This Christmas Season: A Call to Peace
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OOS
I. Welcome
A. P. Dustin
II. Opening Prayer
A. Jim L.
III. Worship - Jim L
A. Songs
a. Joy to the World
b. A King Is born
c. O Come All Ye Faithful
d. Noel
e. Great Are You LORD
IV. Announcements
A. Carol’s in the Park— Jess L.
a. In the park here @church bldg
b. Day?? Time: 6pm
B. Office Closed this week 12/21 — 12/26
C. Christmas Eve Service 6pm
D. Pastor Vacation 12/25 — 01/02
a. For any needs pls contact the office
E. Church Decoration take down
a. Jan 10 directly following Service
F. New Bible Study — Tough Questions
a. starting Tues 1/19/2021
b. Bring an un-churched friend
V. Sermon
VI. Offering
A. Song: Graces to Gardens
SERMON
INTRO
INTRO
I. Where We’ve Been
A. The Christmas Season is upon us!!
a. Last week we started building up 2 our Christmas Eve Service
1. At the Christmas eve service we read scripture, pray, sings songs, light candles
i. Ea. candle we light has a meaning behind it honoring Jesus & what his coming 2 earth ushered in...
2. Last week we focused on the Joy Candle
II. Where We’re Going
A. The Need
a. Question
Who here feels ready for Christmas?
Who here is done w/ur Christmas Shopping
Who’s got ‘em all wrapped?
b. Christmas can b a season filled w/anxiety, fear & frustration
Gotta find all the right gifts & get ‘em here on time
i. Is amazon going 2 have my order hear on time (AHHHH shipping delayed!!??)
Going in stores
i. Ahh, forgot my mask
ii. people everywhere after the same stuff we are
iii. is the store going to have what I need
iv. AHHHHH, I forgot ___!!!
Oh no, another meal w/the in-laws, out-laws, etc.
Just the meal prep alone can b anxiety filled
i. Gotta get the food in the oven on time
ii. forgot to buy this/that ingredient
iii. Brittain Clan decided order pizza lol.
The gov. o my state just banned in-person festivities (NOOOO!!!??)
c. I don’t know about u, but just talking about these things caused my heart beat 2 go up
B. In this time of hustle, bustle, anxiety, & frustration, who hear could use a little peace?
a. Let’s take a moment & refocus… & remember that Jesus came to usher in PEACE
Take a look at...
III. Main Text
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
IV. Prayer
V. Context
A. describe the scene.
BODY
BODY
I. Jesus is peace (Lk records that the multitude o Angels declared…)
14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
A. Jesus is peace on earth (& on earth peace…)
a. Jesus isn’t just the bringer o peace, he IS peace
b. Jesus is the prince of peace
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Jesus is the Prince of Shalom
i. Shalom=nothing missing nothing broken
-Perfect shalom is
*Nothing broken, nothing missing btwn us & God
*Nothing broken, nothing missing btwn us & ea. other
*Nothing broken, nothing missing btwn us & creation
He is the prince of peace in that he unites all the kingdoms of the world & we live in peace 2gether under his leadership
i. This is the future existence when the New Heavens & New Earth are established
- Perfect shalom in every way & every1 who submits 2 his leadership
-But...
II. There are 2 kinds of peace ushered in by Jesus that we can experience here & now
A. Peace with God
24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
— “But for ours also” Paul talking about faith counted as righteousness. True for both Abraham & us
a. (In this context) Peace is a relational term
Our relationship w/God is restored
i. Paul says as much in the 2nd letter 2 the Cor
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
ii. The world lives in rebellion against/God
-We have decided to go our own way, do our own thing & decide what is right in our own eyes
-God was not content w/this existence & so he provided a way where there otherwise is no way.
-He sent Jesus to die on a cross to pay the penalty 4 our sin & bring us back in2 right relationship w/him
-All we gotta do is accept this free gift o salvation
*What kind o rel. has been ushered in through Jesus?
b. Our relationship w/God is that o a father 2 HIS child
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
1.
c. The 1 & only way to experience peace w/God is by accepting Jesus as LORD & Savior
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
There is no other name by which man can b saved
i. There’s another kind o peace ushered in by Jesus
-We have talked about the peace w/God; there is also the...
B. Peace of God
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
a. (While Peace w/God is right relationship) The peace o God is an inner quiet void o worry & anxiety.
1. It’s not that you won’t have troubling circumstances, pain, loss, or tribulation
i. take a look @what Jesus said 2 his disciples in
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
-There are lots o trouble in the world…the world is sinful
b. Peace of God is the calm in the storm
1. Illust. laid off frm SRA Job
i. Rebekah & I prayed “have ur will”
ii. Directly following:called in2 my boss’ office & laid off
iii. Granted 30days notice
iv. Had no idea what I would do/where I’d go
v. Applied all over the nation w/no response
vi. But, people marveled @ how little I seemed concerned
vii. wasn’t that there wasn’t reason to b anxious…
-I trusted God & turned those concerns in2 prayers.
c. Paul gives Three things open the flood gates for the peace of God
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
— w/out these 3 things, the peace o God is damed up—
1. Prayer
i. The word for prayer is a general term meaning worshipful conversation w/ God,
2. petition
i. petition refers to a prayer with a sense of need
3. Thanksgiving
i. Thanksgiving focuses on the attitude of 1’s heart in approaching God
-In the life application bible commentary Author Bruce Barton encourages us w/these words:
Philippians, Colossians & Philemon Think About Pure and Lovely Things / 4:2–9
Imagine never worrying about anything! That seems like an impossibility—everyone has worries on the job, at home, or at school. But Paul’s advice is to turn our worries into prayers. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray.
ii. This kind of peace is not self-generated…it doesn’t come from positive thinking
d. Peace of God is a gift & a rear guard
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1. the peace of God defends our hearts & minds from worry, anxiety, & fear
i. guard is a military term that equates2 a watchmen @a post
-this mind-boggling peace watches over & defends our hearts & minds.
2. God gifts us w/peace
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
e. U can't have the peace o God if u have not secured peace w/God offered through Jesus
1. notice that it says “In Christ” the only way to be “In Christ” is if He is our LORD & Savior
III. The Peace with & of God is permanent
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
A. Peace of the world comes and goes w/circumstances
a. Jesus offers a peace w/God that is permanent
He’s never going to turn his back on u
i. We can turn our back on him, but He’ll never leave/forsake you
b. Jesus offers the peace o God that guards our hearts & minds & won’t abandon it’s post
We gotta turn our worries, fears, & anxieties in2 prayers!!
We can choose to focus on them instead of trusting Jesus, but He’ll never be the 1 to pull his peace from u.