Rediscover the Anticipation
Rediscover Christmas

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Good morning church! I’m glad to be here with you today as we begin our Christmas series. We’ve entitled this series, “Rediscover Christmas.” Today, we want to talk about anticipation– how to rediscover the anticipation of Christmas. The dictionary defines the word, “anticipation,” as “ a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen in the near future, the act of looking forward to something, a pleasurable expectation as in looking forward with anticipation to someone’s arrival.”

Do you remember that feeling you used to have when you were a child? The anticipation for those of us in my age group was that we remember the Sears Christmas wish book that used to come in the mail. We would mark that book up and “dog ear” it. I’m the oldest child in my family, so I would get the “low down” on what the budget was that year. I had to put my “math brain” to work; I would be working it out with my siblings, ‘Okay, it looks like we can afford this much this year.’ I would go through the book and circling things too, in anticipation of what I was going to get that Christmas. It was the mystery of it; the excitement of it. Do you remember that sense of anticipation?

Eric Severeid, an author and journalist, says this, “For children, Christmas is anticipation. For adults, Christmas is memory.” We remember that, but have we lost it? Have we lost that sense of something new, something unexpected, something mysterious or something surprising that could still come our way. How do we move Christmas from a happy memory, a childhood memory, to the anticipation of something unexpected that is still waiting on the horizon for us.

Perhaps we need to get back to the ancient church practice of “advent.” They didn’t call this season the Christmas season, they called it the season of “advent.” Since Pastor Stephen is teaching Latin today, I thought I might teach you a Latin word, too. “Adventus,” is the Latin word for “advent,” which means “coming.”

When we talk about approaching the Christmas season, we’re talking about the idea that the son of God has come. Not only that, the reality of His coming points to the fact that He is coming again. We can all wait with anxious, active anticipation for His return. That’s what advent season should feel like for us; it should feel like anticipation and excitement.

What’s your perspective on Christmas this year? Has inflation limited your Christmas spirit? Maybe you lost your job and you don’t know how you’re going to pay for Christmas gifts for the kids this year? That will surely take the Christmas spirit away. By the way, if that is your situation or if you know of a family in our church that needs help like that this year, that’s what our church benevolence fund is for, so don’t be too proud to let us know that you need some help. We want to make sure you’re able to celebrate Christmas this year.

Maybe you have lost a loved one this year and your Christmas dinner will have an empty seat at the table this year. It’s just not going to be the same. I’ve done three funerals in the last three weeks. Often, we have families in our church that are going into this season with an unexpected loss. How can we still anticipate this season when we’re going through a time of loss?

Maybe there’s been a divorce in your family and it’s really chaotic this year, trying to figure out how Christmas is going to be with the kids. It’s complicated. Maybe, you work retail; I’ve talked to several of you. I used to run stores; for twelve years, I was a district manager. I never had a day off for 12 years between thanksgiving and new years. Seven days a week, every year, for twelve years . I have to say, I didn’t anticipate Christmas. I dreaded it during that season because it meant so much work. If you’re a retailer, I know your situation.

How do we look past the idea that Christmas really has become more of a secular holiday? It’s actually the biggest holiday of the year in the western world, but underneath it all is the reality of the true Christmas story. How do we get back to that? If we can get back to that, we can rediscover the anticipation of Christmas.

I have good news for you. There’s a better way that we can get that anticipation back. In advent, the tradition of the church is that the first Sunday of advent you start by looking at what the prophets said about the coming of Christ. In a similar manner, we’re going to do the same thing today. We’re going to look at the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter nine, the prophet proclaimed a word from the Lord concerning the coming of the long anticipated Messiah. I believe we can rediscover that anticipation that the people of the first century had waiting for Jesus and, also, as we wait for His soon return.

As we look at the text today, I think we’ll see three ways to rediscover the anticipation of Christmas. Let’s dig in. Isaiah wrote this book 700 years before the birth of Jesus; this is 700 BC. Isaiah 9:1-7 (ESV) 1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before youas with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. This is God’s word.

