Sermons
December 29th, 2024 by Pastor Solley121524AM The Fear Not of Christmas
Sub. Christ, first advent
Theme: Fear not in Christmas
Text: Luke 1:13 , Luke 1:30 , Matt 1:20 , Luke 2:10
“The Fear Not of Christmas” Luke 1:13 , Luke 1:30 , Matt 1:20 , Luke 2:10
Introduction
I want to speak to you this morning about the fear not of Christmas. I have over the years brought more than 100 messages on the first advent of Christ devoting at different times all the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas to messages on Christmas. Then counting the Christmas Eve message, well over one hundred messages on the giving of the Son fo God into this world. I say that because the Bible is such a wonderful book and when you are given to study the Bible the Spirit of God will bring something to light that is new and fresh and I was drawn to the fear not of Christmas and would like to share that with you this morning.
I. The phrase “Fear not” is found sixty three times in the Bible: The first occurrence is Gen 15:1, the last in Rev 1:17. Both of those occurrences speak of the Lord, He being a shield and reward to Abraham in Gen 15:1 and the first and the last to the apostle john on the island of Patmos in Rev 1:17.
A. The phrase “Fear not” means to have an absence of fear: But it also means more than that, both in Hebrew and Greek.
1. Fear not means to be protected and rewarded: God said “ Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”
2. It means to be guided and directed: Jesus said to John when John had no strength, did not know what to do “Fear not; I am the first and the last:” Jesus would take care of John as he received the Revelation.
3. To be free of fear, to be protected, rewarded, guided and directed, that is what “Fear not means”:
B. Those meanings follow the phrase “Fear not” throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments:
II. The phrase “Fear not” is found four times in the accounts of the giving of the Son of God into this world: Four times in the Christmas story we find fear not. It is given to an old man, a young man, a young girl, and a group of shepherds.
A. Each of those times the phrase is used holds some valuable lessons for us today just as it did for those to whom it was given: There is nothing in the Bible without meaning. I can say that there are those here today that the way fear not was used of the angel Gabriel so long ago in addressing those one connected with Christ will hold some special meaning to them.
B. I want to look at the fear not of Christmas this morning and the lessons it holds for us today:
PROP: Every Christian should be familiar with the fear not of Christmas. TS. For it does speak to us today.
Body
I. The fear not of Christmas for the aged and faithful saints of God: Luke 1:5-14 Here the angel Gabriel appears to an aged priest named Zacharias with a message for him and his wife Elisabeth. – Luke 1:13
A. Zacharias and Elisabeth were aged and faithful servants of the Lord: Luke 1:7 Well stricken is years does not tell us exactly how old they were. In the Old Testament during the time of the tabernacle the priests were retired at fifty years of age. By the time you get to the New Testament era that had changed as many things had. They were well stricken in years. – Luke 1:7
1. The same Greek word is translated “great age” in Luke 2:36: Luke 2:36 This woman is over ninety years old and perhaps over one hundred years old. Well stricken then would be long past fifty years of age.
2. Zacharias had served faithfully many, many years in the office of priest: Luke 1:5-6 His wife Elisabeth by his side, they both faithfully served the Lord. – Luke 1:6
3. All of those years they had a prayer request: Luke 1:7 , 13 They longed for and prayed for a child. – Luke 1:13
4. All of those years they continued faithful to the Lord: Luke 1:8 They faithfully served and faithfully served and faithfully served.
5. They knew that their prayer for a child would never be answered: Luke 1:7 Now old, past the child bearing years, no need to pray.
6. Still they both remained faithful to the Lord: Luke 1:5 Their love for the Lord, their faithfulness never wavered.
7. Now that faithfulness was going to be rewarded: Luke 1:11-14 No matter that Zacharias was so stunned that he questioned the angel and could not speak until after his son was born, God was going to reward their faithfulness.
B. The first fear not for the aged and faithful saints here this morning: Stay faithful, stay consistent, keep on keeping on for our wonder Lord for you faithfulness, your consistency will be rewarded. Fear not for the aged and faithful saints of God.
1. I know things change as we grow older: I never thought about being a senior citizen, but I am one. I know that at 66 I can’t do some of the things I never gave thought about ten years ago, or even five years ago. I know that things change as we grow older.
2. But I also know that I can still be faithful: Faithfulness doesn’t have to change. God’s faithfulness to me doesn’t change as I get older, so why should my faithfulness to Him? I know I can still be faithful.
