: Psalm 124:8 Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. * God’s Greeting: Galatians 1:3-5 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever…

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Christmas Worship 

A Festival of Lessons & Carols

  Welcome to our Festival of Lessons & Carols on December 21, 2014 • 12:30 – 1:30 PM. Download this liturgy (PDF) Through readings from God’s Holy Word, we will recount the dramatic history of salvation. We will survey the whole panorama of redemptive history from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2-3, through the promises to the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Psalms, and to their climactic fulfillment in the Gospels: the Incarnation of the Eternal Word. Finally, we look forward to the return of the God-Man to this earth in…

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Christmas Sermons 

“To Remember His Holy Covenant”

  Psalm 105:8, 9; Luke 1:72-75 (text) December 14, 2014 • Download this sermon (PDF) Introduction Dear Congregation of Christ: Last Lord’s Day, we began our study of the Song of Zechariah in Luke Chapter 1. Zechariah prophesied that “a horn of salvation” promised by the prophets of old would come to visit and redeem God’s people. This “horn of salvation” is Jesus, the cousin of his yet to be born son, John the Baptizer. In our lesson for today in verses 72-75, Zechariah’s prophecy continues with God sending this “horn of…

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