Christmas List Wk3
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Virtues
Virtues
Week 4
Text:
Topic: Seasons, Christmas, Christian Virtues
Intro:
We have been Reordering Our list/priorities
So far on our Christmas List we have
Thinking of Others
Seeing people differently
Priorties
Time
and Today we add Virtues to that list.
Big Idea of the Message: The season of Christmas is a unique time when the world is exposed to the life of Jesus.
Application Point: We will let the Christian virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and helping those in need, be our virtues every day.
Out of all the holidays, Christmas has more movies, plays, books and songs dedicated to it than all the others combined.
No story brings about the Christmas spirit more than Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
One scene from the story describes “two charitable gentlemen soliciting funds ‘to make some slight provision for the poor and destitute.’
Of course Scrooge is heartless to this need.
In response to Scrooge’s insensitive suggestion that the poor and destitute belong to prisons and workhouses, one of the gentleman replies that prisons and work- houses ‘scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude’”.
Dickens wrote about something so deep and heartfelt in a few simple lines.
Christmas should be a time that we strive to produce Christian Cheer in mind and body to the multitude. See in the mind of Scrooge only, laziness along with unchecked want and desire produce destitute situations… can it? yes it can,
but so can an accident or theft etc. either way be it laziness or injury they are still Children of God and we as Christians should at least share joy through our character.
I use that example in A Christmas Carol bring us to point 1.
1. The Virtues of Christian Character.
Throughout the nativity we see examples of these virtues
and even now
The season of Christmas is infused with Christian character.
Its a time of year that brings to the fore front of everyone’s minds the classic Christians virtues.
Kindness, generosity, love, selflessness, patience, and joy are celebrated in the larger culture. It is a thin space, where the virtues of heaven are manifested in everyday life.
Have you ever really listened to the Christmas music that is played at a mall or sung on the radio? Some of the music presents amazing Christian doctrine.
For example, in the 2018 animated rendition of Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch, the carolers of “Whoville” are singing the carol “God Rest YeMerry, Gentlemen.”
This might seem like just another Christmas song. But think of it. A fictional world of animated characters is singing, “Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day.
To save us all from Satan’s power...” Such powerful Christian doctrine presented in a movie that has nothing to do with Jesus! The unconscious presentation of the gospel is sung by the world during the Christmas season.
2. The News for all
The angel who appeared to the shepherds said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”
10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The nativity story reveals the universal truth of the gospel, not just for first-century Palestine but the entire world.
When Jesus came onto the world’s scene, it changed everything.
The good news of Jesus and the virtues of the kingdom of God are shown in Christmas for the whole world.
So What if everyday was Christmas?
Not in the sense of gifts everyday or singing carols year-round.
But having the enthusiasm and charity of the character Scrooge at the end of A Christmas Carol.
When Scrooge awakens from his dream (or vision?), he is joyful, generous, loving, and compassionate.
Why the radical transformation?
Because he was buried and dead in his transgressions, headed for flames but alas! as he cried out in repentance, he was saved, he was resurrected…dare I say Born Again.
AND He was radically transformed forever……
Man thats good writing right there, I wonder if Dickens had any inspiration……
Oh thats right, he did…The Gospel.
We are dead in our sins headed for flames, we repent and arise born again and have a radical transformation of character, mind and spirit…..Whats that?
You didn’t have a radical transformation?
Well its christmas so I can’t preach on that…….I’ll just say this…..In the book, it was real for scrooge and once saved he was totally changed.
A man all about making and hoarding money, who refused to offer even himself grace was now full of love, joy and generosity.
But why should we show this love and generosity?
Because Christmas touches on a deep theological truth about showing good to all.
We show love and kindness to others because they are created in God’s image.
I read an article that tells how a teacher challenges a student to treat the smelly student in their midst with love and respect: “Everyone is created in God’s image. So if we are worthy of love, so is everyone else because of who made them”
It just helps to point out that
Some of Gods Children are in dark places, that doesn’t excuse us from reaching out to them because they will be looking for a savior.
If they find one thats not Christ (a false savior) and you had an opportunity to share Christ with them........You don’t want to have to answer to God for that.
3. Share the news of Jesus Messiah with others
Have you ever heard some one say, “That person is just a ‘Messianic figure.’”
If you have ever been around political discussions long enough you might
have heard this sentence.
It describes an inflated view of a charismatic leader that people feel will “save” them
from trouble.
[Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001], 124).
But the term Messiah is from the Bible and describes “the anointed one,
the leader appointed by God to carry out the special mission of redemption and
liberation”
When people struggle or are in dark situations they look for hope wherever they can.
situations they look for hope wherever they can. When we see the economy in
turmoil or our world or community under stress, we tend to look to a leader who
can make it better, who can save us or rescues us from turmoil. However, the
only one who can save us from our sin and brokenness is Jesus the Messiah.