We’re looking for three ways on how we can rediscover the anticipation of Christmas. Here is the first:

1. By recognizing Jesus as the Light of the world.

By recognizing Jesus as the light of the world. Let’s look at the first couple of verses. I want you to notice the contrast between the repeating description of gloom and darkness and the idea of glory and light. He speaks of a former time and a latter time. Verse 1, “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.” He says that there was gloom and anguish, but then, he says, there will be no more in this latter time.

You see, gloom, anguish and darkness are descriptions of the former time. He says this was the way things were in the land of Zebulun and in the land of Naphtali. Zebulun and Naphtalii were two of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were given land when they first came into the promised land in the northern region of Israel, up around the area of Galilee. It just so happened that during the time of Isaiah’s writing, during his lifetime, that the northern tribes, because there had been a division in Israel, a disagreement had happened and there were really two kingdoms . The northern tribes were called Israel and the southern tribes were called Judah, but during Isaiah’s lifetime, in 721 BC, the Assyrians came down and conquered the northern kingdom and they carried into captivity the tribes of the northern kingdom. Included among them were these Galilean tribes, Naphtali and Zebulun. They’ve been carried off, so, to understand what Isaiah is talking about, when he says, “in the former time,” he’s saying that this has already happened.There was gloom, despair and darkness, but there’s a time coming, a latter time coming, when the Messiah will come. He will be like a great light.

He describes where He will come and when. When we have a place name and we have things like the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations, what do we have to do? What must I do if I see a place name? I must show you a map, right? I have a couple of maps for you. Way of the sea is what the Romans called. “The Via Maris,” which literally means, “way of the sea.” It was a well-known trade route that had passed for millennia from Egypt along the Mediterranean sea coast. It would cut in just above the Sea of Galilee and then go all the way up in Syria to the city of Damascus. It was a well-known trade route.

For Isaiah to talk about the way of the sea, it would be like you and I saying that the Messiah is coming pretty soon and when He comes, He’s coming up I-95. It would be that well known; it would be a well known highway. It is the most well known highway.

If you go to the next picture , you’ll see a close up of the Sea of Galilee. The Via Maris goes right through a crossroad town that’s on the north side of the Sea of Galilee, called Capernaum . Jesus made His home base during His three years of ministry here in Capernaum. It’s where Peter, Andrew, James and John lived. It’s where their base of operations for their fishing business took place and it’s where Jesus worked. Nazareth is over here in Capernaum. Over here is the Golan Heights of modern times. This is where Jesus spent the majority of His three years, except for when He would go to Jerusalem.

Isaiah had this revealed to him through the Holy Spirit 700 years before it happened. Do you understand what I’m saying? This really happened. The people of Israel, the ones who had “an ear to hear,” the ones who believed, had anticipated the coming of the Messiah for 700 years. They’ve been waiting and not only that, they’ve been waiting for years before that. Isaiah is not the first one to prophesy this, but he certainly has some of the most specific ones because he describes the place and what had happened. The Assyrians had conquered the Northern Tribes. They had inter-married with them. By the time Jesus came, that whole area of Galilee was filled with Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles had moved in there. That’s why you had those cities called the Decapolis, those ten cities along the Galilean– the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Gentiles were in there.

When Isaiah is writing and saying, “Galilee of the nations,” he’s literally saying, “Galilee of the Gentiles.” He sees it coming and so, he prophesied concerning this. This gloom is going to turn into glory. This darkness is going to become light.

Matthew writes about it in his gospel, in Matthew chapter four. He says, ‘Wait a minute. What we’re looking at is what Isaiah said.’ He says in Matthew chapter four, Matthew 4:13-16 (ESV) 13 “And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spokenby the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” The sun has come up. It happened just as Isaiah foretold, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

In John chapter eight, we see Jesus declare this to the people of Israel. He says, John 8:12 (ESV) Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

What does “light” symbolize here? It symbolizes revelation. If you want to know what God looks like, if you want to know His character, look at Jesus. He’s the light of the world. He’s the light of God, dawning upon planet earth so that we know God. He is God in the flesh, God incarnate .

