As of this morning - there are only five more days left before Christmas!
Has anyone been counting the days in your house?
About 2 weeks ago, I saw a house with a big sign in the front window
“20 days Till Christmas!”
What’s all the excitement about? What’s the big deal?
I think, children get all excited about presents
-& we grew up, being all excited by the presents
& so we carry this excitement on throughout life
Christmas is really a big deal! Right!
The presents fuel a lot of the big “To Do” of Christmas
-if it weren’t for the gifts - we wouldn’t have all the retail hype
-from Black Friday - to after Christmas sales
-there wouldn’t be so much excitement for the children
-but when you get right down to it, what’s so special & meaningful
-about Christmas to the average person, of all ages - other than to children?
-what makes Christmas really special & most meaningful to most people?
-I don’t think it’s really the presents
-after you get to a certain age - the presents aren’t that important any more
e.g. some families try to agree before hand
“Let’s stop feeling like you got to give everyone presents!”
-or, to diminish all the shopping, we pick names
-because, you might still have presents in your closet,
-still in the gift box from years ago
What makes Christmas really special & most meaningful to most people?
-I think it’s getting together with family - & friends
-but particularly, family
-out of all the times of the whole year,
-Christmas is the time most families seek to get together
-people will go to great lengths to get together & see each other
-on Christmas
Christmas is a special, important time for families to re-unite!
But on the downside of that - consequently, it’s the lowest time of the year
-for those who’ve lost loved ones from within family
-or for those who are separated from family loved ones
-you’ll hear, you’ll feel, maybe you’re saying something like
-in the midst of tears - “This is the first Christmas I’ll be without . . .”
-or, “Another Christmas without . . .”
-& you think back to Christmases of the past with . . . before your loss
It’s the best of times & it’s the worst of times - Christmas
-because we seem to feel our losses more than at any time of the year
As throughout all the ages of this time limited - many times disappointing life
The cure to so much of our grief & sadness as we feel our losses
-is the comforting realization of the eternal
-as we tumble through time with the sands of the hourglass
-the only thing that we have as an anchor to hold us steady
-is the very real & confident - secure hope that we have through Jesus
God gives us hope - like nothing else can in this world
God gives us hope - because God gives us a future
-& like with Christmas being a special time to get together with family
-God gives us a family to always get together with
-we always have family with God - as we are God’s family & God is our family
At this Christmas time
-hopefully, you’ll really be blessed to be able to be with your family
-or some of your family
-& you can be even more blessed
-as sense God’s presence with you in your family gatherings
-however, if you can’t be with all your family - or you’re missing someone
& you’re feeling lonely this Christmas
-may it help you appreciate all the more
-how precious your family with God is to you!
Do you know you’re in God’s family?
If there’s anything to get from this, this morning
-it’s that we’re in God’s family through Christ
Heb. 2 - makes the point that we’re saved by & through - Jesus - God the Son
& the chapter goes on to clarify, that people - men & women
-are like the cream of the crop in God’s creation
-we’re the most important thing that God created!
-not because we’re so good or we deserve it
-but that God made us that way - we’re the focus of all God’s creation
-even as awesome as angels are - We’re like the glory of creation
-since God created us in His image
-we’re the main event
-we’re what God likes the best - we’re really special, by God’s design!
-however, we’ve badly fallen from that position in practice
-because of our sin
-but praise God, Jesus restores us to that position of glory
-at the top of God’s creation!
Hebrews 2:10-13
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12 He says,
"I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises."
13 And again,
"I will put my trust in him."
And again he says,
"Here am I, and the children God has given me."
You are very precious, & very special to God!
You are the glory of His creation!
However, because of our sin, we fell away from God
-& aren’t fit for even being His children or fit to be in His family
-but, what Jesus did in His death - sacrificing Himself on the cross for our sin
-that wonderful act of God’s love on our behalf
-has restored us to the place God intended - in His family!
-now, its like we’re God’s children
-we’re Jesus’ brothers
-we’re in God’s family
All of this is generated solely from God’s love
-God, in His love for us, chose to adopt us, lost orphaned sinners,
-into His family
Ephesians 1:3-8
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
It was God’s idea that we be family with Him
-but in order to be in God’s family, we need to be holy & blameless
-because that’s how & who God is - holy & perfect
-we sin - so, we’re very unholy & guilty sinners
-just the opposite of holy & blameless
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Our sin caused us to be without a spiritual family
-we were outside of God’s family
-it was like we were eternal orphans - lost & alone
-thankfully, God, really wanting us to be in His family
-He did what it took to adopt us
-we still needed to be holy & blameless, though to be in God’s family
-so, God the Son, sacrificed His life in our place for our sin
-taking the punishment for our unholiness & guilt
-& exchanged it with His holiness & perfection
-He traded perfection for sin
-He took our punishment for our sin & gave us His perfection
-all so we could become, like, His brothers
And, He really wants us to be His brothers - His family
-even while He was alive - He made sacrifices to include people in His family
-He could have just staying nice & comfortable with His own family
-Joseph & Mary - His brothers & sisters
-but instead, He went out from His family to reach the world
-this actually caused friction within His family
-however, Jesus saw the need to reach the world - so that everyone
-essentially could become like a brother or sister to Him
Mark 3:31-35
Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
33 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
Jesus spent these years gathering to Himself a band of brothers - His disciples
-whom He repeatedly referred to as His brothers
-& He now welcomes anyone - who will come to Him by faith
-to come to Him - believing Him to be the Savior & Lord
-& anyone who comes to Him - is adopted into the family of God
-as a brother or sister of Jesus Christ
That’s a very special valued relationship the Lord gives you
-you have a family - in God
-God is your father - Jesus is your brother
-all of us in the family of God are brothers & sisters together
Sometimes, we think, it would be good to be in a royal family
-or a rich family
-or an influential family
-or a famous family
-appreciate how good it is to be in God’s family
-this is the greatest privilege that there will ever be in our lives
-& compare what it is like to be outside of God’s family
-compared to in His family
Psalm 68:1-6
May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the Lord — and rejoice before him. 5 A father to the fatherless , a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
God really intends on you sensing His closeness, comfort, love & belonging
-in & through Christ - God makes you family with Him!
Praise the Lord for our families
-if your not able to be with family
-or, you’re missing someone from your family
-or even if you don’t have any family left
-let God comfort you & include you in this most special holiday
“God is the father to the fatherless - He sets the lonely in families”
-let God minister to you in a very intimate way this Christmas
If you are blessed to be surrounded by family this Christmas season
-by your parents, grandparents, children - even your little brother
-may you appreciate those special relationships that God has given you
-may we savor each day & not take our days for granted
-& maybe, even when we’re with our families, appreciate also
-how nice it is to be in God’s special family
-& how this is all made possible through Jesus Christ
-how He stepped down into this world to be our Savior
-at this time we celebrate as His birth
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