The present of His Presence
I'm so let's give him a big welcome Pastor Rick.
Skip to My Mic.
How about I just tell some jokes while I wait for them to find the right switch? Why are Christmas trees so bad at knitting? They always drop the needle.
What did the beaver say to the Christmas tree? Nice knowing you. I think I I think I'm coming through now. And I'll need a couple more just for fun sake then what's green and goes ribbit ribbit. What's prevent? Love you mistletoad?
And then what did the peanut butter say to the jelly on Christmas Eve is the season to be jelly.
Well Christmas with a couple of days ago now and the stores are once again open and the Boxing Day sales are on and the gift returns are in progress. Has anyone ever had been given or received the gift that they really didn't want like maybe perhaps you were a child and you wanted that choo choo train under the tree and said you got black socks. I give myself black socks now. I am that age by myself for Christmas. It goes great with all the other black socks that I have. You got a drawer full of them. And I hate that I have to say this Christmas. My wife is so wonderful to me. She gave me lots of good things easy for me because she finds the Flyers she'll circle thing and put them right beside my computer. So I know what she wants for Christmas album where I don't know what she wants and I'm going to give her the wrong stuff. I'm very very blessed in them. But it is Christmas about the gifts. In the classic. Dr. Seuss story. I hope you don't mind. Dr. Seuss on a Sunday morning How the Grinch Stole Christmas The Grinch come up with a plan stop Christmas from coming to Whoville And once the last who in Whoville had gone to sleep on Christmas Eve the Grinch the sky is the Saint Nicholas snuck into every house in the village taking everything that had to do with Christmas still the present. He steals the food but I suppose come January 1st in might not have minded that but that's for later by for Christmas day. They would they would have minded that and that's what they stole walking the decorations even sold a tree branch would not even leave a crumb bit for a mouse. and as the Grinch climbs the mountain with all the Christmas Bounty he is positively pleased that he has ruined Christmas for one and all and who all the Whos in Whoville No one would be happy on Christmas morning the Grinch listens to hear the sound of the despair the sound of breaking hearts the sound of children crying but as the doctor lyrics Downey says every who down in Whoville it's Hall and the small was singing with any presents at all somehow or other. It came just the same as the Grinch with his Grinch feet ice cold in the snow still puzzling and puzzling. How could it be so it came without ribbons and bows. It came without packages boxes without tags. It came without packages boxes or tags as he puzzled three hours till his Puzzler was sore and the green part of something. He hadn't before. Maybe Christmas. He thought doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas. Perhaps a little bit more. Christmas without presents
indeed Christmas must mean something more the song says that It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas and I look around our Stager and it's absolutely lovely. They've been an absolutely tremendous job decorating. Thank you to all those who helped that I didn't get a chance to help this year. I had to go to the dentist. I would much rather be here. I think I bet it looks beautiful, but Is Christmas really attached the decorations? We love them. They're lovely there gorgeous. Candy canes and mistletoe the ribbons the Bose the tensile the hallway Santa reindeer lights trees carolers, even if we take away the snow, which many are Canadian would be very thankful for you when it comes time to drive if we take away all of that. If you take everything that we can touch and taste and see and hear about Christmas will take that all the way. Why do we have left? Someone said that Christmas is not about presents but presence felt very differently. P r e n t e r e s e n t s cousin's presence his presence. Jesus is Emmanuel God With Us Christmas makes it possible for God's presence to fill our hearts and our lives. His presence gives us everything that we need. One of the greatest gifts that it gives us as a result of this present. The implications of it is that he gives us hope going to be there all the Whos in Whoville good thing because of their hopes that was within their hearts that could never be taken away. No Grinch. No person on Earth that strip away from them the hope of Christ in the presence of him residing within them.
