Sunday, December 7, 2025
Sermon: “The Advent of Joy: A Bloom from the Seed of Faith”
Steve Davis delivers the message “The Advent of Joy: A Bloom from the Seed of Faith” with music from Kathleen Sieck and the Music Team.
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Isaiah 9:1-2, 6
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress…The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned…
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God…
Isaiah 35:1, 10
The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
…Those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Luke 2:10–11
The angel said [to the shepherds in the field at night], “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Matthew 2:1–2,9–12
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him…” When they saw the star, they were overjoyed…And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Revelation 12:1–5,10,12
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth… And … behold, a great red dragon…stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child, he might devour it. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!