Preparing for Sunday | January 9
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Revelation Song | [listen + lyrics]
Jennie Lee Riddle
Revelation 5:12
Build My Life | [listen + lyrics]
Brett Younker, Karl Martin, Kirby Kable, Matt Redman, Pat Barrett
Hebrews 12:28
Blessed Assurance | [listen]
Fanny Crosby, Phoebe Knapp, Mack Brock, Chris Brown
1 Peter 1:3-5
I Stand Amazed | [listen + lyrics]
Charles H. Gabriel, Chris Tomlin
2 Corinthians 8:9
SERMON TEXT
Nehemiah 4
Family Quest: The Hope – The Story of God’s Promise (Lesson 11)
LESSON 11: PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE, PART 2
The Exodus would become the event that defined the people of Israel and their relationship with God. The Passover would become their most revered festival and continues in Jewish homes to this day. After watching the video this week and meditating on the scriptures we’ve listed, take some time to consider the parallels between Israel’s Exodus from slavery in Egypt and your own Exodus from slavery to sin. How did God show himself strong over the god’s that ruled your life before Christ? What path to salvation did He open that appeared to be closed. There are rich echoes of the first Exodus in our own. What obstacles did He overcome in your life?
– – –
ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader. In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Mike Minter’s January 2 Final Message – POSTPONED
A variety of factors converged last evening for Mike and his family where a decision was made by all of us to postpone his farewell message until the March/April timeframe. The new date will be decided next week and then communicated out. Mike and Kay are in good health and have already arrived from Nashville to NOVA. This news will be especially disappointing to those planning to attend from out of town. Even though this update is being sent to several thousand email addresses, please pass the word around and notify anyone you might know who was traveling from out of town. This notice will be posted on our website and Facebook page later this morning.
Weeks ago, the leadership asked Jim Supp to tell part of his story knowing many of you don’t know Jim that well. Jim will go ahead and do that this Sunday, January 2. On January 9, the Elder Council will officially install Jim as the new Senior Teaching Pastor, as was already planned. Jim will then begin a series of teachings through January and February.
On behalf of Mike and all of us, thank you for your patient understanding of this late, significant change. We look forward to all the LORD Jesus Christ will accomplish for His church and glory as together we serve Him in the New Year.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13).
Preparing for Sunday | January 2
Revised on January 1.
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Holy, Holy, Holy | [listen]
Reginald Heber, John B. Dykes
Isaiah 6:3
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me | [listen + lyrics]
Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson
Galatians 2:20
All Creatures of Our God and King | [listen]
Francis of Assisi
Psalm 69:34
Doxology | [listen | lyrics]
Thomas Ken (1674), music attributed to Louis Bourgeois
Romans 11:36
Amazing Grace | [listen]
John Newton (1779)
Psalm 107:14
SERMON TEXT
1 Corinthians 1
MEMORY VERSE
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Family Quest: The Hope – The Story of God’s Promise (Lesson 10)
LESSON 10: PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE
Many Bible students believe that Joseph’s life foreshadows God’s promised Deliverer, who we will soon study in upcoming chapters of The HOPE. In fact, the similarities between Joseph and the
promised Deliverer are truly amazing.
Consider that both Joseph and the promised Deliverer…
were sent by their fathers to their brothers – Joseph’s brothers hated him and sought to kill him, and the Deliverer’s own kinsmen rejected Him and sought to kill Him (see Genesis 37:13, John 7:3, Luke 20:47), had a robe that was taken from them (Genesis 37:23-24, John 19:24), spent time in Egypt (see Genesis 37:25-28, Matthew 2:14-15), were sold for the price of a slave (see Genesis 37:28, Matthew 26:15), were bound in chains (see Psalm 105:18, Genesis 39:20, Matthew 27:2), were tempted (see Genesis 39: 7-10, Matthew 4:1-11), were falsely accused (see Genesis 39:16-17, Matthew 26:59), were placed with two other prisoners, one of whom was saved and the other lost (see Genesis 40:2-22, Luke 23:32-43), began their ministries at the age of thirty (see Genesis 41:46, Luke 3:23), were exalted by God after a season of suffering (see Genesis 41:41-43, Philippians 2:9-11), forgave those who harmed them (see Genesis 45:1-15, Luke 23:34), were sent by God to save many (Genesis 45:7, Matthew 1:21, Mark 10:45), understood that God turned evil into good (see Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28), and brought reconciliation, one to his family, the other to the world (see Genesis 45:7-10; Romans 5:10).
– – –
ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader. In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Preparing for Sunday | December 26
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Great and Mighty King | [listen]
Chris Brown, Zachary Kale, Brett Younker
Psalm 145:3
What A Beautiful Name | [listen]
Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood
Hebrews 1:3
Goodness of God [listen + lyrics]
Jenn Johnson, Jason Ingram, Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Brian Johnson
1 Chronicles 16:34
O Holy Night | [listen + lyrics]
Placide Cappeau, Adolphe Adam
Luke 2:9-11
SERMON TEXT
Isaiah 9
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)
Preparing for Christmas Eve
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
What Child Is This? | [listen + lyrics]
William Chatterton Dix
Luke 2:11-12
Christmas Day | [listen + lyrics]
Andrew Bergthold, Scott Cash, Franni Cash, Ed Cash, Ed Cash Jr.