We're going to take a few moments here this morning just to unwrap some of the implications of God's Gift of his presents. Its presence gives us hope and as we do this examination, we want to discover a tryst that Christmas gives us the hope that cannot be diminished or taken away in the Book of Romans. I know it's weird after Christmas. I'm allowed to speak about non-traditional Christmas message Verse of the Day forgive me, Roman Romans, 15:13. Isaiah says the root of Jesse will spring up one who will run the rule over the nation the Gentiles will hope in him May the god of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The hope that God gives us is sent from heaven real. Hope is not from this world real. Hope is a hope that will never disappoint you and that cannot be taken away. It's Sent From Heaven. We have use the word hope we say that we hope that we can do this or we hope they can get that and so on and so on real hope is a gift from God real. Hope has a name and that name is Jesus. Jesus Is Our Hope it reading from the message. It says and Isaiah's words that there's a the root of our ancestor Jesse Breaking Through the Earth and growing tree tall tall enough for everyone everywhere to see if they can see God delivered on his promise the words of the prophet Isaiah founder fulfillments in a baby born and placed in a Manger Our Hope was sent from heaven on Jesus came only to give us hope that you're actually be Last Hope. Is it there's an old Hymn of the church? I know some people are down on hymns, but that's okay. I'm old. I admit it or either that or hang out with a lot of old people in that little bit of Stockholm syndrome by to know my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name a Christ the solid rock. I stand all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. I hope that God provides To Us by his presence is Sent From Heaven. But it has to be received personally. Notice the words of the song when they were writing it down. He did not say our hope. Is that my hope until you and I have chosen to accept God's Gift of his presence of his hope is found only through his son Jesus. We live in this world without any hope it all. The book of Ephesians in Chapter 2. It says remember that at the time you were separate from Christ excluded from Citizen and Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away of being brought near to the blood of Christ. So don't be deceived apart from Christ. We have no hope but thank God that hope has been sent from heaven in the form at this time. We celebrated as as a baby. Be celebrated throughout the year, but at this time of year, we particularly celebrated as a baby born in a manger born of a Virgin by Shepherds worship by wise men. Worship by us. The Jesus came and he willing we offered his life upon the cross will get to that so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to God that this is the time we celebrate the package that God placed. On Earth the presence of his presence the hope that he gives us. Another application of the gift of his presence is that poop that we have is overflowing. He does not give us an empty. Hope our hope overflows. The other there's a bad song that they play at Christmas time about the Christmas Shoes. I'm sure if you listen to the radio people like the flats and after a while you just don't want to hear this anymore cuz it's so sad and touches my heart but it's so sad and so it's Christmas. You know, what? This filed in that song did not have enough that someone stepped up and paid the balance.
God doesn't give us an empty. Hope our hope that we have will not run dry. It will not be insufficient. It's not inadequate. The supply of hope not going to diminish. It's not going to come up short Heaven Sent. Hope is always more than enough in our passage and verse 13 and houses that we may trust in the god of the hope that we will overflow with hope and then have you ever in the message. It says that God was so Phyllis so full that we will bring them over with hope
Like my wife is wanting a pet. This wild and I yesterday I took her to the pet store and we got a fish.
A cheaper happy we have a Peppa game. We've been between fish as I'd like to describe it as for something on the order for about three years. I think I think she was at ended up with about three years. We've mean between fission so happy and when I stick the decorations that she bought and I stick the Travel Inn and whatever else what do they put in stick my hand in if I'm not careful that water is going to come up and over the edge of the tank. It's going to bring them over. That's what I hope is like it's eating its abundant. It's more than can be contained Thomas David understood how God cause this is Hope other stations hole overflow in his life and in Psalm 137. It says open the door at 4 with the Lord. There is a feeling loved and I know we're slowing supply of salvation. It's not limited. There is more everyone who wants it gets it. It's not like washing the shopping channel. Yes. I've been up late cuz I've been sort of on holidays. It's not like on the shopping channel. You have only just so long to get this item and there's only so many of these items is there is more. Okay. So we let God pour His hope into our life that will just give you enough for today here. You want me you won't leave you needing more will cause hope their overflow with in your life. It's more than you can contain.
I'm Peter in the because the overflowing our our our Living Hope is Peter 1:3 to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ in his great Mercy. He has given us New Birth into a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The resurrection we received the overflowing of this. Hope the Living Hope.
