December 23, 2018 - ADVENT 04 - Guest Bob Krahn

Pastor shell is on vacation with his wife and family and the so we have some guest speakers over the next week or so, and I'm pleased to welcome up Pastor poptron who's our regional Minister for the DC Association of churches a he's going to be speaking this morning. I most of you've probably heard him before but that's always good to have you back to speak with us, and we ask for God's blessing on your message this morning.

And I just tested the mic for you. So I think it's working.

Good morning. It's good to be with you Christmas.

Every year you think we'd be ready and Andre said it you think we'd be ready because Christmas Comes the same time every year and about the end of October Shirley by the beginning of November. It's Christmas wherever you walk and everything is Christmas and then here we are. Couple days before Christmas we're going is it Christmas already two days and and is it two days? Today's Christmas Eve and Christmas day, right and it's and it's there and seems to catch us by surprise. One of the things that I like at Christmastime Is there's there's some I wish you a different Christmas joke along the way and so I'm going to share the best one that I heard so far. It's actually a story some of you are grandparents here until we're grandparents and I heard the story of a grandmother who was in a care center and every year she would send presents to her grandchildren and they would receive these presents and they would hopefully write a letter of thank you back to her. But one year the mother got tired of pounding her children saying right Grandma letter. Thank her for the present and did you do it? No, I didn't do it following week. Did you write the letter yet? No, I haven't got it redneck eventually. They did write a letter or I mean the mom thought I am not telling these kids. So they're old enough. They can do this on their own. I told him often enough that they need to do this. And so that your she didn't say anything and as a result the grandmother in the care home didn't get any letters. Thank you for the present. You gave me a Christmas. So the mother was wondering what grandma was going to do the following year. So Grandma as usual actually wrote them all checks and even more than she had done the year before which was interesting when they go out all these and to her surprise. Each of the children said, could we go and visit Grandma at the care center and just thank her personally for this check that she gave us where we're so thankful that she gave this to which they did so they drove over there and all the other residents said. Wow, what wonderful grandchildren you have? You know, we're lucky if we get a thank you from from our car kids. You know, when we send them something you are as they all came here. Personally. What what's your secret? How do you have such wonderful grandchildren to which she responded? She said? Well, I gave them all checks this year, but I didn't sign them.

There's the key to thankfulness. Well, this is the fourth Sunday of Advent and villager Campbell and most of our churches. We find that when anyone Christmas and Christmas Eve comes along the main service of celebrating. The birth of Christ comes either on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day and almost all of our churches are doing a Christmas Eve service but not a Christmas day service. Although the odd one has that as well, but one of the things about Advent is that time of expectation the time of build up with something that we're looking forward to and of course Christmas is just the the biggest one that there is as far as anticipation of something that's coming that we're looking forward to Easter is also a very similar time when you look at it in one way UCD anticipation of the people longing and wanting something better, but the life wasn't going well and then you saw the darkness of the Cross and then Christ rises from the dead and you have that. Played out through scripture in story after Story. It's a story in her life and the story of Christmas as well where there's the anticipation they belonging for hundreds of years for something to happen. And then there's the darkness that is there and then there's a birth of Christ that comes along. Sometimes we get lost in that darkness and we don't see the light in the hope that is there for us. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night in the darkness Daniel spent the night in the Lion's Den Peter denied Christ at night following his Shipmates were Shipwrecked at night the shepherds in the field came at night. Mary and Joseph arrived in the stable and Mary spent the night in labor and over the years of listening to very lots of sermons at Christmas time. You probably have heard the state of the world when Christ was born. It wasn't a very good state of the world at that time. When I when you look at what life under the Roman rule what it be like very cruel very harsh and I thought of some of the things that was reading what what Paul had written about what the world was like and he wrote these kinds of words. This is how he described the culture that he lived in and you may even recognize it as very similar, you know life goes on Generations go on but so many things stay the same listen to know how Paul describe his world the world that Jesus was born into Here's the words. He used about his culture Envy murder deceit gossip slander haters of God. Insolent Hardy disobedient heartless ruthless.

