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WELCOME We’re Glad You’re Here!
THE “GHOSTs” OF CHRISTMAS THAT HAUNT US
The ghost of Guilt
The ghost of Hopelessness
The ghost of Offense
The ghost of Sorrows
The ghost of Threats
THREATS – TROUBLES – TRIBULATIONS
A VERY PROBLEMATIC CHRISTMAS
THREATS
Intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage, Someone or
something that could cause trouble,
harm, danger or ruin
Mary was unmarried and pregnant
Joseph was engaged and discovers his fiancé is pregnant with a child
that was not his
When Mary was nine months pregnant, they had to travel
from Nazareth to Bethlehem
an 80 mile journey – which took almost a week
When they arrived, no lodging was available – Mary went into labor
and delivered the baby in a barn
Herod got very angry because of the Wise Men’s search for
the new king and he orders all baby boys under 2 years
of age to be killed
To escape from Herod, Joseph takes Mary and Jesus and travels to Egypt to hide
out until Herod’s death
The enemy is there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they
can have real and eternal life, more and better
life than they ever dreamed of.
(John 10:10 – The Message)
CHRISTMAS CHANGES EVERYTHING!
But the angel said to him, “Do not fear, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall call his name John. (Luke 1:13 – Living Bible)
But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has
a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his
name Jesus.(Luke 1:30-31 – Living Bible)
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying “Joseph, do
not fear to take Mary as your wife, for the child having been fathered in her
is by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20 – New Living Translation)
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared
among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the
Lord.
They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t
be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the most joyful news
ever announced, and it is for everyone!
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in
Bethlehem! (Luke 2:8-11 – Living Bible)
THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS:
No FEAR – God’s HERE
A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called “Immanuel,”
which means “God is with us”. (Matthew 1:23 – Contemporary English Version)
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46:1 – NIV)
Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I
will uphold you with my victorious right hand . . .
I am holding you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God—and I
say to you, Don’t be afraid; I am
here to help you. (Isaiah 41:10, 13 – Living Bible)
So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how
can we lose?
If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and
exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son,
is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely
do for us? . . . Do you think anyone is going to be able
to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us?
There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not
hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing,
not even the worst . . .
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely
convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic,
today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or
unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s
love. (Romans 8:31, 35-39 – The Message)
JOY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF PROBLEMS AND PAIN BUT THE PRESENCE OF
GOD’S PEACE AND POWER IN OUR LIVES!
God is with us!
God is for us!
God is in us!
Christmas is good news that brings
great joy
The greatest of all Christmas PRESENTS is God’s PRESENCE!
Let’s Pray
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