Isaiah 49:13
He Has Come For Us (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) | [listen + lyrics]
Meredith Andrews, Unknown
Luke 2:13-14
Noel | [listen]
Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, and Matt Redman
John 1:4-5
Silent Night | [listen]
Joseph Mohr, Franz Gruber, John Freeman Young
Luke 2:9
Crown Him (Christmas) | [listen + lyrics]
Chris Tomlin, Daniel Carson, Matt Redman, DK Kim, Colby Taylor
Hebrews 2:9
All Creation Sing (Joy To The World) | [listen]
Isaac Watts, Steve Fee
Luke 2:10
SERMON TEXT
Luke 2
QUEST: Preschool Lesson for December 19
This week’s reading from the Jesus Storybook Bible:
The Light of the World, p.184
This week’s Big Idea:
The Good News About Jesus Is For Everyone, Everywhere!
This week’s Key Verse:
Luke 2:11
Doxologies: Light Has Come
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5
Christmastime is here. (Are you singing the Charlie Brown theme in your head right now?) The decorations, the lights, the music – and that feeling of anticipation for something long-awaited. We run from place to place in preparation and take part in things that bring incredible joy in the moment… but that often result in the great “December 26th Let-Down.” Do you know what I’m talking about? On December 26, it’s time to go back to normal: as we take down the lights and the tree, put away the music and the decorations, and start looking ahead, we begin feeling the weight and the pressures of the approaching new year.
How can we anticipate December 25th with great excitement without dreading December 26th? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the shift… and that’s where Jesus comes in and sits with us in the pile of crinkled-up wrapping paper, tree flocking and storage boxes. While the worldly evidence of the season may disappear, the Reason for the season remains and will reign forever and ever. The goodness of God and light of His glory will never fade. It remains tangibly evident in every element of His creation (Isaiah 55:12, Psalm 96:11-12).
“Light Has Come” was written as a testament of this truth and as a joyful declaration of God’s lovingkindness. Its lyrics contain some of my favorite names of God, those which I frequently call upon in times of joy and sorrow.
- “King of Heaven” (Daniel 4:37)
- “Son of Man” (Matthew 18:11, Matthew 25:31-32, Mark 14:62)
- “Blameless One” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- “Perfect Sacrifice” (John 1:29, Hebrews 10:12)
- “King of Kings” (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 19:16, Revelation 17;14)
- “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, John 14:27, John 16:33, Ephesians 2:14)
- “God’s Own Son” (Romans 8:32, John 3:16)
- “Messiah” (John 4:25-26, John 1:41)
- “Light of the World” (John 8:12, John 1:5, Psalm 27:1, 2 Corinthians 4:6) who has overcome darkness, sin and death (2 Timothy 1:10, Revelation 1:18, Isaiah 25:8, John 11:25-26)
Perhaps most frequently heard at Christmastime, Jesus is Emmanuel: “God with Us” (Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:14). We have a real and personal Savior, mighty enough to take away the sin of the world and merciful enough to love and help us every step from now through eternity.
He sees every high and low, standing with us on the mountaintops and equipping us with His sufficient grace (2 Corinthians 12:9) to navigate the valleys and wilderness without fear (Psalm 23:4, Psalm 118:6, Psalm 27:1, Romans 8:31, Philippians 4:13). He shows His infinite lovingkindness and mercy (Psalm 145:9, Deuteronomy 7:9, Nehemiah 1:5, Psalm 100:5) to the least of these and calls us to do the same (Matthew 25:40, Proverbs 19:17, Matthew 10:42). He is kind to bring people and circumstances across our paths that provide opportunities to share the light of Christmas and the joy of the world throughout the year (Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:30, Matthew 5:13-16.)
With Jesus, God’s Christmas gift of hope, light and joy becomes a permanent fixture rooted deep within us and held fast by the Holy Spirit (Jude 24, John 10:29-30). This unspeakable joy overflows and permeates every facet of life, compelling us to live it out loud and declare it boldly in words and deeds (Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:16-20).
This sums up the message of “Light Has Come,” and my prayer is that this song and its lyrics will encourage your heart this season as we turn our eyes upon the Light and the Hope that came down to dwell among us more than 2,000 years ago in the frailty of human flesh (John 1:14). In Jesus, that frailty was put to death (Hebrews 4:15) so that we could be raised to abundant life for all of eternity when we place our hope solely in Him (1 John 2:2). May we keep Christ in Christmas and may we share the steadfast love of Jesus with the world during this season and beyond – during the silent nights and during the busy days.
LIGHT HAS COME
In a stable, history began
King of Heaven, born the Son of Man
A star shone bright, the angels sang
Wise men, shepherds, all they came
Knelt before the newborn Savior King
Innocence wrapped in Love’s pure light
Blameless One, Perfect Sacrifice
King of Kings, Prince of Peace
Lover of the least of these
God’s own Son, come to give us life
So light the candles, ring the bells
Climb the mountains, go and tell
Of Messiah’s love for us
It’s Christmas!
Emmanuel, God with Us
Hallelujah, Christ has come!
Sin defeated, death undone
It’s Christmas, it’s Christmas!
Sing joy to the world!
Joy to the world!
Sing joy to the world!
Light has come!
Preparing for Sunday | December 19
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
All Creation Sing (Joy To The World) | [listen]
Isaac Watts, Steve Fee
Luke 2:10
Redemption Song | [listen]
Canyon Hills Worship
Romans 8:22-23
Crown Him (Christmas) | [listen + lyrics]
Chris Tomlin, Daniel Carson, Matt Redman, DK Kim, Colby Taylor
Hebrews 2:9
SERMON TEXT
Philippians 4
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)