Christmas - The faith of Simeon - Abiding in God

Who has ever been overlooked?

Parent that feels what you do for your kids goes unnoticed.

Student that feels your contribution to that project was unseen.

In that relationship, but your SO is constantly distracted and you feel overlooked.

Or maybe, you were the last pick in the Geography bee in 6th grade and you felt so overlooked that you vowed to study so you could destroy all of them in the competition and win it for your team. Yes, still one of my better accomplishments in my life.

Being overlooked is something that happens to all of us at some point in time. Today, we are going to look at a man who often gets overlooked in Luke 2 that we can learn a lot from. In case you don’t know, Luke 2 tells the birth story of Jesus. That is what most people know Luke 2 to be. But God, through Luke provides recounts of some extremely faithful people, and the one we are going to look at is Simeon.

Luke 2:25-26 NLT

at that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him. And had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

Luke, paints a beautiful picture of Simeon’s life

- Simeon is RIGHTEOUS

- Simeon is DEVOUT

- Simeon is EAGER & HOPEFUL

- Simeon has the HOLY SPIRIT UPON HIM.

Holy Spirit being UPON HIM (Simeon)

- Before Jesus died on Cross, HS didn’t live within people

- HS would TEMPORARILY dwell/lead people

- Ex. King Saul

- Simeon has the HS upon him. BIG DEAL

- Lots of names mentioned that never experienced this

- Simeon did!

I think its safe to say that Simeon knew how to ABIDE in the Lord.

ABIDE- To progressively remain in/with the Lord.

- To be in constant relationship

- To be prioritizing him above all else

- To be with God every chance we get

Simeon lived a life of Abiding. I believe this why he was blessed with the spirit being upon him.

Luke 2:27-28 NLT

That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in him arms and praised God

The promise that God made Simeon through the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. Simeon didn’t question God on if this would happen, he had great faith in him. Which leads to our first takeaway

ABIDING BUILDS GREAT FAITH

Now, notice I said BUILDS great faith. This is something Simeon day in and day out had to build through abiding with God.

“BUILDING” is tough for us as people. We live in a world of absolute convenience:

• Social Media to cure boredom

• We can order food and its at our house in 30 minutes.

• Movies instantly with Netflix app.

• We can order whatever we want, whenever we want it with just a few clicks.

Simeon lived a life of delayed gratification in our standards. H couldn’t go on Amazon and order Great Faith. It had to be BUILT, and it was built through abiding in God.

PERSONAL STORY: Anger Issues. I thought when I accepted Jesus they would be gone.Took years of abiding to get past them

IT’S THE SAME WAY WITH BUILDING GREAT FAITH. Our faith journey is a process. Day by day, abiding in God will build the great faith we see in Simeons life.

ABIDING PROVIDES GODLY WISDOM

Luke 2:28-32 NLT
Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the NATIONS. And he is the glory of your people in Israel.

Imagine Simeon in this moment. Holding Jesus, holding the Messiah the savior of the world. I came across this quote. “How poor does this world look to one that has Christ in his arms, and salvation in his view” In this moment, nothing else mattered for Simeon. His promise had been fulfilled, he has seen the messiah and he begins to declare things that come only from GODLY WISDOM

Here is what I mean:

1. He declares Jesus is God’s salvation

2. He declares that Jesus is the glory of your people Israel

3. He declares that Jesus is the light to reveal God to ALL NATIONS

- HUGE DEAL. Jesus was coming for everyone.

- The Jewish faith was for JEWS, not anyone else,

- Jesus changed that

- Simeon declared in the temple, that the MESSIAH is for all. Not just Israel, but for the whole globe.

- BOLDNESS in the temple

Simeon was blessed with Godly Wisdom that came with constant abiding in God. No ordinary man just knows and SAYS those things in this time in that temple, only someone who is blessed with Godly Wisdom and direction does.

The final takeaway from Simeon’s life is:

ABIDING LEADS TO TOTAL SUBMISSION

I think this might be the hardest thing for us as people to do. We don’t like to be submitted to anything. But God calls us to be submitted to him. You can’t constantly abide and not be submitted to what God is wanting for your life. It is impossible.

So many of us as followers of Jesus want to have:

• great faith

• be healed

• be blessed

• Godly wisdom

• but miss what God is calling us too and that is TOTAL SUBMISSION.

• Simeon lived a life of total submission.

• Highlighted by abiding

• DEVOUT.

• Blessed with the holy spirit being upon him.

• BECAUSE HE TOTALLY SUBMITTED TO WHAT GOD WAS DOING IN HIS LIFE.

My mentor tells me all time “Jesus isn’t just our savior, he is ALSO our Lord.” I remember where I was, when I realized I was living with Jesus just as my savior, but not my Lord.

- Read when I felt like it (once a week)

- Pray when I was forced to (twice a week at youth group)

- Still tried to do things MY OWN WAY

PASSION 2020: right before COVID, Mercedes-Benz stadium in ATL. I was in the bottom bowl.

• Pastor Louie Giglo speaking about ABIDING

• Grabbed my attention

• PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THEY BELIEVE IN JESUS, BUT WON’T READ HIS WORD

• PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THEY BELIEVE IN JESUS, BUT DON’T TALK TO HIM

• PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THEY BELIEVE IN JESUS, BUT WON’T SUBMIT TO HIS WAY OF LIFE.

