Scripture Reference: Luke 2:8-20

We have been focusing all year long on community and, even deeper, Family. We want to finish the year with an ADVENT-ure and go on a journey to discover Jesus.

Some of you may discover Him for the first time. Others may need to discover Him because He has become nothing more than a decoration in your life.

We have been observing Advent this Christmas Season.  

What is Advent?

Advent is a season observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming."

Advent – Expectant Waiting and Celebratory Preparation.

The Advent wreath is a tradition in the Christian church that has been around for a long time. It originated in Germany and Scandinavia and was used in homes for families to mark time. They would light a candle each night during Advent until Christmas Day. The light in their homes would greatly increase each day when they lit the candles, which symbolize the light of Christ.

Today, we only light five candles (marking weeks instead of days). However, we still use the candles to mark time and increase the light. Each Sunday, we light a candle, the light increases, and we grow closer to the day of Christ's birth.

Dec 1 – Hope “The Prophets Candle” preparation for the coming of Christ.

Dec 8 – Faith "The Bethlehem Candle" is the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.

Dec 15 – Joy "The Shepherd's Candle" the joy of the Shepherd upon hearing the Good News

Dec 22 – Peace "The Angel's Candle" is the Angel's message of "Peace on Earth."

Dec 24 - Christmas Eve – The Christ Candle

Matthew 2:1-12

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Today, we are going to discover the power of Christmas. We will discover how it should be the lifestyle of a believer not a holiday.

How was Jesus’s birth the birth of a Kingdom, not the start of a holiday? To answer that we need to know what culture and society was like in Jesus’ day.

Israel was under Roman control and rule so what was the Roman Empire like under the rule of Caesar Augustus?

Horsley, Jesus and Empire, 23-24 describes the culture and beliefs of Rome at the time of Jesus' birth.

·   The most divine Caesas we should consider equal to the beginning of all things, for when everything was falling [into disorder] and tending toward dissolution, he restored it once more and gave to the whole world a new aura.

·   Caesar, the common good fortune of all, the beginning of life and vitality.

·   All the cities unanimously adopt the birthday of the divine Caesar as the new beginning of the year. Whereas Providence, which has regulated our whole existence has brought our life to the climax of perfection in giving to us [the emperor] Augustus,

·   whom it [Providence] filled with strength for the welfare of men, and who being sent to us and our descendants as Savior, has put an end to war and has set all things in order;

·   having become [god] manifest (phaneis), Caesar has fulfilled all the hopes of earlier times in surpassing all the benefactors who preceded him, and whereas, finally, the birthday of the god [Augustus] has been for the whole world the beginning of good news (evangelion) concerning him [therefore let a new era begin from his birth].

When Jesus came and declared he was the Son of God, He declared himself to be as great as the divine Caesar and defied the Roman Empire and their god, Caesar.

When Jesus was crucified, Rome did not just kill him; they made a mockery with the crown and the robe and showed what would happen to anyone who declared themself to be equal to Caesar.

What the world didn’t know, when Caesar died, he was done. But when Jesus died, the Divine would step in and raise him to live again.

Example: Chocolate Chip Cookie

What are the attributes of a Chocolate Chip Cookie? We'll say the cookie dough and Chocolate Chips to keep it simple.

If I were to take the Chocolate Chips out (an attribute), would I still have a chocolate chip cookie? No!

When the Anointing is taken out of Christmas, you only have a holiday.

Luke 4:18-20 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

When you say, "Merry Christmas," you are declaring, "We celebrate the power and attributes of the Christ."

Merry - to be happy and joyful

         Christ - the Anointed One and his Anointing

         Mas - to celebrate

is the attribute or set of attributes that make an object or substance what it fundamentally is

Luke 4:18 lists these attributes:

         1. Preach the good news to the poor

         2. Proclaim freedom to the prisoners

         3. Recover sight to the blind

         4. Release the oppressed

         5. Proclaim God’s Favor

If we equate these five attributes just to be Spiritual or to just be physical, we miss the true power of the Kingdom.

The definition of Essence says, “and which it has by necessity.”

If Luke 4:18 is the Essence of Christmas, these five attributes describe what the Anointing is. Without these attributes, we cannot call Christmas - Christmas.

When the Anointing is taken out of Christmas, you only have a holiday.

The definition of Essence says, “and without (those attributes) it loses its identity.”

We are fighting the battle of "Keep Christ in Christmas" and "Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays" because, by definition alone, Christmas is about bringing the Anointing of God back to the earth. Yet, we have made it about presents and trees.

It is no secret why Christmas has lost its identity because we have taken out the fundamental attributes that make it “Christmas.”

Jesus is not about a holiday or religion; He is about establishing a Kingdom by a specific power called the Anointing. That power changes things Spiritually and Physically. It is where heaven meets earth.

Jesus said. "On earth as it is in heaven."