The Promises of Christmas (Week 4)
The 4th Sunday of Advent
“The Promise of Peace!”
Philippians 4:9, Isaiah 9:6 & Luke 2:8-14 (NAS95)
Let us start with the Christmas story as told by the angels to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-14,
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
This morning, we will be learning together about this promised peace that the heavenly host praising God proclaimed to those first shepherds and then came to us through the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
The angles emphasized in their proclamation: “With whom He is pleased.” God makes the peace with us; we don’t make the peace with Him! Peace is not man-made; it is from God! It is a gift (all of grace!) that we can even have and experience peace with God because peace was sent to us in the person of Jesus Christ! This is why He came on that first Christmas and why He died on the Cross of Calvary.
“For He Himself is our peace.”
Jesus came as the One to fulfill God’s covenant promises to His people. As one scholar stated, “A major feature of the Gospel record is the way it draws the reader’s attention to the fact that Jesus Christ’s earthly life fulfilled a veritable plethora of Old Testament prophecies, some momentous, others seemingly minute.”[1]
One of those “veritable plethora of Old Testament prophecies” is Jesus’ birth found in Micah 5:2-5,
But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace.
“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
Peace is not just a theological construct that speaks to the mystery of your justification by grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus has made peace between you and God so that you can, one day in some distant future, rest in peace. Heaven is a glorious truth that gives us hope, but if your only view of God’s peace is being in Heaven one day, then you have an insufficient view of God’s peace.
“‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
Paul built upon Jesus’ teaching of this experiential truth in Philippians 4:6-9,
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
God’s peace guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and, listen closely, “the God of peace will be with you”: He establishes His government in you, which is the Kingdom of God. Listen to another one of those “veritable plethora of Old Testament prophecies” of Jesus’ birth, a very familiar one, found in Isaiah 9:6-7:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
You have heard this prophecy every Christmas for years, but did you hear the connection of His government and peace. The Prince of Peace is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and there will be no end to His government or His peace. That’s a promise! It is His zeal that accomplishes this in and through us!
God grows peace in our lives because His peace in us and His government over us are defining characteristics of our new life in Christ as the adopted children of the King; the citizens of Heaven.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Peace is a ruling reality of the government of God in your life and the more you submit to God’s sovereign rule over you, the more of His peace you will experience. Peace is a “fruit” of the indwelling Holy Spirit and we all know that fruit is only produced because the branch is connected to the life-giving source of all fruit. Abiding in the vine is submission to His government—it’s absolute dependence on Him!
Listen to Paul explain this to you in Galatians 5:18-25:
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Fruit is designed to grow, to mature, to ripen and that happens in three ways in the Christian life:
1. Peace grows as you learn to trust (put your faith in) God:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (NIV).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.”
2. Peace grows as you learn to love God’s Word:
“Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.”
“If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea” (NIV).
3. Peace grows as you learn to walk in the Spirit:
“And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.”
“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
We are to mature in Christ and that means that we are to not only have peace with God, but grow in God’s peace and the peace of God will be with us. Once again, we see that the promises of God come with a praxis—a way of experiencing the fulfillment of promise as a part of our everyday lives.
A leader in our church testified to me about peace: “The peace that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can possibly be identified as the ‘thing’ that sets followers of Christ apart. You often hear conversion stories where the new follower says they met someone who was just ‘different.’ I think it’s this ‘peace that passes understanding’ (Philippians 4:7) that sets us apart and makes us stand out as different from the world.”
Footnotes:
[1] M. S. Mills, The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record (Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries, 1999).
You can listen to the message here:
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Christmas Hymn: I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day
Christmas Hymn: I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (ESV)
“Then pealed the bells, more loud and deep: God is not dead,
nor doth He sleep; the Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail
with peace on earth, good will to men.”
YOUTUBE:
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace of earth, good will to men.
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
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2 Thessalonians 3
Perseverance!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, December 18.
Do you have perseverance?
Paul prayed this for the followers of Jesus in 2 Thessalonians 3:5, “May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.” The NIV says it this way, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”
What is perseverance?
Biblically, perseverance is endurance in spite of opposition. It’s both the condition of and the action of steadfastness. That is why Paul not only prays for this condition to be in the saints of God, but also then commands them in verse 13, “brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”
Remember how Paul started his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians with these words from 1:3-4, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.”
So, here is the key: perseverance is both a condition given to you by the faithfulness of God and it is also an action empowered unto you by the faithfulness of God.
Allow me to pray for over you Paul’s benediction in verse 16, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” Amen.
Seize the moment and be thou at peace: The Lord will persevere in and through you. Rest in His easy yoke.
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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2 Thessalonians 2
Stand Firm in Difficult and Dark Days!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, December 17.
Do you need help in standing firm in difficult and dark days? Are the current events shaking your faith or distracting you from the hope we have in God’s promises?
Listen to Paul’s encouraging words from 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15,
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
It is important to note that Paul gave these encouraging words after a very hard teaching on the end times in verses 1-12. Those twelve verses are sobering to all, and for many, they are confusing.
Please notice that the first word of verse 13, after such a difficult teaching, is “But”.
Paul transitions to encourage the believers: no matter what may be happening or will be happening in this world, you, beloved of God, stand firm in what God has done, is doing, and will do. Trust God, you, chosen of God, and stand firm in difficult and dark days!
Allow me to pray Paul’s prayer over you, from verses 16-17, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” Amen.
Seize the moment and stand firm no matter how dark or difficult the day.
