christmas 2012 the gift…changes everything phone home

Christmas 2012Christmas 2012

The Gift…Changes Everything

Phone HomePhone Home

SmartPhone HomeSmartPhone Home

Added to and Adjustments ForAdded to and Adjustments For

But…if I lose it, it'll be OKBut…if I lose it, it'll be OK

God's best giftsGod's best giftsAre Are inconvenientinconvenient

But worth itBut worth it

Wrecked…Wrecked…

This week…This week…


The Gift was designedThe Gift was designedto be Given Awayto be Given Away

And it begin to restoreAnd it begin to restore

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

Why is Jesus so inconvenient?Why is Jesus so inconvenient?

Everything changesEverything changesAnd revolves around JesusAnd revolves around Jesus

Why is Jesus so inconvenient?Why is Jesus so inconvenient?

Zechariah and ElizabethZechariah and Elizabeth

Joseph and MaryJoseph and Mary

Everything changesEverything changesAnd revolves around JesusAnd revolves around Jesus

Who does he think he is?Who does he think he is?


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


Consolation of IsraelConsolation of Israel


Consolation of IsraelConsolation of IsraelMessiahMessiah



JesusJesus



JesusJesusImmanuelImmanuel



JesusJesusImmanuelImmanuel

God…God…

A different Christmas Story…A different Christmas Story…

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

and the Word was Godand the Word was God

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

thing made that was madething made that was made

He is GodHe is God

He is CreatorHe is Creator

He came to his own, and his own He came to his own, and his own people did not receive himpeople did not receive him

Christmas: Christmas: God comes to earthGod comes to earth

Why do we need him?Why do we need him?

WreckedWrecked

Herod…all male babiesHerod…all male babies2 years and younger2 years and younger

20 babies20 babies(So common, history doesn't care)(So common, history doesn't care)

We need ChristmasWe need ChristmasBecause it is the beginningBecause it is the beginning

of setting things rightof setting things right

Even though free willEven though free willStill existsStill exists

He came to his own, and his own He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him…people did not receive him…

……the Word became flesh the Word became flesh and dwelt among usand dwelt among us

- John 1:1-3, 11, 14- John 1:1-3, 11, 14

He is He is rejectedrejected

Why?Why?

Why?Why?

Jesus is not easyJesus is not easy

Why?Why?

Jesus is not easyJesus is not easy

The reason he's inconvenientThe reason he's inconvenientIs also why he's rejectedIs also why he's rejected

Bread= Huge CrowdBread= Huge Crowd

Bread= Huge CrowdBread= Huge Crowd

Manna vs. Christ: Manna vs. Christ: I am the Bread of LifeI am the Bread of Life

"I'm not here for your amusement""I'm not here for your amusement"

I tell you the truth, unless you eat the I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his flesh of the Son of Man and drink his

blood, you have blood, you have no life in you. no life in you.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will my blood has eternal life, and I will

raise him up at the last day. raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is real food and my blood For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh

and drinks my blood remains and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in himin me, and I in him

- Jesus, John 6:53-56- Jesus, John 6:53-56

For my flesh is real food and my blood For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and drinks my blood remains in me,

and I in himand I in him- Jesus, John 6:53-56- Jesus, John 6:53-56

(And he doesn't explain it!)(And he doesn't explain it!)

Jesus makes it hardJesus makes it hardTo follow himTo follow him

Because of his great loveBecause of his great love"Jesus for food for now" won't last"Jesus for food for now" won't last

I'm not a cell phoneI'm not a cell phonethat you add to your life for nowthat you add to your life for now

I'm not a mealI'm not a mealThat you have one dayThat you have one day

And something different the nextAnd something different the next

He's not easy, so…He's not easy, so…They reject himThey reject him

Good teacher…how do I get Good teacher…how do I get eternal life?eternal life?

Don't call me good unless youDon't call me good unless youCall me GodCall me God

Go, sell, give to the poor, follow meGo, sell, give to the poor, follow meAnd trust that you'll have LifeAnd trust that you'll have Life

Why does Jesus make it so hardWhy does Jesus make it so hardTo follow him?To follow him?


You cannot serveYou cannot serveGod and money- JesusGod and money- Jesus

Because of God'sBecause of God'sGreat love for himGreat love for him

"We have left everything to follow "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there you! What then will there

be for us?"be for us?"- Peter, Matt. 19:27- Peter, Matt. 19:27

Every discipleEvery discipleLeft every thingLeft every thing

and Every oneand Every one

To follow JesusTo follow Jesus

FamilyFamilyExpectationsExpectations

BusinessesBusinesses and Income and Income

None of them addedNone of them addedJesus to their livesJesus to their lives

They gave their livesThey gave their livesTo JesusTo Jesus

They had to…They had to…If they wanted to follow JesusIf they wanted to follow Jesus

Because of God's great loveBecause of God's great loveFor themFor them

Because of what they'd face…Because of what they'd face…


Jesus isn't easy- Jesus isn't easy- So he's rejectedSo he's rejected

Jesus is a bad salesman…Jesus is a bad salesman…

As they were walking along the As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will road, a man said to him, “I will

follow you wherever you go.”follow you wherever you go.”


Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the birds of the air have nests, but the

Son of Man has no place Son of Man has no place to lay his head”to lay his head”

Don't follow unless you're readyDon't follow unless you're readyTo give up your security and To give up your security and

comfortcomfort

Jesus is a Jesus is a reallyreally bad salesman… bad salesman…


He said to another man, “Follow me”He said to another man, “Follow me”But the man replied, “Lord, first let But the man replied, “Lord, first let

me go and bury my father.”me go and bury my father.”


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

Give up your timing Give up your timing For mineFor mine

Otherwise, you're just one of theOtherwise, you're just one of theWalking DeadWalking Dead

Jesus is a Jesus is a reallyreally bad salesman… bad salesman…


Still another said, “I will follow you, Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and Lord; but first let me go back and

say good-by to my family”say good-by to my family”


Jesus replied, “No one who puts his Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is hand to the plow and looks back is

fit for service in the fit for service in the kingdom of God”kingdom of God”

- Luke 9:57-62- Luke 9:57-62

Jesus is a Jesus is a badbad salesman… salesman…

You can't add meYou can't add meTo your lifeTo your life

You must trust meYou must trust meWith your whole lifeWith your whole life

Jesus doesn't accept peopleJesus doesn't accept peopleOn their termsOn their terms

He's incredibly inconvenientHe's incredibly inconvenientSo they reject himSo they reject him

Jesus does not accept peopleJesus does not accept peopleOn their termsOn their terms

He's incredibly inconvenientHe's incredibly inconvenientBecause he loves themBecause he loves them

The scandal of American ChristmasThe scandal of American ChristmasIs that so many have added JesusIs that so many have added Jesus

And think that means JesusAnd think that means JesusAccepted their friend requestAccepted their friend request


Because of God's great loveBecause of God's great love

When Jesus is an Accessory:When Jesus is an Accessory:

- Convenience takes priority- Convenience takes priority


- Focus of satisfaction shifts- Focus of satisfaction shiftsTo the created over the CreatorTo the created over the Creator


- Addictions are empowered- Addictions are empowered


- Pride eclipses humility- Pride eclipses humility"All this and Jesus, too!""All this and Jesus, too!"


- Form of godliness,- Form of godliness,but no powerbut no power

So the world that embraces a babySo the world that embraces a babyCries "Crucify" a KingCries "Crucify" a King

Whose love will not permitWhose love will not permitHalf-hearted commitmentHalf-hearted commitment


He must become that LifeHe must become that Life

When Jesus is LifeWhen Jesus is Life

- Inconvenient…we don't grow - Inconvenient…we don't grow through comfortthrough comfort


- Satisfaction and Contentment- - Satisfaction and Contentment- "I can do all things through Christ…""I can do all things through Christ…"


- Praise and Worship- - Praise and Worship- "Do all things to the glory of God""Do all things to the glory of God"


- Humility- It's all about God- Humility- It's all about God


- Power and Purpose- Power and Purpose


He must become that LifeHe must become that Life

We struggle with the same thing…We struggle with the same thing…

- As long as it's not uncomfortableAs long as it's not uncomfortableInconvenient or causes me to Inconvenient or causes me to

sacrificesacrifice

- As long as I don't have to - As long as I don't have to change anythingchange anything

- I'm in…kinda…for nowI'm in…kinda…for now

God loves you God loves you Just like you areJust like you are

God loves you too muchGod loves you too muchTo let you stay like you areTo let you stay like you are

So the Gift can't be addedSo the Gift can't be added

Set your minds on things above, not Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and on earthly things. For you died, and

your life is now hidden your life is now hidden with Christ in God. with Christ in God.

When Christ, When Christ, who who isis your life, your life, appears, then you also will appear appears, then you also will appear with him in glory...Let the peace of with him in glory...Let the peace of

Christ rule in your hearts..."Christ rule in your hearts..."- vs. 1-4, 15- vs. 1-4, 15

Only when your life is Only when your life is Committed to JesusCommitted to Jesus

And revolves aroundAnd revolves aroundThe way God created things to beThe way God created things to be

Do you experienceDo you experienceThe fullness of LifeThe fullness of Life

Christ died to give youChrist died to give you

Rich Ruler and Christmas OfferingRich Ruler and Christmas Offering

How? How?

Jesus said to them all: Jesus said to them all: “If “If anyoneanyone would come after me, he would come after me, he

must must denydeny himself and himself and take uptake up his his cross cross dailydaily and and followfollow me. For me. For

whoever wants to save his life will whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for lose it, but whoever loses his life for

me will save itme will save it- Luke 9:23-24- Luke 9:23-24

Why do we need Christmas?Why do we need Christmas?

For as by the one man's disobedience For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the many were made sinners, so by the the one man's obedienceone man's obedience the many the many

will be made righteouswill be made righteous- Romans 5:19- Romans 5:19

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

He must become He must become youryour Life Life

Q and AQ and A

christmas 2012 the gift…changes everything phone home

Documents

great love jesus

eternal life

bread of life im

real food

real drink

consolation of israelwho

theyd face christmas

andthe word