Christmas without the Cross Job 13:15 (Nkjv)

Job 13:15 ( Nkjv)  Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.

• There was a time in my life that I didn’t like Christmas
  • Indiana and alone 
• Today, looking back, I realized that I was very misguided. Christmas is not about how I feel 
• Yes, Christmas is about Family, it’s about spending time with our loved ones 
• The only issue is that the world has worked so hard to push other things beside the true meaning of Christmas 
• Obviously unless you were guilted to be here, most of us value Christmas, value what the Lord has done in our lives that when everyone else is closing church so they can hang out in their PJ’s – we are here 
• The world is working overtime to represent Christmas as a special time but not for what it’s supposed to be
• In 2022 Christmas is about what we eat, what we wear, get and give, watch:
  • Home alone, Charlie brown Christmas, Die hard, grinch stole Christmas and many hallmark movies 
• In this movies it’s such a tragedy when the Christmas plans are ruined by memories, weather, lack of planning, family drama, by bad guys and the list goes on
• I personally think that the most tragedy of them all is a Christmas without the cross 
• As a Christian can you take a minute and imagine a Christmas without Christ 
• The enemy want to take the cross out of Christmas and yet retain the rights to call it Christmas 
• That’s like going to a coffee shop and asking for a Strawberry Funnel Cake Crème Frappuccino – There is no coffee in it
• But you can’t have Christmas without Easter and you can have Easter without the Cross
  • No forgiveness without sins
  • No salvation without the savior 
  • No savior without sacrifice 
  • No sacrifice without Pain 
  • No pain without Crushing our savior 
• If Christ did not suffer for our sins, there would be no redemption
• Though you slay me, I will still praise you
• Imagine a world without the ultimate gift. All that would be left would be a bunch of well-dressed humans heading straight to hell
• Talk about ruining Christmas – Talk about arranging chairs on the titanic, gifts under a tree and ignoring the real gift “on the tree” slayed for our sins giving us life
•  Matthew 16:26 (Nkjv)For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
• That all we do if gain “things” on Christmas day only to lose our souls 
• What a tragedy to have a Christmas without the Cross

Planning

• For most of you, Christmas planning started way in advance – few months at least 
• Making sure that you got the right gifts, listening to the conversation throughout the year for hints
• Try getting a hotel for Christmas in Leavenworth WA, time square church – It’s impossible or you will have to give up your child for the price unless you plan a year or two in advance 
• Many of you have traditions that have come down maybe from hundreds of generations
• Well thought plans about food, gifts, travel, games …very elaborate plans 
• Did you know that it was similar in Heaven? The Bible tells us that from beginning of Creations, the Lord had a plan to redeem us 
• Ephesians 1:3-6 (Nlt) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son
• The idea that Jesus was going to die of the Cross was not a plan that came after He was born
• Oh, look at these sinful people, what do we do? Wait a minute, Jesus since you are already down there, let’s see if you can redeem them 
• It was not an after plan, it was the ultimate plan…
• And Christmas day should not be an after thought
• A plan predicted way before Christmas day came to be
• Isaiah 53:3-4( Nkjv) He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely, He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
• Today (Christmas day) was the beginning of the end 
•  God did intent on crushing His own son for you, for you sins 
• I would imagine that there was joy in heaven when Mary and Joseph were in a manger and Jesus was born
• The Bible tells us that the angels were singing and praising 
• Luke 2:14 (Nkjv) “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
• That finally a plan that had been thought from beginning of time was coming to fruition 
• That the people who had been separated from God had a path to finally come back home
• A prodigal son, long lost would have a way to return home and be welcomed home 
• I can imagine that there was a sober feeling in heaven on “Christmas day” as this beautiful baby, sinless was coming to the world to be sacrificed as a lamb for sins that HE didn’t commit 
• It wasn’t going to be quick either, He the Son of God would come dwell with humans, the same ones that would send Him to the cross
• Interacting with them, knowing very well that a time would come when he would die by the hand of the ones He intended to save 
• A perfect title emerges “Christmas BECAUSE of the Cross”

