The name of God deserves your attention and respect.

P.R.A.Y. Spiritual Exercise

Philippians 4:4–9 NIV

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

P - Pause Before God Be still in His presence

R - Rejoice in the Lord and Reflect "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!" (v.4)

A - Ask God "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." (v.6)

Y - Yield and Trust "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand." (v.7)

Throughout your day, when anxiety rises, return to this rhythm:

• (take one deep breath) Pause 

• (name one truth about God) Rejoice 

• (turn the worry into a request) Ask 

• (open your hands and receive peace) Yield 

Sermon Notes: Central Idea: The name of God deserves your attention and respect.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." These opening words set the tone for everything that follows. Before we ask for anything, before we confess anything, before we bring our needs before God—Jesus teaches us to begin by recognizing who God is.

I. GOD IS "OUR" FATHER

A. Prayer Begins with Community

Ephesians 4:6 NLT

... one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

B. God as Father and Creator

C. The Revolutionary Nature of "Father"

II. GOD IS IN HEAVEN

"Our Father in heaven..."

This phrase holds two truths in tension:

- Intimacy: He's our Father—personal, caring, accessible

- Transcendence: He's in heaven—sovereign, holy, glorious

III. HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME

"Hallowed be your name."

B. God's Name Above Our Own - God's holiness comes first

C. The Mystery That Sparks Faith Matthew 6:9–13 NIV

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Slowing down and ensure the quality of our practices rather than the quantity

Something is better than nothing but an over saturation of poor practices distracts us

1. Prayer is not a formula with set scripts that we must follow
2. Prayer is not a performance awarding the most passionate and zealous actors
3. Quality in prayer is a matter of heart and Spirit not words and action

Scripture is a mirror for the human condition

We come face to face with truth Jesus and see ourselves fully by the Spirit

Matthew 6:5-8

• Dont be a goofus praying in public to be witnessed by people
• Dont be a goofus praying in meaningless words and repetition like you're supposed to

Matthew 6:9

Praise comes after a recognition of relationship Our Father

• Culture understood sonship as a right Jesus adopts us as a gift
• Culture understood sonship as a legal status Jesus brings us into right relationship with a loving Father
• Culture understood worship as obligation Jesus shows us worship is a delight

It is this loving and gracious adoption into Gods family the brings us into reverent and joyous praise

Quantity vs Quality of Praying Praise

Do I worship in hopes of experiencing God Or do I worship because I already live in and through Him

Do I worship out of habit Or do I worship because I am in awe of who He is and what Hes done

When our connection to God is the source of our praise our prayerful worship moves from quantity to quality

Matthew 6:10

This is intercession in the most foundational sense: Gods will here and now

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

In intercession we must submit fully to His will

Rather than a halftruth that makes sense to us This is spiritual rooted in our relationship to Him and trusting what He reveals to us.

Romans 12:2

Quality vs Quantity for Intercession

Do I strive in prayer for a certain outcome Or do I pray to connect with the heart of the Father

Do I pray from my own thoughts and will Or do I listen to God so my mind may be renewed

Matthew 6:11

Deuteronomy 8:3

Quality vs Quantity in Petition

• Am I striving in petition out of worry or do I trust God provides me with all I need
• Am I striving for more than what I need or seeking God for my daily bread

Matthew 6:12

A key component of prayer is repentance and forgiveness

Romans 8:34

• One way to perfectly align with Gods will is to repent

• Obedience is more than avoiding the bad its living to the fulness of His call

• We need renewed minds to understand the fulness of Gods call in our lives

Mark 11:25

Romans 12:18

Ephesians 4:32

Forgiveness and asking Gods help to do it is guaranteed alignment with His heart

Quantity vs Quality in Repentance and Forgiveness

• Do I pray often but remain untransformed by the Holy Spirit or do I pray often and consistently even incrementally grow closer to Jesus example?
• Do I pray to forgive but keep my heart cold to those who have wronged me Or do I pray to forgive and cancel debts as Jesus has for me

• 
  

Pray in alignment with His work

Psalm 139:22-23

Titus 3:4-7

Hebrews 9:13-15

Walk in accordance with His work

Romans 12:2

Philippians 1:27

3 John 1:11

Matthew 6:13

Luke 22:41-43

Proverbs 169 The mind of man plans his way But the Lord directs his steps

Quantity vs quality

• Quantity is informing God of our struggles and asking Him to provide our answers

• Quality is being real before God to receive His deliverance

• 
  

Hebrews 4:15-16

Sermon notes coming soon!

