Simply Christmas The 3 Journey's Series

Video Transition: Simply Christmas

Sermon: Simply Christmas (The 3 Journey’s, of the Christmas Story)

Scriptures:

Luke 2:1-7: Journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem

Matthew 2:1-18: Journey from Bethlehem to Egypt

Matthew 2:19-23: Journey from Egypt to Nazareth

Psalm 23

Thesis: Unexpected Journey’s are part of life – they happen – God is involved in them if you care to see Him – they are sometimes not expected and even if expected are lined with unexpected turns and twists – they also come with valleys and mountain tops – and hardship and stress – rain and heat and slippery slopes. But God is with us in the journey!

Introduction:

Life is filled with expected and unexpected journey’s!

Personal Story: The Journey with my kids and grandkids a few years ago in New Hampshire:

We had gone back to NH for vacation to see Kathy’s family in New Hampshire and through some unexpected events Kathy’s mom who was struggling with Cancer ended up in the hospital – We had rented a house in the mountains and decided The family and I decided to go hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire – without Kathy who was at the hospital with her mom.

So: Tiffany, Ayden, Keagan and Evie, along with Ashley, Vernon, Emerson and Harlowe and Isa and I set out to go hiking in the mountains. As we got to the trail, I spotted a ranger and went up to him and asked him, “Is this a good trail to take my family on with little kids?” Ayden and Keagan were with and he responded, “Yes this trail is not that bad it’s about 4 miles long has great views! It loops around – should be good!” “Great” I said and we all set off on the journey! We soon discovered after about a mile that the trail was more challenging than the Ranger has eluded – It was all uphill ascending the mountain by about 1,500 feet up. It was Rocky – slippery – and ½ way through it started sprinkling making it even more slippery and treacherous. I had brought a back pack full of food and water so nutrition was not a problem – I had learned that many years earlier when Kathy and I and the girls did a hike with just two water bottles in extreme heat and it took 4 plus hours to complete. So we stopped at what we thought was the ½ way point and ate and drank and took in the scenery. Show pictures. What happened next was everything got stepper and harder to move forward. Show pictures – know Ashley Vernon Evie and Isa are taking turns carrying Evie, and Harlowe. They could not do the climb – definitely not family friendly hiking with little kids. Then it started raining the rock became very slippery – Tiffany feel hurting her leg – the boys had started complaining and became fearful saying things like “We are not going to make it – we could die out here” and you wait until I see that ranger again – he is getting a piece of my mind. We pressed on even going on a little path with a 200 foot steep drop off and it was wet and slippery – I must admit that was scary to do with the kids – I was even thinking you wait until I see that ranger again – we did push through the pain, the fear, the rain, the aches, the exhaustion and made it back to the cars before dark – at one point because I knew this was not a great hike said to the boys you can talk about this journey grandpa took you on that almost killed us at my funeral – journey’s like this and hardships like this etch vivid memories in your brain.

So even expected journeys can turn into unexpected journeys filled with hardship, cliffs, rain, accidents, valleys, pain, the unknown and even some fear in some cases.

So, as I read about Joseph and Mary’s first journey I have empathy for them – but doing these types of journey’s together does create a close time of bonding of the family unit. And yes, they create great memories that never fade away.

T.S. - So let’s look at the first journey this newly formed family makes – remember Mary is pregnant with Jesus and has the pleasure of riding on a donkey at about 9 months pregnant – can you imagine?

I. Journey one: Nazareth to Bethlehem

A. Luke 2:1-7: 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.