"Let your speech always be "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you that you may know how you ought to answer each person"ought to answer each person"- Col. 4:6- Col. 4:6

"Men of Athens, I perceive that "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you arein every way you are

very religious…" very religious…"

- Paul, surrounded by - Paul, surrounded by altars to altars to false godsfalse gods

IndividuallyIndividually

Our goal is not moralityOur goal is not moralityBut faith in Jesus that producesBut faith in Jesus that produces

A changed heartA changed heart

Christmas 2013Christmas 2013

When God LiesWhen God Lies

There's a verseThere's a verseThat's a lieThat's a lie

You want thisYou want thisWe want thisWe want this

And yet, And yet, We frustrate it ourselvesWe frustrate it ourselves

They still believe it:They still believe it:

The hopelessly hopefulThe hopelessly hopefulDominionistsDominionistsHarmonic Covergence- 8/17/87Harmonic Covergence- 8/17/87

It's a lieIt's a lie

Glory to God in the highest, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth…?and on earth…?

Glory to God in the highest, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,and on earth peace,

good will toward mengood will toward men- Luke 2:14- Luke 2:14

Would it be niceWould it be nice- Marriage- Marriage- Work- Work- Family- Family- At Christmas- At Christmas

If peace doesn't existIf peace doesn't existIn your heartIn your heart

You won't find itYou won't find itIn your circumstancesIn your circumstances

If you have peace in your heartIf you have peace in your heartYou can faceYou can face

What you have What you have In your circumstancesIn your circumstances

Now the birth of Jesus Christ Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this waytook place in this way

When his mother Mary had been When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was they came together she was

foundfound to be with child to be with child from the Holy Spiritfrom the Holy Spirit

And her husband Joseph, being a And her husband Joseph, being a just man and just man and unwillingunwilling to put to put her to shame, resolved to her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietlydivorce her quietly

She was rightShe was right

But as he considered these But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the things, behold, an angel of the

Lord appeared to him in a Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying… dream, saying…

““Joseph, son of David, do not Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, fear to take Mary as your wife,

for that which is conceived in her for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spiritis from the Holy Spirit

Peace on earth?Peace on earth?His own heart wasn't at peaceHis own heart wasn't at peace

About the birth of theAbout the birth of thePrince of PeacePrince of Peace

She will bear a son, and you shall She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he call his name Jesus, for he

will will save his people save his people from their sins”from their sins”

Born to dieBorn to dieA torturous, bloody deathA torturous, bloody death

Nailed to a crossNailed to a cross

(Not real peaceful…)(Not real peaceful…)

All this took place to fulfill what All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the the Lord had spoken by the prophet:prophet:

““Behold, the virgin shall conceive Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us)(which means, God with us)

Peace is more a functionPeace is more a functionOf God's PresenceOf God's Presence

Than of our circumstancesThan of our circumstances

When Joseph woke from sleep, When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the he did as the angel of the

Lord commanded him:Lord commanded him:

……he took his wife, but knew he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given her not until she had given birth to a son. And he birth to a son. And he called his name Jesuscalled his name Jesus- Matt. 1:18-25- Matt. 1:18-25

Hometown 2 for 1!Hometown 2 for 1!

Now, instead of one crazy chickNow, instead of one crazy chickYou got an insane coupleYou got an insane couple

Or a REALLY naïve Joseph…Or a REALLY naïve Joseph…

Either wayEither wayNazareth isn't a fun place to beNazareth isn't a fun place to be

There's no outward peaceThere's no outward peace

In those days a decree went out In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that from Caesar Augustus that all the world should all the world should be registeredbe registered

Peace on Earth?Peace on Earth?

Roman DominationRoman DominationViolence and KillingsViolence and KillingsMass MurderMass Murder

Prince of Peace Prince of Peace Hasn't been born yet… Hasn't been born yet…

This was the first registration This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor when Quirinius was governor

of Syria. And all went to of Syria. And all went to be registered, each be registered, each

to his own townto his own town

And Joseph also went up from And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house because he was of the house and lineage of David…and lineage of David…

Never judge Never judge Based on appearancesBased on appearances

Just a carpenterJust a carpenterWith a girlfriendWith a girlfriendWho's Pregnant with Who's Pregnant with Someone else's babySomeone else's baby

But he's a man of promiseBut he's a man of promise

……to be registered with Mary, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, his betrothed, who was who was with child.with child. And while they were And while they were there, the time came for her to there, the time came for her to give birthgive birth

And she gave birth to her And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in firstborn son and wrapped him in

swaddling cloths and laid him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, a manger, because there was no because there was no

place for them in the innplace for them in the inn

World Peace?World Peace?Goodwill toward men?Goodwill toward men?

Pregnant young girlPregnant young girlIn a cold stanky barn giving birthIn a cold stanky barn giving birthWhile others stay in the InnWhile others stay in the Inn

Glory to God in the highest, and Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will on earth peace, good will

toward mentoward men

(Maybe it means, "Starting now")(Maybe it means, "Starting now")The Shepherds VisitThe Shepherds Visit

Next up: Wise MenNext up: Wise Men

Now Now afterafter Jesus was born in Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying…Jerusalem, saying…

““Where is he who has been born Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have his star when it rose and have

come to worship him”come to worship him”

When Herod the king heard this, When Herod the king heard this, he was he was troubled,troubled, and all and all Jerusalem with him…Jerusalem with him…

……and assembling all the chief and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, priests and scribes of the people,

he inquired of them where the he inquired of them where the Christ was to be bornChrist was to be born

They told him, “In Bethlehem of They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:the prophet:

“‘“‘And you, O Bethlehem,And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you rulers of Judah; for from you

shall come a ruler who will shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel’”shepherd my people Israel’”

5 ½ miles… 5 ½ miles…

And they knew!And they knew!

