The Continuing Story of Christmas

What a blessing it is to come to the Christmas season, not just because of the remembrance, but because of the music.

! I just love the music of Christmas.

And they couldn't have been better positioned this morning just to help prepare our hearts for the subject that we're going to be dealing with today.

If you've looked at your bulletins and if you're looking at the screen, you see Christmas and the second coming.

And you might be asking yourself the question, time out, wait a second, go back to seminary.

I think you need to get your theology straightened out here, Andrew, because Christmas and the second coming just don't go together.

I mean, come on.

And then for our Christmas passage today, we're going to be in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

How many of you have ever had a Christmas sermon from 1 Thessalonians chapter 5?

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

All right, it's a first.

Hopefully not the last.

Because we hope to be here again next week to fill out our discussion about how in the world does Christmas go with the second coming.

And what I'd like to help us understand today is it really is just a matter of perspective.

And any of you who have heard stories about the significance of perspective would be familiar with the story of the six blind men who are on their journey.

Okay?

And on their journey, all of a sudden, one of them runs into this elephant.

And we're going to see that here in a moment here.

So they're running into this elephant.

And the first guy, he's feeling around.

He's blind.

He doesn't know what this is.

But he hears this is an elephant.

And he says, ha-ha, I know what an elephant is.

It's large like a wall.

It can't be pushed.

This is what an elephant truly is.

Then the second guy says, are you kidding me?

I can put my arms around this elephant.

You can't put your arms around a wall.

Certainly, a wall is not a good description of an elephant.

He's holding on to the leg.

And he says, what a better description of an elephant is as a tree.

I can feel the texture.

I can feel this bark-like substance.

And I can put my arms around it just like a tree.

Of course, the third guy says, no, no, no, no, no.

I can feel texture, yes.

He's holding on to the trunk.

And it is small.

It's not like a wall.

But it's not as big as a tree.

And it's really flexible.

And it's curling around my arm.

No, this is more like a snake.

An elephant is like a snake.

And the next guy says, you are all wrong.

He's holding on to the tail.

He says, yes, it does have some texture.

And it is small.

I can put my hands around this.

But can't you feel the hair?

It's more like a rope.

Not like a wall or like a tree or like a snake.

No, it's like a rope.

And the final guy says, you are all crazy.

He's holding on to the tusk.

And he says, yes, it's firm.

And it's not flexible.

It's smooth.

I don't feel any texture at all.

And the end is sharp.

This elephant is like a spear.

And certainly, they all bring their different perspectives to the table.

Not one of theirs perspective is wrong.

They all have a measure of truth inherent to what they are describing in this elephant.

But because they all have a limited perspective and don't see the elephant in its totality,

their perspective is narrow.

Their perspective is small.

And so they have a limited understanding of what an elephant really is.

Now, when we come to the Christmas story this morning,

I would say the first century Jew was less like these blind men

and more like those who see the elephant as a whole.

Because their prophetic experience in reading from the Word

is to see what the coming of Jesus was going to be like from start to finish.

They saw the beginning of Jesus' ministry

and they also got to see the end that we're going to look at this morning.

So it's no surprise why those living in the first century

in expecting the totality of Jesus' ministry

were dumbfounded when Jesus didn't meet their expectation.

To the extent that the wise men come into Jerusalem

and they go to the palace and they ask Herod,

where is he who is born king of the Jews?

Now, this greatly concerned Herod as he's considering this.

He'll have some competition going on.

So he calls in for the scribes.

He calls in for the chief priests.

And he asks them, where is this individual?

Where is this Messiah-like figure

who will come and will be the king of the Jews?

Where will he come to be born?

And of course, their answer was,

well, obviously he is going to be born in Bethlehem.

That's what was foretold of the prophets long ago.

He will be born of Bethlehem.

He will be a king.

But did you ever find it surprising

that the scribes and the chief priests

leave those wise men in Jerusalem?

They stay put while the wise men make their way to Bethlehem?

For all that they knew about the prophecies,

their limited perspective kept them fixed

and planted in Jerusalem

instead of going to worship the king.

I would like to present to you this morning

that the same happens for us in Christmas,

but not because we have a broad perspective

of what Christmas is,

but because our focus about Christmas is too narrow.

Our understanding of the coming of Christ

is too limited.

It's too small.

Of course, we think about Jesus.

He was born of a virgin, Mary,

and he traveled along with Joseph, of course,

in his mother's womb as they were going to Bethlehem.

He was delivered and put in place in a manger.

And yes, there were angels that came to sing

and to proclaim the message of Christ's birth

there in the fields outside on the outskirts of Bethlehem.

And yes, they did come,

but that is just a narrow view

of what Christmas really is.

It does include his life in ministry.

It does include his death and his resurrection.