What does hope mean to be alive?
I don't get a chance to use my first degree very often. So I hope you will forgive me and I indulge me here take a little lesson from biology and apply it to her Living Hope all living things have three basic functions respiration growth and reproduction. Respiration is a general term to use how life receives energy. Belif, how active would you be if you stopped eating and stop breathing? Respirations for both taking in what is needed for life and the elimination of the byproducts of waste?
Energy for Life produces growth living things are not boarman's rather they grow and they change throughout their lifetimes. We sometimes watch kids growing right before our eyes are so it seems Right. Now you're alive you're growing. It's Christmas time. So you probably growing horizontally more than vertically, but you're still growing.
What production is Simply Life producing more life living things have the ability to reproduce or duplicate themselves if life had no ability to reproduce then life would come to an end. lights everywhere
Air Supply a basic biology of life living hope that God has given to us. Living Hope gives you energy for living daily life. We are dead spiritually incapable of doing anything but a hook. Only produces energy, but it's yours away those things that are not beneficial or necessary for life living. Hope energizes our face while removing bitterness depression Envy or anything else left over from our old way of thinking our old way of living our way of being I do hope is not dormant but it grows within our life making us stronger. It does not deny reality or difficult circumstances. It's not blind God causes. Hope it's in a row. To overcome anything that comes up against you. It also can be reproduce and others real hope is not manufactured or sold in stores. You cannot buy it on Amazon just as a flu and not buy it on Amazon and you can buy everything else. You cannot buy it on Amazon. Hope is born in others that are impregnated by the life and the power of the Holy Spirit within you.
Your presence is infectious with everyone in this city is required by law in a public setting to wear a mask had to take mine at 9 or so that you could you know, kind of interpret what I'm saying clearly, but everyone is required to wear masks because people are afraid of being infected by a virus. I want to tell you that even with a mask on even if you were wearing a full-on hazmat suit, you can still be infectious with a virus that but that's not the one thing that you want to be infected with any way you want to be infected with the hope of God's which is present residing within you and so spreading it contagiously if I can use the word to all those around you.
Bring it all together a Living Hope. An overflowing hope changes who you are and changes others around you as well. It's a lie. It can't be contained. It's not in limited Supply, but it overflows from our lives into the lives of others the presence of God will change you. It will change your family. It works. Just change. cultures It will change everything. When God is present and in charge, she sets the agenda and we follow him not because he demands it of us like a Stern Taskmaster. No because we long to please him and we do it out of our love for him.
What are the presents that he gives us provides a perfect. Peace? Absolutely. Perfect.
It it's not the silent treatment between a husband and a wife. It's absolutely perfect. Peace. Romans 15:13 going back there again after me the god of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him when God gives us hope he gives of himself because he is the god of hope. It's not in vain. It's not an empty. Our hope is an absolute confidence is a confidence in a person if an insurance based on who God is So I hope this is a perfect. Peace because I hope in God will never let us down the book of Hebrews chapter 10. It says let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we possess a crummy profast for he who has promised is faithful.
God is not going to let you down. You will not be disappointed.
You might have been disappointed on Christmas Eve morning or Christmas Eve when you unwrap your present, but God will not disappoint you. He does not let you down. Don't live lose. Hope or give up. I will meet you at your point of need if he brings us his perfect. Peace. Isaiah 26 when I read it a couple different versions The NIV says that you will keep in perfect. Peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.
The message says this that people with their Mind Set On You you keep completely whole study on their feet because they keep at it and don't quit. Big bucks to my living. Hope our hope that is a live with in Christ Jesus with us riding within us. It's alive not only because it energizes us that because it will cleanse this and eliminate impurities and waste for my thinking. How do we keep our mind steadfast and focused on Lord's the Open Championship games has stayed on B. Give me the Night by our problems. No, we live a Fairytale life dreaming of a happily ever after. No, it transforms our attitudes in our thinking he doesn't leave us where we are. He makes us knew he gives us perfect. Peace. his presence
also gives us a hope that indoors.
