INTRO.- ILL.- On a trip through the hill country, a motorist stopped at a small country store for a soft drink. The owner/manager, who had been resting comfortably in a rocker on the front porch, got up and followed the customer inside. He said he had soft drinks in 20 oz. size only and they cost $3 a bottle. The man said, "But isn’t that a bit high" "Well," replied the owner, "I had to get out of my rocker to wait on you." "But you won’t get many more customers at that price, will you?" The old man replied, "Won’t need any."
Brothers and sisters, none of us like to get ripped off in life, but we have been and probably will be in the future.
ILL.- As Tyco’s chief executive, Kozlowski and his chief financial officer allegedly stole $600 million from the company. Some of the booty paid for part of a $2 million birthday party for his wife, which was captured on video tape and shown at his trial this year. Now, a videotape has surfaced of his lavish Manhattan apartment, which featured a $6,000 shower curtain.
Talk about being ripped off! As a minimum, that CEO ripped off the Tyco company and their employees!
ILL.- Here’s another rip off we recall. A former ENRON employee said, "On November 30, 2001, we were given the right to move Enron’s matching funds for our retirement savings plans from Enron stock to another fund. My personal account amounted to $46.01. Another friend, with almost 20 years service, had $102. This is absurd, sad, and I think, criminal."
Since Enron began in 1986, Kenneth Lay has been the company’s leader. His resignation came two months after the company declared the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. According to Enron (at that time), Lay would remain on the board of directors but will retire as an employee. He would be entitled to a lifetime pension of as much as $475,000 per year, according to Enron’s 2001 proxy statement. $475,000 a year! DID I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT BEING RIPPED OFF?
Brothers and sisters, there is one CEO, one Chief Executive Officer who stands head and shoulders above all others. He has not ripped off anyone. His motives and methods are different from some CEO’s.
Heb. 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest (CEO) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin."
I Peter 2:22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found his mouth."
Our Savior, Lord, Christ, CEO committed no sin! He didn’t deceive anyone! He didn’t rip off anyone! Never has. Never will.
ILL.- When Daniel Webster (statesman, lawyer, orator) was in the prime of his manhood he was dining with a company of literary men in Boston. During the dinner the conversation turned upon the subject of Christianity. Mr. Webster frankly stated his belief in the divinity of Christ and his dependence on Him. One man said to him, "Mr. Webster, can you comprehend how Christ could be both God and man?" Mr. Webster promptly replied, "No, sir, I cannot comprehend it. If I could comprehend him, he would be no greater than myself. I feel that I need a super-human Savior."
Brothers and sisters, we do have a super human Savior! We need to realize what we have in Christ, in the Bible, in the church, etc. There is no better CEO. There is no better Savior than Jesus.
PROP.- Let’s consider the coming of our CEO Christ; the Christmas scene as recorded in Luke 2.
1- The birth happened
2- The angel appeared
3- The host praised
I. THE BIRTH HAPPENED
Luke 2:6-7 "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
ILL.- A Hollywood maternity shop received this Note: "Dear Sir: You have not yet delivered that maternity dress I ordered. Please cancel the order. My delivery was faster than yours."
Babies come into this world whenever they get good and ready. Doctors can set a date, but they come when God ordains for them to come. This was especially true with the babe of Bethlehem, the Christ.
Gal. 4:4 "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law…"
God’s timing has always been perfect.
There are some things that I would like to see come to pass, but they haven’t yet. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make them happen, but I can’t. I WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT ON GOD’S PERFECT TIMING. God said, "It’s time." And the Christ came to earth in the form of a baby.
THE BIRTH HAPPENED. More than likely, Christ was born like any other baby: in pain, in sweat and tears, etc. But He wasn’t conceived like any other.
Matthew 1:18 "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit."
Mary did not conceive the normal way. Someone said, "Mary knew that it takes two to tango and she also knew that she was dancing alone."
The virgin birth is a fact of Scripture, but not everyone believes it.
