New City Fellowship - Chattanooga: O Come, Immanuel!

Christmas Refugees

Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Christmas Refugees

Series: O Come, Immanuel!

Preacher: Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor

Sunday Morning

Date: 28th December 2025

Passage: Matthew 2:13-23

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The familiar Christmas narrative takes an unexpected turn when we consider that Jesus became a refugee shortly after His birth. Following the departure of the wise men, King Herod realized he had been deceived and flew into a murderous rage. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream with urgent instructions to flee to Egypt with Mary and baby Jesus, as Herod planned to search for and destroy the child. This wasn't a planned journey but a desperate escape from persecution and violence.God's protection during this crisis reveals several profound truths about His character and care for His people. He provided advance warning through the angelic dream, gave specific guidance about where to go, and had already supplied the necessary resources through the expensive gifts from the Magi. The gold, frankincense, and myrrh weren't merely symbolic offerings but became the financial means for the family's survival in exile. Meanwhile, Herod's fury led to the massacre of innocent children in Bethlehem, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy about Rachel weeping for her children, yet even this tragedy served God's sovereign purposes.The story concludes with hope as God eventually called the family back to Israel after Herod's death. They settled in Nazareth, a despised town, which fulfilled prophecy about the Messiah being rejected. Joseph and Mary returned as different people, having experienced God's deliverance and faithfulness firsthand. Jesus became a Nazarene from a looked-down-upon place so that we would never be rejected by God but welcomed into His glory. This refugee story challenges us to examine whose kingdom truly controls our thinking and reminds us that as former spiritual refugees now brought into God's kingdom, we should show Christ-like love and hospitality to all people.

Hope for the Nations, Part 2

Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Hope for the Nations, Part 2

Series: O Come, Immanuel!

Preacher: Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor

Special Service

Date: 25th December 2025

Passage: Matthew 2:1-12

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The wise men's journey to find Jesus reveals that genuine seekers of Christ are always rewarded with God's presence. When they found the newborn King, their response was immediate worship and lavish gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their example teaches us that true worship requires sacrifice and complete surrender. God doesn't just want our time, talents, and treasures - He wants us entirely. The areas we hold back from God often become barriers to experiencing His fullness. This Christmas, consider what you're still withholding from Christ and surrender those areas to His lordship.

Hope for the Nations, Part 1

Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Hope for the Nations, Part 1

Series: O Come, Immanuel!

Preacher: Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor

Sunday Morning

Date: 21st December 2025

Passage: Matthew 2:1-12

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The world constantly searches for hope in temporary things like sports, politics, medicine, or even addiction, but lasting hope can only be found in Christ. The wise men from the East teach us that true hope requires intentional seeking. These astrologers, likely influenced by Daniel's teachings, traveled over 900 miles and four months to worship the newborn King. Their journey demonstrates that finding Christ requires planning, effort, and discernment. Christmas represents God's declaration of war against sin and death, yet many miss this reality due to holiday distractions. Like the Magi who sought wisdom as hidden treasure, we must deliberately pursue Christ above all else this Christmas season.

God of the Impossible - Pt 2

Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

God of the Impossible - Pt 2

Series: O Come, Immanuel!

Preacher: Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor

Sunday Morning

Date: 14th December 2025

Passage: Matthew 1:18-25

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Joseph's response to Mary's pregnancy reveals profound truths about faith and character. As a righteous man, he balanced justice with mercy, choosing to divorce Mary quietly rather than expose her publicly. When God revealed His plan through an angel, Joseph immediately surrendered his own plans and embraced God's better way. The virgin birth wasn't an accident but a fulfillment of ancient prophecy, essential to our salvation because Jesus needed to be both fully God and fully man. Joseph demonstrates biblical faith by trusting God's word even when it meant embracing hardship and social shame. His example challenges us to hold our plans loosely and trust that God's way is always better than our own.

God of the Impossible , Pt. 1

Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

God of the Impossible , Pt. 1

Series: O Come, Immanuel!

Preacher: Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor

Sunday Morning

Date: 7th December 2025

Passage: Matthew 1:18-25

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The virgin birth of Jesus Christ was both a miraculous event and a cultural scandal in first-century Palestine. Mary faced potential death by stoning for claiming pregnancy without intimacy, while Joseph wrestled with divorcing his betrothed to avoid association with apparent adultery. Through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, God accomplished the impossible - entering humanity as Emmanuel, God with us. This scandalous beginning was necessary because only someone who was both fully God and fully human could bridge the gap between heaven and earth. The virgin birth reveals that our greatest problem isn't external circumstances but internal sin, and Jesus came to address this root cause of human separation from God.

Jesus' Ancestry DNA Test

Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus' Ancestry DNA Test

Series: O Come, Immanuel!

Preacher: Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor

Sunday Morning

Date: 30th November 2025

Passage: Matthew 1:1-17

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Christmas represents the fulfillment of God's ancient promises through Jesus' genealogy in Matthew 1. As the son of Abraham, Jesus fulfills God's covenant to bless all nations through Abraham's lineage. As the son of David, He establishes the eternal kingdom promised to David. The title Christ identifies Him as the ultimate anointed one, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Matthew's inclusion of five women, many with scandalous backgrounds, shows that Jesus came to save all people, including the marginalized and outsiders. This genealogy proves God's faithfulness across generations, working through imperfect people and difficult circumstances to accomplish His redemptive plan.