When I was growing up, we would sing this song, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of His glory and grace.” Just look to Jesus if you want to see this light; He is the light of the world. He’s the “long anticipated One,” has already come and is coming again.

There’s a story of a man named Simeon. I thought of this this morning after I’d already printed my notes, so you won’t have this in your notes. It won’t appear on the screen. It’s about a man named Simeon, in Luke, chapter two, who had looked for and longed for the coming of the Messiah. Messiah is the Hebrew word that means “The Anointed One.” Christ is the Greek word for “Christos.” Christ means the same thing as “anointed one.” Simeon had been waiting for Him. It says in Luke chapter two, starting at verse 25 . 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

The parents had brought Jesus to do for Him according to the custom of the law. Why were they there? It’s the eighth day after Jesus’ birth. They brought Him up from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to the temple. The Levitical law requires (Leviticus, chapter 12) that for the firstborn son, you have to bring a firstborn lamb and offer the lamb. If you read in Leviticus, if you’re poor and unable to bring a lamb, you can bring two turtle doves. That’s what they brought. They brought two turtle doves because they were poor . Just imagine this, the Son of God born to this little family and He made a way through the political law for the poor to bring a smaller offering. So they bring Jesus and they bring their little offering. Jesus would be circumcised and given His name on this eighth day, but before they could even get in the temple, here comes this old man. The Holy Spirit had told him that he would not die until he saw the Lord’s Messiah, the Lord’s Christ. Simeon sees this couple coming in with their turtle doves, probably in a little cage as their offering and this newborn baby in their arms. Simeon says, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Simeon can go home now. He had anticipated this moment his whole life and here He is.

I remember when my children were younger, when such things as going to see lights used to astound them. It takes more, as they get older, to astound them. It takes more to get us astounded and anticipating. We used to take them to a place called “White’s lights.” Mr White who was the founder of White’s tires. He had put these white lights all along the long driveway that circled his property. We used to drive over there and drive through White’s lights. We would go around town and try to find some of the houses that had a great light display. I’ve learned, \ from talking to some of you, that there’s a couple of places you can stop off. Apparently, our tech team leader back there, Don, has a great display over on Lakeside Drive. You may want to drive by there. I heard that Randy Tuttle is really putting it on again this year. It’s fun to go around and look at how people put out lights. Why do they do that? Why do we put lights out like that? It’s because they point to Jesus, the light of the world, Who has turned our darkness into light and our gloom into glory.

Do you want to know what God looks like? Look at Jesus. He’s the revelation of God.

HOW WE CAN REDISCOVER THE ANTICIPATION OF CHRISTMAS:

2. By looking to Jesus as the source of true joy.

We are now looking at verses three through five. I want you to take note of the repeating words, “joy, rejoice and glad.” Do you see them? They’re in three through five, speaking of a coming time when their their sorrow, their slavery and their suffering will be overcome by joy, gladness and rejoicing. He speaks of a day that’s coming, but he speaks of it in the present tense as if it has already happened.

This is the amazing thing about God that I want you to understand. His name is not, “I was.” When Moses asked Him, ‘Lord, what’s Your name; by what name should we call You? We’ve been calling you the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but what should we call you?’ God didn’t say “I was,” nor did He say, “I will be.” He said, “I am.” He’s eternally present and self existent. He stands outside of time, so, when He’s talking to Isaiah, He talks as if it’s already happened. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” It’s like it already happened. It hasn’t happened yet. It won’t happen for 700 years, but for God, a day is as 1000 years and 1000 years as a day. He stands outside of time, so, He said that this is coming.

Then, he says, ‘I’ve increased your joy. The nation is going to multiply. They are going to rejoice and have joy at the harvest.’ It’s like when you first bring in the crops and you get a full belly and a full barn; that’s how happy you’ll be. Not only that, it would be like you have a victory and you received the winner’s trophy. You’ll divide the spoils of victory, the spoils of war and you’ve overcome the enemy. You have all of this free stuff; you won the prize. It will be that kind of joy. It will be like a kind of joy, such as somebody taking a weight off of you. A yoke, a debt was taken off your shoulders. Somebody paid off your mortgage. You’re no longer in slavery; the rod of the oppressor will be removed by this coming Messiah, which is symbolic, I think first of all, in His first coming of the removal of sin, slavery to sin and victory over satan. But, it’s still not fully fulfilled because there’s a day coming when physically the reality of this will also be true.

