December 9, 2007 - Introducing...The Love Of God

Scripture Meditation: Colossians 1:15-20

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

• If you don’t have any plans for Christmas Day- I’d like to invite you to my family’s Christmas get-together
• We’re going to be here in Helderman Hall- so you won’t need any directions
• And somewhere between all the in-laws, out-laws, and assorted hangers-on- you’ll fit right in
• Just tell ‘em you’re related to me
• Trust me- nobody will know the difference
!
• You know, I’ve always looked forward to the Stikeleather family Christmas party
• When I was a child it took place at my grandparent’s house
• The whole family would get together for a wonderful Christmas luncheon
• Actually- calling it a luncheon indicates a level of dignity and tranquility that simply wasn’t there
• That little house on Hoskins Ave. was never designed for that many folks
• Which meant it was always...
• Crowded and noisy and chaotic
• Having too many kids underfoot will do that
• But you know what I remember most about Christmas at my grandparent’s house?
• It was the love I received there
• There’s never been anything subtle about the kind of love my family shares
• It’s not quiet and dignified and refined
• It’s loud and rowdy and country-fied
• On Christmas Day at Granny & Papa’s house you’d get more bear-hugs- and sloppy kisses- and pinches on the cheek than you’d know what to do with
• But I guarantee you one thing:
• By the time you left that house late Christmas afternoon
• You KNEW- beyond a shadow of a doubt- that there was somebody in this world who loved you

TRANSITIONAL REMARKS

• I’m blessed that part of my Christmas memory is of a great, big celebration of love
• Because ultimately that’s what Christmas is all about
• Wherever you go- and whatever you do- love seems to be the dominate theme of the Season
• ...And there’s a reason for that
• At Christmas- Jesus introduced God’s love to the world
• How? By being the living incarnation of the Almighty God
• Turn with me over to Colossians 1:15-20
• Here’s the thing:
• When you see Jesus lying in the manger of Bethlehem
• You can discover everything there is to know about God’s love for you
• So this morning- as we continue our celebration of the Advent season- let’s allow Jesus to introduce God’s love

GOD IS ABBA- YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER

• Illustration: Semands on Seminary Student
• In one of his books, David Semands tells the story of counseling a depressed seminary student
• This young man was a dedicated Christian who was studying to be a pastor
• He was also a brilliant student making straight A’s in all of his Bible and theology class work
• During one session- Semands asked the man to draw a picture that illustrates how you understand God
• The student said: I don’t think I could do that- I’m not very artistic
• DS: Well...try to find a picture or a photograph that will tell me what you think God is like
• A few weeks later the student brought Semands a picture saying: I think this is what you were asking for
• It was an illustration from Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol
• It pictured a stern and angry Scrooge lecturing poor Bob Crachit
• Semands says he looked at the picture for a few moments and then asked:
• DS: So tell me- who’s who in this picture?
• YM: Well- Ebenezer Scrooge is God.
• DS: O-kay. But that leaves Bob Crachit. Who is he?
• YM: Oh- he’s me. That’s how I feel whenever I think about God.
• Folks here was a seminary student- firmly grounded in the truth of God’s Word- and he thought God was some bitter, angry Scrooge
• You know what this young man’s problem was?
• He knew a lot ABOUT God- but He didn’t know anything OF God!
• Folks- Jesus knew- and understood- God as He REALLY is!
• That’s why He told the disciples: If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. (John 14:7)
• As God’s only begotten Son Jesus had a relationship with God that was more intimate- more trusting- more perfect than ANYTHING we can imagine!
• Well- look at how Jesus addressed God
• In Mark 14:36 we see Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and He says:
• "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
• You’ve head me explain what Abba means many times
• Jesus uses it throughout the Gospels whenever He refers to- or addresses- God
• Most English Bibles translate Abba as father. But that’s doesn’t really capture the radical meaning of Abba
• Abba is an Aramaic word little children use to address their father
• The closest thing we have to it in English is ‘Daddy’
• Think about it folks: Jesus taught us to think of God as our Daddy in heaven!
• I have a plaque on the wall of my study. It says: Any man can be a Father- it takes a special man to be a Daddy
• Folks- being a father is just an act of biology
• It takes no special skills or love to be a father
• Almost any reasonably healthy man can do it
• But being a daddy is something completely different!
• Daddies have to show their children unconditional love and acceptance
• Daddies have to go out of their way in order to protect and care for their children!
• At Christmas Jesus introduces God to be a warm, caring and compassionate ‘Daddy-God’
• He’s not harsh or mean or cruel
• He wants you to know that He loves you completely and perfectly
• In fact- I want you to get a new image of God in your head this morning
• I want you to replace that picture of Ebenezer Scrooge pointing a bony finger at Bob Crachit with another image
• An image that reflects the God we discover in His Son
• Mark 10:14-16
• Illustration: Paw Paw & Matthew
• Of the hundreds of pictures we have in our family photo albums-
• One is a personal favorite
• It was taken when Matthew was about 3 or 4 months old
• My parents had come up for the weekend
• It was Saturday afternoon and my dad had volunteered to rock Matthew to sleep
• After awhile Matthew drifted off into dreamland- and so did my dad
• In the picture Pam took
• Matthew is snuggled up under my father’s chin- my dad has his arms wrapped around him
• It was a perfect picture of love and peace and contentment
• Psalm 103: 8-13
• Folks- THIS is how Jesus introduces God to you and me
• He is your Heavenly ‘Daddy-God’
• Who loves you- and cares for you- more than you could possibly know!

