"A Thrill of Hope: Fall on Your Knees" | Luke 1:26-56 | Advent SeriesIn this message, part of our "A Thrill of Hope" Advent series, we experience the greatest announcement ever given—when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. Some news is so life-altering that it stops you in your tracks. You don't jump into problem-solving mode or make lists—you just stand there, wide-eyed and listening. Mary heard, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But that greeting was terrifying. If the Lord is with us, He knows our sinfulness, our brokenness, our hidden thoughts. How could "the Lord is with you" possibly be good news?🎯 Maybe you've been rushing through Advent without pausing in wonder and awe...🎯 Maybe the phrase "the Lord is with you" feels more frightening than comforting...🎯 Maybe it's time to fall on your knees and hear the angel voices—you have found favor with God.🗝️ Key Takeaways:✔️ Mary's question "How will this be?" is faith, not doubt—she's listening with wonder.✔️ "The Lord is with you" is good news because God chose Mary (and us!) despite our brokenness.✔️ Mary's response teaches us to wait on Jesus: "Let it be to me according to your word."📖 Main Scripture:Luke 1:26-56 (The Annunciation and Mary's Magnificat)Luke 1:37 (Nothing will be impossible with God)#advent #ChristianSermon #OHolyNight #Luke1 #Annunciation #MaryMagnificat #Christmas #ChristianFaith #AdventSermon #FallOnYourKnees

"A Thrill of Hope: A Weary World Rejoices" | Matthew 1:18-25 | Advent SeriesIn this message, part of our "A Thrill of Hope" Advent series, we experience dramatic irony—we know something Joseph doesn't. As readers, we know Mary's child is from the Holy Spirit, but Joseph? All he sees is a future falling apart and a situation that requires him to divorce Mary. Then the angel appears with the greatest news ever given: "That which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit... and they shall call his name Immanuel—God with us." What does it mean to live in a weary world with the thrill of this hope?🎯 Maybe you've been feeling weary—stretched thin, carrying burdens no one sees...🎯 Maybe like Joseph, you can't see what God is doing in the midst of your confusion...🎯 Maybe it's time to discover that hope didn't start when we felt hopeful—it started when God acted.🗝️ Key Takeaways:✔️ We can't figure out God's ways on our own—His salvation must be revealed to us.✔️ "Immanuel" means God is WITH us—bringing His saving power into our weariness.✔️ The thrill of hope is real because the God who saves has come, is with us, and will return!📖 Main Scripture:Matthew 1:18-25 (The birth of Jesus and Immanuel)Exodus 3:7-15 (God says "I will be with you")#Advent #ChristianSermon #Immanuel #Matthew1 #OHolyNight #Christmas #GodWithUs #ChristianFaith #AdventSermon #WearyWorld

"A Thrill of Hope: Chains Shall He Break" | Luke 1:5-80 | Advent SeriesIn this message, part of our "A Thrill of Hope" Advent series, we explore the powerful third verse of "O Holy Night"—"Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother."

When the angel Gabriel visited Zechariah with impossible news, doubt silenced him for forty weeks. But when his tongue was finally loosed, he sang about freedom—God coming to deliver us from the chains that bind us.

What chains are holding you captive? Fear? Lies you believe about yourself? Guilt? And what does Zechariah's prophecy reveal about the One who came to break them?🎯 Maybe you've been held captive by chains of fear, doubt, or guilt...🎯 Maybe you believe lies about being unlovable or unworthy...🎯 Maybe it's time to discover that Jesus came to break every chain that binds you.🗝️ Key Takeaways:✔️ Jesus came to break ALL chains—sin, fear, lies, guilt, and death itself.✔️ Zechariah's song (the Benedictus) prophesied freedom for God's people through the Messiah.✔️ Like Ebenezer Scrooge, we all wear chains we've forged—but Christ came to set us free.📖 Main Scripture:Luke 1:5-80 (Zechariah, John the Baptist, and the Benedictus)Micah 5:2-5a (He shall be their peace)John 8:44 (The devil is the father of lies)#Advent #ChristianSermon #OHolyNight #Luke1 #Benedictus #Freedom #Christmas #ChristianFaith #AdventSermon #ChainsShallHeBreak

📖 Worship with us at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheboygan Falls: Thursday: 6:30 PM (Informal)Sunday: 8:00 AM (Traditional) | 9:30 AM (Blended) | 11:00 AM (Contemporary)--

--📌 About St. Paul Lutheran ChurchFounded in 1855, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheboygan Falls, WI, has been a steadfast beacon of faith, service, and community for over 165 years. From its early days with Reverend F. Steinbach ministering in homes to its modern ministries, St. Paul remains deeply rooted in the teachings of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).The congregation’s journey includes building its first church in 1858 and moving to its current facility in 1995. Ministry efforts extend beyond worship, including the Early Childhood Center (est. 1986) and The Gathering Place (est. 2008), which provides compassionate care for individuals with memory loss.With a mission to "Connect People to Christ by sharing His love in Word and action everywhere we are,"

St. Paul welcomes all to experience the love of Christ.

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