December 22, 2024 • Pastor Arin Hess • Luke 2:10–11
Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
"He is Worthy"
December 15, 2024 • Pastor Mark Blowers • Luke 1:67–79
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%201%3a67-79&version=esv#fen-esv-24963a] from on high
79
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
"Devoted to Good Works"
December 8, 2024 • Jon Hess • Titus 3:8–15
Titus 3:8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. 15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all.
"The Gospel & Godliness on Repeat"
December 1, 2024 • Jon Hess • Titus 3:1–7
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
“Living by the Book”
November 24, 2024 • Pastor Tom Rempel • Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
“The Grace of God”
November 17, 2024 • Jon Hess • Titus 2:11–15
Titus 2:[11] For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, [12] training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, [13] waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. [15] Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
"Teach Sound Doctrine"
November 10, 2024 • Jon Hess • Titus
Titus 2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
"Peace in a Person"
November 3, 2024 • Pastor Tom Rempel • Psalm 23
"Stand in Awe of God"
October 20, 2024 • Pastor Mark Blowers • Exodus 20
"Qualifications for Undershepherds" pt.2
October 13, 2024 • Jon Hess • Titus 1:10–16
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
"Qualifications for Undershepherds" pt.1
October 6, 2024 • Jon Hess • Titus 1:5–9
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
"Hope of Eternal Life"
September 29, 2024 • Jon Hess • Titus 1:1–4
The message of Titus is that sound teaching leads to godliness. As authentic apostolic doctrine is received and loved, all kinds of people will learn to live in ways that are pleasing to God—from those currently entangled in false teaching to those who are elders and overseers of the church.
The book of Titus reminds us that our beliefs about God impact every decision we make.
"Only God is Great!"
September 22, 2024 • Pastor Tom Rempel • Isaiah 40
"When people are big and God is small - trust in God and His Word!" - Rempel
"Be People of the Word"
September 15, 2024 • Pastor Dave Comeau • 2 Timothy 3:1—4:5
Dave has called Massachusetts home his entire life. He married his lovely wife, Stacey, in 2010. They have lived in Weymouth since 2013 where they have raised their two children, Liza and Jesse. In 2008, after a year of sitting under preaching from the Bible in an ordinary church, God changed Dave’s heart so that Jesus Christ became his greatest need, only hope in life and in death, and most faithful Savior, Lord, and Friend. Since then, he has desired to see others know, love, and follow Jesus through the Word of God in the context of an ordinary, faithful church. By God’s grace, this is where he will lead Immanuel Church. Dave enjoys living ordinary life with his beloved family and church family, reading, Boston sports, acoustic guitar, and doing anything near the ocean.
"No Upgrade Needed"
September 8, 2024 • Jon Hess • 2 Timothy 3:10–16
2 Timothy 3:10-16 10: You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
