[December 14, 2025] Alex - Chatham Mills Campus - Indescribable Gift Series 3

Devotional

Day 1: Indescribable Gift vs. the World’s Empty Promises

This season shouts that more stuff, bigger experiences, and tighter control will finally bring peace. But you and I know the letdown after the package is opened or the trip is over. The good news is that Jesus—the indescribable gift—brings the joy, peace, and fulfillment we were made for. When you order your days around Him—worship, prayer, obedience, love of neighbor—you step onto a different path than the world offers. This is a wonderfully invitable time, so come and bring a friend, and build your life on the One who will not fail you [06:52].

2 Corinthians 9:15 — We bless God for the gift beyond words; He has given His Son, a generosity so great it reshapes our generosity.

Reflection: Which promise of the season—more stuff, a promotion, the perfect trip—most tugs at your heart, and what one practical change will help you order your week around Jesus instead?

Day 2: Bring Temptation and Doubt into the Light

Don’t dance with temptation in the dark. When questions or cravings whisper, start by talking to God—bring them into the light before Him. Open Scripture, and loop in a trusted friend who loves Jesus; community helps you sort the voices. It isn’t a sin to be tempted or to have questions, but it is dangerous to negotiate with the serpent on his terms. Come into the light and let the Lord take the first pass at your doubts and desires [14:37].

1 John 1:5–7 — God is pure light with no shadow in Him. If we claim closeness to Him while staying in the dark, we’re fooling ourselves. But as we walk in the light together, Jesus cleanses us, and real fellowship grows.

Reflection: What specific temptation or nagging doubt will you name before God today, and whom will you text to pray with you about it?

Day 3: “Where are you?” “Here I am.”

Sin pushes us into hiding—behind busyness, achievement, religion, apathy, or shame. God does not thunder with a hammer; He calls with an invitation: Where are you? Step out with honesty, even if all you have are fig leaves and fear. “Here I am” is the prayer of open hands and an open heart, trusting that God can handle your mess. Come out of hiding and meet the God who moves toward you with compassion and restores relationship [23:42].

Genesis 3:8–10 — After disobeying, the man and his wife hid among the trees when they sensed the Lord walking in the garden. God called to the man, asking where he was. He answered that fear and shame made him hide.

Reflection: If you were to answer “Here I am” right now, what would you bring into the light—no explanations, no deflecting?

Day 4: Don’t Fall for the Oldest Lie

The oldest lie says God is holding out on you—and that life outside His will will be better. The enemy isn’t that creative; he just keeps recycling the same scripts about money, sex, power, control, and approval. Ask for spiritual wisdom to see through the lies and to love God’s bigger yes behind every no. When you stumble, bring it to the Lord quickly, own your part, and walk again in the light. Don’t buy the lie; choose trust and obedience in the small, concrete steps right in front of you [17:23].

Genesis 3:4–6 — The serpent rejected God’s warning and promised enlightenment and godlikeness. The woman saw the fruit’s beauty and supposed wisdom, took and ate, and shared it with her husband, who ate as well.

Reflection: Identify one place you suspect “God is holding out on me”; what is the small, concrete obedience you will choose in the next 48 hours?

Day 5: The Son Who Crushes the Serpent

God promised that a Son would come to defeat the bully who lies, accuses, and destroys. Jesus lived without yielding to sin, went to the cross, and rose—wounded yet victorious—crushing the serpent’s head. In Him, you can pray, “Deliver us from evil,” and stand firm in His triumph. Join His mission to bless your community and build for generations by serving, giving, inviting, and loving in His name. His victory is your victory as you abide in Him and walk forward in hope [29:25].

Genesis 3:15 — God announced ongoing hostility between the serpent and the woman, and between their descendants; from her line would come One who would crush the serpent’s head, though He would be wounded in the conflict.

Reflection: Where do you sense the bully of accusation or confusion at work, and how will you stand in Jesus’ victory through prayer and a concrete act of love?

Sermon Summary

What a joy to be with y’all in Pittsboro and to dream together about what God is doing. We celebrated this little space that has served us so well since 2017 and looked ahead to the new location next to True Value, with the hope of moving in summer 2026. Between now and then, we’ll roll together for a season—adding a third service to make room—so we can invest in the buildout and prepare to relaunch Pittsboro strong. January is always our most invitational month, and paired with Christmas Eve, this is prime time to bring neighbors, coworkers, and classmates. We need your presence, your prayers, your gifts, and your invitations.