He was speaking to me. I believed in Jesus, but I sure didn’t submit to him as my Lord

• When Louie closed, he had this massive bible like a 30 yards x 50 yards bible in on the field with him.

• Still talking about abiding, and he said “If you want your life to change, you need to flip the pages in this book”

TON OF BRICKS:

I wasn’t abiding. I just viewed God as a way to be saved, not a way of life. In that moment, I said God, you are my Lord and i’m going to live life like that. I started abiding. Reading God’s word daily. Praying daily. Worshipping daily. Serving daily. Totally submitting DAILY.

Today, I can tell you I have never in my life had this strong of a faith until I started abiding, I have never in my life been blessed with so much Godly Wisdom until I started abiding, and I have never in my life experienced true, full, meaningful life until I started ABIDING.

If you want to have the best year of your life in 2025, START ABIDING. Let’s stop overlooking Simeon and take a page out of his book, live life with God as your Savior AND your Lord.

3 ways to begin abiding:

1. Read your bible for 2 minutes every morning

2. Before bed, thank God for 3 things he did that day

3. Watch a sermon

Abiding is journey, and all journeys have to start somewhere. So start abiding in and with God TODAY.

Christmas - The Type Of Person God Uses (The Birth Of Jesus)

Raise your hand if you still have some Christmas shopping left.

Moms always have to be surprised when they get the robe, another bathrobe, or something else to hang up. But Christmas is, sometimes a season filled with unexpected happenings. A couple of years ago, my family and I were traveling across country and we stopped at a Chili's to eat lunch. And inside the restaurant, Sophia and I turned the corner and unexpectedly, we ran into Santa Claus.

Now, this wasn't just a guy dressed up. This guy was Santa. From his head to his toes. He was in a red hat. He had the jacket. He had the full beard, rosy red cheeks, little gold rimmed glasses. He had the big belt and the red pants and the white fur and the boots. This guy was Santa.

And at that point, Sophie was about nine years old. It was in late fall. Completely unexpected. We weren't thinking we were going to see Santa that day. So Sophie stood there looking at Santa's. Big smile on her face. Santa stood there looking at her. Big smile on his face. And no one said anything. So he bends down and he looks at her and he keeps smiling. She keeps smiling. No one saying anything. Sophie finally says, hi, Santa. And he still doesn't say anything. Finally, Sophie looked at me and said, I have to pee. So we went to the restroom. You know, when Santa shows up unexpectedly, he can be a scary thing to some children. In fact, when Santa shows up and he's expected to show up, it can be a scary thing for some kids.

Some kids just don't want to sit on Santa's lap. Maybe you have photographs like the pictures on the screen. Maybe you remember a time when you tried to get your child to sit still for Santa, and they freaked out and they cried and they screamed. And you were felt like the only people in line that had that happen. We have this big build up to the kids seeing Santa Claus. And when it occurs, it can be a nightmare. And I think I know why Santa is overwhelming to some kids. Think about it. He knows when you've been sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good. So you're pretty good. It's no wonder some children are afraid of Santa from the time they're little. We're telling them about. Santa is watching you right now. He sees what you're doing right now. Do you want me to put you on the naughty list? I'm going to write Santa a letter.

I think many people like the idea of Santa Claus from a distance. Many children like that idea of Santa Claus at a distance. But you get too close to Santa, and he's a little overwhelming.

And I think, like Santa is to children,God can be like that often for us big people. I think the idea that there is this omniscient, omnipotent, all-knowing, everlasting God who sees everything, who knows everything, who knows our thoughts before we think them. Well, gosh, that can be a little bit overwhelming. And then when we understand that that overwhelming God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, wants to use you and me for his work on this earth, it's a lot to take in. And it can be overwhelming. In today's passage, Mary, the mother of Jesus, learns from an angel that God wants her to be the mother of Jesus. That God wants this teenage girl to raise the Son of God. And we see her response. So let's read together Luke chapter one, beginning in verse 26.

Luke 1:26

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. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the son of the most High.

The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David, and he will reign over Israel forever. His kingdom will never end. Mary asked the angel, but how can this happen? I am a virgin. The angel replied, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age. People used to say she was barren, but now she's in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God. Mary responded, I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true. And then the angel left her.

And this passage of Scripture today, I think we're going to see some characteristics of the type of person God uses.

And it's very important for us to understand from the get go that as we read this story, we understand Mary was not a perfect person, yet God chose to use her to raise his son. Let me rephrase that. God chose to use an unwed mother to give birth to his son. God chose to use an unwed teenage girl to give birth to a son and to be the mother of Jesus.

Even at this young age, Mary had characteristics of the type of person God uses. Now, like you, I'm still in the process of becoming the person God created me to be. I'm still at work becoming the husband that I imagined I would be 25 years ago when we got married. I'm still in the process of becoming the daddy that I imagined I would be 17 years ago, when we had our first daughter.

I'm still in the process of becoming the pastor I imagined I would be. I'm in that process, and so are you. You are not yet complete, and I am not yet complete. But if we want to become the type of person God uses, then I think there are some characteristics that we can draw out from this passage of scripture that's going to help us fully understand, or at least get a little bit closer to being the type of person that God chooses to use.

Because God's not finished with you. God's not finished with me. God's not finished with our families. So let's press in to this passage of Scripture and really see how we need to develop as followers of Jesus to become that person God uses. So first understand this.

