The fear, focus, following, faith, finding and fruit of the shepherds

Sermon notes from Sunday 16 December 2018 pm

I suppose one of the most beautiful accounts of the Christmas message is found here.  It is the scene of the shepherds on the hillside, the angels coming right to where they were to proclaim that there was born a Saviour.  A wonderful message.

Firstly the fear that gripped the shepherds hearts.  The first emotion that gripped their hearts and was evident on the hillside.  I don`t know whether fear came about because of the sudden appearance of the angels on the hillside.  They seemed to come out of nowhere.  How do we know their hearts were afraid?  Chapter 2 verse 9 "sore afraid".  The very first emotion on a person`s heart when they come face to face with the gospel message is a fear that grips the heart.  Have you experienced that?  Remember Isaiah the prophet in the house of God when the presence of God came down, he said "I am a man of unclean lips."  He realised what he was in the presence of God.  Peter said "depart from me for I am a sinful man."  Paul to the Romans in chapter 1 verse 17 said "for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith."  There should be no fear, no alarm.  They had a wonderful message about the Saviour.  When the Holy Spirit comes to our heart and we are not saved, when he applies it to our hearts there should be no fear.  The only fear we should have is the fear of the wrath of God.  The message is of saving grace that he sent his Son into the world to shed his blood and die for our sins on Calvary.  The wonderful message that one came to save me.  The Bible tells me of a mark that I have come short of.  The good news is that the Lord came that he might make us up to that mark, that one day we might enter into the portals of heaven with him.  When Adam heard the voice of God in the Garden of Eden his first reaction was to run away, to get as far from God as possible.   He had fallen short of what God expected of him. When God called out "Adam where art thou?" he tried to hide, to take cover because of his shame.  God had a wonderful message for him.  God came to bring redemption for him.  The good news is there is a Saviour for you if you will only trust him.  God is telling you to fear not.  Your heart may be gripped right now.  The wrath of God is abiding on you.  There is a Saviour though tonight.

The focus.  See the angels coming down to the hill with this message.  He doesn`t look for any fancy words.  The focus of his message was none other than Jesus.  Verse 11 pointing these shepherds to Bethlehem, to the one who left the realms of heaven to come down into this world.  Verse 20 the clarity of the message was evident.  The whole focus of the message was Jesus Christ.  Verse 16 they found Mary and Joseph and the baby.  The preacher must focus on the Lord.  If the preacher leaves out the fact that man needs a Saviour, the preacher has lost out completely.  You have gone away knowing you have lost a Saviour.  Man is losing tonight.  We were conceived in the womb as sinners, on your way to a lost and Christless hell for all eternity.  When he was born into the world, grew up amongst men, walked the streets of Galilee, time when rejected by men, that he bled and suffered and rejected - why - because we were cut off from God.  He came into the world to reconcile a lost mankind unto God.  The focus of the gospel message is the Lord himself.  We need to get focused on the Saviour tonight.  The old religious leaders and Pharisees tried to turn people away from recognising him as the Messiah, they didn`t recognise him as the Saviour of the world.

Notice the following.  The shepherds took in what was happening.  They saw the lights, the angels, heard the message and they decided when they heard that message to go and see what had happened.  Verse 15 the angels have descended again into heaven, the hillside has gone dark again but that is not the end.  The shepherds wanted to prove what the angels had said unto them.  They made their way into Bethlehem.  There is a beckoning for a response tonight.  They wanted to see if this thing is a reality.

The faith - "let us go and see this thing"  They exercised faith - verse 15.  Maybe you have never trusted Christ as Saviour, you have heard the message for yourself.  Revelation 3 verse 20.  That is your part tonight.  The Lord has done it all to satisfy his father in heaven.  God uses all sorts of things to catch your attention - sickness, pain, great joy - all to ask you to let him in.  He waits for you to open the door and to allow him to come in.  Paul preached to the people of Athens, he preached about the Lord, how he came into the world, died, was buried and raised the third day, now sitting at his Father`s right hand waiting to receive all who come to him.  When Paul finished "when they heard of the resurrection of the dead some mocked."  They had never heard such nonsense before.  "Others said we will hear you again of this matter."  They couldn`t make up their minds there and then.  They didn`t close in with God`s offer of mercy.  What will be your response tonight?  The shepherds response was "let us go now."  They wanted to prove for themselves that this great Saviour they had heard about was actually born.  In Athens other people believed on that day.

