What Christmas Means…
[show a clip from Jingle All The Way – in the beginning of the movie where Arnie goes to the store and meets Sinbad… start clip when it shows sky line and it when Arnie goes outside of store…]
I don’t know about you, BUT like the character that Arnie is playing in the clip we just saw) find Christmas very frustrating at times.... AND the main reason is BECAUSE so many either don’t know or have forgotten what Christmas is all about... It is certainly, though funny to watch - not about getting some toy or present that everyone wants. SO – just what does Christmas mean?
IF Christmas means family; THEN what does Christmas mean to a person who has just lost a loved one or has no family?
IF Christmas means shopping malls, Christmas trees and blinking lights; THEN what does Christmas mean to a family who lives in a remote village in the hills of Ghana, that has no electricity, let alone a shopping mall and has never seen a Christmas tree…
IF Christmas means the giving and receiving gifts; THEN what does Christmas mean to a single mother of 4 children, working 2 jobs, barely having enough money to pay the mortgage, keep the heat and put food in the refrigerator?
IF Christmas means white snow falling from the ski and covering the ground and bare tree limbs THEN what does Christmas mean to a person who lives in the Arizona desert?
NOW – please don’t misunderstand me… family, trees, lights, food, gifts and snow are all fine and good, and they can be very beneficial - but they are not what Christmas really means….
The legends of the Taj Mahal. They all fascinate, but there is one that haunts. The favorite wife of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan died. Devastated, he resolved to honor her by constructing a temple that would serve as her tomb. He coffin was placed in the center of a large parcel of land, and construction of the temple began around it. No expense would be spared to make her final resting place magnificent.
But as the weeks turned into months, the Sha’s grief was eclipsed by his passion for the project. He no longer mourned her absence. The construction consumed him. One day while walking from one side of the construction site to the other, his leg bumped against a wooden box. The prince brushed the dust off his legs and order the workers to throw the box out.
Shah Jahan didn’t know he had ordered the disposal of the coffin – now forgotten – hidden beneath layers of dust and time. The one the temple was intended to honor was forgotten, but the Temple was erected anyway.
LISTEN – that is what has happened to Christmas. The this holiday was intended to honor has been forgotten buried underneath layers of boxes, bows, ribbons, parties and lights. UNDERSTAND – millions of people are going through all this activity and giving little or no thought whatsoever to the real reason we are celebrating… OKAY - my goal this morning is to talk about what Christmas really means… 6 things that are totally independent of snow, presents, food, decorations and even family…
PRAYER
Christmas Means…God Keeps His Promises
“A person who doesn’t give a promised gift is like clouds and wind that don’t bring rain…”
Pr 25:14
DO YOU – see that picture? IMAGINE that you are in desperate need of rain. AND then all of a sudden dark clouds come rolling in – the wind begins to really kick up. I mean it looks like a down pour is about to come in any second, BUT, it never does rain… “A person who doesn’t give a promised gift is like clouds and wind that don’t bring rain…”
QUESTION – have you discovered in your life that people can be just like those clouds and wind – at times they roll in and they can get all puffed up and they blow around a bunch of awesome words – some great promises of what they will do - BUT they never deliver?
· “I’m going to be there at your next game”
· “I’m so sorry, I’ll never talk to you like that again”
· “I promise I can really handle this, trust me, that will be the last drink I ever pick up
· “Listen it is going to be different around here from now on, I promise I am really going to change”
· “If you can just help us get through this tough spot, a promotion is sure to come your way”
· “I’ll be there promise, I won’t let you down again”
LISTEN – in a world where so many fail to do what they said they would do… In a world where husbands break promises to their wives and wives to their husbands… Where parents break promises to their children and children to their parents. Where friends break promises to friends and where companies like Enron break promises to their employees… In a world where so often we are left hoping and wondering if people will actually do what they said they would do… In a world where the actions of so many, makes us unsure, uncertain, doubtful and skeptical - IT is so awesome to know that Almighty God keeps his promises… AND – he has been doing it from the beginning….
CHECKOUT – these Scriptures;
“The Lord did exactly what he had promised.” Gen 21:1
“What’s more, I will be with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. I will someday bring you safely back to this land. I will be with you constantly until I finish giving you everything I have promised.” Gen 28:15
“As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” Psalm 18:30
“This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ’s slave, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. This Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus, who came as a man, born into King David’s royal family line.” Romans 1:1-3
LISTEN – why back in the very beginning, in the opening book of the bible God made a promise to man. In Genesis chapter 3 – we read of the fall of man into sin (we know the story – Adam & Eve) BUT LISTEN – in that chapter we not only read of man’s fall BUT we also read of God’s grace. FOR YOU SEE – in that very same chapter the promise of Christ was born… AS God tells Adam & Eve that even though you messed up, even though will have to suffer and leave this awesome garden paradise – in the future I will send someone born of woman who will defeat the serpent – and make things right again. YOU SEE – their fall (and ours) is not the end of the story…
AND – throughout the pages of history God reminded them of this promise… Through the prophet Isaiah God said;
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Is 7:14
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!” Is 9:6,7 (NLT)
And through the prophet Micah God once again reminded his people of this promise;
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.”