ILL.- The publication Christianity Today had a brief article stating, "MOST BRITISH CLERGY DON’T BELIEVE THE BIBLE." Only three out of 103 church leaders told the BBC they believe in a literal, six-day creation story, only 13 believe in Adam and Eve, and 25% of those surveyed don’t believe in the Virgin Birth.
Some British preachers aren’t the only unbelievers. There are others.
Gen. 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
God’s creative genius and power is the only reasonable and sensible way to believe about how the earth and starry universe got here. God spoke and it was so. How could this be?
ILL.- Let me explain it this way. Billie Burke was a famous actress in years gone by. While enjoying a transatlantic ocean trip, she noticed that a gentleman at the next table was suffering from a bad head cold. "Are you uncomfortable?" she asked. The man nodded. "I’ll tell you just what to do about it." She offered. "Go back to your stateroom and drink lots of orange juice. Take two aspirins. Cover yourself with all the blankets you can find. Sweat the cold out. I know just what I’m talking about. I’m Billie Burke from Hollywood."
The man smiled "Thanks" he said, "and I’m Dr. Mayo from the Mayo Clinic."
Brothers and sisters, we are not in God’s class. Not even close, even on our best days or on our most holy days. God is higher and holier. God is greater and more gracious than we can ever imagine. God spoke the universe into existence.
And this is how He could speak to Mary’s womb and the Christ child came to form within her. PRAISE HIS NAME!
II. THE ANGEL APPEARED
Luke 2:9-11 "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’"
Angels do appear occasionally. Perhaps you bumped into one and didn’t even know it.
Heb. 13:2 "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
ILL.- Dr. S.W. Mitchell, a celebrated Philadelphia neurologist, had gone to bed after an exceptionally tiring day. Suddenly he was awakened by someone knocking on his door. Opening it he found a little girl, poorly dressed and deeply upset. She told him her mother was very sick and asked him if he would please come with her. It was a bitterly cold, snowy night, but though he was bone tired, Dr. Mitchell dressed and followed the girl.
As Reader’s Digest reports the story, he found the mother desperately ill with pneumonia. After arranging for medical care, he complimented the sick woman on the intelligence and persistence of her little daughter. The woman looked at him strangely and then said, "My daughter died a month ago." She added, "Her shoes and coat are in the clothes closet there." Dr. Mitchell, amazed and perplexed, went to the closet and opened the door. There hung the very coat worn by the little girl who had brought him to tend to her mother. It was warm and dry and could not possibly have been out in the wintry night.
Could the doctor have been called in the hour of desperate need by an angel who appeared as this woman’s young daughter? Could very well be.
ILL.- When my daughter Holly who is now 29 years old was a baby about 6 months old, my family and I were traveling back to Missouri from central Iowa. It was wintertime. The farther south we went, however, the more snow we ran into. In fact, we soon found ourselves in blizzard like conditions. I could only drive about 30 mph at best.
Our car started sputtering, acting like it was running out of gas. I stopped at a station and got a can of that stuff that eliminates water from your gas tank and gas lines and got back on the road. It was only a temporary fix.
Just seven miles outside of Trenton, MO, north central MO, the car died right in the middle of the road. The strange thing is this: my car died right in front of a little Christian Church and there just happened to be a highway patrolman parked there. JUST HAPPENED TO BE THERE.
That patrolman helped me push that car off the road and into a farmer’s driveway. Then he took us back to town. He didn’t say much at all. He asked me, "Do you have road insurance?" I said, "Nope." And he said nothing more, but he took us to a garage in town. I rode with the guy in the wrecker to get my car. He towed it back into his garage and started working on it. It was a plugged fuel filter. It was changed in no time and cheaper than you would imagine. The total cost of the tow and repair was only about $30. IT PAYS TO TRAVEL WITH A BABY!