What a world to be born into I remember back in the 60s 70s 80s the Cuban Missile Crisis and all those things and the discussions at University that went on do you really want to have children? Do you really want to bring children into a world like this? I think that's a question that most people that are wanting to have children wrestled with and they look around and they look at the society where they are.

And it's a choice that is being made. And there is not much hope unless you know the future unless you know how it's going to end. And that's the hope of course that we have in Christ all slaves or cheap labor Herod thought nothing of killing all the Jewish babies 2 years and under just let's just do it. Let's do away with all these kids to make sure that my Throne is secure and the emperor domitian birthday. It says 2500 captured people were slaughtered that day and the Romans were the ones who invented the cross. The cross was the most cruel punishment that they could come up with why because it didn't just you were just executed it lasted and it went on and on. And the people suffered I never could watch people suffer. And so they invented the cross at one point. They said Christianity in those early days history chords that Christians were martyred. I'm hung on crosses as far as the eye could see. That's the world that Christ came into do I entertain the rich by killing each other in the Arenas and prisoner were thrown and ripped apart by wild beasts and it did this world. The Bible says that Jesus was born and came into this kind of a world Luke 2 verse 7. I want to read some of this in the scriptures Luke 2 verse 7

While they were there, they were doing that getting registered. It says while they were there the time came for the baby to be born and she gave birth to her firstborn a son. She wrapped him and Claws placed him in a Manger because there was no room for them in the air and then the shepherd's first of all heard this wonderful news about this person who is going to be born Shepherds, of course the lowlifes of society the people that weren't really in the business World. They were off on the field. They were dirty. They slept with the sheep and sheep we have this nice fluffy sheep that wander around now, but they were actually fairly dirty animals. They didn't didn't take baths either bad. Did you get that bad thing? They can you ask so you got that when I was a little attempt there. I heard that actually at a play at a children's play. I heard them using those

So so they were they were out there and to this group of people who really didn't have much hope in life. The whole life is going to be spent out in the field in the rain and the cold keeping the animals away trying to protect the Sheep not being respected and of these people night time Angels came and talked with them and said, you know what some great things are happening. Don't be afraid Don't Be Afraid you've anticipated something for here's your now in the darkness of night the darkness of society all around you but here is good news. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people today in the town of David a savior has been born to you. He is Christ the lord and this is a sign that you will find him lying in a Manger wrapped in this class and the great company of the Heavenly Host came and they said glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace to men that uses the word actually from I'm kind to all people on whom his favor rests and they rushed over to see the Jesus who was born anticipation The Dark Knight and now the light and the hope and the joy that was waiting them. Awesome how God has pulled all of history together for this time at this place? One look at another passage in Isaiah, which also talks way back and you may have heard this red many many times and it's interesting that this passage in Isaiah, which isn't red just before it Isaiah chapter 9 verse 2 or first of all it talks about at this time, and it says in verse to the people walking in darkness. I've seen a great light and then it talks about this light for to us a child is born to us a son is given in the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and peace. There will be no end.

When you look at your life is your life follow that kind of a pattern where you have anticipation.

