Advent 2024 - Phillips Chapel

Advent - Love

December 22, 2024 • Ben Gibson • 1 John 4:7–12

It is no surprise that love has been misused and misunderstood by the world. Nor is it a secret that love has been misrepresented by the church. In all honesty, we struggle with the idea of love because our experiences and preferences. We've all been hurt and those wounds make it harder to give and receive love. To some degree we are all selfish and we would rather get than give. To correct our thinking and to make up the gap between our experiences and the truth, we turn to the Scriptures. The theme is love and we will study from 1 John 4:7 - 12 as we finish our Advent series.

Advent - Joy

December 15, 2024 • Ben Gibson • 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Joy is a feature of Christmas. It was first announced as good news of great joy for all people (Luke 2:10). At some point in the narrative, the people touched by the events are overcome with joy. But circumstances in all honesty were not all merry and bright. They were humble beginnings to say the least, and yet regardless of their overwhelming and difficult circumstances, they rejoiced.

Advent - Peace

December 8, 2024 • Ben Gibson • Isaiah 9:6–7

Our focus on the 2nd Sunday of Advent is peace, something for which the world longs. The good news of great joy is that the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ will establish long awaited peace with God (Luke 2:14). And His prophesied second advent will usher in a kingdom of peace, ruled by the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6 - 7). For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Join us today as we study this text, seeking to understand the nature of God's peace and how it has been achieved.

Hope in Jesus — Our need for a Messiah

December 1, 2024 • PJ Selvy • Matthew 15:12–13

We have a two-fold goal for this season. First, we celebrate the 1st coming of Christ and all that it accomplished for the world. Second, we cling to the Hope of His return, which will be the consummation and restoration of all things. During this first week of Advent, we will focus on the hope we have in Christ. Truly, this hope was something that people clung to in the first century, just as we do today. What is more, we are blessed to experience this hope every day through the gift of eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ.