{"id":3369,"date":"2012-12-23T07:06:36","date_gmt":"2012-12-23T12:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=3369"},"modified":"2012-12-23T07:07:10","modified_gmt":"2012-12-23T12:07:10","slug":"glory-to-god-in-the-highest-a-sermon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/12\/glory-to-god-in-the-highest-a-sermon.html","title":{"rendered":"Glory to God in the Highest–a sermon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Glory to God in the Highest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke 2:6-16<\/p>\n

Central Theme:\u00a0 Christmas is a time for big events and big changes.<\/p>\n

Introduction–I have to admit that at Christmas I go a little crazy.\u00a0 I save all year and spend all December.\u00a0 I blame my parents.\u00a0 They worked all year preparing for Christmas for us.\u00a0 Sewing cooking and repairing, painting old bikes.\u00a0 The majesty of God\u2019s gift cannot be matched but I try every year. \u00a0READ Luke 2:6-16.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pretend that you are a shepherd.<\/p>\n

A. They were minding their business but God had planned a little surprise for them\u2026before the foundations of the earth.\u00a0(vs 8)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 What we can\u2019t imagine is that God has exquisitely exciting surprises for our lives.<\/p>\n

\"Christmas<\/a>2.\u00a0\u00a0Last year as I was fretting about the number of hours I spend working on costumes. \u00a0I said to the Lord, “No one’s life has ever been changed by a costume I’ve made.” \u00a0Within a few minutes, \u00a0a young woman who was a \u00a0neighbor stopped to say, \u201cI never told you but you made a costume for me and it was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. \u00a0I’ve always loved you for that.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

B.\u00a0 We fear the glory of the Lord getting too close\u00a0(vs. 9).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Songwriter Michael Card\u2019s speaks of the \u201cfriend that we most fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

a.\u00a0 we hide our faces from him–he can see us.<\/p>\n

b.\u00a0 we hide our hearts from him–he can change us.<\/p>\n

II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 God comes again and again to assure us of his goodwill for us (vs. 10-12)<\/p>\n

A. He never comes in the expected ways\/expected times.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Remember the times God spoke to you–unexpected, unprepared.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 You prepare your heart in a quiet place–He speaks in the shower, sitting at a red light, or at lunch with a friend.\"natures<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>B. Angels filled the heavens the night he was born; but only a few shepherds saw it (vs. 13-14).<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1.\u00a0 Would Disney put on an expensive, extravagant light show for a few middle-class herdsmen?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2.\u00a0 Would you pour out your life in a place where no one will see–on one will know?<\/em><\/p>\n

III.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Whatever he does, His purpose is to entice us come to Jesus (vs 15).<\/p>\n

A. However, Jesus is not what you expect.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1.\u00a0 Wherever our executive director preaches, people say, \u201cThat sermon was one of the best I ever heard. \u00a0You know, you could what you do for<\/em>\u00a0real\u00a0people.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0We often chuckle and ask, “Then why aren’t you rich and famous?”<\/em><\/p>\n

2. \u00a0However, there is not a mentally challenged person in Duval, Indian River or Brevard or Volusia County who doesn\u2019t know him and all of them love him.<\/p>\n

Conclusion–Going crazy at Christmas should be expected. \u00a0After all, God went a bit crazy with joy at the birth of Jesus. \u00a0Several angelic appearances. \u00a0An old couple unexpectedly has a baby they name John. \u00a0A host of angels. \u00a0A new star. \u00a0Yet, not embracing the Living Lord any time is a horror.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Glory to God in the Highest Luke 2:6-16 Central Theme:\u00a0 Christmas is a time for big events and big changes. Introduction–I have to admit that at Christmas I go a little crazy.\u00a0 I save all year and spend all December.\u00a0 I blame my parents.\u00a0 They worked all year preparing for Christmas for us.\u00a0 Sewing cooking…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,334,20,3,40,186,49,16,8,396,398,4,41],"tags":[690,21,688,739,625,696,7,699,715,703,701,13,694,689,6,687,700],"class_list":["post-3369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-christmas","category-church","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-sermon","category-sermons","category-simple-truths","category-spirituality","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-christmas","tag-christmas-sermon","tag-church","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-humor","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disabilities","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-simple-truths","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nGlory to God in the Highest-a sermon - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Glory to God in the Highest-a sermon - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Glory to God in the Highest Luke 2:6-16 Central Theme:\u00a0 Christmas is a time for big events and big changes. Introduction–I have to admit that at Christmas I go a little crazy.\u00a0 I save all year and spend all December.\u00a0 I blame my parents.\u00a0 They worked all year preparing for Christmas for us.\u00a0 Sewing cooking…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/12\/glory-to-god-in-the-highest-a-sermon.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-12-23T12:06:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-12-23T12:07:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2012\/12\/stars.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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