Luke 2:1-7: Christmas Awe

4 So 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 family line of David, 5 to be registered together with Mary, who was legally promised in marriage to him and was pregnant. 6 And it happened that 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 strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Pray

It’s Christmas

The Holy day (where Holiday comes from) in which we have chosen as a group to celebrate Jesus’ birth.

So every year we hear about Holidays vs. Christmas.

Should the state recognize Christmas

Are Christmas trees ok

Is a nativity scene ok

For some, we should just celebrate the family and peace of the holiday season

For some, it’s about Jesus Birth

For some, its offensive that we celebrate anything

For some, it’s a time of Jealousy as they don’t get off on their religious holidays

But it is a time when we as Christians come and celebrate the wonderful and Joyous birth of Immanuel, God with us. That has come to live a perfect life. Being the perfect Jew. Being a man of faith, of temptations, of trials, of prayer, of hardship, of work (Carpenter and Rabbi). A man that didn’t always want to do it God’s way but instead prayed that his cup be passed. Yet not mine but thine will be done on earth as it is in heaven. He was to be beaten, tortured and nailed to a cross where he will die from suffocation, as his lungs fill with fluid.

He voluntarily takes up the punishment of our sin. Being buried overcoming our death. Being raised on the third day. Walking and talking eating and fellowship. All of that so that we can know and have eternal life

If we accept him as lord and savior. Humbling ourselves before Him. Asking for forgiveness. Believing he is the only way to heaven And confessing him with our mouth that he is LORD of all.

Admit

Believe

Confess/Commit

Don’t Take For Granted

But there are two things we really take for granted this time of year

Everyone has heard

This is a problem that I have seen time and time again especially with Christians in the bible belt area. That is the area in which Christianity is its strongest.

Not everyone has heard of Jesus and those who have not all of them have heard the Christmas story. Many don’t even have a bible. Even honest Christians, who know the truth of Jesus Christ, may never have been told about the wondrous birth. Because it’s assumed everyone knows. Because it’s assumed to be unimportant by many Christians. Because it isn’t the death and resurrection.

Of course, some don’t see that as important anymore. And yet they call themselves Christians

I have heard this

The point is that never take it for granted that someone knows the story of how a baby was born to take away the punishment of sins

Some of you are thinking I know the story. I have heard the story, I have been in church before I was born, I better have heard it by now. You say I read the bible (once) it was in there. I see the Christmas story on tv. I saw children’s play once. It’s in all the songs I listened to. I know the story.

Take it for granted

When we take it for granted we let things that aren’t true sneak into the truth.

For Example: How many wise-men? Three gifts, Unknown amount of people. Of course, there was a little drummer, right?

How about a little harder one? How many days was Mary there before she had Jesus. We don’t know but it does say days. It wasn’t she got there and pop out comes Jesus.

One of my Favorites is there was no room at the inn. Like he went to the best western and wasn’t enough room. The word there in the Greek, Kataluma. Every other time it’s used in the Bible it means guest room, Not inn. The idea is that Joseph and Mary probably stayed with Joseph’s relatives in Bethlehem. But because of the large influx of people, the house was full. Consequently, Joseph and Mary would have been living in the lower level of the house. Which is where the animals were brought into at night. It protects them from cold and theft. Mary laid him in a manger or a feeding trough. Never does it state that he was in a stable.

We can’t get to use to the word of God because when we become used to it. Assume we know something. That’s when we have missed it.

Can You imagine if the Wisemen weren’t looking? or if the Shepards didn’t want to go.

BUt with Awe, they saw the angel. and we should never lose that Awe

Luke 2:14 LEB

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”

God wants to Speak to You: Next Steps

God wants to speak to you this Christmas time

This coming year

Will You be at awe this Christmas Or will you be satisfied with just another Christmas

With just another year

If we don’t expect God to speak we won’t hear him

Don’t assume

Pray

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