Come all Ye Faithful

Peace Candle Advent

Phil and Debbie lighting the candle

Not surprisingly, the Bible has a lot to say about peace, as it attributes peace to Jesus himself: the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

In fact, the word peace appears somewhere between 200-400 times in the Bible.

In addition to the items listed above, biblical peace:

Guards our hearts from the devil (Philippians 4:7) Brings us joy (Proverbs 12:20) Is a blessing from God (Psalm 29:11)

Assists us during dire circumstances (Isaiah 54:10)

Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV): For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Philippians 4:4–7 (ESV): Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Luke 2:14 (ESV): 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

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Call To Worship

Psalm 136 ESV

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; 5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; 6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; 7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; 8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; 9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; 11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; 12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; 13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; 14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; 15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; 20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; 21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; 22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; 24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; 25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Introduction

Every year we sing so many Christmas song, they are on every station, at every store even that Christmas shoes song for some reason. A fun Christmas music game is seeing who can listen to Christmas shoes the least, and that person gets an extra gift, the gift of a piece of mind!

Music is important God gave us the Psalms which many theologians call the songbook of the bible. God obviously wants us to sing and worship him with music. You see people all throughout scripture worshiping God in Song, from Moses to Mary. You have Paul in Philippians 4 telling believers to encourage each other with song. Today we are going to look at the scripture behind “oh come all ye faithful.”

I find that singing the songs of the faith really impact my mood and impact the mood of my family. When we are driving in the car or just moving around the house you can hear one of the 3 of us singing or humming, and maybe the cat is singing to the Lord at 3 in the morning, or at least I tell myself that! I have learned only recently that one of the most beautiful things the ear can hear is children singing the songs of the faith. If that doesn't melt your heart you need to get it checked! I'll hear my daughter singing Come thou fount and it reminds me of the blessings that God has given me and what he is giving her. God shows he word is true by showing the impact of song. So Men sing with your kids, sing so your kids can hear you, sing even if you can't carry a tune in a bucket. What you model your family will do, David a mighty warrior and king sang, you can, you should, you must.

Some background on the Hymn

Originally it was written in Latin Adeste fideles laeti triumphantes, it was translated in the 1800’s by Fredrick Oakeley.

Today we are going to camp in the verses that this song comes from.

The bulk of our text Today is in Luke 2:1-14.

Background

The Book was written by Luke he is a doctor. The Greek text in Luke is among the most eloquent and complicated behind Hebrews which is the most complicated.

Luke Stated his purpose for writing the gospel down in Chapter 1 (READ 1-4) It is so this gentile Theolphilus could know accurately about what he was instructed about Jesus. Theophilus based on his title “most excellent” was a title for provincial officials in the Roman Empire. So he was a man of some means.

Text

Luke 2:1–14 ESV

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. 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, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 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. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 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. 10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Caesar and Jesus

Big Idea:

God is sovereign and ordained all that came to pass so that Jesus would be born this day

God Set it all up in history

A major thread in this section is the person of Augustus Caesar and Jesus Christ. The two figures loom large in this passage. Augustus was the nephew of Julius Caesar who was the man that began the process of turning Rome from a republic into an Empire. The process was finished under Augustus. The Roman Caesars were larger then life, what they wanted happened. You have that contrasted with Jesus true power born as a baby.

One of the things I see hear in the text is that God was using this supposedly all powerful ruler and government to accomplish His purposes. Look at Micah 5:2

Micah 5:2 ESV

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.

God used this man's decree to bring Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. The old saying "if you want to hear God laugh tell him your plans." That rings true, God's sovereign will cannot be thwarted. Can you imagine Mary and Joseph saying "no we aren't going to being having Jesus thank you very much" or Noah saying "I ain't build that boat!" God wouldn't be God then. The scripture is repeatedly clear that.

So while the events around Jesus birth were very intense it was all part of God's plan. No government or politician could ever dream of accomplishing what God does! So ask yourself who do you trust? The great hair, pearly white smiles of some person on TV in some office or the truly all powerful God?

Here are some verses to show you that God's plan couldn't be thwarted.

Look at Isaiah 46:9,10

For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

In context God is talking about the idols made by men's hands. No other God can do that.

Jesus himself said Matthew 20: 17-19

17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

How could he have known the exact outcome if he was not God? Caesar can't do this, men can't do this. What man can threaten or decree God can actually accomplish.

God the King verse Man the King

Looking at August a little more he was given that name because he was lifted up. It was a Hellenistic pagan religious title. The pagans were making Caesar into a God, they were making government into God. Meanwhile look at verses 6/7. Jesus who is God was born in stable. The God who created the whole universe was not lifted up but made low It says this in Hebrews 2:

5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands.

8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

People make government much, but God doesn't in-fact all government is secondary to Christ's. Another song say at Christmas has this line from Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The little baby in the manger is the true man to be lifted up not the man in the seat of power. Christ is king or as the founders would say "No king but Christ." Idolatry of Government seems to be something Western gentiles specialize in. We need to lift up Christ not the state, Jesus is different.

He is not a king that Lords over us, a person willing to do whatever underhanded measure to win. He does as he pleases. He is king and his ways are good. He didn't have to occupy Israel as Rome did, it was already his. He didn't come to start a revolution he already was in-charge. He is a different kind of King and he is in the process of putting his enemies under his footstool.