LISTEN – throughout the OT over & over again, 100’s of times God’s prophets spoke about this promise. The spoke about Jesus birth, about what he would do, what he would teach – how he would die…
In his book, Science Speaks, Peter Stoner applies the modern science of probability to just eight prophecies regarding Christ. He says, "The chance that any man might have .fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in 10 to the 17th. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000." (one hundred quadrillion) Stoner suggests that "we take 10 to the 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly... Blindfold a man and tell him he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up [that one marked silver dollar.] What chance would he have of getting the right one?" Stoner concludes, "Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing those eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man,...providing they wrote them in their own wisdom."
LISTEN – when God makes a promise he is going to keep it… AND Christmas is a powerful illustration of this… God promised mankind that one day he would send a Messiah, that one day His Son would come near and walk this earth in order to make things right. AND God delivered on that promise… AND UNDERSTAND THIS – sending Jesus was not an easy promise for the Father to keep…
In Psalm 15 the Psalmist asks these questions; “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” AND – part of God’s answer of who may God enter God’s presence was; “those who keep their promises even when it hurts…”
QUESTION – did it hurt God to keep that promise he first made in the garden? It sure did (the cross)….
Christmas means – the God keeps his promise – You can trust his word!!!
Christmas Means…You Matter To God
QUESTION – do you feel like you matter? that you are important? That you are worthwhile? That you count? LISTEN - in our culture, in our society many people feel like they don’t; WHY? BECAUSE;
· They don’t have the right job
· They don’t look the right way
· They are not as pretty as some
· They are too tall or too short
· Too big or too thin
· They are not smart, talented or athletic
· They don’t have enough money, live in the right house, drive the right car or go to the right school
Our worship of beauty, wealth and celebrities has crushed the self worth of many)
BUT – the god news is this - Christmas means that you matter to God… “I matter to God and that’s all that maters to me….”
LET ME – remind you of what the angel said on that first Christmas night…
“Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord has been born tonight in Bethlehem”
Luke 2:10,11
I bring you good news of great joy, for who? EVERYONE! NOT just for the pretty, smart, strong, wealthy or talented, BUT for everyone!
LISTEN – People matter to God… AND - not just tribes and nations, BUT individual people.
YOU KNOW – those parts of the bible, that we usually skip over….Those seemingly endless lists of names we can’t pronounce…. The first 10 chapters of 1 Chronicles is just a list of names… AND – we have no idea of who all but handful are. So we skip over them.
Have you ever been to High School Graduation… You get your program – and around here there are so many names, hundreds…. So many names and most of them you have no idea who they are… BUT – every single name means something to someone… and at those graduations you skip over all the other names to find the name of ‘your someone,’ so that you can break the rules, and holler when that name is called…
UNDERSTAND - in that endless of names in 1 Chronicles – every single name means something to God, He knows who every person is – He doesn’t skip over a single one. LISTEN - God sits on the edge of his seat – and He screams and hollers when every name is called… I BELIEVE that one reasons why, those names are recorded, is to let us know that every single individual matters to God.
LISTEN – if God had a wallet, your picture would be in it – IF he had a refrigerator, your stuff would be plastered all over it (God has a big refrigerator)… You matter to God…. AND – that is not just a fun thing we like to say around here – that is the ultimate reality of the universe.
Jesus told 3 parables in Luke 15 to teach how much one person matters to God… (lost coin, lost sheep and the lost son)… In each, God is teaching that what is lost is of extreme value to him and that he will do what ever it takes, to get them back…including sending His on Son to this earth.
UNDERSTAND – when God sent His Son to this earth over 2,000 years ago he was thinking of you… He did it for you… “he did it for me”
Christmas Means.. That You (sitting in this room today) matter to Almighty God!
Christmas Means…Your Past Can Be Forgiven
“For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.” Rm 3:23,24 (NLT)
That’s good news. AND LISTEN – we need good news BECAUSE the fact is none of us are perfect. HEY - we don’t even measure up to our own standards, much less God’s.
YOU KNOW - I love reading letters to Santa Claus that kids write. One little kid wrote, "Dear Santa, There are three little boys who live at our house. There’s Jeffrey. He is two. There’s David. He is four. There’s Norman. He is seven. Jeffrey is good some of the time. David is good some of the time. Norman is good all of the time. I’m Norman." BUT LISTEN - the problem is, none of us are Norman’s. None of us are good all of the time.
We all have regrets and guilt. AND this guilt has a devastating effect on our lives. It robs us of happiness. It causes depression. It can make you sick. Guilt does all kinds of things to us because we don’t know how to get rid of it.
AND - people will do anything in order to relieve guilt. They’ll take drugs, get drunk, go to therapy or to Disney World. They’ll try thrills or travel and some become workaholics. Anything to cover up the things they I wish hadn’t happened in their life.
BUT UNDERSTAND - there’s only one solution to guilt. Forgiveness. AND - the good news is, God wants to forgive you. YES - He wants to clear your conscious, take away your guilt and clean your slate…. AND LISTEN – when God forgives you, there’s several things about it that you need to know.
It’s instant. He doesn’t make you wait. You don’t have to wait through a long period of time before you’re forgiven. It’s instant. 2nd;
It’s undeserved. You’ll never earn it. You can’t work for it. You can’t beg God for it. You can’t bribe God for it. It’s undeserved. 3rd;
It’s complete. CHECKOUT these passages…
He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west. Ps 103:10-12
And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins.
Hebrews 8:12
What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 2 Cor 5:17-19
Got a past? WELL – that’s okay, BECAUSE God’s got forgiveness…
Have you ever been halfway through painting a room and wish you could start over? Have you ever been halfway through a meal and wish you could start over? Halfway through some project? Halfway through life and wish you could begin again?
Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
LISTEN - God wants you to not just turn over a new leaf, God wants to give you a new life. It’s like; getting a 2nd chance, starting again, being born all over. Jesus said, I didn’t come to rub it in, I came to rub it out. If there is anything that’s good news it’s that God says our past (all of it) can be forgiven. Regardless of who you are or what you’ve done or what you think you’ve done, you matter to God and He cares about you. He wants to forgive you.
There was a guy many years ago; who was very respected, very educated, very influential and very wrong. He didn’t believe that Christ was the Messiah. AND – so he made it his mission to have every Christian he could get his hands on arrested and put to death… He was there helping when Stephen was dragged outside of the city and murdered… However we know him today not as Saul the murderer but as Paul the apostle… He wrote these words;
This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--and I was the worst of them all. But that is why God had mercy on me, so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. Glory and honor to God forever and ever. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
Christmas Means…your past can be forgiven….
Christmas Means…Your Future Can Be Guaranteed
QUESTION – what does your future hold? YOU KNOW NOT MUCH today is really guaranteed, is it?
· You may have a job today but there is no guarantee that you will have one tomorrow.
· Your health may be fine today – but tomorrow your doctor could give you a bad report.
· Your investments s may look secure right now but next month the market can bottom out and stay there.
· Your relationship may seen wonderful at the moment but the violin music could soon turn sour
LISTEN – a lot of things that people put there hope in just don’t hold up. BUT that’s what is so awesome about Christmas - Christmas means that our future is secure.
FIRST – I want to tell you what guarantees your future THEN – I want to tell you what this future will be like… OKAY – if you are a Christian what guarantees our future – AND as always I think that Scripture can best answer that…
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Cor 5:5
For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.
1 Pe 1:4-6
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:3
What guarantees our future – the Holy Spirit that God put in us, God’s mighty power and the word of Jesus….
OKAY – now let’s look at some of those images from Scripture of what our future will like… The Bible talks about this future - relative to different spheres of human life. I have shared this with you before BUT let me remind you of your future…
First of all, there’s the sphere of economics and human need. John writes in Revelation 7:16 about the day when God’s kingdom is fully realized he says - “never again will they hunger. Never again will they thirst.”
Think about what that would look like—the elimination of hunger. No more pictures of little children with swollen bellies. No mothers trying to scrounge around for enough food so that her baby could survive another day.
But LISTEN - it’s not just the end of poverty. YOU SEE - the writers also talk about the great abundance that would occur in God’s kingdom. Amos wrote. "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes; when new wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." (9:13)
NOW – we need to understand that this was written to people who lived in a desert environment. Where they had to wait for rain and where the ground wasn’t too fertile. BUT Amos says all of that changes in the kingdom of God; he says that in the kingdom of God; the one who plows and the one who reaps keep bumping into each other because there’s such abundance (cool picture).
Amos also says; "New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." NOW - that doesn’t mean that there’s literally going to be Chardonnay in the Rockies. It’s an image of abundance, of God’s abundance.
In our terms we’d say things like, "Every day the stock market will end a little higher than the day before. The bull will dwell on Wall Street forever; the bear will visit it no more. Alan Greenspan will never have to raise interest rates again. Everyone’s pantry will be full; their bills will be paid and they will never have enough deposit slips for their savings account…
Then there’s the sphere of politics, which in our history is mostly the story of human conflict. Isaiah 2:4 says, "God will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples." Just think about these words: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore"—no more fighting, no more hatred.
LISTEN - they won’t have any use for swords anymore so they’ll beat them into plowshares. One writer putting this in modern terms said, "Intercontinental ballistic missile silos will be converted into training tanks for inner-city kids to learn scuba diving in." And there will be peace, no such thing as enemies.
Then in Isaiah 11:6 we read, "The wolf will lie down with the lamb. Infants will play near the hole of cobra and young children will put their hands into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain."
And what the writer is using imagery there to convey is that the world would be at peace if the kingdom of God were fully realized. President Bush and Sadam Hussein would not be enemies they’d be racket ball partners… And the lion will lay down with the lamb. And the dog will make peace with the rabbit, and the cat will be no more. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
Then there is the sphere of everyday life; When teenage girls in the kingdom of God look at magazine covers and then look in the mirror, they will think to themselves, "I look just right." Because society would have learned to see and celebrate the beauty that God sees when he looks at human beings made in his image. . Whatever their shape or size or color, they would all look in the mirror and say, "I look just right."
Scripture writers say in the kingdom of God there will be no more fear. John puts it like this in Revelation 21 that, "On no day will its gates ever be shut" because there’s no night there. Now in biblical times, of course, there wasn’t electricity. Night was a time of darkness, a time of vulnerability, a time when crimes were committed, a time of fear, a time to shut the gates.
BUT - in the kingdom of God, those days will be over. No more locked doors; no gated communities; no security systems; no combinations. AND - you will never lose your keys because there won’t be any keys.
And the kingdom of God will also redeem family life. In Luke 1:17 it says, "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children." No more separations, no more divorce, no more affairs, no abuse, no neglect, no unloved, unwanted children.
Members of a household will stay up late at night thinking of ways to serve each other. Children will insist that their little brother get the larger piece of cake. People will turn on Jerry Springer to watch shows with titles like, "My Spouse Secretly Loves Me Twice as Much as I Thought He Did." “How my dad was always there for me” “My teenage daughter just keeps doing good things.”
