Welcome to South! We're glad you joined us today! Below you will find some sermon notes and Bible passages, to help you follow along with Pastor Scott's message in his Christmas series entitled "The Promises of Christmas." We hope you will be encouraged by what is taught today.

Satan's goal is for us to question God's Word.

Satan was subtly leading Adam and Eve down the road of QUESTIONING God’s LOVE for them by making them think that God was holding out on them and not being generous with them. This strategy is one that Satan continues to use effectively in our lives today. He constantly tries to lead us down the path of questioning God’s love for us by confusing us into thinking that God’s word to us is not always for our best. He wants us to think that God is holding out on us and not being generous with us by instructing us to…To only have sex in a heterosexual relationship, within the confines of marriage, and with a Christian who loves the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind. To work hard and honestly, to please God, rather than man recognizing that God’s approval is far more important than man’s. To not store up for ourselves treasures on this earth, but instead use that which God has given to us by way of finances, possessions, time and talents in worship and service to him.

The Sequence of Sin

QUESTION the character and word of God, which leads to DENYING God’s word and BELIEVING the lies of Satan, which leads to TAKING OVER the role of God in our lives by determining what we believe it true and good for us, largely based on our own sinful and selfish desires.

In Adam and Eve, it went like this:

First came KNOWLEDGE- as a result of losing their innocence, they both, for the first time, recognized their nakedness. Second came SHAME- realizing their nakedness, they both felt shame for the first time, causing them to quickly try and cover it up by making coverings. Third came FEAR- as a result of the knowledge and shame, Adam and Eve experienced guilt, resulting in them fearing their evening fellowship time with God rather than looking forward to it. Fourth came CONSEQUENCES(PP9.5)- true to his word, what we sow, we eventually reap, and since Adam and Eve sowed to their flesh, they ultimately reaped corruption.

God's Word has the answer.

God’s Word guards us from deception, and it does so by…
1) Anchoring us in what is eternally true.
2) Helping us discern truth from half-truths or lies. We are told in the book of Acts that the Bereans would search the Scriptures daily for the purpose of making sure that what they were being taught and what they were thinking on was in fact true. God’s Word is the plumb line upon which all “truth” should be compared. If it does not line up with it, then it needs to be rejected as coming from Satan himself.
3) Protecting us from drifting spiritually.If we are anchored in the truth of God’s Word, it should lead us to discern the deceitful temptations of Satan in our lives, which should protect us from sinning and drifting spiritually.The psalmist put it this way in Psalm 119:9-11 - “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”