3) Family and the text

Look briefly at Luke 2:4-7 Dad's lead your families like Joseph and model it to your wives and children, Moms follow the lead of your husbands and encourage them in obeying God and model that encouragement to your children especially your daughters.

Let's take a quick look at joseph's life real quick. He has no spoken lines in the New Testament, sorry every Christmas pageant writer ever! Yet he is obedient to God in his life. He was called literally by God to be a husband and a father. Look at Matthew 1

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Now most men will get married, most men who are married will become fathers. God has given you a high calling men. Joseph was given the task of being Jesus' adopted father and he did it, he was called to be the husband of Mary and he did it. If you are a father you have been given the high calling of being a dad. Notice what Joseph didn't do. He didn't abdicate what God had said to do he stepped up. God has called men to lead their homes like a king leads his country. When they king abdicates his rule the country flounders, when he reigns the country flourishes.

I was reading a book on Masculinity and it gave the definition of Manhood like this:

"masculinity is the glad assumption of sacrificial responsibility"

Joseph obeyed God with his life he took on the sacrifice to his reputation, he took on a rumor and a black mark for God. He got up and did the work. Joseph is an image of God's faithfulness. Men you need to be an image of God's faithfulness. I was reading that 18% of kids have a Nuclear family, the kind that God designed. Men you need to check yourself and step up. Own your short comings obey God and get out of the comfy situation you are in. We need more Josephs in our midst. Imagine if you will what your family would look like if you sacrificed more, imagine the church would do if you went further, imagine what our nation would look like if men acted like Joseph. Give your family the gift of your sacrifice. Step up again, when men act like men marvelous things happen. Your family will grow, this church will grow, our nation will be made right again.

Love God, love your wife, love your kids, be like Joseph. Let me explain to you something (use discipline story from this last week and what the Bible says)

Ladies I've got something for you here to look at the text. Ladies imagine if you will walking or riding on a animal 70 miles while in your late third trimester. Yet Mary did just that! In 2019 Alaina and I went to a hockey game and I paid the extra fee to park closer just so she wouldn't have to walk farther then she had when she was late in her third trimester and it was still hard to do!

Ladies are you willing to do as Mary and follow your husbands lead? Even when it's hard, even when our culture paints everyman as an idiot and incompetent? When Our culture says that listening to your husband and putting him and your children first is wrong? Look at Mary she was a young girl and was pregnant and not yet married to Joseph. I have seen and heard the gossip mills in my life. We know the women who specialize in scuttlebutt. (Men you do this to) I know the impact of the words and looks one women has on another, this is a perversion of what the Bible teaches us. The Bible makes it clear that the older ladies should train the younger in following their husbands and raising their children. In Titus 2:3-5

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

So ladies this Christmas Give your families the gift of being like Mary. If the husband is to lead the household as king you are to be his queen pushing him with respect and love to lead well, and following him when he does. This little action will change your family direction.

The last point I want to make on family is that Joseph and Mary provided for Jesus out of their poverty. They gave birth in a barn or cave. What don't you need in your life Dad, Mom? I saw a sign that had a Mustang on it and it said "The kids can pay for their own college." It struck me how selfish that was and also who short sighted that is. You know that every person of means pays for their children to go to college right? It's no coincidence that the rich act so family minded. God wants us to put our families first not our comforts. I'm not going into this today but how the Christian views family is radically different from our neighbors. So to some up if the world is saying that this or that is the best way to do this with your family don't buy it.

5) Angels worship God loudly and in very public places, so should we as a church!

This text here is important look at Luke 2:14 The angels came and worshiped Jesus publicly. Now as we've said earlier they may not have looked like people, they may have, but they worshipped Jesus openly, loudly, and without fear. This is a lesson for us as a church. We need to be bold with our proclamation about Jesus is our community. We need to be thinking of intelligent ways to reach into or local community. To praise my wife publicly she said "Why don't we take something to the local fire station tell them that Jesus loves them and merry Christmas. I looked it up and Fleet Services is right around the corner. We don't have to stop there we could do public baptisms or hymn sings around area or have service outside in the cooler months! Some of you are much more civic oriented this is a challenge for you how can we impact our county our local area for Jesus. How can we be seen by our neighbors?

I believe in order to be salt and light lets get out there and do it! If you have ideas talk with me, if you have connections that we may use to bless lets use them.

On the family side men you should be bring down worship by a whole octave out there when we sing. David sang so should you. I'm not asking you to join the choir, but I'm asking you to lead your family in worship even if you think your singing is about as good as a dog barking at 2 in morning. I don't feel like I need to ask the ladies you will sing.

Let's worship loudly, boldly, publicly like the angels. Worship is warfare.

6) Christmas is about the Cross.

Jesus was born among sheep because like them he was a sacrifice for our sins. The city of Bethlehem was known for its shepherds it was known for its sheep, it was the occupation of David (1 Samuel 16:10-13), and it was the place that Jesus was born. The Bible says this about the sacrifices of sheep don't actually accomplish the atonement of sin Hebrews 10:1-14 says this:

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body have you prepared for me;

6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Jesus was to go to the cross, Christmas was about the cross. Let me make this plain if you love Christmas you need to know that this is about God's plan to save sinners from sin. We needed Christmas because of sin

(Give the gospel)

Close the message

Benediction

300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas “May God Give You Peace with Yourselves”

May God give you peace with yourselves. May He give you goodwill toward all your friends, your enemies, and your neighbors. And may He give you grace to give glory to God in the highest.