Worship Service

what were kicking off a sermon series this morning on Christmas and the title of the sermon series is a beautiful Christmas because I think if we slow down And we focus on Christmas and we Focus On Christ. We see a very beautiful thing and I think there are times in which we move at such a pace. We don't slow down and see the beauty of Christmas. We all get busy with agendas and dates and parties and events and shopping and gifts and we just kind of rushed through December sometimes and before we know it it's over and we haven't paused and done what we what we saying about earlier. Oh come let us adore him. In that about the most important thing we could do this morning and this month. Is pause and slow down our lives and adore Christ.

And I believe if we look more closely at the Christmas story and we look more closely at the scriptures themselves. We will be lead to adore him. But again, the adversary kind of games of Victory when he feels our agenda and our plate so full that we just kind of feel like I got to check off one thing and move to the next and check off another and so I want to invite us during each of these Sundays to Focus On Christ and the story of Christmas and his birth and to adore him we may do service is a little different. We met one Sunday. We may have the sermon first and then have the worship be Kind of a celebration of what we've drawn our minds to when we look at scripture in Luke 2:10, the story of Christmas unfolds in Luke the first couple of chapters in a Luke Chapter 2. It starts by telling us an angel came to Mary privately and told her that you have found favor with God and God is going to bring his plan forward 208 redeem Mankind through you you're going to have this child that will be the son of God. And then came to Joseph and encouraged him to accept Marian to know that true that to protect her and care for her and then that Circle of announcement widened and Angels Came not just a Joseph and Mary but the Shepherds who were in the field caring for their flocks to announce that this was the night that God's plan for centuries was going to come to fruit with Christ being born in beginning and verse 10 of Luke Chapter 2. It says in the angel said to them fear not for behold. I bring you good news of great joy, that will be for all the people. About when you look at this verse in the King James version, here's what it says and lo the angel of the Lord Came Upon them and the glory of the Lord Shone round about them and they were sore afraid you may remember that from Charlie Brown when Linus reads a story and he uses that same translation to King James that they were sore afraid you may ask yourself. What's the difference between being afraid and being sore afraid if I know the difference between being afraid and being sore afraid? Essentially sore is intensifying that word afraid in the Old English just in the English language. It's kind of like we might say to someone for you were sorely needed last week at that event meeting. We really was painful not to have you there. It was really we really needed you there in the original Greek. It is an intense word that the original Greek doesn't just say they were afraid it says they were afraid and then it repeats itself in the original language. They were greatly afraid. So it really intensifies the fear that the Shepherds were experiencing In this passage and it is a both and kind of fear and what I mean by that is it's the obvious fear that any of us would have if we were out in the darkness if we weren't we're out in the watching sheep and suddenly Angels appear to us. There's that level of fear that says, oh, you know what you're suddenly here and I am startled and I I'm out of sorts because I'm caught off guard by this and so that's the first level of fear that anyone would have anybody ever been startled you thought you were alone in a room and then you turn around and realize somebody was sitting there do I go I had no idea you were here. There's that obvious level at which anyone would be afraid when this appearance occurs, but it's also a deeper level of fear because the author in Luke doesn't just say they were afraid they were startled. He he talks about this deep fear. And when you look at scripture you realize the both and fear is this fear that they had not just that they were startled by these visitors, but that these visitors were from heaven. That they were God's representatives. There was this deeper fear that oh, no, we're in the presence of holy were in the presence of God's Messengers God's Divine Representatives. We we are undone isn't as Isaiah 6 type of fear when Isaiah the prophet comes into the presence of the Lord. He says, woe is me. I am unraveled because I am a man of unclean lips among the people of unclean lips. And so there's this deep fear to be in the presence of the Holy that's represented in the passage not just startled by the angels that appeared to them but overwhelmed by what it means to be a mere mortal sin and Frailty and all in the presence of God almighty's Messengers. the Unholy in the presence of the Holy So there's this deep post and fear. And I think it goes back to Genesis. In Genesis, 3 scripture say speaking of Adam and Eve and they heard the sound of the Lord God Walking In The Garden in the cool of the day and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God Among the Trees of the garden, but the Lord God called them and said to him, where are you? And he said I heard the sound of you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.