God works through people of faith

God works through people of faith. If you want to become the type of person that God uses understand first and foremost. God works through people of faith. God chose Mary, a teenage girl, to be the mother of Jesus. And because this pregnancy happened outside of wedlock, Mary would face a lot of shame from people in the community. Now, many of us, and maybe you're one that has experienced this. Many of us know people from our family.

Many of us know people from our, maybe our children that have gotten pregnant outside of marriage. And the first thing that we think about is maybe the first thing we think about is what are other people going to say? Well, let me just add this. If that's you today, I want you to know, look, this is a place where you can find hope and second chances.

And we want to do everything we can to come alongside you to be a blessing to you. Or if that's a family member, we want to be able to come alongside them and bless them and care for them. But the people 2000 years ago weren't filled with so much grace. 2000 years ago, if a man and woman were betrothed to be married and the woman ended up pregnant and it wasn't the fiancee's child.

Old Testament law said that they could that that man, the groom, could take his bride to the doorsteps of her parents house and invite the men to come out and stone her to death. There wasn't a lot of grace built into that law. This was a teenage girl that just learned even though she was a virgin. She was going to be pregnant.

What she faced, the challenges that she faced were insurmountable. And yet how she responded is not quite the way you and I might respond. God chose Mary. He knew she was a teenager. He knew that her pregnancy would bring disgrace. So why did he choose Mary? Well, I believe that it's because Mary's faith in God was strong enough to get her through the shame.

Her faith in God was strong enough to get her through the disgrace, through the rumors, through the gossip. I believe that her faith in God would guide her through those difficult conversations that she had with Joseph. Like, can you imagine sitting down with Joseph and say, Joseph, I do love you. I have been faithful to you. And it was the Holy Spirit that that conceived this child inside me.

Mary had to have enough faith to navigate through the conversation with her parents. Mom and dad, I promise you, I promise you, I have been faithful. God knew that Mary had the type of faith that could overcome gossip, overcome rumor, overcome disgrace. God knew that Mary had the type of faith that could navigate through the hard, difficult season that he was asking her to walk through.

Out of all the people on the planet, God chose a teenage girl named Mary because he knew her faith would get her through. And that's exactly what faith does for you and I. Faith helps us navigate difficult, embarrassing seasons.

Faith helps us navigate through hard situations in life. Faith helps us overcome situations, trusting that God is going to give us the next few words to say that he'll give us the right words at the right time, to say the right thing.

The author of Hebrews describes face this faith this way.

Hebrews 11:1

Faith is a confidence that what we hope for will happen. It gives us assurance about things we cannot see. As a follower of Jesus. We hope that one day Christ is going to return. We look forward to that day that we will be in heaven, where God Himself wipes away every tear from our eye.

Where there's no more sorrow, no more death, no more decay, that we are one with God and able to worship him for the rest of our lives. We can't see that right now, but our faith gives us hope. So we place our hope in what we cannot see.

Hebrews 11:6

It is impossible to please God without faith.

The moment you surrendered your life to Jesus, it was because you had faith that Jesus gave up his life for you. The moment you surrendered your life to Jesus, it's because you had faith that Jesus was the Son of God. You understood that you sin, that you deserve death, and that God, through Jesus, forgave you of your sins. That Jesus, when he died on the cross, he paid the price for your sin. You didn't see it. You weren't there 2000 years ago. But by faith you believe what Jesus did for you. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. So the very same faith that we put in Jesus to forgive us our sins is the same faith by which we ought to live.

Hoping for those things that have not yet happened. Believing God will work all things out for good. Believing that God will restore your marriage. Believing that God will restore your relationships. Believing that God will provide for you when you feel like you're at the end of your rope, and that nobody else cares. Believing that God will provide a way for you.

Faith. Faith is what we live by and it's by our faith that we please God. So God works through people who have faith in him.

God works through people who trust him

When we trust in God, that is a result of our faith. Faith is more than just head knowledge. When faith moves into obedience, it's called trust.

God works through people who trust him. Now, earlier in the gospel, the angel Gabriel visited a man named Zechariah. He was an old priest, and he showed up while Zechariah was doing his duties inside the temple. And the angel Gabriel showed up and said, Zechariah, have I got some news for you? Your old wife is going to bear child, and she's going to be called, you know, later on we're going to discover this John the Baptist, and he's going to prepare the way for the Messiah.

And Zechariah responded almost by laughing, how isn't that angel Gabriel? How? There is no way that's going to happen. How can I be sure? Send me a sign. Instead of trusting God would do what he had promised. Praying for a child is what Zechariah and Elizabeth did for years. And when the angel Gabriel showed up and said, okay, you're going to have a child.

He did not believe. He refused to believe the news.

Luke 11:8 - 20

Zechariah said to the angel, how can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife also was well along in years. That's another way for saying my wife is old too. And the angel said, I am Gabriel. I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news. But now, since you didn't believe what I said, you will be silent and you will be unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.

Zechariah did not trust, and his lack of trust had consequences. And when you and I do not trust God, we will experience consequences. God desires to bless us. God desires to protect us, but we must trust him. And when we demonstrate trust, we're walking in obedience.

John 14:21

He who has my commands and keeps them, this is the one that loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my father, and I will love him and show myself to him.

