1 Day until Christmas
Notes
Transcript
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
LUKE 2:1-7
When you get close to Christmas…
There are always last-minute details to take care of
As our countdown comes to an end.
Maybe for you…
It is a last minute
party to attend
Food item to purchase
Gift that you need to grab
In fact – I suspect even in here right now…
There is some guy in the room
Who still needs to do a little shopping
For that special someone
May I suggest a few last minute items
That I ran across this week.
This is my personal favorite…
If your spouse has had a rough year in 2025
May I suggest something comforting
Nothing is more comforting than “comfort food”
Emotional Support Fries
It is comfort food that never runs out
If you a spouse is the life of the party at work
This gift idea may suit them
A Mini Inflatable Tube Guy
It is a desk accent
that is sure to draw a crowd
If your spouse is one who is thinks highly of themselves
This gift idea might be a fitting
The Book of Unusual Knowledge
It is the perfect gift to prove your overly assertive spouse.
That they really do not know everything
If your spouse is looking for a new stylish accessory to their wardrobe
Then this gift idea might tickle their fancy…
Fish Flip Flops
They are the newest raving on Amazon
Receiving over 7,000 five star ratings
If your spouse is the type that is looking for something practical….
You cannot go wrong with this next gift
The Original Toilet Night Light
To help with those midnight bathroom runs
They are available in an assortment of colors
And is motion-activated
For all your non-Baptist friends
You might find this gift idea interesting
A Wine bottle puzzle
I’m told the puzzle is so hard
It will sober up anybody
For all you parents out there
If you have a whinny child – You cannot go wrong
With a Miniature Violin
You can pull out this three inch violin
And offer your deepest sympathies
For you family member who loves to frequent the golden Archies
You cannot go wrong with the new and improved
Sauce-MOTO Dip Clip
Just clip right on your car vents
It is a great addition for any snacker on the go.
If your spouse works a fairly hostile office environment
May I suggest this next gift idea to you….
It is the Dumpster Fire Pencil Holder
At least now – their desk décor
Will finally match the mood of their co-workers
It is equipped with a starter pack of fiery sticky-notes.
If you are looking for stocking stuffers…
You cannot go wrong with
Memory Mints
Equipped to sooth the pain of any senior moment.
They may not remember what they were going to say.
But at least their breathe wont stink
If you find yourself in a budget crunch…
This next gift might be suitable for that special someone
Introducing the GIFT NOT INCLUDED
I love the tag line
All the power you need
For that gift you really want
And lastly – for the person who perpetually says they want NOTHING for Christmas….
This year you canfinally feel less guilty
When you gift them with the all-new…
USELESS BOX
Finally you will be able to bless them
With exactly what they wanted
NOTHING
Last minute details…
They are apart of every Christmas celebration
And you and I would be surprised to learn
The 1stChristmas was no different
Here in Luke 2…
The Bible records the final moments
Before the first Christmas
And in doing so
It teaches us two valuable lessons about life
The first lesson is that…
GOD ALWAYS CONTROLS OUR PATH
Luke 2:1–3 — 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.
It is tempting to glance over these verses
As useless historical background
But a closer examination of these
It proves to be more than just historical context.
Caesar Augustus (more famously known as Octavian)
He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar
He was the first-ever Roman Emperor
In many ways – Augustus was the most powerful Roman in history.
And to this point in history
Was the most powerful person
In the history of the World.
Up until this point in time
No one singular man had ever controlled
So much land
So many people
Ever before
The Empire of Augustus made the empires of...
Pharoah
Nebuchadnezzar
Cyrus the Great
Look like a parking lot
Compared to the wealth & expansion of the Roman Empire.
So you have this powerful man…
Who calls for a census to be taken
Throughout the entirety of the empire
Which would require…
Every citizen of the empire
To return back to their hometown
To pay their taxes to the government.
So – for Mary & Joseph – this would mean…
They would have to travel
From Nazareth
To Jospeh’s hometown of Bethlehem
This may seem insignificant…
But the Bible spoke about WHERE…
The Messiah would be born
Micah 5:2 — 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
So picture this…
God spurs the heart of the most powerful man in human history to this point.
To call for a census tax of the empire
Which resulted in Mary & Jospeh
Having to travel
From Nazareth and Bethlehem
I hope you don’t miss what God is saying
God moved the heart of a pagan King
Which in turn moved all the known world
In order to move Mary & Jospeh 90 miles
So that Jesus would be born
Exactly where God had predicted
He would be born
It is a firm reminder to you and me…
That God controls our path
Listen to me friend
God has a will and purpose for your life
Just like He did for Mary & Joseph.
Some of you right know have lost confidence in that
You are wondering
If God has forsaken you
Or perhaps God has turned a blind eye to your life situation.
Let this text be a reminder to you today…
What you see as incidental
God sees it as providential
In other words
God can and will use all the things in your life
Whether they be good things
Whether they be bad things
To bring his purpose to pass
In your life
Listen – for so many of you
You can look back on your life
And you can see how God
Was working in the course of your life
I want you to know…
The Lord is stilling doing that
Even in pain or despair you find yourself in
God is still using every moment of your life
To accomplish his plan and his purpose
That includes your successes
That includes your failures
That includes your highest moments
That includes your lowest moments
That includes your proudest moments
That includes your embarrassing moments
The same was true for Mary & Joseph…
Even though Mary was a virgin
She had a surprise pregnancy
That literally turned the world upside down
I’m sure Mary & Joseph were not proud of the moment
I’m sure it wasn’t something
They willingly talked to people about
But yet, through the social embarrassment of a virgin pregnancy…
Mary & Joseph believed
That God’s ways are always best
Even when they are difficult
See – it is the in the commitment of Mary…
That we learn an invaluable lesson
You can ALWAYS trust God’s will
For your life
There are at least one reason…
Why you are tempted to doubt
That you can trust God’s will
The reason you and I are tempted to doubt God’s will…
IT IS THE EVIDENCE OF SUFFERING IN YOUR LIFE.
