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Sunday 22nd December 2019 6:30pm Carols by Candlelight We might look at Jesus in different ways. To some he’s a philosopher, to some he’s a shepherd, to some he’s a moral teacher, to some he’s a kind-hearted fable, to some he’s a miracle-maker, to some he’s a distant memory, to some he means absolutely nothing and to others he’s their King and the very reason they get up every morning. However we see Jesus, is he part of the picture for us this Christmas? Does it matter if and how he features? Are we ready to receive what God might have for us this Christmas?

Sunday 15th December 2019 10am Morning Service Luke 1:26-38 We might look at Jesus in different ways. To some he’s a philosopher, to some he’s a shepherd, to some he’s a moral teacher, to some he’s a kind-hearted fable, to some he’s a miracle-maker, to some he’s a distant memory, to some he means absolutely nothing and to others he’s their King and the very reason they get up every morning. ​However we see Jesus, is he part of the picture for us this Christmas? Does it matter if and how he features? Are we ready to receive what God might have for us this Christmas?

If the only version of Jingle Bells on your holiday playlist is the one that opens River then this episode's for you! We're pouring ourselves a tall glass of something and throwing on the Women & Songs Christmas compilation. Who is the alt queen of Christmas? Does everything Jewel touch turn to gingerbread? What is Kim Stockwood's top track on Spotify? And what was Aimee Mann thinking???? We're answering some of these questions plus we've made you a perfect holiday playlist to enjoy by yourself (please don't subject other people to this). Happy holidays indeed! Listen to Women & Songs Christmas here: https://spoti.fi/2sKfikI Follow us on twitter @missthingpod and on instagram @missthingpodcast

