“The Joy of Christmas”
Pastor David Moore
Old Testament reading: Isaiah 42:1-4
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Theme: The third Sunday of Advent is Joy. Today we will explore Colossians about the joy of Christmas and how that occurs in the world. Jesus coming into this world was a real event in history. That He is the first born over all creation, everything that exists or has existed, He is over.
New Testament reading: Colossians 1:15-20
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, thechurch; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.
I think we have a tendency to over compartmentalize, such that we rarely think about God dying for us. ~D. Moore
I hear all the time about people who are interested in Jesus, but not interested in changing some aspect of their life. Which means something besides God is supreme in their life. You will have to give something up in order to have God supremely in your life. ~D. Moore
Jesus is not a supplement in your life, He is all or nothing. ~D. Moore
If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him. ~Charles Studd
Christmas is the beginning of a Great Story and a Great Life. ~D. Moore
His story can become our story. Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings by becoming like Him in His death.
When someone’s life is under the power and authority of God, their life begins to come together. ~D. Moore
We become experts of the great Christmas story, an adventure with Jesus. ~D. Moore
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Jesus faced tough times in His life, and we will also. We can be reassured during this time by fixing our eyes on Jesus. ~D. Moore
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Mark 10:29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
What is the joy at Christmas? He came as a baby into this world. God says to you, “Here is joy.” He gives us Himself, and there is nothing greater than that. ~D. Moore
God says if we come to Him, give ourselves to Him, give Him supremacy over our lives, we get God in our arms. That is the joy. ~D. Moore
Yet, what can I give Him? I can give Him my heart. ~D. Moore
God bless.