Carol Service 2022 Reflection
Notes
Transcript
Bible Reading
Bible Reading
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
18 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Christmas is a time where we can be tempted to swap the realities of life for a sentimental hallmark version of it.
Christmas is a time when we put the Christmas tree,
we make it look all pretty and nice
And we pretend the tree isn’t made of plastic
Or isn’t the corpse or a once vibrant plant.
it is a time in our lives where we suspend the difficulties we face day to day
and pretend that the deep relational issues in our families don't exist
At least as long as we are seated around the christmas lunch table.
We look to the Christmas cards of the Baby meek and mild, who according to the Carol silent night, no crying he makes.
We pretend that we haven’t crazily rushed around the shops
hunting for that perfect gift,
because we don’t want our family members to be disappointed with us again this year.
But the reality is that that hallmark version just doesn’t really reflect reality does it?
No matter how hard we pretend to that everything in life is fine during Christmas time, the reality is that actually it isnt.
Uncle John and aunt Margaret are still going through a messy divorce even though everyone just smiles during the christmas lunch.
You know that no matter how good your gift is, that it will eventually break and stop being valued as much as it is today.
Even the very good things of Christmas kind of lose their shine, after a while.
Why is that?
Why is it that we have this deep desire to cover up the fact that things aren’t really that good. That we need to pretend that all is well, all is calm.
Why is it that even our very best gifts stop being so good after a while? Why don’t the keep satisfying our gift craving?
It is because the world is broken and messy.
Most of us feel instinctively that there is something wrong with the world.
We all know,
deep down,
that things don’t work as they should.
The world doesn’t quite work the way it is supposed to.
And the reason the Bible gives for this is that the world is broken because of sin.
The whole world and the way the world was supposed to work is broken because we, humans, who had authority and spiritual headship over the world decided to walk away from God the creator of it all.
WE said, you know what, I am going to go and live by my own rules. I don’t need you interfering. I know what is best for me.
I am free- i do what I want, i live how I want.
And the effect that has is that humanity’s sin has broken the world.
The letter to the Romans in teh Bible puts it this way.
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.
The whole world groans under the weight of this sin.
It’s in pain, it hurts.
But it’s not just the world that hurts.
Deep inside it is you and me too.
Because our lives don’t work out the way they should either.
The reason you get overlooked for promotions
even when you deserve them because of all your hard work
you deserve
is because the world is broken through sin.
The reason suffering exists in the world is because of sin.
And the reason that husband and wife annoy each other so much
, after only 6 months of marriage
is because they are sinful people.
And the reason you can’t live up to even the moral standards you set for yourself
is because your heart is sinful to.
And the reason we are always driven to want another new present after a couple of months
the reason teh new and shiny toy doesn’t satisfy us
is because of sin.
Our hearts are looking to connect with something much more beautiful
than than the latest bracelet from tiffanys.
Our hearts are aching to connect with someone much greater
than our partners.
Our hearts are yearning for a gift so much more significant
than the clothes iron you got for Christmas last year.
We want to connect with God
We deeply desire it in the core of our being
We need it because we were made to be in a relationship with him.
We want to connect with God.
But
we can’t/
But we cant.
Because our sin has eternally separated us from God.
And actually There is nothing you can do about it.
No matter how hard you try,
you cant fix the root problem in the world.
You cant fix the problem.
Sin doesn’t just go away.
It is the one constant problem throughout all the ages
, and it’s the one problem humanity cannot fix.
We need someone to fix it for us.
We can’t fix sin
, we need a sin fixer.
We need someone to redeem the world.
We need someone to redeem us.
And that’s why Christmas is so important.
And actually we sing about this every Christmas.
in that most magnificent of Christmas Carols.
Oh holy night.
Long lay the world,
in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn
For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn
Jesus is the gift, given in the form of a baby,
who breaks through
God in flesh
to fix our sin problem.
Friends,
when Jesus came
, to be born in a stable
, as the true king of the world,
he came
not so we can celebrate with gifts
, not so we can spend billions of dollars on presents,
not so we have a holiday to share a Christmas ham with the family,
he came with a mission.
He came to fix that world that lay in sin and error,
pining for a different way.
He came to redeem.
That is why,
you can’t just leave Jesus as a baby in a manger.
He has to grow up and die and stand in our palce
and take our sins on his shoulders
and so save us.
We need him to move from the cradle
to the cross.
Have you turned to him?
If you are not a believer today,
Can I urge you to take your next step today.
Reach out to the person who invited you to join us today,
start exploring this Jesus guy,
and see how he also can fix the sin in your heart.
Because you need saving. You can’t fix your own sin problem.
You need a redeemer.
Have you turned to him?
Because when you do,
you will become someone else entirely.
That is what our text tells us.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
Do you want to be a new creation?
One who doesn’t have to pretend everything is OK at Christmas time anymore?
Do you want to be someone who can face the realities of life
even if they are going through a really difficult time?
Because your bigger more serious problem has been taken care of with Jesus?
Do you want to be free of the burden of having to make a hallmark Chrsitmas happen every year?
*do you want to change from **insert boxes here***
Then come to Jesus.
Lay your deadly doing down, down at Jesus feet. And find youself made new.
Because with Jesus,
truly a new a glorious morning has broken.
Amen,
Let’s pray