Bulletins - Chandler Heights Community Church AZ

Living Hope
God Who Listens
Before The Throne Of God Above
What A Beautiful Name
I Surrender All
Let’s begin this morning with a familiar passage:
Luke 2:8–11 (NASB 95)
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Matthew 12:21
Matthew 12:21 ESV
21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
21 “And in His name the Nations will hope.”

I was able to see first-hand the hope we have in Christ while in Poland last week:
· My first impression of Poland – a lot like the US: fancy malls, lots of retail and economic activity, new buildings going up, and people dressed like us driving similar cars.   The image of poverty and destituion I was expecting to see was not visible. The people I ran into were like the people you and I meet every day.
· After this, I had the privilege of meeting some of our brothers and sisters in Christ, workers in the Bread of Life Ministry Richard and Brooke started. They are fellow believers who follow Jesus and love Him deeply. They seem to have a singular purpose – to tell as many people as possible that God loves them.
· They do this by showing the love of God in very actionable ways. When people asked by those they serve, “Why are you being so kind and helpful?”, the simple message they give is “Because God loves you”. Their sincere and deep love for God translates into concern and love for others.
· But Poland has it’s dark side as well and the nation needs hope.
o Most people don’t smile. They walk around with hard looks on their face.
o The Catholic Church in Poland many times seems to function with formality and callousness toward the challenges and needs of people in the community. There are exceptions but Poland is mostly spiritually dead and a cold place, including physically cold.
o I was told the attitude of many is “You take care of you”. In other words, seems the status quo is take care of yourself because no one else has your interests in mind.
o Physically, there was no sun in the sky the whole time I was there. Darkness prevailed from 4:00PM until 7:30 each morning only to be replaced by grey skies, fog, and intense cold that goes through your bones, even when the temperature is above freezing.
o Poland is a land that has suffered much, and for a long time. Currently the economy is growing, many things are changing, but the spiritual darkness and coldness of heart is real. The message of salvation has not been heard by most people and Jesus, who is the hope for all the nations, has not been fully proclaimed.

My Experience In The Final Days

· The darkness began to grow on me as my week their progressed. By Sunday evening my sleep was very broken and not very long. Monday was even worse and by Wednesday morning as I departed, I had only about 10 hours of sleep during the past 72 hours.
· A deep sense of anxiety had come over me and great despair. During the 30-hour journey home, I was unable to sleep at all. After I arrived home, the problem persisted. The first evening home I experienced the worst attack of anxiety and despair I have ever had. I felt abandoned and fear of never being normal again gripped me hard.
· Friday morning the situation changed. After many prayers by friends and family, the despair and sense of hopelessness disappeared with the morning light.
· It makes sense that the travel, the darkness, the cold, being in strange surroundings and being far from home would have a physical and mental impact on me. but this felt darker than that, like an attach of the enemy. I felt hopeless and abandoned by God.

I don’t want you to have a wrong impression of my time in Poland. The trip was amazing. I met many lovers of God and of Jesus. I saw in action how they translate their love into effective work that transforms lives and brings the lost out of darkness. This was refreshing. It challenged my spirit and re-awakened my heart to the power of God at work in the life of individuals who struggle with serious situations. I saw first-hand what the endurance of God’s people looks like as they share the message of salvation with those in need and what it means to be an overcomer no matter the circumstances.

So why did God allow the darkness and despair to set in and overtake me? Why did my hope in Christ become an amber in what should be a raging fire? It turns out that what the enemy tried to do to bring me down, God has used for my good. The anxiety and despair served a purpose.   It has become a precious gift, a present revealing God’s grace at work in me. When I woke up Friday morning and after many had been praying for me, the oppressive darkness was gone. It was like a cleansing light had entered my mind and heart. I felt like new. I was laughing and joyful. The anxiety wrapped in hopelessness were gone.
This experience of despair and hopelessness, small and short-term though it may have been, has given me a sense of the despair and hopelessness those living in darkness in far-away places must feel before the message of God’s love is shared with them.

