“Promises To Celebrate On Christmas!” (God’s Promises pt. 3)
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 12/22/24 (4th Sunday Message)
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{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}
As we get ready for 2025, there are some things we have to hold onto.
Hebrews 10:23
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Remember hope…
meaning the God who can see into tomorrow!
that SAME God is making plans for you for 2025!
We should have hope in him!
Hebrews 10:23 (MSG)
Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.
Let’s keep a firm grip on what God has said… the promises he’s made.
because he ALWAYS keeps his word.
This month we’re going to be talking about WHAT to put our hope in. And THAT is going to be the promises of God.
Message Title:
“Promises To Celebrate On Christmas!” (God’s Promises pt. 3)
These promises will be things we can hold onto. Take a look at these each week.
take a look at these each month.
Because we put our hope in our God.
but also the things he has promised us.
Let’s quickly talk about last week.
Promises Of God To Stand On:
{repeat/type}
John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
We talked about this.
trouble comes.
That’s a big reason to talk about these promises.
Because we NEED them when the trouble comes. but when it does…
we have to remember that Christ is bigger.
And he told us that EACH TIME… in him we can have peace.
But it’s not the “regular” form of peace.
Not everyone can find peace in the same things. But The Lord already thought about that.
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Jesus tells us that there is something he leaves with us. He leaves us peace.
but HIS peace.
Not what the world gives.
This is why some of us can go through things… And still be at peace.
because all the time the storm is raging… the Lord is carrying us through.
Promises Of God To Stand On:
{repeat/type}
Many of us get tired.
we get tired of doing the right thing. turning the other cheek.
living a certain way.
but it’s in those weak times we find we are strong…
Isaiah 40:30
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Even the young people with all the energy get tired.
But those who have hope in God get a power that others don’t have!
2 Corinthians 12:9
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
His power is made perfect in weakness!
It’s okay to be tired!
When you keep going in spite of everything… you will KNOW it’s the Lord that did it!
2 Corinthians 12:10
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul is saying that the Pain has a purpose. So WE can take joy in weaknesses.
when people insult us.
when people ridicule us.
when others always have something to say. when we are mistreated
for whatever reason.
Because when we are weak.
THAT’s when we are strong!
New for today:
We continue our discussion of God’s promises… But as we approach Christmas…
and celebrate the birth of our Lord…
there are promises we have because of our Savior’s birth!
Isaiah 9:6
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
This is telling us about the upcoming birth of our savior. He has many names…
Wonderful Counselor Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace
And these names are just a small portion of what he is and what we have because of him.
Promises Of God To Stand On:
{repeat/type}
John 3:16-18
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Jesus was sent into the world because of God’s love. But it shows the magnitude of His love for us.
God loves us…
but he loved us so much…that he gave. But it wasn’t to just us.
John 3:16-18
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…
God sent his son to die for those who wouldn’t know him. We are all sinners without him.
But he died for the WORLD.
he died for the people we want to dislike. he died for the people we look down on.
Why?
Because he loves ALL of us!
1 John 4:8-10
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
God IS love…
and THIS love for you will never end.
Psalm 100:5
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
His love endures forever. It has no end.
There is no love we can find anywhere else.
We’ve talked before how God loves with a true unconditional love.
Most people will love you…
as long as you treat them right.
not everyone will love you when you’re wrong.
but there’s a God who loves you regardless.
His is the one true love…
and THAT love will never end! it can’t be lost.
it can’t be taken away.
Promises Of God To Stand On:
{repeat/type}
We need to remember this one for 2025, 2026, 2030 and forever!
We were told that in this world we would have trouble…
but we could take heart because Christ had overcome the world.
We know he loves us… he told us.
he also talks about the future we have with him.
John 14:1-2
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
Christ says he is going to prepare a place for us. Preparation for a later date…
He is building something for our future.
This is the promise…that he is building something for our future!
John 14:3
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Because Of Christ, My Future Is ALWAYS Brighter!
We don’t know what tomorrow may bring…
but we know something special is being prepared for us. he is preparing a special place JUST for us.
so we can be with him! But he’s not just talking about heaven. He was also talking about NOW as well!
He told Jeremiah how he thinks about his people.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Plans to prosper and not harm you! Plans for a hope and a future!
Plans for good things and not bad!
Mark 10:29-30
29 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
No one who has given up other things for him.
will not fail to get 100x as much in this PRESENT age. Meaning what we give up now…we can get back!
and AFTER…eternal life!
{repeat/type}
“God Is Working On My Now, And Preparing Me For My Later!”
Although we may feel like we’ve missed out on things.
Jesus tells us that if we gave up the world for him… we can get all the other stuff and MORE!
That’s the type of God we serve! That’s what he told Solomon!
1 Kings 3 talks about when Solomon was made king.
The Lord came to him in a dream and asked him what he wanted.
Solomon said Lord give me wisdom to govern your people the ability to know right from wrong.
The Lord responds:
1 Kings 3:11-13
11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
Jesus is saying the same thing!
This Trouble Won’t Last Forever, Our God Said It Can’t!
Psalm 30:5b
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
This means there are difficult times… but JOY is coming.
better days are coming! Remember these promises… because when trouble comes… you have THESE to go back on!
Write them down…post them…look over them.
{recap}
Our God keeps his promises.
What he said, he will do.
As we get ready to enter 2025…
find some promises and stand on them.
Promises Of God To Stand On:
Promises Of God To Stand On:
Promises Of God To Stand On:
Promises Of God To Stand On:
Promises Of God To Stand On:
Promises Of God To Stand On:
