I'll Be Home for Christmas

check out the beginning message of our new 3 week series before anyone hears it tomorrow!

Series: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Message: Homecoming
12/13/09

Jesus is coming your way this Christmas
He is leading the way of truth, through challenge, whether there is room in the inn or not.
Things don’t remain the same when He comes, He loves us enough not to leave us the same but to challenge us to grow
Luke 1:26-38 (King James Version)
Imagine the rumblings of creation…
Sun moon stars…Earth, Animals, then man.
Gen 1:27 God created man In His own image-copy
Copy is as much like the original as possible
We were made in God’s image for the purpose of relationship with Him
We were made to be like God
What do we know about God?
Kind Loving Patient Honest Fair, those attributes are found in Gal 5, called the fruit of the Spirit, there is no limit to how good you can be because there are no limits with God
Our challenge is to allow Jesus to live out of us
2 Corinthians 3:18 (New Living Translation)
18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Transformation is a natural by-product of a copied life
Ex: I find our Horizons Team being a lot like God when we go to Trinity together to help serve and be kind to others that are different than us
Relationship with the Spirit of God that takes over and changes us into His image to be more like Him
Before Creation was the desire for God’s plan of redemption made
Rev 13:8 Lamb slain before the foundation of the world
Through creation was relationship established and lost through sin
Genesis 3:8 (King James Version)
8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
At Creation the cross is revealed
Genesis 3:15 (King James Version)
15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
But for the next 4000 years the real relationship that God initially wanted was cut off because of the disobedience of one.
But because of the obedience of one many have been made alive
Romans 5:19 (King James Version)
19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous
Adam and Eve were constructed with a will, the ability to choose life or death, a copy of God Himself
They made some bad choices, they sinned and God punished them, but still very much loved them
Even in sin can a lesson be learned through punishment
We remember, hopefully the lessons we learn through difficulty, punishment, trouble and trial because of pain, it hurts, and you don’t want to repeat that if necessary.
We must learn to admit sin quickly to Jesus can wash that sin, don’t hang on to it, let it go
Isaiah 1:18-19 (King James Version)
18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
You need some good old fashioned repentance…
So what does this have to do with Christmas?
It was God’s design to put Christ in Adam, Christ in His people
1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Jesus was looking to celebrate with His creation, people and buy back this broken relationship that sin had so wrongfully stolen
John 1:10-11 (King James Version)
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Even though Christ came as a baby, He was still entering His creation in their form, their path, their style…
It was all love, His homecoming was being prepared…
Isaiah 35:8 (New Living Translation)
8 And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
fools will never walk there
That highway of holiness is His people, through His people for His people
But Jesus homecoming, some didn’t make room for Him…
Luke 2:7 (King James Version)
7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Who are you making room for this Christmas?
What are you making room for this Christmas?
Manger was really a feeding trough, crib, or a stall and the strong son of God was going to lay in it as Angels and others came to worship Him in it.
What lies in the manger of your heart?
Unforgiveness? Self? Worry? Broken relationships? Pride?
Allow repentance to come to your heart this Christmas and let Jesus begin to feed you from His house
Some eargerly await His return
Luke 2:25-32 KJV
Jesus is looking for hearts to come home to
Those that have prepared themselves
God extends the lives of those that are waiting for His return
John 4:23-24 KJV
Our Heavenly Father is seeking those to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Rejoice over the homecoming of Jesus this Christmas as He cleans out your basket, (manger), crib, stall.
Luke 2:14 (King James Version)
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
God’s will is still good toward man.