That may be, but it also pays to have a God who looks out for you and sends His angels to help you, to serve you, to minister to you. Was that patrolman an angel? I don’t know but he was certainly angelic. Was that garage repairman an angel? I don’t know but…
Heb. 1:14 "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
The angels of our text served by announcing the good news of the Christ.
Luke 2:10 "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today…a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
Those angels were privileged characters, but not any more. We are the lucky ones, the blessed ones who get to proclaim the good news of Christ to others! It’s not their job anymore. It’s our job, our responsibility, our duty.
ILL.- An old deacon was leading in prayer using one of his usual phrases, which was "Oh Lord, touch the unsaved with Thy finger." As he said this phrase in this particular prayer, he stopped suddenly. Other members came to his side and asked if he felt sick.
"No," he replied, "but something seemed to say to me, ’Thou art the finger.’" He was and we are too. Whom have you touched lately?
III. THE HOST PRAISED
Luke 2:13-14 "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’"
The heavenly host appeared. What host? A host of angels, we assume. They praised God for what He had done in sending the Christ to be the Savior. It’s always right to praise God regardless of the circumstances, good or bad.
Acts 16:22-26 "The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose."
What an amazing Scripture. What an amazing happening!
Paul and Silas were beaten severely, put in stocks, and here they were at midnight praising God! I wonder how many of us would have done those things. Many of us would have been crying and feeling sorry for ourselves, but not Paul and Silas. THEY WERE PRAISING GOD! It is always right to praise God!
ILL.- "The Power of Praising God" is the title of an article in TODAY’S CHRISTIAN WOMAN. It reads, "Through her parents’ divorce, her struggle with bulimia, and her miscarriage, Australian worship leader Darlene Zschech (pronounced "check") found a secret weapon for survival: ’worship.’"
Australian worship leader Darlene Zschech didn’t set out to write a globally popular praise song when she penned, "Shout to the Lord" in 1993. "I wrote it when I was feeling discouraged," explains the 35-year-old Queensland native. "I felt I could either scream and pull my hair out-or praise God."
Praising God enabled Darlene Zschech to survive and succeed in life.
ILL.- Here’s another. As Dr. Dale Matthews examines the elderly woman sitting in front of him, he notes that her blood pressure is high, and she is complaining of a sinus infection. Rather than simply prescribing more medicines, Matthews chooses a method of treatment that many of his colleagues would consider "radical." He prays.
The patient’s blood pressure immediately drops 20 points. Her sinuses clear, and she starts breathing freely. She begins praising God in the doctor’s office. "I have the Lord on my side," she says to an observer. "I praise him every day, and I love my doctor."
Matthews then encourages the woman to keep taking her medicine and writes out several prescriptions. Then, after examining her leg (bruised in a fall), he talks with her for several more minutes, supporting her decision to join the church choir. "The best thing you can do for your health," he says, "is to keep praising God every day."
Matthews, an internist and associate professor of medicine at the Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., is one of a growing number of medical professionals who are discovering the medical benefits of faith and prayer.
It’s always right to praise God. And it seems that amazing things begin to happen when we stop complaining and start praising. Prison cells are opened. Earthquakes happen. Healing takes place. People survive and even succeed in life!
It is always right to praise God!
CONCLUSION-----------------------------------------
John 16:33 "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Brothers and sisters, we might as well face it. We will have trouble in this world, in this life. We get ripped off, beaten down, cheated, gossiped about, bruised, busted up, etc. We live in a very imperfect world where bad things happen to good people. Our only hope of a better life is in Christ. Christ is our Savior, our healer, our cleanser, our forgiver.
In Christ We Have:
A love that can never be fathomed
A life that can never die
A righteousness that can never be tarnished
A peace that can never be understood
A rest that can never be disturbed
A joy that can never be diminished
A hope that can never be disappointed
A glory that can never be clouded
A light that can never be darkened
A purity that can never be defiled
A beauty that can never be marred
A wisdom that can never be baffled
Resources that can never be exhausted.
Christ is Lord and Savior! Praise Him!