From there we turned to Genesis 3 and the deeper work God wants to do in us. The big truth is this: no gift, experience, bucket-list trip, accomplishment, or “finally getting through this hard season” can deliver the peace, joy, and fulfillment your soul was made for. Only the indescribable gift of Jesus can. The serpent’s oldest lie is that God is holding out on you—that life outside God’s will will satisfy more than life within it. Don’t dance with your temptations in the dark. Don’t debate a liar on his terms. Bring your doubts and desires straight into the light of God’s presence, Scripture, and wise friends.

When Adam and Eve hid, God didn’t crush them; He called, “Where are you?” That question echoes through history and lands in this room today. The right answer is Moses’ answer: “Here I am.” No more fig leaves. No more religious posturing or busy avoidance. No more prideful self-sufficiency. Just honest presence.

God also spoke a promise in the garden—the first whisper of Christmas—that a Son would come to crush the serpent’s head. He would be wounded, but evil would be defeated. That’s Jesus—born in a manger, faithful under pressure, crucified, raised, and now victorious. His triumph over the bully is the ground we stand on as we walk into this next season as one church family. Let’s be men and women whose hearts are integrated—courageous, humble, honest—and let’s contend in prayer for this campus, this move, and this county. The victory of Jesus is ours as we say, “Here I am,” and follow Him together.

Key Takeaways

1. Stop chasing gifts; pursue Jesus. The human heart can turn even good things into substitutes that over-promise and under-deliver. Ordering life around Jesus reorders desires, loosens anxiety’s grip, and frees us from the tyranny of “the next thing.” Contentment isn’t found by securing circumstances but by surrendering loves. Let Jesus be the Gift that relativizes every other gift. [06:17]
2. Bring temptations into the light. Temptation grows in power when entertained in secrecy and shrinks when exposed before God and trusted friends. Don’t start by answering doubts on the serpent’s terms; begin by praying them into God’s presence. Scripture and community help us name what’s true and what’s a lie. Light is not a technique; it’s an allegiance. [14:37]
3. Resist the oldest lie. Every temptation whispers that God’s holding out on you and that you’ll be more alive outside His will. But rebellion steals what it claims to give: freedom, joy, and selfhood. Wisdom is learning to distrust the lie faster and trust God’s character sooner. Ask for spiritual discernment to see the hook under the bait. [17:00]
4. Hear God’s question: “Where are you?” God’s first word after sin is invitation, not annihilation. He wants your presence, not your performance—your honesty before your excellence. You can hide behind religion, productivity, apathy, or pride; the call still comes. Answer simply, “Here I am,” and step into relationship, responsibility, and grace. [23:07]
5. Jesus crushes the serpent’s head. In the garden, God promised a Deliverer who would be wounded yet victorious. At the cross and empty tomb, that promise landed in history; the decisive blow has been struck. The battle continues, but the outcome is settled. Stand, pray, and serve from victory—not for it. [28:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Mission: connect to God and others
[01:22] - New Pittsboro space vision
[03:27] - United for such a time
[04:31] - Most invitable season ahead
[05:38] - Emmanuel series: the true gift
[06:17] - No gift can satisfy
[12:33] - Serpent’s exaggeration and doubt
[14:37] - Don’t dance with temptation
[17:00] - Oldest lie exposed
[23:07] - God asks, “Where are you?”
[25:35] - Our response: “Here I am”
[28:38] - Promise: serpent’s head crushed
[30:59] - A dream and a battle
[34:45] - Rapid recap and invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Genesis 3

Observation questions

What exact question does the serpent ask Eve at the start of Genesis 3, and how does Eve’s reply shift the tone of the conversation? [10:56]
In Genesis 3:6 the fruit is described as “good for food,” “pleasing to the eye,” and “desirable for gaining wisdom.” How do those three appeals show up in the story, and which one most often tempts you personally? [19:24]
After they eat, Adam and Eve make fig-leaf coverings and hide. What specific changes in behavior and relationship with God and one another happen immediately after the sin? [21:33]
God’s first question after the fall is “Where are you?” How does the tone of that question read—accusation, invitation, something else—and what does that suggest about God’s aim? [23:07]

Interpretation questions

The serpent exaggerates God’s restriction (making God sound harsher than He is). How does that tactic work to undermine trust in God’s character, and why is that effective? [12:33]
The claim “God is holding out on you” is called the oldest lie. What does that phrase mean theologically and practically, and why does it keep reappearing in different temptations? [17:00]
God’s question “Where are you?” appears early in Scripture. What does that question reveal about God’s posture toward people who have sinned—does it prioritize judgment, restoration, or both? [23:07]
Genesis 3:15 promises a coming offspring who will crush the serpent’s head. How should that promise shape the way a believer approaches everyday spiritual struggles and long-term battles? [28:38]

