Christmas is not the most wonderful time of the year for everyone. This message looks at how the “good news of great joy for all the people” in Luke’s Christmas story meshes with the dark aspects of Matthew’s Christmas story.
As you listen to the podcast you can follow along at you versions events here or follow along below.
Top 10 things people don’t like about Christmas
10. Cold weather
9. Over-commercialization
8. Awkward encounters with eccentric relatives
7. Excessive weight gain
6. Hearing songs like “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Holly Jolly Christmas”, & “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” over and over.
5. When kids don’t get what they want and throw a temper tantrum.
4. When adults don’t get what they want and throw a temper tantrum.
3. The pressure of trying to find the right gifts and wondering if you have enough money to buy them.
2. Over-crowded stores with long lines and irritable people.
1. The overall let down of unmet expectations.
Luke 1:14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Luke 1:44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Luke 1:46 “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”.
Luke 1:58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
Luke 2:10 “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
Matthew 2:10 When they (the wise men) saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Matthew 2:16-18 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.” Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
John Ortberg on the Strange arithmetic of sharing experiences:
When we share joy, it increases.
When we share pain, it decreases.
“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
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.”
Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
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