https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrZj_xFwkCM
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon, which is normally broadcast every Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love, sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Jesus Christ in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube & Twitch & TruthSocial & Instagram & Facebook
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio & Wedding Chicks
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Evangelist Cal Jennings went into the hospital last weekend for a heart procedure. He has had an eventful year with his health, so please keep him in your prayers.
- David Doyle, brother-in-law of Evangelist Cal Jennings, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. David is a preacher of the Word as well, and this is a new challenge for him and Cal’s sister and their family to experience this close to Christmas. Please keep all of them in prayer during this journey.
- We keep my Uncle Bob into prayer as he has been in the hospital with fluid on his lung. I haven’t heard if he is back home yet or not, so we’ll keep him here for the moment.
- We continue to pray for JB & EB’s neighbor Jerry who is healing after completing his prostate cancer treatment.
- We bring JB’s sister Debbie back into prayer as she has now been diagnosed with Lymphoma after conquering two rounds of breast cancer.
- We continue to pray for my sister-in-law Fran who is fighting cancer and undergoing treatment.
- We continue our prayers for JB and EB as they navigate through the maze of medical tests and specialists to get all the answers that they need in both of their health issues. They are continually frustrated with the runaround they have been getting with the various referrals. JB has been especially sick, losing weight way too fast and no complete solution in sight at the moment. The doctor has started her on a ton of medication to see if that can assist, but it is slow going.
- We continue to pray for a friend of ours, Alexis, who is in desperate need to improve her current situation and is seeking to sell things she owns to help her with this. If you want more information, send me a private message and I’ll pass on the information.
- We continue with our prayers for my niece Autumn, who has been suffering seizures due to a head injury from a car crash, though, according to her mother she is doing better these days.
- We continue to pray for my Mama who has had a lot of anxiety issues lately after the loss of my sister two months ago. These anxiety issues are really devastating for her and for the family, so please keep all of them in prayer.
- We continue to pray for all sufferers and survivors of the various types of cancer, including several survivors of the disease, JB’s sister Debbie, our friend Alexis, my Aunt Donna, and my friend Kelly.
- We pray for those who are in the path of dangerous weather, and other dangerous conditions, including wildfires, storms, flooding, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, worldwide.
- We pray for the various outreach ministries we have joined with, with their leaders, Pastor Stephen Okoth, Pastor Simon Peter Javaji, Pastor Amir Aneel, Sister Santhi Swaroopa, Pastor Duke Moenga, and others in Kissee, Nairobi, and other places in Kenya, Pakistan, and India.
- We pray also for our American outreach ministries, including Rev. Lisa Tyler on the other side of Georgia from where I am and Rabbi Karen L. Hertzog with her ministry, Way Maker Messianic Jewish and Christian Center – USA as well.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have so much and so many to pray for. We pray for all those who are traveling this next week for the Christmas and New Year holidays. We pray for those who serve around this world that they realize they are loved and cared for. We pray for those who have lost loved ones to any and all forms of violence, accidents, and more this week. We pray for those who have been sick, including Evangelist Cal Jennings, my Uncle Bob, and others. We pray for those who have been sick with cancer, including Fran, Debbie, and others. We pray for those who have survived cancer, like Jerry, J.B., Alexis, Donna, and others we know. We pray in thanksgiving for those who have healed from sickness around this world. We pray for the many orphans, refugees, homeless, and missionaries around this world. We pray for our outreach ministries that they each continue through, even in the face of adversity in Your Holy and Blessed Name. We pray all this in the name of our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: O Come All Ye Faithful
Sermon: Today we are continuing our celebration of the season of Advent. This week we are focusing on the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior. Now, I will be doing a Christmas Eve blog post focusing on the second chapter of Luke. I’m not sure I’ll be able to manage a live broadcast, because I will be out of town on Christmas Eve. It is very important for us to study the birth of our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, and all the events both before and after His holy birth. For now, let’s focus on the second chapter of Matthew.
Matthew 2:1-23 KJV – Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
NIV – After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
The Escape to Egypt
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
The Magi, or “wise men” as mentioned in the King James Version, are important to the story of the birth of Jesus because they come from far outside Jerusalem, outside of Israel as a whole, to proclaim the miraculous birth of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, the Salvation of Humanity promised all the way back in the day of Adam and Eve, repeated through Abraham and Sarah, Noah, David, Solomon, and on through the rest of the kings of Israel. These are important to explain and to reflect upon because all of us suffer from the seven troubles on a moment to moment basis and having Salvation through Yeshua Jesus Christ gives us the hope that God promised all the way back in the days of Adam and Eve.
The reaction of King Herod is just as important because fear and jealousy, especially human fear and jealousy, are real and can be dangerous in too many ways. We saw this with Cain when he slew Abel. We can add David’s reaction to others too many times. Add to that Abraham and Sarah, Mary and Joseph, and so forth, and so on. The seven troubles are the reason Yeshua, Jesus, was born in the first place. He came down here to wipe them out at the source, not through His life, but through His death and resurrection. The hope that His birth provides would be just one of many reasons His birth is celebrated every December. This is the very same reason we must realize the bringer of Light, Peace, Hope, Truth, and Love has a name, and His name is Yeshua, known by most as Jesus Christ, who comes from the great Jehovah, Yahweh, God our Heavenly Father. It is through the life death, and eternal legacy of Yeshua Jesus Christ that we are here today. Now, let’s show each other how faith and belief in God go hand in hand, and all of us have the opportunity to walk in the faithful steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ability to do this requires us to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you are willing to do so, please leave me a note in the comments and I’ll be in touch. Now, that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: Oh Holy Night
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & Twitch & USAlife
Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2025 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is created through fear together as the bringers of the light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
Advent Readings for 2025
The following chart includes links to all of the readings and prayers for the year 2025 from the Common Lectionary. While your particular church or denomination may follow a different standard, these are the verses that much of the global Christian church will be reading during Advent this year.
|
Advent Year A |
First Reading |
Psalm |
Second Reading |
|
|
First Sunday of Advent |
||||
|
Second Sunday of Advent |
||||
|
Third Sunday of Advent |
||||
|
Fourth Sunday of Advent |
Italicized readings, complementary to the
standard reading, may be used with, or in place of it.
Source: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/calendar/2025-26/?season=advent
No comments:
Post a Comment