1.1.1 12.1.2019 Luke 1.1-4 When Christmas comes to town…We should Focus on the Truth

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1.1.1 12.1.2019 When Xmas comes to town…We should Focus on the Truth

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Entice: Dec. 1. Are you perched on your seat? Kids, are you ready? The signs are every where. Decorations. Lights. People's attitudes are even becoming more cheery. Every year we wait that first Christmas special. When I was a kid, you had one shot. If you missed it Rudolph would not come around till next year.

Engage: What Christmas stories do you associate with your childhood? Which stories do you remember? In the Tom Hanks movie the Polar Express one of the signature tunes is the song When Christmas comes to Town. Typically the lyrics focus on presents, Santa, family, and the well being of children. When Christmas comes to town...when Christ comes to reign over us the sentimental beauty of Christmas Trees and Rudolph just...dis...apear.

Expand: Today we begin studying Luke together. In beginning his story Luke reminds us of everything he did to present the story of Jesus in a compelling and accurate fashion. This Christmas it is our responsibility to make sure that the truth of the story of Jesus is front and center during all of our various celebrations. Yes, there are a variety of wonderful Christmas tales. I love Charley Brown, and the Grinch, and Rudolph, and Buddy the Elf. But salvation, salvation only comes in one story. The true story of God sending His Son to rescue us.

Expand: Today we begin studying Luke together. In beginning his story Luke reminds us of everything he did to present the story of Jesus in a compelling and accurate fashion.

Luke 1:1–4 ESV

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

This Christmas it is our responsibility to make sure that the truth of the story of Jesus is front and center during all of our various celebrations. Yes, there are a variety of wonderful Christmas tales. I love Charley Brown, and the Grinch, and Rudolph, and Buddy the Elf. But salvation, salvation only comes in one story. The true story of God sending His Son to rescue us.

Excite: And we have a stake in that story! It's not fictional wishful thinking ginned up by a commercialized east-coast syndicate as Lucy Van Pelt tells us...It is story of our Creator-God doing something unprecedented to save us. JOY to the World!! Tell me the story of Jesus...write on my heart every word, tell me the story most precious sweetest that ever was heard...Sweetest and true-est.

Explore:

Explore: So, When Christmas comes to town we should focus on the single central truth of Christ's coming to save us.

Explain: Luke will recount many of the Christmas stories in his Gospel, first he reminds us of Why this story is so important...

It is important because....

Body of Sermon:

It is important because....

It is come to pass "among us."

It is the "ancestral" story of the Church

It is personal...we have a stake.

Further, it is important because...

It is Jesus' Story

This story was first told by the "witnesses" and "servants" of the Word. Those who were with Him told His story...first in public preaching and then in the process of recording, preserving and passing on the saving story of Jesus.

Luke emphasizes that Jesus came to be among us and that His story is tellable, learnable, investigable.

During December we will focus on the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus.

As we move into 2020 we will continue Luke's story as he reminds us of how Jesus interacts with those who are hurting, how He brought a message of hope to a hopeless world, and how He gave His life to bring forgiveness to light and was resurrected to empower redeemed living.

In Volume 2 which is the Book of Acts: Luke expands on this message by reminding us that Volume 1:, which is before us is the record of all that Jesus began to do and teach...The insinuation is that Jesus was not and is not finished. He is even at work in our little village as we come into the Christmas season.

Finally, unlike other stories we will share during the holidays...

It is a True Story

Investigation

Order/Structure

Certainty

Teaching

We have much to discuss during the coming weeks. Christmas comes to town. The true Story of heaven's invasion of earth. Is it really your story? Do you know and belong to Jesus? Are you convinced?

We have much to discuss during the coming weeks. Christmas is coming to town. The true Story of heaven's invasion of earth. Is it really your story? Do you know and belong to Jesus? Are you convinced?

When Christmas comes to town we all get ready. We share the festivities. The food. The candy. The Joy. And then it is gone. And for far too many of us our joy in the story of Jesus fades. We put away the cradle, and swaddle our faith in the cynicism of our age.

The real magic of Christmas is the life-changing truthfulness of the story of Jesus. Will you respond in faith...when Christmas comes to town.

1.1.1 12.1.2019 Luke 1.1-4 When Christmas comes to town…We should Focus on the Truth

So, When Christmas comes to town we should focus on the single central truth of Christ's coming to save us.

1. It is Our Story.

It is come to pass "among us."

2. It is Jesus' Story

3. It is a True Story.

When Christmas comes to Town...