Point of Grace Online Worship - January 19, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 1.19.25 Sermon Notes – “Showing Up to Armor Up”

The Temptation of Jesus – Luke 4:1-13

… The real battle with a real enemy is real

… Jesus is the only One that wins

… If I can live connected to Jesus, I can win too!

Ephesians 6

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The battle is real! The enemy is real!

1 Peter 5 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

The enemy is an unholy trinity – the devil and his accomplices!

The Devil – the enemy above -Satan – the lying deceiver- accuser – a conscienceless enemy of God and His children

The World – the enemy around - collective humanities values, initiatives, institutions and culture formulated without God in the center– a godless endeavor

The Sinful Self – the enemy within – every person is born estranged from God – our natural default is to trust “self” over God for life

The enemy is so effective because he has “power” but only “illegitimate authority”.

We don’t have enough power or authority on our own to fight him. We win when we come clothed in Christ who has “legit” power and authority. That is why we must “Show up to Armor up every day!”

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

In my baptism, God gives me real and effective armor …to wear daily!

Putting on the armor of God is like a parent helping a child get dressed.

The question is … will I be present with Him every day for Him to dress me?

Will I show up to armor up?  

Prayer in His Presence is like the “dressing room” for “armoring up”!

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,

Jesus is the Truth who speaks truth. We need to be belted with truth and the Truth!

“I am the Way the Truth and the Life” John 14

with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God

The end of striving …. True life is not performing to be approved it is the overflowing result of being given approval.

Jesus, I renounce the devil as the Father of lies and surrender to You as my Truth.

I confess I am vulnerable to believe lies about You, about me and about the rights and wrongs of life.

I repent of all untruths I have treated as truth and ask You to reveal the lies I have believed that I might repent and turn to You as Truth. I now buckle on You and your Word as my Belt of Truth.

Jesus, You were perfectly righteous on my behalf and I receive your righteousness as my own.

I turn now from all my attempts to prove my self-worth, validate the value of my existence and author my own version of righteousness.

Instead, I now receive your righteous sacrifice for me as an unmerited gift – a covering of value, worth and righteousness found only in You which protects my vulnerable heart as a breastplate.

Jesus, I surrender to You and your Righteousness as a Breastplate of worth, value, identity, and validation.

Jesus, I take my stand today in You and You alone. Amen

Point of Grace Online Worship - January 12, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 1.12.25 – Sermon Notes – The Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

It is helpful to remember the context, “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

What is being communicated to us and Jesus?

At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said,

“This is my Son, (identity)

whom I love; (love)

with him I am well pleased.” (approval)

What does this mean for us?

Galatians 3 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

“I will never get tired of hearing the Father’s words at Jesus baptism. They are words of identity, affection and approval. They reveal Jesus as the True Son and the Beloved. LOVE is the essence of God’s character and the fragrance of the Trinitarian community. When we are baptized into the Trinitarian name we are enfolded in this community of love. Love is the greatest need of our beings and LOVE is what we get from the Father in our baptism. The identity of the “Beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased” is the approval we get in our baptism. We are clothed with Christ in Baptism. This is the gift we are given. God is revealing all of this to us so we will look nowhere else for identity, love and approval. Jesus is where we get all this. WOW! Daily renewal in this IDENTITY as “Beloved Son/Daughter” is a non-negotiable priority for the life of the Jesus follower because Jesus following is living the “life of the Beloved.” So let me say it again, “We look nowhere else for identity, love and approval….. Jesus is where we get all this. WOW!“ No wonder we need ample time in His presence everyday.”

In baptism I am “clothed with Christ” so that “in Christ” these same declarations are over me.

We get identity as forgiven, loved, approved and Spirit-filled children of God.

It is all a gift because of Jesus!

This all sounds nice but …….. we daily wake up in a world at war. What is being attacked?

Matthew 4: 1-3 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God….”

Our identity in Christ is always under attack from the devil, the world and our sinful nature.

“Daily renewal in this IDENTITY as “Beloved Son/Daughter” is a non-negotiable priority for the life of the Jesus follower because Jesus following is living the “life of the Beloved.” So let me say it again, “We look nowhere else for identity, love and approval….. Jesus is where we get all this. WOW!“ No wonder we need ample time in His presence everyday.”

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and choosing me from before you made the world. You are my true Father— I love you, I trust you, I worship you. I give myself over to you, Father, to be one with you as Jesus is one with you. Thank you for proving your love for me by sending Jesus. I receive him and all his life and all his work which you ordained for me. Thank you for forgiving me my sins, granting me his righteousness, making me complete in him. Thank you for making me alive with Christ, raising me with him, and anointing me with your love and your Spirit and your favor. I receive it all with thanks and give it total claim to my life I now proclaim this truth, “I am a lavishly Loved child of my Father in heaven.”

So today I get to live the Life of the Beloved. Amen

Point of Grace Online Worship - January 5, 2025

Sermon Notes – 1.5.25 – “Jesus – the One for me to see!” – Epiphany

Epiphany  - to “shine light on”, “to spotlight”, “to reveal”

Am I looking where God is shining?

