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    Dec 13, 2020

    We Need a SOURCE OF JOY

    Passage: Romans 7:25

    Speaker: Steven Cooper

    Series: What We NEED for Christmas

    Category: Sermon

    Message Summary:

    Romans 7:18-25 describes the anguish of coming face to face with the worst parts of ourselves. In the face of the brutal facts we are tempted to (1) Ignore our faults and believe we are better than we actually are, or (2) Focus on our faults and let guilt and depression overwhelm us. Both options separate us from God and lead to death. But Paul declares good news of great joy: The King of heaven and earth has come to save us from death! The joy of the Christmas message is that God wants us in His family forever—and that joy moves us to worship Him and share the good news with others.

     

    Discussion Questions:

    1. How has Jesus been a source of joy in your life?
    2. What does it mean that Jesus is "Christ" and "Lord"? How can this impact your life?
    3. How does Christmas produce joy in you?
    4. How can you be more open about the joy of Christmas with others this week?

     

    VERSES:

    Romans 7:18-25

    18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

    21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

    25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

     

    Luke 2:1-20

    In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

    8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

    13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.