WE121219/The Promise Of Christmas/Isaiah 7:14

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When he returns. So don't be too disappointed that I'm here now. I know that some of you are thinking like turn 60. Your kind old Arai's are slow to talk and I a little bit about the promise of Christmas. Grab your Bible little universe Isaiah 714. I think our hearts are all broken this Christmas season of 2012. It's one of the darkest Christmases in memory.

This unthinkable tragedy that took place there in Connecticut, Newtown Sandy Hook school of these beautiful little children being gunned down 12 little girls eight little boys having their lives cut short just really unthinkable.

It's so unfair. It's so wrong. I could tell you that the death of a child for a parent is a fate worse than death.

Any parent would gladly trade places and die in the place of their child. So I know little about this. Having had our son go to be with the Lord and our hearts go out to these parents that are grieving right now. No question comes to mind when a tragedy like this happens and that question is why. Why would God allow such a horrific tragedy. Some of even opine in several you know this is God's judgment coming upon our country.

He's removed is protective hand from us and this is why this is happening. I don't really agree with that view. By the way, you know Jesus actually brought up an interesting topic in Luke 13. He talked about a tower that fell on a group of Gentiles or nonbelievers. It was a well-known story tower fell a number of people were killed in the us the rhetorical question. Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem know I tell you that unless you repent you will also perish. You see, the reason Christ brought this up as he was addressing the question of why bad things happen and someone was implying that well that bad things happen to them because you see they were unbelievers and God was judging them. Jesus said what are you talking about with a the worst sinners in all of Jerusalem and then he says unless you repent you will perish. When they look bad things happen, inexplicable things happen. Evil is allowed in a world because God is given to each of us free will and the point Christ was making was luck you don't know when the end is going to come. So you need to repent and be ready, but it's hard because we see a child supper, it just doesn't seem to be fair, we we see bad people do well. We see good people based tragedy and and we just scratch our heads and wonder what you know what I think it's sort of an exercise in futility just been too much time asking why I think. Instead, we need to be asking what what why do now, here's the answer you need to turn to God. Tragedy is football and you you need to turn to God. Someone 19 four 114 says you are my refuge and my shield. Your word is my only source of hope.

The Bible says in Romans 15 for the things in Scripture were written for us to give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God promises so we need to go to the word of God to find the whole just sort of frowned us in times like this you know grieving a loved one that is left you is a little bit like wiping out a way I've wiped out a few ways it's never something you look forward to when the waves are to pick you up and you go over the falls in your caught on the Whitewater and more than one person in Whitewater is drowned because they swam in the wrong direction because they lost perspective and they didn't know which way was up and so one thing to remember, if you're ever out surfing or out on your boogie board or whatever and you go over the falls and you lose direction grab your lease.

Your leash is attached for your ankle into your board. Which effectively is a flotation device. Following your lease because your board will always go to the surface. No matter where you are. The board goes to the service you follow the leash and you get your head above water. Well you see the leash is a little bit like the word of God.

We grab hold of it and it pulls us above the waters of grief and we sort of get perspective and remember God is in control, but reminds us that life on earth is not all there is there is an afterlife and in the afterlife wrongs are going to be right. I have no question whatsoever that those sweet little children are all in heaven right now safely in the arms of Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus said, let the little run them on to me were of such is the kingdom of heaven, and there is comfort available to all of those parents that are grieving right now.

If those parents who have lost their children will put their faith in Christ, they can have the absolute assurance that they will be reunited with her children again because those kids are with the Lord as David said when his son died, he cannot come to me, but I will go to him. So yeah, life is filled with tragedy and sadness, and sin and wrong very good friend of mine went to be with the Lord. Just as last Monday Frank Pastore of Frank was the host of the Frank Castoria showing to Kelly I heard five days a week and he was just wonderful ally of our ministry and gave me so many opportunities on this program to share the gospel and and Frank and I had fun together. We hung out some way rode motorcycles together. We talk a lot and he was always there to help our ministry.

When I heard that he had been an accident on the freeway I went to see him not to long ago and I was there with pastor Steve will burn used to be our youth pastor now as a pastor and LA of a church called core church, my son Jonathan.

We walked into the room where Frank wasn't had been in a coma now for almost a month and he just looked like he was sleeping his skin color.

His tone was good. His skin was warm to the touch and he was breathing on his own and and so we pray that the Lord would wake him up in the Lord answered our prayer, but he did wake up.

