The Little Drummer Boy (Hope Advent)

Advent Hope

The Advent season is a beautiful reminder to prepare our hearts as we prepare our homes — to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus! At the start of this week, we light the first of the four candles in the Advent wreath: the candle of Hope.

Is your heart filled with hope? Do you have a confident expectation of your tomorrow? What happens when the road ahead is filled with loss and stress weighs your shoulders down? When confident expectation for tomorrow dwindles, what can you do? How can you walk in hope when you feel hopeless inside?

In one word, the answer to confident expectation is “JESUS" — the Jesus of Christmas.

Hope in Jesus comes from more than just a belief that he was once a baby in a manger. This hope in him has been called “an anchor for the soul.” It is something deep within that secures you through the storms of life.

Putting your hope in Jesus will give you these four things.

HOPE FOR HELP

We are invited to come to him and confidently ask for help. Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

HOPE TO OVERCOME

Things that leave one feeling powerless and hopeless come in many forms. With Christ’s strength you can overcome great obstacles, and faith in Jesus gives hope and help to overcome: “and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

HOPE FOR POWER

Sometimes in life we find ourselves with a task that simply looks too big for us. We do not just need a cup of God’s strength added to our own; rather, we need his strength in us to do what we need to do. He will give it! 2 Corithians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Seeing our weakness as the entry point of God’s strength gives access to his power!

HOPE FOR ETERNITY

When we put our faith and hope in Jesus, it not only gives us help, strength, and power for where we walk today, but it also gives us hope for life after death. It is a confident expectation of the ultimate “tomorrow.”

The God of Hope sent his Son to be our Savior. He is only one prayer away. If you want the confident expectation of his strength and wisdom in your today and his help and hope for your tomorrow, you need only ask so thay you may oveflow with hope.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Here is a suggested prayer to receive abundant hope:

Dear God, I have gone my own way and have put my hope in so many things that have disappointed me. Thank you that you sent Jesus, that first Christmas long ago, to be my Savior. I believe he came for me. Forgive me and lead me today. Show me how to live in the confident expectation of how you can impact my life, my character, and my circumstances. I place my hope in you right now and ask you to make yourself known to me in my life right where I walk. I thank you. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Call To Worship

300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas Galatians 4:4–7

Galatians 4:4–7

But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption. And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! (Father!),” so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.20

Introduction

We are reading the story of the “Magicians Nephew” to our kids at night. C.S. Lewis tells the story of Creation of Narnia. You see Lewis wrote the Magician’s Nephew at ther same time as the Lion, the Which, and the Wardrobe” Which is in part a Christmas story. You can see the Christmas influences in the Magicians Nephew.

When we read the story It peaks our interest because it’s so fasinationg to think about how God created the world and to look at a imaginative take on it. The story of the Creation of Narnia draws you in like any good story, and so when we hear the Christmas Story allow yourself to be drawn in again.

Be like the Cab driver Frank who in his country British accent said “‘Old your noise, everyone, I want to listen to the moosic.”

All He wanted to do is listen to Aslan , the Christ figure in the story, sing. Be Drawn into the old Miraculous story allow your self to be a child of faith one more time and hear this true and awesome story!

Be like the child who wants to hear about how Mary and Joseph travelled, about how the angels came down to speak to common shepherds, seek to know why the ran to see this new born king. Seek to be like Mary who treasured all she saw and pondered them in her heart. (She did know btw)

So as we begin our Christmas series as we break down or look at the scripture behind the songs we are going to start with little drummer boy

Background

This Song was written by:

Katherine Kennicott Davis (b. St. Joseph, MO, 1892; d. Concord, MA, 1980) studied at Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, where she was also a teaching assistant in music. From 1921 to 1929 she taught singing and piano in private schools in Concord, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After 1929 she devoted herself largely to music composition. She wrote some eight hundred pieces, most of which were choral (often writing under several pseudonyms). One of her most popular songs is "The Little Drummer Boy," originally called "Carol of the Drum" (1941).

This song is only found in one Hymnal the “Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New.

It is one of the more popular songs in the modern era. Alaina and I saw For King and Country perform this live and really enjoyed it.

It is just fun and it teaches some very basic truths that we want to share with our family and friends

“The King has Come, so Come to the King”

Break Down of Song that We Will be looking At

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum  A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum  Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum  To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,  rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,  When we come.  Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum  I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum  I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum  That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,  rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,  Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,  On my drum?  Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum  The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum  I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum  I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,  rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,  Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum  Me and my drum.

Text

Luke 2:1–21 ESV

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Big Idea “Give your best to Him, Yourself”

Come They Told Me

Predicted in the OT

Have you ever noticed that as you read the Bible that we are constantly told of Jesus’s coming?

We First hear of his coming in Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

and then

Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—

Just so you know these books of Moses the Pentatuch, are believed to be first written in 1500’s B.C. or 3500 years ago. Moses was writing Genesis down from previous oral accounts that go back to creation itself so the Genesis account is over so we are hearing words from 6000 to 10000 years ago. This promise to crush has been made a long time and was kept and fulfilled on the cross!

Then 4,500 years later, after the flood and the destruction of the first giants, the confusing the languages of Babel and the disbursement of mankind over the planet. God coming to Abe, Isacc, and Jacob, God shows up again to Moses a murders a fallen prince of Egypt and tells him to lead his people and then tells him someone even greater is to come.