There is the finding.  They made their way down and they found the baby as they were told - verse 16

The fruit that came from this.  The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.  Verse 20.  God makes us a new creature, puts a new song in our mouths even praise unto our God.  Would you come like the shepherds?  They gazed on him.  They took him as Saviour and Lord.  Trust him fully tonight.  Will you come and make him yours tonight?

Joseph`s crisis, compassion, consideration, choices and clarity

Sermon notes from Sunday 16 December 2018

Matthew 1 verses 18 - 25

We can see before us the development of what God has for this world and for our own individual lives in bringing his Son into this world, that he would seek and save a lost mankind.  This whole world was lost in sin and separation because of what happened in the Garden of Eden.  The Lord had it all planned and purposed that you would come to a saving knowledge of God today.  Look at Mary and the type of person she was and the task she had been given.  Now look at Joseph and the type of character he was.   He went unnoticed.  He is seen in the scenes around Jesus` birth in different modes.

His crisis mode.  As the scripture opened up before us here is a young man planning marriage to his young wife, a great future lay before them.  All this was going through his mind.  No doubt he loved and served the Lord.  When the Lord comes to us, opens up a task for us doesn`t it demonstrate his trust and faith in us?  Joseph was honoured to carry it out.  Remember Abraham when he was told how Sodom would be judged for its sin.  God knew him and the task he had for him.  God knows you today.  If he has been speaking to you over the past days he has a task for you.  Joseph has this great future before him, he loves the Lord with all his heart.  His whole world is suddenly turned upside down.  The greatest challenge comes to his heart.  His heart has been plumeted into despair and crisis.  He cannot understand why this has happened to him.  Sometimes a crisis comes to our lives.  Sometimes God allows things into our lives, things we don`t understand and even things we do not like.  It is a test of our faith.  Our faith is tested not in the spiritual sunshine, not in the midst of great blessing but it is tested in our darkest days.  The crisis on this occasion was for the fulfilment and furtherance of God`s plan of salvation.  God was saying to Joseph "I have it under my control, this is for the furtherance of the gospel."  Paul lying in the prison in Philippi, his heart was rejoicing.  Although he was there in chains and in prison yet the word of God was going forth and people were coming to faith and others were waxing bolder in their faith.  "Paul, A servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle separated unto the gospel of God. (Which he hath promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures)" (Romans 1 verses 1 and 2)  It was promised back in the Old Testament scriptures.  He was saying this gospel I proclaim is concerning his Son.  "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh."  He has fulfilled the gospel promised in bringing Jesus into the world.  Joseph was in a crisis.  Maybe you feel there is something in your ife, this is a real crisis but it might be for the furtherance of the Gospel.  Abraham who had a son in his old age was told by God one day to prove his love and take his son and sacrifice him.  Abraham`s faith was being challenged.  Joseph in the Old Testament scriptures came from a loving home.  He was betrayed by his brothers.  He knew the love of his father.  He had security in his home.  One day he went out to see his brothers.  They hated him, cast him into an old dirty well, sold as a slave into Egypt.  Why?  For the furtherance of the nation of Israel.  That is what eventually delivered Israel.  Maybe God is doing something in your life right now.

Joseph in his compassionate mode.  Verse 19 "then Joseph being a just man."  Joseph heard Mary was expecting and the only conclusion he could come to was she had been unfaithful to him.  He didn`t see the full picture.  Sometimes God challenges us.  We think it strange, don`t know why it is happening but God has it under control.  God doesn`t show us the full picture.  God only reveals to us one step at a time.  He doesn`t show the outcome.  Joseph didn`t know the outcome.  Even though Joseph was in a crisis, his heart was broken, he felt betrayed yet he would not allow Mary to be a public example.  In the eyes of the law she should have been stoned to death.  As far as the people of Nazareth were concerned she had committed adultery.  Joseph showed compassion.  Have we that compassion today?  The apostle Paul had that same compassion.  He wrote to Timothy about Alexander the silversmith.  Paul writing to Timothy knew that Alexander would oppose him.  2 Timothy 4 verse 14 "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil."  We are not told what Alexander did exactly but Paul went on to say "the Lord reward him according to his works."  I don`t have to worry about those who oppose me.  God is in charge, he will work that out.  Joseph had a compassionate nature.

