December 20 2015 Revealing The Purpose Of Christmas

REVEALING THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS

Luke 2:8-20

Luke 2:10 – I bring you good news of great joy.

Five Wonderful Purposes of Christmas:

1. God reaches out to every person.

Verses 8-9- And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them.

Job 36:7 – He does not take His eye off the righteous.

Isaiah 64:8 – We are all the work of God’s hand.

2. God releases your fears.

Verses 10-11 – Do not be afraid, A Saviour has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord.

Examples:

• Storm tossed sea Matthew 14:27
• At His resurrection Matthew 28:10
• At the last supper John 14:27

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin.

John 16:33 – But take heart, I have overcome the world.

Matthew 6:33 – Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all those things will be given to you as well.

3. God recovers your lost condition.
Verse 11 – A Saviour has been born to you.

Luke 19:10 – Jesus said, for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Matthew 20:28 – I did not come into the world to be served, but to serve and give My live a ransom for many.

John 12:47 – I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.

4. God reproduces His life in you.
Verse 14 – Peace to men on whom His favor rest.

John 10:10 – Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and have it to the fullest.

2 Corinthians 9:15 – Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

5. God needs your response.

Verses 16-17 – So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a manger.  When they had seen Him they spread the word.

John 6:47 – I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.

December 7 2014 The Christmas Tradition Of Celebration

“That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. , an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them.   They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don't be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!   Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!’ , the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.’ the  angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  The shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. shepherds  went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for  what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.” – Luke 2:8-20

"Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, and I am very pleased with him. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout; he will not raise his voice in public. will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until he brings full justice with his final  victory. And his name will be the hope of all the world."   – Matthew 12:18-21

FOUR WAYS TO CELEBRATE MY HOPE THIS CHRISTMAS…

1. HAVE A TIME TO FOCUS ON JESUS

“They (the shepherds) ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph.  And there was the baby, lying in the manger.”  
– Luke 2:16

““He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” – John 1:10-13

2. OPEN MY EYES TO THOSE HURTING AROUND ME

“Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own  affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.  attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.”” – Philippians 2:3-5

“It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor - what a blessing!” – Proverbs 14:21

3. PUT TOGETHER A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP

“So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” – Matthew 5:23-24
    
““Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must  clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”  – Colossians 3:12-13

4. ENJOY GOD’S BLESSINGS

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” – Colossians 3:16-17
 
Memory Verse: “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

March 2 2014 Seeing What God Wants Me To See

Seeing What God Wants Me To See 

Illumination: Letting the Holy Spirit show me the meaning of God’s Word and how it applies to my life.

John 14:26 “Jesus said, ‘The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.’”

John 14:17 “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.”

John 16:15 “…The Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”

Ephesians 1:17 “I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God.”

Ephesians 1:18-19 “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

What actually happens when God opens my spiritual eyes?

1. I see the barrier to my progress.

Numbers 22:22-27 But God was furious that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way… Balaam’s donkey suddenly saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand and the donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat the donkey and turned it back on the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing there, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place so narrow that the donkey could not get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat it again with his staff.

verse 31 “Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, He saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn.So He bowed low and fell facedown.”

2. I see how God is walking with me.

Luke 24:15-31 “Suddenly, Jesus himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them. But they didn’t know who he was, because God kept them from recognizing him. Jesus said, ‘You seem to be in a deep discussion about something, what are you so concerned about?’ They stopped short, sadness written on their faces. Then Cleopas said, ‘You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened in the last few days.’ Jesus said, ‘What things?’ And thedisciples said, ‘The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,’ they said. ‘He was a prophet who did wonderful miracles. He was a mighty teacher, highly regarded by both God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders arrested him and handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had thought he was the Messiah. who had come to rescue Israel. That all happened three days ago,’ they continued. ‘Then some women were at his tomb early this morning, and came backwith an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and that they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, Jesus’ body was gone, just as the women had said.’” “Then Jesus said, ‘You are such foolish people. You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering into his time of glory?’ Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all of the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about him.”

“By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus would have gone on, but they begged him to stay the night with them, since it was getting late. So he [Jesus] went home with them. As they sat down to eat, Jesus took a small loaf of bread, asked God’s blessing on it,, broke it, then gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he disappears from their sight.”

Three things to cooperate with the Holy Spirit

1. I must begin a relationship with Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 2: 14 “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” .

2 Corinthians 4:4 “The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News…”

John 3:3 “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God] until he is born again.”

2. I cleanse my heart of sin and conflict.

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

1 John 2:11 “Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and he walks around in the darkness. He does not know where he’s going because the darkness has blinded him.”

3. I commit in advance to do what God says.

Psalm 119:33-34 “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.”

Memory Verse: James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”