{"id":5221,"date":"2014-12-29T10:44:44","date_gmt":"2014-12-29T14:44:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=5221"},"modified":"2017-07-24T14:00:58","modified_gmt":"2017-07-24T18:00:58","slug":"a-wonder-filled-night-122414","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=5221","title":{"rendered":"A Wonder-Filled Night (12\/24\/14)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pastor<\/a>Pastor Jim’s sermon at this year’s Christmas Eve Candlelighting service\u00a0 (7:30 service) was entitled “A Wonder-Filled Night.”\u00a0 The scripture was from Luke 2:8-20.\u00a0 <\/span><\/address>\n
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Click the “Play” button, then scroll down to follow along…<\/span><\/address>\n

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 <\/p>\nhttps:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Sermon-2014-12-25b-A-Wonderfilled-Night-by-Pastor-Jim-Bolton-6kbs-stereo.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

\"Wow!<\/a>

Wow! The beauty of Candlelight on Christmas Eve<\/p><\/div>\n

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Luke 2:8-20<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.<\/p>\n

9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.<\/p>\n

10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.<\/p>\n

11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.<\/p>\n

12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”<\/p>\n

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:<\/p>\n

14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”<\/p>\n

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”<\/p>\n

16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.<\/p>\n

17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.<\/p>\n

18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.<\/p>\n

19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.<\/p>\n

20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.\n NKJV<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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Wow- Gifts…<\/span><\/h3>\n

A woman had three sons who competed with each other for her approval and attention (and maybe even for a spot in her will…).\u00a0 One Christmas, they really tried to outdo each other with gifts.<\/p>\n

Milton gave his mother a new house!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Moms Reaction<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
This house is way too big! I don’t have the energy to keep it clean.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

Gerald gave her a new Mercedes!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Moms Reaction<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
I’m too old to drive; I can’t use that car…<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

Donald gave her a parrot that recites the Bible!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Moms Reaction<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
That chicken was delicious!<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

Do you still get Wowed at Christmas?\u00a0 Does the whole truth that God left heaven, put on human flesh, just to show you and me how much He loves us… does that still amaze you???\u00a0 What about a sunset?\u00a0 Even the gifts and traditions we surround ourselves with… are we filled with wonder at Christmas?<\/p>\n

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Getting Wowed at the First Christmas…<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Mary<\/span><\/h4>\n

After the angel left, Mary was left to “ponder these things in her heart.”\u00a0 She was the only one who knew with certainty that she was a virgin; anyone else couldn’t help but doubt her story about angels and of the Holy Spirit coming upon her.\u00a0 Talk about a Wow factor!\u00a0 She was a virgin and yet was having a baby.\u00a0 She had to be worried about what would happen, but she had the faith to say “whatever God gives is good enough.”\u00a0 “Be it unto me according to your Word.”<\/p>\n

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Joseph<\/span><\/h4>\n

Joseph received a visit from an angel too.\u00a0 Don’t worry “Joe.”– God’s got this under control. If that wasn’t “Wow” enough, when the baby came along and the shepherds told them what happened, the wonder multiplied.<\/p>\n

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The Angels<\/span><\/h4>\n

They had the awesome job of telling the world, “Hey guess what- the Messiah is coming, right now!”\u00a0 All through eternity, they had been prepped for this “job.”\u00a0 And like a musician with an instrument in his hands, they couldn’t help but sing.\u00a0 And they were joined by hosts of angels in a mighty chorus of praise.\u00a0 Yes- even the Angels were filled with awe and wonder.<\/p>\n

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The Shepherds<\/span><\/h4>\n

At first it was just a normal\u00a0 night’s work for these men.\u00a0 Then all of a sudden, one angel appears and tells them that the Messiah has just been born.\u00a0 They had to wonder- what do we do with this news?\u00a0 Angels?\u00a0 Coming to us???\u00a0 And just as they began to wrap their heads around this visit by one angel, “hosts” of angels suddenly appear and treat them to a concert the likes of which they had never seen before.\u00a0 They were filled with Awe and Wonder, and their immediate reaction was to go and see this miracle for themselves.\u00a0 And then, their wonder carried them from the manger back into the hillsides to tell everyone else.<\/p>\n

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Simeon & Anna
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Eight days after the birth, Mary and Joesph followed the Jewish law and brought the Baby to the temple to be circumcised.\u00a0 By God’s providence they were met by two people, Simeon and Anna, who were prepared for the arrival of God’s Messiah and who were filled with wonder.<\/p>\n

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Simeon & Anna<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Luke2:25-58…<\/span><\/p>\n

That day a man named Simeon, a Jerusalem resident, was in the Temple. He was a good man, very devout, filled with the Holy Spirit and constantly expecting the Messiah to come soon.\u00a0 For the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen him\u2014God\u2019s anointed King.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit had impelled him to go to the Temple that day; and so, when Mary and Joseph arrived to present the baby Jesus to the Lord in obedience to the law,\u00a0 Simeon was there and took the child in his arms, praising God. \u00a0 \u201cLord,\u201d he said, \u201cnow I can die content! For I have seen him as you promised me I would. I have seen the Savior you have given to the world. \u00a0 He is the Light that will shine upon the nations, and he will be the glory of your people Israel!\u201d \u00a0 Joseph and Mary just stood there, marveling at what was being said about Jesus.\u00a0 Simeon blessed them but then said to Mary, \u201cA sword shall pierce your soul, for this child shall be rejected by many in Israel, and this to their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy of many others. And the deepest thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

36-37 Anna, a prophetess, was also there in the Temple that day. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the Jewish tribe of Asher, and was very old, for she had been a widow for eighty-four years following seven years of marriage. She never left the Temple but stayed there night and day, worshiping God by praying and often fasting. \u00a0 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she also began thanking God and telling everyone in Jerusalem who had been awaiting the coming of the Savior that the Messiah had finally arrived.<\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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As we look at these people, and as we look at everyone who came in contact with Jesus during his 33 years on the earth, we see that wherever Jesus is, wonder and awe are also there.<\/p>\n

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Getting Wowed all the Time…<\/span><\/h3>\n

But what about us? What are some of the gifts that God wants US to be “Wowed” with?\u00a0 What Christmas Wonder is in our hearts right now???\u00a0 Advent is about preparing the way so that the Christ Child can be born into our lives; so that we can experience the wonder and awe that comes with Christmas.<\/p>\n

Click the tabs below and “open some gifts”…<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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