Good morning everyone…It is so good to be here with you all. It is great to have those online joining into our extended spiritual family this morning. It is fantastic to have teachers that are excited to welcome your kids into class this morning. We are so blessed as a family here to have so many people that are not only able, but willing to serve each other and serve you as we seek to worship the Lord together. Everyone from the praise team leading our music to the Grow team welcoming you into the church, we are blessed with people that truly desire for you to have a moment with the Lord this morning and to continue to grow as a spiritual family. Listen, if you are not involved in volunteering somewhere around here let me ask you to be thinking about what you are skilled and gifted in and let’s talk about how to use your gifts to serve the Lord and serve the church.

Ok, so I have to tell you about something real quick, ok…Christmas Eve we will have an amazing service. Mrs Bethany will be reading a great book for our kids and we will have a time of music to reflect on the birth of Christ. We will even have Mrs. Tara Hagemen from Muddy Boots and Whiskers who will be here taking family photos starting at 3:30 on Christmas Eve. Then…to top the night off…We will have the most amazing hot chocolate bar you have ever experienced complete with homemade cookies and home made marshmallows…This is going to be a night when we can truly rediscover Christmas!

talking about rediscovering Christmas I want to remind you that we are in the middle of this series called rediscover Christmas. In this series our goal is to rediscover what Christmas really means…is it about the trees and the presents, or is it about something deeper than that. Is it about the lights and the parades, or is it an important reminder of something else that happened over 2000 years ago. You see, we live in a culture where so often we tell ourselves something that isn’t true and when we tell ourselves these lies long enough…eventually we believe them. For instance, I can tell myself that Christmas is about Jesus while also focusing more on the gift that i really want to get…or as adults…the gift I really want to give. You see, I know that Christmas is about Jesus but in reality I am more focused on getting the decorations up and singing the fun Christmas songs and Im not even giving Jesus a second thought…Listen, I don’t mean to call you out, and in reality I think Im calling us all out, but the reality is that we need to move from the Christmas trees to the manger that points to the cross…You see, Christmas, the birth of Jesus…is the origin story of the cross…That is what we really should be focusing on as we move through this season. Especially now, we are only 7 days from celebrating Jesus’ birth…How have you personally…not at church, not at a parade, but how have you personally been focused on the reality of the manger over these last few weeks? Maybe I should just leave right here as a reminder to all of us…but, I have something for us that will help refocus and remember what we have available to us this morning, so join me this morning as we rediscover Christmas.

Now, over the last few weeks as we have looked at different aspects of Christmas, I have given you a few myths about Christmas that you can refute if and when you encounter them in real life…Remember, first of all, there were no kings…secondly December 25th is not the actual birthday of Jesus. Now, this morning I want to share with you a myth that some Christians will claim, and so I may step on a couple of toes, if you believe this you are welcome to email me later and we can talk about it…but here we go. Christmas trees are not pagan symbols. You see, there are some Christians that get really upset about Christmas trees saying that if a Christian has a Christmas tree it is a sign of pagan worship. Now, that is based on a passage in

Jeremiah 10:1–4 (ESV)

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.

So this passage seems to talk about Christmas trees doesn’t it…I mean, chop a tree down in the forest and decorate it with silver and gold. Wow…Although its pretty convenient when those that would say these things stop where they do and do not read the next verse

Jeremiah 10:5 (ESV)

Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

You see…This passage is talking about carved trees that are created and shaped…they are not talking about a decoration…they are talking about an idol that they worship that they have carved and shaped into something to worship…This is not an accurate picture of a Christmas tree is it...

Do you know what is really sad about something like this? Someone that is arguing about Christmas trees has completely forgotten all about Jesus’ birth and what that means for him and for you and me. Someone that is getting upset about something like this that they truly believe but is not at all a true Biblical stance or conviction…but maybe what they were taught or tradition..Well this person has completely lost the true peace that came at the true Christmas, haven’t they? So, then it becomes your job to help them

Rediscover Peace

Now this does not seem like an easy task I don’t think…Well, I know its not an easy task because this is something I am trying to do every week. You see, every week I sit with people in my office, or on the phone and then I come up here and share, and every week I am trying to share with you different aspects of peace. But where does that peace come from…Where does true peace come from…Where can I find peace today in the midst of everything I see all around me. Well, let me show you a passage that you have read over and over in your life, and this will not be the last time you read it this year as well…But let me share with you where that peace truly comes from. Turn over to

Luke 2:14 (ESV)

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Right here…this is the angel that talked to the shepherd last week and gave them hope of the Gospel…right here that same group of angels start singing about peace on earth. So…what does that mean? Who is this peace for? Most importantly, how can you experience that peace? These are the questions that flow through all of our minds and these are the questions that I hope to answer, or at least point in the direction of the answer this morning. So lets start off with

What is Peace?

This seems like it should be the easiest of all questions I think. Now, put yourself in the minds of the shepherd back in the fields watching their flocks. Were they at peace? Maybe they had some peaceful moments, but Ive seen Angela with her sheep Brownie that ran across the road during our trunk or treat event a couple of months ago and that did not look very peaceful to be honest…So are we talking about a peace that is momentary like sitting under the stars, or are we talking about a peace that seeps into your depths of your soul? Well Paul talks about this peace that came at Christmas when he wrote to the church in Philippi, turn over to

Philippians 4:7 (ESV)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul was closing his letter to this church and he wanted to encourage them and remind them about the peace that came at Christmas that doesn’t make any sense at all…Paul wrote about a peace that is available not just to that church, but to you and I…There is a peace that Paul is talking about here is a reminder to this church to rediscover Christmas and remember the peace that came through God…The peace that surpasses all understanding. This is the peace that you just can’t explain. You know the truth, and you are resting in the truth of Scripture and you are simply at peace…This peace is from God, and God’s peace will guard your hearts and mind. Mic drop moment right here folks…Everything that you experience goes through 2 places, your heart…the center of what you feel and who you are, and your mind…the center of what you believe. This peace that comes from God is meant to guard both of these locations. Now, I bet the question going through your mind right now is…How do I experience that. We will get there later. For now lets answer the next question

Who gets Peace?