See we were originally created to be loved by God to have this Divine friendship with God to live lives that are fearless. And so God created Adam and Eve in the store and gave them everything. They they needed and we get this to this phrase in Genesis where it says that God would come to the Garden in the cool of the evening to fellowship and and walk and be with Adam and Eve that sort of divine friendship. They were created to know this great piece to know that their loved to have this French of God said to have no fear because of that the adversary to see them into thinking you know, what I got to take charge of my own life. I'm only going to be happy if I'm the one in charge. I'm only going to look at I'm the only one that will look out for myself. It's got to be all about number one and they chose to take matters into their own hands and they broke that relationship with God suddenly that that that love that that Divine friendship that Fearless intention got had for all of us was shattered. And God come to the garden and he says where are you? And I said well we're hiding. Cuz we were afraid. It's a heartbreaking moment in Scripture that Humanity lives with from this point on until. This amazing announcement. We live in this season where we feel alone and unsure and fearful because of the broken relationship we have with God. That's the fear that the shepherd's feel not just I'm startled is dark and suddenly there's light I was alone and suddenly there's Angels here, but not just in my startled but it's Angels. It's holding us in my presence and we know what Unholy people need to do in the presence of Holiness like Adam and Eve. We need to run and hide until there's this deep fear that they have when these angels show up. And it goes all the way back to Genesis.

Look what the angel says to them. And the angel said to them fear not.

Again, there's two layers to those words the Angels. It's not just it's not only the initial stop shaking in your boots. But it's deeper than that fear. Not the angel said to them for behold I bring you. Good. news good news. That's what you want to hear from someone who shows up to whom you know, you have an unpayable debt to especially when that someone is the owner and Creator and sustainer of your very life and this universe itself. And you know, you have betrayed him and you know, you must run and hide, you know, your sin has found you out, you know, you are marked by your own selfish desires and suddenly the holy is standing in your presence. And you know, you are Unholy until like Adam and Eve you want to run and hide until when the Angels appear the shepherds are terrified terrified. They are terrified all the way back to Genesis 3 with this deep fear and then the angel say

fear not

I bring you. good news

Will you let that sink in? That's the joy of the Christmas season. But the Angels Came and announce the arrival of God In the Flesh and it did not arrive as a soldier as a warrior to push up his sleeves and say now I'm going to straighten everybody out. You better hide because you're in trouble. Instead he arrived as an infant. How much more vulnerable could God arrived in this world as an infant? Come to sacrifice himself for us. What's the Angels say? You're not. Behold, I'm bringing you good. news

of great joy That will be for all people. Do you realize the magnitude of that announcement that the Angels appear to the Shepherds and say no need to be afraid? I know I know what you're thinking. I know you're new some responses to say. Oh my goodness and to be terrified in the presence of God, but I'm here to announce. I've got an announcement to pay attention behold. Look check this out. I'm here to tell you something. I'm here to give you good news of great. Joy for all people.

behold in the original passage that Greek word really what the angel is saying is do not be fearing be perceiving for I am now seeing I am announcing good news. The word behind behold is there in the Greek some translations leave it out. Just one of the ways in which some translations fail because it's its own separate word in the original Greek. The angels are saying don't be afraid. But I need your attention. I need you to pay attention. I need you to stop being Frozen with fear. I need you to stop thinking I've got to hide God has shown up and I've got to find a bush to get behind. I am uncovered. I'm exposed. I'm a sinner. I've got to find an excuse. I've got to find a way to be good at this present time. I'm going to say the Lord I went to church but Lord, I went to Sunday School Florida. I did this I did that temptation to offer these excuses the angel shows up and says Hey Hey Hey, Hey, listen, listen, stop being afraid. Is an amazing news that an angel from God comes down for how many preachers? Have priests heresy. Through the centuries and the church has welcomed it how many times have we been taught to be afraid? God is coming. How many times have preacher said you need to fear the lord and misused scripture? I prefer to hear from the Angels, don't you? God's Messengers first-hand straight from their lips and their first words to the Shepherds who are petrified or terrified. Stop being afraid how much would a transform Our Lives if we stopped being afraid of God?

imagine that If we heard this words in the Angels Fear not they say stop being afraid instead be perceiving behold. Look carefully. Listen to what I'm telling you. I am bringing you good news of great. Joy to all people

Angels are inviting us to know that this announcement. This good news announcement is that we have never been unloved. We will never be alone, and we never need to fear the future.

See when we abide in the broken relationship we have with God and we camp there more than placing our faith on what he is doing through Christ, then if we're not careful careful or Alive can be eat up with fear and we can make all our decisions about being afraid that we're never going to be loved. Have you ever seen anybody make bad decisions in their life because they were looking for love. Ever so afraid that maybe I'm going to be unloved. Maybe I'm not getting I've just got to and then and everyone's like no.