When you're hungry you have anticipation that something good is going to happen at some point. When you're you're single you have anticipation that something good is going to happen when you're married. You have anticipation that something good is going to happen. And when we course are approaching death, we have an anticipation that something is going to happen. But along the way with that it just a patient and those of us that are senior we know that yes, there's an anticipation and we know the whole thing but there's also some pain some darkness that we will go through before we cross over and those of you who are married although everyone else thinks that you've never had any problem that you have that anticipation you got married, but then there's some bumps along the way and some Darkness but you have hope because you know, that is not you that has to work it all out. You have Christ you have the Living God living and working in you. And probably if you went back and looked over your life those times would be very real to you as you know, the times of wanting something better finding yourself in darkness without that. Hope that you needed and then you heard the good news. There is hope in Jesus Christ and you ask him to be a lord of your life and never give your sin that anticipation the darkness and then the new life that comes when we give her Lies over to Christ. What are the things that I noticed today? And I never I didn't give anyone my message or what anything I was going to say and last night about 9:30. I said tomorrow if you know what stuff all this material that I was going to preach on and I think I'm just not going to do all of that and not not because of the time constraint or things like that not because Andre spoke to me earlier, you know about my timeline. In fact, you said you just carry on as much as you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to speak I need to Just talked about who Jesus is here. He is the one that we celebrate coming to be born and while we were worshipping we started singing the name of Jesus. What a wonderful name. and then and then the even what was The Wonderful Name of Jesus that passes out of Isaiah that came up when we were here when we were talking and I had found this whole list of the 50 names of Jesus in the Bible names that talk about who Jesus is And I thought of those names as we anticipate that final on on Christmas Eve the lighting of that candle the birth of Christ the anticipation of the world all the chaos that was going around as we anticipate that it's this Jesus the name of Jesus the powerful name of Jesus. That is why he came and that is who we worship. So I thought what better time to do this if you can handle and I said two people really handle listening to a whole bunch of scripture on Sunday morning. You know shouldn't they be having some preaching stuff and instead of just a whole bunch of scripture? And she said you can't do better than scripture. So I'm going to take a drink I'm going to list you said 50 names from the scripture that talk about Jesus who is why he came and what he does.

I thought it went when I was going to share this. And I'm reflecting on it. There was a service I spoke in a service. It was an Outreach event and more of an Evangelistic kind of a message and during that time of people I brought Seekers neighbors different people that were there and during the during the course of the time as a witness. Someone someone ask the question your we need to find out. What is Jesus done in people's lives. And they said if some of you were lonely. And you found that Christ help you through that. Would you stand? and people stood and then he said some of you where else physically and you needed God to heal you.

And God healed and would you stand and some people stood and sat down and went through all of these things and end and someone is setting off the alarms. Would you stand and we do walk out there make sure it's not my car. The summit breaking into that we've had break-ins around her neighborhood, by the way. I don't know if you get that around here, but we do we're where we live at. So if you share some people still down, then they shut down and then they said some of you have gone through an ugly divorce. Where did you find the strength of Jesus helped you you stand and they stood. Some of you who had children who would scream and cry out and services and you said that there's a nursery there's a place to go and see all these things. Are are there one by one as people were asked the question where has God where has Christ helped you saved you? One by one they stood and all the people who didn't know Jesus who were there saw one after another. Wow. God worked here. Maybe in my darkness, maybe in my emptiness he can help me to. So I want to just go through some of these. I think it's already set up for us to look at some of these names of Jesus. We've been speaking of them. So if you would bear with me And maybe there's one or two of these names that you can think of particularly and especially as you go through the next couple days leading up to Christmas and you'll say I know Jesus the first one here has the old mighty one who is and who is who was and who is to come the almighty Revelation 1:8. Do you know God, you know, Jesus. Do you know this baby as the mighty one?

