We welcome you to Stone's Hill today!

A typical Stone's Hill service has:

* music (so feel free to sing out);

* some announcements (things that are upcoming that you can be a part of);

* a message out of the Bible (God speaks to us through his Word);

* and an opportunity for you to respond to the message (either immediately in the case of a decision that needs to be made OR in the future as you live out the message in your daily life.)

So relax and enjoy your morning! We're so glad you are here!

MESSAGE TEXT
Luke 2:8-20
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INTRODUCTION
Why was Jesus born? 1. Messianic fulfillment (Is 7:14) 2. Establish a righteous kingdom (Jer 23:5) 3. Salvation and forgiveness (Is 53:5) 4. Light to the nations (Is 49:6) 5. To show God's faithfulness (Mic 5:2) 6. Reconciliation with God (Dan 9:24) 7. Bring peace (Is 9:6) Peace on earth. That’s the predominant Christmas message. But what is that peace?
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What kind of peace is it? In “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” that great hymn by Charles Wesley, the line says, “Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” and there it is. What is this peace on earth? It’s mercy mild. It’s God and sinners at war, now at peace, reconciled.
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PROPOSITION
The message of Christmas is that there has been fighting between you and God. The basic condition of your life is you’ve been fighting God for his job. You want his job. Christmas says "We don't have to fight anymore." We've been reconciled and are no longer alienated.
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CONCLUSION
What amazes is how the Son of God lays there so meekly, coming to us in the weakest of ways. “Waiting for us to come, yet willing for us not to. Waiting for us to see, yet willing for us to turn away. Waiting for us to worship him, yet willing for us to renounce him.” “He has placed Himself at the mercy of his creation. At the mercy of a census to determine where he would be born. At the mercy of strangers to take him in. At the mercy of animals to warm him. At the mercy of mortals to feed him, to protect him, to raise him.”
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Max Lucado’s neice’s husband took a job in another city. During the move he commuted back and forth on weekends for a month. He saw less of his children than any of them would prefer. One evening he called to tell his three-year old good night. But his son refused to take the phone. “I don’t want his voice,” he objected, “I want him.”
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For thousands of years, God gave us his voice. Prior to Bethlehem, he gave his messengers, his teachers, his words. But in the manger, God gave us himself (Common Life, 65-66). Do you want Him? You can receive Him today.