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THE “GHOSTs” OF CHRISTMAS THAT HAUNT US

The ghost of Guilt

The ghost of Hopelessness

The ghost of Offense

The ghost of Sorrows

The ghost of Threats

THREATS – TROUBLES – TRIBULATIONS

A VERY PROBLEMATIC CHRISTMAS

THREATS

Intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage, Someone or

something that could cause trouble,

harm, danger or ruin

Mary was unmarried and pregnant

Joseph was engaged and discovers his fiancé is pregnant with a child

that was not his

When Mary was nine months pregnant, they had to travel

from Nazareth to Bethlehem

an 80 mile journey – which took almost a week

When they arrived, no lodging was available – Mary went into labor

and delivered the baby in a barn

Herod got very angry because of the Wise Men’s search for

the new king and he orders all baby boys under 2 years

of age to be killed

To escape from Herod, Joseph takes Mary and Jesus and travels to Egypt to hide

out until Herod’s death

The enemy is there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they

can have real and eternal life, more and better

life than they ever dreamed of.

(John 10:10 – The Message)

CHRISTMAS CHANGES EVERYTHING!

But the angel said to him, “Do not fear, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall call his name John. (Luke 1:13 – Living Bible)

But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has

a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his

name Jesus.(Luke 1:30-31 – Living Bible)

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying “Joseph, do

not fear to take Mary as your wife, for the child having been fathered in her

is by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20 – New Living Translation)

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared

among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the

Lord.

They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t

be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the most joyful news

ever announced, and it is for everyone!

The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in

Bethlehem! (Luke 2:8-11 – Living Bible)

THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS:

No FEAR – God’s HERE

A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called “Immanuel,”

which means “God is with us”. (Matthew 1:23 – Contemporary English Version)

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

(Psalm 46:1 – NIV)

Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I

will uphold you with my victorious right hand . . .

I am holding you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God—and I

say to you, Don’t be afraid; I am

here to help you. (Isaiah 41:10, 13 – Living Bible)

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how

can we lose?

If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and

exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son,

is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely

do for us? . . . Do you think anyone is going to be able

to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us?

There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not

hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing,

not even the worst . . .

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely

convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic,

today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or

unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s

love. (Romans 8:31, 35-39 – The Message)

JOY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF PROBLEMS AND PAIN BUT THE PRESENCE OF

GOD’S PEACE AND POWER IN OUR LIVES!

God is with us!

God is for us!

God is in us!

Christmas is good news that brings

great joy

The greatest of all Christmas PRESENTS is God’s PRESENCE!

Let’s Pray