Rossville Christian Church
Sunday, December 20
- The First Noel
- O Come O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)
- IntroMerry Christmas! What a season this has been for me. A new place and new faces all exciting and full of joy. I want to tell you all how special each of you are to me. You have brought me joy and now I want to share that joy back to you. NO matter if you are watching us online or are here in person, I have one last Christmas message for you this Sunday, that is that during the Christmas Season, salvation has come to all people! No matter how low or high and wise or foolish, no matter how religious or sinful Christ came that all might be saved, that all might know life instead of death, it says in John 3:17:
John 3:17 NIV For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.PrayStory of email sent this week followed by text. You know people want to feel included and before Christ, it was apparent that some where included and some where not. So many had been left out in the cold as not good enough or the wrong lineage to be important. However, when Salvation Came at Christmas it ended all of that noise and now all are equal, not matter where, no matter when no matter who you are, Salvation came to all. This morning I want to talk about some of the all on that first Christmas, the Rich, The poor and the Wise, all with their own responses.To the Rich -Matthew 2:3–8 NIV When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”A. King Herod1. Very wealthy/powerful2. Has every advantage3. Knows that a new king would usurp himB. Given Great News1. This is THE KING2 Samuel 7:12–13 NIV When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.2. Should be an exciting timeJeremiah 23:5–6 NIV “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.a. This is the son of Godb. This is the everlasting kingdomc. This is SalvationC. Rejected these thingsMatthew 19:23–26 NIV Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”1. Not impossiblea. Can be hardi. so much to loseii. Requires great sacrificeb. But it is possiblei. God is bigii. I have seen it many times2. Have to be willing to be all ina. Follow the will of Godi. willing to give up power and authorityii. Willing to give up richesiii. Guy in the military didn’t train his troopsb. Know what it means to be truly richi. Following God brings that satisfactionii. He couldn’t see the bigger picturec. Willing to accept SalvationMatthew 16:24–25 NIV Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.i. Herod was unwillingMatthew 2:16 NASB95 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.ii. Blew off the Salvation of Christmasiii. Ended up causing great sufferingTo the Poor -Luke 2:8–20 NIV And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.1. The Shepherd were the lowesta. Dirty, smelly, lived on the outs of societyb. Even though we think of them as good now2. Undeserving of Societya. Didn’t want them to be seen or herd3. Yet the angels brought their newsa. This message was going to be for all people1 John 2:2 NIV He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.b. Finally it wasn’t for the whose whoi. for all those who would love HimLuke 2:10–11 NIV But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.ii. People used to getting passed byGuy we called JesusTo the Wise -Matthew 2:1–3 NIV After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.Matthew 2:9–12 NIV After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.A. The Wise Men1. Some say Magia. Meaning is the wise or scientific meni. Astrologers as wellii. Would study the stars and seasonsb. Gentiles2. Followed signs of all religionsNumbers 24:17 NIV “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.Exodus 13:21–22 NIV By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.a. Waiting for the one that would be trueb. New the times and signsc. Saw the Truthd. knew that the Jews were guided by God, by the lighti. This time a starB. Blessed even though gentiles1. Their obedience brought blessingsLuke 11:28 NIV He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”a. Being obedient has never let me downb. Young lady come to the Church during worship2. Saw the prophesy become TruthMatthew 2:10–11 NIV When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.C. How Far1. To see the truth2. To know the Truth3. To live in the TruthConclusion:We all have a choice to make each day, will we see the Word, the very salvation of God in this season or not. If we follow the star and find in our hearts obedience to the Lord we will be blessed beyond the measure of our understanding. If we follow the angles message and come to the place where is Christ is we will find salvation, peace and rest for our souls. However, if we choose to ignore the signs, try to eliminate Christ from our presence, then He will honor that and turn away from us. He will allow us to slip away into death.The choice is yours, it is before you this Christmas season, it is here for you in the very Words of the season, for unto you is born a savior, He is Christ the Lord, won’t you come to Him, won’t you draw near to Him so he will draw near to you. For this salvation is for all people, everywhere, there is no boundary, no sin, no shame, no act that has taken you too far from His sight, from His salvation and it doesn’t matter if you are rich, poor or wise He is savior to all! Matthew 2:3–8NIV2011
2 Samuel 7:12–13NIV2011
Jeremiah 23:5–6NIV2011
Matthew 19:23–26NIV2011
Matthew 16:24–25NIV2011
Luke 2:8–20NIV2011
1 John 2:2NIV2011
Luke 2:10–11NIV2011
Matthew 2:1–3NIV2011
Matthew 2:9–12NIV2011
Numbers 24:17NIV2011
Exodus 13:21–22NIV2011
Luke 11:28NIV2011
Matthew 2:10–11NIV2011
- What Child Is This
- Give You All the Glory
Matthew 28:19–20NLT