NO. LIVERMORE — At the North Livermore Baptist Church Dec. 17 service. the congregation was welcomed by Pastor Bonnie Higgins at 9:30 a.m. to begin the service. The Choir presented their Christmas Program throughout the service. The Invocation/Lord’s Prayer were recited. The hymn that was sung was “Angels We Have Heard on High”. The service ended with “Go Now in Peace”. Linda Lyman is the organist each week. Lew Lyman leads the music for the congregation each week.
The third Advent candle was lit.
The sermon, titled “The Words of Christmas – The Gospel and Relationship” and scriptures from Matthew 1:18-25 and John 3:16. Pastor Bonnie began by telling the congregation about what the meaning of the gospel is. With the word “gospel” meaning good news, what is the good news that we have heard? It is knowing that God loved us so much that he wanted to save us all from death and hell, that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to come to earth, live, and to die for each of us for our sins.
As Christians, we need to proclaim to the world what the message of Jesus Christ is and we need to be bold about it. We need to be louder than the world’s version. As Christians, we know that God wanted to give His people hope in a future, not only here on earth, but give us instructions on how to get to Heaven. The gospel tells us that God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth as a baby, humbly for the world to see, and live a life that was full of love for others and then for Jesus to die on a cross for our sins, to save us from death. But then Satan took God’s good intentions and changed it for the benefit of this world, his world. There is only one true gospel and that is from God and it is found in the Bible. The gospel of Jesus is one of hope, peace, joy, and love that only God can give us through Jesus. The gospel of Jesus tells us that we can’t earn our way in by money, or by good works, but only by having a personal relationship with Him.
To have a relationship with Jesus, we must realize that Jesus is God, through the incarnation of God putting on flesh and coming to earth as a baby. We also must realize that Jesus is also human. On earth, Jesus became man so He could endure all the situations we would eventually endure. We also must realize that Jesus is with us as Immanuel. Being with Jesus means that we are in His presence, learning from Him, fellowshipping with Him and receiving comfort from Him. Praying, listening, seeking, studying His Word, all are a part of having a relationship with Him and getting to know Him on a personal level. God created each of us and endured all the pain on the cross, so we could have a love relationship with Him. God wants His children to obey, serve, worship, fear and especially love Him. God’s relationship with His children is to protect them, care about their needs, heals, comforts, guides them, and mostly love them.
As children of God, we are not in a casual relationship with Him, through Jesus, we can have a close, personal relationship with God that is real. If you don’t think you are experiencing God in your life each day, ask yourself, how is your relationship with Him?
Knowing the gospel and what it means, will bring you to having a personal relationship with God. You can’t have a relationship with God, if you don’t know His gospel.
Announcements listed in the bulletin are that the congregation will be collecting crackers for the Food Pantry in December. Bible Study on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Coming Events: December 24: Christmas Eve service at 4 p.m.
You can email the church at nlbcmaine@gmail.com. Pastor Bonnie’s office hours are Tuesday’s from 9 a.m. to noon.
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