The Perfect Christmas
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: It always seems to me that life happens at the most inopportune times. Like if you are already late, you hit every stop light.
When something bad happens it seems like more bad stuff is right around the corner.
I don’t like silence. I need noise even if it’s just in the background. But I especially don’t like the silent treatment. Have you ever had a really close friend that just stopped talking to you? After a while you begin to wonder what you might have done wrong. And for men, if it’s your wife, just go buy flowers and say you’re sorry. Doesn’t matter for what you did.
But what happens when God is silent? Many of us have had that feeling where God feels distant or we just want to hear from Him. Before the words we read in the Book of Luke, God had been silent for 400 years.
But that’s not to say that God was angry or actually distant. He was just getting ready. And he was looking for His people to trust Him. Maybe in our lives, when God is silent, He’s not actually mad at us, but is getting things ready. That’s why Christmas is so special. It takes a lot of planning to make it perfect. And in God’s own way and God’s own timing, He made it perfect
The Birth of Jesus Christ
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
2 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
1. Christmas was perfect.
1. Christmas was perfect.
· It’s hard to say that this was a the perfect execution of the savior’s birth. If you gave birth in a stable, you probably aren’t saying that this is ideal. A young couple, a stable, some animals. There was nothing special about Christmas except the Baby who was born.
· Even the Bible says, that Bethlehem was nothing but a small town. And God is saying, I chose you and that makes you special.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
2. Christmas was Right on Time.
2. Christmas was Right on Time.
· 400 years is a long time to wait. And when we think that really several thousand years is even longer to wait. But the world had finally come to a place where the savior could be born. The time was right.
Conclusion: My guess is that if we’re honest, you and me, there are things about your life where you feel it’s not perfect and maybe the timing is off. But is it possible that you might look past the shortcomings and accept that maybe where you are right now is the perfect place for God to meet you and change your life?