Woke up there on another source, so Frank is with the Lord. Frank is but still you know I miss and that's how we feel we think about this. Maybe you lost a loved one recently and if that is the case, I know that the holidays are very hard time for you. There may be someone that was with you last year. That is not with you this year and so while everybody else is celebrating. You might be a little bit down in the dumps but I want to keep one thing in mind there celebrating Christmas in heaven right now and I guarantee there's no balls in heaven over crowded parking lots and if there are there's lots of parking spaces. I'm sure that every gift wrapping, no doubt, but you know. Remember there there with the Lord.

If they put their faith in Christ you know they don't have the little twinkling lights that we have in our trees of it. They have the glory of God in heaven they don't have the little angels that we might have a hanging from a wall, but they're looking at real Angels of the Lord you think about heaven in heaven. There is harmony under there's friction in heaven their feasting imperfection on earth. There is fattening food and expanding waistline on earth. We sing songs about Jesus in heaven. We sing our song right to Jesus on earth. We had a manger, but in heaven we have of wrong. By the way, this is not the first time that things have been bleak at Christmas, we must remember the first Christmas 2000 years ago Rome was ruling the earth with an iron fist violence and killing was in the air.when those mysterious, wise men from the East came looking for the one that have been born known as the King of the Jews. Herod took action to kill all of the baby boys in Bethlehem and Matthew two says that Herod's brutal action fulfill the prophecy of Jeremiah a cry of anguish is heard in Rama weeping and mourning unrestrained Rachel weep for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead reminds us of the morning that's happening in Newtown right now.

Heartbroken missing their children so you know it can make the celebration seem a little bit pointless at times and you think of the suffering of people like that, or you think about other folks that are going through hard times and so here's my reaction wall of it. I decided to cancel Christmas altogether. No Christmas as of right now I don't go home until your mom does agree cancel Christmas, Pastor Grimshaw no, don't get me wrong I'm not saying you have to turn on your trees and unzipping your lights. I'm not suggesting we not give gifts to one another. I'm saying let's take this twisted watered-down version of Christmas and be done with it other one that says Merry Xmas instead of Merry Christmas, the one that has no place forgot I don't want that Christmas I want the real Christmas. I want with the 5 o'clock one thing I would like to do away with. No matter what. How many of you like fruitcake. Well interested. How many of you don't like fruitcake. Thank you. How many of you have never tasted a fruitcake you never tasted one interesting well I have a theory that I brought the cereal before that.

There's only one fruitcake honor. For instance, I have a fruitcake right. A classic fruitcake there it is in all of its glory weighs about 30 pounds so gross to open it up and I went to give this away first visit you've never had fruitcake come on a dryer first, come on, Rainer, to go and be them at going with the how is it you that years Merry Christmas you wanted no who like fruitcake again.

This is church. What are you doing now were going to display this duress.

You know the Dragon thing of the soul of American growth, perfect.

One person said reality is like a fruitcake enough to look at, but with all sorts of nasty things lurking beneath the surface. See, here's what I'm suggesting. Let's cancel the hijacked version of Christmas.

The very word Christmas has been pirated emptied of its meaning breadth of the gutter and give impact was minus its power don't need that, but I think there's something to be said to support Christmas on our celebration of it not look, I know that Jesus was not born in December 25 I we don't know exactly when he was born so I'm not making a case for it having to be born in that particular date, but I like the idea of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ I mean really what is Christmas at its very best. It gathering together with family and friends. It's enjoying meals, laughing together worshiping together and really all of these are glimpses of things to come see Christmas is a promise.

It's a promise, it is not been fully And ever since I've been a little boy I've always believed in the promise of Christmas. In fact, you can sort of look at your life over the years symbolized by how you view Christmas back I did a little illustration here for you. I drew this a while back, I just added color to it today, but that these are the four stages of Christmas number one you believe in Santa Claus, that's me as a little kid number two you don't believe in Santa Claus, that's me as a teenage number three you become Santa Claus that that's me now the number four. You look like Santa Claus that one month from today.

Who wants a strong note on the screen but you know I wasn't raised in family that was together on my mother was married and divorced all these times one Christmas still lingers in my memory. It was a really bad one.

I woke up and my mom was passed out from a night of drinking. The house smelled of stale smoke and alcohol with one of those artificial Christmas trees. It was white with one of those little turning things of the colored lenses. You know, and it was turning and some musical thing was playing from it and I looked around I look at my mom there and I got it's got a get better than this and it did, but I thought you know I believe that the idea of Christmas which was it's going to get better. It's going to be good it's going to be fun and I think it can change for you if we get back to the essential message of Christmas and that brings us to our text is Isaiah 714, it's the prophecy of Isaiah about the birth of our Lord. It's is the bridge and will the Lord will give you@the bridge will concede VeriSign and call his name Emmanuelle that's the message of Christmas Emmanuelle which means God is with us the message of Christmas is not let us know. Nor is it let us shop the message of Christmas is let us worship because God is with us.

