Sermon: Bad Girls Begat Jesus: Bathsheba
Texts: 2 Samuel 11:1–12:15; Matthew 1:1, 6b-11
Focus Statement: God forgave David when he confessed his sin.
Function Statement: That they would repent and confess their sins to God, confident of his grace.
Sermon: Confessing Christ
Text: John 1:6-8, 19-28
Focus Statement: John the Baptist confessed that he was not the Christ.
Function Statement: That they would joyfully point people to Jesus, not ourselves.
Sermon: The Beginning of Baptism
Texts: Mark 1:1-8
Focus Statement: God forgives our sins in Holy Baptism.
Function Statement: That they would daily confess their sins in a return to their Baptism.
Sermon: Stirred Up
Texts: Psalm 80
Focus Statement: God hears and answers our prayers.
Function Statement: That they would be confident of God’s good and gracious will.
Sermon: The Word and the Wonder: God’s Word for Simeon & Anna
Text: Luke 2:22-40
Focus: God keeps his promises.
Function: That they would not give up hope in prayer.
Sermon: Bad Blood?
Text: Matthew 1:1-17
Focus: Jesus’ genealogy shows that God includes all kinds of scoundrels in his family.
Function: That they would rejoice in the Good News of God’s forgiveness for them.
Sermon: The Word and the Wonder: God’s Word for Joseph
Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Focus: Jesus forgives his people’s sins.
Function: That they would rejoice in God’s gift of grace born at Christmas.
Sermon: Patient People
Text: James 5:7-11
Focus: Christ will come again someday.
Function: That they would wait with patience for the Advent of our King.
Sermon: The Word and the Wonder: God’s Word for Mary
Text: Luke 1:26-38
Focus: Nothing is impossible for God.
Function: That they would dream big and pray big because God can do all things.
Sermon: The Lion and the Lamb
Text: Isaiah 11:1-10
Focus: When Christ returns on the Last Day, he will usher in never-ending, perfect peace.
Function: That they would anticipate with joy the return of the King.