Extraordinary Message, Ordinary Messengers Luke 2:8-21 Exegetical Main Point: God continues to choose to celebrate (announce) the coming of the kingdom with lowly shepherds of Bethlehem. Even more, they became some of the first messengers of the Good News of Christ’s salvation. Main Point of the Sermon: God chose ordinary messengers to proclaim his extraordinary message. Me: My parents didn’t grow up in Gospel centered homes. It was the grace of God that led faithful disciple-makers into their lives who would lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus. For my father, it was young man in the Navy by the name of Gene, and for my mother it was local family, the Ledford’s, who welcomed their neighbor, an only child, into their home to be with their big family and to hear and see the Gospel of Jesus. This is why I grew up hearing the Gospel, because ordinary people shared Christ with my parents. I am indebted to my parents and to those families who shared with my parents. Each of you could share similar stories. This is how the Kingdom spreads, through ordinary messengers who have heard and seen the Good News of Jesus. Sometimes I forget how amazing this is. I could have been born into a very different family, maybe one that rejected the Gospel for a materialistic worldview. Or I could have been born in a village or country that doesn’t allow God’s Word to be printed or distributed; Even worse, I could have grown up in a place where I spoke a language that the Bible had not yet been translated to, that missionaries had never come to. There are still many people groups like these. Sometimes I forget that this message is not one that everyone knows. I’ve even had people right outside this building tell me that they have never had someone share the Gospel with them before. The Gospel of Jesus is humanity’s greatest need, and so many around us and far from us don’t know it, so I ask myself why do I have to constantly be reminded to share this Good News with others? It should be on the tip of my tongue daily! We: Why does our enthusiasm for sharing the Gospel so easily fade? Do any of you relate to this? Do you remember what it was like when you first believed? You almost can’t contain the news. You want to share with everyone! The least knowledgeable are sometimes the most vocal! Was that you? What happened? What has quenched our joy over this message? Is there something more important to us than this message? What’s it going to take rekindle that joy in sharing the Gospel? Well, a couple weeks back I preached a message titled “Hearts that Praise”, emphasizing that people who have small praise are people that have a small view of God. A fresh vision of God and self will cause us to worship greatly. This week’s text captures a similar theme, but goes a step further. When the shepherds of Bethlehem heard the extraordinary message about Jesus they were driven to share the Good News with others. Let’s get into the text to see the what motivated their joy-filled proclamation. My prayer is that our joy in sharing this message will be rekindled. Here’s where we are going today: 8-9 Extraordinary Celebration 10-16 Extraordinary Message 17-21 Ordinary Messengers Main Point:God chose ordinary messengers to proclaim his extraordinary message. 8-10 Extraordinary Celebration Context: Last week we heard that after Mary had given birth to Jesus, she laid him in a manger, a feeding trough, showing the absurd humility of our God. It was the greed of Caesar calling for a census that lead Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the city of their ancestors. Far from home and family, surely exhausted from giving birth, young teenage Mary and her newlywed husband, Joseph, sheltered and rested looking at their first-born son – promised to be King, but lying in a manger. Feelings of joy and wonder mixed with pain and discomfort would have surely filled their hearts. In verse 8 Luke tells us that it was in the fields near Bethlehem at night when an extraordinary celebration erupted. We’re not told how much time passed since the birth, but the flow of the narrative would suggest that it was not too long. It would have been quiet and slow, as they awaited the dawn of day, keeping watch for wild beasts and thieves. Just imagine that moment, all was still as they gazed at the stars, perhaps sitting around a fire, only the sounds of crickets, crackling wood, and bleating sheep. What an accurate picture of the whole world, completely unaware of the significance of the moments that had just passed – an event that the Scriptures describe as the fullness of time. All of human history was leading to this moment, the birth of the Messiah, but nobody knew. The royal family of the United Kingdom cannot escape paparazzi who want any glimpse they can get of the royal children and family. But the King of the whole world was born while the world slept. God had just entered human history. The world would never be the same. But lest we mistake this lowly birth as a lowly event, God threw an extraordinary celebration with some ordinary people and had it recorded so that we could marvel together! Verse 9 tells us that into the darkness and silence, “an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. An angel appeared before the shepherds and blinding light mimicking the sun, risen in an instant, shone around them; they were terrified! (I would have been too). This description and response of fear is typical when God comes near to humans in Scripture (cf. think Jesus’s transfiguration; Paul’s encounter on the road to Damascus). Angel means “sent one”. Angels are created beings, God’s messengers and servants who stand in his presence. They are the closest beings to God in heaven and so when come near, God’s blazing glory lingers on them, shines around them. Though the shepherds had every reason to fear, verse 10 tells us that “the angel said to them, “Fear not.” This response is so comforting to me.Since the fall of man, angels with flaming swords were placed between God and men invoking holy and reverent fear, but God’s mercy moves him towards humans not to destroy them, but to offer comfort. Even more, to offer Good News! In verse 10 the angel says, “behold – “look or see”, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”. In other words, I’m not here to hurt you; I’m not here to bring God’s wrath, Shepherds, but to tell you God’s “GOOD news”, a message that will bring great joy! Just imagine, God chose to celebrate the birth of Jesus not with kings and famous people, not with the holiest priests and teachers, but with the lowliest of the lowly. Just as he choose a poor peasant teenage girl to mother the Son of God, in a nowhere place like Nazareth, God chose to make the news of Christ’s birth known first to some grungy blue collar workers in the fields of Bethlehem. And this will be typical of Jesus’s ministry. Even when he raises from death the first to know of his resurrection are women, who were considered some of the lowest on the social totem pole. God didn’t come to the high places first because then the lowly and poor would be overlooked. He stooped to the low so that all peoplewould hear and God’s wisdom would be shown. Do you see the compassion and humility of our God? He knows even you? Behold our God and the Good News he brings to you today! But the celebration was not over. Let’s look at verse 11-16 to hear the extraordinary message. 11-16 Extraordinary Message 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Remember that word “for” can be translated because. Why is this message Good News of great joy stirring such a celebration? Because a savior is born, who is Christ the Lord! Notice that the angel doesn’t call the city Bethlehem, but “the city of David. He is making a point that this is the long-awaited son of David, the Christ, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah. He is the Lord who would reign forever and ever. The Messiah was born! This is extraordinary itself, but it was even more extraordinary because of the way in which he was born! Look at verse 12: 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” The Messiah, the one expected to wipe out their enemies and bring prosperity and peace once again to Israel like in the days of King David and Solomon, would be found wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. What?! The paradox of verses 11 and 12 should cause us to worship our God in awe. The Son of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords having his beginning in a feeding trough far from home – literally and figuratively. This was Immanuel, God with us, the Word made flesh, come to show us God’s nature. This should cause us to marvel and worship our God for his humility! Indeed, it caused all of heaven to worship. Luke records in verse 13 that “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God…” The one angel and the glory of God shining around them wasn’t enough of a celebration for this news! Luke records what they sang in verse 14. It required a concert of joy! They said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” This song is packed with meaning. It shows us that the Good News of Jesus has two primary effects: 1) it brings glory to God, 2) it brings peace to man. In the coming of the Son of God, God’s glory is revealed in that we see his gracious character, his humility, his love, poured out in this amazing birth. But God’s glory is displayed most fully in the peace that he would bring to earth. The sin-scarred world, sin-scarred mankind has long endured the effects of the fall of man, but Jesus came to recreate us, to reconcile us to God, that is to restore the peace that he had with man in the garden of Eden. But he is not only interested in restoring his relationship with you. He wants to restore peace to your own heart. When humans find peace with God, they are surprised to find so many other things falling into place. They aren’t anxious in the same ways, they don’t grumble in the same ways, they have power to fight sin. Though this all comes in an ongoing process called sanctification, this is the peace that Christ came to bring you. He also came to bring peace to your relationships – so that slander and fighting will cease, so that forgiveness can reign because of how much we have been forgiven. And he will finally even bring peace to our relationship with all of creation. The ground will no longer be cursed and we will no longer fear the beasts of the field. His rule on earth is described this way in Isaiah: “Of the increase of his government and of peacethere will be no end (Isaiah 9:7).” The birth of this Savior would truly make all thingsnew. Pastor John Piper comments on the angel’s song, “There is hardly a better way to sum up what God was about when he created the world, or [what he was about] when he came to reclaim the world in Jesus Christ—his glory, our peace. His greatness, our joy. His beauty, our pleasure. The point of creation and redemption is that God is glorious and means to be known and praised for his glory by a peace-filled new humanity.