DECEMBER THEME — FROM CHRISTMAS TO CALVARY – The Story Love Wrote

This Sunday at 10:30 AM, we will gather to celebrate that Jesus did not remain distant—He came to be with us, near, present, and working in real lives. This is not just another service; it is a sacred moment of worship and Communion where hearts will be tender and eternity may shift for someone you know. I urge you to personally reach out and invite one person—a family member, neighbor, coworker, or friend—because the greatest gift you can give this Christmas may be an invitation to encounter Christ. Many are hurting quietly and would come if they were simply asked. Join us for an unrushed Christmas Sunday centered on the Lord’s Table, and come expecting wonder, peace, and the nearness of Jesus.

SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY

Christmas was never the opening act of a story that would later turn tragic; it was the quiet unveiling of a rescue already decided. The cradle did not introduce a new plan—it revealed an ancient one, where grace would wear flesh and love would endure the cost. In the stillness of Bethlehem, redemption was already moving toward sacrifice, for the child resting in straw carried within Him the purpose of the cross. God did not send His Son to sidestep human pain, but to step directly into it, absorb it, and overcome it from the inside out. From the first promise in Eden to every prophetic whisper, heaven’s message has been consistent: a Deliverer would come, and nothing would deter Him. That same Savior now calls us to respond—not as observers of a holy story, but as lives willing to be transformed by it.

GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.

Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

Come to the Altar With One Expectation: Victory

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”— 1 John 3:8

Christmas was not merely a gentle beginning wrapped in carols and candlelight—it was the opening move in a spiritual war. Hell struck first through fear, oppression, and sin, but heaven struck last through incarnation, redemption, and victory. The child laid in a manger was not weak; He was sent. The swaddling clothes were not a sign of defeat; they were the uniform of humility worn by a conquering King. The same Jesus who came quietly into the world now reigns in triumphant power, and the altar remains the place where His victory is received personally.

Christmas Was the First Battlefield

The birth of Jesus was not heaven’s retreat into humanity—it was heaven’s invasion. Long before the cross, the enemy recognized the threat, which is why darkness tried to silence the Light through Herod’s rage. Christmas reminds us that Jesus did not enter a peaceful world; He entered a broken one with authority to reclaim it. From the very beginning, Christ came not just to sympathize with humanity, but to confront sin, sickness, bondage, and death itself. When you come to the altar, you are stepping onto ground already claimed by victory.

The Swaddling Cloths and the Victor’s Robe

The Jesus of the manger and the Jesus of glory are the same Savior. He who once lay dependent now stands exalted; He who cried as an infant now intercedes as our High Priest. His humility did not cancel His authority—it revealed it. When we approach the altar, we are not coming to a fragile baby, but to a risen King who has already overcome the world. Victory is not something we beg for; it is something we receive by faith because it has already been secured.

The Altar Is Where Victory Becomes Personal

The manger declares that He came. The cross declares that He finished it. But the altar declares, “Come receive what He paid for.”

Too many believers admire the work of Christ without ever stepping into its fullness. The altar is not about emotional display—it is about spiritual exchange. It is the place where surrender meets power, where confession meets cleansing, and where faith meets fulfillment. Victory is not automatic; it is activated when we respond. When you come with expectation, heaven honors obedience.

Christmas opened the war, Calvary won the war, and the altar is where we walk in the victory of that war. Do not approach altar time casually or cautiously. Come believing that the same Christ who conquered death is present to heal, restore, forgive, and set free. The altar is not a place of shame—it is a place of triumph.

Prayer: Lord, I come to You surrendered, trusting, hopeful, and ready to be changed forever. I believe You came to destroy the works of the enemy, and I receive the victory You purchased for me. Search my heart, remove every barrier, and let Your power work fully in my life. I come not doubting, but believing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Challenge: Before altar time, prepare your heart in prayer. Then take one intentional step of faith—kneel, lift your hands, confess a need, ask for healing, or simply say, “Lord, I receive.” Do not leave the altar the same way you came. Step away walking in the victory Christ has already won.

FRIDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Luther Roach

Tammy Parker  

Brando Echarte

Cheryl Knight’s Brother

Debbie Foskey 

Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David

Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards

Gloria Young

Jake Jenkins

June Cronan

Louise Jackson – Richard’s Sister – Home

Jean Partee’s Sister

Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda

Deon Lotter

Doris Loyd

Nancy Brown

Amy Garner’s Dad

Annette Ford

Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Angela Bryan’s Sisters

Ann Stanley  

Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers

Danny Jarrard   

Darlene Wiggins

Doris Loyd

Dr. and Mrs. Davis

Eric Magnusson’s Mother

Eric Ward

Friend of Linda Hodge

Gayle Sparks

Linda Alexander 

James Burnette

Jessica Headrick  

John McClain’s Mother

June Cronan’s Sister

June Davis

Kailey Bateman

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda 

Lee Cronan

Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom

Lonzo Christian 

Lori Blount’s Mother

Mary Williams

Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom

Mrs. Franklin 

Nora Allison

Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman

Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA

Scott Lanier 

Scotty Nix

Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Steve Michaels

Tom Witcher