And then maybe the most beautiful words of all about the kingdom, Revelation 21 will come true, "And I heard a loud voice saying, ‘Now the dwelling place of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’" You think about these words, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away."
Anybody want to live in a world like that? No more kleenex; no more funeral homes. We will turn caskets into toy chests. Hearses will be converted to sports utility vehicles with names like "Eternal Voyager" and "Jeep Grand Resurrection." And there will be counselors, but you’ll only go to them when you are so full of gratitude and joy, that you’re willing to pay somebody, just to get them to listen to you right now.
And every day you will be home with God, never separated by sin. In Ezekiel it says that God promises, "I will remove their hearts of stone and replace them with a heart of flesh." No more stony hearts; no more cold hearts; no more stubborn hearts. You’ll never say something that you’ll regret later. You’ll never do anything to be ashamed of. You’ll never do anything to feel guilty about.
When you see somebody else’s success or beauty or wealth it won’t even occur to you to be envious, but only to rejoice as if you had these things yourself. Every tribe and tongue and people and nation will gather like brothers and sisters around the throne, and listen - think about this: You will see the living God. No more doubt, no more questions, no more why.
You will look into the face of God, and he will be your God, and we will be his people. And your every thought will be a prayer, and your every prayer will be a conversation with God. And God himself will wipe every tear from your eye, and then he’ll remove the tear ducts, and he’ll point his finger and sadness and sorrow will be banished.
There will joy inexpressible. Isaiah says, "The trees of the field will clap their hands."
That’s a picture of the future that Christmas brings… AND – that future is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, the power of God and the words of Jesus… “When everything is ready, I will come back and get you… So that you will always be with me where I am…”
Christmas Means…Your Present Can Be Full
LISTEN – Christmas not only means that your past can be forgiven and your future can be guaranteed… BUT it also means that your life here and now can be full…
QUESTION – if you were to take a poll of people in America age 12 and up and asked them – if they felt fulfilled in life, if they were content… what do you think most people would say…? Which % do you think would be greater, those who said yes or those who said no?
NOW – we all know that people are not unfulfilled for a lack of trying… In fact people today are in a mad pursuit trying all kinds of things to bring them contentment; houses, cars, pleasures, relationships, good times, recreation, therapy, careers, you name it – BUT they are still pretty empty inside.
“Amid a flood of techniques for self-fulfillment there is an epidemic of depression, suicide, personal emptiness, and escapism through drugs and alcohol, cultic obsession, consumerism, and sex and violence – all combined with an inability to sustain deep and enduring personal relationships.” - Dallas Willard, “The Spirit Of The Disciplines.”
LISTEN – what many people are trying & pursuing for contentment – just isn’t working… The prophet Haggai wrote to a people who were experiencing the same thing….
“You have planted much but have harvested little. You eat, but you do not become full. You drink, but you are still thirsty. You put on clothes but you are not warm enough. You earn money, but then you lose it all as if you had put it into a purse full of holes...You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.” - Haggai 1:6
People are still empty – they have dug one well after another and they keep coming up dry. AND – this time of year is a powerful example of it….LISTEN - when you consider all the time (days, weeks, hours), all the energy and all the money that goes into this holiday season… Most people don’t get a very good return on their investment…
The food is gone
The family went back home
The decorations are in the attic
The tree is at the curb
AND deep down inside where no one sees but God and then they are still empty.. UNDERSTAND many people are not any more content then when they started and some are even worse off…
BUT – Listen Christmas (God sending His son) can change all that…
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all it’s fullness..” Jn 10:10 (NLT)
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:11-13
If you want; fullness of life/contentment/ - there is only one answer Jesus Christ…!
Christmas Means…God Loves You
I’m just going to read some Scripture about God’s love for you… I’m not going to say anything about it… JUST – close your eyes and let his word refresh your spirit…
“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.” Ps 23:6
“Through each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.” Ps 42:8
For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. Zeph 3:17
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?…No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Eph 3:14-19
See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 1 John 4:10
’Twas the day after Christmas and all through the town
The ones who weren’t Christians were feeling let down
The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney anymore,
And boxes and wrapping covered the floor.
The kitchen was covered from floor to ceiling
With enough dirty dishes to set Mother reeling
The children were whining over what they didn’t get
And rather than sharing, they were throwing a fit!
The malls were bustling with post Christmas shoppers
Searching for bargains on racks and in hoppers.
The salesmen looked haggard, the shoppers looked worse
As credit cards flew out of wallet and purse.
There were no joyful sounds of carolers singing,
And the only bells heard, were registers ringing.
The scene was altogether too grim,
For all the people who didn’t know Him.
If only this unhappy crowd could know
That the Spirit of Christmas isn’t tied with a bow
And stacked in piles underneath the tree,
He lives forever in you and in me.
He didn’t start in presents piled up in a sleigh,
He started with Christ being born in the hay.
The perfect gift from our Father above
Sent to us sinners to show us His love.
He came without wrapping or boxes or strings,
No glitter or glamour or other vain things.
He came with a promise of hope for all men,
That even in death, we’d have life again.
The next face you encounter covered with strife,
Introduce them to Jesus and change their whole life.
Teach them that Christmas is a daily thing,
That comes from intimately knowing the King.
QUESTION – do you know the King?
What Christmas Means…
[show a clip from Jingle All The Way – in the beginning of the movie where Arnie goes to the store and meets Sinbad… start clip when it shows sky line and it when Arnie goes outside of store…]
I don’t know about you, BUT like the character that Arnie is playing in the clip we just saw) find Christmas very frustrating at times.... AND the main reason is BECAUSE so many either don’t know or have forgotten what Christmas is all about... It is certainly, though funny to watch - not about getting some toy or present that everyone wants. SO – just what does Christmas mean?
IF Christmas means family; THEN what does Christmas mean to a person who has just lost a loved one or has no family?
IF Christmas means shopping malls, Christmas trees and blinking lights; THEN what does Christmas mean to a family who lives in a remote village in the hills of Ghana, that has no electricity, let alone a shopping mall and has never seen a Christmas tree…
IF Christmas means the giving and receiving gifts; THEN what does Christmas mean to a single mother of 4 children, working 2 jobs, barely having enough money to pay the mortgage, keep the heat and put food in the refrigerator?
IF Christmas means white snow falling from the ski and covering the ground and bare tree limbs THEN what does Christmas mean to a person who lives in the Arizona desert?
NOW – please don’t misunderstand me… family, trees, lights, food, gifts and snow are all fine and good, and they can be very beneficial - but they are not what Christmas really means….
The legends of the Taj Mahal. They all fascinate, but there is one that haunts. The favorite wife of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan died. Devastated, he resolved to honor her by constructing a temple that would serve as her tomb. He coffin was placed in the center of a large parcel of land, and construction of the temple began around it. No expense would be spared to make her final resting place magnificent.
But as the weeks turned into months, the Sha’s grief was eclipsed by his passion for the project. He no longer mourned her absence. The construction consumed him. One day while walking from one side of the construction site to the other, his leg bumped against a wooden box. The prince brushed the dust off his legs and order the workers to throw the box out.
Shah Jahan didn’t know he had ordered the disposal of the coffin – now forgotten – hidden beneath layers of dust and time. The one the temple was intended to honor was forgotten, but the Temple was erected anyway.
LISTEN – that is what has happened to Christmas. The this holiday was intended to honor has been forgotten buried underneath layers of boxes, bows, ribbons, parties and lights. UNDERSTAND – millions of people are going through all this activity and giving little or no thought whatsoever to the real reason we are celebrating… OKAY - my goal this morning is to talk about what Christmas really means… 6 things that are totally independent of snow, presents, food, decorations and even family…
PRAYER
Christmas Means…God Keeps His Promises
“A person who doesn’t give a promised gift is like clouds and wind that don’t bring rain…”
Pr 25:14
DO YOU – see that picture? IMAGINE that you are in desperate need of rain. AND then all of a sudden dark clouds come rolling in – the wind begins to really kick up. I mean it looks like a down pour is about to come in any second, BUT, it never does rain… “A person who doesn’t give a promised gift is like clouds and wind that don’t bring rain…”
QUESTION – have you discovered in your life that people can be just like those clouds and wind – at times they roll in and they can get all puffed up and they blow around a bunch of awesome words – some great promises of what they will do - BUT they never deliver?
· “I’m going to be there at your next game”
· “I’m so sorry, I’ll never talk to you like that again”
· “I promise I can really handle this, trust me, that will be the last drink I ever pick up
· “Listen it is going to be different around here from now on, I promise I am really going to change”
· “If you can just help us get through this tough spot, a promotion is sure to come your way”
· “I’ll be there promise, I won’t let you down again”
LISTEN – in a world where so many fail to do what they said they would do… In a world where husbands break promises to their wives and wives to their husbands… Where parents break promises to their children and children to their parents. Where friends break promises to friends and where companies like Enron break promises to their employees… In a world where so often we are left hoping and wondering if people will actually do what they said they would do… In a world where the actions of so many, makes us unsure, uncertain, doubtful and skeptical - IT is so awesome to know that Almighty God keeps his promises… AND – he has been doing it from the beginning….
CHECKOUT – these Scriptures;
“The Lord did exactly what he had promised.” Gen 21:1
“What’s more, I will be with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. I will someday bring you safely back to this land. I will be with you constantly until I finish giving you everything I have promised.” Gen 28:15
“As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” Psalm 18:30
“This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ’s slave, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. This Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus, who came as a man, born into King David’s royal family line.” Romans 1:1-3
LISTEN – why back in the very beginning, in the opening book of the bible God made a promise to man. In Genesis chapter 3 – we read of the fall of man into sin (we know the story – Adam & Eve) BUT LISTEN – in that chapter we not only read of man’s fall BUT we also read of God’s grace. FOR YOU SEE – in that very same chapter the promise of Christ was born… AS God tells Adam & Eve that even though you messed up, even though will have to suffer and leave this awesome garden paradise – in the future I will send someone born of woman who will defeat the serpent – and make things right again. YOU SEE – their fall (and ours) is not the end of the story…
AND – throughout the pages of history God reminded them of this promise… Through the prophet Isaiah God said;
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Is 7:14
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!” Is 9:6,7 (NLT)
And through the prophet Micah God once again reminded his people of this promise;
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.”