Man…Im telling you I wish I could say that this peace is for everyone. You see, this is where it gets a little hard I thing. It gets hard becuase now I have to share with you the reality of this statement that says that Christmas brings peace…The angels did tell us though, didn’t they? Let’s look back at that passage real quick and see who this peace is available to

Luke 2:14 (ESV)

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Peace among those with whom he is pleased…Ok, so how in the world can I possible fit into that category? How can you fit into that category? What does it mean to be a person with whom God is pleased? So after some study, here is what I found. Those who will receive this peace is not those who do all the good things so that God is happy with them. That is not the meaning of those with whom he is pleased. Ne, the meaning is that at the birth of Jesus, God’s peace rests on those that he already has pleasure in…Those that are already pleasing to God. So who is that? Well…to put it simply…To please God is to have a relationship with God. Now, we can spend weeks or months going into the depths of being pleasing to God, but for today what I want you to understand is that if you are a Christian…if you have admitted your sin to Christ and given your life to follow Jesus as your Lord…then this peace that the angels are singing about is for you. In other words…Jesus brings peace for all Christians.

Now that is some good news…becuase that means that the stuff i have going on, the stuff that I don’t agree with, the stuff that I am stressed about, stuff that is completely out of control, or even stuff that is in your control, but you seem to not be controlling well. I think we have all been there…So, I have the good news that this peace exist, but I don’t know about you, but there are definitely times that I am not experiencing that peace. As a matter of fact there were times this week that I was not experiencing this peace. So, the final question we need to answer this morning is

How do I Experience Peace?

Whew…this is by far the hardest question I think…The reality is that I don’t believe any of us are skilled enough to experience this peace all the time, even though we wish we could. So how do I experience the peace that Jesus brought and made available to all beleivers on the day of his birth? How can I, in the midst of my circumstance, rediscover the peace that Christmas brought...

Well, there are a few things that we need to do in order to experience this peace. First of all we need to

Spend time in the Word

You see, you cannot expect to know Christs peace, if you don’t even know Christ can you?

2 Peter 1:2 (ESV)

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Right here we read that peace will be multiplies in our knowledge of the Lord…To gain knowledge you must read and study Scripture…how many times a week, other than Sunday, do you open your Bible? Im not talking about the Verse a Day app either…Im talking about actually reading the words, or listening to the Words of Scripture. If you don’t open your Bible during the week…then try it and see how God will bless you. Thats not all though, you also have to

Spend time in Prayer

Yeah, you can’t expect to know Christ peace if you never have a conversation with him can you?

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

In everything you are to be praying…not just a pray to ask God for your wishes becuase God is not a genie, but to let God know about your needs with thanksgiving. Well, how do I do that? Let me show you, “Lord, this morning I am really struggling with my finances and Im frankly unsure how I am going to pay my bills this month. Lord, iIask that you would supply my needs like you always have. Lord, I ask that you increase my joy like you always have. Lord, I just want to thank you for everything that you do for me, especially the stuff i don’t even know about. Lord, Im sorry I haven’t been doing my part, but I am choosing right now to rely on you instead of my own strengths. Lord, thank you for the opportunity that you have given me to rely on you one more day…I trust whatever happens will be in your will as you lead me through the steps I need to take. Thank you Lord…Amen”. You see, that is a prayer of need and thanksgiving all at the same time, isn’t it. So, when is the last time you spent time in prayer with the lord…Im not talking about praying for your meal or praying here at church..I mean just you and the Lord talking things through. That is the only way to experience his peace…Now, there is one more piece to this that we need to remember. You see, reading the Word and praying are fantastic…but there is something else we need to do in order to truly experience the peace that Christ offers…We need to

Rest in the Lord

Yeah, rest in the Lord…Actually trust the things that you believe to be true about the Lord. Actually rely on what the Lord says. Look over at

Psalm 91:1 (ESV)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Did you hear that? He who dwells in, lives in, exists in the shelter of the Lord will abide or rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Can you imagine being in the shadow of the Almighty…the shadow of the Lord? I mean, if I am in his shadow then nothing can come at me…nothing can hurt me…nothing can wear me out becuase I literally have the Lord of all Lord right here with me and I am safe in his shadow…I am safe in his arms.

Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Come to me…I will give you rest. Listen, I don’t know your specific situation this morning, but I do know that Christmas can bring stress…Stress of overspending becuase you want to give everything to those you love. Stress of overworking becuase you want to pay for all the things. Stress of family Christmas meals and how to make everyone happy at any given time…Stress and worry and fear, but there is one who offers to take all of that away. As a matter of fact, when we rediscover Christmas we see that the peace we so desperately have been seeking and trying to catch has been waiting in the manger this whole time.

Will you this morning make a change and rest in the Lord instead of pushing your self? Will you this morning repent of trying to manage everything yourself instead of relying on the Lord. Will you this morning make a commitment to spend time in the Word, spend time in prayer, and rest in the arms of the Lord? Make that commitment this morning and see how God gives you the peace that you have so long been searching for.

Let’s pray...