Recorded Media

“What If Things Are Not Perfect This Christmas?” – 12/24/21 Service

December 24, 2021

Stephen Streett

"What If Things Are Not Perfect This Christmas?" - 12/24/21 Candlelight Christmas Eve Service

“Mary’s Witness” – 12/19/21 Worship Service

December 19, 2021

Stephen Streett

An Unbreakable Christmas Past 4: MARY’S WITNESS
Luke 1:39-55
I’ve got some good news for you. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been that good this year. Jesus still came for you. The Christmas story is such a magnificent one—so full of tenderness and love. The young bride-to-be of Joseph knew that God was at work in her life. Her cousin Elizabeth knew too. When she greeted Mary, she spoke out with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb . . .” Mary answered Elizabeth with a song of joy, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden; for, behold, from hence forth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name . . .”

We would do well this day to spend a few moments with this charming young woman named Mary, wise beyond her years. Her experience of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection was the most intimate one of all. After all, she was his mother. If Mary were here with us this today, what are some lessons she might share with us, as the mother of God’s Messiah? I think the first lesson Mary would share with us is that God is working in the small things of the universe. That’s the message of Christmas, isn’t it? That God, the Almighty Creator of the universe, the Great I AM, set aside His own majesty and authority to be born as a tiny baby to a poor young couple. He could have come as a conquering warrior, a charismatic king, a commanding emperor. Instead, God came as a poor and helpless baby to show us that God loves us enough to enter our daily lives.

What an incredible gift! In the birth of Jesus, God wrapped Himself inside the unexpected. It is easy to miss the joy of Christmas because we are looking for the big moment, the big gift, the big pageantry of decorations and lights and flashy worship services. But the actual Christmas story is almost entirely composed of little, private moments of joy when God shared the message of the coming Messiah with humble, poor, nobodies like the shepherds, or Anna, the widow praying in the Temple. Or you and me.

I think the second lesson Mary would share with us is God is working in difficult circumstances. And the third lesson Mary would share with us is God is working in everyone who opens their heart to Him.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

“The God of Peace & Joy” – 12/12/21 Worship Service

Stephen Streett

An Unbreakable Christmas Part 3: The God of Joy and Peace
Philippians 4:4-7
No matter what your Christmas preparations look like, I hope you experience the love, joy, hope and peace of God this Christmas season and all year. We all know in our hearts that there is no gift that can compare to the gift of knowing God. That’s why our Bible passage for Sunday is so relevant. It was written by a man who knew what it was like to have every form of success and comfort, and to lose it all. But he found Jesus Christ. And his writings are full of the love, joy, hope and peace of God that changed his life.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 4-7, NIV)

How did he do it? How did Paul live with joy and peace under such stressful circumstances? Verse 7 in our passage is one of the most popular benedictions, or blessings, in the church. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Then in verse nine, Paul inverts two of the important words in that benediction. Instead of saying “the peace of God”, he says, “And the God of peace will be with you.” I think we found our answer to the question of how Paul lived with joy and peace in the face of suffering and stress. I hope you find that same answer this Christmas season.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

“Preparing for the King” – 12/5/21 Worship Servcie

Stephen Streett

An Unbreakable Christmas Part 2 PREPARING FOR THE KING
Luke 3:1-6
During this season of Advent, you and I are preparing our hearts to celebrate Christ’s coming. We are buying our gifts, putting out our brightly colored lights, baking special treats for family and friends. The preparation and anticipation are part of the joy of Christmas. But are such preparations adequate? Considering John’s message, there are some other things we need to do if we are truly going to be ready for his coming. Sunday, we will learn what those things are.

Do you want this Christmas season to be like every other Christmas season? Do you ever look back a few days after Christmas with this vague feeling that you missed something important? That you expected something special to happen and it just didn’t? Maybe the problem is you didn’t expect anything from God. You didn’t prepare for a new life in Christ. It begins with repentance, turning back to God. It requires a commitment to right living. And it means receiving God’s grace and mercy. God is offering it. Now’s the time for you to decide if you are ready to find new life in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Are you ready for the Christ child to be born anew in your heart?

Serving with joy,
Stephen

“Mary’s Song – An Unbreakable Christmas, Pt.1” – 11/28/21 Worship Service

November 28, 2021

Stephen Streett

A note from our Pastor

An Unbreakable Christmas Part 1 Mary’s Song (1st Sunday of Advent)
Luke 1:46-55

How do we prepare the way of the Lord? Misty Creek has been asking this question, not just during Advent, but since we began as a home church. The last several weeks we have been anticipating acquiring the chapel and the surrounding campus that we've met in for the last 2 years. Today, we celebrate what God has done and what He will continue to do as He channels His Holy Spirit through this this sacred space. We’ve engaged in an extensive visioning process as a new church plant. A critical question we’ve asked is this: Who lives in our community?

And now that we have our own worship space, God desires that we prepare this community for revival by delivering hope. Mary delivered hope to all of us with the birth of Christ. This Advent season we light the candles to remind us of that hope, peace, love, and joy are to be shared in some way. When we serve others, we provide hope to the ones we serve and to us as servants. Let us be beacons of hope, peace, love, and joy as we dash to comfort others this season.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen