Christmas 2012 The Gift…Changes Everything

Phone Home

SmartPhone Home

Added to and Adjustments For But…if I lose it, it'll be OK

God's best gifts Are inconvenient But worth it

Wrecked… This week…

Wrecked… The Gift was designed to be Given Away And it begin to restore

Christmas is the One Gift that Can't be added to a life

Why is Jesus so inconvenient? Everything changes And revolves around Jesus

Why is Jesus so inconvenient? Zechariah and Elizabeth Joseph and Mary Everything changes And revolves around Jesus

Who does he think he is?

He's just an 8 lb. 6 oz. newborn baby…

Who does he think he is? Consolation of Israel

Who does he think he is? Consolation of Israel Messiah

Who does he think he is? Consolation of Israel MessiahJesus

Who does he think he is? Consolation of Israel MessiahJesusImmanuel

Who does he think he is? Consolation of Israel MessiahJesusImmanuelGod…

A different Christmas Story…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made

He is God He is Creator

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him Christmas: God comes to earth

Why do we need him? Wrecked

Herod…all male babies 2 years and younger 20 babies (So common, history doesn't care)

We need Christmas Because it is the beginning of setting things right Even though free will Still exists

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him… …the Word became flesh and dwelt among us - John 1:1-3, 11, 14 He is rejected

Why?

Why? Jesus is not easy

Why? The reason he's inconvenient Is also why he's rejected

Bread= Huge Crowd

Bread= Huge Crowd Manna vs. Christ: I am the Bread of Life "I'm not here for your amusement"

I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him - Jesus, John 6:53-56

(And he doesn't explain it!)

Jesus makes it hard To follow him Because of his great love "Jesus for food for now" won't last

I'm not a cell phone that you add to your life for now

I'm not a meal That you have one day And something different the next

He's not easy, so… They reject him

Good teacher…how do I get eternal life? Don't call me good unless you Call me God Go, sell, give to the poor, follow me And trust that you'll have Life

Why does Jesus make it so hard To follow him? Christmas is the One Gift that Can't be added to a life

You cannot serve God and money- Jesus Because of God's Great love for him

"We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" - Peter, Matt. 19:27

Every disciple Left every thing and Every one To follow Jesus

Family Expectations Businesses and Income

None of them added Jesus to their lives They gave their lives To Jesus

They had to… If they wanted to follow Jesus Because of God's great love For them Because of what they'd face…

Christmas is the One Gift that Can't be added to a life Jesus isn't easy- So he's rejected

Jesus is a bad salesman… As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus is a bad salesman… Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head”

Don't follow unless you're ready To give up your security and comfort Jesus is a really bad salesman…

Jesus is a bad salesman… He said to another man, “Follow me” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

Jesus is a bad salesman… Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Give up your timing For mine Otherwise, you're just one of the Walking Dead Jesus is a really bad salesman…

Jesus is a bad salesman… Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family”

Jesus is a bad salesman… Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” - Luke 9:57-62

Jesus is a bad salesman… You can't add me To your life You must trust me With your whole life

Jesus doesn't accept people On their terms He's incredibly inconvenient So they reject him

Jesus does not accept people On their terms He's incredibly inconvenient Because he loves them

The scandal of American Christmas Is that so many have added Jesus And think that means Jesus Accepted their friend request

Christmas is the One Gift that Can't be added to a life Because of God's great love

When Jesus is an Accessory: - Convenience takes priority

When Jesus is an Accessory: - Focus of satisfaction shifts To the created over the Creator

When Jesus is an Accessory: - Addictions are empowered

When Jesus is an Accessory: - Pride eclipses humility "All this and Jesus, too!"

When Jesus is an Accessory: - Form of godliness, but no power

So the world that embraces a baby Cries "Crucify" a King Whose love will not permit Half-hearted commitment

Christmas is the One Gift that Can't be added to a life He must become that Life

When Jesus is Life - Inconvenient…we don't grow through comfort

When Jesus is Life - Satisfaction and Contentment- "I can do all things through Christ…"

When Jesus is Life - Praise and Worship- "Do all things to the glory of God"

When Jesus is Life - Humility- It's all about God

When Jesus is Life - Power and Purpose

Christmas is the One Gift that Can't be added to a life He must become that Life

We struggle with the same thing… -As long as it's not uncomfortable Inconvenient or causes me to sacrifice - As long as I don't have to change anything -I'm in…kinda…for now

God loves you Just like you are God loves you too much To let you stay like you are So the Gift can't be added

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory...Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..." - vs. 1-4, 15

Only when your life is Committed to Jesus And revolves around The way God created things to be Do you experience The fullness of Life Christ died to give you

Rich Ruler and Christmas Offering

How? Jesus said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it - Luke 9:23-24

Why do we need Christmas?

Wrecked…

For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous - Romans 5:19

Christmas is the One Gift that Can't be added to your life He must become your Life

Q and A