The Ceo

INTRO.- ILL.- On a trip through the hill country, a motorist stopped at a small country store for a soft drink. The owner/manager, who had been resting comfortably in a rocker on the front porch, got up and followed the customer inside. He said he had soft drinks in 20 oz. size only and they cost $3 a bottle. The man said, "But isn’t that a bit high" "Well," replied the owner, "I had to get out of my rocker to wait on you." "But you won’t get many more customers at that price, will you?" The old man replied, "Won’t need any."

Brothers and sisters, none of us like to get ripped off in life, but we have been and probably will be in the future.

ILL.- As Tyco’s chief executive, Kozlowski and his chief financial officer allegedly stole $600 million from the company. Some of the booty paid for part of a $2 million birthday party for his wife, which was captured on video tape and shown at his trial this year. Now, a videotape has surfaced of his lavish Manhattan apartment, which featured a $6,000 shower curtain.

Talk about being ripped off! As a minimum, that CEO ripped off the Tyco company and their employees!

ILL.- Here’s another rip off we recall. A former ENRON employee said, "On November 30, 2001, we were given the right to move Enron’s matching funds for our retirement savings plans from Enron stock to another fund. My personal account amounted to $46.01. Another friend, with almost 20 years service, had $102. This is absurd, sad, and I think, criminal."

Since Enron began in 1986, Kenneth Lay has been the company’s leader. His resignation came two months after the company declared the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. According to Enron (at that time), Lay would remain on the board of directors but will retire as an employee. He would be entitled to a lifetime pension of as much as $475,000 per year, according to Enron’s 2001 proxy statement. $475,000 a year! DID I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT BEING RIPPED OFF?

Brothers and sisters, there is one CEO, one Chief Executive Officer who stands head and shoulders above all others. He has not ripped off anyone. His motives and methods are different from some CEO’s.

Heb. 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest (CEO) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin."

I Peter 2:22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found his mouth."

Our Savior, Lord, Christ, CEO committed no sin! He didn’t deceive anyone! He didn’t rip off anyone! Never has. Never will.

ILL.- When Daniel Webster (statesman, lawyer, orator) was in the prime of his manhood he was dining with a company of literary men in Boston. During the dinner the conversation turned upon the subject of Christianity. Mr. Webster frankly stated his belief in the divinity of Christ and his dependence on Him. One man said to him, "Mr. Webster, can you comprehend how Christ could be both God and man?" Mr. Webster promptly replied, "No, sir, I cannot comprehend it. If I could comprehend him, he would be no greater than myself. I feel that I need a super-human Savior."

Brothers and sisters, we do have a super human Savior! We need to realize what we have in Christ, in the Bible, in the church, etc. There is no better CEO. There is no better Savior than Jesus.

PROP.- Let’s consider the coming of our CEO Christ; the Christmas scene as recorded in Luke 2.

1- The birth happened

2- The angel appeared

3- The host praised

I. THE BIRTH HAPPENED

Luke 2:6-7 "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

ILL.- A Hollywood maternity shop received this Note: "Dear Sir: You have not yet delivered that maternity dress I ordered. Please cancel the order. My delivery was faster than yours."

Babies come into this world whenever they get good and ready. Doctors can set a date, but they come when God ordains for them to come. This was especially true with the babe of Bethlehem, the Christ.

Gal. 4:4 "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law…"

God’s timing has always been perfect.

There are some things that I would like to see come to pass, but they haven’t yet. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make them happen, but I can’t. I WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT ON GOD’S PERFECT TIMING. God said, "It’s time." And the Christ came to earth in the form of a baby.