Untitled Sermon

Christmas can be a dangerous time of year. Think about it. There is ice outside for one. Traffic is heavier than normal, there are thieves, there are lit candles, and Christmas trees. There is depression and addictions. Christmas can be kinda dark. Not to mention the physical darkness this part of the world experiences this time of year.

Yet, at the same time there is Holiday lights and parties and songs of joy, and presents and hot chocolate, and children laughing and playing.

Some people, perhaps even some here today, are not all joyous and happy, and others might be just bubbling over with joy

The real danger of Christmas is a spiritual danger. We can place

We started the service by reading from the Book of John chapter 1, and added other passages from throughout the Bible that pointed to Jesus. Passages from other books in the Bibles such as Colossians, Genesis, Matthew and first John. Separate accounts, that discuss Jesus. We could have added a lot more as well.

Christmas is filled with contrasts. It is the happiest time of year for some, and the saddest

There is a lot of Christmas decorations that have just the word Believe on it. Have you seen these decorations. It is maybe Scrolled writing, there might be an ornament or ribbon or snowflakes. Believe! Believe with an exclamation point. Maybe it is on a sign.

There is actually a National Believe Day for recognizing the generosity and Spirit of the Holiday Season.

Now, I’m not an interior designer, and I understand that art has it’s place, but I’m confused. I’m a guy, and I am kinda literal, so when I read the sign, there is a pause in my head, then I say Believe what?

I feel like- Believe, needs something after it, perhaps believe in yourself, or Believe in love, or Believe in the magic of Christmas. It confuses me. Believe alone doesn’t tell you anything. Then, I realized that perhaps that is the point.

Like believe in myself? Believe in Santa? Believe in the magic of Christmas what am I supposed to believe? It doesn’t tell me.

Like believe in myself? Believe in Santa? Believe in the magic of Christmas what am I supposed to believe? It doesn’t tell me.

It is a product of the diverse world we live in. I can read the words, and if I’m feeling a little weak maybe it says to me believe in myself. Or, perhaps the heart broken will read it and to them it will mean, believe in love, for others it might be believe in the magic of Christmas.

We started service by reading from Chapter 1 of John’s gospel. That is the introduction or the prologue to an eyewitness account of the life of someone named Jesus.

John in his book tells the life and death story of Jesus for 21 chapters. Near the end of the book, John writes,

John 20:31 NIV

31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

20.31

John tells us exactly what we are to Believe-That Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God.

He is not saying he wrote this so that you may believe in the historic figure of Jesus, or that you may believe that Jesus is a good guy. He is saying so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God.

It gets confusing this time of year as to what is fable, or what is Christmas magic or what is real and true.

My question for you this evening is what do you believe about Jesus?

Now, if I was to finish the sign-Believe there is a God- Most people would be ok with that, because it does not require us to do anything. There is not much of a step of faith. We look around, and we lie awake in the silence and we think to ourselves- this world had to come from somewhere, so We believe in God.

But what about Jesus. What do you believe about Jesus? Most of us will agree in a historical person named Jesus. There is ample evidence of a man named Jesus living around Jerusalem at O Ad. There are a number of valid historic sources that point to Jesus. We can turn on our TV watch documentaries about this man named Jesus. Again, that is not to hard to Believe in Jesus, but again that is not why John wrote his gospel.

And here is where things get hard, the road separates and you have to make a choice. Most people like the historic Jesus. A good guy, a wise teacher. Maybe a bit of a mystery, but that is it. They view Christmas as a tradition, we celebrate the birth of Jesus along with other Christmas magic and we go on year after year, no big deal. Believe!

But that is not what John was saying- it isn’t just Believe. It is So that you believe that Jesus is the MESSIAH, the Son of God, and that By Believing you may life.

Believing that Jesus is the Messiah is very different than just believe. We aren’t familiar with the term Messiah these days but think of Him as a rescuer. What John is saying is Believe that Jesus is the rescuer, the solution, the salvation.

When we have a sign that just says believe we fill in th blank with what we need. Like if we need love, Believe in Love, If it is magic we need it is just Believe in magic.

What John is saying is Believe that Jesus is the rescuer, the solution, the salvation. Rescue from what? That is a good question. The Bible says Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your souls and all of your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Have you done that?

But a rescuer from what? I don’t need rescue, and if I don’t need rescue I can just leave Jesus as he is an interesting Christmas character, and move on.

What might I need rescue from? Why would I need a Messiah? I try and do the best I can in life. We try to do the right thing most of the time, we mean well. All of this works fairly well for us, unless things go wrong. When that happens, we may look for help. We may look to God to rescue us from sickness, or financial crisis, or broken relationships. We pray for rescue, and cross our fingers, Believe, maybe things will work, maybe not. Then we pull ourselves up by our boot straps and move on.