Isaiah continues to describe this Messiah in chapter 11.
2. Immanuel would be born of a virgin, would be a mighty and peaceful ruler, and
would also have God’s Spirit in unlimited measure. “The Spirit of the LORD will
rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and
of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD” (). He will
truly bring peace: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with
the goat.…The infant will play near the cobra’s den” (vv. 6–8). The Messiah will
bring peace to humanity and even to the animal kingdom; he will rule and judge
justly.
3. Now in verses 6–9 we see opposite enemies living at peace with one another.
Wolves and sheep living together, lions eating with the ox, etc. Think of someone
who is your opposite, who you really don’t like. Now imagine that person who you
can’t stand being your best friend. You hug them, love them, care for them, eat
meals with them, make yourself vulnerable to them. That’s the type of change
that the Messiah does in the lives of his people and eventually will bring that kind
of peace to the entire world.
4. The Messiah would come from the lineage of Jesse, the father of King David
(see ). “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah
11:1). A shoot is a single green branch, in this case, popping up from the stump
of a bush or tree. Isaiah and other prophets have warned of God’s judgment. The
Hebrew people will be a like a cleared-out field of trees, with only stumps left
behind. From the stump of Jesse will come the Messiah and from his roots will
come fruit. Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches”
().
5. This is an example of shoots coming from stumps:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/kill-zombie-treestump.
htm. This image is from an article about how to kill shoots from stumps.
When you have good roots, no matter how many times the tree is cut down, it will
always return. That is the hope of the Messiah; although there is destruction life
When we see the economy in
turmoil or our world or community under stress, we tend to look to a leader who
can make it better, who can save us or rescues us from turmoil.
However, the
only one who can save us from our sin and brokenness is Jesus the Messiah.
He is described in Isa 11:2
2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
12 He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth.
2. Immanuel would be born of a virgin, would be a mighty and peaceful ruler, and
would also have God’s Spirit in unlimited measure. “The Spirit of the LORD will
rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and
of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD” (). He will
truly bring peace: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with
the goat.…The infant will play near the cobra’s den” (vv. 6–8). The Messiah will
bring peace to humanity and even to the animal kingdom; he will rule and judge
justly.
3. Now in verses 6–9 we see opposite enemies living at peace with one another.
Wolves and sheep living together, lions eating with the ox, etc. Think of someone
who is your opposite, who you really don’t like. Now imagine that person who you
can’t stand being your best friend. You hug them, love them, care for them, eat
meals with them, make yourself vulnerable to them. That’s the type of change
that the Messiah does in the lives of his people and eventually will bring that kind
of peace to the entire world.
4. The Messiah would come from the lineage of Jesse, the father of King David
(see ). “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah
11:1). A shoot is a single green branch, in this case, popping up from the stump
of a bush or tree. Isaiah and other prophets have warned of God’s judgment. The
Hebrew people will be a like a cleared-out field of trees, with only stumps left
behind. From the stump of Jesse will come the Messiah and from his roots will
come fruit. Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches”
().
5. This is an example of shoots coming from stumps:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/kill-zombie-treestump.
htm. This image is from an article about how to kill shoots from stumps.
When you have good roots, no matter how many times the tree is cut down, it will
always return. That is the hope of the Messiah; although there is destruction life
11 And this shall happen on that day: The Lord will again extend his hand a second time to acquire the remnant of his people that is left, from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coastlands of the sea,
I
2. Immanuel would be born of a virgin, would be a mighty and peaceful ruler, and
would also have God’s Spirit in unlimited measure. “The Spirit of the LORD will
rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and
of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD” (). He will
truly bring peace: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with
the goat.…The infant will play near the cobra’s den” (vv. 6–8). The Messiah will
bring peace to humanity and even to the animal kingdom; he will rule and judge
justly.
3. Now in verses 6–9 we see opposite enemies living at peace with one another.
Wolves and sheep living together, lions eating with the ox, etc. Think of someone
who is your opposite, who you really don’t like. Now imagine that person who you
can’t stand being your best friend. You hug them, love them, care for them, eat
meals with them, make yourself vulnerable to them. That’s the type of change
that the Messiah does in the lives of his people and eventually will bring that kind
of peace to the entire world.
4. The Messiah would come from the lineage of Jesse, the father of King David
(see ). “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah
11:1). A shoot is a single green branch, in this case, popping up from the stump
of a bush or tree. Isaiah and other prophets have warned of God’s judgment. The
Hebrew people will be a like a cleared-out field of trees, with only stumps left
behind. From the stump of Jesse will come the Messiah and from his roots will
come fruit. Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches”
().
5. This is an example of shoots coming from stumps:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/kill-zombie-treestump.
htm. This image is from an article about how to kill shoots from stumps.
When you have good roots, no matter how many times the tree is cut down, it will
always return. That is the hope of the Messiah; although there is destruction life
Immanuel would be born of a virgin, would be a mighty and peaceful ruler, and
would also have God’s Spirit in unlimited measure.
