Elements City Church
The Gift of Christmas wk2 (wrapped in history)
The Christmas story is an old story. But let’s see it in a new way because it’s a new year and in fact, it’s been a couple years like none other. Into the turmoil of the day, just like the turmoil of our day comes a gift like no other. A gift that will literally change everything for everyone who opens their heart to receive it. It’s not wrapped like most expected or delivered like any thought. But to those who receive it - it changes them, it anchors them, it blesses them.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Thanks for joining us...
Whether you're on-site or online, we are praying that tonight will be an encouragement to your soul. May God whisper to you and help you in taking your next steps in a journey with Him. If you're new, we'd love to have you fill out our connection card.
https://connect-card.com/yr4Y0g8VLBSqzKXeubjbAs we shop, look up, seek out or ask for gifts -- let's do ourselves a favor and REMEMBER the GIFT we've been given by God that first Christmas!
This verse from the Apostle Paul captures the gift of Jesus:
"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" -2 Corinthians 9:15
This verse from the Apostle Paul captures the gift of Jesus:
"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" -2 Corinthians 9:15
This baby Jesus comes wrapped in history...
We must ask: what was it like in Bethlehem 2000 yrs ago?
We must ask: what was it like in Bethlehem 2000 yrs ago?
Herod the Great and Matthew's gospel account...
Matthew 2...
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
V3: When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Of course he was disturbed and all the people with him — this is a crazy man and you don’t want a crazy man with all of the power — to be perplexed and paranoid!
Matthew 2:13-18
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (*Hosea 11:1)
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.” (*Jeremiah 31:15)
Matthew 2...
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
V3: When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Of course he was disturbed and all the people with him — this is a crazy man and you don’t want a crazy man with all of the power — to be perplexed and paranoid!
Matthew 2:13-18
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (*Hosea 11:1)
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.” (*Jeremiah 31:15)
God’s timing is precise and powerful - that’s what’s confirmed in this Christmas story.
There was 400 years of silence (no words from God through prophets) from the end of the Old Testament to the beginning of the New Testament — the New Testament doesn’t launch with a word from the Lord through someone else…it launches with the arrival of THE WORD - God himself - Jesus, the savior, the long awaited Messiah arriving with the announcement from Angels heralding the news…
read: Luke 2:8-14
read: Luke 2:8-14
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
On the perfectly timed out night - the Savior arrives...
*the Lord’s timing is never random.
Part of the power of God is the precision of His activity.
Part of His sovereignty is his divine punctuality.
Galatians 4:4-5
4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
We can trust God’s timing!
-God’s timing is perfect, precise and powerful!
-We see it all throughout Scriptures…and if you look, you'll see it all over your life as well.
2 Corinthians 9:15
"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
*the Lord’s timing is never random.
Part of the power of God is the precision of His activity.
Part of His sovereignty is his divine punctuality.
Galatians 4:4-5
4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
We can trust God’s timing!
-God’s timing is perfect, precise and powerful!
-We see it all throughout Scriptures…and if you look, you'll see it all over your life as well.
2 Corinthians 9:15
"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
Thank you for partnering with us...
Thank you for enabling us to be the Church in our city! Your gifts help fuel the mission of Elements City Church, as well as our capacity to share His love with as many as we can. You help us bring the HOPE and LIGHT of Jesus to our city! You can give online at the link below or through the Elements app.
http://elementscitychurch.org/give/We hope you have been blessed by your time worshipping with us!
We'll see you back at Elements next weekend -- on-site or online -- as we continue our series: The Gift of Christmas. We'll be having our Christmas After-Party following service next Sunday December 19th. See event info within the app for details... Have a blessed week friends!
We'll see you back at Elements next weekend -- on-site or online -- as we continue our series: The Gift of Christmas. We'll be having our Christmas After-Party following service next Sunday December 19th. See event info within the app for details... Have a blessed week friends!