December 23, 2018 Father Christmas
Let's get this right. There we go. It's always been a bit of a nod Advent. We've meant to be in the sanctuary up here since the beginning of Advent and yet we spent three weeks downstairs and various degrees of construction and D construction along the way and yet we are continuing to learn things that we many of you love the different style of worship down there in a more intimate field lower ceiling for all so excited to be back up here. I put it on advance in part because some of you you're not familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia the stories that we've been looking at on and off or are regularly throughout the series and the season of Advent Brothers of you. It's been familiar and joyful and fun as we've looked at Jesus the light of the world Jesus is the reason for celebration and Jesus Our Hope until this morning. We're going to continue by looking at the gifts that God gives us in the greatest gift of whom is our of which is Jesus. Until today in the midst of something of an odd series. We also have an odd conclusion to the series and a couple of odd text First Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 6 text that you wouldn't expect. Sorry that you wouldn't think of when you think of Advent and yet here they are. So before we get to those texts I want to do what we've been doing all series, which is just invite you to watch for about 2 minutes a short clip from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Merry Christmas 70s you see since you've arrived. Since I got here, we thought you were the witch. Sorry about that. But in my defense I have been driving one of these longer than the witch. snow Christmas in Narnia
for a long time the hope that you have brought your Majesty's is finally starting to weaken the witches pot. I guess I could do with these.
pictures of the Firefly one drop will kill any entry
No, I hope you never have to use it.
Thank you, sir.
Brave enough show your cut. That was a good fast.
Susan
Trust in this bow easy, Miss.
What happened to Bethel the ugly fast making yourself heard? No on this and wherever you are. Help will come.
time to use these hands
These are tools. toys bedroom well and wisely
winter is almost over things pile up. Can you be a hundred years?
Long Live Ashland
Merry Christmas
Like I said before probably some of you just want to finish the movie in skip the sermon.
It's a good it's a good clip. It's a good story The Genius of CS Lewis in writing that story as we've seen different segments of it throughout is that the gifts the children receive at Christmas are for the battle that is ahead. And if you know the story every read the booker seen the movie than you, you know what that battle looks like. And as I said, the genius of Cs Lewis's giving these children gifts that are for the battle ahead because that's really what scripture pictures for us as the gifts that God gives us as well. And so with that in mind when I just invite you to follow along as we read these two kind of odd Christmas passages First 1st Corinthians 12, and then if fusions sticks and we're just going to read a few verses from
Call Sydney 1st Corinthians 12, there are different kinds of gifts. But the Same Spirit distributes them there different kinds of service, but the same Lord there different kinds of working but in all of them in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good. Let me skip ahead in the New Testament to the end of the book of Ephesians Fusion 6 where Paul ready to get Fusion says finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes or in your strut for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly Realms therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything to stand stand firm then with the belt of Truth buckled around your waist with a breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the Readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of Faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
This morning as we come and reflect on these odd text these gifts of God given for the common good in these different pieces of armor that Paul talks about using it an image and analogy of the day to picture for God's people what it looks like there to be prepared for life ahead and for the battle ahead. Has it come to this texting as we come to the last Sunday of Advent? I want to suggest or you something that probably you've heard pastors say before that. Jesus is the greatest gift of all. I hope that you're in in hearing that that sounds familiar because it's something that you thought about in reflected on and an internalized. For many of us, I think it's something that we've heard before and sort of just dismissed that will off course Jesus is the reason for the season, but I still want to know what's under the tree. Let's not forget about those gifts to Now, of course, we don't want to forget about whatever gifts that we are blessed to receive this Christmas. But but as I said, I really do hope that when you hear a pastor say when you hear me say that Jesus is the greatest gift that you can receive this Christmas. There really is the meaning for those words. Are you behind those words? And here's why I think that here's why I want to share it with you and just reflect on you elect on that truth with you for a few minutes this morning. It comes out of this passage really in Ephesians this passage or this is understanding that our battle is not against flesh and blood rather against the powers of darkness in this world. Our battle is not against the the people around us certainly and not even against the things that happened to us. But rather what CS Lewis helps us see and win more clearly what scripture helps us. See is that our own lives and our own stories fit within a much bigger Story how much bigger narrative the story of God and his love for his people that spans all the way back to the Old Testament to through creation includes the people of Israel and their celebration of the Temple of the story that spans All the Way Forward into history not just our through history not just to the end of the world but into eternity itself or God's people are promise that we will spend eternity with God.
It's when I say that Jesus is the greatest gift that we can receive. The reason is that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers and principalities of darkness in this world. So often in our gifts the gifts that we receive in the gifts that we give our gifts that help us in our life for about 8 to 10 months and then we forget about what we got last Christmas look for something else the next year. But think about it this way for some of us this morning. Our battle is tiredness and exhaustion. Been busy for weeks months maybe even years and finally some of that has caught up. But I wonder why are you tired? Is it because you are loving and seeking the praise of others? Is it because you long for the affirmation that other people given so you're willing to work harder and longer and push yourself further? Because you desperately want the thanks the affirmation.
