This message is Part 4 of our 2016 Christmas message series “ADVENTure” by Pastor Chuck Bernal. In this message titled, "Jesus Came To Rescue Us", Pastor Chuck explains what the word "ADVENT" means and how the coming of Christ at Christmas was God's intentional rescue plan for the world. This message was delivered at LifePointe Church in Crowley, TX on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2016

1. Jesus Came
To Love
Christmas Eve
Pastor Chuck Bernal
ADVENT
From the Latin “Adventus” (Coming)
“The arrival of an important person, place of things”
“The approach of something”
For this purposeI was bornand for this purposeI have come into the world—to
bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.
Pilate said to him, “What is truth”? . . . Jesus said, “I am the way, and the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John
18:37-38/John14:6 -ESV)
This saying is reliable and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the
world tosavesinners.. . (1 Timothy1:15– CEB)
Jesus came to _______________________________________me!
At that time you were apart from Christ. You were foreigners and did not
belong to God's chosen people. You had no part in the covenants, which were
based on God's promises to his people, and you lived in this world without
hope and without God. But now, in union with Christ Jesus you, who used to
be far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For Christ himself
has brought us peace by making Jews and Gentiles one people. With his own
body he broke down thewall thatseparated themand kept them enemies. He
abolished the Jewish Law with its commandments and rules, in order to create
out of the two races one new people in union with himself, in this way making
peace. (Ephesians2:12-15–Msg)
JESUS CAME TO BRING US TO GOD
THE FOUR “S’s” OF CHRISTMAS
S _______________________________________________________
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short
of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23 – NLT)
Weareall infected and impurewithsin.Evenwhenwedisplayourrighteous
deeds,theyarenothingbut filthyrags. (Isaiah64:6 –NLT)
S _______________________________________________________

2. It is your sinsthatseparateyoufromyourGod. Heturns away from you when
he sees them. (Isaiah 59:2 – ERV)
Remember that at that time you were separated from Christ [excluded from
any relationship with Him] . . . (Ephesians 2:15 – Amp)
S _______________________________________________________
When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death.
(Romans 6:23 – ERV)
For the wages of sin is death . . . (Romans 6:23 – GNB)
S _______________________________________________________
But now [at this very moment] in Christ Jesus you who once were [so very] far
away [from God] have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians
2:13– Amp)
But now you belong to Christ Jesus. At one time you were faraway from God.
Now you have been brought close to Him. Christ did this for you whenHe gave
His blood on thecross. (Ephesians2:13–NLV)
Christ himself suffered when he died for you, and with that one death he paid
for your sins. He was not guilty, but he died for people who are guilty. He did
this to bring all of you to God. (1Peter3:18 –ERV)
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for
sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he
wasraised tolifein theSpirit.
(1 Peter 3:18 – NLT)