Recall in Mark Moses get’s to ask Jesus how he is going to do it!

All this time we are being told that something is to come and again

And then

1 Chronicles 17:13 ESV

13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you,

He was speaking to David, but he was merging these promises together. That this greater Moses, this king to be born Would be established on the throne of David forever! This was written about 800 years before Jesus’s birth!

Let’s look further.

Micah 5:2–5 (NKJV)

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” 3 Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. 4 And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth; 5 And this One shall be peace.

This text was written sometime around the 750s BC so 700 years before Christ was born! God revealed the city that he would be born, he revealed a bit more about the virgin birth (not immaculate conception, that was a fiction that wasn’t accepted by the Roman church until 1854!) And if you notice that the prophecy stops for a moment this the Phrase “And This One shall be peace.”

Makes me think of the angels

The Angels Tell and Shepherds Tell

Luke 2:14 NKJV

14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:14 ESV

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

The Angels quote in part the prophecy! They Tell that the peace has come!

Peace can finally be had, between God and man, As Isiah says

Isaiah 9:6–7 NKJV

6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Application: Tell people to Come

So to you and I Tell them to Come, the King is born, a saviour is here!

Men be like Joseph He dutifully kept to his tasks that God had assigned him, no complaint just obedience to God’s call in his life

everyone be like the Shepard who share the news

Ladies be like Mary and treasure the story in your heart

All of us must ponder like Mary this wonderful true story

So Come this New born King to see!

New Born King

Kinglyness of Christ

As Americans We don’t understand kinglyness as much as other people do, maybe our British Friends in the room can break it down for us!

But when You Jesus was born he was a king from birth. That isn’t the norm infact most of the time on our world if a child is heir he isn’t a king in his own right until he reaches the age of majority, i.e. able to be trusted ruling.

When a male heir is born he is a prince.

Jesus though when born is a king.

. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those with whom he is pleased!”

Jesus testifies that he is a king

John 18:37 ESV

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

What an honor to live for the king to see the kings

The Coming of the King is good news

Gospel intial ment good news, it was in Greeko-Roman times a word used to let you know of the victorious reports from the battle front. It was the Good news that the King or Emperor was visiting your town, region.

When the Angels announce his birth they are annoucing the gospel. The Kinglyness of Christ is tied to hus nature.

Only a king has the right to ransom his people from a foreign power. I’m reading “The Sword and the Scimitar” and learning about the battles between Christendom and the Islamic Hordes and the stories are awe inspiring and awful. Brave men truly held back the Anti-Christ scourge of Islam. You I am listening to stories of capture maidens and brave Knights and the ransoming of individuals and lands. When the Muslims took Christian Lands like Egypt or Modern day Israel. The Christian Roman Emperors would send emissaries on their behalf to ransom those people and regions from Evil. In like manner the king comes to purchase our Ransom form sin, death, the worth, and Satan. He come also to secure our Pardon from the Father for our sins that deserves wrath.

Talk about a Christmas Gift from a King!

The New Born King is a gift to us. The Gift of a King from the Father.

Honor Him/I played my Best for Him

A life of worship

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

This the worship that the Angels gave the Lord in Luke 2. They worshiped the Lord after they proclaimed his arrival.

In the song the little boy says I play my best for him.

The chief end of man is to glorify god and enjoy him forever. That’s the Westminister Shorter Catechism. That is an official statement from the Protestant Government of the British Empire in the 1660s! They men who wrote that were commissioned to write these truths down.

When you love Matthew: 22:37

Matthew 22:37 ESV

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

You play your best for him.

Worship is compelled by revelation! “Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’r the plains and the mountain in reply echoing the their joyous praise, Gloria in exclise deo!”

What this looks like in my life is when I hear little feet running to the door when I come home. The revelation of the jingling keys causes my children to run to the door. Dad is home.

This is the feeling you get when you hear your team has won. This is the gladness in your heart when you get a call from a loved one saying they are expecting a baby!

This is the videos of the solider surprising his family returned home from service and the wife and kids running and weeping for joy at his return.

Worship is giving out God our best, our whole heart!

To be a Christian is to be a builder of beautiful things, to raise beautiful families, to create beauty, to strive for wonderful because we worship a holy and wonderful God.

The reason this little boy plays his best is because our king makes us want to give him our best so the question to you dear Christian are you giving God your very best in all things?

This is why I did my diet this year. I want to give my best.

God sent his best, we are to do likewise. Think about what would make Christmas the best this year? What is something that you need to make a worthy offering in your actions to give to the Lord.

That is your application today. When you work are you giving your best, when you are with your family are you givign them the full or is your phone in the way.

Men does your family get your best or does something else do.

He Smiled at Me

A life well Lived

How to see God’s Smile (GOSPEL)

Benediction

"Sweet Lord Jesus! you whose goings forth were of old, even from everlasting, you have not left your goings forth yet. Oh! that you would go forth this day, to cheer the faint, to help the weary, to bind up our wounds, to comfort our distresses! Go forth, we beseech you, to conquer sinners, to subdue hard hearts, to break the iron gates of sinners' lusts, and cut the iron bars of their sins in pieces! Oh, Jesus, go forth."

And So church

“Trust him, trust him, trust him; and he will go forth to abide in your heart for ever."