“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
2. Immanuel would be born of a virgin, would be a mighty and peaceful ruler, and
would also have God’s Spirit in unlimited measure. “The Spirit of the LORD will
rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and
of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD” (). He will
truly bring peace: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with
the goat.…The infant will play near the cobra’s den” (vv. 6–8). The Messiah will
bring peace to humanity and even to the animal kingdom; he will rule and judge
justly.
3. Now in verses 6–9 we see opposite enemies living at peace with one another.
Wolves and sheep living together, lions eating with the ox, etc. Think of someone
who is your opposite, who you really don’t like. Now imagine that person who you
can’t stand being your best friend. You hug them, love them, care for them, eat
meals with them, make yourself vulnerable to them. That’s the type of change
that the Messiah does in the lives of his people and eventually will bring that kind
of peace to the entire world.
4. The Messiah would come from the lineage of Jesse, the father of King David
(see ). “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah
11:1). A shoot is a single green branch, in this case, popping up from the stump
of a bush or tree. Isaiah and other prophets have warned of God’s judgment. The
Hebrew people will be a like a cleared-out field of trees, with only stumps left
behind. From the stump of Jesse will come the Messiah and from his roots will
come fruit. Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches”
().
5. This is an example of shoots coming from stumps:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/kill-zombie-treestump.
htm. This image is from an article about how to kill shoots from stumps.
When you have good roots, no matter how many times the tree is cut down, it will
always return. That is the hope of the Messiah; although there is destruction life
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and
of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD” ().
2. Immanuel would be born of a virgin, would be a mighty and peaceful ruler, and
would also have God’s Spirit in unlimited measure. “The Spirit of the LORD will
rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and
of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD” (). He will
truly bring peace: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with
the goat.…The infant will play near the cobra’s den” (vv. 6–8). The Messiah will
bring peace to humanity and even to the animal kingdom; he will rule and judge
justly.
3. Now in verses 6–9 we see opposite enemies living at peace with one another.
Wolves and sheep living together, lions eating with the ox, etc. Think of someone
who is your opposite, who you really don’t like. Now imagine that person who you
can’t stand being your best friend. You hug them, love them, care for them, eat
meals with them, make yourself vulnerable to them. That’s the type of change
that the Messiah does in the lives of his people and eventually will bring that kind
of peace to the entire world.
4. The Messiah would come from the lineage of Jesse, the father of King David
(see ). “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah
11:1). A shoot is a single green branch, in this case, popping up from the stump
of a bush or tree. Isaiah and other prophets have warned of God’s judgment. The
Hebrew people will be a like a cleared-out field of trees, with only stumps left
behind. From the stump of Jesse will come the Messiah and from his roots will
come fruit. Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches”
().
5. This is an example of shoots coming from stumps:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/kill-zombie-treestump.
htm. This image is from an article about how to kill shoots from stumps.
When you have good roots, no matter how many times the tree is cut down, it will
always return. That is the hope of the Messiah; although there is destruction life
shows He will truly bring peace:
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with
the goat.…The infant will play near the cobra’s den” (vv. 6–8).
The Messiah will bring peace to humanity and even to the animal kingdom;
he will rule and judge justly.
We celebrate His birth,
sing songs about Him
but really have trouble loving others
especially out of our comfort zone.
This is a change in our christmas list that is mandatory.
Closing
.....Music.......Jalen......J-quell-en
Now in verses 6–9 of Isaiah we see opposite enemies living at peace with one another.
Wolves and sheep living together, lions eating with the ox, etc.
Think of someone who is your opposite, who you really don’t like.
Now imagine that person who you can’t stand being your best friend.
You hug them, love them, care for them, eat meals with them,
make yourself vulnerable to them.
That’s the type of change that the Messiah does in the lives of his people
and eventually will bring that kind of peace to the entire world.
The Messiah would come from the lineage of Jesse, the father of King David
(see ). “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah
11:1).
A shoot is a single green branch, in this case, popping up from the stump
of a bush or tree.
From the stump of Jesse will come the Messiah and from his roots will
come fruit. Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches”
().
If we are the branches then its essential that we have the same virtues as the vine.
This is an example of shoots coming from stumps:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/kill-zombie-treestump.
htm. This image is from an article about how to kill shoots from stumps.
When you have good roots, no matter how many times the tree is cut down, it will
always return. That is the hope of the Messiah; although there is destruction life
will come.
Christmas season brings out Christian virtues.
But for the church we must ask do we only show those virtues during the Christmas season,
like the rest of the world does?
We should show patience and generosity throughout the year, not just in December.
Do we show these virtues to only those we like or only when it doesn’t inconvenience us.
We should emphasize to the world during the Christmas season that the people of God show this love, care, joy, generosity, and fellowship throughout the entire year.
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end