Christ Insight

Based on: Revelation 12:1-6

Have you ever witnessed a car accident?  Your perspective can make a big difference in how you think about what happened.  Imagine that you were just at an intersection and you saw a car coming from your right.  It swerved out of its lane and hit a car coming from the other direction.  Perhaps you think how foolish it was for the one driver to not pay attention.

But what if you saw the accident from another perspective?  What if you were looking down from above and you saw the little boy get away from his mother and run toward the street?  You would understand why the driver swerved out of his lane.  What if your perspective even included the thoughts of this driver as he recognized that little boy as his own?  Your broader perspective helps you better understand the event.

Now let me ask, “With what perspective do you watch the events of Christmas?”  Is it from the side, is it from above, or do you know what God thinks about Christmas?

Based on: Philippians 4:4-7

Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas is coming – two times when family and friends like to get together.  Are there people you look forward to seeing?  People who bring a little joy to the gathering?  I remember as a kid I looked forward to seeing my Uncle Joe.  His gregarious smile and humorous wit added to the joy of the occasion.  We looked forward to seeing him.  I even remember some of the things he said.  For example, as he was leaving sometimes he would say, “I'm glad you got to see me.”  He was just teasing us – I think.

Based on: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Think about Job for a minute – that man that God allowed Satan to test so severely.  Do you admire his faith?  Job suffered so much in a short period of time.  He lost all his wealth.  His children were all killed in one tragic accident.  He suffered from a painful skin disease.  On top of all that his friends caused even more suffering by telling him that it was all his fault.  The amazing thing about Job is that in spite of all his suffering he held on to the promise that the Lord Jesus was coming.  He didn't know that his name would be Jesus, but the coming of his Savior was the one thing greater than all of his suffering.  So he couldn't help but exclaim, " I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God."

Based On: Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11

I was poor.  I was completely and utterly destitute.  I had nothing – not even hope.  You couldn’t tell by looking at me but it was true – I was poor.  I was longing for some good news – just a little bit of hope.  You were poor too.  You were in exactly the same condition I was – poor and destitute.

God told me, “You must love me perfectly.  Every single moment of every single day I should be the most important thing in your life.  You must serve me in everything you do.  This is what you must do to be holy – and you must be holy because I am holy.  Anything less will be justly punished.”   He tells you that too.  I knew I had failed already.  The burden of this command made my knees buckle and back give out.  It made my heart break.  I had no hope, only hell because I couldn’t pay the price.  I was poor.  So were you.

Based on: Mark 1:1-8

Someday, off in the future, it just might happen that the President of the United States comes to Sleepy Eye.  I don't know who the President will be when that happens, but you can be sure that if and when it does happen, someone will come ahead of him to make sure everything is ready.

This person will need to prepare the town of Sleepy Eye for the arrival of the President.  He will make sure the road is suitable for the President to travel on.  He will make sure people will show up to listen to the President when he stops to speak.  Of course he will also make sure everything is safe for the President so that no one is able to hurt the President.

Based on: Mark 13:32-37

Did you ever wonder just how the wise men from the east knew to watch for the savior? How did they know when they saw that special star in the sky that the “King of the Jews” had been born?  Some suggest the prophet Daniel, an exile in Babylon, told the wise men of Babylon about the promised Savior more than 500 years before Christ was born.

Based on:  Matthew 1:18-25

In our gospel for today, we read about Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph.  What was going through Joseph's mind? What kind of emotional ups and downs did he experience at that time before Jesus was born? First, he was going to get married, and that in itself would cause excitement and anticipation.  But then he finds out that his wife-to-be seems to have been unfaithful.  She is pregnant.  How can this be? Matthew tells us that Joseph was a righteous man, and I don't think he would've picked a wife that wasn't also a God-fearing person.  Mary certainly didn't seem like the type that would cheat on him, but eventually he decides that he will break their engagement promise and send her away quietly.

Based on:  Matthew 11:2-11

Have you been keeping an eye on the Christmas tree at your house? Have you been waiting and watching for that one package to appear under the tree with your name on it, that gift you've been looking forward to getting? Perhaps you are not looking for anything specific this year, but sometimes there is something very specific you need or want.

Based on:  Matthew 3:1-12

What would you think if you saw someone in strange clothes, someone who only ate grasshoppers and whatever he could find in the wild.  What would you think if his message was basically, "repent for the kingdom of God is near"?  Apparently many people thought that John the Baptist was worth taking time to go see.  People walked for miles from all around to see John and hear him preach.  By telling the people to repent he was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah that said he would be the voice of one calling in the desert, "Prepare the way for the Lord."  That is exactly what repentance does.  It is the way you are prepared for the Lord's coming.  Remember last week we talked about Jesus and his coming and that it could happen at any moment.  Today we look at John the Baptist and his message of repentance because now, just as it was at John’s time, the way to prepare for the Lord's coming is through repentance.

Based on:  Matthew 24:37-44

Well, are you looking forward to spring? Maybe this recent snowfall isn't all that bad.  As we go through January and February and when we get to March, do you think you'll be anticipating spring? Do you think that you will be looking forward to that first warm day? You probably will not know exactly what day that will be or when that last snowfall of the winter will happen, but you'll be watching for it and by the time that day comes, you will probably be ready for it to come.