But I want to present to you

and help maybe present a case

that the coming of Christ

includes all that we think of,

including the future events of Christ's coming.

Christmas and future events.

And when we think about the future,

we can think about the future with certainty.

We can think about the future with expectancy

and anticipation

because of what he has accomplished

in the past for us,

which was yet future for the prophets

and present for those living

during the first century.

But before we look into our word,

let me pray for us

that God will direct our hearts

as we think about Christmas

and future events.

Let's pray.

Father, we have come here this morning

as those who desire to worship.

We desire, like the shepherds,

to bow down before your throne,

before your manger,

before the person of Jesus today.

And we desire to give you

the gifts that we have.

Really, the ultimate gift

that we can give to you

is the gift of ourself.

That's what you want from us.

You want us to lay it all down at your feet.

You want us to give you

the totality of ourselves,

our heart, our mind, our strength.

That's what you have called us to,

to love you in totality,

to worship you in wholeness.

Not to compartmentalize in any way.

So Lord, as we think about Christmas today,

we ask that you would also help

to fill up our appreciation

and understanding

of what you came to accomplish

in that first visit.

And what you will secure

in your final visit,

your second coming.

help us to walk away this morning

with a fresh sense of anticipation

and enthusiasm and excitement

and being blown away, Lord,

by your amazing grace.

All that you have accomplished for us

and all that we have to look forward to

because of what you've done

in your first coming.

So Lord, this morning we ask

that your Holy Spirit

would occupy our attention,

that you would direct our thoughts,

that you would help to

orient our perspectives,

that you would lead us into truth,

and that you would lead us

into the kind of life

that is representative

of those who are true followers

of Jesus today.

We thank you

for this word

that you've given to us

and placed in our hands.

And we ask that you would be honored

and glorified

through our conversation

and our study

in your word.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

So I'd like you to open up your Bibles,

if you would please,

to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

As we look at this

great Christmas passage,

in verses 1 through 3.

Here's what it says.

Now concerning the times

and the seasons, brothers,

you have no need

to have anything written to you.

For you yourselves

are fully aware

that the day of the Lord

will come like a thief

in the night.

While people are saying

there is peace and security,

then the sudden destruction

will come upon them

as labor pains

come upon

a pregnant woman.

And they

will not

escape.

As we look

this morning

at Christmas

and we come

to understand

what Paul has in mind

with these events,

we'll begin

to appreciate

that

all the totality

of the prophecy

in predicting

what the Messiah

would do

not only begins

to culminate

in the person

of Christ

as a baby

but will culminate

completely

in his coming

as king.

The future king

that has been

predicted

by prophets

of old.

I want us

to look

at Christmas

and future

events

through the

lens

of three

different venues.

I want us

to see

first of all

that it is

connected for us

by the prophets.

There are

pages

and pages

of scripture

that we could

go to

this morning

but I'm not

going to bore you

with all the details.

I want to just

point out

for you

a few passages

that begin

to fill up

our understanding

of what

the people

in the first

century were

expecting.

When they heard

the Messiah

was coming

what did

they anticipate?

What were

they expecting?

So keep

your finger

if you would

in 1 Thessalonians

and move

with me

back to Isaiah.

I'm going

to Isaiah

because

it is

one of the

better books

to help us

recognize

the fullness

of Jesus'

ministry

but also

because it's

a little bit

more familiar

for us

having studied

it last year.

So Isaiah

Isaiah 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2

is where we're

going to begin

our time

this morning.

There are

42 times

in the book

of Isaiah

that it says

the prophet

says

in that

day

in that

day

in the

later days

and the

day of

the Lord

all of

these events

culminating

together

and setting

the expectation

for what

the time

of the Messiah

will be like.

So look

with me

beginning

in

verse 2

of chapter 2

of Isaiah.

You'll notice

you may want

to even

underline

this opening

phrase

it shall

come

to pass.

That's what

I'm referring

to when I

talk about

expectation.

It shall

come to

pass

in

the

latter

days.

The

mountain

of the

house

of the

Lord

shall

be

established

as the

highest

of the

mountains

and shall

be lifted

up above

the hills

and all

the nations

shall flow

to it

and many

peoples

shall come

and say

come

let us

go up

to the

mountain

of the

Lord

to the

house

of the

God

of Jacob

that he

may teach

us his

ways

and that

we may

walk

in his

paths

for out

of Zion

shall go

the law

and the

word

of the

Lord

from

Jerusalem.

Now drop

down with

me to

verse 11.

The haughty

looks of

man shall

be brought

low.

The lofty

pride of

men shall

be humbled

and the

Lord alone

will be

exalted

here it is

again

in that

day.