In the story of the Magi, in Matthew 2, God shines multiple spotlights on 
“Jesus, as the One for me to see!”

                     Spotlight 1 - The Magi

                     Spotlight 2 - Old Testament Connections

                     Spotlight 3 - King Herod

Matthew 2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 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.”

The Magi – the most unlikely targets of God’s work in Jesus!  It would have been an epiphany for Matthew’s readers to think that God was at work in Jesus for people like “Magi from the East”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

The Old Testament Connections highlighted by Matthew (four in this chapter alone) are like “epiphany’s” to the 1st century reader.  “Oh, wow, I see!”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

King Herod stands in stark contrast to King Jesus…..
        One is powerful with the power of men…
               the other powerless but in the hands of God! 

         One threatened by a baby to the point of atrocity …          
                the other worshiped by the unlikely recipients of God’s epiphany!

What about me? 

As I look forward to the unfolding days of 2025 where is God shining His light for me to see?
Will I look where His light is shining?

Is my life threatened by Jesus or
is my life worship of Jesus: the One I truly need to see?

Point of Grace Online Worship - December 29, 2024

Point of Grace – 12.29.24  -   Seeing Jesus After Christmas - Sermon Notes

“Sir, We want to see Jesus?”

Luke 2
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”, 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

When we see Jesus for who He truly is
and see ourselves being with Jesus in the dailiness of life
a “saving” of ourselves happens that brings us more fully alive!

A Prayer to See Jesus Each Day

Holy Spirit,
“Help me see Jesus for all He is
so I might be with Jesus
in every way today!”

Point of Grace Online Worship - December 24, 2024

Point of Grace Online Worship - December 22, 2024

Point of Grace – 12.22.24  -  Advent 4 -  “Love”   Sermon Notes

Love

Luke 1:57-80
57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,  because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us  in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,  73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
75     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Why?
LOVE

John 3:16 “God so love the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”

1 John 3:1

See what great love 
the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!

Love:   https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/agape-love/

Luke 1:67-69
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,  
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

God’s Love is a Love that …

            … Comes
           … Redeems
           … is Mighty to Save

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

1 John 4:9-119 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 

1 John 3:1

See what great love 
the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are! 

Point of Grace Online Worship - December 15, 2024

Point of Grace – 12.15.24 - Advent 3 - “Joy” Sermon Notes

Joy and Rejoicing – The best and worst of the season!

We do long for enchantment.

Biblical Joy https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/chara-joy/

Luke 1 39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

Whenever we see “Joy and Rejoicing” in scripture it is in reference to God and what He is doing. It is as if when the focus is on God and what He is up to the result is Joy and Rejoicing.

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

Joy and Rejoicing result when Jesus and what He is up to are Magnified.

When Jesus is Magnified – Joy happens!

Joy happens – when Jesus is Magnified!

Point of Grace Online Worship - December 8, 2024

 December 8, 2024      2nd Sunday of Advent      Rev. Mike Coppersmith

“BREAK INTO PEACE”

Finding God’s Advent Peace Amid the Interruptions of Life

BREAK INTO PEACE! Finding God’s Advent Peace Amid the Interruptions of Life

GOD IS A GOD OF INTERRUPTIONS

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS ARE ALL ABOUT INTERRUPTIONS

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendent of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.

INTERRUPTIONS CAN CAUSE US TO FALL OUT OF PEACE AND INTO FEAR.

Verses 29-30

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary…”

JESUS CHRIST—THE PRINCE OF PEACE—

WANTS TO DELIVER US FROM OUR FEARS AND DISPLAY HIS PEACE IN OUR LIFE

Psalm 34:4

 I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

SIX GIFTS THAT LIFT US OUT OF OUR FEAR AND STEP INTO HIS PEACE

GOD’S PRESENCE

verse 28b: “The Lord is with you.”

GOD’S FAVOR

verse 28a: “Greetings, you are highly favored”

verse 30: “…you have found favor with God.”

 GOD’S REIGN

 verse 32a: “He will be great and called the Son of the Most High”

verses 32b-33: “The Lord will give him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

GOD’S POWER

verse 35: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”

GOD’S WORD

verses 37-38: “‘For no word from God will ever fail.’ 38 ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me according to your word.’”

GOD’S PEOPLE

Luke 1:39-45

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

SIX GIFTS THAT LIFT YOU OUT OF YOUR FEAR AND INTO HIS PEACE

God’s Presence - Remember It!

God’s Favor - Rejoice in It!

God’s Reign - Rest in It! God’s Power - Rely on It!

God’s Word - Receive It!

God’s People - Reconnect with Them!

THREE CONCRETE ACTIONS TO WHICH THE INTERRUPTIONS OF ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS CALL YOU

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR NEED FOR GOD TO BREAK INTO YOUR LIFE

ASK JESUS CHRIST TO BREAK IN WITH HIS GIFTS OF PEACE!

LOOK AT INTERRUPTIONS NOT AS OBSTACLES BUT AS OPPORTUNITIES

Lord Jesus Christ, I invite you to break into my life in a new way today!