Welcome to South! We're glad you joined us today! Below you will find some sermon notes and Bible passages, to help you follow along with Pastor Scott's message in a series entitled "Christmas Moments". We hope you will be encouraged by what is taught today.

Christmas Moments

The moment of Mary, and her response to the angel Gabriel, was a moment of SURRENDER, and…The moment of Joseph, and the decision he had to make regarding Mary, was a moment of OBEDIENCE…The moment of the Magi, and their response to the star of God, was a moment of WORSHIP.

Worship

Esau McCaulley has summarized a definition of worship as “the reverential response of creation to the all-encompassing magnificence of the Creator.”
Warren Wiersbe’s definition is this: “Worship is the believer’s response with all that he is—mind, emotions, will, and body—to all that God is and says and does.” In the end, worship cannot be defined SOLELY by PHYSICAL observances such as attending a church service, singing, playing an instrument, lifting hands in praise, and bowing down.

Contrasted response

Obviously the news of a child born who is supposed to be the ultimate King of the Jews stirs up quite few thoughts in the mind and emotions in the heart of an incredibly jealous, suspicious, and extremely paranoid king.

Hostility and indifference characterized Herod's response to Jesus being born.

We have the opportunity to respond to Christ's birth. Worship is appropriate.

Maintaining and growing in your awe of and love for God is key.

This is not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey that involves intentional practices such as…
ENGAGING WITH SCRIPTURE - The more we read God’s Word, the more we come to understand His nature and character.
CULTIVATING A HUMBLE HEART - Humility opens the door to awe of God, as we acknowledge Him as the Creator and ourselves as His creation, utterly dependent on Him.
CONSIDERING GOD’S CREATION - God’s creation displays His great power and incredible wisdom from the vastness of the universe to the tiniest details in biology.
REFLECTING ON GOD’S WORK IN YOUR LIFE - This includes moments of providence, answered prayers, personal transformation, or even small blessings. Recognizing God's presence in the details of your life makes Him more real and awe-inspiring.
MEDITATING ON THE CROSS: The ultimate revelation of God's greatness and love is found in the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ and His powerful work through his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead.
PRACTICING GRATITUDE - Gratitude shifts our hearts from focusing on ourselves to focusing on God’s goodness and provision, which naturally increases our awe.