Joseph in his considerate mode.  "But while he thought on these things."  Joseph didn`t act with haste.  He thought about things.  He didn`t take her to the priest and tell him what had happened not like the crowd who caught the woman in adultery and was brought to Jesus.  Joseph was giving some consideration.  It is good to think things through.  Joseph was considering the feelings of his wife Mary.  The Lord came just as Joseph pondered on these things.  Even when his life was turned upside down Joseph still thought of others.  In the Old Testament Joseph left home at 17 years of age.  He was sold as a slave into Egypt. was wrongly accused and cast into prison for something he didn`t do.  While Joseph was in prison he met the baker and the butler.  Then one day Joseph in this old prison house met these 2 men.  These 2 men were down and sad.  Genesis 40 verse 7 Joseph asked "wherefore look ye so sad today?"  Sometimes we let statements like that run off our lips.  This young man Joseph left his father`s house at 17 years of age, was wrongly accused, meets these 2 men 2 years later, not thinking of himself.  He looks into the face of these 2 men and asks them "why are ye troubled today?"  What a witness.  Sometimes we are too wrapped up in ourselves that we don`t see others.  Joseph of old considered these 2 men.  Joseph here in the New Testament considered his wife.  1 Corinthians 9 verses 19 - 23.

Joseph`s choices.  "While he thought on these things."  Something that wouldn`t leave his mind.  Can you imagine the hurt he felt.  He didn`t know what was happening.  While he thought on these things - he had compassion.  He wasn`t pondering or brooding on these things.  When we get into that mood it will poison us.  We should really take it to the Lord.  This is what Joseph was doing.  An angel came to him - verse 20.  Joseph was waiting on the Lord.  The Lord is opening up something in our lives, asking us to do something.  He doesn`t want us to run ahead of him.  We must wait on him.

Here is the clarity.  He was not to fear to take Mary as his wife - verse 21.

Joseph`s commitment - verses 24 and 25.

Worry and anxiety

Sermon notes from Sunday 2 Deember 2018 am

Matthew 6 verses 25 - 34

This portion of scripture is included within the Sermon on the Mount verses.  The Lord is dealing with the great problem of worry or anxiety, over anxiousness.  That was a problem in the Lord` s day as it is even today.  Verse 25 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment?"  The response is simply put in verse 32 "For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."  The Lord already had it under control.  If you know the Lord as your personal Saviour the devil will try to blot out your life, take you out.  He uses the tool of discouragement, brings that against us.  Then he also goes back in to the armoury again and will bring out the weapon of worry, anxiety, stress and strain to bring us down.

The danger of worry.  We all worry.  The Lord is asking us "what is the point of worrying, it cannot add to our stature."  He spoke of everyday things that concerned his disciples.  They had left everything behind to follow Jesus - their fishing nets and boats.  They left everything to follow Jesus.  There are many things in life that cause worry and concern.  The Lord is talking about an overanxiousness.  We worry about a visit to the doctors, about our employment, our future.  Sometimes we worry and we really cannot put a finger on what we worry about.  It is not easy.  The Lord deals with 2 things in this section - verses 19 - 24 are about the lust of money, the rich people who have so much money that they don`t know what to do with it, they are scared it will fall away.  In verses 25 - 34 Jesus talks about those who do not have enough money.  "For the love of money is the root of all evil" Paul said to Timothy. (1 Timothy 6 verse 10)  We can be as guilty of that as the person who is a multimillionaire.  This section of scripture is saying to us - what the Lord wants from us is our allegiance to him, to trust him more and more and more.  He tells us 3 times in this portion of scripture - verses 25, 31 and 34 "take no thought."  When you and I come to trust the Lord as Saviour we were adopted into the family of God and he looks after us.  To read that little phrase in Greek is stronger - it really means to stop the worry that has already begun.  How do I do that?  It is the feeling that something is beginning to get me down.  Bring it to the Lord.  Worry is a danger to our spiritual growth.  It is also a danger to our medical and mental state.  It is a danger to our wellbeing.  Elijah is a great example of this.  He stood before kings with no fear, confronted the prophets on Mount Carmel.  He called Israel to task "why halt ye between 2 opinions?" (1 Kings 18 verse 21)  He calls the Israelite nation back to God.  He took 400 prophets and puts them to death.  His eyes are on God, his heart is on God`s will yet he hears a voice from the palace that caused him to worry.  Jezebel the queen threatened to put him to death if she got hold of him.  The next verses in the portion of scripture are very important - "and when he saw that." (1 Kings 19 verse 3)  The anger of Jezebel caused Elijah to fear.  When fear grips your heart what do you do?  We run with it.  Elijah`s fear led him to run away, to dwell on it.  It didn`t matter how far he ran, he was still dwelling on what she said and threatened to do.  We find him in the wilderness.  His eyes are off the Lord and focusing on this problem.  He wasn`t looking after himself.  His body was weak and God met him in the wilderness.  Elijah was tired and weak.  He lacked food and sleep and was very anxious.  His mental ability was affected.  He asked to be left to die.  In Acts 16 the jailer in the prison was very anxious.  The next day he would lose his life as a result of the earthquake.  He got himself into such a state he was ready to take his own life.  We see that even today in our province, it is a sad reflection of society.  People see no way out and decide to take their own lives.

