22 Dec Christmas Weekend | Have You Heard the Word 2024 – All Locations
Check the Events Page for What is Happening (not everything is listed here) (waterschurch.org/events)
All Locations:
Please check your email for a Life Group Leader Challenge that was sent out on October 29. This challenge is for you to offer any member of your group that you feel should be leading a group.
This challenge is two-fold as it will help leaders understand and navigate the apprenticeship process and it will encourage members to step out in faith knowing that they will have concrete tools to guide them as they lead their group.
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NEW ENGLAND: UPCOMING CONCERT – TAYA
CHURCH EXCLUSIVE PRE-SALE
For this event, we’ll be running a password protected pre-sale for tickets — this allows your congregation to have first access to tickets before anyone else! You’re encouraged to promote your church’s exclusive pre-sale in services, e-blasts, and text lists, but we do ask to refrain from publicly posting about the church exclusive pre-sale on socials … Come the Public Announcement (Monday, November 18th @ 10AM CST), you’re more than welcome to begin spreading the word about the show publicly on socials though!Church Pre-sale Password: CHURCH*This code will be LIVE for 1 DAY ONLY on Sunday, November 17th (12-midnight — 11:59pm)*The ticket link will then be open to the general public (without a password) for the On-sale come Friday, November 22nd @ 10AM Local.
*The ticketing page will not be visible until the Church Pre-sale goes LIVE NEXT Sunday, November 17th — so if you click on the ticket link before then and receive an “error” message, that’s why 😉
EVENT INFO:
Join TAYA this Spring for the Come Into The Light Tour, a transformative worship experience featuring her latest single by the same name, as well as other new songs from her upcoming record. “This tour is something I felt God drop in my heart over 2 years ago to do here in the United States, but for different reasons, it never eventuated…until now. I believe God’s timing and His alignment is perfect — and without either, I wouldn’t be walking into these nights with the stories and songs I now am.” Each night will be an invitation to pause and lay your life before God — every good, messy, broken, and sweet piece — and allow Him to have it all. You won’t want to miss these powerful nights of surrender in the Presence of Jesus, where we can Come Into The Light together and rediscover that He truly is everything He promised to be.*VIP TICKET:VIP Ticket includes pre-show Q&A with TAYA as well as first access to seats for the event! VIP Doors at 5:15 PM, Q&A begins at 5:30PM. Show at 7:00 PM. Must arrive by 6:00 PM to take advantage of VIP seating.
VIP Doors — 5:15pm
Q&A Begins — 5:30pm
Early Entry Doors — 6:00pm
General Admission Doors — 6:15pm
Show Start — 7:00pm
Reminders:
✳ Please regularly check your Planning Center profiles for requests to join your life groups, remove members from the list that no longer attend, or add members not listed. Please ensure that you have added no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and encourage your members to do so as well. This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site. Thank you!
Waters Class Schedule:
- 1st Sunday: Discover Waters – after 1st service
- 2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES
- 3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service
- 4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service
Waters Help: Need marriage and family care or have a group member in need of marriage and family care? Click here: help resources page or visit waterschurch.org/help
Location Text Alerts:
| North Attleboro | Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300 | |
| Norwood | Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357 | |
| Apollo Beach | Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979 | |
| Woonsocket | Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837 | |
| Southcoast | Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490 | |
Key Verse: John 1 (ESV)
Icebreaker Question:
Q. What do you love (or not love) about Christmas?
Opening Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Word, Jesus, into the world. As we gather today, open our hearts to hear and understand Your truth. Let Your Spirit guide our discussion and deepen our faith in You. May we leave here transformed by the power of Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
John 1:1 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word (Logos)
Everything has a beginning. You have a beginning, the Church has a beginning, and the universe has a beginning.
John sets the stage for his presentation throughout His Gospel: Jesus Christ is the Logos.
Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word of God.
John 17:5 (ESV)
1. He is the SOURCE of all GOOD things.
John 1:3 ESV
Jesus, as the eternal Word, is the Creator and Source of all life.
John says that Jesus is the Possessor of eternal life. That life comes from Him and Him alone.
John 1:9 ESV
Q. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is the source of all good things in your life?
Practical Application:
Reflect on an area of your life where you see God’s goodness. This week, take a moment each day to thank Him for that specific blessing. Share His goodness with someone who needs encouragement.
2. He is the SUSTAINER of EVERYTHING.
John 1:10 ESV
“The world as made through Him.”
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus upholds all things.
Hebrews 1:3 ESV
Colossians 1:17 ESV
Every one of us has the fingerprints of God upon our very body. The protein Laminin is found in our bodies and acts like glue, holding our cells and tissues together.
Christ is holding you together!
Q. How does knowing that Christ is actively “holding all things together” impact your understanding of His role in your daily life? How does this truth encourage you during times of stress or uncertainty?
Practical Application:
Identify one worry you’ve been holding onto. Write it down, pray, and trust Jesus to sustain you through it. Commit to surrendering it to Him daily this week.
3. He is the SEPARATOR of all Humanity.
John 1:11–12 ESV
John identifies that Jesus’s visit to His own people, the nation of Israel, was met with skepticism, disbelief, frustration, betrayal, and death.
They were offended by Him.
Israel’s response to Christ is a microcosm of the human response to Christ. Most of the nation of Israel rejected Him, just like most of the world rejects Him.
They rejected Him because He did not fit their agenda, He called out their sins, and was familiar to them.
Jesus’s coming forces a response – some reject Him, while others receive Him and are transformed.
1 Peter 2:6–8 ESV
John 1:13 ESV
Q. Why do you think some people reject Him while others accept Him and are transformed? How have you seen this play out in your own life or the lives of others?
Practical Application:
Evaluate your relationship with Jesus. Identify one way you can grow in obedience to Him this week. For example, spend time in His Word, forgive someone, or share the gospel with a friend.
4. He is the SUPREME PRESENTATION of God.
John 1:14 ESV
If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.
John 1:18 NLT
God is Christlike.
He is merciful to the sinner, He is healing to the sick, He is. Hope for the despondent, He is joy for the depressed, compassionate to the hurting, and humble toward the lowly.
And yet He is stern toward the arrogant; He has no patience for empty religious presence, offends the self-righteous, and opposes the proud.
When you look at Jesus, you see how God would live as a man.
Jesus is the exact revelation of God, showing us His character and glory.
Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)
Colossians 1:15 ESV
Q. What does it mean to you that Jesus is the exact representation of God’s love and grace?
Practical Application:
Spend time meditating on Jesus as God’s image. Write a prayer of gratitude expressing how His love and grace have impacted your life.
Sermon in a Sentence:
In Jesus, I find the SOURCE of my life, the SUSTAINER of my soul, the SEPARATOR of my heart from SIN, and the SUPREME image of God’s love.
Key Takeaways:
- Jesus is the source of life and every good thing we experience.
- Jesus sustains all creation and holds our lives together with His power.
- Jesus separates us from sin and draws us into the family of God.
Scripture for Meditation:
John 1:14 ESV – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Closing Prayer:
Lord, we thank You for the gift of Your Word, Jesus, the source, sustainer, separator, and supreme presentation of Your love. Please help us to live out what we have learned today. Strengthen our faith, guide our steps, and empower us to reflect Your glory to those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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