Waking Up On Christmas: God's Love

Follow Along with the Message

"I will always remind you of these things, even though you already know them. . .As long as I am in this earthly dwelling to stir you up by way of reminder."--2 Peter 1:12-13  (Brondon, please make this a projection slide.  It will come before the reading of the passage, not usually true, but helpful this week.  Thanks.)

Stir up (diegeiro)--to wake up.  "Jesus awoke (diegeiro) and rebuked the wind."--Mark 4:39

Things get so familiar we lose the wonder, the worship.

Waking up on Christmas morning.

Ebenezer Scrooge--A Christmas Carol

WAKE UP TO LOVE

The word love is not used in the Christmas story--Matthew and Luke  (Behold I bring you good news of great JOY,  PEACE on earth to men of good will, but not LOVE.)

Conversation with Nicodemus--words of Christ or of John?

For--points to v.14

Love--agape

World--cosmos, "Huddled masses yearning to breathe free."--Emma Lazarus

Hesed--OT word, Loyal love, resilient, faithful.  "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (hesed)."--Exodus 34:6-7

"I have loved you with an everlasting love."--Jeremiah 31:3

WAKE UP TO LIGHT

     "This is the judgement, that Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light."--v.19

     "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' "--Psalm 14:1

     "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them."--Isaiah 9:2

WAKE UP TO CHRIST AS LORD

     "He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."--v. 18

     "The government shall be on his shoulders."--Isaiah 9:2

     "We will not have this man rule over us."--Luke 19:14

Shepherds, wise men--all kneeling.  Elizabeth calls Him, "My Lord."  The inner brake comes off.  I am drawn into His life, His story.

     "Glory to God in the highest."--Luke 2

     "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."--v. 21

Wrought iron

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"They are shouting it at you, but for some reason you aren't hearing it."