Christmas eve sermon dec 2004
Today, Jim Bryant is a pastor in Columbia MO. Years ago, his dad was a pastor and then bishop. one Christmas Eve they were preparing to go to church for the candlelight service. On the way Jim asked his father: "Dad, are you going to let us enjoy this Christmas or are you going to try to explain it to everybody?"
December 1904. One hundred years ago. The World’s Fair was wrapping up in St. Louis, Theodore Roosevelt was president. The Wright Brothers’ flight, performed a year earlier, had not received much coverage, so people were still wondering if air travel would ever get off the ground.Then, all of a sudden, a flying boy appears. His name? Peter Pan.In December 1904, Peter pops up on a London stage in a play called Peter Pan, Or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. …... Peter invites a girl named Wendy to travel via fairy dust to Neverland, to be a mother to his gang of Lost Boys. Many adventures unfold, but in the end Wendy decides that the best place for her is back at home with her family. And then, years later, he returns to see Wendy again, and is shocked to discover that she has grown up. “You promised not to!” he protests.“I couldn’t help it,” she explains. He sits down on the floor and sobs, not able to accept the fact that Wendy has become a woman. Peter is destined to be, forever, the “Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.” One suspects that we, too, would prefer that Jesus be the boy who doesn’t grow up, to be the baby who stays in the manger.
Baby Jesus in the crib
If he is only a baby in a crib, we can live our lives however we wish
O come let us ignore him
A baby is powerless and doesn’t effect the world.
Then there are those who know only the Second coming Jesus
End of the World……..Jesus
Swing low, sweet chariot
Join a church, make a confession, live life how yu want to , wait for pie in the sky in the sweet bye and bye
Song mercy me……..I can only imagine
I can only imagine what it will be likeWhen I walk by your sideI can only imagine what my eyes will seeWhen your face is before meSurrounded by your gloryWhat will my heart feel? I can only imagineI can only imagine
If we think of Jesus only in future term, then we are discounting the savior of the world…..A few years ago, one of America's biggest department stores tried marketing a doll in the form of the baby Jesus. The advertisements described it as being "washable, cuddly and unbreakable," and it was neatly packaged in straw, satin and plastic. To complete the package, the manufacturer added biblical texts appropriate to the baby Jesus. To the department store executives, it looked like a sure-fire winner, a real moneymaker. But they were wrong. It didn't sell. In a last-ditch effort to get rid of the dolls, one of the store managers placed a huge sign in a prominent display window. It read:Jesus Christ………..Marked down 50%……….Get him while you can.
If we are only thinking about Jesus in the future, we are discounting his power……..
Martin Luther was once asked what he would do if he knew for certain the world was going to end tomorrow. Without hesitation he replied, "I would plant an apple tree this afternoon." You see, Luther was not given to speculation about the ENDING of the world. He focused rather on the PURPOSE of the world which God intends for the present time. Luther would plant an apple tree today, even though the world will be ending tomorrow, because he believed that what may happen in the future does not excuse you from what God wants to do in us here and now.
Jesus in the here and now
Isaiah 9
Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given….The government shall be upon his shoulders and his name will be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty god the everlasting father the prince of peace
This sounds like a savior who is present in our world
Some of the most popular tv shows in my life…Mash, Seinfeld, friends are all about life situations that help us to laugh and forget….. when the laughing is over, we do have to grow up, we to have to face the real world and the messy business that we find life to be
God asks no man whether he will accept life. That is not the choice. You
must take it. The only choice is how.
Henry Ward Beecher
Jesus is not a baby stuck in a manger or a pie in the sky see you some day guy
Present Jesus= teaching
1. love your enemies do good to those who hate you
2. judge not, lest ye be judged
3. do not worry…but…seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added
he is present to help you/we proclaim a savior alive in the world today
We always have fun decorating the Christmas tree….dad puts on the lights and the rest of the clan takes it from there. We are always proud of how our tree looks."But, you know, God has a different way of decorating trees. Think about it. God decorates a tree by providing the sunshine and rain, and by placing food in the earth. Then the tree itself partakes of these blessings of God and thus develops a strong, healthy, vigorous life. First thing you know, some leaves or fruit appear on the limbs. But here's the key. God decorates the tree on the inside."
1 cor 13
If you are tired of a powerless God or a god that exists only in your future, today I offer to you the light of Jesus Christ
More than a candles light….his light will bring you life…..
