The King at War (Matthew 2:13-18)

Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ's coming, give gifts, and spend time with family and friends. But that's not all. There is a darker part of the Christmas story that is often overlooked or avoided, because it doesn't seem to fit in with all of the rejoicing of the holiday season. But this piece of the story--our passage this Sunday--illumines the reality of our world and the purpose of Christmas perhaps more than all of the others. Jesus, the King of Light, came to fight and defeat the powers of sin and darkness in our world and our hearts.

Which King Do You Worship? (Matthew 2:1-12)

Christmas is an event that brings joy to many today, be it the decorations, the carols, the family reunions or the good food. However, the event by which Christmas celebrates was very polarizing to those around Jesus. This Sunday, we'll see how different people responded to the birth of the true King, with implications for our own responses to Him. 

The Origin of the King (Matthew 1:18-25)

Ready or not, it’s election season. Now through next November, candidates will propose their solutions to our nation’s problems. It’s fitting, then, that we find ourselves in Matthew 1, where Jesus is declared to be the true solution to all of the world’s problems. This Sunday we’ll see how the origin of Jesus—including his bizarre and controversial virgin birth—presents him as the only hope for humanity, including you and me.

The Family of the King (Matthew 1:1-17)

This weekend marks the first Sunday of the Advent season, a time of remembering Christ's first advent (i.e. "arrival" or "coming") as we look forward to his second advent. We'll begin a sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew, which emphasizes Christ's coming as king to establish his kingdom rule over all the earth.

This Sunday, we're introduced to King Jesus through his family--and meeting someone's family is one of the best ways to get to know someone.