Overwhelming Joy

 astor’s Pen,

This Sunday: Overwhelming Joy                                                                                                  Luke 2:1-20  

One of the best love songs to sing Christmas is Isaac Watts’ “Joy to the World.” With some might ask, how can you sing Joy to the world when the world is so messed up? 


Over 800,000 have died from COVID in the USA since early 2020, and the new omicron variant has led to increased fears, lockdowns and mandates. Inflation is on the rise, the border crisis continues, and international threats from both China and Russia loom as increased crime dominates the domestic scene.


Yet the heart of Christmas is the message of joy to the world, the Savior has arrived!


As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, today we will consider overwhelming joy, Christmas Eve the Christmas Secret and the following Sunday Transforming love. 


*****


We appreciate those who help sanitize our facilities for services each Saturday morning in in in in in in in in in in in preparation for Sunday worship as well as those who make it possible for us to ‘live-stream’ on Facebook at 10:45 each Sunday morning, and to post each Sunday’s message on our website (www.fccwylie.org) on Sunday afternoons. 


When you enter the sanctuary Sunday, after you are given a bulletin, stop by the communion table where the offering plates are located in the rear of the worship center and pick up your disposable communion cup. Then following the service, please dispose of it in the trash can. (Mark 10:45) 


We continue to hold our Sunday services with all safety protocols and pre-service sanitizing in place. No Sunday school yet, and the nursery is not available.  We are now following the latest CDC guidelines which allow fully vaccinated individuals to go without masks. We use bulletins printed untouched by human hands, with songs, etc. printed therein, and pre-packaged communion elements. Offering plates are located at the rear, or giving can be done online at www.fccwylie.org.


If you still feel uncomfortable attending, feel free to join our live stream on Facebook, at 10:45 AM, which includes communion and the worship hymns. Or the message is available each Sunday afternoon on our website. (www.fccwylie.org)


Overwhelming Joy                                                                                                                            Luke 2:1-20   

  • Joy at Christmas  
    • The Angel to the shepherds  
    • The unborn baby in Elizabeth’s womb    
    • The prophet Isaiah 700 years before  
  • Joy in the Old Testament    
    • At celebratory events”
    • Through God’s Word  
  • Joy in the New Testament    
    • In the Gospels
      • Luke 10
      • Matthew 25
      • Luke 15
    • In the epistles
      • Galatians 5:22
      • The book of Philippians

Conclusion: 

Joy is always appropriate

Joy is commended

Joy comes through the Word and the Spirit

Joy ultimately originates from our salvation

So let's allow joy to reign this Christmas!





ENTHUSIASM AND JOY ARE PRESENT IN CHURCHES THAT REACH THE UNCHURCHED “You’ll never go into a church that’s reaching people,” the Evangelical Free Church pastor told us, “unless there’s a lot of joy and enthusiasm present. It feeds on itself. A joyous church motivates people to invite the unchurched. And when the unchurched are reached, the joy grows! It’s a great cycle!

                                                                                                  --Thom Rainer, Church Answers                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

PRAYER ITEMS: Please check the Prayer list on the Bulletin!

Let’s especially remember those affected by the tornadoes in Kentucky, Arkansas, etc. 

Christmas Hope, 6 hour live broadcast 11 pm Christmas Eve-5 am Christmas Day on AM 660 and www.theworshipchannel.org.

Bruce Moilan—recovery, continued progress dealing with multiple health issues: Also, son Drew, recovering from surgery.  .

Joanne Simmons, recovering from surgery, A B will need another Mohs procedure

Kim Ramsey- recovering from surgery 

John Royal’s father

Rbeda’s brother-in-law—spiritual 

Darla: health issues; she and other healthcare workers; educators, students

Mike’s son Jesse

Shirley’s cousin: lost his wife, heart surgery upcoming

William Martin-colon cancer

Kay Holley: Daughter Stacy, bleeding ulcer

RADIO THIS WEEKEND:

We live in a world that desperately needs the message of hope this Christmas. But because of COVID and other factors, many mission initiatives have been stopped. Dr. Rex Rogers, President of SAT-7, joins host Don Hawkins to talk about how when you can't send a messenger, you can still send the message. That’s the topic this weekend on Encouragement Live.

Encouragement Live can be heard Saturday at 7:05 PM central time on American Family Radio (90.9 FM) or (www.afr.net) and on theworshipchannel.org.  Re-broadcast Sunday 9 pm on The Worship Channel. 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhvq5LJXr6QEdlsDduWVvtydctmcaUpQXI1Qyab3nioDbabB_bxHMhyphenhyphennPM7-i8TIHSih4Mf7X7W92tcBXW8XZtRXFxdjHUsSFf6Q5kIWyQd1agbfjMxQHF01tv0Hz3H6r0kqJo3nFgPucAo7SRyrpBGYl7pJFirJoYJOPRHg22pVQZ8-yK64ZPF4wL8feU1-La-677IZQ_qfmjQBapwlO2bsU_k=s0-d-e1-ft

I’ve been extended the opportunity to share with each of you the sign-up opportunity to view Christmas with THE CHOSEN. (Click here to sign up if you have not yet.)



All you need to do is visit www.ChosenChristmas.com and you can sign up to stream the new Chosen Christmas episode for free.

The gift of Jesus is always the true reason for the season.

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