What if God Was a Baby?
Christmas 2022
A Way - In A Manger
December 25, 2022 • Courtney Harkness
May we never lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas - that God entered our world to guide us in it, and then deliver us from it. Those who came to visit Mary and Joseph saw the baby, and they received Him as Messiah - the Son of God. In the same way, we are to receive Jesus as King - not just the ruler of our lives, but over all creation. The one who starts out lying in a manger actually ends up sitting on a throne! So for this weekend, I encourage you to do much more than just celebrate Christmas. I encourage you to worship the Christ.
Christmas Eve | Go Tell It On the Mountain
December 24, 2022 • Courtney Harkness
How do you boldly proclaim a promise to others, when it doesn’t quite meet your own expectations? The promise of the Messiah had anchored Israel’s hope for many generations. Through their ups and downs, they held to the belief that one day, the chosen one would come and change their fortunes forever. They expected a king. They expected a ruler. They expected a warrior. They expected someone who could grant them the glory they deserved. But few had ever really wrapped their minds around a baby...
Who Would Believe a Baby?
December 18, 2022 • Courtney Harkness
The night Jesus was born was anything but a “silent night.” The shepherds, who were tending sheep in a nearby pasture, experienced the full weight of heaven crashing into earth, when a host of angels appeared to bring news of the newborn Savior. It was the most extraordinary baby shower of all time! But while the world longed for rescue - who would believe the solution is found in a baby?
O Come, All Ye Faithful
December 11, 2022 • Courtney Harkness
How would you respond? Sometimes, faith requires much of us. In addition to facing our fears, it often includes swallowing our pride. Joseph’s response to Mary’s pregnancy illustrates this, and it serves as a pattern for us all. Joseph was known for being faithful to the law, but this moment raised a new question for him: How would he respond to the lawgiver? The arrival of Jesus into our lives always challenges the plans we have, and we must learn to surrender our will to God’s ways. In doing so, we discover what it really means to be faithful - and find ourselves swept up in the extraordinary plans that God has in store for us.
What Child is This?
December 4, 2022 • Courtney Harkness
Expectant mothers have expectations. It’s no surprise. Many spend their pregnancy days fantasizing about who their child will be or what they might be like - hoping that the world will love them as much as they already do. But what if your pregnancy was the most important one that ever was? Mary’s story helps us appreciate the Christmas season, as we begin to explore what it really means to relate to God’s promise. As the arrival of a baby proves to completely change the life of every mother, so God intends to change all of our lives with the long-awaited fulfillment of His promise.