[1] But it’s important to notice in verse 14b that God’s peace doesn’t come to everyone, but only to those “with whom he is pleased.” But Daniel, didn’t the angel just say that this message is for all the people? Yes, the Gospel of peace is available for all, but will only bring peace to the one God favors. Who does God show favor to? He shows favor to those who believe in Jesus. How do you know if God’s favor is on you – if you receive Jesus as Lord. If you are here today and have not surrendered to Jesus as Lord, Oh how I pray that you would turn to him and find peace today. If you read this line “with those whom he is pleased” and think, you’re excluded because of your sin, you are mistaken. The shepherds probably weren’t the holiest men, but God offered even these lowly shepherds his peace. Their job was difficult. The wicked rulers over Israel made it even worse. The burdens they carried daily probably added greater temptation towards a life of vice, but God came to even them. Christianity is the most inclusive faith in the world, the most tolerant – inviting anyone and everyone, no matter how great your sins, to come and find peace with God. But it is also exclusive in that the saving benefits of the Gospel only belong to those who believe in Jesus who died for sins and follow him. This is the extraordinary message that compelled the Shepherds to share. Verse 15 tells us that after the heavenly celebration, the angels departed and things went back to normal. They once again heard the bleating sheep, the crickets, and maybe the heavy breathing of one another at this point. I imagine wide eyes and speechlessness, but then someone spoke up, saying, “let’s go to Bethlehem and see for ourselves!” Luke, capturing this story perhaps from the shepherds themselves, tells us in verse 16 that they rushed to see what had happened and they “found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger.” Having heard the celebration of the angels and their extraordinary message, the ordinary shepherds became God’s messengers. 17-21 Ordinary Messengers 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. This is absolutely amazing! Some of the first people to get to see the Messiah after he was born were shepherds! Even more they were maybe the first messengers of the Gospel of Jesus. When they saw it, they couldn’t help but speak, just like many of us when we first believe. They told everyone around them what the angels had told them about the child. This baffles me. It makes sense that God would send angels to share this news, but it makes a lot less sense that he would use these lowly shepherds to be his messengers. But then I consider the message of Christmas – God becoming man and lying in a manger. Then I think, who better than ordinary, broken, sinful men to carry this message? This is what makes the message so extraordinary, this is what makes God so glorious, not that any of us are worthy of benefiting from Christ’s life, not that any of us are worthy of carrying this glorious Gospel, but that in him we would become just the vessels that he wants to carry his treasure. In his humiliation we find our exaltation. In his death, we find life. Paul explains this truth: 17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and…committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. 2 Cor. 5:17-20 God gets the glory here, doesn’t he? He gets the glory by making sinful shepherds into missionaries of the Gospel through Christ. He gets the glory when he makes the arrogant Pastor’s kid, Daniel Simmons, into a messenger of his Kingdom! I imagine God the Father was so pleased as he watched these lowly men so excitedly share what they had heard and seen about Jesus, the Messiah. They couldn’t help but share it. Let me ask you, is this true of you this Christmas? Does this story about Jesus land on your ears and cause you to go back to work and life the same, or has this message of Jesus moved you in such a way that you can’t help but open your mouth and talk about it? What’s your response? Verse 18 shows us three different responses to the message. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Notice the contrast that Luke sets up here between the average listeners and Mary with the conjunction “but”. Everyone wondered, but Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. The message had a deeper effect on Mary than on everyone else. This is not a throwaway statement for Luke. Luke is not talking about fuzzy feelings here, but is teaching a profound truth about how Christ’s Kingdom would spread on earth. The life and message of Christ the King would cause varying reactions, and that those reactions would reveal the thoughts of people’s hearts, even Mary’s. His Kingdom would spread in the hearts of those who received him. 1) The crowds wondered, 2) Mary treasured these things in her heart, and Luke tells us in verse 20 that“the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen… Their lives would never be the same. They worshipped God for all they had heard and seen! The Kingdom was advancing in their hearts. Pastor John Piper famously said, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” We spread this message today so that God would be praised for his great grace and wisdom. And this, church, is what I want to happen right now. My prayer is that as we see and hear this good news that heart worship will abound in us and that it would compel us to share the Good News like it did at first. Jesus’s small beginning shows God’s humility, but he didn’t stay there. Christ is not a baby in a manger any more! He conquered Satan, sin, and death and he is risen and reigning seated at the right hand of God as he builds his Church. His Kingdom has spread and will spread to the entire world by ordinary people like you and me, who have shared what they have seen and heard about Jesus. Shepherds; fishermen; prisoners like Philemon, murderers like Paul, Gentiles like Cornelius, tentmakers like Pricilla and Aquila… and on and on down to you and me. Many have died proclaiming this message because there is no greater treasure and no greater reward for those who follow Jesus by losing their life for his sake and the Gospel. You: So, what’s your response? Does the Gospel of Jesus produce joyful worship and witness? Unbelievers:This Jesus went to a cross, dying the death you deserved so that you might find peace. He is alive and is through me calling you to repent of your sin. Today is the day of salvation. Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and join this family. Believers: Do you take joy in the fact that God chose to use ordinary people like you to advance his Kingdom? If you still feel intimidated with trying to share your faith, take heart. You are not alone in this! When Jesus was about to ascend in to heaven, Jesus said to his disciples, 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Church, you have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ. Christ is in you. He is with you. Even more, he doesn’t leave us alone, but he has saved us into the church, his body, so that we can together take the message to the ends of the earth. If you want your co-workers, your childhood friends, your roommates, your neighbors, even strangers in the world to know Jesus, in the power of the Spirit and with the support and prayer of this church, I urge you share the good news! It doesn’t have to be eloquent and perfectly trained. The shepherds weren’t! You are simply called to witness what you have seen and heard about Jesus. Let me share a story I heard a few years back about a poor crippled girl in Africa who was used by God mightily. This young disabled child had little to her name, and little to offer the world, but she owned a corn-stalk doll. If you saw this little girl you would find her with her doll. In this little girl’s village church, the leaders began making calls to the people to give what they could to travel to the distant villages to share the Gospel with people who had never heard. Week after week the request came, and baskets would be passed, but only a few small coins were given. Everyone was too poor to give. Until one day, the doll showed up in the offering. When the people saw the doll they were all moved to tears and begin weeping. Before long, one man in the church shouted out, “I can give a goat.” Another said, “I’ll sell some of my chickens,” and another, “I will donate some of my crops” until there was more than enough money to provide for some of the church members to take the message to the unreached. What do you have to offer? If you have found peace in Jesus and experienced his great love, you have everything you need to be an effective witness of this Gospel. Our nation needs revival – we need a re-evangelizing of our nation. It cannot be accomplished by professionals - the seminary grads and pastors! No, we need every man and woman, boy and girl. No one in this room is too young, too immature, too theologically illiterate to talk about the peace that Jesus has brought to your soul. We all need to get on board. Will you come with me? I want to challenge you today to write down one person on your phone or notebook that you will begin praying for daily and seeking opportunity to share the Gospel with them. And share this with your DNA and spouse. Maybe that’s a co-worker, or maybe an extended relative you will see over the holidays. It could be anyone. Imagine the worship that would happen in this place if even half of us got to see this person come to the Lord and join our family in 2020! There is no greater task than to be God’s mouthpiece of a saving message! That is who you are. Remember the shepherds. Let’s say that together, “remember the shepherds.” God chose ordinary messengers to proclaim his extraordinary message. We will be spending time in our prayer meeting tonight to pray for the lost and to pray for vision for reaching our city. Would you please come? Let’s pray as I invite the worship team. [1]Piper, J. (2014). Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014). Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

