Advent 2020: Rediscover Christmas
Rediscover God’s Gifts for You
Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love Embodied In Jesus
Sermons In This Series
Are you struggling this year, asking, “Where is God?” This message shows us that Jesus is close in our struggles, fears, and triumphs. Learn how God is with you wherever you are today.
Love: This message reminds us that the love of God fills us and fuels us; it calls us and enables us to love each other. God’s love is radical, unbelievable, and healing.
Joy: This message shows us how to have joy and happiness, no matter what we’re facing, and how to refuel by returning to our source of joy—Jesus.
Peace: Jesus brings peace between us and God. He shows up to calm your heart when the storms of life threaten your peace.
Hope: No matter how bad things are, never give up hope. This is a season of expectation and preparation, an opportunity to align ourselves with God’s presence and rediscover Christmas.
More About This Series
Wow, what a year! Has there ever been a year filled with more uncertainty in our lifetimes? You know what’s on the list. We’ve all been living it for almost a full year: global pandemic, economic recession, mass unemployment, political division, cultural upheaval, racial reckoning, record wildfires, complete with fire tornados, extra-powerful hurricanes, and floods. Did I miss anything?
If it’s not the new word of the year officially, it should be—doomscrolling. It’s perfectly fitting that this new word was added to our lexicon this year. You know, it’s that scroll through your news feed on social media on your phone, just thumbing through the headlines. We’ve probably all done it. Hopefully, we’ve all caught ourselves and learned to limit the doomscrolling before bed. It’s enough to sink anyone into depression.
I’m not trying to bring us down here. Quite the opposite. But this is the reality we’ve all been living with for quite some time. It’s been a tough year. If there’s ever a year we need Christmas, this is it. If there’s ever a year we need the hope of Christmas, this is it. If there’s ever a year we need Christ, my friends, this is that year.
It’s a good thing we’ve made it here—to Advent, nearly to Christmas!
The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival,” and the season is marked by expectation, waiting, anticipation, and longing. Advent is not just an extension of Christmas—it is a season that links the past, present, and future. Advent offers us the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, to celebrate His birth, and to be alert for His second coming. Advent looks back in celebration at the hope fulfilled in Jesus’s coming, while at the same time looking forward in hopeful and eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when He returns for His people.
During Advent we wait for both—it’s an active, assured, and hopeful waiting. Each week, we’re focusing on a different attribute of God represented in the coming of Jesus: hope, peace, joy, and love. Through these traits, we are learning how we can rediscover Christmas, despite the challenges, hardships, pains, and difficulties we might be experiencing.
You Might Also Like:
Matthew 1:18-25: During this series, we are looking at how hope, peace, joy and love are at the heart of Christmas. This message, delivered right before Christmas, shows us how God’s expression of love is witnessed in the birth of Jesus.
Advent 2023, week 4: During this series, we are looking at how hope, peace, joy and love are at the heart of Christmas. This week we’re learning about how love is at the heart of Christmas.
Advent 2023, week 3 - Joy: Do you feel robbed of joy? Learn how to hold onto joy no matter the situation you’re in with this week’s encouraging message.
Advent Week 2 - Peace: Today we’ll learn about the remarkable offer of peace: Who is it for? What does it do? How do we get it?
Advent week 1 - Hope: No matter how bad things are, never give up hope. This is a season of expectation and preparation, an opportunity to align ourselves with God’s presence and rediscover Christmas.
Advent 2022, week 5: During this series, we are looking at how hope, peace, joy and love are at the heart of Christmas. This week we learn how God’s expression of love is witnessed in the birth of Jesus.
Advent 2022, week 4: During this series, we are looking at how hope, peace, joy and love are at the heart of Christmas. This week we’re learning about how love is at the heart of Christmas.
Advent 2022, week 3: Do you feel robbed of joy? Learn how to hold onto joy no matter the situation you’re in with this week’s encouraging message.
Advent 2022, week 2: During this series, we are looking at how hope, peace, joy and love are at the heart of Christmas. Today we’ll learn about the remarkable offer of peace: Who is it for? What does it do? How do we get it?
Advent 2022, week 1: During this series, we will look at how hope, peace, joy and love are at the heart of Christmas. It’s meant to help you grow in faith and prepare your heart to focus on the real reason for the season: Jesus!
Advent week 5 - Christ: Struggling or just need encouragement? This message shows us that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are close in our struggles, fears, and triumphs. Learn how God is with you wherever you are today. With God, nothing is impossible!
Advent week 4 - Love: This message reminds us that the love of God fills us and fuels us; it calls us and enables us to love each other. God’s love is radical, unbelievable, and healing!
Advent week 3 - Joy: Want authentic joy? This message shows us how to have joy and happiness, no matter what we’re facing. Plus, learn three tips to refuel by returning to our source of joy—Jesus.
Advent week 2 - Peace: Jesus brings peace between us and God. He shows up to calm your heart when the storms of life threaten your peace. Learn three insights about our connection with God’s peace.
Advent week 1 - Hope: No matter how bad things are, never give up hope. This is a season of expectation and preparation, an opportunity to align ourselves with God’s presence and rediscover Christmas.
Are you struggling this year, asking, “Where is God?” This message shows us that Jesus is close in our struggles, fears, and triumphs. Learn how God is with you wherever you are today.
Love: This message reminds us that the love of God fills us and fuels us; it calls us and enables us to love each other. God’s love is radical, unbelievable, and healing.
Joy: This message shows us how to have joy and happiness, no matter what we’re facing, and how to refuel by returning to our source of joy—Jesus.
Peace: Jesus brings peace between us and God. He shows up to calm your heart when the storms of life threaten your peace.
Hope: No matter how bad things are, never give up hope. This is a season of expectation and preparation, an opportunity to align ourselves with God’s presence and rediscover Christmas.
Luke 2:8-20, Matthew 2:1-12: We should remember to rejoice in Jesus’ presence like the shepherds; and we are to be like the Magi: focus on worship, adoration, and gifts to the King of kings.
Luke 2:13-14: The fist proclamation of Christmas came from heaven through angels speaking to shepherds. Jesus brought us peace with God; let’s celebrate this season by sharing this with others.
Luke 3:4-6: The prophets prophesied His birth. And now we live in expectation and preparation of Jesus returning soon. Through faith in Christ we’ve been saved. Our duty is to prepare our hearts to receive Him, with expectation to meet Him.