Preparing Our Hearts For Christmas December 4, 2011 Pastor Timothy Hinkle

TRUTH In A Nutshell Christmas is NOT about FEELINGS; It IS about FACTS. Somehow, when no one was looking, the true meaning of Christmas has been stolen. Some people mistake the feeling of Christmas for the real reason for the season. The REAL REASON for Christmas is to celebrate the fact that JESUS came when mankind desperately needed a savior to restore and upgrade our lives. The best gift at Christmas is to receive Jesus. When we accept Him, we get it all—both the facts AND the feelings!

Luke 1:26—37 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

Luke 1:26— But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 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. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:26— Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 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. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Luke 2:1—7 1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

Luke 2:1—7 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

God Loved(s) Us… God loved (loves) us and came to tell us in person! – God’s love for YOU is UNCONDITIONAL – Everything else will change throughout your lifetime but God’s LOVE FOR YOU is constant, steady, and continuous. – Jesus came from Heaven with one purpose: He was BORN to DIE.

Hopeless Without Him Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. Jesus came because we were HOPELESS without Him! – Without JESUS, we are living in the unpleasantness of our own CHOICES. – Life without CHRIST can be lonely, unfair and empty. – Jesus came to RESTORE what the enemy has stolen from our lives!

The Perfect Gift Jesus’ BIRTH was the perfect gift because: – It is the most EXPENSIVE gift you will ever receive. – It came at the PERFECT TIME. – It is something that can radically chance your life FOREVER! Galatians 4:4-5 New Living Translation (NLT) 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.

It’s NOT The Feeling Christmas today seems to be about “feeling the Christmas Spirit” (WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT!) – In our “post-modern” or “post church-age” (sic) society, the enemy has STOLEN the true meaning of Christmas. – Christmas is NOT about FEELINGS, it is about FACTS! – Jesus came to UPGRADE and RESTORE your very life!

Life Application RECEIVE THE GREATEST GIFT EVER GIVEN— JESUS! (JOHN 3:16—17 & ROMANS 10:9) ASK JESUS TO RESTORE AND REVITALIZE YOUR LIFE! (HE WILL GIVE YOU LIVING WATER— JOHN 4:10) ASK HIS HOLY SPIRIT (NOT THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT) TO TEACH YOU ALL THINGS! (JOHN 14:26) TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW THE GOOD NEWS! (MARK 16:15)