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C H R I S T M A S, 2 0 1 2. IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE C H R I S T M A S ! ! XMAS. IRONY OF MONUMENTAL PROPORTIONS IN AMERICA, WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF SOMEONE WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE!!. IN THE NAME OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS ,
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IRONY OF MONUMENTALPROPORTIONS • IN AMERICA, WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF SOMEONE WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE!!
IN THE NAME OF • POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, • OUR GOVERNMENT, RETAILERS, AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS STRUGGLE TO FIND WAYS TO CREATE A FESTIVE ENVIRONMENT WITHOUTTHE REASON FOR THE SEASON, i.e., A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN WHICH THE ONE WHOSE BIRTH WE CELEBRATE IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE MENTIONED BY NAME.
THE TRUTH IS . . . . . . NOBODY WANTS TO STOP THE CELEBRATION! • BUSINESSES WANT THE MONEY. • GOVERNMENT WANTS THE TAXES. • PARTY-GOERS WANT THE FUN. • IF WE CAN JUST HAVE THE PARTY WITHOUT JESUS, EVERYBODY WILL BE HAPPY.
“IN THE FULNESS OF TIME” - MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT IN ALL OF HISTORY!! "AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE DAYS" (LUKE 2:1-7) • B. C. – “BEFORE CHRIST” ALL HISTORY BEFORE HIS BIRTH. • A. D. ANNO DOMINI “THE YEAR OF OUR LORD.” ALL HISTORY SINCE HIS BIRTH. • BCE & ACE!! • PROPHECY FORETOLD AND FULFILLED. "THE MESSIAH WOULD BE BORN IN A VILLAGE CALLED BETHLEHEM" (MICAH 5:2)
WHO IS THIS UNWELCOMED PERSON? "HE IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, THE FIRSTBORN OVER ALL CREATION. FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THAT ARE IN HEAVEN AND THAT ARE ON EARTH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. WHETHER THRONES OR DOMINIONS OR PRINCIPALITIES OR POWERS. ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM. AND HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS CONSIST. AND HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH, WHO IS THE BEGINNING, THE FIRST BORN FROM THE DEAD; THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE FOR IT PLEASED THE FATHER THAT IN HIM ALL THE FULLNESS SHOULD DWELL, AND BY HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS TO HIMSELF, BY HIM, WHETHER THINGS ON EARTH OR THINGS IN HEAVEN, HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS" (COL. 1:15-20)
WHY DID HE EVEN COME INTO THE WORLD? • TO SAVE SINNERS. "FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED.” (JOHN 3:17) • TO DIE ON THE CROSS. "HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS.” (PHIL. 2:8) • TO RECONCILE ALL MEN TO GOD. "AND YOU, THAT WERE SOMETIME ALIENATED AND ENEMIES IN YOUR MIND BY WICKED WORKS, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED.” (COL. 1:21) • THAT HE MAY PRESENT US HOLY & BLAMELESS TO GOD. • "IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH, TO PRESENT YOU HOLY AND UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVEABLE IN HIS SIGHT.” (COL. 1:22)
SHOULD WE BE SHOCKED BY THIS GROSS DISPLAY OF INGRATITUDE? a. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEMIS MUCH GREATER THAN “HAPPY HOLIDAYS” vs. “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” b. ULTIMATELY, THE PROBLEM IS THAT, “THE LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND MEN LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT, FOR THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL. FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL HATES THE LIGHT, AND DOES NOT COME TO THE LIGHT FOR FEAR THAT HIS DEEDS WILL BE EXPOSED.” (JOHN 3:19-20)
ARE WE STILL A CHRISTIAN NATION?(BARNA RESEARCH GROUP) • 9% BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW • 19% “BORN AGAINS” • 50% BIBLE IS ACCURATE • 79% “BORN AGAINS” • 27% SATAN IS REAL • 40% “BORN AGAINS” • 72% WORKS = HEAVEN • 53% “BORN AGAINS” • 40% JESUS WAS SINLESS • 62% “BORN AGAINS” • 70% GOD IS SOVEREIGN • 93% “BORN AGAINS”
WHY IT MATTERS. "FOR AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE.” (PROV. 23:7) “THEN SAITH HE UNTO HIS DISCIPLES, THE HARVEST TRULY IS GREAT, BUT THE LABOURS ARE FEW.” (MATT. 9:37) • MOST PEOPLE ARE LOST!! • U.S. POPULATION: 314,819,663. • WORLD POPULATION: 7,054,141,556. • “BECAUSE STRAIGHT IS THE GATE, AND NARROW IS THE WAY, WHICH LEADETH UNTO LIFE, AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT.” (MATT. 7:14)