Or afraid that we're going to alone. Your have that fear in your mind in your heart, then you're tempted to make bad decisions in order not to feel alone. Never worry about the future. Ever spend all your energy of this life. living prophylactically Instead of having bold faith and trust in God and living a life is fearless. Do we buy insurance? Do we store why all her money like squirrel stores way nuts someday, maybe thinking it's all on us. It's all on our shoulders. We have got to provide for us cuz we are alone in this world. You see how the adversary games Victory and slips into our life like the serpent that he is I convince us to make decisions based on fear. Well, I don't know. Why can't I mean I guess I could do that. But what if I can invite my neighbor to church but what if they say no, I could give more money to the church, but what if I don't have enough stored away for the future, I could take that mission trips, but what if I get sick on the trip, I could get involved in that sort of ministry. But what if it changes my schedule for defy fall in love with those gets what if I end up adopting those kids it's going to change everything I can get involved in downtown Ministry, but then you know my Sunday's won't be mine. We we have all these what ifs and the adversary convinces us to live life based on fear. And God invites us to live life based on faith. unbelief in this amazing Grand announcement when the Angels show up fear not can you imagine? Letting go of some of your fear. What would that look like for you? What is the doctor gives me bad news? What if my kids don't stay faithful? What if I rattle those constant? What-ifs around in your head. Can you imagine? If you trusted the good news, if you did what the angel said if you stopped fearing and started perceiving and looking that the fact that God Came In the Flesh and gave his life for us that this announcement is God in the form of an infant come to rescue us that there could not be a more definitive statement of God's absolute and commit love for us and commitment to us and the sacrifice of his own son so that we could live life's full of certainty of God's love for us. That we could live life believing Jesus in Matthew when he says I will be with you always so that we could take his words to heart and John 14 what he says don't let your hearts be troubled. I'm going to prepare a place for you if it wasn't so I wouldn't be saying it. So that our future is secure. And we don't have to live out of fear. Can you imagine how it would change our lives? I'm so the angel in ounces. Stop fearing start receiving start looking start focusing on what I'm saying to you. I've got good news. Great. Joy for all people for unto you this day in the city of David a savior. Who is Christ Our Lord?

Is Born To You?

But here's the challenge. I'm going to buy the worship team to come forward and I promise that you won't have to stand there more than 10 minutes before I finally land the plane.

Look at the ways God has revealed himself through Christ. That's your assignment this week. The more you focus on the good news of Christ birth, the more you can diminish those fears that the adversary slips into our hearts and Minds The more you obey those angels were they say stop fearing and start perceiving the more you can lessen those fears in your own mind and your own heart. And so take time this week to read the Christmas story in Luke chapter 1 and 2 or to read the first 14 verses of John chapter 1 or 2 read Colossians chapter 1 that talks about Christ's existence from before eternity itself with God the Father take time this week to Focus On Christ. And the amazing good news of his birth. And let that Focus push beers out of your life.

DC the invitation is to us to The angel say to us this morning. Stop fearing.

Stop fearing.

and start perceiving start looking.

Start trusting in what God has done through Christ.

I'm going to say a prayer in the moment and then turn it over to the worship team for. Song of invitation if you have a decision to make during the song I'll be in the back come to me. I love to pray with you and talk to you they'll be folks in the front and the back for prayer come to one of us if you have a prayer concern on your mind this morning. Let this be the beginning of worship this month that special for you that you're pausing or slowing down. You're putting your eyes on Christ in such a way. That fear is pushed out of your life.

Father we may be full of fear of our own failure. Even now we may be afraid to get her hopes up that we could put our mind on you more fully this month and that we might know less fear and more faith. Even with that thought. We may say to ourselves. Yes. I'll try and I will fail I won't be a good disciple. I won't slow down. I'll stay too busy. It'll slip out of my hands and before I know it'll be January and I did not turn my eyes upon Christ.

And we are amazed by the biblical truth that even in the midst of our failures. That you meet us with grace and patience. That your mercies are new every morning.

And so we worry about today each day has enough troubles of its own you have told us. And so let this day be a day that we find time to focus on you. That we start the process of letting go of some of the fears that we hold on to. And may we take this verse in Luke 2:10. May we memorize it this week? Maybe read a teacher day.

And take baby steps toward obeying the angels. Hearing less and perceiving more the good news of your birth.

So that we might have more joy and less anxiety not simply for ourselves. But so that we might be lights that shine in this world that testify to your good.

And your son's holy name we pray. amen