Because of Bethlehem/He Chose the Nails
Because of Bethlehem
Because of Bethlehem, God knows what it's like to be human. Because of Bethlehem, when we talk to him about tough times, he understands. He's been there. He's been here. Because of Bethlehem, we know he doesn't say, "Clean up before you come in." He offers, "Come in and I'll clean you up." Because of Bethlehem, we no longer have marks on our record...just grace.
In the midst of your hectic Christmas season, Max will help you:
Revive your wonder that the One who made everything chose to make himself nothing for us.
Rekindle your connection to the Christ of Christmas who offers lasting hope.
Lay down your endless Christmas to-do list and receive what Jesus has already done.
Heal your heartache by embracing the God who is always near you, always for you, and always in you.
He Chose the Nails
The last moments leading up to Jesus’ death were not left up to chance. God chose the path; he selected the nails. Our Lord planted the trio of crosses and painted the sign. And in those details are gifts Christ provided for us. The cross. The thorns. The nails. His seamless robe. The empty tomb. God didn’t have to give us all these things, you know. The only required act for our salvation was the shedding of blood, yet he did much more. So much more.
In this Easter season study, Max will help you:
Experience Lent as a time not to just give up something, but to prepare to receive good gifts from God.
Take comfort that Jesus understands everything you face in this life.
Receive the grace of Christ's work for us, and cooperate with God's work in us to make us more like him.
Stand firm in the promise that you are forgiven, and you are welcome in God’s presence, no matter what you've done.
Because of Bethlehem sessions include:
God Has a Face (16:00)
Worship Works Wonders (18:00)
God Guides the Wise (14:00)
Every Heart a Manger (17:30)
He Chose the Nails sessions include:
He Chose to Be One of Us (15:00)
He Chose to Forgive Us (16:00)
He Chose to Invite Us into His Presence (15:00)
He Chose to Love Us Forever (16:00)
He Chose to Give Us Victory (18:00)
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S1 - God Has a Face (Because of Bethlehem)
Why was God willing to enter the world of animals and shepherds and swaddling clothes? A chief reason is this: He wants us to know that he gets us. God took on the face of man in the hope that we would see his. Everything changes for us when we see the face of God. How ready are you for the arriv...
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S2 - Worship Works Wonders (Because of Bethlehem)
The angels gave Jesus the gift of worship. Anytime we trust an object or activity to give us life and meaning, we worship it. When we make *good* things our *ultimate* things, we set ourselves up for disappointment. To worship replacements for God is to be satisfied, then brokenhearted; infatuate...
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S3 - God Guides the Wise (Because of Bethlehem)
The magi's story is our story. We're all travelers in need of direction. God gives it. The ultimate aim of all God's messages is to shed the light of heaven on Jesus. He uses Scripture, the natural world, and our personal experiences with him to send us signals and messages: *Hope. Life. Love.*
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S4 - Every Heart a Manger (Because of Bethlehem)
If Jesus was willing to be born in a barnyard, expect him to be at work anywhere. No place is too common. No person is too hardened. No distance is too far. There is no limit to his love. In the manger, God loves us. Through the cross he saves us. And he prepares us for our forever home by pr...
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He Chose the Nails, Session 1: He Chose to Be One of Us
Lent is not so much a season of guilt or giving something up as it is a time to be intentional about preparing to receive joy and good things from God. One of the gifts of Easter is the crown of thorns. God transformed it from a mock crown of pain and shame to a true crown of vic...
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He Chose the Nails, Session 2: He Chose to Forgive Us
The next gift of Easter is the nails. It wasn't the angry mob, the religious leaders, or the Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus. It was Jesus himself who chose the nails. The nails in the cross show us the lengths to which God will go to cover our sins and restore our relationshi...
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He Chose the Nails, Session 3: He Chose to Invite Us into His Presence
The robe is the next gift of Easter. In exchange for our garments of sin, Jesus gave us his robe of seamless perfection, a symbol of the righteousness that gives us access to God's presence. Jesus broke the sin barrier that separated us from God at the moment of his death; and in...
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He Chose the Nails, Session 4: He Chose to Love Us Forever
The cross was a gift from God. It provides us with two kinds of sanctification. Positional sanctification is Christ's work for us, crediting us with the achievement of Jesus' sacrifice. Progressive sanctification is Christ's work in<...
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He Chose the Nails, Session 5: He Chose to Give Us Victory
The final gift of Easter is the empty grave clothes. God took a token of tragedy and turned it into a symbol of triumph. We all face tragedy and hardships, but the promise of the empty grave clothes is that God is always at work to bring victory and new life, even from the rags o...
