Pastor-Teacher
John Farley
Friday,
December 24, 2010
Heb 12:2
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The glory of the Lord usually came to the people of Israel in a “dark night” situation.
It’s the people in the darkness that get the great light.
Heaven had no intention of ruining the surprise!
SUDDENLY the angel appeared.
Christmas should always be a surprise.
Christ is the surprise. He is the outrageous surprise.
This is the first time that the glory of the Lord has appeared in Israel, on this night, the first time since the days of Ezekiel.
The historians tell us that the glory of the Lord departed from the temple in 592 BC.
The scholars also tell us that a good date for the birth of Christ is 4 BC.
That means that the glory of the Lord had not shone upon the face of any Israelite for 588 years!
Do you know what year it was 588 years ago from this year?
1422!
Once you believe in Christ in the Church Age, you can see the glory of the Lord any time you want, 2Co 3:15-18.
As you behold Him, the Spirit is transforming you so that you yourself become more and more of a reflection of the glory of the Lord!
Please notice how personal this all is.
The angel keeps saying “you”.
In 2Co 5:19, He has committed to YOU the word of reconciliation!
For unto US a child is born, onto US a Son is given.
This is not God against us but God with us!!!
You cannot be familiar with a newborn, and a newborn cannot be familiar with you.
And the “new” things are some of the most wonderful things that God does for us.
His mercies are new every morning.
So one of the secrets of Christmas joy is to make things new for somebody else.
Mercy will go be with that person.
Mercy will send someone ahead.
He didn’t ask for neutral territory - He came to our turf.
God is glorified in the highest way possible tonight; tonight, on earth, peace comes to men upon whom God’s favor rests.
Of all the things that God had ever done, THIS thing brought Him the highest glory.
Giving us Christ is the most gracious and compassionate thing He ever did by a long shot.
Giving us Christ is the most gracious and compassionate thing He ever did by a long shot.
God is glorified in the highest way possible tonight; tonight, on earth, peace comes to men upon whom God’s favor rests.
Giving us Christ is the most gracious and compassionate thing He ever did by a long shot.
So who are these people upon whom God’s favor rests?
More to the point...., do I happen to be one of them?
If it’s the time of joy.... how come I ain’t got any?
Tit 2:11
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
It ought to be joy to all the people upon the face of the earth that Christ is born.
This is the Savior. He has come to save you from your sins.
There has been born into this dark world a Man who is also God!
God pours out His favor on all mankind.
But the favor has to find a home. It has to rest.
The shepherds were not the “wise men” of their age by the standards of the world, but in God’s plan they turned out to be the very wisest of men.
The saw the light, they heard the angels, they sang the song, and they ran to the stable.
They simply believed what was well attested, and they found it all to be true once they investigated things for themselves.
It has been 20 centuries since Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke, and in all that time not one of his historical facts has ever been proven to be false.
The signs you need are all there for you. Believe what is well attested. Investigate it for yourself. You will find it all to be true.
He would look at this obedient sacrifice Christ made of His body and His very self, and God the Father would be satisfied.
Because He was born, He took on our nature and became eligible to die for us.
Because of His death, we can be born again.
There is also joy at the crucifixion of Christ, Heb 12:2, and that’s remarkable.
Where’s the joy this Christmas?
The joy is in BELIEVING!
Rom 15:13
Rom 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.