1.1.1. 12.2.2018 Get the Story Straight! Revelation 12.1-17

Series Opening…Have you ever had a bad Christmas? Weather. Sickness. Crisis. Loneliness. So sometime around mid-November you begin to say to one another "This year we're going to get it right." Like it's a contest.

▾ Start:

▾ Series Opening…Have you ever had a bad Christmas? Weather. Sickness. Crisis. Loneliness. So sometime around mid-November you begin to say to one another

An

“old-fashioned” Christmas,

A

"family Christmas."

"This year we're going to get it right." Like it's a contest. An old-fashioned Christmas, A "family Christmas." A "special" Christmas. How ever you want to think

A

"special" Christmas.

A

Care-Bear Christmas....

Whatever floats your boat...However, the longer you reflect on those images the more surreal they can become and the less likely. I want to help. I want to give you some guidance this month

How ever you want to think about it. The longer you reflect on those images the more surreal they can become and the less likely. I want to help. I want to give you some guidance this month

about it. The longer you reflect on those images the more surreal they can become and the less likely. I want to help. I want to give you some guidance this month

about…

Doing Christmas Right!!

Doing Christmas Right!!

That's right…You know I'm really serious because I used two exclamation points. However I do have a disclaimer. I really don't think that Doing Christmas Right is

• That's right…You know I'm really serious because I used two exclamation points. However I do have a disclaimer. I really don't think that Doing Christmas Right is

That's right, and you know I'm really serious because I used two exclamation points. However I do have a disclaimer. I really don't think that

Doing Christmas Right!!!

about the perfect present, the perfect tree, the perfect turkey. Christmas perfection was realized the first time…Mary laid him in a manger. For us Doing Christmas

is about

perfect present, the perfect tree, the perfect turkey. Christmas perfection was realized the first time…Mary laid him in a manger. For us Doing Christmas

the perfect present,

the perfect tree,

the perfect turkey.

Christmas perfection was realized the first time…Mary laid him in a manger. For us

Right means preparing our hearts and minds to celebrate the coming of Christ our King!

Doing Christmas Right !!!!

• Entice: There are lots of ways to tell a story. The Christmas story is the culmination of the OT promises of a coming savior. The Christmas story is comfy, cozy, and

means preparing our hearts and minds to celebrate the coming of Christ our King!

Entice: There are lots of ways to tell any story, and lots of ways to tell the Christmas story. The Christmas story is the culmination of the OT promises of a coming savior. In its most familiar form the Christmas story is comfy, cozy, and homey. But it's not. Even in the gospels there are some uncomfortable facts and awkward circumstances.

homey. Except for when it's not.

Engage: Think of all those classic Christmas villains and cads from specials and cartoons.

▾ Engage: Think of all those classic Christmas villains and cads.

Scott Farkas

• Scott Farkas the bully from A Christmas Story

the bully from A Christmas Story

The Abominable Snowman

from Rudolph

The Abominable Snowman in Rudolph

Burgermeister Meisterburger

• Burgermeister Meisterburger from Santa Clause is Coming to Town….

from Santa Clause is Coming to Town….

The Grinch

• The Grinch.

Matthew's Gospel tells us about mean ol'

• Matthew's Gospel tells us about mean ol' Herod

Herod

mean ol' Herod

One villain is so proverbial that he has given his name to the whole lot of them.

• One villain is so proverbial that he has given his name to the whole lot of them. Scrooge.

Scrooge.

Expand: But the first and worst Christmas villain is the

• Expand: But the first and worst Christmas villain is the Dragon.You've never heard of the Dragon of Christmas? Let me fill you in.

Dragon.

You've never heard of the Dragon of Christmas? Let me fill you in.

Revelation 12:1–17 ESV

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. 7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” 13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

•

Excite: Beyond the various facts given in the Gospels the Christmas story explains exactly what it is God has been doing about the snake, the dragon, our adversary. After generations of ongoing preparation the incarnate Son comes to secure eternal salvation. We have to get the big story straight

• Excite: Beyond the various facts given in the Gospels the Christmas story explains exactly what it is God has been doing about the snake, the dragon, our

adversary. After generations of ongoing preparation the incarnate Son comes to secure eternal salvation. We have to get the big story straight

The only cure for a Christmas dragon is Lamb's blood.

• Explore: The only cure for a Christmas dragon is Lamb's blood.

We can keep the story straight when we remember some basic facts.

▾ Body of Sermon:

We can keep the story straight when we remember some basic facts.

▾ It is a Cosmic story.

It is a Cosmic story.

Apocalyptic symbolizes the universal with cosmic symbols.

• Apocalyptic symbolizes the universal with universal symbols.

Because we already know the gospels…we can connect the dots. And see how John adds universal texture to the simple story of the babe in a manger.

Because we already know the gospels…we can connect the dots. And see how John adds universal texture to the simple story of the babe in a manger.

• Because we already know the gospels…we can connect the dots. And see how John adds universal texture to the simple story of the babe in a manger.

Everybody, everywhere, for all time has a stake in the war of the Dragon upon God's people.

Everybody, everywhere, for all time has a stake in the war of the Dragon upon God's people.

• Everybody, everywhere, for all time has a stake in the war of the Dragon upon God's people.

It is a story of Conflict and Conquest.

▾ It is a story of Conflict and Conquest.

The resistance of the dragon…

• The resistance of the dragon…accusation , attack, deceive, destroy.

accusation , attack, deceive, destroy.

The response of God.

▾ The response of God.

The response of God.

The Salvation, and power, the kingdom of God and the authority of his Christ.

• The Salvation, and power, the kingdom of God and the authority of his Christ.

The dragon is conquered by the cross of Christ and it's preaching.

• The dragon is conquered by the cross of Christ and it's preaching.

It is a Continuing story.

▾ Continuing.

The Fury of the Dragon

• The Fury of the Dragon

The Focus of the faithful.

• The Focus of the faithful.

Your Story...

▾ Shut Down:

•The only cure for a Christmas dragon is Lamb's blood. The only fix for a broken world are nails in the humble hands of God's incarnate servant. The only solution

The only cure for a Christmas dragon is Lamb's blood.

The only fix for a broken world are nails in the humble hands of God's incarnate servant. The only solution for the conflict of the ages is a champion who surrenders Himself to the eternal will of the Father and who sacrifices Himself to redeem the fallen creation. The only cure for the accusation, intimidation, taunting and torment of the Christmas dragon is the blood of the lamb and the word of His testimony.

for the conflict of the ages is a champion who submits Himself to the eternal will of the Father and who sacrifices Himself to redeem the fallen creation. The only

The sermon may be finished but the story goes on. The dragon can be a sneaky, sneaky snake and he’s after more than your root-beer. You live the story. You give it feet and hands and heart and warmth and purpose. The dragon still snarls but like the bumble, he has been de-fanged. And Bumbles may bounce…but dragons are slain.

cure for the accusation, intimidation, taunting and torment of the Christmas dragon is the blood of the lamb and the word of His testimony.

So…do you want to rise with the lamb, or swim with the snake? It may not be pretty, it may not be cozy, and it sure isn’t safe…but that is the story of Christmas.