Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO Fulfilled (Last in a series) Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA December 31, 2006 Main Scripture texts: Luke 2:21-40; Luke 2:49-52 Mary was chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah. It was an honor, a gift, unlike any other. But it certainly wasn't easy. Her service was filled with tremendous hardship and heartache. But in it, she found fulfillment for her life. The gift of Jesus calls us to service, too -- service that requires us to become mature and responsible believers if we're to be fulfilled, and to fulfill the plans God has for us. Reflecting on what Mary -- and others in the New Testament -- did with the gift of Jesus can help us discover what we should do. Just as Mary loved and nourished the child she had been given, we must love Jesus and nourish His life within us. That life is nourished by study and meditation on God's Word, by fellowship with the Father in prayer, and by fellowship with other Christians. Ask yourself: Have I really given myself to the process of sanctification? Have I allowed God to do the work in my life He desires? Have I loved and nurtured the life of Jesus in me? Others responded to the gift of Jesus by making sure the news abut Him got around: > The shepherds went throughout the countryside, telling what they had seen; > At the crowded temple, two elderly saints prophesied over Jesus, declaring Him to be Messiah; > Years later, John the Baptist would say of Him: "Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." The lepers told others he had cleansed them. The blind told how Jesus had opened their eyes. A Samaritan woman told the whole town of her encounter with Jesus. Like these people, let's not only receive the gift of Jesus -- let's respond to that gift. The work of Christmas isn't just to celebrate His coming. It is to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to befriend the lonely. All of us want fulfillment in life. All of us want to be part of something meaningful and permanent. Mary and others found their fulfillment by being part of God's unfolding plan. These people made a difference in the world forever. You and I can do that, too -- by feeding the life of Jesus in us, by maturing in our faith, and by showing the world what children of God are like. Let's use the power of God offers us to spread the Good News that Jesus has come -- and that He continues to come to all who will receive Him. Supporting texts: Luke 1:38 | Ephesians 3:17-18 | 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 | 1 Peter 2:1-2 | Hebrews 5:12-14 | John 1:29 | Acts 1:8 | Ephesians 4:12 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (31 min.). (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 061231a: Fulfilled. © 2006 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us