You and I are called to trust God, and we demonstrate our trust in God by keeping his commandments. And the greatest commandment that Jesus gave to us is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The greatest demonstration of trust for a follower of Jesus is not that you'll win the lottery one day, is not to spend $10 on $10 cards and scratch him off. And prayerfully, you win the lottery. The greatest demonstration of trust for a follower of Jesus is to love your neighbor, as you love yourself.

There are so many people in today's world that don't want to enter the doors of a church, because the church isn't loving their neighbor as they love themselves. And that's one thing that we've got to do a better job at. As followers of, Jesus is walking in submission, trusting him and doing and living obediently to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Look at the similarities between Mary and Mary and Zechariah and the angel Gabriel. Zechariah did not believe and he said, how can I be sure? I need a sign because my wife and I are way too old. But Mary trusted her and said, okay, how's this going to happen? I've never been with a man. I don't understand how this is going to happen.

God chooses to work through people who have faith. He's not afraid to answer your questions. He's not afraid to speak to you, but he chooses to work through people who have faith. Mary believed, and she experienced blessing. Zechariah later believed when Elizabeth had a son and he named him John.

God desires that you and I experience his presence through walking in obedience. Living by faith. Following him with a trust filled heart.

God works through people who have a servant's heart

Look at what Mary said in verse 38. I am the Lord's servant. Let it be to me as you have said. Mary could have come up with 100 different responses, and all of them, as a parent, would be what my daughter I would want my daughters to say.

If this was a situation that happened to them, I would want my daughters to say, God, could you use somebody else for this? There's no way my community is going to buy this. My marriage plans do not include having a baby bump on my wedding day. My wedding plans do not include being pregnant with the Son of God.

There's no way the people in the community are going to believe this God. Would you please choose somebody else? I don't want this weight. I'm a teenage girl. I don't want to carry this burden. And I think oftentimes when we hear that whisper from the Lord of of God speaking to our hearts, and he's leading us to do something, what we often say is, God could you please choose somebody else for this?

But I don't want to love my neighbor as I love myself the way you want me to. I want to love them from a distance, but I don't want to care for them. I don't want to become a servant to them. But instead of trying to convince God to change his mind, she accepted the plan and she submitted to God's leadership. And she said, I am the Lord's servant. That's because servants do what their masters ask them to do. Servants do what their masters ask them to do.

Throughout the history of the world. If someone has said to another you are the boss, that means they do what the boss asks them to do. When one of my daughters gave her life to Jesus and she was baptized at a young age, about six years old, I asked her. I said, so what does it mean now that you've given your life to Jesus?

And she said, he gets to be the boss of me for the rest of my life. And that is the correct picture of the Lordship of Jesus. When we surrender our lives, we're surrendering our lives. We're becoming a servant to the Most High God. And Mary's attitude was spot on. Could God have used somebody else? Yes. But he chose her.

And she said, I am but a servant. And because she had the heart of a servant, her life was forever changed. So if you have doubts that God can actually use you, become a servant. If you have doubts that God can use you in this world, become a servant to other people. Watch and see how God blesses humility.

Watch and see how God blesses those who try to bless other people. See, your whole role as a follower of Jesus is trying to bless other people. You're loving other people the way that Jesus loves you. When Jesus looked at his disciples and when they asked what the greatest commandment was, he didn't say, beat people over the head with the Bible, tell them how wrong they are in life.

He said, love your neighbor as you love yourself despite your differences politically, despite your differences socially. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love crosses every line, every border, every boundary. That's why love never fails. And when this Christmas season, when you're sitting around the Christmas table with your in-laws and you're sitting around the Christmas table with family and friends that you don't agree with.

Love never fails. Becoming a servant never fails. Beating him over the head with scripture will fail, but love won't.

So be a servant

Make those around you more important than you. There's a reason why we have the word called selfishness in the in the dictionary, right? Every every language on earth has a word for selfishness. It's when they're looking out for themselves.

This Christmas season. Let your family know how changed you've been by Jesus because of your selflessness. Because you're making them more important than you. You're taking care of them. You're tending to their needs. You're living like a servant. Will it get hard? Yes. God never calls us to easy. I wish he did. I wish God called us to easy things in life.

But he doesn't. God calls his followers to do the hard to take the form of a servant and to bless other people. If you want God to use you, be a servant and be committed to the Lordship of Jesus in your life. Demonstrating to your family and friends how much Jesus has changed you. By the way you take the form of a servant as well.

God uses people who are faithful. God uses people who place their trust in him, and God uses people who have the heart of a servant. Let God use you this Christmas season to make a difference.

Christmas - Tips For Surviving The Holidays

At some point this Christmas season, Kristy and I will pack up our four kids and two Goldendoodles and head to Georgia to spend time with her parents, her sister and husband, and our nephew.  I always look forward to spending time with family, especially around Christmas. Sleeping on air mattresses. Kids are cranky and fussing. Dealing with disappointment if you get the wrong gift. In-laws arguing in front of family. Strange odors around the house. The Christmas season COULD also be accurately called the awkward season.

Seldom does anything turn out according to plan. The food burns. The air mattress leaks and you wake up on the floor. The in-law's argument gets so heated people begin taking sides…

The strange odor around the house turns out to be your shoes…

Today, I want to pass along FOUR TIPS to help you survive Christmas Day, New Year's, and the Holiday season.

Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT2)

18  This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19  Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20  As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21  And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22  All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23  “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” 24  When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25  But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

In the days of Mary and Joseph, the marriage process was FAR different than it is today. First, the marriage was arranged by the parents.   Second, a contract was prepared with the groom’s parents paying a “bride price.” Third, the marriage became legally binding after the contract and bride price were agreed upon.  Fourth, after the marriage became legally binding, the bride and groom still did not live together. The Bride and Groom would enter a season of purity testing.  The groom would travel to his home, get it ready for his bride, lock down a job and income if he did not have one, and when ready after the season of PURITY testing was over…the groom would travel to bring his bride home and then the marriage would finally be official after their first night together.

So, Joseph left to prepare the house for Mary. He waited for the season of purity testing to be over…It ended, with great excitement, he traveled back to get Mary… He shows up at Mary’s parent's house; she is seated, and she stands up…SURPRISE, HONEY! “I’M PREGNANT!”

Would you have been angry or devastated if this happened to you. So was Joseph. I am sure Joseph wrestled with thoughts like this:

I have been keeping myself pure. I have prepared our home. AND MARY has been sleeping with somebody else! Who is it Mary? Is it the mailman? Is it the Goat farmer down the street? And Mary replies, “It was the Holy Spirit.”  We see that Joseph really did not believe Mary’s story.

Matthew 1:19 (NLT2)

19  Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

If he had believed her, he would not have considered ending the engagement.

That takes us to our first Christmas survival tip. Like almost every Christmas so far, this season, you will have family tell you wild and unbelievable tales about their lives. They might brag and lie about being promoted at work…They might boast and lie about a dating life…

So…the first Christmas survival tip:

DO NOT ASSUME YOU ARE RIGHT; THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO THE STORY (v. 19)

The story Mary told him was crazy!  “The Holy Spirit Got Me Pregnant.” He was embarrassed. He was angry. He was hurt.  But JOSEPH was WRONG to believe the worst about Mary.  He suffered emotionally because he was WRONG. He decided to divorce her quietly because he was WRONG.

This Christmas season, even if a relative’s story and life sounds made up and crazy…do not assume you are right. There is always more to the story… (Now, the more to the story may mean your relative needs therapy…) But do your best to not jump to conclusions.

Though Joseph was wrong about Mary…Joseph was still going to show great mercy toward her. According to Deuteronomy 22:20-21, after the Groom came for his bride, if the GROOM discovered she was no longer a virgin, she could be drug to the door of her father’s house and stoned to death.

I am sure that Joseph had some buddies that goaded him on…You don’t have to take that Joseph! But, even though he did not believe Mary, he chose to show mercy to Mary. He decided not to shame her publicly and would handle a quiet divorce.

Joseph’s reaction leads us to our second tip.  If this season gets too stressful and awkward and you feel like you are about to say something you will regret:

DO NOT LET YOUR FEELINGS DETERMINE YOUR BEHAVIOR; LET GOD DETERMINE YOUR BEHAVIOR (v. 20)

Despite how he may have felt, Joseph chose a gentler action.  He did not allow his emotions to lead the charge as he dealt with this challenging situation. Instead of choosing to stone her, he decided to divorce her quietly. Even though he was hurt, he did not wish for his wife and his wife’s family to be shamed and humiliated.

So, around your family, choose not to shame your relatives. Choose to swallow your pride, even when you know they are wrong…choose not to humiliate them. Choose to let yourself be wronged to keep peace.

Your feelings will get hurt this Christmas Season. Somebody is going to speak harshly to you.  Somebody is going to step on your toes. Somebody is going to give you the silent treatment. Somebody may gossip about you. Lie about you. Somehow, Cousin Eddie will show up and drain the joy from your life. If you want to survive and thrive during Christmas – you must NOT allow your FEELINGS to determine your course of action.

Paul, a follower of Jesus, wrote this:

Romans 12:17-21 (NLT2)

17  Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19  Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. 20  Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21  Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

See – if you are a follower of Jesus – If you have committed to follow Jesus by receiving Him as your personal Savior. If you received forgiveness for your sin and have entered a relationship with God through Jesus…then this passage gets to boss you around and prescribe how you get to live around a crazy family filled with Cousin Eddies…

When we respond to others based on our emotions, we will escalate the situation and make things worse for everyone else.  God has a better path and plan for us.

If you want peace, you must be the sacrifice. Retaliate with genuine kindness. Offer them something to eat and drink. Conquer evil by doing good. Even if you believe you are right.

Choosing to be the sacrifice leads us to the third tip.

DO NOT BE JUDGMENTAL
CHOOSE TO BE MERCIFUL RATHER THAN RIGHT (v.24)

Show kindness anyway. That is what mercy is. Mercy is undeserved kindness.

Scripture isn’t filled with passages about Joseph.  But from this sliver of scripture, we can see why God chose Joseph to be the earthly father to Jesus…Even though he made a wrong conclusion, Joseph could have chosen to stone Mary.  Instead, he decided to show mercy and divorce her quietly. Joseph was a man who demonstrated uncomfortable grace. There is no telling what impact Joseph had on Jesus.
Did Jesus learn to turn the other cheek from his dad?

Did he learn to show mercy from his dad?

Did he learn to forgive 70 x 7 from his dad?

I wonder if Jesus the boy learned to shoulder the weight of the sin of the world by watching how his father carried the weight of whispers in the community.