Today, Jim Bryant is a pastor in Columbia MO. Years ago, his dad was a pastor and then bishop. one Christmas Eve they were preparing to go to church for the candlelight service. On the way Jim asked his father: "Dad, are you going to let us enjoy this Christmas or are you going to try to explain it to everybody?"
December 1904. One hundred years ago. The World’s Fair was wrapping up in St. Louis, Theodore Roosevelt was president. The Wright Brothers’ flight, performed a year earlier, had not received much coverage, so people were still wondering if air travel would ever get off the ground.Then, all of a sudden, a flying boy appears. His name? Peter Pan.In December 1904, Peter pops up on a London stage in a play called Peter Pan, Or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. …... Peter invites a girl named Wendy to travel via fairy dust to Neverland, to be a mother to his gang of Lost Boys. Many adventures unfold, but in the end Wendy decides that the best place for her is back at home with her family. And then, years later, he returns to see Wendy again, and is shocked to discover that she has grown up. “You promised not to!” he protests.“I couldn’t help it,” she explains. He sits down on the floor and sobs, not able to accept the fact that Wendy has become a woman. Peter is destined to be, forever, the “Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.” One suspects that we, too, would prefer that Jesus be the boy who doesn’t grow up, to be the baby who stays in the manger.
Baby Jesus in the crib
If he is only a baby in a crib, we can live our lives however we wish
O come let us ignore him
A baby is powerless and doesn’t effect the world.
Then there are those who know only the Second coming Jesus
End of the World……..Jesus
Swing low, sweet chariot
Join a church, make a confession, live life how yu want to , wait for pie in the sky in the sweet bye and bye
Song mercy me……..I can only imagine
I can only imagine what it will be likeWhen I walk by your sideI can only imagine what my eyes will seeWhen your face is before meSurrounded by your gloryWhat will my heart feel? I can only imagineI can only imagine
If we think of Jesus only in future term, then we are discounting the savior of the world…..A few years ago, one of America's biggest department stores tried marketing a doll in the form of the baby Jesus. The advertisements described it as being "washable, cuddly and unbreakable," and it was neatly packaged in straw, satin and plastic. To complete the package, the manufacturer added biblical texts appropriate to the baby Jesus. To the department store executives, it looked like a sure-fire winner, a real moneymaker. But they were wrong. It didn't sell. In a last-ditch effort to get rid of the dolls, one of the store managers placed a huge sign in a prominent display window. It read:Jesus Christ………..Marked down 50%……….Get him while you can.
If we are only thinking about Jesus in the future, we are discounting his power……..
Martin Luther was once asked what he would do if he knew for certain the world was going to end tomorrow. Without hesitation he replied, "I would plant an apple tree this afternoon." You see, Luther was not given to speculation about the ENDING of the world. He focused rather on the PURPOSE of the world which God intends for the present time. Luther would plant an apple tree today, even though the world will be ending tomorrow, because he believed that what may happen in the future does not excuse you from what God wants to do in us here and now.
Jesus in the here and now
Isaiah 9
Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given….The government shall be upon his shoulders and his name will be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty god the everlasting father the prince of peace
This sounds like a savior who is present in our world
Some of the most popular tv shows in my life…Mash, Seinfeld, friends are all about life situations that help us to laugh and forget….. when the laughing is over, we do have to grow up, we to have to face the real world and the messy business that we find life to be
God asks no man whether he will accept life. That is not the choice. You
must take it. The only choice is how.
Henry Ward Beecher
Jesus is not a baby stuck in a manger or a pie in the sky see you some day guy
Present Jesus= teaching
1. love your enemies do good to those who hate you
2. judge not, lest ye be judged
3. do not worry…but…seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added
he is present to help you/we proclaim a savior alive in the world today
We always have fun decorating the Christmas tree….dad puts on the lights and the rest of the clan takes it from there. We are always proud of how our tree looks."But, you know, God has a different way of decorating trees. Think about it. God decorates a tree by providing the sunshine and rain, and by placing food in the earth. Then the tree itself partakes of these blessings of God and thus develops a strong, healthy, vigorous life. First thing you know, some leaves or fruit appear on the limbs. But here's the key. God decorates the tree on the inside."
1 cor 13
If you are tired of a powerless God or a god that exists only in your future, today I offer to you the light of Jesus Christ
More than a candles light….his light will bring you life…..
No comments:
Post a Comment