The advent season is a special time to reflect on Jesus' birth and the years, months, and days leading up to his birth. This year, we took time to stop and focus on learning about why Jesus came.
Why he came: part 1
Who? What? When? Where? Why? These are the questions we ask when we want to learn more. On December 3, Pastor Brian kicked off the advent series with a sermon attempting to answer some of these questions. He explained a few common misunderstandings about the events surrounding the birth of Jesus by walking through some of these basic questions. Of these question, the most important is the "Why?" Why did Jesus come? This is the first sermon in a series attempting to answer that question. The primary biblical text for this sermon is Ezekiel 37:15-28.
Why he came: part 2
Jesus' coming to earth was not a plan B or a backup plan, but was God's perfect plan for the redemption and salvation of humanity. Early in Jesus' ministry, he entered into a Jewish synagogue and read from Isaiah 61 and told those in the synagogue that the words were being fulfilled in front of their eyes. On December 10th, Pastor Brian Matherlee preached the second part of the advent sermon series and looked at what we learn from Jesus' reading of these words and what those words tell us about WHY Jesus came to earth.
Why he came: part 3
In 1 John 1, it is revealed that Jesus came for fellowship with humanity. Fellowship with Jesus is more than just saying you are "Team Jesus." Having genuine fellowship with Jesus requires us to listen to the truth, live by the truth, and confess the truth. On December 13th, Pastor Brian Matherlee preached part 3 in the Why He Came series. The biblical text referenced in this sermon is 1 John 1.
Why he came: part 4
On Christmas Eve, Pastor Brian concluded the Why He Came series with a sermon rooted in Luke 2:25-32. This passage talks about a man named Simeon and his encounter with baby Jesus. Simeon instantly knew and understood who Jesus was, and a lot can be learned from this brief encounter about why Jesus came to earth.