Then he says, “as on the day of Midian…” the victory is going to be like, as on the day of Midian. This seems to be a clear pointing towards the victory of Gideon. Gideon was considered a hero. The funny story there for Gideon is, if you go back and look at that story about Gideon in the book of Judges, he was from the smallest tribe. He was the least of these, basically, is the way he describes himself. He was so afraid of the Midianites, instead of gathering the wheat and cleaning the wheat up on the mountaintop, like you’re supposed to do, (you’re supposed to throw it up with a pitchfork and let the wind blow the chaff away and the heavier grain fall down.) He was hiding somewhere down in the valley, inside of a building. Then, an angel shows up and says to him, “El Gibbor,” , which in Hebrew means “almighty warrior.” Gideon looks at the angel and says, ‘Are you talking to me? I’m the least of these.’ That is Gideon; he is the one that God called to overthrow the Midianites that were holding the Israelites and stealing their crops.

If you remember the story, Gideon raises an army; it’s a big army, but God says it’s too big, It’s too big. I want you to take the men down to the river and have them drink water and the ones that cup their hands and drink, I want you to keep. The ones that bend down like a dog and drink, you need to let them go. Only 300 of them made the cut. There’s only 300 men now in Gideon’s army. God said his army was too big because He can do more with a few than He can with much; it is because God is a big God.

That’s the reference here, that this victory that the Messiah would bring would be an unexpected victory. It would be a God-sized victory, but it would look small to man. Jesus comes in the form of a baby, then he comes in the form of a meek and mild shepherd, and then, he comes in the form of a man who lays down His life and dies on the cross. It doesn’t look like a victory, but it was. It was the most amazing victory, because He accomplished everything that Isaiah foretold here. He has become the one who brings us true joy. The joy that we’re seeing here.

He says in verse five, “For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled inblood will be burned as fuel for the fire.” Basically, the implements of war –military uniforms and military boots will just be used for keeping you warm.

It kind of reminds me of what Isaiah said in Isaiah 2:4, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” There’s coming a day when “There ain’t gonna be no war, no more.” That’s what he’s talking about; the victory has been won at the cross. There’s still skirmishes going on today, but there’s a day coming, when it will be complete. There will be no need for the implements of war. He’s speaking of a time of true joy.

John reports Jesus talking about this in John 15:5, 11 (ESV) “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. …These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Jesus says, “I am the vine.” Remember before, He said, “I am the light.” Here, He says, “I am the vine ; you are the branches. (Speaking to believers) Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing… These things, I’ve spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (as in overflowing.)”

People seek, especially at Christmas, happiness, but happiness is a poor substitute for joy. Happiness is based on a favorable happening; something favorable has to happen. A good circumstance happens and therefore, you are happy. Happiness looks like a roller coaster ride of life’s ups and downs, based on favorable and unfavorable happenings, but joy is found in Jesus Christ. When you have Him in your life, it doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, because joy is found in Him. It’s circumstance proof. So, if you’re going into this season, having lost someone, having lost your job, having a hard time, or it’s just that time of the year when you remember old memories and it’s not the same. For whatever reason, you’re looking at circumstances; you’re looking at the outward things.

Jesus says, “Abide in me.” In other words, stay connected to me, remain in me. The joy of the Lord will be your strength. He will flow into you and through you to others, it’ll overflow out of you. It’s an unconquerable joy. If you really want to know what Jesus is like, he’s full of joy. That’s what we will see if we are connected to Him.