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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2 Thessalonians 1
Give Thanks and Pray for One Another!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, December 16.
What does it feel like to have someone in your corner: someone who believes in you and is thankful for you, someone who prays for you?
I think this is one of the major issues of Covid-19. We are struggling in our well-being because many of us are cut off from their normal social rhythms, like going to church. We are easy prey to the devil when we actively feed the feelings that we are alone, isolated, or unwanted.
There is a solution, friend.
Paul starts his second letter to the believers in Thessalonica with thanksgiving for them. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 1:3, “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.”
The solution is you being the church—Paul knows we are better together and it takes each of us growing in our faith for all of us to be healthy. When you pray and take the initiative to serve another, then you get blessed in return.
Are you feeling alone and unwanted? Rebuke that lie by calling someone and giving thanks for them today! Be a part of the solution by being a blessing today…
Allow me to pray Paul’s prayer over you from verses 11-12, “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Amen!
Seize the moment and be the Church you so desperately want your church to be. It takes all hands on deck!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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1 Thessalonians 5
The Hope of Advent!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, December 15.
The teachings of the Advent of Jesus’s Second Coming were intended to focus believers and unify them with faith, hope, and love as they faced the trials and tribulations of the day.
Listen to Paul teach these truths in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11,
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. … But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Here are two things I want you to know as we celebrate Advent:
- THE TIMING OF JESUS’ SECOND COMING IS IMMINENT: It’s a future hope that has great implications on our everyday FAITH! The Day of the LORD is to focus our hearts and minds on Jesus and to keep Him preeminent in our lives no matter what is happening today.
- THE ANTICIPATION DETERMINES HOW WE LIVE TODAY: We are to let our lives visibly manifest the LOVE of God. Jesus came to bring light into the world and until His return, we are His light-bearers to the world.
Seize the moment and shine brightly: live a life of faith and love that are rooted in your Advent hope.
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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1 Thessalonians 4
Practical Wisdom for Everyday Life!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, December 14.
Does the Bible give practical wisdom for your everyday life?
Listen to Paul teach in 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
Here are 4 practical points of advice Paul gives in how we are to “walk” or live the Christian life:
- BE HEALTHY IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS: The proof of our love for God is how we love one another. The purity of our “brotherly love” (9) is the evidence of our sanctification (3).
- FOCUS YOUR LIFE’S MESSAGE: When we “live quietly” (11): we are not hiding our light under a bushel, rather we are focusing our life on the Light of the Gospel. We are turning down all the other ambient light of our lives, so that what people see and hear from us is the Gospel!
- BE EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY: God cares that we “mind our own affairs” (11). Being a gossip, or needing to know information about other people’s lives, distracts you and detracts from your ability to be in God’s will in your own life.
- WORK WITH A PURPOSE: the ability to “work with your hands” (11) is a gift from God and He cares that whatever you do, you do your work with your whole heart to His Glory.
Paul teaches us that we are to follow these four teachings “SO THAT [we] may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (12). It’s all for God’s glory!
Seize the moment and shine His light by the way you live your everyday lives.
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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The Promises of Christmas (Week 3)
Glimpses of the Nativity
…Suddenly we were surrounded by light.I could see the shock on my brothers’ faces that I was sure was mirrored in my own.Then an angel appeared and said,“Fear Not!”Huh!? For some reason when an angel declares “Fear Not!” — FEAR IS OUR FIRST REACTION!Well! We feared all right! We were terrified!We fell on our faces – praying for ABBA’s protection like we never prayed before…!
You can listen to the Reader’s Theater here:
You can watch to the Reader’s Theater HERE. (Week #3, Dec. 13th)
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Christmas Hymn: Silent Night
Christmas Hymn: Silent Night
Imagine having a new church building and preparing to host the Christmas Eve service and discovering that the church organ was broken. Such was the case for the assistant priest, Joseph Mohr as he prepared for the service at the Church of St. Nicolas in Oberndorf, near Salzburg, Austria. He quickly wrote the words for this hymn and took them to Franz Gruber, the church organist and village schoolmaster. Franz was also a guitar player, and composed the simple tune. That night, December 24, 1818, ‘Silent Night’ was sung for the first time with Joseph and Franz singing to the accompaniment of Gruber’s guitar. It would later become a favorite Christmas carol, even being performed in front of the king and queen of Austria.
This song has been sung as a lullaby and as a song to inspire peace and comfort.
YOUTUBE:
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heav’nly hosts sing “alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born!
Christ, the Savior, is born!”
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
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1 Thessalonians 3
Strength in the Fight!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, December 11.
Paul’s third chapter to the Thessalonians talks about how Paul was concerned that the “tempter” had worked to make his efforts “useless” in the lives of the congregation (1 Thessalonians 3:5). This remains a real concern for church leadership to this day.
The spiritual reality is that the church lives with a continuous clear and present danger. We can expect afflictions in this life and the devil (the tempter) is always on the prowl looking for his next victim to devour. The key to this clear and present danger is you having a real personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
That is why each of us are invited into a daily time with God in His Word: studying it, memorizing it; praying it and applying into our everyday lives.
This is one of the reasons I write these devotions and make these daily calls: to encourage and help you keep your eyes on Jesus and to remain effective in your Christian life. I want to care for the spiritual well-being of God’s people the best way I know how—biblically following the teaching of the New Testament and as the apostles modeled it for pastors and elders: “We … will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).
So, as Paul prayed for the believers in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, I pray now for you: “Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”
Seize the moment and find strength for today by starting your day with God—in His Word and in prayer with Him.
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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