Get the most out of today’s message!
We encourage you to jot down what you hear God speaking to you about today as you listen to the teaching. Plan on diving deeper into the message by downloading the study guide on Sunday night so you can compare your notes with the guide as a path for deeper spiritual commitment. Once posted, the teaching video and study guide can be found under the Media tab.
Holy Night - Week One
Christmas is one of the greatest AND most dangerous times of the year for people in the church.
In order to respond this Christmas, there are things we can and must overcome together.
1) FEAR
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! —Luke 1:26-30 (NLT)
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” —Luke 1:34 (NLT)
The solution to fear is not the avoidance of the feeling, but REDIRECTION.
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. —Luke 1:38 (NLT)
Your faith is not built in the absence of fear. Your faith is built when you choose to trust God in the middle of it.
But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. —Psalm 56:3-4 (NLT)
Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. —Luke 1:46-49 (NLT)
Mary overcame fear and uncertainty by redirecting herself to trust and praise God.
2) INADEQUACY
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! —Luke 2:8-11 (NLT)
Then he said, “When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.” —Genesis 46:33-34 (NLT)
You will never get to a point where you feel equipped to live out the calling God has on your life.
Recognize you are not the definer of your worth.
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” —Luke 2:15 (NLT)
3) DISTRACTIONS
In the midst of all these distractions, the wisemen were able to stay motivated and fully engaged with the mission.
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. —Luke 2:18-19 (NLT)
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. —Galatians 4:4 (NLT)
God uses what the earth can’t provide for people to prepare them to receive what only He can.
What do you need to overcome this Christmas?
FEAR
INADEQUACY
DISTRACTIONS
Did you make a decision to follow Christ for the very first time, or are you recommitting your life to Christ? Congratulations - we are celebrating with you! Cypress wants to walk alongside you as you take this new step in your faith journey. What’s the next right step for you? Click HERE and let us know you made a decision today!