A B.L.E.S.S. Christmas: The Gift of Listening

South Bay Community Church

A B.L.E.S.S. Christmas: The Gift of Listening

December 3, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • Jeremiah 29:12, Psalm 116:1–2

We are continuing our series of messages, “A B.L.E.S.S. Christmas.” God is inviting us to embrace the sentiment, sounds, and sharing of this Christmas season as Jesus’ witnesses of light and love. The focus of this message is on the “L” in B.L.E.S.S., which is the gift of listening with care. Listening with care like God listens and Jesus listens is a gift of hope that the world desperately needs. God’s listening is active and attentive in every aspect of our lives. God is watching over us and orchestrating our care, our provision, and our well-being in ways even beyond our awareness. Even when God seems far away or the tragedies and trials of this world threaten to overwhelm us, God never leaves our side. God is present with good plans, hope, and a future. As the Holy Spirit opens the door for spiritual conversations, listening well enables us to extend not only hope but Jesus, our Living Hope. Listening with care is a gift of love we can give this Christmas to BLESS others with hope. However, when we don’t listen well, we can miss the ways God is moving; God is inviting us to connect with others and share God’s message of love and hope. God calls, God listens, and provides hope and a future.

A B.L.E.S.S: Christmas: Share Your Story

December 17, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • Luke 2:8–11, Luke 2:14, Romans 12:13–15

In this message, we are concluding our series, A B.L.E.S.S. Christmas, with the last “S” for Share your story. In this Christmas season, let us continue to Begin with prayer, Listen with care, Eat together, and Serve with love. As followers of Jesus, let us pray for the Holy Spirit to open spaces for us to Share our stories of Jesus, just like the shepherds upon His birth. It is not the end of God’s story, but it is the beginning of the climax of God’s story as the point in human history planned by God that changes everything forever. Our stories are stories of Good News that will bring Great Joy for All People. Jesus was the center of that joy for the shepherds and is the center of our joy today. Joy to the world, for the Lord has come!

A B.L.E.S.S Christmas: Eat Together - Serve with Love

December 10, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • Acts 2:44–47

God is inviting us to embrace the sentiment, sounds, and sharing of this Christmas season as Jesus’ witnesses of light and love. Now we continue our series of messages “A B.L.E.S.S. Christmas.” The past two sermons explored “B” Begin with prayer and “L” Listen with care. The focus of this message is on the “E” in B.L.E.S.S., which is Eat Together, and the first “S,” which is Serve with Love. B.L.E.S.S. practices are a way of life and a way of seeing the world through the Kingdom of God's eyes. We love God with all our might and love our neighbor as ourselves. Out of that love, we invite others to also love God and their neighbor through Jesus. As we do, God does a work of transformation in them and us. This work of transformation makes us more and more like Jesus. Sometimes it is fun; sometimes it is hard work. But it is worth the effort. So let us continue to B.L.E.S.S. this Christmas.

A B.L.E.S.S. Christmas

November 26, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • Matthew 28:18–20, Acts 1:8

Our hearts are full of the goodness of God. We experience and enjoy what is wonderful because of the goodness of God. The goodness of God never changes, no matter how our circumstances change. As we enter the Christmas season, next Sunday marks the beginning of Advent, which means the coming and arrival of Jesus. God’s plan does not begin or end with Jesus’ birth at Christmas, or with Jesus’ resurrection, or with our salvation. As followers of Jesus, it is not just about us experiencing the goodness of God and the joy of a personal relationship with God. However, that goodness is to be shared Jesus instructs His followers in four primary ways in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8. (1) We are to be witnesses. (2) We are to make disciples. (3) Everyone is invited. (4) Jesus is with us. You will see that there are unique opportunities to share the gifts of God during this Christmas season including the sentiment of the season, the sounds of the season, and the sharing of the season. The sentiment of the season provides an opportunity to ask what Jesus’ birth means to others and humbly share what it means to you. The sounds and music of the season allow people to hear God’s story, such as “Joy to the World, the Lord has come”; we can ask others what the song means to them. Sharing of the Christmas season reflects the goodness of God that allows us to share God’s love, our resources, our time, and our hearts during this season of sharing. Let us hear the hearts and needs of those to whom we are seeking to share the love of Jesus by using the acronym BLESS: “B” Begin with prayer, “L” Listen with care, “E” Eat together, “S” Serve with love, “S” Share your story.