Christmas Day 2021

The Promise - The King has Come!

Welcome

Series of The Promise - promise of a new king - a rescuing king - tomorrow a forever king

God Keeps his promise - from the beginning of time the Promise - fulfilled at Christmas

Today we celebrate a promise kept - the greatest gift

Who has got a gift this Christmas - Christmas catwalk (hot stepper music)

I have a gift here - maybe you recieved some thing like this this Christmas - chocolate, card with money

1st Christmas people brought gifts - (wise men pics in box) what were they? Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh.

weird gifts? All pointed to who this baby was:

GOLD

Why? something you give to A King -

Faith - to give it to a child - not what they were expecting - expecting a warrior king

in OT gold used in the holy of holies - place where priest would encounter presence of God and make a sacrifice - points to ultimate sacrifice Jesus would make for us to have a relationship back with God

Most extravagant act of worship not buying their way to God they gave what they had most precious to the one who was so precious

FRANKINCENSE

Sap from the Boswellia Sacra tree and dried - tree is cut first then cut in many places to release sap

Usually burnt in worship and sacrifice because of its great worth also used as a healing

This was at the time worth more than its weight in gold

Why for Jesus?

Isaiah 53:5 ESV

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

jesus did this and does this - like the tree he was crushed and pierced to bring healing - the perfect sacrifice

MYRRH

what is the best gift you have been given - usually those thoughtful gifts - time and effort maybe beyond your own ability to receive, maybe something you didn’t even know you wanted but now cant live without?

we didn’t deserve it, cant earn it but - Jesus made a huge sacrifice for us while we were away from him, didn’t even know we needed or wanted him he dies for us - restore a relationship - reset for perfection

should be filled with wonder and gratitude

Myrrh had loads of different uses - anointing oil- embalming oil, medicine to ease suffering

Just like the other gifts pointed Jesus to be : The anointed one, the Suffering Servant, The ultimate sacrifice.

OT..... t othis point point to Jesus

NT .... now the gift outworked- the greatest gift ...... promise kept and made good

Polar Express ....... build up anticipation ..... elves work..... send of santa......... pause....... yippeeeeeeee!

Time to celebrate

when chocolate gone -food eaten - busy stops - understand the lasting gift worth more than money can buy -eteranl PEACE,

Promise Keeper, way maker, Miracle worker, Light int he darkness

THAT IS WHO HE IS LETS WORSHIP HIM