Dakota Community Church
December 07, 2008 (am)
Love Came Down
Galatians 4:1-7
1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
When the time had fully come, God sent His Son.
John 1:1-13
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
His own did not receive Him.
Love came when the time was right. God did not misread the political conditions and mess up the timing.
Love came to the right people. God foretold this event and prepared a people for Himself.
In spite of this:
Love was not received by all of those to whom He was sent.
There are still many who refuse to receive Him.
In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus owns the goats as well as the sheep.
Salvation has been secured for the entire human race, humanity has been redeemed or bought back, still there are many who reject Him.
John 1:11-13
11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Those “born of a woman”, those “born of human decision”; must be born of God!
Jesus said you must be born again because that is the way to come into a new family with a new father. Those who are not born again remain in the old family under their father “the devil”.
This creates a problem for some who cannot accept their need of God.
From an article by Mallory Simon on CNN.com
(CNN) -- It’s beginning to look a lot like -- a war over Christmas.
Alongside a Nativity scene at the Legislative Building in Olympia, Washington, a sign put up by an atheist organization celebrates the winter solstice. (See Slide)
In Washington, D.C., the American Humanist Association began a bus ad campaign this month questioning belief in God.
"Why believe in a God?" the advertisement asks. "Just be good for goodness sake." (See Slide)
Maybe you have already heard the You Tube Hit by Glenn Beck:
“Happy RamaHanuKwanzMas”
Have a RamaHanuKwanzMas - It’s the P.C. time of year.
Every holiday displayed, because of morbid fear.
Happy RamaHanuKwanzMas
Yeah, we know the name is queer.
Oh good golly, Can’t offend nobody on (bleep)’mas this year!
In light of these things I want to say that I do not think it is wise or even a part of God’s plan for the church to try to force Christian ideals or morals or holidays on non-believers. Rather than trying to enforce a pseudo Christian lifestyle on society I think we should let society go the way it is determined to go and just concentrate on preaching the gospel, that is Christ crucified to save sinners; this message is always does effective in dark places and times because it is the only message we have that really matters.
The central message of this season is the incarnation; love came down, and different people received Him in different ways.
1. For some the King of the Jews came down.
Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
Many people see everything through political eyes and the advent of the Christ was no exception. The Jewish people (and vicariously many foreigners) were straining under the oppressive hand of Rome and so were anxiously awaiting a savior who, legend had it, would come to re-establish Davidic rule.
The Magi were such men, they travelled a great distance to seek an audience with Him, the brought gifts to honor Him, and when they finally found Him they bowed in worship to His majesty. He was and is the “King of the Jews” but even more He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Luke 23:1-3
Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."
So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
John 19:19-22
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write ’The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."
Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
Love came down and He certainly is the King of the Jews!
2. For some a troublemaker came down.
Matthew 2:3, 16
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
…16When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
We tend to shy away from this aspect of our Saviors mission these days in a misguided attempt to avoid offending those far from God.
Jesus did not tone down the exclusionary elements of His life and mission and neither should we.
People who are bent on life in the dark have always and will always resented the presence of light. Men loved darkness more than light because their deeds are evil.
What is the difference between Christian good deeds and all other good deeds that are according to scripture “filthy rags”?
Romans 14:23
But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Jesus is a troublemaker to all who would be Lord of their own lives.
He insists on Lordship of our very hearts, this is extremely offensive.
He insists that He is the only way.
He tells us that He will return to judge and that we will all give an account before Him.
Matthew 10:32-34
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Love came down and He certainly is the King of the Jews
Love came down and He certainly is a divisive trouble maker.
3. For some a great teacher came down.
How often do you here people dismiss Jesus as merely a great teacher?
John 7: 32-49
The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
Jesus said, "I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. 34You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come."
The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36What did he mean when he said, ’You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ’Where I am, you cannot come’?"
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet."
Others said, "He is the Christ."
Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?" Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn’t you bring him in?"
"No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.
"You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted. 48"Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them."
As you read the gospels you cannot help but echo that sentiment.
Matthew 16:13-14
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
How many accept and admire Him as a great teacher but reject Him as Lord.
He certainly is a great teacher.
4. For some Messiah came down.
Matthew 16:15-17
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
“But what about you?” How have you received him?
I hope you have received Him as the Messiah, the savior, the Lord of glory!
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
