1. Taking the God of Christmas
Into the New Year

2. If they ask, ‘What is his name?’
God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’

3. I show who I am by what I do- God manifested in
action.

4. HIS
Ps. This man was a Greek philosopher and not a Christian!

5. and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
PERSONNEL - The nation
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

6. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,……
2. PERSONNEL –the Family
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given, …….…
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace………
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,……
Isaiah 9:6ff

7. 3. PERSONNEL- The baby carrier
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14.

8. 2. The Location- Bethlehem
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

9. 3. The Time
‘While they were there the time came for the baby to be born…’(Luke 2:6)
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman….to redeem…Gal.4:2

10. Personnel
Location
Time
Personnel
Location
Time

11. Caesar Augustus
The unknown instrument in God’s master plan

12. 2. The God of surprises
1. A Virgin Birth

13. Christopher Hitchens, well known new atheism write states: ‘Christianity insults our intelligence as well as our innate morality by insisting that we believe absurdities that are drawn from the mythology of paganism and barbarism’.’
Colin Wilson
No, of course I don’t, and I imagine you’ll have some difficulty finding any educated person who believes in it, or any other Christian dogma.

14. The Most Reverend and Right Hon
The Most Reverend and Right Hon. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
Yes; I believe that the conception of Jesus was a moment when the creative action of God produced a reality as new in its way as the first moment of creation itself. And I believe that what opened the way for this was the work of God through human history over centuries, coming to its fullest moment in Mary’s consent to God’s call. The recognition of the uniqueness and newness of Jesus is a recognition of the absolute freedom of God to break the chains of cause and effect that lock us into our sins and failures; the virginal conception is an outward sign of this divine freedom to make new beginnings.

15. The God of surprises
2. The Family History
Tamar – a liar
Rahab – a prostitute
Ruth – a pagan
Bathsheba- adulteress and manipulator

16. The God of surprises 3. The first recipients Shepherds-
In Christ’s day, shepherds stood on the bottom rung of the Palestinian social ladder. They shared the same unenviable status as tax collectors and dung sweepers.
, “To buy wool, milk or a kid from a shepherd was forbidden on the assumption that it would be stolen property.”

17. 3.The God who keeps his word

18. Despite
The lapse of time
The disappointments
The perplexities
The apparent impossibility
Our anger and frustration
‘….even as he said to our fathers.’ Luke 1:55
Mary

19. A New Year…A New Appointment
God controls personnel, situations and locations for his ultimate purposes
God often surprises us by his decisions
God is faithful to his promises
Step into the New with the God who never changes