See Jesus in Jesus, excuse me. The acceptance of God is your for free. You don't have to work for it and you can't earn it. Jesus is the greatest gift to to to solve the problem to face your tiredness your exhaustion. And even if your tiredness or exhaustion comes from this under the idea or belief as it sometimes does for me that I'm the only one who can do this. Everybody else is going to make some sort of mistake along the way or not quite not quite right. how to be me even in that attitude Jesus meets us in our tiredness and exhaustion and challenges us but gently reminds us to that. He's the only one who's really sufficient. But all of us are are broken and in incapable of something of perfection in one way or another he's the only true perfect one who can really get it right and who ultimately did get it right paid for sin fully and perfectly on the cross. Jesus is the greatest gift for the battle ahead for those of us who are tired.
For some of us that battle isn't tiredness or exhaustion. Maybe it's anger. Maybe it's relational pain. And some of you are the cause of that pain and that Brokenness in relationships. Others of you are the the recipient or the victim or the Earth at the unwilling accomplice to that Brokenness that pain someone else's anger.
There's no amount of gifts. I can fix that relationship. Not at least without the forgiveness and the love that comes from God. See whether your broken relationship is between someone, you know, and and would like to love or someone, you know, when you're happy hating or whether you're your broken relationship is between you and God. Jesus is ultimately the only one who can bridge that Gap who can fix what is totally broken? Kiwi in our best efforts give gifts and say that we forgive but we can't make wrongs, right?
We can only do our best but forgiving to move on. Jesus was the one who took the weight of sin on himself. All of the anger and all of the pain that you have and that you caused. And took it away took it on himself so that you're left with Grace forgiveness Joy. But you're left with a right relationship with God. in a right relationship with others
Jesus is the ultimate gift for the battle ahead and I'll give you one more example, although there are many more that we could talk about this morning. Brothers of us our battle is with sadness with depression with grief with addiction.
impress Jesus 2 is a gift to the Ultimate gift for the battle ahead. See all of us have some emptiness within us that we would like to have filled. And whether it's grief or pain scuse me or sadness or addiction, there's no amount of food. You can eat or drink you can drink there's no amount of joyriding. You can go on our experiences you can have that will fill you up. Always be looking for more. Until you receive Jesus. the God of all the universe the guy who made everything there is and who is greater and bigger than everything there is and yet chooses to live with and in his people the God of all the universe to fill us up to overflowing. Equip us. For the battle ahead.
What is that battle? While I was upset a few times now the battle is not against the Grinch or against whoever's against Santa. The battle is not against our our fellow men or women or family or a strange friends. not against flesh and blood but against the people who have wronged us what we see in the story of scripture what we seen the birth of Jesus is that are battle the battles in our own lives fit within a much broader story a much bigger battle a battle as Paul says against the powers of darkness in this world battle against the rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms
See, that's the other reason why Jesus is the greatest gift. Because the gifts we gave each other will last for a while. And they're good gifts. Only the love of Jesus only the person of God will last forever.
Only Jesus is able to overcome the darkness of Satan in the tub these dark powers in our world.
But what about the gifts that we do have? What about the stuff that's under the tree right now? What about the character that good character that we have the strengths that we have the abilities that we bring to the table. What about all those characters that are characteristics that Paul talks about later in Visions chapter 6 the belt of Truth buckled around your waist the breast plate of righteousness your feet fitted with the Readiness from the gospel of peace The Shield of Faith the helmet of salvation the sword of the spirit. even all these are themselves gifts from God gifts that fine their fullest in relationship with God just one brief example truth comes from God truth comes from Austin ends up hurting others usually
This is where Corinthians helps us out. I think what do we do with the gifts that God has given us we use them for the common good.
Christmas so often a closer we get the Christmas that the harder our society pushes us to not just give gifts to others but the focus on ourselves. I love to pick on restaurants that say if you give $25 you'll get a $5 gift card for yourself. Right and that appeals to me it appeals to many of us because we see we feel that in giving someone else will get for ourselves.
And yes, that's not what the picture that Paul gives us the picture he gives us is that whatever we have received is not to be used for ourselves, but is instead to be shared for the common good.
If you have received the gift of Jesus, if you have a relationship with the god of the heavens and the Earth, then you will already have the greatest Christmas gift you could ever receive if you need anything else.
Not because our truth or or faithfulness or or or our love of God won't carry us. It's actually because he will carry us. Is even all that armor is just what we put on to join God in the battle that ultimately he is fighting that ultimately he will win. You've already received Jesus then you already have the greatest gift. You don't need anything else.
