{"id":5080,"date":"2014-12-20T23:36:08","date_gmt":"2014-12-21T03:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=5080"},"modified":"2014-12-26T22:33:51","modified_gmt":"2014-12-27T02:33:51","slug":"a-blue-christmas-121414","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=5080","title":{"rendered":"A Blue Christmas (12\/14\/14)"},"content":{"rendered":"<address><span style=\"color: #000080;\">On Sunday the 14th, Pastor Jim continued his Advent sermon series on the\u00a0 &#8220;colors of Christmas&#8221;.\u00a0 This week, his theme was &#8220;a Blue Christmas.&#8221;<\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Start the audio recording below, then scroll down and follow along.<\/span><\/address>\n<address>\u00a0<\/address>\n<address><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-5080-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Sermon-2014-19-07b-A-Blue-Christmas-by-Pastor-Jim-Bolton-6kbs-stereo_BAK.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Sermon-2014-19-07b-A-Blue-Christmas-by-Pastor-Jim-Bolton-6kbs-stereo_BAK.mp3\">https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Sermon-2014-19-07b-A-Blue-Christmas-by-Pastor-Jim-Bolton-6kbs-stereo_BAK.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/p>\n<\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #000080;\">The scripture reading was from Matthew&#8217;s account of the birth.\u00a0 Matthew gives Joesph&#8217;s perspective, while Luke (last week&#8217;s passage) speaks from Mary&#8217;s perspective.\u00a0 Pastor Jim read from the New King James version.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=matthew+1%3A18-25&amp;version=NKJV\" target=\"_blank\">Matthew 1:18-25.<\/a>..<\/span><\/address>\n<address>\u00a0<\/address>\n<div class='et-learn-more clearfix'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='heading-more'>Matthew 1:18-25<span class='et_learnmore_arrow'><span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='learn-more-content'><p><span class=\"text Matt-1-18\"><sup class=\"versenum\">18\u00a0<\/sup>Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"en-NKJV-23164\" class=\"text Matt-1-19\"><sup class=\"versenum\">1<\/sup><\/span><span id=\"en-NKJV-23164\" class=\"text Matt-1-19\"><sup class=\"versenum\">9\u00a0<\/sup>Then Joseph her husband, being a just <i>man,<\/i> and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"en-NKJV-23165\" class=\"text Matt-1-20\"><sup class=\"versenum\">20\u00a0<\/sup>But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, \u201cJoseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"en-NKJV-23166\" class=\"text Matt-1-21\"><sup class=\"versenum\">21\u00a0<\/sup>And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name <span class=\"small-caps\">Jesus<\/span>, for He will save His people from their sins.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"en-NKJV-23167\" class=\"text Matt-1-22\"><sup class=\"versenum\">22\u00a0<\/sup>So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"en-NKJV-23168\" class=\"text Matt-1-23\"><sup class=\"versenum\">23\u00a0<\/sup><span class=\"oblique\">\u201cBehold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,\u201d<\/span> which is translated, \u201cGod with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"en-NKJV-23169\" class=\"text Matt-1-24\"><sup class=\"versenum\">24\u00a0<\/sup>Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"en-NKJV-23170\" class=\"text Matt-1-25\"><sup class=\"versenum\">25\u00a0<\/sup>and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-link=\"[&lt;a href=&quot;#fen-NKJV-23170a&quot; title=&quot;See footnote a&quot;&gt;a&lt;\/a&gt;]\" data-fn=\"#fen-NKJV-23170a\">\u00a0<\/sup> And he called His name <span class=\"small-caps\">Jesus<\/span>.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003300; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>1:\u00a0 Joseph:\u00a0 The first Blue Christmas&#8230; but He was ready.<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>Joseph was in a pretty rough situation.\u00a0 What should he do about Mary.\u00a0 What should he do about the gossip and shame?\u00a0 In verse 20 it says that Joseph lay awake considering this&#8230; pondering this.\u00a0 Because he was praying and\u00a0 looking for God&#8217;s answer, the answer\u00a0 came.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #003300;\">2:\u00a0 The Shepherds were Prepared.<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>Despite fear, they were able to hear the angels\u00a0 voices.\u00a0 They immediately got up to see the Baby Jesus.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #003300; font-size: 12pt;\">3:\u00a0 The Magi were Prepared.<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>They knew the scriptures (verbal or otherwise), and when they saw the\u00a0 star they knew it was an important\u00a0 sign that God was doing\u00a0 something big by sending a new (and very special) King.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The scriptures that prepared Joseph, the shepherds and the Magi, can prepare us.\u00a0 God has taught us to look towards Him.\u00a0 To focus\u00a0 on Him and to love Him above all else.\u00a0 When we do, we will be able to hear His voice and experience His peace.\u00a0 The key to escaping the Blues is to hear God&#8217;s call.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm+42&amp;version=TLB\" target=\"_blank\">Psalm 42<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><br \/>\nThis song of David gives us a formula for dealing with the\u00a0 blues.\u00a0 When we have the blues we look down (&#8220;my soul is cast down within me&#8221; as David said).\u00a0 We look to self.\u00a0 But David calls us to look UP.\u00a0 To look towards God and to move forward.\u00a0 Joseph would have known these words.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=isaiah+26%3A3&amp;version=NKJV\" target=\"_blank\">Isaiah 26:3 <\/a><\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nLike Joseph, the shepherds, and the Magi, we can be prepared.\u00a0 Isaiah says that we\u00a0 will have perfect peace if we\u00a0 &#8220;Stay&#8221; (or lean or take hold of) the Lord. The Hebrew word conveys the meaning of clinging to God.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Emmanuel<\/span><\/strong><\/span><br \/>\nIsaiah also foretold that Emmanuel will come&#8230;\u00a0 God Is with us.\u00a0 Joseph remembered this promise.\u00a0 We too\u00a0 can drive away the blues\u00a0 by remembering that God is with us.\u00a0 Embrace the promise.\u00a0 Be prepared.\u00a0 We don&#8217;t face things alone, because God really does care about us.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">GF Handel<\/span><\/strong><\/span><br \/>\nEarlier in\u00a0 the week, the Gloucester County Community Choir presented Handel&#8217;s &#8220;Messiah.&#8221; But this enduring masterpiece nearly went unwritten.\u00a0 Handel, working in his own strength, ran\u00a0 into a wall during this project.\u00a0 He was down in the blues and\u00a0 almost gave up.\u00a0 But he knew the scriptures.\u00a0 He heard God&#8217;s word, received His encouragement, was uplifted and created his\u00a0 inspired (literally) work.<\/p>\n<p>Elvis sang, &#8220;I&#8217;ll be so blue just thinking about you.&#8221;\u00a0 But The Bible\u00a0 teaches us (and Joseph shows us) that we can chase away the blues by thinking- pondering, studying, praying- about God&#8217;s wonderful gift.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<\/p>\n<p>To see other sermons, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?cat=50\" target=\"_blank\">Click Here<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Sunday the 14th, Pastor Jim continued his Advent sermon series on the\u00a0 &#8220;colors of Christmas&#8221;.\u00a0 This week, his theme was &#8220;a Blue Christmas.&#8221; Start the audio recording below, then scroll down and follow along. \u00a0 The scripture reading was from Matthew&#8217;s account of the birth.\u00a0 Matthew gives Joesph&#8217;s perspective, while Luke (last week&#8217;s passage) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[123,144,104],"class_list":["post-5080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sermons","tag-christmas","tag-godspresence","tag-help"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5080"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5080\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5220,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5080\/revisions\/5220"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}