X-Mas: What’s Missing? (3)
Notes
Transcript
Reflection and Perspective
(Luke 2:19)
I. Intro
A. So how was your Christmas?
A. So how was your Christmas?
1. Did Santa bring everything you asked him to?
2. What time did you get up Christmas morning?
3. How many pounds did you gain?
4. How many dollars worth of Christmas paper, bows, and boxes did you throw away?
5. How many of you are totally exhausted and glad Christmas is in the rear view mirror?
B. Well, we’re going to wrap up Christmas here at our church, too.
B. Well, we’re going to wrap up Christmas here at our church, too.
1. This is the last day for our series: Xmas: What’s Missing ?
2. We’ve been talking about things that get lost in all the hustle and bustle of Christmas.
3. Week 1: Missing amazement.
4. Week 2: Missing Faith
5. And today we’re going to end this series with two more things many of us are missing in our Christmases.
How many of you sat after opening all the gifts and just reflected on the morning?
I did, before everyone got up, I just sat back and looked around and pondered the year and the morning.
C. And That reminded me of a Bible verse.
C. And That reminded me of a Bible verse.
1. This Bible verse falls right at the end of the Christmas story in Luke.
2. Mary and Joseph finally made it to Bethlehem.
3. Jesus was born, wrapped in rags, and laid in a cattle trough.
4. Shepherds got surprised by angels, who told them the Messiah, the Lord was born.
5. Thousands of angels sang and the shepherds went to check out Bethlehem.
6. The shepherds saw the baby and then went and told everyone what the angels told them.
D. And then this little obscure verse is slipped in at the end.
D. And then this little obscure verse is slipped in at the end.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
2. Mary stored these events in her heart and revisited them often.
II. And I think that’s something we’re missing in our Christmas: reflection.
A. We miss the opportunity to reflect on what that first Christmas means for us.
1. We will reflect on what this Christmas meant to us for a few days.
2. We got good stuff.
3. We ate too much.
4. We tried to do too much with too little time.
5. And then it’ll fade because we’ll start anticipating Christmas again before you know it.
B. But how often do we reflect on what that first Christmas meant to us?
1. Well, we’re going to do it at least once: today!
2. I want to give you four quick points to reflect on today concerning the first Christmas.
Reflect on The Reality of Christmas
Reflect on The Reality of Christmas
I. Reflect on Him Stepping into His Created World.
I. Reflect on Him Stepping into His Created World.
A. Immanuel was born that first Christmas.
1. Our God is not unfamiliar with what we face in life.
2. He’s lived in the same world, breathed the same air, exposed to all the good and bad.
3. We meant so much to our God that He stepped into our world to rescue us.
He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.
He was touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
He was a Baby just like we were
He was a teen just like we were
He was an adult just like we are
The creator knows His creation.
II. Reflect on His Life as an Example.
II. Reflect on His Life as an Example.
A. That baby’s life would not be easy.
1. Before He could walk he was wanted (by Herod).
2. He was constantly hounded by the religious people.
3. But He never quit reaching out to others.
4. He never quit loving. He never lost view of His purpose.
To many times we sit back and say woe is me, but if we were to reflect on the life of our Lord, how much diffrent our life would be.
III. Reflect on Our Sin That Was Paid for By Him.
III. Reflect on Our Sin That Was Paid for By Him.
A. That baby born in a stable was born to die.
1. All His life pointed to one place, the cross.
2. And He went to the cross to free us from the penalty of sin.
3. He took care of it all on the cross.
4. He came to give His life so that we might live.
IV. Reflect on the Eternal Life that He Gives to All.
IV. Reflect on the Eternal Life that He Gives to All.
A. That Baby died but He rose again.
1. The cross wasn’t the end.
2. Paying for sin wasn’t all that Baby came to do.
3. He came to bring eternal life, too.
4. And the empty tomb proves it.
So as Christmas is behind us for now, take time to reflect on what Christmas means.
But that also reminds me of another verse in Luke 2.
Although this verse is in the same chapter, it actually occurs 12 years later.
1. Jesus had grown.
2. Mary and Joseph had taken Him to the Temple, where He blew the experts’ minds.
3. Somehow Mary and Joseph lost Jesus but found Him in the Temple.
4. Read Luke 2:51
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
5. Mary puts all the stuff together from over the years and what Christ tells her here and she gains some perspective on this Son of her’s
This Christmas I don’t want us to miss the perspective of what Christmas means.
1. Taking all we’ve discussed the past three weeks, let’s
Put Christmas in Perspective.
Put Christmas in Perspective.
I. We Can Know that God is with us every moment of our lives.
I. We Can Know that God is with us every moment of our lives.
A. God came and He never left.
1. Jesus is Immanuel yesterday, today and forever for us—We never walk alone.
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
II. We Can have Forgiveness that is real and lasting.
II. We Can have Forgiveness that is real and lasting.
A. The blood that flowed through the Babe was the same blood that flowed from the Man on The Cross and that same blood covers us today.
1. It only took one trip, one time, to cover all we’ve ever done.
2. He settled it then and it’s real and lasting today.
my sins are gone. Their underneath the blood on the cross of Calvary, as far removed as darkness is from dawn in the sea of God’s forgetfulness, that’s good enough for me, my sins are gone.
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; And thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Thank God He has done that. The moment I repented and asked God to save me, he said “What sin!!”
III. We can live a life that makes a difference.
III. We can live a life that makes a difference.
A. God is with us and empowers us to live the life of Christ.
1. We can make a difference in this world.
2. We can make a difference in the lives of people all around us.Luke 6:35
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
IV. We Can trust God that what He says He will do!
IV. We Can trust God that what He says He will do!
He is faithful and just
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
He will never leave us nor forsake us
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
He will do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
He is our Counseller
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
life giver
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
redeemer
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
friend that sticks closer than a brother
He is our King
Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Savior
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
and our God
Hey, uncertian about what the new year holds, know this, We can trust Him this morning.
V. We can pass on the gift of Christmas every day: Jesus Christ!
V. We can pass on the gift of Christmas every day: Jesus Christ!
A. We have the privilege of carrying the Gospel.
We have the greatest news for a lost and dying world
We have been given a great responsibility
Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost
We were called to go not sit
The shepherds heard, saw and went
who have you passed the gift of Christmas to lately?
Con.
What are you missing?
Amazement
Faith
or Reflection and Perspective?
Maybe you are here and are missing the gift Himself
Maybe you are here today and have never recieved the greatest gift ever given to man kind
Dont wait any longer come today and receive what has already bee paid for.
Maybe you are today and have the gift of salvation but have gotten lost in the hustle and bussle of the Holiday’s
Maybe you need to come this morning and get refocused and back on tract.
Wont you come as the pianist plays, wont you come and God will meet you here!