Introduction:
This is the season where many people are into shopping and buying gifts for loved ones, co-workers, and children. Little do they realize the true meaning and the significance of this season.
For some it’s the man in the red suit with a sleigh and eight reindeer shouting Ho! Ho! Ho! There are some that’s busy running up credit card debt and not worrying about how to pay the bill. But there are others that aren’t running up the credit card debt because they’re still paying for last year’s Ho! Ho! Ho!
It is very clear that the reason for this season has been lost, and with that thought that brings me to my first of two points.
Development:
Looking at the two scriptures I see several points but I just want to briefly touch on two. I promise not to be long on this beautiful and glorious day.
Point Number One: I Told You I Was Coming
Going back to the fall of the garden, man had completely lost fellowship with God. Man was into doing his own thing. If man had only stepped up to the plate like he was commissioned to do, we as men would be in a better position to deal with life and it’s adversities.
When God commissioned Adam to take charge over the garden He meant for him to do just that. Take charge of the garden and not to be passive. Adam was the covering of his wife Eve. He was to protect her since she was the weaker vessel,and to provide for her.
But somehow, all of that did not happen the way it was supposed to happen. As you know when the snake entered the Garden of Eden, his approach was with Eve and not with Adam.
If you go back and check the scriptures in Genesis 3:1-5, all of the conversation was between the snake and Eve. Adam was right there watching and listening.
He had the authority to order the snake to leave the garden, but he didn’t. Once the bond between man and God was broken, there had to be a plan B put into place.
The God head, the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit already had a plan B in place before the creation of the world.
Now that brings me to the prophet Isaiah, he was a man of God that God had hand picked to carry His message. He had prophesied that there would be one coming, a great one coming.
Isaiah 9:7 says, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The Jews were delivered from the yoke of many oppressors; this was a shadow of the believer’s deliverance from the yoke of Satan.
The cleansing the souls of believers from the power and pollution of sin, would be by the influence of the Holy Spirit, as purifying fire.
These great things for the church will be done by the Messiah, better known as Emmanuel – in the Greek it means with us is God or God with us.
The Child is born; it was certain; and the church, before Christ came in the flesh, we all were destined to hell, but when Christ came into the flesh, we hall benefited by his undertaking.
This Child was born for the benefit of us men, of us sinners, of all believers, from the beginning to the end of the world.
Justly is he called Wonderful, for he is both God and man. His love is the wonder of angels and glorified saints.
He is the Counsellor, for he knew the counsels of God from eternity; and he gives us counsel in which he consults us for our welfare.
He is the Wonderful Counsellor; none teaches like him. He is God, the mighty One. He is our mediator. He has no less power than God Himself. He is the only one that brings things to pass. He is God, one with the Father.
As the Prince of Peace, he reconciles us to God; he is the Giver of peace in the heart and conscience; and when his kingdom is fully established, men shall learn war no more.
The government shall be upon him; he shall bear the burden of it. Glorious things are spoken of Christ’s government. There is no end to peace.
Peace will increase itself day by day. Happiness will increase it self day by day. These things will last forever.
Now I told you I was coming, Now I have arrived. The prophesy has been fulfilled. Turn in your bibles to Matthew 1:1. Let’s read.
It’s Time For A Praise Break
Point Number Two: It’s Time For A Praise Break
As they say, Tis the season to be jolly, fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. I don’t know about you, but this is a season that we should really give the Son of God some praise.
Psalm 149:3 says, Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.
I really don’t know how you praise Him, but you need to praise Him.
If you can clap your hands, you need to clap your hands.
If you can stomp your feet, you need to stomp your feet.
If you can wave your hand, you need to wave your hand.
If you can shout for joy, you need to shout for joy.
If you can dance, you need to dance.
If you got a tambourine, play your tambourine.
May I say this if I please..When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that he has done for me, my soul cries out.
Psalm 150:6 says, Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
In Psalm 150:6, it says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
Now let’s not take praise for granted. There’s going to come a time when the breath that comes through our nostrils will leave our nostrils and will return no more.
That’s why John 9:4 says, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”
You need to praise Him while you have a chance. For as long as you are breathing, and have the function of your mind, you should be giving God some praise.
Conclusion:
Just before I take my seat, let me define the types of praise. The original Hebrew words for praise are halal and yadah.
Halal means to show, to boast, or to celebrate and to glory in. It is the source of the Hallelujah praise, which is a Hebrew expression of praise, which is found more than 160 times in the Old Testament.
Yadah, which means to give thanks and praise. It is a verb that is important to the language of worship and it’s found 120 times in the Old Testament.
Just before I take my seat, I just want to leave with you some reasons for wanting to praise God.
• You should praise God for His Majesty.
• You should praise God for His Glory.
• You should praise God for His Excellence.
• You should praise God for His Greatness.
• You should praise God for His Holiness.
• You should praise God for His Wisdom.
• You should praise God for His Power.
• I Reverend Ronnie McNeill, praise God because I’m glad God is God.
I Praise God Because of His Mercy
I Praise God Because of His Goodness
I Praise God Because of His Loving-Kindness
I Praise God Because He’s My bridge Over Troubled Water
I Praise God Because He’s A Rock In A Weary Land
I Praise God Because He’s A Shelter In A Time Of A Storm
I Praise God Because He’s Like Fire Shut Up In My Bones
I Praise God Because He’s a Wheel In The Middle Of A Wheel
I Praise God Because He’s My Balm In Gilead.
I Praise God Because He’s Made A Way For Me When There Was No Way
I Praise God Because Picked Me Up, Turned Me Around Planted My Feet On Solid Ground.
I Praise God Because He Went To That Old Rugged Cross And Died For Me.
I Praise God Because On The Third Day, He Got Up, He Got Up With All Power In His Hands.
