Christmas Sunday – December 25, 2016 – Matthew 2:1-12
What are your first memories of seeing a Nativity? Maybe it was one at the local church where you and your family attended. Maybe it was one in your own home, or at the house of a friend growing up... regardless of when you first saw a nativity, when you look at it now with a careful eye, there should be at least three (or more) characters that don't seem to fit the profile of Mary, Joseph, and the local Shepherds... I am talking about the Magi or the wise men as we have come to known them by. They are mysterious men from the East who came to locate, worship, and honor with gifts the new-born King of the Jews. The gifts they brought are meaningful and valuable, not your common white-elephant gift or regifting of something that was less than desirable. We would like to invite you to open your own Bible to Matthew 2:1-12, and download the teaching notes as you listen to this Christmas morning sermon by Pastor Anton Folz. We hope and trust that you will be encouraged!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years from the FOCUS family to Yours!
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- Dec 25, 2016Christmas Sunday – December 25, 2016 – Matthew 2:1-12
Christmas Sunday – December 25, 2016 – Matthew 2:1-12 What are your first memories of seeing a Nativity? Maybe it was one at the local church where you and your family attended. Maybe it was one in your own home, or at the house of a friend growing up... regardless of when you first saw a nativity, when you look at it now with a careful eye, there should be at least three (or more) characters that don't seem to fit the profile of Mary, Joseph, and the local Shepherds... I am talking about the Magi or the wise men as we have come to known them by. They are mysterious men from the East who came to locate, worship, and honor with gifts the new-born King of the Jews. The gifts they brought are meaningful and valuable, not your common white-elephant gift or regifting of something that was less than desirable. We would like to invite you to open your own Bible to Matthew 2:1-12, and download the teaching notes as you listen to this Christmas morning sermon by Pastor Anton Folz. We hope and trust that you will be encouraged!Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years from the FOCUS family to Yours!
- Dec 18, 2016We Believe – Week 4, LOVE – Matthew 2:1-23
We Believe – Week 4, LOVE – Matthew 2:1-23
Have you ever felt threatened or intimidated by someone younger than you? In Matthew's Gospel account, we gain a perspective of the Great King Herod and his strong feelings of the possibility of a new King of the Jews being born. How ridiculous that a Great King in all of his power and splendor would be so threatened by a baby. Yet when the news from Eastern foreigners came to Herod seeking to locate and worship this child, Herod was "all shook up" over the news.In great contrast to Herod's feelings towards the recently born king of the Jews, we witness from Matthew's account that the Magi travel a tremendous distance, sacrificing great personal expense, just to see and worship the king. When they find Jesus, their reaction can be simplified in the following order; A) They entered B) They bowed C) They gave D)They worshiped E) They responded with obedience. What is your response to meeting Jesus Christ? We would love nothing more than for you to know Jesus as your personal Savior this Christmas. Please take a moment to download the teaching notes, and listen to this sermon by Pastor Anton. We hope and trust that the Lord will meet with you, and our prayer is that you will be open and obedient to His calling on your life.Merry Christmas from the FOCUS Church family to you and yours! - Dec 11, 2016We Believe – Advent, Week 3 – Joy – Matthew 1:18-25
We Believe – Advent, Week 3 – Joy – Matthew 1:18-25What things bring you joy during the season of Christmas? Friends, family, gift-giving, time off from work, and food often rank among the top of the list for many people. Yet even with all of these reasons to have joy, sadness and depression are at an all time high during the holidays. We would like to encourage you to turn in your Bible to Matthew 1:18-25, download the teaching notes, and listen to the sermon audio as Pastor Anton teaches on this passage of scripture. There are eternally-solid reasons for us to be filled with the Joy of the Lord this time of year. We hope that this message will help you to take your next spiritual step.
- Dec 4, 2016We Believe – Advent, Week 2 – PEACE – Luke 2:8-20
We Believe – Advent, Week 2 – PEACE – Luke 2:8-20If you were to list one word to describe your current state of being, your emotional state... what would that one word be? For some, it might be the word "busy". The Holidays always cause for us to have extra responsibilities, travel, expenses, etc. So for you, your word might be busy. For others of us our word might be "confused". Maybe the past week, month or even year has left you in a state or place of confusion. How many of us would actually use the word "peace" to describe our current state??? Much in the same way that inner peace might be something that many of us struggle with, it is highly possible it was also something that the 1st Century shepherds who were caring for their flocks of sheep may have felt when the Angel of the Lord came to them with great news of Jesus the Messiah's birth.
- Nov 27, 2016We Believe – Advent, Week 1 – Hope – Luke 1:1-25
We Believe – Advent, Week 1 – Hope – Luke 1:1-25
Life doesn't often turn out the way we expect or plan, does it? Sometimes there are unexpected surprises that full us with joy and excitement... and there are other times when we are met with unplanned sorrow and grief. In the New Testament Gospel of Luke, there is a Godly couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth. The author Luke explains that they were "righteous in the eyes of God, and that they were careful to obey all the commandments and regulations." However even though they were great Godly people, they still had one major heartache... they didn't have any children. And what is worse is that they were advanced in age. From a human viewpoint, it seemed as though their window of opportunity for being able to have a child of their own had all but closed. This cause much sadness and grief for the couple, and especially for Elizabeth. It is possible that you are reading this, and you have never had to deal with such heartache as childlessness, but all of us as humans have had our hopes and dreams crushed with unmet expectations. We would like to encourage you to turn in your Bible to Luke 1, download the teaching notes, and listen as Pastor Anton teaches on hope in the midst of sadness and unmet expectations. We trust that you will be blessed and encouraged.