Stoney Point Baptist Church

The season of Advent is the period of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas day… it’s a season of expectation, a time for us to prepare our hearts and reflect on the gift of Christ’s mercy and redemption. As Christians, we still find ourselves looking for the return of Jesus, maybe now more than ever. As times and seasons change. We find ourselves in the midst of more lockdowns. We find ourselves navigating a culture of fear and control. We find ourselves longing for relief and a return to some “normalcy” in life. We worry about our future and the world that we must leave to our children. We are the most connected culture in the history of the world, yet we find ourselves to be the most lonely. We long for hope, yet hope seems to be a lost hope in this season of uncertainty. BUT We are not a people who walk in darkness. We are not a people void of hope. There will be seasons of darkness in this world, BUT we are the children of LIGHT. So in this short season of advent, we, like the Jews living under the oppression of Roman government, find ourselves longing for the soon return of King Jesus. The One Who will bring Judgement And Justice And Equity The One Who will forever destroy the power of sin and injustice!

1. Praise God For His Faithfulness v. 16 2. Pray To God For His Continued Favor. (v17) 3. In Every Circumstance, Strive To Proclaim God’s Goodness. (v 18)

THREE FUNERALS AND A BIRTHDAY -The Death Of “My And Mine” (die to self) -The Death Of “Disobedience And Rebellion” (die to sin) -The Death Of “Worldly Gain And Profit” (die to the world) -The Birth Of “Freedom In Christ” (new life in Christ) 1. By Dying To Self, We Gain Access To Everything Through The Possession Of Nothing. (Phil. 1:12-26) 2. By Dying To Sin, We Experience True Freedom From Sin’s Slavery. (Romans 6:1-14) 3. By Dying To The World, We No Longer See The World As God, We See It As A Gift. (Colossians 2:1-15) This world is a gift to you! DO NOT LET IT BE YOUR GOD! Do not live for this world’s praises! Do not live for this world’s passions! Do not live for this world’s possessions! 4. By Living For Christ, We Gain Access To A Life That Is Fruitful, Filled With Joy, And Overflowing With Eternal Gain. (Phil. 3:7-8)

2 Timothy 3:1-17

“WHY GRACE MATTERS MORE THAN GRADES” 1 Peter 4:1-11 A Simple Definition Of Grace For The Parent “Stay Out Of The Ditches” Grace is the road that travels between the ditches of legalism and license. GRACE COMPELS US TO… To Die To Self (vv 1-2) To Destroy Idols (vv 3-6) To Discern What Is Best (vv 7-10) THREE REASONS WHY GRACE MATTERS MORE THAN GRADES 1. Because Understanding God’s Grace Causes A Monumental Shift In Our Expectations For Our Children. 2. Grace Is God’s Golden Rule For Parents To Treat Their Children In The Same Way That God Treats Them. 3. Because Grace Takes The Destructive Nature Of Toxic Competition Out Of Life. 4. Because Grace Naturally Draws Our Children To The Heart Of God. Nothing will draw your child to the heart of God like grace. ACCEPT IT MODEL IT SHOW IT and watch what God will do in the heart of your child. GRACE MATTERS More than grades More than athletic goals More than economic prosperity. It matters because it displays the very nature of the heart of Almighty God.