Application questions

No gift, trip, achievement, or fix can finally satisfy — only Jesus can. What one “good thing” have you been leaning on for your contentment instead of Jesus, and what concrete step will you take this week to re-order your desire toward Christ? [06:17]
Temptation grows in secrecy and shrinks in the light. What is one temptation or doubt you’ve been nursing in private? Who will you bring it to this week (Scripture, a trusted friend, or prayer), and when will you do it? [14:37]
The oldest lie says you’d be better off outside God’s will. When that voice shows up, what single practice will you use to test it (for example: read a specific Bible verse, stop and pray, call one friend)? Commit to doing it the next time the lie appears. [17:00]
God calls “Where are you?” and the right human reply is “Here I am.” Where have you been hiding—through busyness, achievement, apathy, or shame—and what honest “Here I am” statement can you offer God today? If you’re willing, share that sentence with the group. [25:35]
December–January is the most invitable season. Who is one neighbor, coworker, or friend you will invite to Christmas Eve or a January service? What will you say, when will you invite them, and how will you follow up? [04:20]
The promise of victory over the serpent means Christians pray and fight in faith. What “snakes” (accusation, division, addictions, distractions) do you see around your home, work, or community, and how will you pray or act this week to live from Jesus’ victory rather than fear? [31:49]

Sermon Clips

``If you can make this simple switch from chasing after things, accomplishment, money, people's approval,if I can just fix this situation, to I'm going to order my life around Jesus, I'm going to organize my life around Jesus, I'm going to follow Jesus all my day to the end of my days, if you can get your heart and mind around that, that, my friends, puts you on a completely different trajectory, a completely different path to the God who made you and loved you and to the life you were created for. [00:07:15] (23 seconds) #OrderLifeAroundJesus

And that is the human story, the human experience, and it's into that world.Comes Christmas, Emmanuel, God with us.He comes to bring forgiveness because we've reached for the wrong things.Comes to bring wisdom and teaching.Here's the way to go, walk in it.Comes to bring peace, joy, to bring us into a relationship with God, our Father.And the promise he would come is baked into right there, page three of the Bible. [00:08:23] (33 seconds) #EmmanuelBringsPeace

So here's what the serpent knows.The serpent knows this whole thing rises and falls on whether or not Eve believes God is good and being good to her.Because if the serpent can get you to doubt that God is good and good to you, if the serpent can make you doubt that God is good, if the serpent can make you believe God's holding out on you, the serpent can get you to do any stupid thing he wants you to do. [00:12:39] (25 seconds) #TrustGodsGoodness

Here's a little pro tip.Whenever you're hearing voices of doubt, questions, or temptations, and all of us are going to hear these things, right?So here's a little pro tip.Anytime you hear the serpent whispering questions, doubts, or temptations, don't start by talking to the serpent.Start by talking to God, right?So the woman engages with the serpent, who tries to set the tone for the debate and the conversation.And so the serpent, and so Eve kind of gets sucked in, gets lured in. [00:13:37] (26 seconds) #TalkToGodFirst

But here's the problem.When you go dancing with your temptations in the dark, you almost always fall into a pit, right?When you go dancing with your temptations and your doubts, and you can count on the Lord.Anytime you hear a voice sort of questioning God's goodness, God's character, that God actually wants sort of good for you, God wants your peace, your joy, the fulfillment you were created for, anytime you hear those voices, you don't want to engage those voices first, right? [00:14:15] (21 seconds) #DontDanceWithTemptation

Sin introduces shame and hiding.Sin, they hide from each other, they hide from God.This is what sin does.We were talking about this in my small group this past week.Just like, you know, when you've knowingly sinned and done something you know that God doesn't want you to do, like, what do you do?How does it affect your relationship with God and with other people?We just talked about, it looks a lot like hiding. [00:21:35] (15 seconds) #HidingFollowsSin

God does not strike them dead with a lightning bolt on the other side of the first sin.God doesn't come to drop the hammer on them on the side of the first sin.God knows what they've done.God knows the decisions they've made.And what he speaks is a word of invitation to come out from hiding.To step back into relationship and not continue hiding for the rest of their lives. [00:23:22] (19 seconds) #ComeOutOfHiding

And whatever you're up against, Christmas 2025, hear the really good news.The victory of Jesus Christ is yours as you surrender and are joined in with him as he abides in you.His victory is your victory.And it all starts with God calling out to you, where are you, where are you?And you just say, here I am, Lord.Here I am.And then we gather around the stable, and we worship. [00:34:08] (22 seconds) #VictoryInJesus

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