Going back to Romans 15 the god of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of His. Holy spirit. Hope is not something that you have to try to measure muster up on your own.
God is the one who gives you hope by the power of the Holy Spirit within you.
It's not something that you develop. You cannot go to training camp for a boot camp for the gym to work this up.
A lot of people going to be hitting the gyms on January 2nd, but you cannot develop hope and trust in God that way.
It's the endurance that get the power of God working in and through your life. Remember the basic characteristics of living. Hope hope is not dormant. Hope Rose. Hope makes us stronger the Bible tells us how God strengthens Our Hope. Romans 5 says this not only so but we also rejoice in our sufferings which is stop right there. rejoice in suffering outside of the church and somebody who's particularly ill mentally. Is anybody rejoice in suffering?
Okay, I just want to make sure I'm not totally out to lunch. I don't think I want you Joyce in suffering with God's not in it with me. Not only so but we also rejoice in our suffering because we know that suffering produces perseverance perseverance character and character hope and hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us. I'd life throws you a curveball. It's truck u-bolts. Our whole society was throwing a curveball with covid-19. And that's the result. There's economic Devastation all across Canada. There's people dying. What's this red disease? There's there's people that are sick there people that are isolated and alone.
Are we having a hard time finding any silver lining in our great clouds? a lot of people probably are What hardships are difficulties are you going to do you have maybe it's not something like that. Maybe it's something you like just simple difficult people in your life, but trouble within your family or or props amongst your friends. Maybe maybe your work has become drudgery. It's not a joy any longer to go to work you doing it strictly for the paycheck that because the economy the way that it is you don't want to give up a job that will pay you and maybe help you to make your ends Meats. Maybe you have too much months left at the end of your money, or maybe you're sick. I don't know what it is regardless of what it is that you are facing. Bible scripture that says rejoice Have any of your problems change God character? Bible says Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever. His character has not changed. Does your difficulty that difficult thing altered God's word? the same
hasn't changed.
God's word and God himself remain the same So we can rejoice when wife confronts us with hard times. You can either let your circumstances get you down or you can rise above the circumstances with the one who is our hope the one that is a heaven-sent. Hope the one who isn't overflowing Living Hope the one who is giving us perfect. Peace. We let him give us the endurance and the strength to Keep On Keepin On don't give up. He will see you through.
I reminded of a story of a little girl her voice penetrate the Stillness of the night from across the hallway where her father lay.
The father responded honey, don't be afraid that he's right here just across the hall. An app for a little brief pause the voice spoke again. I'm still scared. A Father's thoughts in the game responded. You don't need to be afraid God is with you. God loves you. After a long pause the voice returns, I don't care about God Daddy. I want somebody with skin on.
Do the logic used by little child is precisely the reason for the Incarnation. After thousands of years of being unsuccessful in it being able to convince his people that he really loved them our creator show that the best way to demonstrate his love for us what to send someone with skin on. Why do we need to persevere then? Why do we need to Hope? If he's with us.
Hebrews chapter 10 says this let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful. God is faithful. I don't know if you can wrap your head around that. It's very difficult. Some people in this world struggle from the somebody get all can be faithful simply because they've never seen anybody be faithful.
They lock the example. I want to tell you that God is your example in this case humans fail. God does not. God is not going to abandon you you have not being forsaken You are not alone in the midst of whatever you may be facing believe God's word is his promises to you are yes, and amen. Through Jesus Christ. God has brought you through this far and he will see you through to the end. Anthony Milan and he was ten professed for he who promised is faithful and let us consider how we may spur one another on two word. Love and Good Deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.
Now we offered her those last two verses quoted in reference to doing the right things as Believers of what evil care for one another attend church regularly and so on. Why do we need to do those?
and not just because the Bible says so
we need them to minister to others and to be strengthened personally. As we do those things we learn to hold onto who he is.
He is our hope.
