overcoming christmas numbness “but in fact the real difficulty, the supreme mystery with which the...

Overcoming Christmas numbness“But in fact the real difficulty, the supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us, does not lie here at all. It lies not in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth, was God made man . . . The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation. This is the real stumbling block in Christianity . . . If Jesus had been no more than a very remarkable, godly man, the

Overcoming Christmas numbnessdifficulties in believing what the New Testament tells us about his life and work would be truly mountainous. But if Jesus was the same person as the eternal Word, the Father’s agent in creation, ‘through whom also he made the worlds’ (Heb. 1:2), it is no wonder if fresh acts of creative power marked his coming into this world, and his life in it, and his exit from it. It is not strange that he, the Author of life, should rise from the dead. If he was truly God the Son, it is much more startling that he should die than that he should rise again.”

-J.I. Packer in Knowing God

1 Peter 1:10-12

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when He testified in advance to the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels desire to look into these things.

THINGS INTO WHICH ANGELS LONG TO LOOK1 Peter 1:10-12 & various texts

Angelic Misperceptions

Angelic Actualities

Actually not record of angels singing and tooting horns in the nativity story…they spoke

Actually they were/are far from cuddly…they are a mighty army

No idea how one ended up on top of a tree…

Angels are created beingsNehemiah 9:6 -- You alone are Yahweh. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the heavenly host worships You.

Angels are created beingsGen. 2:1-2 -- Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. (NASB)

Angels are created beingsJob 38:6-7 -- 6 What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone 7 while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Gen. 1:1-2 -- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty

Angels are spiritual beingsHebrews 1:14 -- 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?

Luke 24:39 -- 39 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (NASB)

Angels are powerful beingsPs. 103:20 -- Praise the Lord, all His angels of great strength, who do His word, obedient to His command.

“Do not be afraid…”

Angels are limited beingsLuke 1:26 -- 26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth

1 Peter 1:12 – Angels desire to look into these things.

Angels are moral beings

Jude 6 -- He has kept, with eternal chains in darkness for the judgment of the great day, the angels who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling.

Between Genesis 1 and Genesis 3, some angels rebelled against God…

What is an angel’s purpose?Serve believers…

Hebrews 1:14 -- 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?

What is an angel’s purpose?Serve God by…

Delivering news (angelos = “messenger”)

Luke 1:19-20 -- 19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”


Delivering news (angelos = “messenger)

Luke 1:35 -- 35 The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.


Delivering news (angelos = “messenger)

Luke 2:10-12 -- 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”


Praising God

Luke 2:13-14 -- 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!


Battling God’s enemies

Rev. 12:7-8 -- 7 Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, 8 but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer.

How many angels are there?Rev. 5:11 -- 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands

Rev. 12:4 -- 4 His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth.

How many angels are there?Rev. 5:11 -- 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands

Rev. 12:4 -- 4 His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth.

The realities of the angelic, heavenly world reveals the astonishing wisdom of God’s plan…

“You can’t trust God!”

Gen. 3:1-5 -- Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

“You can’t trust God!”

Gen. 3:1-5 -- Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

How could God correct this deeply rooted lie?

God’s plan was hidden from everyone

Ephesians 3:8-11 -- 8 This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of the Messiah, 9 and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. 10 This is so God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. 11 This is according to His eternal purpose accomplished in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord.

God’s plan was hidden from everyone

Romans 16:25-27 -- 25 Now to Him who has power to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent (or secret) for long ages 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith among all nations— 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to Him be the glory forever! Amen.

The plan fooled everyone!Satan attempted to intercept Jesus at birth…

Revelation 12:4 -- 4 His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child.

The plan fooled everyone!Satan attempted to deceive Jesus & get him to buy into the great lie…

Luke 4 – Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness & suffering

“Your Father is not providing for you”“Your Father is holding back power &

prestige that you deserve, but I will give it to you”

“I bet your Father won’t protect you, let’s test Him and see”

The plan fooled everyone!Satan attempted to kill Jesus at the height of his popularity…AND SUCCEEDED!

Colossians 2:13-15 -- 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; He triumphed over them by Him.

The plan fooled everyone!Satan attempted to kill Jesus at the height of his popularity…AND SUCCEEDED!

Colossians 2:13-15 -- 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; He triumphed over them by Him.

Satan’s great lie was exposed & disarmed FOREVER!

The angels are astonished at this

Rev. 5:11-14 -- 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.12 They said with a loud voice: The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! 13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The angels are astonished at this

Rev. 5:11-14 -- 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.12 They said with a loud voice: The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! 13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

We have the chance to know God in a way that angels don’t & can’t!

Ushers please come forward…

A Chance to Give to the Cause

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