Sacrifice 

• “Though you slay me, I will praise you”
• These words were spoke by a man called Job 
• In the book of Job:
  • Job 1:1 (Esv) There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
  • God is showing off Job to the Devil – Have you considered my servant Job 
  • Job lost everything and is inflicted with Pain in his body 
  • His friends visit him and they argue that Job is sinning hence the infliction 
  • Job maintains his innocence and states that he will take his case with God and not man
  • God eventually responds and confirms that He is Lord and does what He pleases 
• A man who had every right to hate the Lord, say really bad things, get offended but in the middle of all the conflicts He says these words that blows my mind “Though you slay me, I will still praise you”
• We are deceived to think that these stories in the Bible are about us 
• Christmas is NOT about how we feel, how many gifts we get, who we love in our party and who we don’t – and all these things are great – the only issue is that it’s never about these things 
• The more dangerous issue is when we elevate them above the Cross
• Job recognized this- that its wasn’t about Him, it was about God power and will 
• Not how it made Him feel, what was trending, or the opinion of his friends …
• This morning on Christmas day, we celebrate the beginning of a well thought out plan
• A plan that is dangerous and can only be executed perfectly in the hands of the Maker
• Job knows that in the hands of God only then could he be safe regardless of the pain
• How do we know this- Because in the middle of all these, he has the wisdom to know that God is his only salvation
• Job 13:16(Nkjv) – He also shall be my salvation 
• We see the same cry when Jesus is praying right before He is handed over to the persecuted 
• Luke 22:41-42 (Nkjv) And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”
• It’s really not about us. 
• When take this to heart, its only then that we can go through tough things in life and instead of blaming God or thinking that He has abandoned us, we get the praise Him in the midst of our trials
• Paul said it right: 2 Corinthians 4:15-18(Esv) –  So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
• Thank you, God, that we are not going to the cross and that we are not Job 
• And yes, we are going through stuff and sometimes it almost feel as bad 
• God why are you so silent in my situation – aren’t you supposed to be for me?
• You have said that if I call you, you will hear me …
• That the plans you have for me are great plans – but why Lord?  
• I wish I could answer that for you friend …Here is what I know, that, He created you for a plan and a purpose 
• And sent His only Son to die on the cross for you to make sure that you were equipped and protected to accomplish that exact plan
• But here is the assurance I can give you 
• Psalms 124:1-5  If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—let Israel now say—
  2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us 3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us 4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
• Psalms 124:8 -Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
• We are in the same hands that”
  • Allowed Job to be tormented by the devil and redeemed Him at the right time from his affliction  
  • The same hands that delivered Jesus to the cross and rescued Him in due time
• This same God, is more than capable of saving you from what you are going through right now 
• The problem is that when we listen to the world, we encouraged to do everything else but hold on and trust the Lord
  • Job wife asked him to curse God and be healed 
  • The devil asked Jesus to bow down to him and he would give him the world 
• Give it to Him right now – microwave Generation – knowing that Jesus had already been promised the world by His father 
• Isaiah 9:6 (Nkjv) -For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Trust

• Trust Him, the one who at times feel like He is crushing us, allowing us to go through difficulties, He has not abandoned us- and He will never will
•  2 Samuel 22:3-4 ( Esv) My[a] God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies
• A Child born to this world for the sole purpose of a sacrifice was never at any moment away from the hand of God 
• You have a Father that is in heaven, and He knows what you are going through, He might even be allowing it – to bring you back to where you need to be 
• Some of you there is no other way to get your attention unless, God crushes you
• Psalms 23:5 -You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
  • Do you know what it takes to be still as He prepares a table as the enemies approach 
• He does correct the ones that He loves, and David knew this firsthand
• I Chronicles 21:10-13 ( Esv) – “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’” 11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Choose what you will: 12 either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me. ” And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.
• I would rather suffer in the hands of the porter than of the world
• If He can carefully allow His only Son to be crushed on the cross for our sins, and then redeem Him, then set Him high- I too can trust Him to mold me in His careful hands
• This morning, I see you, trying to do it on your own, its hard work, you are relying on the things of these world – This world has no mercy and things will continue to get worse
• I want to remind you of the only one that can and will deliver you- The one that said:
• John 16:33- These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you [a]will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
• On a day like today – He had you in mind, when he humbled Himself to come down and be born as a sacrifice for your sins
• Today I want you go home and enjoy all the good gifts, food and company but please do join me as we celebrate “A Christmas because of the Cross”

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