Sunday January 1 2017

Sermon Title “Christmas: Message of Peace”

Luke 2:13-14  
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
  and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 Jesus' Birth In Bethlehem

 Luke 2:1-20 (NASB)
¹  Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
²  This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
³  And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.
⁴  Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
⁵  in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
⁶  While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.
⁷  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸  In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
⁹  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
¹⁰  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
¹¹  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
¹²  "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
¹³  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
¹⁴  "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
¹⁵  When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."
¹⁶  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
¹⁷  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
¹⁸  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
¹⁹  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
²⁰  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.  

 Ephesians 2:14-15  

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,   

15 By setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

 

Peace:  1. Peace with God

       

            2. Peace with Self

            3. Peace with Others

Made Alive In Christ

 Ephesians 2:1-22 (NASB)
¹  And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
²  in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
³  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
⁴  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
⁵  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
⁶  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
⁷  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
⁸  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
⁹  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
¹⁰  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
¹¹  Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands—
¹²  remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
¹³  But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
¹⁴  For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
¹⁵  by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
¹⁶  and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
¹⁷  AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;
¹⁸  for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
¹⁹  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,
²⁰  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
²¹  in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
²²  in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.  

Romans 15:13 

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 Romans 15:13 (NASB)
¹³  Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 

2 Peter 1:2  

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

 Growth In Christian Virtue

2 Peter 1:1-15 (NASB)
¹  Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
²  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
³  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
⁴  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
⁵  Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
⁶  and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
⁷  and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
⁸  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
⁹  For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
¹⁰  Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
¹¹  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
¹²  Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.
¹³  I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,
¹⁴  knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
¹⁵  And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.  

Verse
 Psalm 103:11-12 (NASB)
¹¹  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His loving kindness toward those who fear Him.
¹²  As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.