LISTEN – throughout the OT over & over again, 100’s of times God’s prophets spoke about this promise. The spoke about Jesus birth, about what he would do, what he would teach – how he would die…
In his book, Science Speaks, Peter Stoner applies the modern science of probability to just eight prophecies regarding Christ. He says, "The chance that any man might have .fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in 10 to the 17th. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000." (one hundred quadrillion) Stoner suggests that "we take 10 to the 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly... Blindfold a man and tell him he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up [that one marked silver dollar.] What chance would he have of getting the right one?" Stoner concludes, "Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing those eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man,...providing they wrote them in their own wisdom."
LISTEN – when God makes a promise he is going to keep it… AND Christmas is a powerful illustration of this… God promised mankind that one day he would send a Messiah, that one day His Son would come near and walk this earth in order to make things right. AND God delivered on that promise… AND UNDERSTAND THIS – sending Jesus was not an easy promise for the Father to keep…
In Psalm 15 the Psalmist asks these questions; “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” AND – part of God’s answer of who may God enter God’s presence was; “those who keep their promises even when it hurts…”
QUESTION – did it hurt God to keep that promise he first made in the garden? It sure did (the cross)….
Christmas means – the God keeps his promise – You can trust his word!!!
Christmas Means…You Matter To God
QUESTION – do you feel like you matter? that you are important? That you are worthwhile? That you count? LISTEN - in our culture, in our society many people feel like they don’t; WHY? BECAUSE;
· They don’t have the right job
· They don’t look the right way
· They are not as pretty as some
· They are too tall or too short
· Too big or too thin
· They are not smart, talented or athletic
· They don’t have enough money, live in the right house, drive the right car or go to the right school
Our worship of beauty, wealth and celebrities has crushed the self worth of many)
BUT – the god news is this - Christmas means that you matter to God… “I matter to God and that’s all that maters to me….”
LET ME – remind you of what the angel said on that first Christmas night…
“Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord has been born tonight in Bethlehem”
Luke 2:10,11
I bring you good news of great joy, for who? EVERYONE! NOT just for the pretty, smart, strong, wealthy or talented, BUT for everyone!
LISTEN – People matter to God… AND - not just tribes and nations, BUT individual people.
YOU KNOW – those parts of the bible, that we usually skip over….Those seemingly endless lists of names we can’t pronounce…. The first 10 chapters of 1 Chronicles is just a list of names… AND – we have no idea of who all but handful are. So we skip over them.
Have you ever been to High School Graduation… You get your program – and around here there are so many names, hundreds…. So many names and most of them you have no idea who they are… BUT – every single name means something to someone… and at those graduations you skip over all the other names to find the name of ‘your someone,’ so that you can break the rules, and holler when that name is called…
UNDERSTAND - in that endless of names in 1 Chronicles – every single name means something to God, He knows who every person is – He doesn’t skip over a single one. LISTEN - God sits on the edge of his seat – and He screams and hollers when every name is called… I BELIEVE that one reasons why, those names are recorded, is to let us know that every single individual matters to God.
LISTEN – if God had a wallet, your picture would be in it – IF he had a refrigerator, your stuff would be plastered all over it (God has a big refrigerator)… You matter to God…. AND – that is not just a fun thing we like to say around here – that is the ultimate reality of the universe.
Jesus told 3 parables in Luke 15 to teach how much one person matters to God… (lost coin, lost sheep and the lost son)… In each, God is teaching that what is lost is of extreme value to him and that he will do what ever it takes, to get them back…including sending His on Son to this earth.
UNDERSTAND – when God sent His Son to this earth over 2,000 years ago he was thinking of you… He did it for you… “he did it for me”
Christmas Means.. That You (sitting in this room today) matter to Almighty God!
Christmas Means…Your Past Can Be Forgiven
“For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.” Rm 3:23,24 (NLT)
That’s good news. AND LISTEN – we need good news BECAUSE the fact is none of us are perfect. HEY - we don’t even measure up to our own standards, much less God’s.
YOU KNOW - I love reading letters to Santa Claus that kids write. One little kid wrote, "Dear Santa, There are three little boys who live at our house. There’s Jeffrey. He is two. There’s David. He is four. There’s Norman. He is seven. Jeffrey is good some of the time. David is good some of the time. Norman is good all of the time. I’m Norman." BUT LISTEN - the problem is, none of us are Norman’s. None of us are good all of the time.
We all have regrets and guilt. AND this guilt has a devastating effect on our lives. It robs us of happiness. It causes depression. It can make you sick. Guilt does all kinds of things to us because we don’t know how to get rid of it.
AND - people will do anything in order to relieve guilt. They’ll take drugs, get drunk, go to therapy or to Disney World. They’ll try thrills or travel and some become workaholics. Anything to cover up the things they I wish hadn’t happened in their life.
BUT UNDERSTAND - there’s only one solution to guilt. Forgiveness. AND - the good news is, God wants to forgive you. YES - He wants to clear your conscious, take away your guilt and clean your slate…. AND LISTEN – when God forgives you, there’s several things about it that you need to know.
It’s instant. He doesn’t make you wait. You don’t have to wait through a long period of time before you’re forgiven. It’s instant. 2nd;
It’s undeserved. You’ll never earn it. You can’t work for it. You can’t beg God for it. You can’t bribe God for it. It’s undeserved. 3rd;
It’s complete. CHECKOUT these passages…
He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west. Ps 103:10-12
And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins.
Hebrews 8:12
What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 2 Cor 5:17-19
Got a past? WELL – that’s okay, BECAUSE God’s got forgiveness…
Have you ever been halfway through painting a room and wish you could start over? Have you ever been halfway through a meal and wish you could start over? Halfway through some project? Halfway through life and wish you could begin again?
Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
LISTEN - God wants you to not just turn over a new leaf, God wants to give you a new life. It’s like; getting a 2nd chance, starting again, being born all over. Jesus said, I didn’t come to rub it in, I came to rub it out. If there is anything that’s good news it’s that God says our past (all of it) can be forgiven. Regardless of who you are or what you’ve done or what you think you’ve done, you matter to God and He cares about you. He wants to forgive you.
There was a guy many years ago; who was very respected, very educated, very influential and very wrong. He didn’t believe that Christ was the Messiah. AND – so he made it his mission to have every Christian he could get his hands on arrested and put to death… He was there helping when Stephen was dragged outside of the city and murdered… However we know him today not as Saul the murderer but as Paul the apostle… He wrote these words;
This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--and I was the worst of them all. But that is why God had mercy on me, so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. Glory and honor to God forever and ever. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
Christmas Means…your past can be forgiven….
Christmas Means…Your Future Can Be Guaranteed
QUESTION – what does your future hold? YOU KNOW NOT MUCH today is really guaranteed, is it?
· You may have a job today but there is no guarantee that you will have one tomorrow.
· Your health may be fine today – but tomorrow your doctor could give you a bad report.
· Your investments s may look secure right now but next month the market can bottom out and stay there.
· Your relationship may seen wonderful at the moment but the violin music could soon turn sour
LISTEN – a lot of things that people put there hope in just don’t hold up. BUT that’s what is so awesome about Christmas - Christmas means that our future is secure.
FIRST – I want to tell you what guarantees your future THEN – I want to tell you what this future will be like… OKAY – if you are a Christian what guarantees our future – AND as always I think that Scripture can best answer that…
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Cor 5:5
For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.
1 Pe 1:4-6
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:3
What guarantees our future – the Holy Spirit that God put in us, God’s mighty power and the word of Jesus….
OKAY – now let’s look at some of those images from Scripture of what our future will like… The Bible talks about this future - relative to different spheres of human life. I have shared this with you before BUT let me remind you of your future…
First of all, there’s the sphere of economics and human need. John writes in Revelation 7:16 about the day when God’s kingdom is fully realized he says - “never again will they hunger. Never again will they thirst.”
Think about what that would look like—the elimination of hunger. No more pictures of little children with swollen bellies. No mothers trying to scrounge around for enough food so that her baby could survive another day.
But LISTEN - it’s not just the end of poverty. YOU SEE - the writers also talk about the great abundance that would occur in God’s kingdom. Amos wrote. "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes; when new wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." (9:13)
NOW – we need to understand that this was written to people who lived in a desert environment. Where they had to wait for rain and where the ground wasn’t too fertile. BUT Amos says all of that changes in the kingdom of God; he says that in the kingdom of God; the one who plows and the one who reaps keep bumping into each other because there’s such abundance (cool picture).
Amos also says; "New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." NOW - that doesn’t mean that there’s literally going to be Chardonnay in the Rockies. It’s an image of abundance, of God’s abundance.
In our terms we’d say things like, "Every day the stock market will end a little higher than the day before. The bull will dwell on Wall Street forever; the bear will visit it no more. Alan Greenspan will never have to raise interest rates again. Everyone’s pantry will be full; their bills will be paid and they will never have enough deposit slips for their savings account…
Then there’s the sphere of politics, which in our history is mostly the story of human conflict. Isaiah 2:4 says, "God will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples." Just think about these words: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore"—no more fighting, no more hatred.
LISTEN - they won’t have any use for swords anymore so they’ll beat them into plowshares. One writer putting this in modern terms said, "Intercontinental ballistic missile silos will be converted into training tanks for inner-city kids to learn scuba diving in." And there will be peace, no such thing as enemies.
Then in Isaiah 11:6 we read, "The wolf will lie down with the lamb. Infants will play near the hole of cobra and young children will put their hands into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain."
And what the writer is using imagery there to convey is that the world would be at peace if the kingdom of God were fully realized. President Bush and Sadam Hussein would not be enemies they’d be racket ball partners… And the lion will lay down with the lamb. And the dog will make peace with the rabbit, and the cat will be no more. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
Then there is the sphere of everyday life; When teenage girls in the kingdom of God look at magazine covers and then look in the mirror, they will think to themselves, "I look just right." Because society would have learned to see and celebrate the beauty that God sees when he looks at human beings made in his image. . Whatever their shape or size or color, they would all look in the mirror and say, "I look just right."
Scripture writers say in the kingdom of God there will be no more fear. John puts it like this in Revelation 21 that, "On no day will its gates ever be shut" because there’s no night there. Now in biblical times, of course, there wasn’t electricity. Night was a time of darkness, a time of vulnerability, a time when crimes were committed, a time of fear, a time to shut the gates.
BUT - in the kingdom of God, those days will be over. No more locked doors; no gated communities; no security systems; no combinations. AND - you will never lose your keys because there won’t be any keys.
And the kingdom of God will also redeem family life. In Luke 1:17 it says, "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children." No more separations, no more divorce, no more affairs, no abuse, no neglect, no unloved, unwanted children.
Members of a household will stay up late at night thinking of ways to serve each other. Children will insist that their little brother get the larger piece of cake. People will turn on Jerry Springer to watch shows with titles like, "My Spouse Secretly Loves Me Twice as Much as I Thought He Did." “How my dad was always there for me” “My teenage daughter just keeps doing good things.”