Listen – this 1st Christmas was by far
The most difficult of all Christmases
Luke 2:3–4 — 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,
You got to keep in mind…
Mary and Jospeh were between 12 to 14.
We don’t know exactly how old they were
But we know they were teenagers
But on top of that…
Mary is about ready to deliver…
Mary isn’t just a little pregnant
She is a whole lot of pregnant
And the text says now…
She is forced to leave her family
And travel 90 miles to Bethlehem.
Imagine that ladies…
Imagine you were 39 weeks
And your husband decided
To put you on the back of a donkey
And travel roughly 10 miles a day
For the next 10 days
And on top of that…
It is rough and cold terrain
With Zero amenities
To stop at along the way
And when you finally arrive in Bethlehem
And when the labor pains start to mount
Your mom and the rest of your family
Can’t be there to support you.
But yet despite all of this difficulty…
Mary and Joseph were
Right in the center of God’s will
For this child she will deliver
Is the long-awaited Messiah
Who was born to
Break Eden’s Curse
Who was born to
Set sinners free
Listen – you can always trust God’s will for your life…
He is always in control of your path
Even on your best day
Even on your worst day
Even on the days…
When you can see God
Even on the days
When you cannot
Listen to me
God never loses control
It is true, for some, joy intensifies during Christmas
But for others –
Christmas intensifies your suffering
I imagine some of you today
If you are honest
You would admit
that you are hurting
It might be hard for you to admit
But this Christmas season
It isn’t as joyful for you
As everyone else claims it to be
Maybe a divorce
Leaves you celebrating Christmas alone
Maybe for you
It is the loss of a loved one
That makes Christmas painful to bear
Maybe for you
It is the increasing cost
That has made your budget even tighter this year.
But I hope you know
What Mary & Joseph teach us here
The 1stChristmas was full of
So much doubt
So many questions
So much suffering
But nevertheless it is a reminder that
You can always trust God’s will
Even when you’re in a difficult place
Listen to me church…
God is directing your path
God is good
He loves you
He is purposeful in your life
Everything is unfolding
And is working toward the greater good in your life.
Listen friend…
The issue is not whether you can see God
Whenever you are hurting
The issue is that
God always sees you
When you are hurting
But there is a second lesson Luke 2 teaches you…
Not only does God control your path despite your suffering…
GOD CONTROLS YOUR PATH DESPITE YOUR STATUS
See God has a plan for your life
No matter who you are
And no matter who you are not
Some of you are listening to this today…
You would say…
I don’t doubt that God has a plan
For this person’s life
Or for that person’s life.
But I’m not sure that
God cares even enough about me
That He would have a plan for my life
I hope you know that…
Mary and Joseph were seen by everyone else
As insignificant nobodies
They were young & unknown
With very few possessions
But the text tells us…
Mary & Joseph had the most important thing
They had a relationship with God
Both of them possesses a deep conviction
That God could use them
Mary was particularly mindful of this…
Luke 1:46–47 — 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
Luke 1:51–52 — 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
This reminds us that God controls our paths despite our status.
See – the Bible is clear
God doesn’t measure people
The way we measure people
God doesn’t come to
The Proud & Haughty
God comes to
The Meek & Humble
The Poor in Spirit
The Broken & Contrite of heart
Listen to me…
The will of God is more about
What we lay down for our heavenly father
Than what we pick up for him
This means you can trust God
If you have much
But you can also trust God
If you have little
God controls your path despite your status…
Jesus came to the lowliest of places
He was born in stable
He was laid in feeding trough
Because the Son of God
He did not STEP UP to be your savior
He STEPPED DOWN to your savior
It’s a reminder that whosoever will
Can come to Jesus
Whether you are
Known or Unknown
Whether you are
Respected or Disrespected
Whether you have
Much or Little
God wants to work in your life
No matter your status
Because He sent His Son for you
It doesn’t matter friend…
It doesn’t matter
If You have a million bucks
Or you have a million bills
It doesn’t matter
If You flip burgers
Or you sell bonds
It doesn’t matter
Jesus can change your life
Christmas is not about
You reaching up to God
It is about God reaching down to you
God is in control of our path
And every step we take
He is directing each of us to Jesus
Think about this for a moment…
Is it possible this morning
That the hardship that you are facing right now
Which you think is evidence that God has forsaken you.
It is actually God directing you
To the person and work of Jesus.
Could it be that…
God is peeling back everything
Away from your life
So that you have nowhere to turn
But to Him
Could it be that…
Your lack of resources
It is actually helping you
To depend more fully on Jesus
Friend – It is not about the gifts under your tree
It is about the gift of God’s son in your heart
It would be a tragedy for you
To celebrate Christmas
Without worshiping Jesus
It would be a tragedy for you
To receive and give gifts
Without receiving God’s gift of his son.
This text reminds us…
God controls our paths despite our suffering
And God controls our paths despite our status
Friend I hope you see this.
God is controlling your path
And right now
God is controlling your path to HIS Son
Will the receive what Jesus wants to give you today?
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