He is our peace gives our our our our God. We got to demonstrate and to receive God's presence presence of presence in our lives 2nd Corinthians. 1 says that he Comforts Us in all our troubles that we can Comfort others when others are troubled we will be able to give them the same comfort that God has given us. We don't Comfort others with man-made compassionate love we share with others what we ourselves have received from God as we willingly minister to others God and turn strengthens and prepares us for the trials that lie ahead of us. God uses us to encourage and strengthen others who are facing difficult Circumstance. The Bible tells us to share one another's troubles and problems in order to fully obey the Lord did these things that we do do we do we minister to benefit from our love and our supports. So I just better to do that yes to do benefits for my love and for my support, but we benefit as well from caring for others. As we do these things as we hold onto hope as we demonstrate the Vitality of our relationship with him in our lead and sustained by his presence. We are strengthened for the time that we are selfish times of trial and difficulty of all various time the presence of God. Who built the stop he prepares us for what is to come? I guarantee you that if you take a BB believe or someone who's just being born in the in the face. Are you tell them what they are going to do for the Lord they stick with him most of them including myself with turn scream and run away.
The god prepares us for the puppy have to face. Maybe you're facing the time of illness. I've no The God is our God who heals us? His presence will take us through it.
We will endure.
Know everything that I've set up to this point, so the benefits of the presence of God the wonderful nature of this present of presents that he gives us, but I can't end without answering the very important question of why in the world would he see fit to let us into his presence in the first place? It's great. That's wonderful. But it's. You might have heard the phrase that mountain will not come to Muhammad Muhammad must go to the mountain. Well, that's very very difference from what we experienced is believers. Ordinarily different every other belief system in this world.
Is different from Christianity. This is why I'm tell you that you in the form of a story. From Paul Harvey. He wants told the story. I don't have his voice. Please forgive me. This is about a modern man. One of us. He was not a scrooge. He was kind decent mostly good man has family up right in his dealings with others, but he did not believe in all that Incarnation stuff. That church is Proclaim at Christmas time. It just didn't make sense to him and he was too honest to pretend otherwise You just could not swallow the Jesus story about God coming to Earth as man. I'm sorry to distress you you told his wife, but I'm not going to church with you this Christmas Eve. He said he'd feel like a hypocrite that you would much rather stay home, but that he would wait up for them. You say that they went after his family left right after they drove away the car snow began to fall. He went to the window to wash the flurries getting heavier and heavier. Then he went back to his Fireside chair. Began to read the newspaper. Minutes later. He was startled by a farting sounds. Then another and another. millet at first I thought someone must be throwing snowballs against the living room window. Nobody went to the front door. He found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow day to have been caught in the storm and Anna desperate search for shelter. They had tried to fly through his large landscape window. Play come let the poor creatures lie there and freeze. Remember the barn where his children stable their Pony that would provide a warm shelter if he could wreck the birds to it, spoken collages Chapel through the deepening snow to the barn open the door wide and turned on the lights, but the birds did not come in. If you're good food would entice them in any hurry back to the house. That's breadcrumbs sprinkle them on the snow making a trail through the yellow lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued the flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried touching them you tried suing them into the barn by walking around them waiting his arms instead. They scattered in every direction except into the warm lighted Barn. Then he realized they were afraid of him. The reason I am a strange and terrifying Creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me that I'm not trying to hurt somebody to help them how Any movie made send it to frighten them confuse them. They would just not follow will not be led or shoot because they feared him. If only I could become a bird myself upon. If only I could be a bird and mingle with them and speak their language and tell them not to be afraid and show them the way to the safe warm burn, but I'd have to be one of them so they could see and hear and understand. At that moment the church bells began to ring the sound reach to the reserves about the sound of the wind. He stood there listening to the Bells. Listening to the bells feeling their Glad Tidings of Christmas. Anything to his needs in the snow.