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3. There may be things I can no longer do but there are more things that I still can do and be faithful: (1) I can be faithful to the house of God. Not as easy perhaps, but I can be faithful to the house of God. (2) I can be faithful in prayer and study. (3) I can be faithful in praising my Lord. (4) I can be faithful in little things. I can still be faithful.
4. I know many who have simply fallen away as they have gotten older: They go through things as we all do, loss of loved ones, health not as good as before, prayers they think not answered, disappointments, discouragements, we all go through things.
C. But if we want to be rewarded, we need to stay faithful and finish well: 2 Tim 4:6-8 Stay faithful, stay consistent.
1. Paul’s reward was in heaven: 2 Tim 4:8 Ours will be as well.
2. We may also be rewarded in this world: Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And perhaps God would give us the desires of our heart, a reward while we are in this world. – Ps 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
ILL. I received a phone call from a man I had not talked to in about five years on Friday who said “I hear you are have some health problems”. The first question he asked me was “Are you still preaching?” What else would I be doing?
D. The fear not of Christmas for the aged and faithful saints of God: Luke 1:13
II. The fear not of Christmas for those who are young and willing to be used of God: Luke 1:26-38 Fear not Mary. – Luke 1:30
Elisabeth was old, well stricken in years and she was rewarded for her many years of faithfulness to the Lord.
A. Mary is a young girl, most likely fifteen or sixteen years old: In that culture, at that time, that is when marriages were made.
1. Mary knows that what has been announced is impossible: Luke 1:26-27, 34 She was engaged to be married, but not married as of yet, and had no relations with any man. – Luke 1:34
2. She is told how and what will happen and notice her response: Luke 1:35 , 38 No more questions, no more doubts, Mary was willing to be used of the Lord and to walk in the will of God. – Luke 1:46-49
3. Why did God chose Mary? Because Mary was willing to be used of God and to walk in the will of God.
a. Mary was not born sinless. Mary was born into this world in the same way each one of us were born into this world.
b. Mary was not perfect. None of us are.
c. Mary needed to be saved just as we all need to be saved.
d. And Mary was born again and had sin forgiven in the same way we need to be born again.
4. But Mary at a young age was willing to be used of the Lord and to walk in the will of God: There is that song “Mary Did You Know” that will be part of our program next week and I don’t know how much Mary knew.
5. What I do know is that Mary was willing to be used of God and to walk in the will of God: Luke 1:46-47
B. For the younger people here this morning it is never too early to seek the will of God and to present yourself to the Lord: The most well known command has no age limit, old or young. – Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. There is no age limit, old or young.
1. Timothy was a young man willing to be used of God: 1 Tim 4:12
2. David was a youth: 1 Sam 17:33
3. Jesus desired the children to be given to Him: Matt 19:14-15 Why do we limit that to salvation? Jesus wanted them not only to save them but to be able to use them in His service.
4. It was a little maid who pointed Naaman to the man of God and a healing: God uses the young.
C. We have a good mix of young people here: Not many teens right now, but we will.
1. But what of all the young couples we have? God can use you if you are willing to be used of God and walk in His will.
2. What of our teenagers? God can use you if you are willing to be used of God and walk in His will.
3. And what of those younger than that? God can use you if you are willing to be used of God and walk in His will.
ILL. We have some young people who have felt a call to missions and God can use them. I was twelve when I presented myself to the Lord and while I forgot that at times God never did and brought me back to it…
D. The fear not of Christmas for those who are younger and willing to be used of God:
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III. The fear not of Christmas for one who did not understand but was willing to remain faithful and trust the Lord:
Matt 1:18-25 We can at times read these verses and not think of all that Joseph was going through.
A. Joseph was a just man, a man of faith: Matt 1:19 But there are some things going on here that Joseph could not possibly understand, things taking place in his life that he had no answers for.
1. Joseph was engaged to Mary and they were pure before marriage: Matt 1:18 In that culture the espousal or engagement period was one year. During that year the couple was considered married although they did not live together and that year served as a testing period to determine if both parties were pure.
2. It was found out that Mary was expecting and Joseph knew he wasn’t the father: Matt 1:18-19 Joseph was minded to write a bill of divorcement on the grounds of fornication which he was permitted to do under the Law of Moses.
a. That he would do it privately shows his love for Mary.
b. But Joseph would have been broken by what had taken place. His dreams shattered, Joseph would have been broken.
