Paramount Proclamation
Luke 2:8-21
Official proclamations have been used by rulers and governments for at least several thousand years. An angel (Gabriel?) appeared to lowly shepherds watching their flocks in the field to make a paramount proclamation. In this passage we see God using angels to proclaim the most unique, miraculous and glorious event to that date in history. The proclamation was:

Crucial Corrective
Matthew 1:18-25
The angel, Gabriel, spoke directly to Zechariah and Mary. Joseph had a different experience with an unnamed angel, showing God speaks to us in a variety of ways. Joseph was considering his response to his shocking situation when an angel spoke to him in a dream and brought a crucial corrective to his plan. We all need crucial correctives at times and they happen through:

Amazing Announcement
Luke 1:26-38
The four messages during Advent will look at the involvement of angels in the Christmas narrative. We have little knowledge about angels, but it is clear that they play a crucial and recurring role from before conception until sometime after the birth of Jesus.

What Are We to Do?
John 11:38-57
In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus said the Son of God would be glorified so that they (we) would believe in him. This glory is grounded in Jesus being “the resurrection and the life” and demonstrating that by raising Lazarus. All people must respond to Jesus and the challenges His call brings to our lives.

Godly Compassion
John 11:28-37
In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus told his disciples the Son of God would be glorified so that they would believe in him. This glory is grounded in Jesus being “the resurrection and the life” and later demonstrating that by raising Lazarus. But his glory was also seen in his delay in coming at the request of Martha and Mary. Today we see Jesus’ glory in his godly compassion. There is so much more to John 11:35, “Jesus wept,” than merely being the shortest verse in the Bible.

I Am the Resurrection and the Life
John 11:17-27
John wrote his gospel, “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31) In the last two messages we saw that believing in Jesus means we trust in the integrity of all His bold claims and the evidence of His gracious power and works. We also saw the connection Jesus clearly makes between our faith and the glory of God. Today we see how faith is grounded in the resurrection of Jesus.

Faith and the Glory of God
John 11:1-16
We remember that John wrote his gospel, “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31) Last week we saw that believing in Jesus means we trust in the integrity of all His bold claims and the evidence of His gracious power and works. Today we look at the connection Jesus clearly makes between our faith and the glory of God.

Believing in Jesus
John 10:22-42
Jesus’ bold declarations and miraculous works were often controversial and divisive. Some chose to believe in Him and some chose not to believe and some even chose to do Him harm. Believing in Jesus was never a blind leap of faith. The scriptures never describe faith in that way. Faith rests in a conviction about the truth of who He is and what He does.

The Good Shepherd Knows His Own
John 10:1-21 & Psalm 23
Behind Jesus’ declaration, “I am the good shepherd.” is the richness of David’s Psalm 23. Last week we considered the good shepherd laying down his life for the sheep. This week we will explore how the good shepherd knows his own and his own know him.

The Good Shepherd Lays Down His Life for the Sheep
John 10:1-21 & Psalm 23
After Jesus makes the exclusive claim, “I am the door of the sheep,” he now gives a more pastoral image, “I am the good shepherd.” This week we consider the good shepherd laying down his life for the sheep. Next week we will explore how the good shepherd knows his own and his own know him. Behind both of these declarations is the richness of David’s Psalm 23.