Intensity Series

Intensity

Christmas Eve service 2007

Intro: Igniter Video about Santa and Jesus.

Not everyone sees just how important Jesus really is.

I remember a few years ago when I was walking through an electronics department in a shopping mall and I saw it!!! My first HIGH DEF BIG SCREEN TV!!! I stopped in my tracks and moved in for a closer look. I was amazed, mesmerized and I just stood there watching the show. The detail was so fine compared to my puny, now obsolete, “standard” definition TV. That day, standing in front of that TV, my attention was completely taken.

The stores strategy had worked. I did stop in my tracks, I did take the time to slow down and simply ponder the wonder of a HI-DEF TV. The only problem was I didn’t have the $7K needed to take one home with me.

There are a lot of “things” in life that are competing for your attention.

• They all cry out for you to stop what you are doing and move in for a closer look and hopefully / ultimately commit some part of your life to obtaining it.

• Marketing experts know that just getting you to take notice of something is their biggest challenge.

Jesus told a story about a man who had taken notice of something hidden in a field.

Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

• Something caught this man’s attention, he chose to stop and take a closer look.

• The treasure had a greater worth than everything he already had.

• His intensity grew and his passion was to have that treasure for himself.

• “In His Joy…!”

The first few sentences of the Gospel John we see what the Treasure truly is:

John 1:4 “In Him (Jesus) was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.”

• Jesus is THE TREASURE

• The Life in JESUS is the TREASURE

• The Bible clearly teaches the Treasure of Life in Jesus is freely given by God to all who will believe and accept it.

But not everyone accepts it, not everyone believes.

• Not everyone cares to stop, take notice, move in for a closer look

• And therefore, they never see the importance or the brilliance of His Light.

Think of it like this:

The closer you are to a light the brighter it is. Right?

• If you follow a light seen in the distance, it grows brighter and brighter the closer you come to it.

• When you are right-up-on-it you see its full brightness.

• This is also true when it comes to seeing the LIGHT of MEN; in seeing Jesus Christ.

• That star we know as the “Star of Bethlehem” shown for all to see, but only a few followed it.

• Only the Magi followed as it lead them. Only the wisest of the day stopped, toke notice and moved in to take a closer look.

• Everyone “could” see it, but only a few “took notice” of it.

• This is true with Jesus. He shines brightly for all to see. All “Can” see, but not every one follows.

Some may complain, “God shines brighter on some people than others”

• He doesn’t show favoritism to one over another.

• He isn’t keeping a list of who has been naughty or nice.

• He knows that none of us are “Good enough” to deserve His Gift, so by grace he shines on all mankind the same.

The difference being:

He appears brighter and more intense to some because they are moving toward God.

For others he appears dim and unimportant because they are moving away from God.

Which direction are you heading?

Jesus is the Light of the World.

• He is the Lighthouse that helps warn of the dangers of sin in our lives.

• He is like the porch light welcoming you into His house were its warm, and comfortable and where you are loved.

• He is like the North Star, the star that sailors have trusted since the beginning to navigate the oceans of life.

• He is the search light looking for the broken down and left for dead souls in the world.

• He is the light at the end of the tunnel assuring you of His Goodness and Love.

• He is shining on your path to light your way.

But what direction are you headed in? Are you going Toward God or Away from God?

• Some look at the Cross of Jesus and see foolishness, others see the Way of Eternal life