Remember the story of how Jesus was in the womb of his mother, Mary? Mary had just been told, by the angel Gabriel, that she was with child. She tells him that she’s a virgin. He tells her that the Holy Spirit is going to overshadow her and the son of God is going to be born to her. Here’s the sign that what he is telling her is the truth. HerrelativeElizabeth, who’s an old lady and barren, as you know. She’s six months pregnant right now; she hadn’t put it on “facebook” or anything. That was the sign given to Mary. Mary leaves Bethlehem and she heads over to Elizabeth’s house. She goes to see her and as she approaches, the scripture says that John the Baptist, who was six months old in the womb, lept in his mother’s womb with joy at the approach of the Messiah who was in Mary’s womb. These two ladies were doing “belly bumps.” They got together and their babies are rejoicing. It says something about the sanctity of life, doesn’t it?

It says something about the unborn, but , it also says something about joy. Elizabeth says to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”

If you just get a “glimpse” of Jesus, if you just get close to Him, you’ll have joy. Unless you have joy in Jesus, your joy will never be full. You’ll have to settle for happiness. And happiness is a fickle thing, but joy in the Lord is a certain thing.

HOW WE CAN REDISCOVER THE ANTICIPATION OF CHRISTMAS:

3. By watching for Jesus who has come to come again.

This is where the real key to anticipation at Christmas comes–let the cradle point, not only to the cross, but to His second coming . That Christmas, the reality of the day had come and history records this, by even changing the calendar 2022 years ago. He has come and He is coming again with that same certainty that we look back with memory at this history. We can look forward with hope and active anticipation that He is coming again. We are at verses six and seven now. We still see that tension between present tense language and future tense language. Verse 6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” That’s the present tense; it’s gonna happen 700 years in the future from Isaiah. We look back on it 2000 years ago. It did happen, but then he uses this language, “and the government shall be upon his shoulders;” that’s future tense. There’s something going on here. It’s as if Isaiah doesn’t completely get the revelation of what’s going on because not all things were revealed to the prophets, but there seems to be, clearly, Old Testament that Jesus has fulfilled partially . He’s fulfilled all of those concerning the suffering servant thread of prophecy, but then the conqueror King thread is yet to be fulfilled. Those are prophecies in the Old Testament that won’t be fulfilled until He comes again. What we see here is He has been born and a Son has been given. He is the suffering servant. That’s Jesus, the meek and mild. It happened 2000 years ago.

Is the government on his shoulders? No, it’s not. He’s starting to build it; the kingdom is coming. He’s building it in us, but it’s “not yet.” “…the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. These four wonderful divine titles are given here. Does he have these names already? Yes, but does the world call Him by these names? No, the world has not bent the knee to King Jesus yet. This is that “already, not yet” tension that we live in. In anticipation, He has come ; He is coming again.

I have people come to me and they say, “You know, I can’t afford a counselor. Could you be my counselor?” I’m like the free counselor; I think that’s why people come to me. They can’t afford one, so they come to me, but there’s a better counselor. He is free. He’s paid for it all. His name is Wonderful Counselor. His name is Jesus. If you want some real counsel, if you want real wisdom, go to Jesus. He is the mighty God. The Hebrew word is “El Gibbor.” He’s a hero, a mighty warrior. He’s an Everlasting Father. In other words, He’s one with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He’s everlasting. He’s eternal. He’s the prince of peace. In Hebrew, it is “Sar Shalom; He is the Sovereign of Peace, the peace bringer and keeper. He’s the one that the throne of David belongs, to the increase of His government.

“…of peace there will be no end.” This hasn’t happened yet. This is coming; in the same passage and in the same prophecy, we have “already, not yet.” We have “already came, is coming again, the throne of David.”

This is what confused so many of the Jews in the first century; they were looking for the king. Instead, they got the Savior. They were looking for the Lion of Judah and they got the Lamb, the Lamb of God that died for the sins of the world, but the Lion is coming. The King is coming and He will take up the throne of David. He’ll establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. His passionate love will accomplish this. He will do what He said He will do. Do you believe this? He is coming again. Do you anticipate this?

