CHRISTMAS SERIES 2024 pt 4
The Christmas story FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE WHO NEVER THOUGHT
THEY WOULD BE INVITED TO SEE IT… THE SHEPHERDS.
JUDAH = praise
NASHON = he who fortells
SALMON = he who holds the mantle
BOAZ = in him is strength
OBED = “he serves by worshiping”.
JESSE = “a gift of God” or “substance from God”
DAVID = “beloved”
BETHLEHEM = the place of substance.
“Bethlehem” was to provide substance for the tribes of Judah.
Luke 2:8
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
MOST SHEPHERDS were marginalized and dejected (OUTCASTS).
They were a little odd, a little peculiar… they could not look RELIGIOUSLY CLEAN because they had to take care of their flock. This meant they could not celebrate the festivals and the feasts. They were rough.
1. NO ONE COULD EVER JUST GO and
They were nomadic and moved sporadically… that meant that people just waited for shepherds to show up.
2. NO ONE WENT and
They were not exactly the cultural elite, they were strange, they did not “fit in” to normal society, they stuck out like a sore thumb.
Leviticus 22:21- 22 NLT
21 If you present a peace offering to the Lord from the herd or the flock, whether it is to fulfill a vow or is a voluntary offering, you must offer a perfect animal. It may have no defect of any kind.
22 You must not offer an animal that is blind, crippled, or injured, or that has a wart, a skin sore, or scabs.
The priests were so focused on making a perfect, rightoeus offering to God and this was impossible…
CHRISTMAS is a TIME to REMEMBER... ~ God was not desiring a perfect gift from us ~
GOD WAS FOCUSED ON MAKING THE PERFECT GIFT FOR MANKIND.
- THE TRUE SPOTLESS LAMB
- THE LAMB OF GOD
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS NOT THAT GOD GAVE US THE ABILITY TO DO GOOD THINGS ~ It had EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HOW MUCH HE LOVES YOU!
God believed in you before you ever believed in Him.
Isaiah 9:4 - 7
4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Luke 2:9 - 14
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
We are people who always have the potential for fear.
SOME ARE CALLING OUR GENERATION “THE AGE OF ANXIETY”
- We do not know exactly what the future holds
- or we anticipate that WHAT the future holds will be difficult or painful
SO WE LIVE IN FEAR!
PART OF THE REASON WHY JESUS CAME was because….
GOD intends to REMOVE OUR FEAR and REPLACE IT WITH FAITH,
so that although we do not know the FUTURE - we know the ONE WHO DOES!
THIS GOOD NEWS and GREAT JOY should TRANSCEND YOUR FEAR!
All religions believe in “good advice” - things that help.
- but their good advice is not good news.
- because at the bottom line of good advice is the fact that man is sinful and not able to complete and not able to do everything that good advice requires.
- so those people are stuck with GOOD ADVICE that is equally BAD NEWS!
GOOD ADVICE - be a good person.
BAD NEWS - we fail that a lot.
ATHEISM HAS NO GOOD NEWS:
- YOU COME FROM NO WHERE, YOU HAVE NO PURPOSE AND WHEN YOU DIE NOTHING HAPPENS.
DEISM HAS NO GOOD NEWS:
- It is the idea of God as a dead-beat dad who created and then had nothing to do with His creation.
- He said, well, here you are, you are alive.
- Life sucks. Best of luck to you.
PANTHEISM HAS NO GOOD NEWS:
- It is the ideas that the world has multiple gods or goddesses that are both good and bad that are outside of the system, not within it, not able to redeem or save, but instead does whatever they feel like to terrorize or give grace to people.
RELIGION HAS NO GOOD NEWS. IT SAYS:
- You fix your own life. You fix yourself and get closer to God.
- There is a good angel on one shoulder and a bad one on the other keeping score.
- Hope your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds so you do not end up in eternal suffering for your indifference.
NONE OF THIS IS GOOD NEWS!
HERE IS GOOD NEWS!
- GOD LOVES US!
- GOD CARES FOR US!
- GOD REDEEMS US!
- GOD ENTERS into CREATION through the PERSON of CHRIST to reach into this lost and dying world and offer GOOD NEWS WITH GREAT JOY!
Only Christianity has “GOOD NEWS” - EXCITING | ENCOURAGING | GREAT JOY!!!
this is what gets us out of FEAR - the JOY THAT comes from THE GOOD NEWS of the Gospel!
God desires your JOY TO BE OVERFLOWING when you consider this NEWS.
JESUS WAS ALL ABOUT JOY! THIS NEWS IS GOOD FOR ALL PEOPLE!!!
THE ANGELS SAID THREE THINGS:
1. HE IS THE SAVIOR
- He is not just God.
- He is a savior.
JESUS CAME TO SAVE YOU, NOT JUST FROM HELL, but FROM WHATEVER YOU ARE AFRAID OF!
2. HE IS CHRIST
- The CHOSEN ONE!
- The ANOINTED ONE and His anointing!
HE REMOVES EVERY BURDEN!
HE DESTROYS EVERY YOKE!
3. HE IS THE LORD -
- A Kingly title.
- No longer think of Christ as just a babe in the manger.
- HE is a RULER on His THRONE!
Luke 2:15
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
CHRISTIANITY IS RECEIVING REVELATION FROM GOD AND OBEYING WHAT THAT REVELATION MEANS!
Luke 2:16 - 20
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
PONDERING should be a part of our Faith!
~ We should all give some time in silence and consideration to take time to ponder.~
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT US IS OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!
HERE IS WORSHIP:
- God reveals - We respond.
When we worship, we participate in something supernatural and divine.
There is this amazing power and unity as this worship reaches the ears of God in the throne room!
OUR WORSHIP IS (NOT TO BE FRUSTRATED WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN,) but TO BE HOPEFUL for PEOPLE BECAUSE of OUR SAVIOR and SHARING the amazing story of GOOD NEWS AND GREAT JOY - to ALL PEOPLE.
HIS BIRTH WAS THE BEGINNING OF:
- THE END OF SIN
- THE END OF FEAR
- THE END OF PURPOSELESS LIVING
- THE END OF DEATH AS WE KNOW IT
~ TODAY WE CELEBRATE CHRIST’S BIRTH….WE ALSO CELEBRATE A NEW BIRTH! ~
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS the ANOINTED ONE!
and
MERRY CHRISTMAS FAITH4LIFE CHURCH!