God’s Power Demonstration
Luke 2:1-7 & Phil. 2:3-8
1. Millions for defense and not a penny for tribute! I learned what that quote meant while in the Army. I was assigned, as were all junior officers In the 82d Airborne Division, to escort generals and colonels from the parking lot to a set of bleachers located in a remote area of Fort Bragg. That day, I would witness a firepower demonstration of the latest bombs and weaponry invented to search for and destroy the enemy.
For two hours, I witnessed nearly a million dollars blown to bits by a fireworks display designed to kill hundreds with jet planes dropping bombs with pinpoint accuracy. Just as an announcer read from a script that jet planes at the 12 o’clock position would be overhead, jets appeared over the horizon in perfect synchronization with the announcer’s words.
Bomber jets, surface to air missiles, hand held weapons, tanks—all the latest military hardware showed how death and destruction could be unharnessed in seconds. In one pass, across a field that was about a mile from the bleachers, jets dropped canisters of a jelly-like substance called napalm. As soon as the napalm splattered over the ground, it burst into flames. Acres of ground caught fire and burned to a crisp. Anyone on the ground would have been burned alive.
That’s how the world spells power—weapons of mass destruction that can kill and maim hundreds and even thousands at a time.
2. This Christmas, like every Christmas since WWII, the nations of the world are held together by mutual fear that an atomic or chemical holocaust could destroy us and the earth. No matter how technologically advanced and educated man has become, he still solves his problems with death and destruction. Peace on earth is still a wishful thought.
3. How different was the power demonstration God displayed on
the first Christmas.
A. Christmas demonstrates that God’s power is found in love.
1. People in Jesus day were no different than people today in their understanding of what real power is.
2. Even God’s chosen people believed the Messiah would seize political power and throw off the tyrannical oppression of the Roman Empire that ruled Israel.
3. Ironic isn’t it, that God would send Jesus, the long awaited Savior, whose words of power included: Love your enemies; Do good to those who persecute you; overcome evil with good; Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
4. Those words were not the ruthless words of a Hitler or a Stalin, for God chose to exercise His power through a force greater and more powerful than the armies of the earth.
5. He chose to exercise His love in Jesus Christ, the body-form of God Himself—the incarnate God.
6. God is love—You believe that don’t you? Why aren’t all people filled with love for one another, rather than distrust, jealousy, fear, and resentment? The answer is simple, isn’t it? Man is a fallen sinner from God, the source of real love and compassion.
7. The song says, "What the world needs now is love sweet love" is true. Look at the results of a lack of love: people who commit all kinds of heinous, compulsive acts, looking for love in all the wrong places and all the ways.
8. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Those who come to know Christ come to know the power of love as they repent of their distrust, jealousy, fear, and resentment.
9. But God demonstrates His won love for us in this: While we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
10. Do you feel loved? Or have you been the brunt of an unloving person’s criticism and rejection? If so, you should know that God loves you unconditionally. If you’ve been unloved by others, you’re hurting as you sit here today. The question you must answer is this: Will you become bitter towards these people, or will you call on God’s love to help you love those who look like your enemy? The Bible tells us that God releases into our hearts the power of His love through the Holy Spirit, which dwells within every Christian. Your potential to love the unlovely depends on how obedient you’re being to the will of God. Is your focus on His love or your hurt? Faith works by love. Where there is weak faith, there is weak love.
11. A mother asked a little girl if there was anything that the little girl could do to cause her mother not to love her. The little girl was so sure of her mother’s love, she emphatically replied, “Nothing.” That’s how sure you can be of God’s love.
12. Through whom does love’s power work best. Through people who can overlook the faults and slights of others and love them in spite of themselves.
13. Sending Christ was God’s way of saying to all of us: “You’ve live selfishly. You think or yourself more than others; but I love you in spite of all that.
14. To as many as received Him (Jesus), God gave them the power to become the children of God (John 1:12).
15. Famous Harvard sociologist, Dr. Sorokin said after research: “Man has no effective remedy to stop war and strife among people. Scientific findings conclude that unselfish love represents tremendous power. “ Research shows that a lack of love is not the result of ignorance of Jesus’ teachings—the problem is : The world is still waiting for men and women to put the love of God into practice.
16. Christians are to be known by their love. My friends, your church, this church, will grow in numbers and strength to change others with the Gospel in proportion to your love for God and others. The opposite is also true: withhold love the church will decline and become practically useless to this community and to itself.
17. People wonder why churches decline—it’s evident, isn’t it? Not enough love in the people who say that God lives in them. Not enough love to teach children or bring them to church so that they can be taught, not enough love to give a tithe to the church, not enough love to go to people’s homes to witness, not enough love to invite and bring others to church, not enough love to become faithful to the church, not enough love to give to the poor. It’s love that makes the world go around, and it’s a lack of love that stops it.
18. Christmas is God’s demonstration of the power of love. Christians who know God through Christ should be seen demonstrating acts of love all year long.
