The Rest Of The Story

Dakota Community Church

December 10, 2006

The Rest of the Story

We all know the Christmas Story. Why are we here today more than 2000 years after these events took place? Does this message have any bearing on us today?

I want to share with you today the rest of the story, what God was doing in sending Jesus that first Christmas so many years ago.

In Christmas:

1. God is making the first move.

We all sense that there is a God. When things are desperate we bargain with Him. When disaster comes we blame Him. When we see pain and suffering we accuse Him. Mostly we feel far from Him. We don’t know Him but on some level we want to, we want heaven to be real but we don’t believe it is possible to be certain of these unseen things.

In sending Jesus God makes the first move to bridge that distance.

Have you ever gotten into a real disagreement with someone you love and the relationship was destroyed over it?

It is hard to make the first move to reconcile isn’t it?

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In Christmas:

2. God is taking a great risk.

Not only did He make the first move, He did in a hugely high risk fashion. He came as an infant, totally dependant on fallen humans for His own survival.

Have you ever put yourself out there for someone only to be shot down?

When I was in grade 9 my history teacher Mr. Cable asked me to ask Brenda to dance at the sock hop and she shot me down in a loud voice.

It is not easy to put yourself out there for someone.

John 1:10-13

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

In Christmas:

3. God is saying I love you this much.

In Luke 19 Jesus states his purpose, the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Luke 19:10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

What was lost? – Fellowship, friendship, intimacy, relationship.

Quote from relevant.com:

The Pharisees were more than dismayed and disgusted with the Son of Man, but one thing was made clear by Jesus from the get-go: “I’m after mercy, not religion. I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders” God did not turn flesh to show us the lousy lives we were leading in the light of the Law. Sure, He could have come down on dark clouds with lightning and thunder, but He didn’t. He came to forgive, to love and to serve. He didn’t stick to the book and enforce all 613 Commandments.

I am not asking you to join this church.

I am asking you to reach out in faith, to begin talking to God. I’m asking you to ask Him to reveal Himself to you this Christmas season.

Have you seen the Star Trek episode where Picard is hit by a laser on the ship and then unconsciously lives an entire lifetime on another world? At the end of his life on that planet he realizes the satellite launch is about him?

Christmas is about you. That is the rest of the story.

PowerPoint available on request (No charge) dcormie@mts.net