20241229 An After Christmas Celebration
Christmas 2024 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Welcome to Vertical Church
Acts 2:42 (LSB)
And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
Our church is built on the 4 devotions of the first Church.
We teach the Bible - Scripture alone is the word of God
We are Evangelical - Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone
We are Vertical in our worship - we exist for the glory of God alone.
We are looking for adults, families and young adults who want to join us in our mission
Call to Worship - Psalm 110
Of David. A Psalm. 1 Yahweh says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.” 2 Yahweh will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Have dominion in the midst of Your enemies.” 3 Your people will offer themselves freely in the day of Your power; In the splendor of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, The dew of Your youthfulness will be Yours. 4 Yahweh has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His anger. 6 He will render justice among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will crush the head that is over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.
Scripture Reading - 2 Kings 6:10-20
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice. 11 Then the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him.” And it was told to him, saying, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”
14 So he sent horses and chariots and a heavy military force there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 Then the attendant of the man of God arose early and went out, and behold, a military force with horses and chariots was all around the city. And his young man said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he said, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Yahweh, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And they came down to him, and Elisha prayed to Yahweh and said, “Strike this people with blindness, I pray.” So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city; walk after me and I will walk you over to the man whom you seek.” And he walked them over to Samaria. 20 Now it happened that when they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “O Yahweh, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So Yahweh opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
An After Christmas Celebration
Introduction:
What is the Christmas story?
The coming of the Savior who would bring salvation was the sovereign, predetermined plan of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Within this plan the Son willingly chose to humble himself and to add to his deity flesh, to become a helpless baby, born to a couple who were not wealthy, born in a town where there was no palace
We all have memories of the the Christmas story. In 5th grade the elementary school I attended, Lord Nelson Public school, was undergoing major renovations. For most of that year our grade met at a church near the school. And when it came time to celebrate the Christmas story I remember meeting at the church instead of the school gymnasium for the Christmas story.
As with most Christmas plays it began with Mary and Joseph, progressed to the angel, and the shepherds, and finished with the wise men. Allin one scene, in one place, and with the appearance that it was all at the same time
But the Christmas story is much bigger. And much longer than a single night.
And the focus of the Christmas story is more than just the birth.
While the birth of Jesus is the single greatest event in human history, it is how people respond to His birth that we will focus on this morning.
And this response may be summarized by the words: worship, obedience,
In the concept of time, it begins in Gen 3:15
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
There are over 300 promises concerning the coming of this promised child. His royal lineage, his humble birth, the place of his birth.
All of them were fulfilled in the birth and life of Jesus Christ.
We are told that the coming of Jesus the Messiah goes back even further than the Book of Genesis
8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
(1) The shepherds worship - o holy night
15 And it happened that when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.
All of heaven proclaims the birth
They went immediately and in a hurry
They told others
They went back, glorifying and praising God
(2) Mary and Joseph obey - 8 days later
21 And when eight days were fulfilled so that they could circumcise Him, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
Still in Bethlehem, at a synagogue
According to the Law they circumcised hime
According to the angel they named him
(3) Mary and Joseph worship - 40 days later
22 And when the days for their cleansing according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
(4) Simeon and Anna abide in faith - 40 days later
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms and blessed God, and said, 29 “Now Master, You are releasing Your slave in peace, According to Your word. 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 Which You prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A Light for revelation to the Gentiles, And for the glory of Your people Israel.” 33 And His father and mother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well—that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 And when they had finished everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
(5) The Magi worship - two years later
10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And after coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
This baby would not remain an infant. He would live in perfect obedience, would die as our sinless savior, and would rise victoriously and ascend gloriously as our eternal prophet, priest, and king .
How should we respond?
The elements of true worship are found throughout the nativity story.
Worship. Worship that is immediate. Worship that costly. Worship that is biblical. Worship that is sacrificial.
Obedience. Obedience that is immediate. Obedience that obeys the commands of God.
Faith and Hope. Trusting in the promises and patiently waiting for the Lord to fulfill his promises.
May we be like Jospeh and Mary. May we be like the shepherds. May we be like Anna, and Simeon and the Magi.
May we understand what Jesus meant when he calls us to worship in Spirit and in Truth
Benediction:
Pastor: Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come. Congregation: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and His name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