Today's journey is six miles — the distance between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It's the same path Mary and Joseph walked in obedience. The same road the wise men traveled, leaving Herod's deception for Christ's truth. The same distance that separated religious performance from God's presence.

As we walk these six mile markers together, you'll discover this isn't about trying harder to be generous. It's about letting God's generosity at Christmas transform how you see everything else.Some of you feel exhausted by the demands of this season. Others feel guilty that your giving doesn't match your gratitude. Many of you wonder if your faith is real when your heart feels cold toward others' needs.

This message is for you.

The journey from Jerusalem's religion to Bethlehem's relationship isn't about manufacturing feelings or forcing behavior. It's about discovering that when we truly grasp what God gave at Christmas, we can't help but be changed.

The birth of Jesus shows us that God keeps His promises and nothing is impossible for Him.

1. Luke gives us the story through Mary’s eyes

2. Matthew gives us the story through Joseph’s eyes

ANGLE #1 THE PROBLEM

Matthew 1:18–19 NLT

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

“Christmas is not sentimental. It is the story of God breaking in where the world is breaking apart. -Tim Keller

ANGLE #2 THE REVELATION

Matthew 1:20 NLT

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

“Joseph, this is not your crisis — it’s My calling.”“This is not a scandal — it’s a sign.”“This is not chaos — it’s fulfillment.”

ANGLE #3 THE PROPHECY

Matthew 1:22–23 NLT

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Christmas is God proving He is faithful even when it feels like everything is falling apart.

ANGLE #4 THE SIGNIFICANCE

Matthew 1:21 NLT

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Christmas is not good advice; it is good news. It is not about what we do; it is about what God has done.

ANGLE #5 THE IMPOSSIBLE

Luke 1:37 NLT

“…For the word of God will never fail.”

Matthew 1:20–21 NLT

“…the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife…’”

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

Luke 2:11 NLT

The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

“Where you see barriers, God sees beginnings.”“Where you see endings, God sees new creation.”“Where you see impossible, God sees Immanuel.”

Angle #6 JOSEPH’S RESPONSE

Matthew 1:24–25 NLT

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Angle #7 OUR LIFE APPLICATION

1. Trust God when life doesn’t make sense.

2. Believe that God’s timing is perfect.

3. Surrender to God’s call even when you don’t have all the details.

4. Remember that God is with you.

ANGLE #8 GOSPEL INVITATION

The heart of Christmas is that God didn’t wait for us to come to Him —He came to us.

Sermon Notes

A LIGHT HAS DAWNED

John 1:1–9 NLT

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

THE WORLD IS DARK

Isaiah 9:2 NIV

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

“The world is a dark place, and we will never find our way unless Jesus becomes our Light.”

- Tim Keller

THE LIGHT CAME TO US

John 1:14 NIV

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

God didn’t shout His way into the world. He slipped in quietly, humbly, vulnerably.

Why?

Because God wasn’t coming to crush us — He was coming to rescue us.

CHRISTMAS DEMANDS A RESPONSE

Christmas isn’t sentimental — it’s confrontational.

And that brings us to the three invitations of the Christmas story:

1. RECEIVE THE GIFT WITH HUMILITY

John 1:16 NIV

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

2. WALK IN THE LIGHT WITH SURRENDER

John 1:5 NLT

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Will you surrender your darkness to His light?

3. SHARE THE LIGHT WITH GENEROSITY

Generosity is not something we do — it’s something we become.

