RAP SHEET 12/7/25

SERIES: O Come All Ye…

SERMON: O Come All Ye Enthroned

SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:5–11

REVIEW

This week, we looked at the real tension of Christmas: Christmas is about a King, but most of us don’t actually want a king.

We love the idea of a God who blesses, comforts, and helps. But a God who rules us? Who directs our steps, says “no,” and sits on the throne of our lives? That is where things get uncomfortable.

We asked a simple but honest question:

Who is sitting on the throne of my life?

We saw how our world disciples us to believe that everything should bend to us:

• Digital Escape – Running to screens, shows, and games instead of running to Jesus for peace and comfort.

• Hyper Individual Rights – “My truth, my fulfillment, my decisions,” acting like we define reality.

• Personal Algorithms – A curated world that orbits our preferences until we start expecting real life and people to do the same.

• Self Optimization – Believing we can perfect our life if we control enough variables, leaving little room for dependence on God.

• AI-Enabled Autonomy – The illusion that with enough tools, we do not need limits, help, or ultimately, God.

All of these “kingdoms” work for a while—until control breaks, autonomy isolates, optimization burns us out, and escape leaves us empty.

Christmas is not just a sentimental story; it is a kingdom collision. When the true King arrives, every false king is exposed.

We talked about Herod, who panicked when he heard a child had been born “King of the Jews.”Herod is not just a villain to judge; he is a mirror of the part of us that refuses to surrender, wants Jesus present but not preeminent, and wants God to bless our kingdom but not replace it.

Then we looked at Philippians 2:5-11:

• Jesus existed in the form of God, with full glory and authority.

• He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant.

• He humbled Himself to the point of death—even death on a cross.

• Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name.

• One day, every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The true King stepped down from His throne to invite us to step off ours. Christmas is not just an invitation to admire a baby in a manger. Christmas is an invitation to bow before the King.

The gospel we heard: Jesus, the rightful King, gave up His position, came down, and died in our place so that enthroned sinners could be forgiven, set free, and brought into His Kingdom—if we will trust Him and surrender our lives to Him.

APPLY

This week’s message asked a simple but challenging question:

Who is sitting on the throne of your life?

We saw how easy it is to drift into “self-rule” without realizing it—through control, escape, self-reliance, or the pressure to run our own universe. Christmas confronts all of that by reminding us that Jesus came to be King, not consultant.

Use these questions to reflect together:

• Where do you notice yourself getting frustrated or feeling the need to control?

• Where do you run for comfort when life feels overwhelming?

• Where are you relying on your own strength instead of surrendering to Jesus?

• What is one area of your life you have kept “off limits” from His authority?

After discussing these, bring it to one clear point:

What is ONE AREA this week where you will step off the throne and let Jesus be King?

Name it, commit to it, and support one another as you walk it out.

PRAY

Use these prompts to guide your prayer time together:

• Thank Jesus for stepping down from His throne, humbling Himself, and going to the cross to save us.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to gently reveal where each of you is still trying to rule your own life.

• Take a moment of silence and let God bring specific “thrones” or areas of control to mind.

• Pray, “Jesus, I surrender this area to You. I want You on the throne, not me.”

• Ask God to help you recognize “the throne talking” this week and to respond with trust and obedience instead of control.

• Thank God that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord—and that we get to bow now in faith, not later in regret.