Imagine for a moment the hopelessness that would engulf your life if you were one of the men in Poland, released from prison in the dead of winter with no family support, no social services to help you get on your feet and no place to go. Most men end up back in prison because in Poland, you cannot get a job unless you have an address. But how do you get an address when you are on your own, alone with no place to go? So on a cold and lonely night, the only shelter available is the bus station downtown. Those who sleep on the street freeze to death. Then one evening while sheltering in a corner of the room, a stranger comes in. He doesn’t speak your language, but he offers you a cup of hot tea. He has enough tea for a couple of other men and offers them the same. He says something in a foreign language, lingers a moment, then leaves. Imagine what it must have been like when the stranger returned the next night, but with a bigger thermos. He continues to do the same thing night after night, passing out hot tea to homeless people who live in a culture that tells them they must take care of themselves because no one else will. It was this moment in the winter of 2001 that a great light began to shine in a nation filled with darkness. As the light began to shine, hope was given birth. This is what was promised in Isaiah 9:2
The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
            Jesus is the hope of all the nations.

Medical care in Poland is terrible. It is socialized medicine. But it is free. However, you must provide for yourself many of the supplies and medicines needed to get well. I learned of a man… (broken leg story). Care for children is an especially sad story. The government doesn’t supply expensive state of the art care for adults, let alone for children. Families must pay for it themselves. The attitude many healthcare professionals have when speaking with parents who are facing a costly medical situation is to let the child die. They contribute little to society and you can always have another.
Imagine being the parent of a child with a life-threatening condition requiring treatment or a prescription the government won’t provide and that will cost more than you make in 6 months. Then some strangers enter the room and want to know how they might help. They decide to put on a Christmas Fair in the town square. There are booths selling Christmas gifts made by local members of a small church. For the family with the suffering child, these people are strangers. But the strangers entice the town to support the sick child by selling handmade jewelry, candles, delicate stuffed animals – all kinds of items that will make wonderful gifts for young and old. Talented young people take to a professional stage erected for the event. They sing love songs and Christmas Carols. Between performers, items that have been donated by local merchants are auctioned to the highest bidder. Children have their picture taken with Santa Nicholaus. A Ferris wheel turns and turns with thousands of riders through the day enjoying the beautiful event. When it is all done, the strangers return to you with a gift – the Christmas Fair raised over $15,000, enough money to help your child get well. And why was this done? You ask the strangers, “Why are you doing this?” They answer, “Because God loves you.” It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, God loves you. Then you ask another question, “Yes, but why are you doing this? And the strangers replies, “Because I love you too and 2,000 years ago a child was born in a manger. He came to bring light and hope, hope for you, hope for all of Poland. He is hope to the nations and only he can bring change to those who live in darkness. He does this by using others, even strangers. They are His people, his hands and feet to bring good news of great joy which is for all people. These are the ones who today make light shine in dark places where hope does not exist. This the modern day fulfillment of Isaiah 42:5–7 (NASB 95)
5Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it,
6“I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations,
7To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.

            During the Christmas Fair in Kalisz, I met a man named Thomask. Back in 2002 or so, Thomask heard about a stranger, an English speaking foreigner who was going to the bus station in Poznan each night and passing out hot tea. So, he went to see for himself. Thomask speaks both English and Polish. When he arrived, he met the foreigner and so he began to translate for him. This continued for many months. The two became friends. One day, Thomask approached the foreigner and said to him, “Do you know what’s so wonderful about salvation?” Richard was curious and said, “What?”. Thomask responded, “It is free”. A week or so later, Thomask gave his life to Jesus. Today he is the head of The Bread of Life Ministry in the town of Kalisch. He teaches middle school history; Pastor’s a church he started in one of the poorest neighborhoods in town and teaches Karate to children and adults (Thomask is a world champion black belt in Karate).

I am grateful for the anxiety and sense of hopelessness that came over me when in Poland. When the darkness broke and God’s light shined again in my heart Friday morning, I realized the beauty and wonder of our Savior who offers the most incredible gift imaginable, a new life filled with faith, hope, and love.