And then maybe the most beautiful words of all about the kingdom, Revelation 21 will come true, "And I heard a loud voice saying, ‘Now the dwelling place of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’" You think about these words, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away."
Anybody want to live in a world like that? No more kleenex; no more funeral homes. We will turn caskets into toy chests. Hearses will be converted to sports utility vehicles with names like "Eternal Voyager" and "Jeep Grand Resurrection." And there will be counselors, but you’ll only go to them when you are so full of gratitude and joy, that you’re willing to pay somebody, just to get them to listen to you right now.
And every day you will be home with God, never separated by sin. In Ezekiel it says that God promises, "I will remove their hearts of stone and replace them with a heart of flesh." No more stony hearts; no more cold hearts; no more stubborn hearts. You’ll never say something that you’ll regret later. You’ll never do anything to be ashamed of. You’ll never do anything to feel guilty about.
When you see somebody else’s success or beauty or wealth it won’t even occur to you to be envious, but only to rejoice as if you had these things yourself. Every tribe and tongue and people and nation will gather like brothers and sisters around the throne, and listen - think about this: You will see the living God. No more doubt, no more questions, no more why.
You will look into the face of God, and he will be your God, and we will be his people. And your every thought will be a prayer, and your every prayer will be a conversation with God. And God himself will wipe every tear from your eye, and then he’ll remove the tear ducts, and he’ll point his finger and sadness and sorrow will be banished.
There will joy inexpressible. Isaiah says, "The trees of the field will clap their hands."
That’s a picture of the future that Christmas brings… AND – that future is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, the power of God and the words of Jesus… “When everything is ready, I will come back and get you… So that you will always be with me where I am…”
Christmas Means…Your Present Can Be Full
LISTEN – Christmas not only means that your past can be forgiven and your future can be guaranteed… BUT it also means that your life here and now can be full…
QUESTION – if you were to take a poll of people in America age 12 and up and asked them – if they felt fulfilled in life, if they were content… what do you think most people would say…? Which % do you think would be greater, those who said yes or those who said no?
NOW – we all know that people are not unfulfilled for a lack of trying… In fact people today are in a mad pursuit trying all kinds of things to bring them contentment; houses, cars, pleasures, relationships, good times, recreation, therapy, careers, you name it – BUT they are still pretty empty inside.
“Amid a flood of techniques for self-fulfillment there is an epidemic of depression, suicide, personal emptiness, and escapism through drugs and alcohol, cultic obsession, consumerism, and sex and violence – all combined with an inability to sustain deep and enduring personal relationships.” - Dallas Willard, “The Spirit Of The Disciplines.”
LISTEN – what many people are trying & pursuing for contentment – just isn’t working… The prophet Haggai wrote to a people who were experiencing the same thing….
“You have planted much but have harvested little. You eat, but you do not become full. You drink, but you are still thirsty. You put on clothes but you are not warm enough. You earn money, but then you lose it all as if you had put it into a purse full of holes...You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.” - Haggai 1:6
People are still empty – they have dug one well after another and they keep coming up dry. AND – this time of year is a powerful example of it….LISTEN - when you consider all the time (days, weeks, hours), all the energy and all the money that goes into this holiday season… Most people don’t get a very good return on their investment…
The food is gone
The family went back home
The decorations are in the attic
The tree is at the curb
AND deep down inside where no one sees but God and then they are still empty.. UNDERSTAND many people are not any more content then when they started and some are even worse off…
BUT – Listen Christmas (God sending His son) can change all that…
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all it’s fullness..” Jn 10:10 (NLT)
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:11-13
If you want; fullness of life/contentment/ - there is only one answer Jesus Christ…!
Christmas Means…God Loves You
I’m just going to read some Scripture about God’s love for you… I’m not going to say anything about it… JUST – close your eyes and let his word refresh your spirit…
“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.” Ps 23:6
“Through each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.” Ps 42:8
For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. Zeph 3:17
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?…No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Eph 3:14-19
See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 1 John 4:10
’Twas the day after Christmas and all through the town
The ones who weren’t Christians were feeling let down
The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney anymore,
And boxes and wrapping covered the floor.
The kitchen was covered from floor to ceiling
With enough dirty dishes to set Mother reeling
The children were whining over what they didn’t get
And rather than sharing, they were throwing a fit!
The malls were bustling with post Christmas shoppers
Searching for bargains on racks and in hoppers.
The salesmen looked haggard, the shoppers looked worse
As credit cards flew out of wallet and purse.
There were no joyful sounds of carolers singing,
And the only bells heard, were registers ringing.
The scene was altogether too grim,
For all the people who didn’t know Him.
If only this unhappy crowd could know
That the Spirit of Christmas isn’t tied with a bow
And stacked in piles underneath the tree,
He lives forever in you and in me.
He didn’t start in presents piled up in a sleigh,
He started with Christ being born in the hay.
The perfect gift from our Father above
Sent to us sinners to show us His love.
He came without wrapping or boxes or strings,
No glitter or glamour or other vain things.
He came with a promise of hope for all men,
That even in death, we’d have life again.
The next face you encounter covered with strife,
Introduce them to Jesus and change their whole life.
Teach them that Christmas is a daily thing,
That comes from intimately knowing the King.
QUESTION – do you know the King?
