An Advent to Behold: The Love of God

About this sermon

Join Duane Brooks as he emphasizes the theme of beholding and its transformative power. He reflects on the importance of beholding Jesus in our lives, leading to beliefs, rebirth, and belonging in a new community. The focus is on slowing down, beholding God's love, and embracing holiness, with an emphasis on spiritual rebirth and the promise of transformation through Christ's love. This message incorporates reflections on identity, belonging, hope, and holiness, all stemming from the central theme of beholding the love of God. Insights for this message as based on John 3:16, 1 John 3:1-3. Quotes: Maggie Ross: The word behold might be the most important word in all the Bible. Augustine: Late, have I loved you . . . beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. Duane Brooks: The point of Jesus’ birth is our spiritual rebirth. Phillips Brooks: O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today. Corrie Ten Boom: If Christ had been born ten thousand times in Bethlehem but never in me, I would still be lost. Henri Nouwen: We are intimately loved long before our parents, teachers, spouses, children and friends loved or wounded us. That's the truth of our lives. That's the truth I want you to claim for yourself. That's the truth spoken by the voice that says, "You are my Beloved." Karl Barth: Most profound truth: Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Dan Fogelberg: The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old, but his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul. My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man. I am a living legacy of the leader of the band. Alexander Maclaren: It is not mere beholding, but the gaze of love and trust that molds us. You have been trying, and trying, and trying half your lifetime to cure faults and make yourselves better and stronger. Try this other plan. Let love draw you, instead of duty driving you. Let fellowship with Christ elevate you, instead of seeking to struggle up the steeps on hands and knees. Live in sight of your Lord, and catch His Spirit. I. Howard Marshall: This is the moral outworking of the continuing spiritual union with Jesus; intimacy with Christ empowers us to live with integrity. Thomas Chalmers: The best way to overcome the world is not with morality or self-discipline. Christians overcome the world by seeing the beauty and excellence of Christ. They overcome the world by seeing something more attractive than the world: Christ. Soren Kierkegaard: And now, with God’s help, I will become who I am.

Topics

• Love & Compassion
• Christmas