The distraction of worry.  Satan`s purpose is to bring you down.  If he cannot discourage you he will get something in your heart that will begin to form and worry.  Before long the devil has you where he wants you.  We have to keep our eyes on him when our minds are full of difficult siuations.  Elijah got his eyes off the Lord, off his plan and purpose.  He was out in the wilderness and wanted to die.  He had a lot of work to do.  The Lord had a purpose for him.  Elijah was able to go in and speak to kings and prophets, to call the nation back to the Lord but he is found sitting in a cave with his head between his knees.  He was no longer interested in the call and work of God because Jezebel the queen got his mind distracted.  Maybe you are worried about your health, your future or your family.  The devil has you focusing on it.  He will bring everything to bear on that situation, show you there is no way out of it.  Maybe no-one else sees that.  That is how you are feeling inside.  You are not where God would have you to be.  You have become distracted.  When Jesus came to the home of Mary and Martha, Mary fell down and began to listen to Jesus.  Martha was more concerned about getting food to Jesus.  She missed out on the very best, just to sit at the Lord`s feet.  She had one thought in her mind.  When Joshua called the people of Israel to cross over the Jordan they were to watch the priests stepping into the water carrying the ark of the covenant.  Joshua told them to keep their eyes on the ark.  Keep your eyes on the Lord today because we have an enemy who is subtle.  What did the writer to the Hebrews encourage them to do - "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12 verse 2)

The distress that worry brings.  Jesus wants you and I to have utter confidence in God.  He wanted his disciples not to worry where their food would come from.  He gave the example of the flowers of the field, they had no means of putting together fancy designs yet "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."  In the Old Testament Saul was sitting in the valley when 30,000 chariots came against him and gathered all around him in the hills.  They had pitched their tents to come against Saul.  The people in Saul`s camp began to run and hide.  Saul was waiting on Samuel to come.  Imagine him watching the time, every second and minute going by.  He then went and did something he shouldn`t have done.  He took one of the lambs out of the flock and sacrificed it.  As he did so Samuel arrived.  Saul feared the Lord had left him.  (1 Samuel 13)  Sometimes worry leads us to do things we shouldn`t.  We feel the Lord has left us.  We give up on waiting on God.  We fail to read his word.  Worry does that.  It takes us away from God`s word.  The devil gets our minds focused on things that are away from God.

The direction the Lord gives.   If you are worried today and it is something in your mind that is really starting to take over do not get anxious.  Bring the worry to the Lord.  All the worry for tomorrow it will not add anything to your situation.  Don`t worry about them today.  Leave the past behind.  You cannot change them.  Verse 33 contains a promise "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."  The Lord is not promising you riches but every day needs to be met.  Verse 34 "Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."  The apostle Paul himself said "be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplicatino with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4 verse 6)  Peter said "casting all your care upon him for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5 verse 7)  Take it all to the Lord.  Think of Daniel cast into the lions den.  There was the old king who signed the deed for him to be put there, he went home but he was the one who couldn`t sleep.  Daniel was not looking at the lions around him.  He was not afraid there in the den.  He knew the Lord had come and he had closed the mouths of the lions.  He was not anxious.  Peter in Acts 12 was lying in the cell knowing that the following day he would be taken out and killed.  The angel came in and showed him the way out of the prison to safety.  He had left it all to the Lord.  We too can lift our worries to the Lord who tells us not to worry.