The Real, Not Ideal Christmas

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

- Matthew 1:18-25

The context of His family: imperfect people, perfect plan

The context of His birth: chaos, not comfort

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

- Matthew 1:18-19

The context of His purpose: salvation through suffering

21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

- Matthew 1:21-23

Small is Big

God values Faithfulness and Humility over Fame and Power

“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.”

- Luke 2:8-12 NIV

1. David was faithful.

“He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”

- Psalm 78: 70-72 NIV

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

- Psalm 23 1-3 NIV

“……I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

- 1 Samuel 16:1 NIV

2. David was humble.     

“Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them.”

- 1 Samuel 17: 17-18 NIV

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to be grasped. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave..”

- Philippians 2:6 NLT 

3. David used his weapon.

“There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”

-  1 Samuel 17:33 NLT

“…….So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.”

- 1 Samuel 17:39-40 NIV

4. David threw the name.

“David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

- 1 Samuel 17:45 NIV

“So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

- Philippians 2:10-11 ESV

Christmas Fears

'Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.'

- Matthew 1:18-25

Christmas cheer doesn’t make fear disappear. 

God gave us a gift of love.

'There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. '

- 1 John 4:18

The gift of God’s love requires our trust.

We follow God’s lead.

We rest in God’s love.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

- ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Love and trust can become bigger than fear.

The First Promise

“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

- Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)

Christmas was the biggest gift of all.

Sadly, it’s reduced to a tradition.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV)

Man is a Tripartite being.

• Spirit 

• Soul

• Body 

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

- Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.””

- Genesis 2:15-17 (NKJV)

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

- Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men….”

- Romans 5:12 (NKJV)

“Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

- Luke 1:30-35 (NKJV)

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

- John 3: 3-6 (NKJV)

Christmas is so important because we were given a gift to live again.

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

- Galatians 5:16 (NKJV)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

- Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

- Hebrews 11:6  (NKJV)

“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.””

- 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

- Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

The Ripple Effect of Giving

“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. 3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ 4 Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God. 5 “And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. 7 Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. 9 And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. 11 And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.

- Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Three words to remember:

• Remember

• Return

• Rejoice

Remember God’s faithfulness

Return to God what belongs to Him

Rejoice in God’s overflowing love and provision

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

- 2 Corinthians 8:1-2

The Math of More than Enough

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

- 1 Timothy 6:6-10

The Myth of More

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

- 1 Timothy 6:9

The Math of More than Enough states:

Godliness + Contentment = Great Gain

Godliness

“In the New Testament, "eusebeia" refers to a reverent and devout attitude towards God, characterized by a life that reflects His holiness and commands.” - The Berean Strong’s Lexicon

• Loving God

• Living like Christ

Contentment

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:8

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

True satisfaction comes from the sum total of loving God; living like Christ; and, being happy with what we have.

If we want to increase the satisfaction that we find in God, then we can increase the variables in the “Math of More than Enough” equation.

A Surprising Way to Get Closer to God

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.'

- Matthew 6:19-24

What does it mean to get closer to God?

'Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you... '

- James 4:8a

To get closer to God is to know His love and love Him more.

'We love because he first loved us. '

- 1 John 4:19

'And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. '

- Matthew 22:37-38

We should give God our hearts - but that’s easier said than done.

No one can serve two masters...

- Matthew 6:24a

Giving money to God can help us give our hearts to Him.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

- Matthew 6:21

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light…

- Matthew 6:22a

Our awareness of God’s love will grow and we will be closer to Him.

Ignite the Flame: Enthusiastic Faith in Witness and Worship

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

- 2 Timothy 1:5-7

Power to shine, not shrink back

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power

- 2 Timothy 1:6-7

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

- Acts 1:8

Love that’s expressive, not evasive

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love…

- 2 Timothy 1:7b

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

- 1 John 4:18

Freedom to act, not hold back

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

- 2 Timothy 1:7c

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

- 2 Samuel 6:1-5

The Power of the Holy Spirit

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”

- Romans 15:8-9

Humanity is distant from God by default.

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

- Romans 3:23

We’ve been fooled by fakes.

25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

- Romans 1:25

A real God does real things.

24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

- Romans 3:24

17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

- Romans 15:17-19

Let God do something real in you and through you.

20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. -

Romans 15:20

“Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”

- Romans 15:21

The Purpose of the Holy Spirit

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

- John 14:16-17

The Holy Spirit came to be everything we need.

We need someone to lead us to Jesus.

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

- John 15:26

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

- John 16:13-14

We need someone to help us grow.

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

- Galatians 5:16-17

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

- Galatians 5:22-23

We need a purpose and the power to fulfill it.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

- Acts 1:8

Seek the Holy Spirit.

Seek the presence of the Holy Spirit.

8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

- Galatians 6:8

Seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

- Acts 1:5