Liturgy is chemotherapy for the soul.

#SermonPrep #Sermon #theology

God could have sent a soldier, who gathered an army, who went marching upon the kingdoms of the world and forcing his will upon everyone, a fascist of righteousness who would bring about the kind of world God wanted in the first place. God could have sent that kind of messiah, one who would kill to heal the world, but God didn’t.

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#ChristmasEve #ChristmasEveSermon #Advent #SermonPrep #Sermon #theology

The Christ Event is the ultimate sign from God that says, "You don't have to know enough, be enough, or do enough. I am with you."

We hear about shepherds and forget that they likely had no theological or biblical education. They likely had meager possessions, with little to offer. They weren't special to anyone but their families. Yet God chose to reveal Christ to them.

God's love is for you, is with you, and doesn't need you to be anything but you.

#Advent #SermonPrep #theology

We take this child for granted. But it’s bigger than that… we take God for granted. But it’s still bigger… we take our very existence for granted. How can we know God if we don’t know Christ? How can we know Christ if we don’t know ourselves? How can we know ourselves if we don’t take our existence, our created-ness, seriously?

#SermonPrep #Advent #ChristChild #theology

The Christ event is the ultimate sign of love that says “You don’t have to ask.”

When you cannot scrounge up the courage to ask God for what you need, God already knows what you actually need, knows the depths of your heart, and your heart's deepest longings.

You don't have to ask for God to step into your reality to give comfort and joy, despite your struggles and loneliness. Christ came as an infant, vulnerable and weak, because that is how we meet God daily.

#advent #theology #sermonprep