Isaiah 9:2 NIV

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

Response:

1. For those who need light:“Jesus, be my Light. I surrender my darkness.”

2. For those giving toward Legacy:“Jesus, use my gift to shine Your Light into the world.”

3. For our church:“Jesus, help us walk in the Light as You are in the Light.”

Sermon Notes

Let gratitude reshape how we see God, how we see the world, and how we see generosity.

INTRODUCTION – The Story That Wakes Us Up

1. GRATITUDE CHANGES HOW WE SEE THE WORLD

The Battle Between Scarcity and Abundance (Matthew 6)

Matthew 6:22–23 NLT“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

Scarcity says:

• “Protect.”
• “Hold tightly.”
• “What if it runs out?”

Abundance says:

• “God owns it all.”
• “God provides.”
• “I can live openhanded.”

Gratitude shifts our vision.

It teaches us to see the world not through fear, but through faith.

2. GRATITUDE REVEALS WHO GOD REALLY IS

Generosity Begins in the Heart of God

Genesis 1:29 NLT

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.

John 3:16 NLT

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT

You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by hispoverty he could make you rich.

Generosity isn’t something God does. It is who God is. And gratitude trains us to recognize His generosity in everything.

3. GRATITUDE REMINDS US: GOD OWNS EVERYTHING, WE OWN NOTHING

The Heart of Stewardship (Luke 12)

“Everything we touch belongs to God.” — John Blanchard

Luke 12:42–44 NLT

And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his otherhousehold servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.

Psalm 24:1 NLT

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. God blesses me with more than I need so I can bless the world around me.

4. GRATITUDE BREAKS GREED — THE QUIET ENEMY OF THE HEART

The Rich Fool & the Danger of More (Luke 12)

Luke 12:13–21 NLT

The antidote Jesus gives…

Luke 11:41 NIV

But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

Gratitude doesn’t just inspire giving— Gratitude kills greed.

5. GRATITUDE MAKES US GENEROUS TO THE POOR

The Heart of Jesus & the Witness of the Early Church

Luke 12:33 NLT

“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. need.

Why did the Church do this?

• Because gratitude makes you look outward.
• Because generosity is the overflow of a heart touched by grace.

6. GRATITUDE GROWS JOY — THE SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE

Acts 20:35 — The Happiness Paradox

Acts 20:35 NLT

“…You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Jesus wasn’t giving an obligation. He was giving the pathway to joy.

7. GRATITUDE GUIDES OUR GENEROSITY — PRACTICAL FRAMEWORK

You need to ask yourself three important questions:

A. The Relationship Question:

B. The Difference Question:

C. The God Question:

8. GRATITUDE SHAPES OUR LEGACY — WATERING WHAT WE’VE PLANTED

1 Corinthians 3:6 NLT

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

Generosity becomes a way to say: “Lord, we thank You for all You’ve done— and we trust You with what’s next.”

CONCLUSION – START WITH GRATITUDE, END WITH GENEROSITY

MORAL RELATIVISM. • Where God is no longer the moral authority • And “right” & “wrong” are whatever we want them to be.

Judges 17:6 “How Bad Can It Get?”Judges 17-21- In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. NLT

MORAL RELATIVISM.• Where God is no longer the moral authority• And “right” & “wrong” are whatever we want them to be.

Proverbs 14:12- There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

Judges 17:1-3

Judges 19:22-28

Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. NLT

Judges 20:26–28 - Then all the Israelites went up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the LORD and fasted until evening. They also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD. 27 The Israelites went up seeking direction from the LORD. …28 …(They) asked the LORD, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again, or should we stop?” The LORD said, “Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you.” NLTJudges 21:25 – In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. NLT

How Can We Fight the Influence Moral Relativism in our own lives?

1. Fill your mind with God’s Word daily.

Psalm 119:10-11 - 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. ESV

2. Stay committed to Christian community.

Hebrews 10:24–25 - And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. ESV

3. Guard against letting IDOLS into your heart or mind.

Galatians 4:8-9 - Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. 9 But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces] Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? NET

4. Keep your eyes on JESUS.

Hebrews12:2 - Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! MES

C.S. Lewis : “I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer.”