This is an exposition of 1 Timothy 1:12-17. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 27, 2011.

Sunday-morning messages preached in the 2011 season of Advent:

• 12/04: That the World May Know, from Psalm 67.
• 12/11: The Name Says It All, from Matthew 1:21.
• 12/18: Christmas Hope, from 1 Peter 1:3-12.
• 12/25: The Heart of Christmas, from Luke 2:10-12, 30-38, 49.

One of my prized possessions is a little volume entitled, Gadsby’s Hymns. It is a collection of hymns put together by William Gadsby and first published in 1814. It includes some very familiar hymns by Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley but also many that are virtually unknown to most. I was reading hymns this morning about the incarnation. Here are a few lines from one of Gadsby’s own hymns:

The eternal Word, who built the earth and skies,
Takes on him flesh, and in a manger lies;
In that dear Babe of Bethlehem I see
My God, contracted to a span for me.

Mary’s first-born was God and man in one;
David’s own God, and David’s blessed Son.
Well might the angels wing their way to earth,
To celebrate so glorious a birth.

They sang, with new surprise and fresh delights,
Glory to God, in all the angelic heights;
Surrounded with God’s glory, in a blaze
To heaven they fly, the incarnate God to praise.

Shall angels sing the honours of his name,
And sinners, saved by grace, silent remain?
Good God, forbid! Inflame us with they love,
And set our groveling minds on things above.

This God-like mystery we will gladly sing,
And own the virgin’s Babe our God and King;
Jehovah Jesus, we will thee adore,
And crown thee Lord of all for evermore.

Christmas is a time for us to joyfully proclaim the glory and wonder of the incarnation. God made flesh to redeem sinful, fallen humanity. It is not our responsibility to win an argument, wage a culture war or make sure our traditions remain unchanged. It is our responsibility to declare the wonder of the Gospel. Let’s not lose sight of our objective. I’ll see you Sunday.

Rod

From Romans 12, this message by Andrew Hoyt was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, December 11, 2011.

“Unto us a Son is born. Unto us a Child is given.” The message of Christmas is the message of the Gospel. It is the story of the love and grace of God in providing redemption. Reconciling sinners to a holy and righteous God. It is a message worth telling and we’ve been commanded to take the message to the ends of the earth. The Southern Baptist Convention was born out of a desire to see the nations come to faith in Christ. The heartbeat of our convention has been to spread the name and the fame of our God. Because of the faithful of our churches Southern Baptist have just under 5000 missionaries serving around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people each come to faith in Christ through our efforts. Yet there is more to do. There are those who have never heard.

We are two-thirds toward our goal of $9,500 for our Lottie Moon Offering. You gift can make a world of difference. Did you know your gift of $128 keeps a missionary on the field for one day? $900 takes care of their needs for a week. Of course in addition to paying for personnel your gift goes to supply Bibles in the language of the people; provides hunger relief; hospitals; schools; radio; the list is exhaustive. Your gift is a sound investment in Kingdom work. But don’t just take my word for it. Go to www.imb.org and see what we are doing together through the International Mission Board. Together let’s meet our goal. Together let’s take the Gospel to the world. Together let’s make a difference.

I look forward to seeing you and your family Christmas morning as we worship our Savior.

Rod