Christmas Day 2023
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
Jesus turned everything upside down…When he came down!
Corporate | Young Grasshopper | Work Party “Smart Casual” | What is smart casual | I no idea.
So I went in shorts, Button up Shirt and some nice sneakers | not smart casual…just Casual…Felt so out of place the entire time.
Have you ever felt out of place?
I think sometimes we can feel out of place = Church, even kingdom of God
When Jesus arrived = Divide between pharisees and common folk
Sinners, outcasts - looked down upon - Sick = cast out. Lowly = forogtton about
But Jesus turned everything upside down,
Jesus is King - not born in palace, but Manger - Not with Servants, but people he came to Serve.
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 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.
Jesus, who came to bring salvation, had no where to go… And yet, He came to bring everyone Home.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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.
Why Fear? Shepherds = lowest on social Ladder
Only thing lower = Leprosy
yet - This is who God decided to announce good news of the saviours coming to first.
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.
Good news = Gospel
What does this bring? Great Joy.
for All The People - What is the Angel saying;
Doesn’t matter if you are lowest in society | Highest in Society | Rich | Poor | Alone or Depressed
This good news, of great joy…is for everyone.
This was completely upside down.
In Fact - In Gospels = Outcasts that Jesus hung out with.
ate with Sinners | Woman divorced 5 times, went to get water, who was waiting for her…JESUS
Matthew = tax collector - Jews saw him as traitor = Become Disciple.
Even Saul = Religious man = killing Christians - on a road to a town called damascus - Met risen Jesus
And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Saul went into city = Regained sight = Became the person God used to write half of NT
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
This man went from insulting jesus to INSTRUMENT of Jesus
What are we learning?
It doesn’t matter what you have done | who you are | What horrible thing you have committed;
The message of Christmas same for you as it was for shepherds.
who where lowest of low of society. what was that message?
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
A saviour is born; God in the Flesh | Emptied himself of glory, to provide you salvation.
Not for the religious | Rich | Status | poor | Seeking, but for Everyone
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
And who gets the glory? Something else that’s upside down -
The praise goes from us - to God;
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Glory to God in the highest.
And what was the shepherds reaction
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.”
Let us go and see Jesus
My prayer fpr you today…is you have heard the good news and your heart is to go and see Jesus