2 - God Wants to Share with Us

STORY - The other day, Caleb dropped a video game controller of mine. Came up, very nervous. Trying to explain it awa.

Ever been there? Made a small mistake, and afraid and sad because of something you did?

What about the BIG problems that make you feel that way?

Luke 2:4–14 NIV

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 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 guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 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 that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

There’s a phrase that I’ve never really been a fan of as a Dad, and it’s this.

Just wait until Dad Gets Home

You have parents using it as a threat. As if, Dad’s the disciplinarian. And maybe he is, maybe not, that’s not the point.

STORY - I send my kids upstairs to clean their rooms, I come up and they’re even worse. That point, strict dad and get-it-done-or-else dad comes out. Ever had that? You task your kids with something, and they REALLY mess it up?

The Christmas story is the story about Dad coming home. God made flesh. And He came back to a worse mess than we can imagine or understand.

We talked last week about how we have this problem called sin, that drives a wedge between us and God.

But he created us to be perfect, and to walk around with him.

So we went from perfect and personal with God to broken and distant from God. And as you can imagine - we made a real mess of things.

At the time, israel had fallen really far from God. On the religious side, they had given way to legalism (EXPLAIN). Some scholars BELIEVE NO CONTACT FROM GOD IN 400 YEARS.

On the physical side, their country had been taken over by the Romans. They weren’t free, and weren’t the kind of nation God made them to be.

No show of hands - have you ever been there? That you knew you should be in a certain place, a certain spot - and you know you’re not? It doesn’t feel great, eh?

When we get in a place like that - we begin to tear ourselves down. To look at ourselves as lower. We start thinking, maybe we’re not good enough, maybe we messed up somewhere, maybe we shouldn’t be here or do this.

So, God sends his son to the scene. And you’d think that he’s come to tear the house down and build a new one. He made us, he made the earth - and we broke it.

BUT - The very first gospel message was this:

Good News of Great Joy

That’s what this word ‘Gospel’ literally means. It comes from a greek word, euongelion, and it literally translates to ‘good news’.

STORY - Whenever I get home from work, i crack open the door, and I hear a few little voices yell ‘DADDY’S HOME’

God coming to earth - and God coming into our lives and our hearts - isn’t a time of fear. It’s a time of celebration. It’s the BEST news.

But we often have it all wrong. We look at our selves, our broken ness, our bad circumstances and our weaknesses, and we think, ‘Of course i’m not good enough’.

John 3:17 NIV

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

God looks at us and says,

Well, let’s get you out of there then

STORY - anger one day at hearing caleb had a school friend that no longer wanted to hang out with him

I love my kids with all my heart. And no matter what they do - I will always love them. And no matter where they go or how they struggle or succeed - I’ll always want them to get better, and grow and improve. I’m their dad - it’s my job to see to their good. When they struggle, I want to help them out of it. When they succeed, I want to celebrate. When they fail, I want to help them back on their feet.

God made us - we’re HIS children. He’s our father. And when he sees our mess - even the ones we made ourselves - he’s moved to love, compassion, and care. Not rejection or judgment.

When God sent his son, and that little baby was born on earth. It wasn’t a time of fear. The angels promised two big things to the shepherds - and to us.

Peace and Joy

Peace is such an amazingly big deal.

STORY - Used to rock climb and ride roller coasters. Get me 5 feet off the ground on a latter, no thanks. 50 feet in the air on a harness, i’m right as rain.

God’s peace is different than the world’s peace. It’s based on security, on stability. It’s based on the power of the God of the infinite universe.

John 14:27 NIV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

God’s Peace Erases Trouble and Fear

And God loves to share his peace.

One amazing promise from the bible is found in Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

And this is what the birth of Christ brought us - what the Christmas story promises us.

It’s not just peace - it’s joy as well.

Psalm 16:11 NIV

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Jesus puts it another way:

John 15:11 NIV

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

STORY - God’s joy in my life turns setbacks into opporunties to praise.

God’s Joy completes our joy

We’re capable of some form of happiness to some degree. But God promises us joy - and he promises to complete our joy.

Whatever level we can get at ourselves - whether it’s high or low - God can beat it. And he can beat it easily.

STORY - Talking at a bible study group about how God ‘rescues’ us. He rescues us with salvation in eternity - and we need to recognize how amazingly good that is.

God’s joy goes beyond our circumstances - it goes beyond our life. And God can rescue us from our here and now - and he does often - but if all he did was save us, that’s plenty for me.

We need to seek - and we need to believe

Imagine how the story of the shepherds would have gone if they just brushed it off.

See God’s here, with us. But he’s not forcing his way in. He wants to help - but we have to invite him in.

INVITATION TO FOLLOW CHRIST

Bring Up Mary-Louise and David