NCF Sunday Worship Livestream - November 24, 2024 - New City Fellowship

New City Fellowship - Fredericksburg

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NCF Sunday Worship Livestream - November 24, 2024

November 24, 2024 • Pastor Bob Becker • Joshua 4:1—5:1, Ephesians 1:3–4, Psalm 103:1–5, John 15:20–27

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Sermon Title: “Why Do We Need Memorials?” (Pastor Bob)

Sermon Text: Joshua 4:1-5:1

Sermon Summary:

Why do we remember birthdays, wedding anniversaries, big events in our lives? Why does our nation have memorials honoring those who died to keep us free? Why do we have statues and monuments of former presidents and of people who have changed our lives? We need to remember and to never forget those great events and how they affected us. They are even signposts to help us to reflect both on the passage of time and where we are now. What do we need to be grateful to God for? What needs to remain in my life and what needs to change? What is really important? 12 men, one from each tribe of Israel, took one of the stones the priest stood on in the Jordon River with the ark and brought it to shore. The Memorial was to be used to remind parents to teach their children that their God brought them into the Promised Land with great power. Jesus told us to remember Him and what he did to save us every time we partake of the Lord’s Supper. There was no greater act of our Father’s love and power for us!

Meditation: Ephesians 1:3-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every

spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Call to Worship: Psalm 103:1-5

N.T. Reading: John 15:20-27

NCF Sunday Worship Livestream - December 22, 2024

December 22, 2024 • Pastor Bob Becker • Luke 1:27–38, Luke 2:33–35, Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 146:5–10, Isaiah 26:1–9

Sermon Title: “The Strength of Mary’s Faith” Sermon Text: Luke 1:27-38; 2:33-35 Summary: What I find amazing about Mary’s faith is how it is filled with wonder, humility and surrender. She says in 1:48-49: “…for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” This news was not according to her plans. She immediately says yes, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Lk. 1:38) She does not think about what will come next or the disgrace it may cause. She willingly surrenders to the will of God! Are we willing to obey the Bible no matter if we like it or not? Are we willing to trust God no matter what He chooses to send into our lives, whether we understand it or not? If we cannot answer, “yes,” to both questions then we have not said to Jesus, “I am the Lord’s servant, let it be done to me according to your word.” When we celebrate Christmas it is about imitating Mary’s example and fully surrendering our lives to Jesus. Meditation: Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Call to Worship: Psalm 146:5-10 O.T. Reading: Isaiah 26:1-9

NCF Sunday Worship Livestream - December 15, 2024

December 15, 2024 • Pastor Bob Becker • Jeremiah 10:1–7, Matthew 2, Isaiah 33:22, Psalm 95:1–6

Sermon Title: “Looking for the King of Kings” Sermon Text: Matthew 2:1-23 Summary: Do we understand why King Herod responded the way he did over the birth of Jesus? If you were reigning as the king of the Jews (really appointed by the Romans) and some stargazers came from the East and started asking around your city, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?,” how would you react?’ We all remember King Herod’s evil act of ordering the slaughter of all the male children of Bethlehem two years and younger. We are repulsed by such evil. We say, “There it is again, the rich and powerful taking advantage of the poor and less fortunate.” However, don’t all people respond that way when asked to bow the knee to King Jesus? Jesus said in Lk. 14:26: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” The King of kings comes into our world, and we see His rule and kingdom as a threat to our rule over our own lives! The amazing thing is we deny we have (or had) this hostility toward Jesus’ Kingship. We are too busy proving ourselves to a world system that only accepts those with a success story. Jesus says to us, “It does not matter who you are and what you have done. I came to save you if you repent and believe in me and my work.” That’s the Christmas message. Meditation: Isaiah. 33:22 “For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.” Call to Worship: Psalm 95:1-6 O.T. Reading: Jeremiah 10:1-7

NCF Sunday Worship Livestream - December 8, 2024

December 8, 2024 • Pastor Bob Becker • Matthew 1:1–23, Micah 5:2, Psalm 131, Isaiah 11:1–10

Sermon Title: “The Mothers and Fathers of Jesus” (Pastor Bob) Sermon Text: Matthew 1:1-23 Summary: My sermon title may surprise you. Did Jesus have mothers and fathers? We may forget that the Christmas story is not a fable. It is a historical event. Matthew shows this through Jesus’ genealogy made up of fathers and mothers or should I say grandfathers and grandmothers. When we present ourselves to others we give them a summary of our achievements, a list of our scholastic degrees, and our place of employment. Not so in Jesus’ day; it was your genealogy. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah. His genealogy says, “This is who I am.” However, though Jesus had earthly mothers and fathers, He was and is also God. He has a Heavenly Father. Tim Keller says in his book, “Hidden Christmas:” “At Christmas he [Jesus] punched a hole between the ideal and the real, the eternal and the temporal, and came into our world.” Jesus did not come into the world to give us the advice he learned from his ancestors. Jesus did not say, “I can show you the way to spiritual reality if you do these things.” Jesus says, “I am spiritual reality itself. You could never come up to me to find it. I had to come to you. You need to be saved, and I am the only One who can save you!” Meditation: Micah 5:2 “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.” Call to Worship: Psalm 131 O.T. Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10