Ray Hockley - 11 December 2022
Jesus Exceeds our Expectations
This Sunday Ray Hockley will be bringing us a message of hope in the second of our Christmas sermon series entitled Beyond Expectations. Ray says “God is in the business of surprising us and exceeding our expectations. He did it 2000 years ago and continues to do it today. Jesus is named in the book of Isaiah as ‘Immanuel’ which means God with us. The level of intimacy now available to us through Jesus was unheard of to the religious leaders of the time, yet through abolishing the old sacrificial system Jesus ushered in a new era where God can be referred to as our Abba Father. Many of us are surprised even today that Jesus would choose us despite our misgivings, yet throughout history He often reaches out to those least expected with the offer of forgiveness and the power to transform their lives. The angelic visitation to the shepherds was just another example of His unexpected and undeserved grace. Finally, the impact of the Jesus coming was both far reaching and catalytic. Millions of lives and communities have been transformed through His love and the work of His church. This message is one of hope, even for those whose lives have been marred with tragedy. God is good and His ways are higher than our ways. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ but also to lean into His promises knowing that God is for us.”
Bible References: Ephesians 3:20-21
From Series: "Christmas 2022"
Beyond our expectations, Christmas is a celebration of Jesus coming to be amongst people. Join us as we journey towards the 25 December together.