He's the Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning of the and Revelation 22:13. He's our Advocate. My dear children are right this to you so that you will not send but if anyone does so we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous one 1st. John 2:1 is the author and Perfecter of our faith fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and Perfecter of Faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross despising the shame and I sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God Hebrews, 12, 12 12 to a 40 Jesus all authority in heaven. And on Earth has been given to me Matthew 28:18 use the bread of life will never be thirsty John 6:35. And behold a voice from Heaven said this is my beloved Son. With whom I am. Well pleased please Matthew 3:17 is the bridegroom and Jesus said to them in the morning guest born as long as the bridegroom is with them. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them. And then they will Fast Matthew 9:15. He's the Chief Cornerstone the stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone Psalm 118:22. He said their liver have you experienced to him as the deliverer in your life and to wait for his son from Heaven who me raise from the dead Jesus who delivers us from the Wrath to come 1st Thessalonians, 1:10. He's faithful and true. I saw heaven standing open and there was before me a white horse whose Rider is called faithful and true with Justice. He judges and wages War revelation 19:11. Is the Good Shepherd I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the Sheep John 10:11. He's the great high priest therefore since we have a great high priest who is Pastor the heavens Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our confession Hebrews 4:14. He's the head of the church and he put all things under his feet and gave him his head over all things to the church fusions when 22, he's the holy servant and Grant that your bond servants may speak your word with all confidence while you extend your hand to heal and signs and wonders take place through the name of your holy serve Jesus acts 4:29 30. I am Jesus said truly truly I say to you before Abraham was I am John 8:58. Christmas time we think Emanuel and she will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel. Which means God With Us is Isaiah. 7:14. He's the Indescribable gift. Thanks be to God for his Indescribable gift 2nd Corinthians 9:15, and he is the one who appointed as a judge of the living and the dead ax1042. They will wage war against the lamb in the lamb overcome them because he is the Lord of Lord and king of kings and those who are with him are called and chosen and faithful Revelation. 17:14 is the Lamb of God the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world John 1:29. He's the light of the world. I am the light of the world who ever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of Life John 8:12. He's the lion of the tribe of Judah weep. No more Behold The Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and Seven Seals Revelations 5:5. He's the Lord of all for this reason also got highly exalted him. I bestowed on him the name which is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Flippy and stew 9 through 11. Is a mediator for there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 1st, Timothy 2:5. He's the Messiah John 141 says we have found the Messiah. That is the Christ is the mighty one. Then you will know that I the Lord am your savior your Redeemer the mighty one of Jacob Isaiah 60 verse 16. He's the one who sets free. So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed John 8:36. He's our hope Jesus Christ is our hope 1st Timothy 1:1. He's our peace for he himself is our peace was made the two groups one and destroyed the barrier the dividing wall of hostility Ephesians. 2:14 is the prophet. Jesus said to them a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household Mark 6:4. He's already Diemer as for me. I know that my redeemer lives in at the last he will take his stand on the earth Joe 1925. He's the Risen Lord that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures that he was buried that he was raised on the third day according to the scripture 1st Corinthians 15:33 to for he's our Rock they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them in the Rock was Christ 1st Corinthians 10:4. He's the sacrifice for our sins This is Love. Not that we loved God by the he loved us and sent his son is in the 20 sacrifice for our sins 1st John 4:10. He's our savior For unto us is Born This Day in the city of David. Savior, who is Christ the King? Christ the lord, Luke 2:11. He's the son of man for the son of man comes to seek and to save the Lost Luke 19:10. He's the son of the most high he will be great and will be called the son of the most high the Lord. God will give him the Throne of his father David Luke 1:32. He's the Supreme Creator overall by him all things were created both in the heavens and on Earth visible and invisible order Thrones or dominions are rulers or authorities. All things have been created hit through him and for him, he is before all things and in him all things hold together for strength Ian's 1-16-17 is the resurrection and the life. Jesus said to her. I am the resurrection and the life the one who believes in me will live even though they die John 11:25. I am the door if anyone find me he will be saved and we'll go in and out and find pasture John 10:9. I am the way Jesus answered. I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me John 14:6. They're in the beginning was the word. He's the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John 1:1. He's the True Vine. I am the True Vine of my father is the vinedresser John 15:1. I am the truth and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free John 8:32. I'm the Victorious one for the one who is Victorious. I will give the right to sit with me on the throne just as I was Victorious and sat down with my father on his throne Revelation 3:21. And then the last few are these wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace for the US a child is born to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace.

Did you follow?

Merry Christmas That's who was born. That's who we celebrate. Thank you for bearing with me as I read all of those scriptures, but I wanted us to focus on who Jesus is.

Who you was?

And who's to come?

I was just close by reading A Christmas Carol. in 1807 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born Anyone here around when he was born?

In 1836 his wife died when she had a miscarriage. In 1843 he married again, and they had six children. In 1861 his wife of 18 years was cooking in the kitchen and the candle caught her dress on fire and she burned to death and the house burned down her husband.

