The LORD's Day, December 27, 2009

Looking Back To Bethlehem

Matthew 2.1-12

We need to have one foot in Biblical times and another in contemporary times as we work out our salvation, while both planted firmly in the timeless Christ.

If we move too quickly into the New Year we can miss some of the meaning and message of Christmas. We rush from one thing to another these days. Slow down! This morning let's look back to Christ's first coming. Look back to Bethlehem, December 25, 0000 AD.

1. Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the time of King Herod.

Jesus was born- The Word became flesh. God in man is now residing.

It was an event in human history.

His Name will be called Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.

Immanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

In Bethlehem, its vicinity, municipality, the shepherds were in the fields nearby but Jesus was born in the city, the city of David.

Bread of Life, The Bread that comes down from heaven born in a city whose name means House of Bread

During the time of King Herod, the terrorist. Christmas Evening another attempted terrorist act was stopped. We live in horrific days, but as in the time when Jesus was born, great days of God working in the world, all over the world!

2. Shepherds came, witnessed the event, then spread the news about Jesus.

Luke 2.8-20

They hadn't even had a class on how to do it! These men serve as examples. They were the first to see, other than Mary and Joseph, the LORD's Christ. They were eyewitnesses of Jesus' birth.

They came to Bethlehem. As we look back at the manger there and see Christ Jesus, the little LORD Jesus, we see shepherds worshiping and then spreading the news which is exactly the pattern we ought to be in today this morning. We are here to worship. After we leave we are entering into a world that does not know Christ and we are to tell the news around wherever we go.

Their telling raised Messianic hopes. When John the Baptist came 29 1/2 years later, preparing the way, the Shepherds had prepared the way for him! Shepherds are close to the heart of God.

Looking back to Bethlehem we see that...

3. Wise men seek the LORD.

They saw the star and followed it.

They traveled to Bethlehem.

They gave gifts to the LORD.

They worshiped Him.

They listened to the LORD, not Herod.

4. We see this Holy Family in crisis but in the Hands of God.

If we move too fast from celebrating the Advent we miss much. The wisemen took appraoxiamately 2 years to get there. After the event in the manger 2 years of life transpired for Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus. We know they remained in Bethlehem. Joseph, no doubt, worked as a carpenter. Children have ascended to thrones so perhaps they wondered if Jesus would. Bethlehem is just down the road from Jerusalem. Travel at that time and actually always was difficult for pregnant women and nursing mothers.

When it was time to flee, the fled at night. God was with them.

Life can bring some very trying and painfully hard times to us. Holy people can go through horrific times. The Holy family did. Satan wanted to destroy Jesus as a baby. Revelation 12.1-6 Satan has come to rob, kill and destroy. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. He will soon crush Satan under your feet shortly (Romans 16.20).

For now we are tempted, tried and tested, but not tormented! God always gives peace and strength in the storms. Even when we face death He is with us!

Looking back to Bethlehem

Looking ahead to 2010

Looking for a City Whose Architect and Builder is God- the New Jerusalem!

December 20, 2009 Christmas Sunday

Walking in the Light

John 1.1-14, 8.12

Jesus is the Light of the World. He is the Light of Life. He is the Light of men.

When Adam sinned and the human race fell under the curse of death and darkness it, the LORD already had a plan for our redemption. We see this in these opening verses of John. It went back before time began.

Jesus Christ, The Word of God
* Was with God
* Is God
* Created all things in the beginning

Hebrews 1.3 tells us that the Son is the express image of God’s person. The Word of God is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Word of God.

The concepts of sin and righteousness, of evil and good are described here in terms of darkness and light. Christmas is the Light, Jesus Christ, being born into the world to save us from our sins. Christ has come! Let’s talk about the light.

1. Jesus Christ is the Light of Men. v.4

He is the light of the world.

Light=
Understanding (light bulb above the head)
Purity
Showing us dirt- on the front of a vacuum, sunshine can show you things in your windows you didn’t know were there!
Flashlights and lanterns light the path so we can see and not stumble. They help light the way so we don’t get lost.
Psalm 119.105 Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.

2. He Shines in the Darkness. v.5

Where there is darkness Jesus comes and shines light.