We all remember the gifts of the wise men that were brought to the child Jesus, but the first Christmas gift was not to give to a child, but the gift of a child. John 316 says for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son email anyway. I mean, that's a staggering thought and you try to wrap your mind around it. Emmanuelle God is with us without question one of the most remarkable teachings of the Bible is that Jesus Christ himself comes in actually lives in the human heart. He lives in sided with the public were just trying to emulate Christ or imitate Christ or even admire Christ.

Christianity is Christ in you the whole of glory Christ living through you. Jesus said in John 1423 anyone loves me will keep my word. My father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. God the father and the sun want to make their home with you and me, Immanuel, God is with us. Jesus said low.

I am with you even enter the end of the age is not just a promise for short people low.

I am with you this to all people. It means you're never alone. Christmas is about undergoing loneliness. Jesus said I will never leave you or forsake you. Isaiah 43, two says when you go through deep waters in great trouble God says I will be with you when you go the rivers of difficulty. You will not drown when he walked to the fire of oppression you will not be burned up. The planes will not consume you. God will be with you.

That is the essential message and that's important to remember because some are hurting this Christmas maybe your marriages fallen apart your with your spouse last year and now you're alone. Listen, you're not alone. God is with you. Maybe your children. Maybe your children have forgotten about God hasn't forgotten about you.

He is with you. Maybe your parents have forgotten about you. Well, God has it.

He is with you know when you lose a loved one. This time of the year. You wonder how you can cope. I've had people say to me is a book I could read that would get me through these hard times. Listen, you don't need a manual you need Emmanuelle God is with SES. Some people turn to drive, others turned to drink to help them call you don't need the spirit you need the Holy Spirit.

You need God with you. That's the message of Christmas and we need to keep our focus on that you know there's one song that we sing this time of the year.

Truly one of the most beautiful songs out there is call. I heard the bells on Christmas Day. You know that song I read an interesting article about the background of that song that I did not know it was written by Henry Long of Wadsworth Longfellow and Doug he was a very successful and well-known poet. In fact, in 1860 he was at the peak of his career. Abraham Lincoln had just been elected president giving hope to many things are turning dark for America as a Civil War was breaking out and then Longfellow's own wife died in a tragic accident in their home. She their home caught on fire and she burned to death in his attempt to save his wife. He was severely burned so badly.

In fact, he could not even attend her funeral service and in this diary for Christmas Day. Anything 61 he wrote these words quote how inexpressibly sad are the holidays.

In 1862 the total board to begin the mount and and is sorry for that year, Longfellow wrote a Merry Christmas. Save the children, but that is no more for me. Then in 1863. His son would run away to join the Union army was severely wounded return home in December is no entry. Longfellow's journey.

Longfellow's diary for the Christmas so he decided he wanted to write about.

So we wrote these words I heard the bells on Christmas Day. The old familiar carols play and wild and sweet. The words repeat a peace on earth, goodwill to men as he came to the third stanza he would stop at the thought of the condition of his beloved country. How dark things were looking you're probably thinking how can I write about peace on earth and goodwill toward men in these times of war. So we kept riding and in despair I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth. I said, for hate is strong in months and saw a key center, goodwill to men, but then sort of catching an eternal perspective, and the real meaning of Christmas in Christ himself. Longfellow changes his perspective and right then keel the bells more loud and deep. God is not dead, nor does he sleep the wrong show fail the right prevail with peace honor, goodwill to men. Here's filled the Singapore God is not dead, nor does he wrong show fail the right prevail. One day all of these wrongs are going to be right.

One day the promise of Christmas is going to be fulfilled in heaven. But here's the problem. For now.

Christmas cannot deliver on its promises.

Another words, people get all psyched up for this time of the year, but it's always going to fall short Christmas cannot bring peace on earth. Christmas cannot bring happiness. But Christ can do all of that and more severe than we need, not Christmas, but Christ not marry meds, but the Messiah not goodwill, but God not Christmas presents his holy presence in our lives.

We need God.

Emmanuelle God is with us. That's the essential message of this holiday. Only Jesus can help us and others who heard this time of the year because he is with. Because there's going to be disappointment, especially when those bills come due.

Are you Kim that Pres. someone and you're so psyched that they're going to love it. And there's sort of underwhelmed just a little bit right and it can't be returned.

Even worse, or gives you give your children there so Appian, then an hour later there fighting with each other in and walk away from their toys and really don't care all that much. We get so high in to this event and we missed the whole picture and we miss what it's about using Jesus came to this earth, he entered our world.