When the angel spoke to the shepherds, he said, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.” On Monday night of last week, we went to a state run orphanage in Poznan and brought gifts to the teenagers who live there. There were about 28 of them. We sat around the dinner table and tried to communicate with them. Richard speaks a fair amount of Polish, they spoke no English. We talked of school, Christmas letter wishlists, drank tea, sometimes just stared at one another probably wondering what the other person was thinking or might want to say. Richard found a Polish Bible, opened it to Luke chapter 2 and had one of the teenage girls read it.
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
He then shared with them as best he could that we need not live in fear. I imagine for the young people living there, fear is a big part of life, fear from events in the past, fear of being abused and mistreated by others, and fear of a future that seems unsure and somewhat hopeless. He told them that Christmas is celebrated because God has come to take away fear bringing good news of a Savior who will save you if you ask Him to.
I've shared how God gave me a small taste of darkness and despair after returning from Poland—a place marked by spiritual coldness, historical suffering, and lives trapped in hopelessness. But in that darkness, God reminded me afresh of the priceless gift we have in Jesus: the Light that shatters despair, the Hope that anchors the soul. And He used it to awaken in me a deeper empathy for those still living without Him.
Here in the United States in 2025, we may not face the same gray skies or systemic hardships I saw in Poland, but darkness is real. Economic pressures, political division, mental health crises, loneliness, addiction, family breakdowns—these cast long shadows over many lives. Fear grips hearts: fear of the future, fear of failure, fear of being alone. Yet the same Savior born that night is here, offering the same good news of great joy.
I want to speak directly to three groups among us this morning.
First, to my fellow Christians who may have forgotten what it's like to live in fear without hope. Perhaps you've walked with Jesus for years. You know His peace, His presence, the joy of salvation. But over time, that fire can dim into a comfortable glow. We get busy with life—work, family, church activities—and we forget the terror of darkness we once knew before Christ found us. My experience in Poland and the despair that followed reminded me: without Jesus, life is truly hopeless. Abandoned. Empty.
Don't let complacency rob you of gratitude. Remember the pit from which He lifted you (Psalm 40:2). Let stories like those from Poland—or the struggles you see around you here—reignite your awe. Jesus is your hope, the anchor that holds firm in every storm (Hebrews 6:19). Rejoice afresh this Christmas that the Light has dawned in your heart. Let that renewed wonder fuel your worship and your walk.
Second, to those who are reluctant to speak of this hope or look for opportunities to share God's love. You've seen the light. You know the Savior. But maybe fear holds you back—fear of rejection, awkwardness, or not knowing what to say. Or perhaps life feels too full, and sharing the Gospel seems like one more obligation.
Look at the believers in Poland: strangers handing out hot tea in a bus station, organizing Christmas fairs to save a child's life, visiting orphans with gifts and Scripture. They didn't wait for perfect words or grand platforms. They simply showed kindness and, when asked "Why?", answered truthfully: "Because God loves you." That simple act birthed hope, led to salvation, even planted churches.
Here in America, opportunities surround us. The coworker battling anxiety. The neighbor facing foreclosure. The stranger at the grocery store who looks weary. The homeless veteran on the corner. The teenager lost in their phone, aching for meaning. Start small: a cup of coffee, a listening ear, an act of kindness. When the moment comes—and it will—share the reason: "Because Jesus loves you. He came to bring hope into your darkness."
Don't hide your light under a bushel (Matthew 5:15-16). The nations—including our own—will hope in His name. Be His hands and feet. Look for those divine appointments. God will use your obedience to create hope where none exists.
Finally, to those here today who don't yet know the Savior—who live in fear, with little or no hope that your situation can change. Maybe you're carrying heavy burdens: broken relationships, addiction, depression, regret, uncertainty about tomorrow. Life feels dark, cold, hopeless—like no one cares, and nothing will ever get better. You've tried everything else, and it hasn't worked.
Friend, listen to the angel's message spoken for you: "Do not be afraid... there has been born for you a Savior." Jesus didn't come for the perfect; He came for the lost, the fearful, the hopeless. He entered our darkness—born in a manger, lived among suffering, died on a cross—to rescue you. In His name, you can have hope. Real hope. Eternal hope.
He offers forgiveness, new life, peace that passes understanding. Not because you've earned it, but because it's free—a gift. Like Thomask discovered: the most wonderful thing about salvation is that it's free.
If that's you today, don't leave without responding. Cry out to Him right now: "Jesus, I need You. Save me." Turn from sin, trust in Him as your Lord and Savior. The light will dawn. The despair will lift. Hope will be born in your heart this Christmas.
Church, let's pray together—that God would renew our hope, embolden our witness, and draw the hopeless to the Savior who is Christ the Lord. The good news of great joy is still for all people—starting right here, right now. Amen.ß