Second Sunday in Advent
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” Romans 15:13 (KJV)
Welcome to Nambucca Baptist Church for our service this Sunday 6th December 2020. We had a wonderful meeting which we are happy to share with you today. This is a communion service so we invite you to prepare the elements at home or wherever you are so that you can join with us around the Lord’s table.
Today is the Second Sunday in Advent and we continue with our sermon series for the four weeks leading up to Christmas day. today’s focus is on Jesus the Light of Hope this Christmas. Bible hope is a powerful faith building force and today’s message tracks several examples of hope and faith leading up to the excruciatingly difficult situation that both Mary and Joseph found themselves as a result of her pregnancy.
We have some great worship songs for you and Meryl welcomed us to church and led us in prayer. Sadly we will soon be losing Glenys as she is moving to live with her family in Narrabri.
This is where we would normally take up a collection but as you can see we can’t pass an offering bag around online. We have, however, provided a secure online giving facility for you. You can either use the Tithe.ly app on your smartphone or just click on the green button on the screen. We have been blessed by the way so many of you have managed to continue to give in various ways so that we can continue with the work of the Lord here in our church and beyond our walls.
For some reason we did not record the first part of the communion message video. I have copied the text from my notes here so that you can participate in this powerful communion service with us.
Holy Communion
My hope doesn’t have to know how; I know who.
I don’t know how, but I know who.
I don’t know when, but I know who.
I don’t even know what, but I know who.
I have a hope!
It’s an anchor for my soul.
What does an anchor do?
It goes all the way down to the bottom and holds me safely.
From a stump, a shoot is coming forth.
Think about it.
The stump of Jesse.
That was David’s father.
That represented the kingdom of Israel.
When that kingdom was cut down, God chose Isaiah’s word to say, “There’s a shoot coming
forth from the stump.”
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” and from its roots a branch will bring forth fruit.
You cannot have the fruit of fulfillment without the branch of Jesus Christ.
That’s why he was born. He is the Branch.
“Today is born to you in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord.”
The Lord Jesus Christ is our living hope. While we wait for his return we have the opportunity to honour His request that we remember His sacrifice on the cross. Jesus asked us to do this, so, this is what we are doing here this morning, we are remembering, and honouring Jesus’ wishes that we do this: –
Let us remember that the Lord Jesus Christ on the same night that He was betrayed took the bread and when He had given thanks He broke it and gave it to his disciples saying “Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given
for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had
given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of this;
for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for
you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”