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 Follow the Star Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA December 5, 2004 (Second Sunday in Advent) Main Scripture text: Isaiah 9:1-6. Our biggest and most serious problem is darkness. Much of the burden, pain, and struggle that people experience in life is due to stumbling in the darkness -- not physical darkness but spiritual darkness. We don't see what is right and true so we hurt ourselves stumbling over what is wrong and false. We have sight but no light. The Good News announced through the prophet Isaiah 9:1-6 is that a Deliverer was coming who would cast new light on life in this world. The New Testament tells us that this Deliverer was Jesus, the Messiah. He is the Light of the world. Until we receive Jesus, we don't have the light we need to see spiritual truth. Without Him, we cannot see. We either recognize Jesus as the Light and come to Him, or we show a pitiable blindness to His glory by continuing our futile search for another source of light and life that does not exist. Receiving the Light is a one-time event as well as a life-long process of walking in the Light. Christians can set their hearts and minds on something contrary to God's will and purpose and refuse to bring that thing into the light. To have the benefit of the Light we have to walk in the Light. How? Jesus said in Revelation 22: "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." Just follow the Star, the bright Morning Star, whose name is Jesus. Supporting texts: John 1:1-4, 14 | Mark 8:18 | John 3:19-21 | 1 Corinthians 2:14 | John 3:18 | 1 John 1:6-7 | Revelation 22:16 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (22:30). (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 this sermon is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 041205a: Follow the Star. © 2004 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us