He brings our air. He lived our life, he died our death, then he rose again from the dead. The reason the babe was born in the manger was to go to the cross and died for the sin of the world. The incarnation was for the purpose of the atonement, the birth of Jesus was so there would be the death of Jesus.

I know it's hard for us to consider that sweet little baby going to be a man dying on the cross, but that is exactly why he came so that what we need to remember this time of the year. Isaiah sums it up perfectly unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, that gives both heavens and earth perspective. At the same time from heaven's perspective assignment was given from Earth's perspective. A child was born. But remember, though he was that helpless little baby in the manger there embeds again a decision was made in eternity that God the son would come to us. God sent his son and the son willingly came I mentioned earlier that one of the hardest things to faces the death of a child God knows all about that because God the father sent his son to die for us and God the father watched as they mocked his son and as he insulted him and ripped the beard from his face and ripped his back open with the Roman cat of nine tails, God the father watched in heaven as his son bore all of the sin of the world and not only was hard for Jesus, it broke the heart of the father, but he did all of that because he loves us and he wants us to know that we don't have to be alone in life.

God will come and live in our hearts and I want to just ask you, in closing, does he live inside of you right now that you know God in a personal way, maybe even trying to fill that void in that hole in your life. Of all the things this world has offered and it just come up short time and time again, maybe that's even more exasperated in the holiday season.

But here's what you need to know God will forgive you of all of your sin, and he will come and take residence in your heart and you can know with confidence that when you die you will go to heaven. You know we live in such a sad world and tragedy happens and I don't know how people get through it without God. You know my friend Frank was just about his father's business, headed home for another dinner with his wife Gina and suddenly he was called home. No, I don't know if you want to govern immediately. Here, if you lingered here. I don't know if he heard what I said to him in his hospital room but I know worry is right next.

I know the moment he breathed his last work on breath on earth.

He believed this first breath in heaven and I know I'll see him again. But that's the hope of the Christian but that is not the hope of the non-Christians. They don't have the promise. In fact, the Bible says overall separated from God by our sin, but God loves us so much he sent his son to die for us and to absorb the wrath of God in our place and then rise again from the dead.

It will turn from our sin and believe in Jesus we can be forgiven is that happen for you yet.

Have you asked Christ to come and live inside of you.

You have the confidence that if you were to die tonight you would go to heaven. Are you walking around with a load of guilt that you're trying to get rid of. Listen Christ can change you right now he stands at the door of your life, and he knocks and he says if you hear his voice and open the door he will come in and I would like to give you an opportunity before we continue on tonight with more gray Christmas music to get right with God an opportunity to have your sin forgiven an opportunity to receive the greatest Christmas gift ever much better than a fruitcake. The gift of eternal life, that the apostle Paul described as the inexpressible gift is. I can even put into words how awesome this gift is in God is offering it to you right now all you need to do is receive it. The Bible says, for as many as received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God, so minimal organ of prey, to give you an opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life. To believe in Jesus to have your sin forgiven. The finely assurance said you will go to heaven when you die.

If you've not done this yet do it right now as we all bow our heads if you would, let's break. Father I pray for every person here right now. Hearing these words. If they do not yet know you if you're not living inside of them. Lord, would you help them to see their need for you and help them to come to you and believe in Jesus Christ right now Elinor has about her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say tonight. Greg, I'm ready to say yes to Jesus. I want him to forgive me of my sin.

I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven. I want Christ to come in the my life right now. Pray for me. If that's your desire. If you want Jesus to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want your guilt taken away. Would you just lift her hand up wherever you are and let me just pray for you slip your hand up or I can see. I'll pray for you tonight. You want Christ to come into your life. You want your sin forgiven. God bless you. God bless you just lift it up or I can see you want God's forgiveness tonight. Let me pray for you. God bless you and God bless you I you that are watching over there in the court building. You can raise your hand as well. I can see you there.

But you raise your hand you in the loft.

Raise your hand as well. If you want to make this commitment to Christ anybody else raise your hand up or I can see it now. Please publish publish what I have just about maybe some of you would say up fallen away from the Lord. I pushed God out of my life I've kind of forgotten about God. Here's a good God is not forgotten about you and he will welcome you home tonight. If you make a recommitment to him. If you need to come back to the Lord.

If your prodigal son or daughter would you raise your hand if you let me pray for you. You want to make a recommitment to Jesus Christ because you fallen away. I pray for you right now. God bless you. Anybody else raise your hand up right now the bless each one of you father I pray not reach one of these are for you. Give them the strength to stand up and follow you and receive all that you have for them, for we ask it in Jesus name, amen