Parents and Grandparents, your family is watching and learning from you this season.  If you retaliate with vengeance and anger…they will, too.  If you choose to be merciful and kind – they will learn how to be compassionate and kind through you.

And finally, the behavior you model will lead you to this last tip:

DO NOT GET DISTRACTED
CENTER CHRISTMAS AROUND JESUS (v.25)

It is SO EASY to get distracted by family and gifts and lose focus.  Joseph finally came around and believed Mary’s story.  An ANGEL of the LORD spoke to him and told him that Mary was pregnant with God’s Son.

Because Joseph BELIEVED by faith what happened to Mary, the direction of his life changed.  Instead of seeking to divorce – he stayed in the marriage.  They had more children together, and for a season, until he died, Joseph raised Jesus as his own.

Every Christmas Eve, we have a birthday party for Jesus. Kristy will bake a little cake with the girls.  We will sing “Happy Birthday, Jesus.” We want to make sure our focus is on Jesus.

What will you choose to center your life around?  The things people say about you? The presents you give to others? Family? Food? Do not allow the distractions to build up and become the focus of your life so much that you lose your temper, retaliate, and hurt others.  Choose to center your life on Jesus.

James - Controlling The Tongue

In today’s passage of scripture we will be challenged to controlling the tongue.

James 3:1-12

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

As James is writing this letter he continues to warn against false teaching. In this passage it reminds us that Our Words matter. Our Words have power. Our words can lift someone up to the high places or Our words can bring someone to the lowest places.

The Tongue can lead us to Stumble

James says in verses 1 and 2: 1. Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. Teachers are held to a higher standard because their words influence others.

Luke 12:48

48. when someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

We know it is a higher accountability. As far as followers we are also held to a standard. Our lives need to tell the truth about who God is. We need to live in a way that it is evident that God is our father.

James is not talking about perfection in a sense that we are perfect. He says we make mistakes, we will stumble. James is providing a way to measure spiritual maturity for teachers and for all Christians.

Matthew 12:34-35

34. You brood of Snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For Whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.

Words Reveal our inner Character. When we do not Stumble in our Words it shows true Spiritual maturity. We can Stumble in our Words especially about ourselves by boasting, by exaggerating, and by just selecting what we want to say about ourselves that may be untrue for reputation purposes. We can stumble in our Words about others by gossip, slander, cruelty, being two-faced, and anger; or with flattery and insincere words meant to gain favor. We need to demonstrate Godly speech, modeling Christlike Self-Control. This is a very important lesson that James wanted to relay to his Audience and something God wants us to apply today.

The Tongue can control the direction of your Life and your relationships

Even though the tongue is small in comparison to the body. The tongue has Immense power. It has the power to direct. It has the power to build. It has the power to destroy. How do you use that Power? Do your words direct people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus? Do your words build others up? Do your words destroy others or relationships? We have all heard the “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me” It is a lie! Words do hurt. When you hear the words “You were a Mistake” it hurts. When you hear “You are not good enough” It hurts. When you hear “You’re Stupid” It Hurts. When you hear “ I can’t stand you instead of I love you" it hurts. Words Hurt.

I have struggled with depression for a while. It really hit me hard when my brother was tragically killed in a car accident. It brought me to a point where I no longer thought my life was of value. I thought that this world, my family and friends would be better without me. God spared me from my thoughts. God spoke through all the noise of the words I had replayed in my head. The words: not good enough, worthless, loser, subpar. God Spoke louder. I ended up going to a facility and started counseling and for the first time I started to replace the lies with truth. I realized that the words I heard were not true. I realized that I was not defined by the words of people but by the Word of God. I am a Child of His. I am not junk.

I do not pretend to know what each of you are going through, but I do know that God loves you. Maybe you have been completely shattered and broken by the words of others, or maybe your words have deeply wounded someone else. I can tell you that I personally have been on both sides.

I know from my own personal experience and by reading God’s word that the tongue has the potential to harm and needs to be used with wisdom and restraint.

We always hear about the Freedom of Speech, but that doesn’t give us the right to just say anything we want. Use your words wisely. Even if your mom cooked the dish your wife just cooked better, doesn’t mean you should say it.

Use Your Words wisely and use restraint. Remember your words can alter someone’s direction in life. Positively or negatively.

We see that there is power in the tongue, so how can we control it? How can we Tame the tongue? James 3: 8 says but no one can tame the tongue. it is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. James is not saying give up. He’s not saying just say what you want because it uncontrollable. What James is saying is that

The Inability to tame the tongue shows our need for God

We as humans can control a lot of animals. Those animals can be tamed. They can be tamed without divine power. We can tame them by our own ability and power. James says we Cannot tame the Tongue. He’s saying it is difficult to tame the tongue without God’s help. What we say comes down to our heart. Luke 6:45 says what you say flows from what is in your heart.

Studies have been conducted to measure the amount of words used on average and it equals about 6000. That seemed like a lot of words. This equals 12 single space pages. Now imagine this is all being recorded. It’s being recorded by God. Now think about all of the years you have been able to speak and it's all recorded. That’s scary right? Now let’s just focus on this last week or month. Based on the words that you have spoken to your spouse, what does it say about your heart? Do your words to your spouse relay the truth of God? What about your children? What about your coworkers? What about Your Family? or Friends?

