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Christmas…. Joy?

Christmas…. Joy?. From Heaven’s perspective the announcement of Jesus’ birth was a time of great joy & excitement as the plan for the salvation of men was unfolding. .

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Christmas…. Joy?

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  1. Christmas…. Joy?

  2. From Heaven’s perspective the announcement of Jesus’ birth was a time of great joy & excitement as the plan for the salvation of men was unfolding.

  3. We celebrate this time of year with the “Joy of the Christmas Season”, but at the time of His birth, the announcement of Jesus, and the plan of salvation, was met with reactions of a different tone, much like it is in today’s world….

  4. 1) Mary met the announcement of Jesus’ birth with confusion… Luke 1 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, & considered what manner of greeting this was.

  5. 1) Mary met the announcement of Jesus’ birth with confusion… Luke 1 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb & bring forth a Son, & shall call His name Jesus.

  6. 1) Mary met the announcement of Jesus’ birth with confusion… Luke 1 32 He will be great, & will be called the Son of the Highest; & the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

  7. 1) Mary met the announcement of Jesus’ birth with confusion… Luke 1 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, & of His kingdom there will be no end."

  8. 1) Mary met the announcement of Jesus’ birth with confusion… Luke 1 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"

  9. 1) Mary met the announcement of Jesus’ birth with confusion… Mary, not surprisingly, is confused at the grand announcement by the angel. The mind, and the heart, of people struggle to grasp the enormity of God’s love, power and grace.

  10. 1) Mary met the announcement of Jesus’ birth with confusion… Today…people are still confused about who Jesus is, what He does for us & why we worship Him.

  11. 2) At the Inn the announcement was marginalized…. Luke 2 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house & lineage of David,

  12. 2) At the Inn the announcement was marginalized…. Luke 25 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

  13. 2) At the Inn the announcement was marginalized…. Luke 27 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, & wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, & laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

  14. 2) At the Inn the announcement was marginalized…. To the innkeeper, Mary was just another pregnant girl in need. He did not send them away without shelter, but did not afford the birth of Jesus any special place either.

  15. 2) At the Inn the announcement was marginalized…. Today…the message of Jesus is being pushed away from the mainstream of society.

  16. 2) At the Inn the announcement was marginalized…. Today…While Christianity may not be as widely accepted as it used to be, we cannot gauge our walk with God or the truthfulness of our faith by the measure of acceptance by our culture.

  17. 3) The shepherds heard the announcement with fear… Luke 2 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

  18. 3) The shepherds heard the announcement with fear… Luke 2 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, & the glory of the Lord shone around them, & they were greatly afraid.

  19. 3) The shepherds heard the announcement with fear… Luke 2 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

  20. 3) The shepherds heard the announcement with fear… Luke 2 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

  21. 3) The shepherds heard the announcement with fear… The birth of Jesus is an encounter with the Holy, the all-powerful God, coming to Earth.

  22. 3) The shepherds heard the announcement with fear… Today…there is fear about God, and His involvement with people. Do we honor God or treat Him as just another ordinary piece of our lives?

  23. 4) Herod was irritated at the announcement of Jesus’ birth… Matt 2 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

  24. 4) Herod was irritated at the announcement of Jesus’ birth… Matt 2 2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East & have come to worship Him."

  25. 4) Herod was irritated at the announcement of Jesus’ birth… Matt 2 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, & all Jerusalem with him.

  26. 4) Herod was irritated at the announcement of Jesus’ birth… The birth of Jesus upset the balance of power. Herod’s position & power were brought into question. Who is King? Who has the right to rule? Who should be worshipped & honored as King?

  27. 4) Herod was irritated at the announcement of Jesus’ birth… Today…questions abound about who has “right” to establish norms, morality and truth. The presence of God challenges our imagined self-rule, and many respond the way Herod did, with rejection and anger.

  28. Christmas…. Joy?

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