For the

Lord of

hosts

has a

day

against

all

that

is

proud

and

lofty

against

all

that

is

lifted

up

and

it

shall

be

brought

low

against

all

the

cedars

of

Lebanon

lofty

and

lifted

up

and

against

all

the

oaks

of

Bashan

against

all

the

lofty

mountains

against

all

the

uplifted

hills

against

every

high

tower

and

against

every

fortified

wall

drop

down

again

now

to

verse

20.

Do you

see it?

Do you

see the

blending

of all

of these

events

coming

together

things

that we

have

begun

to

separate

and

we

call

it

eschatology

we

call

it

the

doctrine

of

future

events

all

of

these

things

beginning

to

culminate

in

the

person

of

Jesus

Christ

and

so

the

expectation

had

been

set

that

once

the

Messiah

had

come

once

the

king

would

come

to

this

earth

we

could

expect

all

of

these

events

to

take

place

now

turn

to

chapter

four

just

a

page

away

beginning

in

verse

two

it

says

in

that

day

there

it

is

again

the

branch

of

the

Lord

shall

be

beautiful

and

glorious

and

the

fruit

of

the

land

shall

be

the

pride

and

honor

of

the

survivors

of

Israel

who

is

the

branch

well

we

know

the

branch

is

Christ

now

turn

to

chapter

seven

here's

a

familiar

Christmas

passage

this

is

one

that

is

more

typical

for

us

in

this

time

of

year

chapter

seven

in

beginning

down

in

verse

seven

thus

says

the

Lord

God

it

shall

not

stand

and

it

shall

come

to

pass

for

the

head

of

Syria

is

Damascus

and

the

head

of

Damascus

is

resin

now

drop

down

to

verse

10

again

the

Lord

spoke

to

Ahaz

ask

a sign

of

the

Lord

your

God

let

it

be

deep

as

she

or

as

high

as

heaven

but

Ahaz

says

I

will

not

ask

and

I

will

not

put

the

Lord

to

the

test

and

he

said

hear

then

oh

house

of

David

is

it

too

little

for

you

to

weary

men

that

you

weary

God

also

therefore

the

Lord

himself

will

give

you

a

sign

behold

the

virgin

shall

conceive

and bear

a son

and

shall

call

his

name

Emmanuel

notice

in

verse

18

in

that

day

the

Lord

will

whistle

verse

20

in

that

day

the

Lord

will

shave

verse

21

in

that

day

a

man

will

keep

verse

23

in

that

day

every

place

where

there

used

to

be

a

thousand

vines

worth

a

thousand

shekels

of

silver

will

become

briars

and

thorns

there

is

this

anticipation

of a

future

event

that

is

that

is

integral

to

the

coming

of

Messiah

the

birth

of

Jesus

Christ

as

the

prophets

saw

it

and

as

the

prophets

communicated

it

it

was

all

bound

up

in

one

event

it

was

one

big

elephant

with

all

of

these

various

aspects

that

needed

to

come

together

in

one

major

event

that

we

happen

to

see

separated

into

two

but

actually

bound

into

one

the

prophets

understood

the

connection

and

communicated

the

connection

but

the

angels

did

as

well

it

was

connected

the

story

is

connected

by

the

angels

and

a

verse

that

has

always

intrigued

me

is

found

in

first

Peter

it

may

be

a

little

small

for

you

to

see

but

let

me

read

this

for

you

it

says

concerning

this

salvation

the

prophets

who

prophesied

about

the

grace

that

was

to be

yours

searched

and

inquired

carefully

what does

that

communicate

to you

they're

talking

about

salvation

they're

looking

for

the

coming

of

Messiah

they

know

what

he's

going

to

do

he's

going

to

bring

deliverance

and

they

are

absolutely

riveted

by

the

story

they

want

to

know

the

details

they

want

to

know

the

times

they

want

to

understand

how

this

is

all

going

to

play

out

and

as

a

matter

of

fact

one

of

that

he's

praying

over

and

over

and

over

again

Lord

give

me

a

clear

indication

of

when

this

is

going

to

happen

and

God

piece

by

piece

gives

him

more

revelation

and

finally

has

said

okay

Daniel

that's

enough

I'm

not

going

to

tell

you

any

more

that's

all

you

get

to

hear

be

content

with

that

but

they

searched

and

inquired

carefully

because

they

knew

how

amazing

this

story

was

the

story

of

deliverance

verse

11

inquiring

what

person

or

time

the

spirit

of

Christ

in

them

was

indicating

when

he

predicted

the

sufferings

of

Christ

and

the

subsequent

glories

it

was

revealed

to

them

that

they

were

serving

not

themselves

but

you

in

the

things

that

have

now

been

announced

to

you

through

those

who

preach

the

good

news

to

you

by

the

Holy

Spirit

sent

from

heaven

and

then

this

phrase

things

which

angels

long

to

look

I

wonder

if

the

angels

were

just

as

surprised

just

as

enthusiastic

just

as

excited

about

the

coming

of

Christ

and

not

really

understanding

all of

the

details

of how

that

first

coming

was

going

to

look

we

get

some

indication

from

the

announcement

that

they

give

to

the

shepherds

there

on

that

Bethlehem

hill

they

say

glory

to

God

in

the

highest

and

on

earth

peace

goodwill

!