SwordPlay - S2e20 (ep. 56) - Christmas - Was Christmas originally pagan? - Was Sol Invictus a threat to Christianity that needed to be appropriated? - Are any holidays an appropriation of paganism? - Is it ok for Christians to “Christianize” a pagan holiday? - Why would people think Christmas was originally pagan? - When was Christ born? - What significance do cosmic elements have in Christian theology and Christmas? - Does everything about Christmas today have pagan roots? - What are the earliest records of Christians celebrating any feasts or holidays? - What is Epiphany? - Is it right for the Church to create its own holidays or traditions? - Should the Christian keep Old Testament feasts? - What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions in your family (for fun or theological)? - What could be done to make Christmas better for the Christian? - Grinch of the Year view our website: swordplay.cast.rocks search "swordplay" in iTunes podcasts, Google Play Music, or your favorite podcast app. Please "Like" us or even write a review. feel free to re-post to social media send questions and comments to: swordplaypodcast@gmail.com

Sunday 8th December 2019 10am Morning Service Luke 1:5-17, 3:1-9 We might look at Jesus in different ways. To some he’s a philosopher, to some he’s a shepherd, to some he’s a moral teacher, to some he’s a kind-hearted fable, to some he’s a miracle-maker, to some he’s a distant memory, to some he means absolutely nothing and to others he’s their King and the very reason they get up every morning. However we see Jesus, is he part of the picture for us this Christmas? Does it matter if and how he features? John the Baptist spent his life preparing the way for Jesus. Are we ready to receive what God might have for us this Christmas?

