Looking Into The Heart Of God / Christmas Eve

For Those Not Familiar with an Anglican Service; Four Scriptures are read prior to the Message. The designated Scriptures for this Christmas Eve Service are: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14 and Luke 2:1-20.

Can you hear it? ......There is a buzz in the air. ......Maybe you can feel it.

As the song states,...... " In the air ....there's a feeling of Christmas."

It permeates everything Tonight...... Everything.

This is the time of year ....when nostalgia runs deep, ....and nobody dares act ......like a Scrooge.

Beloved ....Christmas is indeed ... a very.... special time. (Long Pause)

During this Christmas season, .....it is easy .....to forget ....what is ....important.

The true meaning of Christmas .....is not found in the wrappings,.... but in ....the gift. (Long Pause)

In the Christmas show.... " A Charlie Brown Christmas" .......which is broadcast faithfully ...every year.

Charlie Brown ....picks out a lonely tree.... With only a few branches for their Christmas program.

When he brings the tree back, ....everyone mocks him for picking such a terrible tree.

It bends over; ....the needles keep falling off,...... which in turn .......makes Charlie Brown .....all the more depressed.

And in despair, ...... Charlie Brown cries out :...... Isn't there anyone, .....who knows ....what Christmas ....is all about?

It is then, .... That his friend Linus .....shares these glorious words:

BIBLE "And there were in the same country.... shepherds, .....abiding in the field, .....keeping watch ....over their flock ...by night. And, lo, .....the angel of the Lord came upon them, .....and the glory of the Lord .....shone round about them!

And they were ....sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ........."Fear not! For, behold, ....I bring you tidings... of great joy, .....which shall be.... to all my people. For unto you ....is born this day ....in the city of David .....a Savior, ....which is Christ, ....the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: .....Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, .....lying in a manger." And suddenly, .....there was with the angel ....a multitude of the Heavenly Host ....praising God, ....and saying, ......"Glory to God in the Highest, ....and on Earth..... peace, ....and good will .....toward men." END

Now Beloved.....That's what Christmas ...is all about,

It is about the gift.......It is about God ....with us.

It is about God ........ coming ....to touch us.

Christmas Eve ......... is the time ......When the membrane between heaven and earth ......is so thin ..... you can almost .....see through it.

Tonight is the night .... we measure .....all time against." (Pause)

On this one night, ....God chose to come to us .... in human flesh.

Heaven came down...... O' Heaven came down... indeed (Pause)

I submit to you .....that the Gospel of Jesus Christ ..... is the greatest love story .... ever written.

I wish .....with all my heart .... that everyone would read the Gospel .....in that light.

I wish .....with all my heart ... that everyone ......would know .....and experience the love..... of our Lord and Savior.

The Birth of Christ .... Christmas ..... is a classic love story.

We have known ....of this love .....since childhood: ......"Jesus loves me, ...this I know, .....for the Bible ....tells me so."

Consciously or subconsciously, ....most people, ....this time of the year, ....are truly..... trying to catch a glimpse ....of God.

Christmas .....is that one time in the year ...when many ...make an extra effort ....to find real meaning, ....to find real joy ....to find real peace....in their lives.

This is when many people ....make an effort ....to look .....into the heart of God. (Pause)

Imagine the world .....at the time of Jesus birth. .....Imagine what Mary saw.

The world was very busy .... most people were traveling to their hometowns to register .....due to the proclamation of Caesar Augustus.

Mary .....along with Joseph... were one of these people.

So much hustle and bustle..... everyone.....so very busy.

There were so many travelers, ....that Mary and Joseph...... find no room ....in the Inn.

Mary gives birth to a son ....and lays him in a manger.

But most people really did not notice, .....most people made themselves so busy..... that they missed .....the presence of God.

It's not that people are not interested.... in God.

It's just that.... That most of the people got caught up ....in their busyness .....and they end up .....ignoring God.

The world .....has not changed much.

There is still ......the hustle and bustle.

Everyone so busy.

Does that mean that people ....aren't interested in God?

No...........No matter how busy you are, .....deep down in your soul, ....there is a desire .....to look .....into the heart... of God.

This evening, ....I want you .....to walk into Bethlehem....near the manger, ....and stand next to Mary, .....and (Slow) see what she sees. (Pause)

What does Mary see?

Well.....She sees a baby, .....and she listened for his breathing, ..... just as every new parent would do.