GOD WILL NEVER ‘FAIL OR FORSAKE YOU

• Matthew 1: 20-23
• This is one of those verses of Scripture we always read at Christmas time
• For instance-
• It was read during last Sunday’s Hanging of the Greens
• It’ll be read during the Christmas Eve service- and probably a few times in between
• And maybe that’s the problem
• We’ve heard these words SO many times they’ve become old hat
• Somehow they’ve lost their ability to stagger us with the truth that God HIMSELF is with us!
• He’s not ‘out there somewhere’
• He’s right here- with you and me!
• Illustration: Comforting Helen Horton
• I’ll never forget something that happened when I was pastor at NSCBC in Henderson
• Thomas Horton- a long-time member of the church- had just died
• I rushed over to the home to try and comfort his wife
• Suffice it to say she was overwhelmed with grief to the point where nothing I said seemed to make any difference
• Finally- Helen Wright came to visit
• Helen’s husband Bill had died about four years earlier
• As soon as she walked in the door she went to Helen- embraced her and said: I want you to know I’m with you in all of this. After losing Bill- I know what you’re going through. And I’ll be here for you- day or night- whenever you need me.
• I want you to read what the Word of God says in John 1:14
• I want you to notice something about this verse of Scripture
• It doesn’t say: The Word became words
• When you’re hurting and lonely- words are helpful
• But they aren’t nearly enough
• The Bible says: The Word became FLESH and made His dwelling among us
• In Christ God came down and got involved in human living and suffering
• He knows what you’re going through- because He’s been through it Himself!
• Hebrews 2:17-18
• Illustration: A Child’s Tragic Death
• A few years ago a seven year old boy fell off a bridge into the Prairie River near Calgary, Canada
• As he struggled to keep from drowning
• Nearly a dozen adults saw him- and did nothing
• Why didn’t anyone help?
• It seems that just a short distance upstream a paper mill was dumping untreated sewage into the river
• Several of the onlookers later told police: I wasn’t going to jump in there- that water is filthy!
• Folks, Christmas proves that God isn’t like that
• He doesn’t stand by- watching as you drown in a river of sin and pain and sorrow
• In sending Christ into the world you can KNOW that He will jump right in there with you- and help you swim to shore
• Hebrews 13:5-6

GOD LOVES YOU AND ACCEPTS YOU JUST AS YOU ARE

• Read 1 John 4:9-10
• You know- a lot of people today are starved for some unconditional love in their life
• I once had a young woman tell me: When I was growing up my mother always said I weighed too much- or that my hair didn’t look right- or that she didn’t like the way I dressed- or that my grades weren’t good enough.
• No matter what I did- it was never enough. Just once I wanted my mother to accept me as I was
• You know, there a lot of people who think that God feels the same way about them
• They have this idea that says that no matter how much they may:
• Read their Bibles
• Or pray
• Or attend church
• Or sing in the choir
• Or serve on a church committee
• Or go on a mission tour
• Or confess their sins
• That somehow it still isn’t enough- that God doesn’t love them or accept them as they are
• It’s almost like Satan has put a voice inside their head that says:
• Your sin is too great- you’re too unimportant and insignificant for God to show you any love and attention.
• The truth is that if God knew the REAL you- He wouldn’t love you. He wouldn’t want to have ANYTHING to do with someone like you!
• Folks- let me tell you some Good News
• The Bible says God DOES know you!
• The REAL you
• The you nobody else knows
• And He loves you anyway!
• Psalm 139:1-18
• Folks- here’s the bottom line:
• At Christmas we celebrate the wonderful truth that God sent Jesus into this world precisely because He DOES love you
• Freely- totally- completely- absolutely- without any strings attached- God loves you!
• If you don’t believe it- take a fresh look at the Cross
• At the Cross God says: Come here! Take a look at My Son. You saw Him in the manger- now see Him on the Cross!
• I sent Him to die for you- so that your sin could be forgiven- and I could pour My love out on you!
• The Parable of the Prodigal Son is probably the most beloved story Jesus ever told
• Most of us know it by heart
• But it’s such a perfect picture of God’s unconditional love and acceptance that I’d like to share it with you again today
• Luke 15:11-24

CONCLUSION

• In preparing this message I seriously thought about calling it: Maybe It’s Time To Let God Love You
• Obviously the title got changed-
• But the idea is still right
• Maybe it IS time to let God love you!
• The message of Christmas is that He wants to- that’s He done EVERYTHING possible to prove His love for you
• And now- more than anything else- He wants you...
• To accept Jesus
• And let Him pour out His love and forgiveness and grace on you!
• Let us pray