Whether you are here in person or engaging from home, we are thankful you have chosen to worship with us today. If it is your first time, welcome! we would love to get to know you better. Would you consider filling out our Next Steps card and let us know you stopped by?

At Grace Family we focus our worship on Sunday to impact our lives every other day of the week as well. We also believe no one is perfect but everyone is welcome to worship God with us. So, no matter where you're from, what you've done, or what your week has been like, let's worship God and learn from His word together today.

What are you hoping for this Christmas?

What do you need this Christmas?

What you hope for might depend on the promises of people. What you need should be found in the promises of God.

Luke 1:8-10

"8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying."

God calls us to pray expectantly, not reluctantly. 

Luke 1:11-25

"11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.[a] 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,[b] and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19 Then 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! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. 23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Zechariah was filled with doubt.

Elizabeth was filled with joy.

What is your response when God says he is going to do something?

Luke 1:67-70

"67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,

    because he has visited and redeemed his people.

69 He has sent us a mighty Savior[a]

    from the royal line of his servant David,

70 just as he promised

    through his holy prophets long ago."

Living in light of God's promises should fill us with expectation.

Luke 1:71-75

"71 Now we will be saved from our enemies

    and from all who hate us.

72 He has been merciful to our ancestors

    by remembering his sacred covenant—

73 the covenant he swore with an oath

    to our ancestor Abraham.

74 We have been rescued from our enemies

    so we can serve God without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness

    for as long as we live."

Living in light of God's promises removes all fear and shame.

Luke 1:76-79

"“And you, my little son,

    will be called the prophet of the Most High,

    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.

77 You will tell his people how to find salvation

    through forgiveness of their sins.

78 Because of God’s tender mercy,

    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,[a]

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Living in light of God's promises points us to the person of Jesus.

Darkness is never a place you want to stay.

Darkness drains, confuses, and depresses us.

John 8:12

"12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Light restores, clarifies, and revives.

The absence of peace is chaos.

Isaiah 6:1-7

" It was in the year King Uzziah died[a] that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

Peace is the evidence of structure, contentment, and trust.

Genesis 1:2

"2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters."

תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ

tohu wa-bohu - formless and chaotic emptiness.

We were not created to live in formless and chaotic emptiness.

Jesus promises light and peace in a dark and chaotic world.

John 1:4-5

"The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]

    and his life brought light to everyone.

5 The light shines in the darkness,

    and the darkness can never extinguish it."

A Christmas characterized by darkness and chaos does not celebrate Jesus.

What you hope for might depend on the promises of people. What you need should be found in the promises of God.

How do you need to build your Christmas season around the light and peace Jesus promises?

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Every week we spend time praying for your requests at our staff meeting. Submit your request below and we will be sure to pray for you this week!