Christmas at Journey
God's Gift of Shepherds
December 15, 2019 • Geoff Surratt
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. And angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.” Luke 2:8-9 We are kicking off part three of our teaching series, Christmas at Journey, with guest speaker Geoff Surratt. This series is about finding peace and a calling in the middle of the craziness of the holiday season! This message takes a closer look at characters that often get overlooked—the shepherds. If you look through the Bible, especially the context of the Old Testament, you will see that shepherds play a key role in the beginning to the end of the Bible. Adam and Eve’s son Abel was the first shepherd. Moses, the man who delivered the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. King David, the second king of Israel, and before he became king, his role was a shepherd. Often, Jesus refers to himself as the “Good Shepherd.” Why should we pay attention to what a shepherd does? Because they are always there for their sheep. They don’t run away or abandoned their sheep. Shepherds know their sheep, they lead their sheep, they provide for their sheep, and they protect their sheep. Have you had someone in your life who has filled the role of shepherd? Someone who has been there for you, cared for you and walked with you. Key Verses: Luke 2:8-15, John 10:14, John 10:2-4, John 10:10-11, Psalms 23:1-3, Isaiah 40:11, John 10:7-9, Psalms 23:4
Zechariah - Not Forgotten
December 8, 2019 • Scotty Priest
“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; you prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.” Luke 1:13-14 We are kicking off part two of our teaching series, Christmas at Journey, talking about finding peace and a calling in the middle of the craziness of this season! This message takes a closer look at a character that often gets overlooked, and his name is Zechariah. If you’ve ever felt forgotten or like God is silent, this message is for you. If you are in the “waiting room of life” right now, asking “what is next for me,” here are a few key points for what it looks like in the moment of waiting on God: Waiting is never wasted when we are waiting on God. God is working while we are waiting. We are waiting with God. Who we become while we are waiting is an important as what we are waiting for. You are not forgotten. Key Verses: Luke 1:5-25
Joseph - An Inconvenient Calling
December 1, 2019 • Scotty Priest
“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:18 We are kicking off a new teaching series for Christmas talking about finding peace and a calling in the middle of the craziness of this season! This message takes a closer look at a character that often gets overlooked, and his name is Joseph. The subtitle for this message is “an inconvenient calling.” We hate to be inconvenienced, and we are always in a hurry, always busy, always have plans, and we feel inconvenienced when someone gets in our way. We don’t like to be inconvenienced when we feel like something is standing in our way. All of us have plans, we have directions. We have plans for our life, a picture of what our lives are going to look like, and we sometimes try to have plans for God, “I would like for you to do this on this timetable.” But often times that picture we have for our lives is interrupted by inconveniences and sometimes God cuts in, and sends us down a different path. Sometimes God calls us to something beyond our capacity to understand and our ability to handle on our own. Sometimes God has a calling on your life that is bigger than you can carry on your own, and it’s inconvenient. It will be a blessing someday but right now it can feel like a tremendous burden. Key Verses: Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 2:12-13, Matthew 2:19-23