What a what a challenge that is in our culture. That's so focused on receiving on getting more and accumulating more or Christians to stand up and say we have everything we need. So we can share what we are given with others.
If it's true that you as an individual have everything you need in Jesus and it's also true that as a community as a as a church. We also have everything we need. And the gifts that we have given their way that we receive were to share with others that's in part why we had the deacons celebrate the kingdom with us and many of you participate in requesting money for gifts that you were able then to give to friends to neighbors to co-workers to family members.
Everybody heard stories of those of you who already took that money from the deacons from our benevolence find it and used it and spent it. And used it to give a gift to someone else and I know a couple of you are still in progress. one of you said sent me a text and shared what you had given Sherry went to the store and bought a bunch of stuff for this family that I know. He said thank you so much for this opportunity. My heart is so full.
The best thing I've heard in weeks.
Is there someone who understood and to internalize that the gifts that we receive are just to be shared that are given to others and we already have everything we need until what a joy it is to be able to share what we have been given with others.
That's continues to be our task as a church this Christmas season and in the coming year. And rather than try to outfit you all with helmets and Shields and swords. Would be over my expense account, but also would just be a little complicated.
I decided to do something instead. I made a bunch of these gift tags gift tags at least used to be a thing that people do and so I'm going to put this here and it says on it. to share from Jesus I don't know for some of you that's probably super cheesy and you're not going to do anything with it. But it's the size of a business card so you can put in your wallet this small enough. There's a hole in it so you can attach it to something but I'm going to pass these around cuz we've got as I said a bunch of them. So as I passed them around. Take one and pass them. There's there should be plenty made way more than me, and I'm going to grab a couple more and run into the back. And all the others will get stuck in the middle somewhere so that will be great.
As we are home. fu
start this week you and then we'll run another sat over here. As I said there's plenty. So if somebody just take one and pass them down if somebody runs out or can't find one that should be enough to go around.
As you're passing those around. I was thinking about one of the gifts that God has given me that I can share and I put this here not only because I think it's important for us to share this space. Right? This is a space that we just sunk a bunch of money into will you receive this as a gift this morning and it's right now slated for us to use it once a week, which is great. Right, but also means it's going to sit empty six days a week. 148 hours and get used for maybe 2 or 3 in a week. Space is a wonderful gift from God. Give me the opportunity to share it with others to try and find different ways and means in which we can invite other people to share in the joy in the beauty of the space. But this this table we don't have a Pulpit for say with a stable is also something that's close to my heart. Where the my Bible sits every week and it's where I stand when I preach. And that's a huge gift for me as well the trust of all of you. To listen to me share God's word to bring God's word from whatever book whatever chapter it is from God from the Bible to trust me. To bring God's word. That's a gift as well. And so what we've done over the past number of years and we're going to continue to do this year is to have me share that gift as well. That's why we've started this sermon lab. Because if God can speak to me those of you who know me better know better how broken I am those of you who know me last no less how broken I am. But if God can speak to me. And share his word with me than he can with all of his children.
If I'm invited to be a part of God's family, then there's no real limits. Except the limit that scripture gives us every knee bow every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Until the storm in lab has been another way that as a church we have decided and as a pastor I have decided for us to share the gifts that God has given to share the responsibility here. Speaking. How to give an intent to share God's word with others to share the blessings of ministry the blessings of the family the blessings of the space all the things that God has given us share with others. Do I think most of you have received one of these little things when he's old gift tags? As you take that gift tag home with you. I just want to invite you to think about a place to put it may be losing your wallet or nobody can see it and except for you. Maybe it's on a gift that you had planned to give to someone else or maybe it's your spouse to your child your grandchild, but now you want them share it. Maybe it's on your home for dinner table. Your clothes your your talents? Where is God inviting you? To receive gift from him to share it with others. After all, we have already received the greatest gift this Christmas gift of perfect and wonderful relationship with Jesus. Come To God In Prayer
father in this season. That is so so much about giving Thank you for reminding us this morning that we have already received everything we need. It's humbling to say those words.
countercultural it takes a boldness as well. Camino that following you giving our lives to you can often seem costly And often we we take a step back from what you may be calling us to do because we're just not sure that you will you will provide. We ask that you would strengthen our hearts this morning so that as your children, we would know that you have already provided. It's not a question of if you will provide rather if we will respond in faith and trust in obedience and in love. Is this Advent is Christmas we celebrate that you have already given us everything we need. And the gifts that we have on top of that or are simply extra blessings for the common good. So God, we thank you for the ways in which you have already used us and Powerful ways to be a blessing to one another to our community and to our city and to our world. And we continue to ask Lord that you would use us that you would Empower us with your spirit fill us with your grace and power and send us out to love and serve you and to love and serve the people around us because when we do that we are assured that we are serving you as well. All these things we pray in Jesus name. Amen.