to

men

peace

that

was

connected

to

Old

Testament

prophecies

peace

that

anticipated

the

coming

king

and

the

rain

on

his

earth

that

would

establish

once

for

all

in

Jerusalem

the

lack

of

war

and

the

joining

of

the

people

of

Israel

and

the

subsequent

joining

of

all

the

nations

I

think

the

angels

were

just

right

along

with

the

prophets

in

just

okay

what's

going

to

happen

I

can't

wait

here

we

go

here

it

is

it's

right

here

come

on

let's

sing

and

their

enthusiasm

and

excitement

about

this

Christmas

story

was

just

so

so

activated

because

of

their

comprehension

and

understanding

of all

the

prophetic

messages

that had

gone

before

things

which

angels

longed

to look

into

and now

we

turn to

a bit

of

application

because

the

peace

that

God

intended

to bring

to the

earth

was not

the

kind

of

peace

that

the

people

were

looking

for

but

it

was

better

the

kind

of

peace

they

wanted

was

freedom

from

the

oppressors

the

kind

of

peace

they

wanted

was

the

ability

to feel

liberated

and

to not

be at

war

and to

be

able

to

express

themselves

as a

people

of

Israel

but

what

they

really

needed

was

peace

with

God

through

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

that

was

the

only

peace

that

really

mattered

that

peace

had

to

precede

the

other

peace

and

that

is

true

for

for

all

of

us

in

this

room

today

you

cannot

have

future

peace

until

or

unless

you've

experienced

spiritual

peace

you

cannot

anticipate

the

future

coming

of

Christ

you

cannot

look

forward

to

it

with

any

degree

of

excitement

or

enthusiasm

until

and

unless

you

have

first

enjoyed

the

peace

of

God

through

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

that

only

comes

through

faith

in

Jesus

repentance

from

your

sin

and

cleansing

of

Christ

on

your

life

and

fellowship

now

with

God

through

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

do

you

have

the

peace

that

passes

understanding

the

peace

that

only

comes

through

Jesus

that's

the

peace

that

he

wants

to

give

you

today

the

angels

I

believe

also

anticipated

the

future

peace

that we

still

look

forward

to

because

it

had

to

be

preceded

by

the

peace

of

the

Holy

Spirit

next

it's

connected

by

the

apostles

connected

by

the

prophets

connected

by

the

angels

and

connected

by

the

apostles

here

they are

enjoying

and

participating

in the

ministry

of

Jesus

Christ

for

three

years

they've

been

able

to

watch

the

miracles

that

Jesus

did

and

to

listen

to

the

words

that

he

shared

to

see

his

power

over

nature

and

to

understand

his

true

origin

the

origin

of

one

who

was

from

God

they

understood

that

he

was

the

Messiah

he

was

the

one

predicted

by

the

prophets

it

was

him

and

because

he

was

here

they

expected

the

fulfillment

of

what

Messiah

was

going

to

come

to

do

and

that

was

to

establish

a

kingdom

and

so

it

should

be

no

surprise

in

Matthew

24

they

say

what

are

the

times

what

are

the

seasons

in

which

these

things

are

going

to

come

about

by

the

way

we

we

see

that

same

word

those

same

words

together

here

in

our

passage

in

chapter

5

verse

1

that

opening

phrase

now

concerning

the

times

and the

seasons

brothers

the

times

that

Paul

was

referring

to

are

the

same

times

that

the

apostles

anticipated

the

coming

of

Messiah

what

would

it

look

like

and

so

they're

asking

Jesus

okay

Jesus

when

are

the

times

going

to

actually

happen

when

can

we

expect

that

you're

going

to

establish

your

kingdom

of

course

Jesus

says

well

here's

what

you

can

anticipate

and

he

goes

on

to

describe

what

we

know

to

be

future

events

but

it

ultimately

leads

to

his

death

and

his

resurrection

here

on

earth

and

then

right

before

he

ascends

to

the

father

they

say

okay

now

this

must

be

the

moment

this

must

be

it

and

so

in

Acts

Acts 1 · chapter mention

chapter

1

they're

anticipating

that

Jesus

is

going

to

be

captured

back

up

to

God

the

father

in

heaven

and

they're

asking

him

the

same

question

are

you

now

going

to

restore

the

kingdom

is

this

the

day