WEEKLY WORSHIP GUIDE

In our digital age, especially for our communication and information, we have never had a greater need to lean into the implications of the incarnation of Jesus…that is Jesus, as God, coming to be present in the flesh.
The greatest purpose and meaning for this life begins and ends with our relationship to God and just under that would be our relationship to others.  The key to both of those realities lies in the incarnation of Jesus…putting on flesh to come and be physically present with us.  If this is true then we have deep and abiding theological grounding for a skepticism towards any other substitute promising deep and meaningful relational connection.
In this series we want to belabor a point that it has, perhaps, never in the history of the church been more important to take seriously the implications of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus.

Michael McCracken

DNA Questions:  Galatians 4:1-7
Discover:

• What is the connection between heirs and slaves that Paul is trying to make?
• What are "elementary principles" of the world?
• Why is the idea of "the fulness of time" so important to this text?

Nurture:

• What elementary principles do you tend to fall back into?  Why?
• How is our adoption as sons and daughters the answer to our enslavement to elementary principles of the world?
• Could it be said of you that you have not because you ask not? (James 4:2) If so, why do you struggle to pray?  How does this text impact your view of prayer?

Act:

• Believing the gospel, what could your prayer life look like this week?
• Considering the Lord's Prayer, (Matthew 6:9-13) how could your prayers be more in line with those of a son or daughter of God?

A Day of Glory
O Come All Ye Faithful (His Name Shall Be)
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Agnus Dei/King of Kings

Father, the Spirit taught Paul, and now the Spirit teaches us, that all who are in Christ are new people…the old about us, as pertaining to our bondage to sin and the judgment that goes with it, has passed away through the life and work of Jesus… and that all things about our relationship with God is now brand new through the life and work of Jesus Christ…we are completely forgiven…there is now no more condemnation…and we have been eternally adopted into the family and household of God…your household Father. Awesome! Thank you! The Christmas child’s presence in that manger so long ago in Bethlehem said “God with us”…and it also said “to save his people from their sins and reconcile them unto himself forever.”  What a Merry Christmas it already is!  Thanks Lord…in Jesus’ name  amen!

Jim McCracken