Category Archives: Christmas Special

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Have You Looked At The Nativity Lately?

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Details of The Nativity

  1. Look At The Star – It Says, “God Wants Me To Find Him” – Matthew 2:9-10
    1. “ After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold the star that they had seen when it rose went before them and came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”
    2. God is not playing the childhood game of “hide and seek!”
      1. “…Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and we have come to worship him.” V.2
    3. Where would I have been if I had not found the star? When you follow God you do not need a crowbar to be pried loose or a cattle-prod to be motivated!
    4. When you find God you will find your purpose. God has provided a travel guide for you – your star of Bethlehem!
    5. God wants you to be a star for others – you are to be a star to lead others to Jesus. Your void and emptiness will never be filled without God!
  2. Look At The Stable – It Says, “God Wants Me To Know Him” – Luke 2:1-7
    1. Men of nobility found him. Shepherds found him. God wants us to find him. He provides celestial phenomena or angels singing in the heavens for the shepherds – bottom line – God wants us to find him.
    2. When you stop long enough to think about it, the only people that Jesus had problems with were religious people.
      1. Religious people always know how the church is to be run and how the preacher is to perform.
      2. Until we become broken over barren altars and fruitless church activity we should not talk.
    3. Look at God – He passed up good people to get to bad people. He passed up well people to get to crippled people.
    4. His love is a “HESED” unconditional love for us.
    5. God says; “I do not want to do thrones – I want to do ‘cow-sheds!’”
  3. Look At The Manger – It Says, “God Wants Me To Be Blessed By Him” Luke 2:7
    1. The manger was most likely hewn out of stone and not wood. This represents longevity, free from rot and serious erosion, a symbol of blessing because food is provided there.
    2. Jesus is the Bread of Life and Living Water
  4. Here is the real meaning: God takes the extraordinary and places it in the ordinary because He wants to be accessible.
    1. We will never surprise God by our behavior.
    2. Religious people are always disappointed in God’s unconditional love.

This is an IQ TEST: “Why would you not want a God who wants you to find Him, know Him, and bless you?”

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The Stable That Changed The World

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God’s Entrance Into History Through Christ

  1. Deep Change That Required New Ways of Behaving – Luke 2:1-20
    1. This whole Christmas story is one that forces us to behave in different ways. Society then and society now was ingrained in certain religious patterns and ways of performing. Then God sends Jesus to work not only within the religious order but also most definitely to work outside the norm.
    2. For example take note of some of the issues that force new behavior:
    3. Joseph taking Mary unto himself even though she was pregnant while betrothed but not yet married. Joseph believed the messenger of God and he changed his behavior.
    4. Consider King Herod who was perhaps threatened by the inquiry of the Magi regarding Christ. Herod wanted the Magi to report back to him (Matthew 2:1-20) so he could worship. Yet the angel told the Magi differently – Herod wanted to kill the child and Egypt would be the temporary safe-haven for them.
    5. Consider Simeion’s behavior being that of anticipation to see the Christ child through the “Holy Spirit’s report”
    6. Consider the prophetess Anna who prayed and asked continually at the Temple for the coming of Christ child
    7. Consider the whole religious system of religion/government that would be radically altered because of Christ. Their behavior was not that of change but vengeance, because of change (i.e. Slavery was abolished because of Christianity)
  2. Deep Change That Causes Surrender of Self-Control – Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 1: 2:1-20
    1. Take note of the illustrations of surrendering self-control just in the birth narrative alone saying nothing about his life.
      1. Joseph – what a social dilemma, engaged yet Mary is pregnant. Joseph surrenders self-control on the basis of the angel’s visit in a dream = Matthew 1.
      2. Mary – visitation of the angel to tell of her coming son/Savior via the agency of the Holy Spirit. Note her gladness before and after the news. She surrendered; the abortion clinic was not optional.
      3. Magi – these were astrologers that knew something big was about to happen by the mere alignment of the stars. They surrendered control and traveled based on astrology first (Matthew 2:1).
      4. Simeon – surrendered control based upon the Holy Spirit’s presence upon him that told him he would live to see the Messiah (Luke 2:25).
      5. Anna the prophetess – she would be considered a modern day religious feminist radical because of her cultural praying and fasting in the Temple – she believed God’s redemptive plan for the people (Luke 2:36).
  3. Deep Change Is Irreversible – Luke 2:1-20
    1. Author Robert Quinn suggests that significant change, once we are committed, should be irreversible. If changes are always incremental then there will always be a way to go back to the old patterns and habits.
    2. Consider the irreversible change of all the characters in the birth narrative. In every case there was no return – wholesale commitment to what physical science suggested (Magi) or to what angels were reporting – but there was no returning to the old life style patterns.
    3. Most profound of all is the birth narrative is God himself. He stepped into his own creation order without a “PLAN B.”
      1. When you actually think about it, God is asking a wholesale change in lifestyle, wholesale commitment and there is no “Plan B.”
      2. What will you do about Christ? The stable in Bethlehem changes the world then, now, and into this new millennium. How will it change your life – how has it changed your life?
      3. You need Jesus today! There are no other options and choices.

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The Magnificat – Mary’s Song

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Angelic Visitation

INTRO: What would your reaction be to an angelic visitation? Would it be like Mary’s who offered six lessons on praise?

Scripture: Luke 1:46-56

  1. The Testimony – Mary gives thanks to God for six things – 1:46-56
    1. God’s Condescension – God Took Notice of Her – vv.46-48
      1. The reality of God noticing and bestowing favor upon her caused Mary to state two definitive comments
        1. My soul glorifies
        1. My Spirit rejoices
    1. God’s Holiness – God has done great things for her – v.49
      1. Holiness allows for greatness – unholiness brings destruction doesn’t it?
      1. God’s holiness here is more than His moral perfection. Rather it refers to His acts of righteousness and justice by which He fulfills His covenant with His people. In other words: GOD IS ABLE!
      1. God’s name is a name of action – right action. His holiness brings rewards to the humble and judgment to the haughty. Take note of Psalm 111:9 9; He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!
    1. God’s Mercy – His mercy goes on from generation to generation – v.50
      1. Mary sees herself not as the only person to be blessed. Rather God’s mercy is available to all generations far beyond my life.
      1. Psalm 103:17-19: But(AC) the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on(AD) those who fear him,
           and his righteousness to(AE) children’s children,
        18to those who(AF) keep his covenant
           and(AG) remember to do his commandments.
        19The LORD has(AH) established his throne in the heavens,
           and his(AI) kingdom rules over all.
    1. God’s Power – God does tremendous things with His power – v.51
      1. God has performed mighty deeds with His arm
      1. God has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts [literally the heart is being referenced]
      1. Luke did not see God’s power merely as political power. He saw it as a contrast between the humble poor and the haughty rich [Ref Luke 6:2-26 – Read]
    1. God’s Sovereignty – God humbles the proud and exalts the lowly – vv.52-53
      1. God brought down the rulers from their thrones
      1. God exalted the lowly
      1. God filled the hungry with good things
      1. God sent the rich away empty
    1. God’s Faithfulness – God has kept all His promises to Israel – vv.54-55
      1. God did not forget what He promised – He remembered Abraham and all that was said.
      1. God has not forgotten in this modern time – He will bring about all that He promised in His Word.

Three Lessons From Luke

  1. The humble are exalted and the arrogant are brought low
  2. God fulfills all prophecy and all promises
  3. Mary understood the significance of the Christ child being greater than Elizabeth’s child. Prioritize Christ at the top of your understanding.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.