Think about every Word being written down and recorded. What will it reveal about your Heart. I shared before how God led me here. I had served many years in the Ministry and was so hurt by people that I wanted to just fade away and never be in ministry again. I had been hurt by people. I was hurt by their words. I shared that I spent time in a facility. I shared with the church I served at my struggle with mental health. I shared who I was and my struggles. One day we as a church decided to replace some flooring. Some wanted tile, some wanted carpet. This blew up into a full blown war. A fight for power. We lost focus on our mission to reach the lost. Words were spoken. Words ruined relationships. Words hurt the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

In this process I received an anonymous typed letter using my struggles with mental health against me. The words in this letter hurt me deeply. It brought me to isolation. I felt I could be in a church like this full of people and still feel all alone. God used people in this church to speak words of truth to me. Words that built me up. Even though words had hurt me and brought me to a place of worthlessness. God used the words of people to build me up. Words that reminded me that God wasn’t done with me, That he had never uncalled me. I allowed words to harden my heart but God put people in my life that used words to bring life back to someone who hadn’t felt anything in several years.

We cannot tame the Tongue without God. With God our words can bring life! Use your Words wisely because

Our Words expose the contradictions in our Hearts

True Faith calls for our words and worship to be consistent. We should be reflecting God’s Love in all we say. My words do not always reflect God’s Love. I know James says earlier that we all make many mistakes, we all stumble. You may be here or online and struggle with this as well. You may still be hurting from someone’s words. You may realize today that you may have hurt someone with your words.Maybe you are here and realize you need to seek forgiveness. You may need to start using your words to build up and not destroy. No matter where you are right now, know that God is still changing lives. He’s still perfecting imperfect people. The words of others may have kept you away from church for a long time. you may still be holding on to something someone said many years ago. I know it hurts.I’ve been there. I also know that the words of man do NOT define you but the Words of God do. Hold To what he says about you. You are Loved! You are not Worthless. He sent his Son for you! He knows you! He created you!

Use your tongue…Your Words for Building up not tearing down.

Ephesians 4:29

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Recognize the influence of your tongue, your words, and seek God’s wisdom to speak with Grace and love.

James - Faith Without Works

On November 13, 2024, our Beach Church team held our first Annual Planning Meeting. It was a day of celebration, reflection, and looking ahead. Each ministry department shared its “wins” for 2024 and strategic goals for 2025. Reflecting on this past year, it is obvious that God is doing great work.  Since the first Sunday of this year, we have seen over 180 baptisms and 83 salvations, and on many Sundays, we have more than doubled in worship attendance since 2022!  

We have experienced incredible life-change across our worship, Life Groups, family ministries, and beyond. We have so much to be thankful for because God is moving among us, and He is changing our lives and the lives of others. I recognize that the first part of this message may sound a bit self-serving.  If you hang with me through the end, I think you will realize it is not. I may sound like I am patting myself on the back…I assure you I am not.

Every year, churches in America hang a “Permanently Closed” sign on their doors.  Researchers estimate anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 churches shut down every year. The difficult truth is that the churches just didn’t suddenly die; they had been on life-support for years. And, Beach Church could have been one of those statistics. So, on this first Sunday in December, I want to take a few moments to highlight some of the measurable ways God has been moving among us this year:

SINCE JANUARY 2024…

• With our Monthly food distribution, we have provided food for 12,360 people, doubling the amount of people from 2023. 

• We gave away over 900 Bibles during weekend worship services

• Since January 2024, we have welcomed 988 first-time guests, 385 second-time guests, and 314 third-time guests. 1,686 guests have visited Beach Church!

• We celebrated 180 baptisms (so far!) in 2024

• We provided wood-burning stoves to the Mayan people, hosted a Back Yard Bible club, and engaged the community by providing help with construction projects. 

• Launched an “Adoption and Foster Care Ministry” with 28 adults and 12 children. We matched three sets of families with support. Widows Ministry helped launch a “Foster Care Closet” to help meet the needs of foster children and foster families.

• In response to Hurricane Helene, we collaborated with other churches and our community and delivered over 100 pallets of supplies. 3 teams provided disaster relief work, with scheduled trips for 2025.

• Chili Fest: Earned First Place and $2,500 for Grand Strand Miracle Leagues.

• LifeGroups: Expanded from a pilot of 5 groups to 34 groups in 2024. Leadership grew from 5 to 34 LifeGroup leaders, connecting over 350 people in life groups.

• Children's Ministry has grown 50% since 2022, we now average 150 and growing. 

• Student Ministry: Averaged 75 students in the latter half of 2024. The first-ever Student Bash led to 7 salvations, 18 rededications, and 26 students interested in baptism.  (By the way, Baptism Sunday is December 15th…)

• Operation Christmas Child: Provide 941 Christmas boxes in partnership with Samaritan’s Purse. 

• We wrapped up our Sermon Series on Marriage with 350-400 couples renewing their vows.

• We have been recognized by Outreach Magazine as the 58th fastest-growing church in America.

I believe the reason God has been moving in and through Beach Church is because so many people have invited God to continue to CHANGE them into the people He wants them to become. They are being the hands and feet of Jesus in our church, and in our community. They are practicing good works and living out their faith in very real, practical ways.

Today in James 2, we will read about the life-changing faith that so many in our church have been practicing – faith characterized by a servant lifestyle.  And, we will be reminded that many people do not serve because they have not yet been changed by Jesus.