He is misunderstood. So many misunderstand Jesus. They think He is there when we need Him and when we don’t He can be ignored. Others think He is out to take away their so called fun. Because of this…

Men did not make Him their own. Many have heard but have turned away.

They did not catch what He was and is saying. Some missed the message of hope and forgiveness He offers.
Yet the darkness has not overcome the Light. It continues!
There have been attacks on Christ and His followers from His time here on earth 2,000 years ago. There have been efforts by governments to contain or run the church. Mockery and hatred haven’t stopped Jesus and His people because they overcome by love. Nothing or no one can overcome love. It is the most powerful force in the world.

3. Jesus came at Christmas to give light to everyone. vs.9, 14

I love the announcement to the Shepherds! The angels didn’t give them any warning. The angel of the LORD appeared and gave the announcement and then the heavenly host lit up that dark sky in Bethlehem. Night became day that first Christmas. Bethlehem’s sky was never brighter.

He gives light to everyone. Not all catch it and make it their own. As the fields of Bethlehem were bright that night so around the world the message of the gospel has gone and people have believed.

He was born. Mary was His mother. The Holy Spirit was the agency used for God’s Son to be conceived and born.

He came from the Father through the Spirit.

He came full of grace and truth.
We need both.
We need truth to function and to be productive and to avoid harming ourselves.
Example: Hot water makes suds. Suds cleans clothes. We must adjust the temperature of the hot water we touch so we won’t get scalded.
He give grace for our sins.

4. We become spiritual children of God by believing in and on Jesus. v.13

We are born of God when we believe and receive Christ. After we receive Him we leave the darkness and walk in the Light with Him.
I John 1. 5-7
John 8.12 I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Following Him in the light of Hs Word. Jesus came to save us from our sins. He came to give us light. He is doing that today. One of the ways of honoring Him is to walk in all the light He has given you. Walking in the light is the good life. It is the right way to live.

Due to the blizzard our there will not be services at the church today.

The LORD's Day December 13, 2009 Third Sunday In Advent

The Wonderful Story of Christmas

Luke 2.1-20

Many TV episodes and even a full length movie have the title “A Christmas Story”. This morning we are looking at THE Christmas Story, the account of Jesus’ birth.

There are some endearing stories that carry good lessons of love, family and reconciliation but none are worth comparing with the wonder filled story of the birth of Christ.

1. Difficult Circumstances Brought About By the Governments of the World are Vehicles upon which God Accomplishes His Purposes.
vs.1-4

Where there is persecution of the church today in the world you find a purified church and one with little hypocrisy.

God got Mary who was great with child down to Bethlehem. The prophets foretold it. She probably would not have gone if it were not for the decree of Caesar.

In the early church, in the Book of Acts, the church at Jerusalem was scattered by the persecution led by a head strong Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus. They were given the command by Jesus to go into all the world but they remained in Jerusalem. We are told in Acts 8.4 that those who were scattered preached the Word wherever they went. Difficult Circumstances Brought About By the Governments of the World are Vehicles upon which God Accomplishes His Purposes. In this case it was organized religion.

I have seen God use sickness and even death in the same way. He uses these things to change hearts and draw people closer to Himself.

I have seen Him use financial stress and struggle to show a person how to handle money wisely and carefully.

2. This Young Couple, Newly Married, were part of God’s Fulfillment of Promises He Made Hundreds and Thousand of Years Before. vs.4-7

God uses simple people. The Story Of Christmas is Divine Simplicity.

God does work through young people- not exclusively but definitely.
Joseph was 17 when he began his journey into God’s service.
David was a boy, a shepherd boy. Samuel was a little fellow.
Newlyweds, teenagers, children have and are used to by God to bring about His purposes.

3. The LORD often Shares Spiritual Truths and Has Spiritual Treasures Entrusted to Very Unlikely People. vs.8-20

Sometimes the least likely! As if the stable wasn’t unsanitary enough, the LORD brings in a bunch who didn’t get to bathe very often… only when their journeys brought them to bodies of water in secluded places.

