Childerns Christmas Program
Notes
Transcript
This morning we take a break from our Year Long Series through Romans
This morning we were so blessed by the children's Christmas Program
Joy did a great job, Lydia helped with music and Eric and Deidra helped with the sound and stage
And many other helpers
And then of course our Children did an amazing job
During the Program our Kids spoke of the Coming Christ
that is what we celebrate so much during this season
The Coming of Christ
It is so exciting for Christmas
My youngest has been so excited for Christmas that because my parents put up their Christmas Village she needed to put up her own Christmas Village
But we know that Christmas is so much more than presents
And if you didn’t know that now you do
See celebrate the coming of Christ
We celebrate it now because of what He did
6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
This is what was surrounding the Birth of Jesus
that Jesus is the Savior
They were so expectingly ready for the coming Christ who would come and save us
For some 700 years they had waited for someone who was the Messiah to come and set them free
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
This is what was expected and church I do believe this is what happened
For the Jews in the New Testament they were more concerned with a Savior coming and kicking out the Romans
They were looking for physical here and now security
I think we would have to admit that we would probably be the same
I am not sure we would have had the same thoughts and not focused so much on the eternal
That is why Christmas was and still is so important
It meant and celebrated the coming Christ
The coming Messiah, the coming Savior
For everyone who believes
I get it the coming part is excited and should be announced but we are the other side if you will
Christ has come and we still celebrate Christmas because of what He did
Notable what Jesus did or the over arching theme
10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
See the coming Savior
Would come and church He has come to seek and save those who are lost
When we look at this verse in light of the coming and celebration of Christmas
It means that Jesus Came
It means that Jesus Sought
It means that Jesus Saves
To understand that Jesus came, that he came to earth and stepped out of the glory of heaven
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus because of His love for us choose to step out of the awesomeness and glory of heaven
Took on humanity in its fullness
Was so obedient to the point of death on the cross
Because of His love for us
To think got out of all that Heaven is
I know it doesn’t do it justice but it would like getting out of the warm cozy bed or chair to help someone in need
Like getting out in the cold bitterness to help someone and then to wrap your mind around maybe they won’t even appreciate your help
To think He came because He loved your
Jesus also came born of a virgin
14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
The foretelling of Jesus’s birth was some 700 years before he was physically born
To know that Jesus came
To know that before He came they were talking about Him coming
We celebrate Christmas for the fact that He came and His coming was bring foretold
Yes He came but He came for a purpose
He came to seek those who needed a savior
Jesus came to seek the sinners of this world
16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?”
These are the people who Jesus came to seek out
As you read the Gospels you see the people Jesus came and went directly too
He didn’t spend a lot of His time with the religious elite
Jesus spent time with those people who realized their were sinners
Praise the Lord He came and sought the sinners because I are one
You and I are both are sinners in need of a savior
That is what Christmas is so important that Jesus came to seek you and I out
Sinners in need of a savior
Jesus came to seek the children
14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Jesus was also looking to meet with the kids
Jesus was always available for the kids
You see Christmas is more than just presents under a tree
It is about how Jesus came and sought the sinners but the last part of that verse is the icing on the cake if you will
Church Jesus came to seek the lost to save the lost
44 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 47 “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
Jesus didn’t come to judge you and I
Jesus didn’t to give you and I a list of new rules to follow only to still be in the same situation as the Old Testament
Jesus did not to pour out condemnation without and answer for being condemned
In fact Jesus didn’t comes to reveal to us sin that was the laws Job
Jesus came to not point out to use our own shortfalls or sin in our lives
Jesus as He Himself says I came to save the world
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Jesus came stepping out of heaven because of His love for us
Jesus sought those who were sinners
Church Jesus came to save not to judge
That is why we celebrate Christmas so much
Because it is a celebration of Jesus coming and what He would do by coming
He was born of a virgin to come into this world to seek out those sinners
Just as a point of clarification those sinners that is you and me
Then understand that Jesus accomplished salvation by what He did on the cross and in the grave
Dying to pay for your and my debt of sin and then rising from the grave to defeat death once and for all thus giving us life
So this morning church as we move to our invitation
The musicians will come up and this is your opportunity to respond to what God has done this morning
Maybe you are here and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus
This would be your opportunity to come and speak with someone about how to know Christ personally this morning
Or maybe you already have one and simply need to spend sometime in prayer at the altar
Or maybe there is another decision that needs to be made this morning
This is the time to do that
The altar is open