3. There was no other explanation, Mary had been unfaithful: Matt 1:20a
B. But Gabriel appears with a fear not and an impossible story: Matt 1:20-23 Now Joseph has a decision to make.
1. Could Mary be the one spoken of by Isaiah? Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Could Mary be that one?
2. Could it be that God was going to allow Joseph to be used in the giving of the Messiah? Joseph had a decision to make.
3. And even though Joseph did not understand all that was going on he determined to remain faithful: Matt 1:24-25 Joseph made the right decision and even though it was impossible to understand he was willing to remain faithful to God.
C. We all go through things that for us are impossible to understand: Most all of us here this morning, including the preacher, could make a long list of things that we just don’t understand and at each point ask “Why”? Why did God allow this, why did that happen, why take this one and leave that one, why is someone so faithful going through something so terrible, why do the unrighteous seem to prosper, why, why, why? We all could make a list of things we don’t understand.
1. God doesn’t ask us to understand, God commands that we trust: Prov 3:5-7
2. God wants us to accept that His ways are higher than our ways: Isa 55:7-9
3. God wants us to know that He sees the end of the matter, not just the beginning: Acts 15:18
4. When Joseph did not understand he made the decision to trust in the Lord: We need to do the very same thing.
5. When we don’t understand we need to trust more and not less for He still does all things well:
D. The fear not of Christmas for one who did not understand but was willing to remain faithful and trust the Lord:
IV. The fear not of Christmas for those willing to share the good news: Luke 2:7-18 These shepherds in the hills surrounding Bethlehem were the first to hear of the Messiah coming into the world with the exception of those surrounding that manger than night.
A. After the shock of seeing and hearing Gabriel announcing that the Messiah was come, after hearing the heavenly host singing praises to the King of kings they go to see that thing which was come to pass: Luke 2:8-16 Now what to do?
1. They went everywhere telling to good news: Luke 2:17 Wherever their flocks took them they told the good news that the Messiah had come. To the sheepfold, they told the good news. To the valley for grass, they told the good news. To the streams and lakes to water, they told the good news. The shepherds had something to tell and they told the good news that the Messiah had come.
2. Ever think of how unbelievable their story must have sounded to those that heard it? It would be an unbelievable tale they told.
a. They heard from the arch angel Gabriel what had taken place.
b. The sky then filled with an angelic host singing praises to the Lord.
c. Then the young couple and a new born in Bethlehem and in such humble surroundings.
d. And to have it confirmed by God that the baby was the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. – Luke 2:15
3. The Jews who were looking for the Messiah were looking for one who would come as a king: Not a baby, not to humble parents, not in humble surroundings, they were looking for something different.
4. Most would not believe the message that came from those shepherds: But they would share the good news. – Luke 2:17-18
B. We also have a message to share today, the good news of the gospel message: For many it seems unbelievable.
1. How could Jesus who died over 2,000 years ago save anybody today?
2. How could blood shed over 2,000 years ago wash sin away today?
3. How could God say there is only one way when there are so many religions in the world today?
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4. How could it be free:
5. Many today mock the message just as many did in that day:
C. But we know the message is true and we need stand ready to tell others about Jesus Christ: Rom 1:15-16
1. People will mock both the Savior and the messenger today:
2. People will deny sin today:
3. People will claim they can reach heaven on their own:
4. But we know the message is true and we need to share it with the lost:
D. The fear not of Christmas for those willing to share the good news of the gospel:
Conclusion
Having looked now at the four fear nots of Christmas, where do you fit in?
I. The fear not of Christmas for the aged and faithful saints of God: Luke 1:5-14 Here the angel Gabriel appears to an aged priest named Zacharias with a message for him and his wife Elisabeth. – Luke 1:13
II. The fear not of Christmas for those who are young and willing to be used of God: Luke 1:26-38 Fear not Mary. – Luke 1:30
Elisabeth was old, well stricken in years and she was rewarded for her many years of faithfulness to the Lord.
III. The fear not of Christmas for one who did not understand but was willing to remain faithful and trust the Lord:
Matt 1:18-25 We can at times read these verses and not think of all that Joseph was going through.
IV. The fear not of Christmas for those willing to share the good news: Luke 2:7-18 These shepherds in the hills surrounding Bethlehem were the first to hear of the Messiah coming into the world with the exception of those surrounding that manger than night.