Christmas Pageants are kind to the shepherds. They have them dressed in bathrobes which are clean and smelling of fabric softener! When I was a kid there was a family of kids who came to the church who were not the neatest around. One of the boys played a shepherd in the church Christmas play. I was Joseph. My mom had me give her my bathrobe and washed it out well. After all I was going to be in front of the whole church! This poor kid showed up in his bathrobe which looked like it never had washed and wore it. He was closer to the actual shepherds than we knew. 22 years later I was in Israel for the first time. I wanted my picture taken with a shepherd. Trouble is they are still out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks. We found one and when I asked to stop our bus for this purpose, the guide was amazed. He asked, “Why would you want a picture taken with one of them?” But he obliged and everyone waited while I got off and some took my camera and I had my picture with a shepherd. But no one else got off to get one!

It was a kid who first got the idea of helping the homeless which became a Thanksgiving Dinner for the homeless and unfortunate herein Bay Shore. Those people we helped have moved east. The church which picked up on what we were doing served nearly 3,000 meals this past year. They used to come to help us. Now they are doing it.
Look at God’s Word

Look at Church History

Look at our current situation. Pray the LORD of the harvest. Pray for young people.

Look at our church- we are candidates to be used by the LORD because we are unlikely.

I Corinthians 1.26-31

Jesus came in that way. Jesus went out that way. Jesus hasn’t changed. Sometimes the church gets too big for its own britches.

Get into this Account and others and hear of the humility of the Savior! Ponder it and spread the Word- do what Mary and the Shepherds did!

I know the secularization of Christmas gets to us as believers. We no longer have the culture as we once did. Don’t let this get you down! We are part of God’s Everlasting Kingdom. There are wonderful things to celebrate!

The LORD's Day December 6, 2009 Second Sunday in Advent

Whose Son Is the Christ?

Matthew 22.41-46, 1.1

The longer I read and the study the Bible the more I realize that I need to slow way down so as to take all I can in.

This opening line of the New Testament is loaded with all kinds of truths.
At the end of Jesus’ ministry He asked an interesting question, the answer to which, proves by God’s Word that the Messiah is God’s Son. Whose Son is the Christ?

This first line of Matthew tells us many things. Brief statements can do that. In God’s Word they always do!

1. Jesus has a genealogy.

It was part of God’s plan from the beginning for His Son to be born into the human race. When Adam sinned, God promised a Redeemer through his and Eve’s line. Genesis 3.15 Mary found favor with God but she was also chosen from the beginning because of God choosing what the ancestral line of His Son would be.

Jesus was born. We remember and celebrate that fact at Christmas. We celebrate it and gave thanks today as we took the LORD’s Supper.

Jesus’ genealogy is very interesting. The people that make it up are varied to say the least. There were saints and sinners in it, righteous and wicked.

One of the things we see in it is The Word Became Flesh because not only was Jesus born into the human race…

2. Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

John 1.1-3 He and the Father are One.
John 14.8-14 He shows the Father because of this. Hebrews 1.3

God, the Father sent Him. John 3.16 He so loved the world

3. Jesus Christ is David’s Son.
Israel’s most beloved King, a man after God’s own heart.

Fulfills promises made to David about his kingdom.

II Samuel 7

The everlasting Kingdom promised to David is the kingdom of God and Jesus as David’s descendant fulfills this promise in a way more wonderful than David could imagine.

God does that with His Promises. As we live them out in our walk with Him we realize that the wonderfully sounding words are indeed wonderful as they become real to us.

The promises He has for us of blessing like this one for David. There are any promises for our dark moments, times of grief and difficulty and pain.

4. Jesus Christ is Abraham’s Son

Fulfills promises to Abraham made by God.

I love the outrageous promises God made to him in his old age.
Hebrews 11.11-12

Look at them when they were given:
Genesis 12.1-3, 15.1-7

I love how all believers are connected into these great promises made to Abraham because of Jesus. Galatians 3.6-9,16

God is a Promise Keeper.

5. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World.

What a wonderful Savior!
Matthew 1.20-21

Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham… Jesus because He will save His people from their sins

He came into the world

He comes into hearts

O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend on us we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today

This is why Jesus came. This is the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and David. God’s Son Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners and build a holy nation and kingdom of priests through His spiritual offspring, the family of God.