B. Christmas not only demonstrates that God’s power works through love, but also works through humility.
1. Webster defines humility as a modest sense of one’s own importance, lowliness, submissiveness
2. Humility has nothing to do with feelings of inferiority or having low self esteem.
3. Humility’s power is evident in Christians who really put God first in their lives, others second, and self third, not by words, but by actions.
4. Think of Mary and Joseph. They held humble positions in life.
Jesus was not born to a prophet or priest or king or rich man and woman. He was born to a peasant girl and a stepfather who was a carpenter. Joseph earned his money by the sweat of his brow.
5. God says a whole lot to us about parents by his choice of a humble mother and father for Jesus. So, what did these humble parents reveal about humility that made them God’s choice for His son:
• Parents who put God’s will ahead of their own
• Parents who could be content, secure, and confident behind the scenes as shepherds and kings worshiped the Christ child
• Parents who would pray and teach Jesus to do the same
• Parents who were sanctified because God’s will and their will were the same.
6. Humble parents make the local church body an integral part of their lives and their children’s lives. Here, they hear from God, here they see their children brought up around like-minded people, here they find the fellowship and support of others. The church is the hub of the home. Parents who humble themselves will be active in the church body, giving of their time, talent and treasure to the work of the ministry. Their children will grow within the hotbed of spirituality, learning to humble themselves before God.
7. When parents are too busy to get involved with the local church, refuse to support its programs, and shut off the education and fellowship it offers, their lack of humility before God is transmitted to their children. The children then see God and the church as something boring and unnecessary, a waste of their time.
8. Children can become proud and arrogant toward God and the church because of parents’ lack of humility toward God. Many children’s attitudes toward church is just like their parents.
9. God gives more grace to the humble and resists the proud (James 4:6).
10. Humility was written into God’s plan on that first Christmas. He knows that people clothed in humility attract people into the kingdom. I met a lady yesterday who possesses the attractiveness of humility in her life. She is 85 years old and runs the hot line for Someone Who Cares, crisis pregnancy center. She is a humble Christian lady who gives her time as a volunteer. Jean Mowrey wanted all you ladies to know that the people of the center appreciate your support and thanked me a half a dozen times. What a blessing it was to bless someone who is meeting a real-life need here in Logan. Thank you for humbling yourself by attending the shower for Jesus. Your gifts humbled others, who in turn will humble themselves to serve young mothers of this community.
11. Is God’s power being released here in this church. Yes, I believe it is. There are people who have submitted to God, humble people. People who do not see the church as a closed circle but are willing to unlock their hands and hugs, always ready and willing to love and welcome one more. Keep the circle open, my brothers and sisters. Humble yourselves before God; don’t just form your little circle of church friends. Take time to get to know all people in this Body of Christ and become a genuine friend, considering their needs above your own.
12. You’ve heard how people usually sit in the same pew Sunday after Sunday. And, that’s OK until someone else is seated there when you come in. Who could claim to know Christ and say, “This is my seat, would you please move.” Yet, that’s happened in this church, and, I’m sure in many others. There’s nothing more stifling to the Spirit of God in a church than a self-centered Christian. If something that insignificant as where you sit in church is an issue with you, you need to repent and change your ways.
13. I read of another church filled to capacity. A young man with long hair who looked a little rough walked down the aisle and sat on the floor in front of the pulpit. An old man who was head usher walked down the aisle looked down at the young man and asked if he could seat it by him. That’s humility, and that’s how the power of God is released through it.
14. Be found this Christmas doing works of humility, putting others before yourself and experience the power of God.
C. God’s power releases itself from your life through your love, through
your humility, and through your service.
1. How many of you would come forward in front of this congregation and say: I’m here to minister not to be ministered to or I am among you as he who serves? Many would not say that for they would have to then show up or shut up. Yet, that’s exactly what Jesus said, and that’s exactly what we should do. Are you servant or are you expecting to be served? Are you a minister to others, or do you wait till someone ministers to you? Are you a giver or a taker? Are you looking for something to criticize or are you looking for someone to encourage?
2. If you would build the ideal church what kind of people would you put in it? I would fill it with people who have willingly taken a place of service to others.
3. The world and church is fed up with yourself! Yourself! Yourself!
People swallow the advertising of self-satisfaction. Do something for yourself, or with yourself, or to yourself. It’s no wonder why people have so many self-made problems. How very different from Jesus’ model and message. If you really want to have a merry Christmas, go do something for somebody else besides yourself. That’s what God did and does all the time.
4. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant (Phil. 2:3-6).
CONCLUSION
1. See Christmas for what it really is: God’s power demonstration wrapped in the love, humility, and servant hood of Jesus. Christmas is only as meaningful as your decision to demonstrate love, humility, and service.
2. If you’re really walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, you’re looking for ways to love, to humble yourself under God’s will, and to serve God and others.
3. If your life has been squashed by unloving people, you need to know the unconditional, healing love of God in your life.
The humble babe of Bethlehem, grew to be the humble servant Jesus who died on a cross to set you free. He is here today to put the pieces of your broken heart back together again. With open arms, He’ll receive you and give His power to you—the power of His love through the Holy Spirit. Come, meet Him here and find that God sent His Son for you.
