Christmas Eve
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ME
ME
Merry Christmas.
Setting up the perfect Christmas. Story of my first .22 rifle. Best Christmas ever.
If you’re a parent you want the best Christmas for your kids, right? We all want it. We want to manufacture our own peace and joy through presents, dinner and all the other stuff.
WE
WE
However, you and I both know that all of that is a waste, we know that by 9:30 the presents have all been opened and the joy has all run out. The kids are honestly more interested in the boxes that you bought than they are the gifts.
Which then brings the question… where does real peace and real joy come from? It’s comes the Christmas story. I want you to read this story a different way today.
If you have your Bibles turn with me to Luke 2:1.
WORD
WORD
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
I like to pause here and remind you that Luke investigated all the things that he writes down.
These are real people. Real facts of the situation that he is recording. A piece of history.
3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Not the way she wanted to have the baby. Things don’t go as planned. She wanted to have the birth at home with her parents there, with the family there with everything the way they wanted it.
Instead, she is having the baby in what’s likely a crowded home.
SHOW PICTURE
Have you ever had anything in life not go as planned?
Work
Kids
School
Relationships
If you’ve have, man you’re in good company b/c the family of Jesus didn’t have things go their way.
A night when things didn’t work the way they wanted, night when stuff was all wrong, we would look back 2000 years later and call it a Holy Night.
Just b/c it didn’t go as you planned doesn’t mean that God isn’t in it.
The birth of Jesus did not go as Mary and Joseph planned but God was working in it.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
Don’t think noble shepherds out in the field.
Shepherds lived a hard, lonely, outdoor life with their sheep.
They often stayed in tents made from black goats’ hair and moved frequently during the summer.
They could be away from supplies for days or weeks at a time.
Their clothing was rough and practical, including a stiff felt overcoat for protection.
They carried a leather bag with basic food like bread, olives, and cheese.
Most shepherds were poor and uneducated.
They often smelled like their sheep, covered in dirt with little chance for grooming.
People in towns would take their money but want them to leave quickly because of their appearance and odor.
Their job was physically demanding and high-risk.
Shepherds were responsible for the entire survival of the flock—pasture, water, shelter, and care for injuries.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
The news I bring the angel says doesn’t come from your job or your news cycle or who you’re dating. The news I bring will bring true joy, not false or fake joy. This joy, will be for everyone.
God’s message that He came to save the everyone came first to the people society deemed unworthy.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Two things we receive bc of the Christmas story joy and peace.
Brandon I don’t feel either of those in this season….
May I just be so gentle and suggest that perhaps you’re looking for joy and peace in all the wrong places.
money
spouse
career
kids
success
True joy and peace can only be found in Jesus.
33 years after this event we’re reading about Jesus is hoisted up on a cross and he says…
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
“It is finished.” — Tetelestai. Brought to perfection. Complete. No more work to be done.
The Law and the Prophets were fulfilled, the promise God made to Abraham all those years ago was complete. The chasm between God and man had been covered by the Blood of Jesus.
Our joy in the holiday season doesn’t come from gifts we received or gift that we give, our joy doesn’t come from the house we celebrate Christmas in, or the people that join us around the Christmas Tree tomorrow morning.
No. Our joy, comes from the gift of the little baby in a manger that would carry the weight of your sin and my sin so that we could be reunited with our Heavenly Father.
YOU
YOU
And you can have access to that joy and peace. It’s yours to receive b/c Jesus so freely gave. And when he gave it he was thinking of you.
So before we close in song… I want to give you the opportunity to respond to gift Jesus gave. If that’s you and you’re ready to surrender your life to him and accept the gift this is your moment.
All heads bowed all eyes closed.
Admit
Believe
Commit
RAISE HANDS — PASTOR JOHN COUNT HANDS