Man in the story realized by Jesus softfit the temperature. Why you chose to be Emmanuel God With Us why he chose to give us his friend? In the same vein a Calcutta newspaper carry the story of how a Hindu man. Came to the house of a missionary for an interview. in the course of the conversation he said many things with Christianity contains I find in Hinduism, but there is one thing with Christianity has that Hinduism has not. What is that missionary asked his reply was striking? savior
this brings us to the Christmas story that I'm sure many of you have been waiting for the faded breath. Matthew once is this this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about his mother. Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph A before they came together. She was found to be with child through the holy spirit because Joseph her husband was a righteous man that did not want to expose her to Public Disgrace. He had in mind divorce her quietly, but after he'd consider this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and Saint Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son your to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins all this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said to the prophet the Virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel which means god with us.
God is with us.
How should we respond? You saw the excitement in the media this past week about the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Is the closest together in our night sky that we've been able to see in something like eight centuries.
Astronomers everywhere. We're very excited. And of course here in the Edmonton that night we had heavy cloud. But one thing that we need to remember about that events is that these planets do not have any light of Their Own? They are merely reflecting the light of the nearest star to our sun. Everything we can see about them. We see by the Sun's light. We as Believers can do no less. Our son is no mere star created by God speaking on the fourth day of creation. Our son is the son son of God. We respect his light and His glory to the world that is lost and perishing and darkness showing them the hope that we have that lies within us as a result of the presence of God.
But what if we have gone astray? How do you know what what do you know the truth of this present? But it in your electric time in his presence become less than it ought to be. Tell them take comfort in this that if we miss one day one week or even one month or however long it has been. Wave from spending time in his presence. It doesn't mean that we can't start a game God's mercies are new every single day. You can restore that relationship. What if we are strangers to Jesus what if we have never established relationship with him and we answered or entered his orbit as for? And the secular World Christmas is over now. Stores are dealing with returns Boxing. Day sales are on their stores are looking to stock up on chocolate and stuffy Valentine's Day cards for the next big retail push.
Where do we find price after Christmas? Where do we look for Jesus after the Angels choir is in the stop singing and gone back to heaven. Where do we find when the shepherds ever return to their fields of the holy child has vacated the stable in Bethlehem. The manger where do we look for him?
Let me point you to word across. He was murdered and brutalized for our transgressions. He was pierced for our iniquities Simeon in the temple told Mary that she would bear the pain of watching. Jesus die a sword with your consent and she did as she stood at the foot of the cross and watch Jesus finish the work that the father had sent him to do. That is why Jesus came
He died in our place. I purchase our forgiveness to Bear our punishments, but the good news is this as great as all that is the story did not end of the Cross and the great. Gyros on 3rd, and he lives forevermore.
He was more than a helpless infants.
In the resurrection, we see the rest of Jesus persona. Wonderful counselor the Mighty God the Everlasting father the Prince of Peace. He is Emmanuel. Goddesses, let me get the Unspeakable privilege of being in his presence. baby Bratz
Lord we thank you for your presence.
The gift of hope that you give us in your sign.
Word like little children trying out for a gift in the tree in the yell and yelling for presents. We want to imitate that but we want to change the way we spell presents. We want to reach our hands up to you Lord. We just want to say
give us your presence Lord. We want you. We need you. Without you we are lost without you we are hopeless. We long for your presence Lord. We need it.
And Lord You're so gracious to words that you say you are I am. You are with us. No matter what. We're going through. Will there be the happily-ever-after or the Lord? How can I make it through one more minutes of this life you are with us. It matters not what the situation is Lord, but you are with us in orbit. Thank you for that Lord. We give you glory we give you honor. Thank you. for your presence
and in lieu of a thank you card because frankly we have no place to mail it too and we wouldn't trust Canada Post to send it there anyway. Lord we just give to you a thank you card of Our Lives.
Thank you, Lord. PayPal
well, thank you Pastor Rick. It's it's I think it's one of the pivotal messages. To realize that one of God's names is Emmanuel. God With Us Think about that. one of the names of God
this reflect upon us that he is with us.
I think there's so pivotal that we just keep reminding to take to be in God's presence. There's no place. I'd rather be in Williston old song but just keeps coming to mind no place. I would rather be than with him. Well, thank you for being with us today. Just a few quick announcement. Please remember that. We do have the app up on the App Stores whether you on Android or Apple and not real.