Are U excited about Christmas? Do U enjoy Christmas? Does the thought of Christmas have your heart racing and your body shaking with dread and anxiety? Annette and Marney delight in the joy and spirit of Christmas. Both wish to help U have a wonderfilled celebration this year Would U like to share your own tips and stories about special Christmas Joy? Join us in the chatroom or ring in (+1) 347 202 0232 and share on air!

Introduction: Are you bored of Christmas? Does it seem repetitive to sing the same carols for a month every year? Have you felt your heart grow hardened to the incarnation of Christ? In September this year, I went on a road trip with an English family from church to the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee to see an eclipse. One of the members of our company had become entirely obsessed with it, so, he went on Nasa’s website and found us GPS coordinates for a carpark where we could view the eclipse with 100% totality. The whole process of the moon coming before the sun took maybe a total of 30mins. Right in the middle of the eclipse the parking lot went dark, the street lights came on, and the crickets began to chirp. It was as dark then at midday in Tennessee as it was at 10pm last night here in Geraldine. The sun was still shining just as bright as before but the moon had obscured it so that it no longer provided the light it once did. For many of us this has happened in relation to the glorious mystery of Christmas. Some of us have allowed the material worries of Christmas and the cares of the summer holidays to obscure our ability to see and rejoice in coming of Christ. We can’t see the light in the world. Perhaps for others in our group this morning, Christmas has become dull by its sheer repetition and you have woken up on boxing day year after year having gone through the motions of Christmas but without thinking about or rejoicing in the radiant realities behind the baby in the manger. There are still more who I guess have never noticed anything particularly spectacular about the baby who was born... Read More Source

Should Christians celebrate Christmas? Does the Bible teach Christians to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ?

Should we give gifts at Christmas? Does gift giving take away from the true meaning of Christmas?