Advent 2015: From Heaven to Earth

Friends, this is a bit of a last-minute post, but here it is!  Hopefully most all of you are in the thick of your Advent planning - or it's done already!  Just in case, here's what we'll be offering this year at FUMC of Arlington, TX.

Liturgy resources can be found here.

Advent/Christmas 2015 Worship Series: November 29 - January 3

From Heaven to Earth

Advent 1 - Nov 29

• Sermon Title:  “The Day is Coming”
• Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16
• 2nd - 1 Thess 3:9-13
• Candle - Hope
• Themes
• Setting the series … From Heaven to Earth
• What its like to wait … … And still be hopeful
• Explaining Advent - it isn’t Christmas, yet
• Speaking of exile (Jeremiah)
• Who is actually waiting to meet Jesus?  Who needs to meet Jesus and hasn’t?
• God’s long-view on deliverance and our work in the meantime. 
• Nicene Creed
• Light from Light, True God from True God

Advent 2 - Dec 6

• Sermon Title:  “People, Get Ready”
• Scripture:  Luke 3:1-6
• Malachi 3:1-4
• Candle - Love
• Themes
• Setting the stage … Luke is creating a backdrop of kings and emperors, while the King of Kings is coming out of nowhere and nothing.
• Love means telling it like it is, sometimes - J the B.
• IT'S THE FEAST OF ST. NICHOLAS

Advent 3 - Dec 13

• Sermon Title: “Filled With Expectation” 
• Scripture: Luke 3:7-18
• 2nd - Isaiah 12:2-6
• Candle - Joy
• Themes
• How are we preparing to meet the Messiah?  Are we focused on our needs, or the needs of others?
• Are we heading into a joyful season?  Is it joyful for everyone?
• Unreasonable expectations
• What do you expect to get from this season?  What are you prepared to give?  John stood his ground.
• Trimming back to proclaim the good news.

Advent 4 - Dec 20

• Sermon Title: “We Are Blessed”
• Scripture: Luke 1:39-55
• 2nd - Micah 5:2-5a
• Candle - Peace
• Themes
• God’s peace comes with a special kind of justice
• But it's the same theme that God has been working with since the very beginning: care for the least of these
• Turning the world on its head … who would’ve thought God would choose a person like Mary to be mother to God?
• Our God is a fan of the underdog

Christmas Eve - Dec 24

• Sermon Title: “From Heaven to Earth”
• Scripture: Luke 2:1-20
• Candle - Christ
• Themes
• CHRISTMAS
• Incarnation
• What does it actually mean for the world that Emmanuel would be a human baby, in actuality?
• How does this amazing gift show how highly God thinks of us?  Or what brings out the best in us?

Sunday After Christmas - Dec 27

• Sermon Title: “Love Came Down at Christmas”
• Scripture - Colossians 3:12-17
• 2nd - Psalm 148
• Themes
• CHRISTMAS
• The values that God sent Jesus to demonstrate to us:
• Compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience
• Love
• God so loves the world ...

Epiphany Sunday - January 3 

• Sermon Title: “Searching for Jesus”
• Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
• 2nd - Psalm 72:1-7
• Themes
• Where do we expect to find Jesus?  Might that be a dangerous search?
• Who would be the opposition?
• The political cost of following Jesus, bending the Messiah to our vision, rather than God's vision.
• God Revealed - the meaning of  Epiphany 
• Welcoming the Gentiles to the Kingdom.
• Offering a Wesleyan Covenant Service
• The New Year