Christmas 2015Foundations

Peace

There's a verseThat's not true

You want it to be trueWe want it to be true

But we cause the oppositeIn our own lives and

Relationships

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth…?

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,good will toward men- Luke 2:14

It's not true

Wouldn't it be nice?- Marriage- Work- Family- At Christmas

Truth is…as much as we want itWe cause the opposite

Ourselves sometimes

To get what we wantOr make our point

"I don't do Drama.I stay away from people who cause Drama…"

"I don't do Drama.I stay away from people who cause Drama…"

(90% chance they cause it!)

If peace doesn't existIn your heart

You won't find itIn your circumstances

If you have peace in your heartYou'll have it

Regardless of Your circumstances

What do we do with

"On earth peace, goodwill toward men"?

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

She was right

(There is no peace in this…)

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

Peace on earth?His own heart wasn't at peace

About the birth of thePrince of Peace

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he

will save his people from their sins”

Born to dieA torturous, bloody death

Nailed to a cross

(Not real peaceful…)

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)

Peace is more a functionOf God's Presence

Than of our circumstances

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- Matt. 1:18-25

Hometown 2 for 1!

Now, instead of one crazy chickYou got an insane couple

Or a REALLY naïve Joseph…

Either wayNazareth isn't a fun place to be

There's no peace in this townFor Mary and Joseph

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that

all the world should be registered

Peace on Earth?

Roman DominationViolence and KillingsMass Murder

Prince of Peace Hasn't been born yet, so…

This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor

of Syria. And all went to be registered, each

to his own town

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David…

…which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house

and lineage of David…

Never judge Based on appearances

Just a carpenterWith a new wife

Who's Pregnant with Someone else's baby

But he's a man of promise

…to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him

in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was

no place for them in the innKataluma- upper guest room

World Peace?Goodwill toward men?

Pregnant young girl in a coldStanky barn giving birth whileOthers stay in the Guest Room

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will

toward men

(Maybe it means, "Starting now")The Shepherds Visit

Next up: Wise Men

Now after Jesus was born…

OK…Peace on earth now?

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying…

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have

come to worship him”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him…

…and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the

people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born

They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you

shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel’”

5 ½ miles…

And they knew!

When did the chief priestsAnd scribes visit the baby Jesus?

If my faith don't move meTo action

My faith is worth lessThan a bucket of warm spit

A lot people talk about Loving JesusServing JesusJesus is sooo good!

When did the chief priestsAnd scribes visit the baby Jesus?

Knowledge without actionIs worse than not knowing at all

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying…

“Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found

him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him”

"Of course the politician is a Christian. Cuz, y'know…He said he was…"

The wise men find him"they rejoiced exceedingly

with great joy..."

And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

Dream- "Don't go backTo King Herod"

“Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and

remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the

child, to destroy him”

Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious…

Peace on Earth?Goodwill toward men?

…and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under…

…according to the time that he had ascertained from

the wise men- Luke 2

Peace on Earth?Goodwill toward men?

#NotEvenClose

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,

good will toward men- Luke 2:14 (KJV)

God, you got some 'splaining to do!

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”- Luke 2:14

God is glorifiedWhen his people are at peace

Because they trust him

…on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”

Eudokias- not peace on a place, but on a people who have God's grace (his good pleasure)

Jesus is the Prince of Peace

God has promised peaceNot peace on earth

Not peace of circumstancesBut peace in hearts

If peace doesn't existIn your heart

You won't find peaceIn your circumstances

If you have peace in your heartYou'll have it

Regardless of Your circumstances

- We're looking In the wrong place -

You want peace?Center on Christ

Circumstances come and goY2K anyone?

Harold Camping? 2012? ISIS?

I feel like everythingIs out of control

When I try to be in controlAnd then ask God to bless it

…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will

guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable…

… if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things...and the God of peace will be with you- Phil. 4

Peace is a functionOf God's PresenceAnd our trust

Not our circumstances

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the

world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled,

neither let them be afraid- Jesus, John 14

Want more peace in you?Follow Jesus: 5 ½ Miles

Want more peace around you?Point more people to Jesus

As a church…brokenness We want to see healing

But we also stand against drama and division and gossip, right?

Christmas brings peaceTo the degree that The Prince of Peace

Is given Priority in your life

Pray

Q and A

This Friday, 7 PM

White Elephant and Food

Next SundaySpecial Christmas Offering

Please pray

Next Sunday, 6 PMSemi-Annual Business Meeting