The Scandal of Christmas

The Scandal of Christmas

Genesis 3:1-10 The Message… The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?”   2-3 The Woman said to the serpent, “Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It’s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don’t eat from it; don’t even touch it or you’ll die.’”   4-5 The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”   6 When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate. 7 Immediately the two of them did “see what’s really going on”—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves. 8 When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God.   9 God called to the Man: “Where are you?”   10 He said, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid.”

Introduction: Scandal is defined as an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage.

Transition: The Christmas story is familiar to us, but the scandalous truth is something we choose ignore and deem as inappropriate for our picturesque customs.

Exposition: The scandal of Christmas is sin, which is rooted in self and that is a dilemma that demands a savior.

Conclusion: Yes, our story is scandalous but our God is the solvent for sins scarlet stain!

The Changeless Christ

The Changeless Christ

Hebrews 13:8 NLT… Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Introduction: Consistency is an adjective meaning unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time.

Transition: As the author of this epistle to the Hebrews culminates this doctrinal exhortation, thoughts of consistency dominate the discourse.

Exposition: That’s both exciting and empowering news as we brace ourselves for the close of this year. 

–Testimony

–Opportunity

–Expectancy

Conclusion: Let’s not be naive by thinking that consistency means predictability. 

I Like Church, But… 3 of 3

I Like Church, But… 3 of 3

I hope It Anticipates A Great Future

Matthew 16:18 NLT… Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock,’) and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Introduction: The church of Jesus Christ is both an organism and an organization, that must accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.

Transition: As Jesus inches close to death, he decides to retreat with his disciples to make sure that they understood the mission, and to secure their role in the movement.

Exposition: I like church, but I hope it anticipates a great future but it actually has one but doesn’t act like it!

–Strong Word (I say)

–Superior Construction (my church)

–Sure Promise (will not)

Conclusion: This goal of trilogy has been to educate, empower, and encourage you to allow God’s spirit to be at work in your life to build what only God can.

I Like Church, But… 2 of 3

I Like Church, But… 2 of 3

Where Is God?

John 17:21 NLT… I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

Introduction: John 17 is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, and it has three movements of focus: Jesus prayed for himself (1-5), his disciples (6-19), and for us (20-26).

Jesus taught prayer as a principle, but Jesus also taught prayer as a practice. 

Transition: When the world encounters a powerless church because we are prayer-less, their claim is legitimate: I like Church But Where is God?!

Exposition: God can always be found in unity.

Conclusion: If we really want to attract the world, let’s embrace the Lord’s Prayer, and be unified as Jesus and God are unified. 

I Like Church, But… 1 of 3

I Like Church, But… 1 of 3

It Should Serve This Broken World

Luke 4:18-19 (NLT) “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, ¹⁹ and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.”⁠

Introduction: Everyone who claims Christ by faith, has been cleaned, called, and charged to share in the work of Christ. 

Transition: Jesus is now a 30 year old rabbi, who is beginning his earthly ministry. He offers fresh perspective for a familiar passage.

Exposition: The issue that we are faced with this morning, is a broken world who knows the role of the church in this work, but they also know that we are slacking on the job. So, there are broken people who are telling the church of the Lord Jesus, that “I like Church, But” your work is insufficient.

-We don’t have to do this work, we get to do it!

-Serving a broken world is not about catering to the healthy, but about convalescing the sick.

-Our sharing in the work of Christ has to be grounded in humility, because we haven’t always been healthy.

Conclusion:

What Are You Waiting For? 10 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 10 of 10

The Talents

Matthew 25:14-30 NLT… “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

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19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Introduction: When God gives a gift, we bare the weight of using it for maximum multiplication.

Transition: When Jesus told this parable, it was understood opposite of the way we understand it. We compliment what in Jewish antiquity would have been condemned, and vice versa.

Exposition: Jesus labels those who bury their talent instead of being multiplying it…

-Wicked (verse 26)

-Lazy (verse 26)

-Useless (verse 30)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Whatever God has given you, use it! Splurge it, invest it, risk it, spread it, for the glory of God and the growth of God’s kingdom!

Reference Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

What Are You Waiting For? 9 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 9 of 10

The Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids

Matthew 25:1-13 NLT… “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Introduction: Old wisdom advises us to embrace the principle of readiness. “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it”.

Transition: The early church fully expected the second coming of Jesus during their lifetime. This created an issue of looking being more prevalent than living.

Exposition: This parable is both an exhortation and admonition…

-Don’t believe the hype (verses 3-5)

-Stop depending on charity to cover your immaturity (verse 8)

-Midnight always tells the story (verse 6)

-Some opportunities really are once in a lifetime (verses 10-12)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? You can only conceal temporarily and somethings you can’t steal, you must be ready so you can enjoy the journey.

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

The Wicked Servant (Pulpit Notes)

Matthew 24:45-51 NLT… “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. [46] If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. [47] I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. [48] But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ [49] and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? [50] The master will return unannounced and unexpected, [51] and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What’s most concerning to me about this parable, is that the use of the word wicked/evil is not associated with an outhouse sinner but with an in-house servant/a trusted steward. Jesus informs us in this end time description, that sometimes our enemy isn’t without but sometimes the threat to decency and order, is an inside job.

The problem presented in this prophetic parable is that a trusted servant of the house can defect to evil/to wickedness/to disobedience, which results in permanent judgment.

Why? Why would a servant of such a kind/trusting master decide to go rogue/defecting to wickedness? Jesus gives us the answer in verse 48 in the words evil and thinks. Evil introduces a cancerous infection of the heart, while thinks implies the cancer has spread to the head. The servant has this false sense that the master will be gone so long that essentially this is my house now, and I can allow all of my perversion/dysfunction/arrogant opposition to the master a loose on everybody and everything in the house.

Brothers and sisters, Galatians 6:7 is clear “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. You just can’t give God your posterior to kiss and think you’ll get away it! This Christian life is not a childish game, nor is it an opportunity for you to come up at God’s expense. It’s either all or nothing!

What are you waiting for? There is no time for the exertion of our will, only the execution of God’s will! Why? He’s coming back one day just like he said he would, but we don’t know when. So we must be ready for his return.

What Are You Waiting For? 7 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 7 of 10

The Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14 NLT… Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Introduction: Jesus is having a bad day, and it begins with a walk, a cursed fig tree, an argument, and parables that are uncharacteristic of Jesus to tell.

Transition: Let’s not give more weight to the king of a kingdom, than we do to a father giving a banquet for his son. The king of heaven is relational!

Exposition: What are banquet clothes? Matthew 21 has the answers…

-A life that bears good fruit (verses 18-22)

-A life that accepts the authority of Jesus (verses 23-27)

-A life that is deeper than words (verses 28-32)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? The Christian is called to a life which must produce love (John 13:35) and light (Matthew 5:16).

What Are you Waiting For? 6 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 6 of 10

Laborers in the Vineyard

Matthew 20:1-16 NLT… “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. [2] He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. [3] “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. [4] So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. [5] So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. [6] “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ [7] “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ [8] “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. [9] When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. [10] When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. [11] When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, [12] ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ [13] “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? [14] Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. [15] Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ [16] “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Introduction: The questions of Matthew 19 are the backdrop of Matthew 20. Jesus uses this contexually comfortable parable to answer Peter (19:27).

Transition: This parable is about the urgency of God’s kingdom building work, our role in it and our response to it.

Exposition: Don’t get lost in attempting to make allegory of this parable…

-You don’t want what you deserve

-You want the Master’s grace

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Get off the sideline and get in the game!