Christmas 2012

“The Good Samaritan”

– a modern interpretation.

The actors/actresses in the play -

gang members

the victim and

the ‘passerbys’.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Can you identify with - mother & son business woman ‘facebook Gen-Z’ teenager worship leader pastor two foreign workers .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Q: If this were a real situation – how many of you felt upset with

those who did not stop to help ?

Q: How many of you felt that you would have helped if you had been passing by ?

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

The ‘victim’ was in need ... But he was not the only one ... mother & son business woman facebook Gen-Z teenager worship leader pastor two foreign workers

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

So easy to see the “need” out-there...

But what happens when a need ...

comes into our neighborhood

come “up-close”...

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

What you may not know – there were actually TWO PLAYS going on at the

same-time... Up front on the stage ... & another among the congregation ...

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

“My car battery is weak. Can you please help to jumpstart his car .... ?” “I have the cables ....”

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

“I am not feeling well. Do you have some

panadol I can take ?”

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

“My phone is flat. Can I please borrow your phone to make an urgent call...?”

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

“We came to church together. Halfway

thru the service we suddenly realises she may have misplaced the car-keys. I went to look for the keys

but discovers the car is gone. I need help

to make a police report ....?”

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Seeing a “play” is very different from ... being ‘Up-close’ and involved ... Why is this so ?? We are all only human ... weak ... imperfect ... even sinful ... we all have our ‘needs’ ... and also our ‘fears’

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Question Again: How many of you felt that you would

have helped if you had been passing by ?

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Christmas 2012

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Luke 19:10

3 P’s for this Christmas :

1.PERSON

2.PURPOSE

3.PROMISE.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Christmas is about a PERSON

‘The Son of Man’

Galatians 4:4 “When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son”.

Theologian – Incarnation

Bible – Immanuel = “God with us”

That PERSON is JESUS CHRIST.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

John 1:14a “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”

(The Message Bible)

C. S. Lewis: “The central miracle in Christianity is the INCARNATION – God becoming Man.”

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Christmas is about the PERSON of JESUS CHRIST

At the heart of Christmas is this truth:

Immanuel (Gk) – “God with us”

God has come down to us in the person of Jesus.

Now we can know what GOD is like because

JESUS His Son has come & lived among us.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Christmas is also about: PURPOSE Why did Jesus – God’s Son

have to come ? Because people are LOST Jesus came to SEEK the LOST.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

PURPOSE : to SEEK the LOST

Parables of

the lost sheep

the lost coin

the lost son**.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to our own way;

and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Game : Hide & Seek

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Question ?

Are you still playing ‘Hide & Seek’ with God ?

Are you still ‘HIDING’ from God ?

Just because you cannot ‘see’ God does not mean God cannot ‘see’ you .... .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Christmas is also about ...

PROMISE • What did God PROMISE ?

• It all in His name - “Jesus Christ”.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Christmas is also about ...

PROMISE in the name of Jesus Christ.

‘Jesus’ – Greek form of ‘Joshua’

which means "Yahweh is salvation.“

‘Christ’ Greek form of ‘Messiah’

which means ’the anointed one’ .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Christmas is about ... PROMISE

Jesus Christ is ‘anointed by God to save those who are lost.’

God’s PROMISE at Christmas is

To SAVE all who are ‘LOST’.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

God’s PROMISE for this Christmas

& every Christmas ...

JOHN 3:16

For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him

should not perish

but have eternal life.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

There is NO LIMIT to God’s Salvation

For God so loved the world, that he gave his

only Son, that WHOEVER believes in him

should not perish but have eternal life.

WHOEVER – means ....

includes YOU & I .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Song : The Love Of God – 3rd verse Could we with ink the ocean fill And were the skies of parchment made Were every stalk on earth a quill And every man a scribe by trade To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry Nor could the scroll contain the whole Tho' stretched from sky to sky.

In Conclusion :

Christmas is about :

1.PERSON

2.PURPOSE

3.PROMISE.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

You may have come to church without Jesus, but you don’t have to leave without him You may have come feeling guilty, but you can go home forgiven / restored You may have come feeling ‘dirty’, but you can go home clean You may feel very unworthy, but Christmas is all about God sending His

Son just for you – to save you ... .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

That’s the true power of CHRISTMAS to create a miracle of change inside the

human heart God has more LOVE & GRACE in His heart than you have sin in your life eg Paul’s testimony in 1 Tim 1:15 Jesus is a ‘greater’ Savior than you are a

sinner You don’t have to leave the same way you

came ... .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Luke 19:10 Paraphrased “God’s Son came in the PERSON of Jesus Christ

that first Christmas with the sole PURPOSE of seeking the lost

and to freely PROMISE salvation to all who wants it ”

the Choice... the Decision... is yours to make.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

So the Good News of Christmas ...

Is in the PERSON of Jesus Christ His PURPOSE is to SEEK the LOST His PROMISE is to SAVE Do not play Hide and Seek with God anymore We cannot hide from Him He has sought you out ... It depends if you want to be found ... and receive the eternal life that he offers ... .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed! .

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10