Let’s read.

James 2:14-26 (NLT2) 

14  What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15  Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16  and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17  So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18  Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19  You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20  How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21  Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22  You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23  And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24  So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25  Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26  Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. 

James describes two different types of faith in this passage:  He describes a dead faith, and a living faith.  And, it is important that you understand the difference between the two.  A living faith resides in the heart of those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus and serves others gladly when given the opportunity.

But a…

DEAD FAITH KNOWS ABOUT JESUS, BUT DOESN’T FOLLOW HIM

James 2:17 (NLT2) 

17  So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 

Let’s imagine the same scenario James describes at the beginning of this passage.  Imagine this evening as you are driving home from dinner, and the person who held the door open for you as you came into church today, is holding up a cardboard sign at an intersection that reads, 

“Cold and hungry. Please help.”

You say to yourself, “I know them from church.” So you lower your window and say, “Hey! Don’t I know you from Beach Church?”  They affirm that they attend, you chit chat back and forth, the light turns green, and you drive off and tell them, 

“Stay warm – it’s going to get cold tonight!”

If you profess faith in Jesus but can imagine yourself doing something like that, you have a dead and useless faith.

James 2:26 (NLT2) 

26  Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. 

Faith is dead without good works. 

That means you know and understand what Jesus did for you on the cross – but you have never surrendered your life to him.  You don’t follow Jesus to do good works, because you haven’t given him your hands and feet yet. You believe in Jesus, but you have never received Jesus. You have a dead faith. In fact, you have a demonic faith.

Look again at verse 19…

James 2:19 (NLT2) 

19  You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 

A dead faith, is the same faith demons have.  The demons believe in God, but their belief is only intellectual, it is not transformational. A transformational faith that is alive that God uses to change the lives of others only comes when your belief leads to, surrender.

If…

you believe God created the human race,

you believe humans disobeyed and sinned against God 

you believe the punishment for sin is death.

But you also believe Jesus was fully God and fully man, 

And you believe he satisfied the punishment for your sin by dying on the cross, rising from the dead, ascending into heaven, and will one day return…

If you BELIEVE these things – then let your belief lead you to surrender.

Surrender your life to Jesus.  Commit to follow him.  From this moment forward, invite Jesus to be your Savior, and give Him your hands and feet.  Tell him from this moment forward, you will live for Him. Now, because you have repented and turned away from your sin, you want to meet the needs of others.  You have experienced the life-changing, resurrection power of Jesus in your life.  He gives you the power and the desire to do what pleases him…

And…

LIVING FAITH SERVES OTHERS AND MEETS NEEDS

James insists people prove they have faith by the good works they produce.  They demonstrate that Jesus is Lord of their lives by serving others and meeting their needs. The hypothetical situation that James introduces in chapter two could never happen because a true follower of Jesus would never chit-chat with a brother or sister in Christ, a believer in need, and tell them to stay warm in such a callous way. A follower of Jesus would read the sign, have compassion, pull the car over, and offer warm clothes and a meal.

And whether you are serving with Meals on Wheels, distributing food once a month, building houses with Habitat for Humanity, serving at New Directions ministry to help those at the end of their rope, regroup and get their lives back on track, a life group leader, or working with our children’s ministry, you understand that living faith serves others and seeks to meet the needs of those around them, whatever they may be.

And finally,

LOVE FOR JESUS COMPELS US TO GOOD WORKS. 

As followers of Jesus, we must remain close to the heart of Jesus and do those things he whispers into our hearts.  Those ARE the GOOD Works he has prepared for YOU to do.  I have mine.  You have yours.  

Mine is to equip followers of Jesus to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT2)

11  Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 

Your responsibility is to stay close to the heart of Jesus and be obedient to God.  Do the work God has called you to do. And one of the ways I am convinced God has called me to equip us as a church is to lead our church to get out of debt. This year, for our Christmas Offering, I am inviting you to give sacrificially to help our church retire the mortgage we have carried for the last twenty years or so.

I often pray, “God, keep me out of your way to let you work.” Truthfully, this year, I almost got in God’s way regarding the Christmas Offering. I almost let doubt and fear dictate the plan instead of obeying the Spirit’s prompting. But I refuse to limit what God wants to do through us!

If we have learned anything from our recent journey, it is this: GOD IS NOT FINISHED CHANGING LIVES THROUGH BEACH CHURCH. As your Pastor, I am convinced that the Lord desires us to be debt-free. So, I’m asking—let's dig deep, give sacrificially, and see what the Lord will do!

Our mortgage balance is $571,169, with a monthly payment of $16,400.

Imagine standing together as a church family at a Note Burning Ceremony in 2025! Imagine knowing that we are completely free to serve, give, grow, and lead people into a life-changing relationship with Jesus—unencumbered. Reflect on those wins from 2024 – and imagine what we can do if we were able to move forward into 2025 with no mortgage. 

Imagine the impact Beach Church can make on our community when we are free from that mortgage payment! God has led me to this, and I know He’s leading us as a church. Together, we can eliminate this debt and increase God’s Kingdom locally and globally. If our faith is alive, it means we take steps that may seem impossible, trusting God to move mountains. Paying off our debt is one such step. Imagine how God can multiply our good works when we are completely unencumbered, ready to say yes to anything He puts before us.

We will receive the Christmas Offering at our 9:30 and 11:15 services on Sunday, December 22, 2024.