Girl beer because of all the scars on his face as he tried to rescue her in that against his wishes his son his oldest son gets around 18 went to war or seriously injured but lived and came home. And during that time that was in 1863 that was during the Civil War years and it 1863 in the midst of all of that tragedy and sadness. He wrote A Christmas Carol. In 1872. It was put to music. He died in 1882 and in 1956 that song became popular by Bing Crosby, and it's called I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It's an interesting Carol because it's written by a poet and in all the hymn books that I've looked into you have the first three verses and the last two and they're missing verse. I fought for four and five are usually missing. So I checked your handbook and the whole Christmas Carol is missing so you don't have to worry about.

What does it say it is what I be talking about. There's the expectation the anticipation. So the first in his poem the first three verses are the anticipation and then comes the darkness and then in the last verse comes the light and the hope and the piece that is long for and when you see this in the pattern of his life and what he went through It just flows together. So we have the first three verses the anticipation. It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas kind of song. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day their old familiar carols play and wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on Earth Goodwill to man and thought how has the day has come the belfries of all Christendom have rolled Along The Unbroken broken Song of Peace on Earth Goodwill to men still ringing singing on its way of the world revolve from night today a voice search. I'm a chance Sublime of peace on Earth Goodwill to men are so far Merry Christmas. This is exciting stuff. The bells are ringing Christmas is coming and then he writes then from each black accursed mouth the Canon Thunderbird in the south end with the sound of carols drowned a peace on Earth Goodwill to men. That just throws a heavy Darkness. And yet when I think of the birth of Christ the anticipation the darkness of the world logging for the coming of Christ the hope of the world and preach that verse I think probably that the offender in the south in the Civil War that was going on his son that was wounded his best friend that he writes later a little Article 2 and he he says I agree with you my son comes home wounded but your son does not even come home I agree with you And then he writes the next verse. It was as if an earthquake rent the heart stones of a continent and made for Lauren the households born of peace on Earth Goodwill to men. So many people stopped about there. They look at all the troubles and the trials and you can just see him the households for Lauren that the death of his wife that the chaotic situation that he was in with the war and everything that's going on. And you know what? It's like when you have a prayer list and you're thinking at some point you're going to finish that prayer list and say Amen it's done. And you get 5 more requests to pray and bring Before the Throne of God.

and then the deepest despair comes in his 6 verse and it's interesting. He's a poet. So you have to understand poetry. Do you read some of the songs and there are some fascinating songs in it and they go for like one that's goes Alpha Beta, you know what each verse starts with another letter of the alphabet is it goes through and as read the songs and here is here's this poet 6 is the number of incompleteness.

And so inverse 6 he says and in despair, I bowed my head. There is no peace on Earth I said for hate is strong and marks the song a peace on Earth Goodwill to man. And then as a good poet. 7 is the number of completeness? 6 he's the chaos the heartache the despair the darkness and then he says then pealed the bells more loud and deep. God is not dead nor. Does he sleep the wrong shall fail the right Prevail with peace on Earth Goodwill? two men

We don't need to stay in the valley. We don't need to be those without hope. And whatever anticipation you may have had in your life that maybe didn't work out because of some of the darkness that's come along. You don't stay there either. Because Christ was born in the fullness of time when there was no hope and no joy, there was suffering and chaos. And Jesus was born in that dark world and a stable that didn't have much light. And yet he became the light. And we praise him that he brings all things completion in himself and the revelation. We look forward to the end where it says the time is coming a new Heaven and new earth No More Death no morning. No crying. No pain. And so we receive Christ into our life into our hearts. So when you hear a bell on Christmas day don't think of that play where another Angel got his wings, you know, it's that sells when you're the Belle and other Angel got his wings think of the Bells on Christmas Day the hope that there is a Jesus think of those names of Jesus who he is what he is done and why we are here she let me wish you Merry Christmas and may God give you the most wonderful time of Christmas penguin sing Joy to the World. The Lord has come they may God bless you.