When did the chief priestsWhen did the chief priestsAnd scribes visit the baby Jesus?And scribes visit the baby Jesus?

When did the chief priestsWhen did the chief priestsAnd scribes visit the baby Jesus?And scribes visit the baby Jesus?

Knowledge without actionKnowledge without actionIs worse than not knowing at allIs worse than not knowing at all

Then Herod summoned the wise Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying…to Bethlehem, saying…

““Go and search diligently for the Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found child, and when you have found

him, bring me word, that I too him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him”may come and worship him”

"I love coming to church to "I love coming to church to worship Jesus! worship Jesus!

Wanna invest in my stock Wanna invest in my stock options that makes people rich?"options that makes people rich?"

The wise men find himThe wise men find him"they rejoiced exceedingly "they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.."with great joy.."

And going into And going into the housethe house they they saw the child with Mary his saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and mother, and they fell down and worshiped himworshiped him

Gold, Frankincense and MyrrhGold, Frankincense and Myrrh

Dream- "Don't go backDream- "Don't go backTo King Herod"To King Herod"

““Rise, take the child and his Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and mother, and flee to Egypt, and

remain there until I tell you, for remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Herod is about to search for the

child, to destroy him”child, to destroy him”

Herod, when he saw that he had Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, been tricked by the wise men, became became furious…furious…

……and and he sent and killed he sent and killed all the all the male children in Bethlehem and male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two in all that region who were two years old or under, according to years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained the time that he had ascertained from the wise men- Matt. 2from the wise men- Matt. 2

Peace on Earth?Peace on Earth?Goodwill toward men?Goodwill toward men?

#NotEvenClose#NotEvenClose

Glory to God in the highest, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,and on earth peace,

good will toward mengood will toward men- Luke 2:14 (KJV)- Luke 2:14 (KJV)

““Glory to GodGlory to God in the highest in the highest heavenheaven, and , and on earthon earth peace to peace to those on whom his favor rests”those on whom his favor rests”- Luke 2:14- Luke 2:14

God is glorifiedGod is glorifiedWhen his people are at peaceWhen his people are at peace

Because they trust himBecause they trust him

……on earth on earth peace to those on peace to those on whom his favor rests”whom his favor rests”

Eudokias- Eudokias- not peace on a place, not peace on a place, but on a people who have but on a people who have God's graceGod's grace

Jesus is the Jesus is the Prince of PeacePrince of Peace

God has God has promisedpromised peace peaceNot peace on earthNot peace on earthNor peace of circumstancesNor peace of circumstancesBut peace in heartsBut peace in hearts

If peace doesn't existIf peace doesn't existIn your heartIn your heart

You won't find peaceYou won't find peaceIn your circumstancesIn your circumstances

If you have peace in your heartIf you have peace in your heartYou can face with faithYou can face with faith

What you have What you have In your circumstancesIn your circumstances

- We're looking - We're looking In the wrong place -In the wrong place -

You want peace?You want peace?Center on ChristCenter on Christ

Circumstances come and goCircumstances come and goY2K anyone?Y2K anyone?

Harold Camping? 2012? Politics? Harold Camping? 2012? Politics?

I feel like everythingI feel like everythingIs out of controlIs out of control

When I try to be in controlWhen I try to be in controlAnd then ask God to bless itAnd then ask God to bless it

……do not be anxious about do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving thanksgiving let your requests let your requests be made known to Godbe made known to God

And the peace of God, which And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, surpasses all understanding, willwill

guard your hearts and your guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesusminds in Christ Jesus

...whatever is true, whatever is ...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable…commendable…

… … if there is any excellence, if if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of there is anything worthy of praise, think about praise, think about these these thingsthings...and ...and the God of peacethe God of peace will be with youwill be with you- Phil. 4- Phil. 4

Peace is more a functionPeace is more a functionOf God's PresenceOf God's PresenceAnd our trustAnd our trust

Than of our circumstancesThan of our circumstances

Peace I leave with you; my peace Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I give to you. Not as the world Not as the world gives do I give to you.gives do I give to you. Let not Let not

your hearts be troubled, neither your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraidlet them be afraid

- Jesus, John 14- Jesus, John 14

Want more peace around you?Want more peace around you?Point more people to JesusPoint more people to Jesus

As a church…brokenness. As a church…brokenness. We want to see healing. But we We want to see healing. But we also stand against drama and also stand against drama and division and gossip, right?division and gossip, right?

Colton on SurvivorColton on Survivor

Christmas brings peaceChristmas brings peaceAs the Prince of PeaceAs the Prince of Peace

Is given place and priority Is given place and priority in your lifein your life

Pray, then Q and APray, then Q and A

Next SundayNext SundayNo 9 AM ServiceNo 9 AM Service

10:30 PJ Party!10:30 PJ Party!

Freezer Fill-upFreezer Fill-up

Picture PackagesPicture PackagesAre Here!Are Here!