\That is not the

That is not what John is saying, when he says believe that Jesus is the Messiah, he is talking about rescue from something else, something a little less tangible than those things, but infinitely more serious.

When that happens, we look for help. We look to God for help. We pray and Believe! Maybe or maybe not things work out. Believe! right?

Matthew says this.

Matthew 1:21 NIV

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Mt 1.

Save his people from their sins…You may be thinking this about now. Wait a minute preacher are you saying that it is more important to be rescued from my sins, than to rescued from sickness or death or financial ruin? I’m not even that bad a person.

I understand that, I do, but listen closely and try to follow along. If there is a God, which we don’t have a hard time seeing created the world, which we admit it is likely he did doesn’t that place Him above everything? Isn’t he then the KIng? Isn’t He the greatest thing in the universe?

Sure that makes sense. Now he gave us a set of rules to live by. Even if you don’t believe the Bible you at least know that there are some basic rules for living, like being kind to one another, respecting people for instance,

God actually said, Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your souls and all of your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. If we are alone, nobody, but just us, and God what would we say to that? I think we would have to admit that we failed at least at some extant to follow that.

Rescue from what? That is a good question. The Bible says Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your souls and all of your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Have you done that?

Once a year we dust off the decorations-Believe!

What John is saying is Believe that Jesus is the rescuer, the solution, the salvation. Do you need rescuing today? Do you need saving today?

Rescue from what? That is a good question. The Bible says Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your souls and all of your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Have you done that?

You may say yeah but no one can do that perfectly, and I do pretty good, better than the other guy. Maybe you do, and maybe you don’t.

The mystery about Jesus is that the Bible claims he did that, He did it perfectly. He was without sin.

So based on perfection, If you were to stand in front of a Holy God, no pretense, no excuses, no one else but you and God, what would God say to you?

If you think about that, do you need a rescuer? Do you need a Messiah?

Up to that point, your life will alway

Now, If you have come up to this point, you have an option. You have the option of stopping right there. Saying I don’t think I need a rescuer I can stand on my own. You can leave Jesus right there where he is in your mind and Just Believe there is a God, Jesus is a historical figure, there is Christmas magic-Believe.

As the son of God

Or, and this where it is hard, you have the option to believe that you need a rescuer. You have to humble yourself before God, before Jesus and say, yes God I need a Messiah, I believe that Jesus is Fully God and fully man and that He lived a sinless died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead three days later.

Matthew 1:21 NIV

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

This is the Christmas message. The people that is us, have been walking in darkness-we have been in our sins, You and I have been walking in our own darkness, our own sins.

That is heart

The Good News is that a rescuer has come. Jesus has come! When you know you need a Messiah a rescuer a redeemer before you can stand in the presence when you know you need that, the good news of Jesus fills you with joy. The good news of Jesus is the best news in the world. If that is true your life will never be the same again, it can’t be.

Turn your failings, your short comings, your mistakes your sins your regrets over to Jesus. Bring them to the Christ Child, and Believe that he is your Messiah and the son of God.

Jesus paid for those things that you need rescuing from. He paid the debt you owed to God the Father at the cross. He rose again three days later in victory.

So give to Jesus, all those sins that keep you from him, humble yourself, and ask Him to save you.

When you do that Christ just does not stay in a manger scene off to the side as historical figure, or an add on to Christmas magic. When you do that Christ dwells with you.

Another eye witness named Matthew wrote

Matthew 1:23 NIV

23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

God with US. He is Emmanuel God with us.God The Holy Spirit fills you and God dwells with you.

Hope peace joy and love of Christ, dwell with you.

This whole service has been so you believe. We started in the dark to symbolize that were in the darkness of sin. Through the Good News we rejoice because our rescuer has come. We will have communion to symbolize Christ dwelling in us,

He walks alongside you in the darkest of valleys, He is your strength when you are weak, He is your light in the dark and your companion in loneliness. He is the one who Loves you more than his own precious life, when people reject you. He pays the price of your mistakes for you. When you grow weary He lifts you up on wings of Eagles, He is your treasure and your prize, your living hope, he is the anchor for your soul, He is the alpha and the Omega, He is the Lion and the lamb, He is your food and drink, and when you come to him you will not hunger and thirst, nor will grow weary because his yoke is easy and His burden is light. He is the way and truth and the life, He is the gate and your good shepherd, your comforter, Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of peace, wonderful counselor.

He is Emmanuel God with Us!