In John, chapter 14, Jesus told his disciples that He was about to go up to Jerusalem and that the people there were going to crucify Him, but three days later, He was going to get up from the grave. Their hearts were troubled when they heard this. So he says to them, John 14:1-3 (NKJV) 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

What did Jesus promise to those disciples and what did He promise to us? He said that He will come again so that we might be with Him. This is His promise. He is going away, but He will come again.

In the book of Revelation, we hear Him saying, Revelation 16:15 (NLT) “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me…” The word, “blessed” could be translated “completely content and full of joy” are those who anticipate My return. They are watching for Me; when they get up every morning, they anticipate that it could be today. Could today be the day that you come again? Let me order my affairs today as if today were the day of Your return. It will change your perspective, not just at Christmas, but every day of the year.

Dr. Wayne Grudem, in his book, “Systematic Theology,” wrote this, “Do Christians in fact eagerly long for Christ’s return? The more Christians are caught up in enjoying the good things of this life and the more they neglect genuine Christian community and deep intimacy with Jesus, the less they will long for his return. To some extent then, the degree to which we actually groan for Christ’s return is a measure of the spiritual condition of our lives right now.”

If you want joy and you want the light to come on in your darkness, anticipate Jesus. He’s coming again. Deepen your relationship with Jesus. This season should remind us that what we have here is temporary and passing, but what is coming, what we can anticipate, will last forevermore. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this,”

We rediscover the anticipation of that childlike approach to Christmas. We can recognize Him as the true revelation of God and the light of the world. We can seek Him for the source of joy and we can look for His soon return.

One other thing I would mention to you, as we close this message today. This is the season that we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It’s His birthday and so, as you’re giving gifts, perhaps hold back some of what you would spend on yourself and on your own family and think about how you would celebrate the birth of Jesus. We want to give you a couple of opportunities this season. I want you to begin thinking about it today. We try to do this every year, at this time of the year.

The first is our annual Christmas missions offering. This money goes towards our international partners. A large portion of it goes to the International Mission Board, but another big chunk of it actually goes to individual missionaries that came out of our church or partner with our church. Specifically, there are two particular families, I’ll talk to you more about in just a little bit during our time of response, but I want you to think about it. I don’t want you to make an emotional response or to feel guilty about this. I want you to go home and talk about it. Ask yourself, ‘What do we want to give Jesus this year and how could we give a big gift?’

The other offering that you might consider is for our benevolence fund. Remember earlier, when I said there might be families in our church that are going through a hard time this Christmas? That’s where that money goes; in our benevolence fund. So, think about two gifts you might give Jesus– one to our christmas missions fund and the other to our benevolence fund. Even more importantly, make sure you’ve given yourself to Jesus. That’s the best gift you could give Him of all.

Let’s pray. Lord, thank You for Your word today and, as we approach Christmas every year, help us to focus on what really matters. It’s not all the glitter and gold. All of the bright lights can never come close to the brightness of the great light of your Son, Jesus. I pray for that person that might be here today, that doesn’t have a personal relationship with You, Father. If that’s you, my friend, if you’ve never given your life to Jesus, I want to give you an opportunity to do it right now. You can pray along with me. Prayer is just expressing the faith of your heart. The words are less important. What really matters is the belief and the faith in your heart. You can pray along with me right now if it’s your desire. ‘Dear Lord Jesus, I’m a sinner, but I believe You died on the cross for my sins, that You were raised from the grave, that You live today and that You’re coming again. Lord, I pray, come into my life right now, forgive me of my sin and make me the person You want me to be. Make me a child of God. I want to follow You as my Lord and Savior.’ If you’re praying that prayer of faith, believing, He’ll save you and make you a child of God. Others are here today and you’ve already done that. You’ve already received Jesus and you’re a Christ follower, but as you hear this message today, perhaps you’ve been struggling with something. Perhaps, there’s been no joy, there’s been hurt, there’s been grief, there’s been sorrow, there’s been other issues in your life . Right now, would you look to Jesus? Would you say, ‘Lord, I come to You afresh today. I give You my heart afresh today. I ask for You to fill me with Your light and Your joy. Help me to anticipate Your soon return. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.