Bro. Ashcraft outlines tools for triumph

Bro. Ashcraft outlines tools for triumph

We celebrate many things about Christmas. Trees, presents, snow, and St. Nicholas are all integral to the Christmas season. The original reason for the Christmas celebration is often a minor part of the world’s observance of Christmas. The phrase Jesus is the reason for the season has come to serve as a call to return the attention to the real reason for Christmas. The coming of Jesus was not a plan B after the failure in the garden. God had this plan worked out from the beginning of time. Under Moses’ law, dove, bull, and ram’s blood served as the price for sin, but no matter how much ram’s blood was shed, it was not enough to cover all the sins. God’s plan for the perfect lamb would pay that cost forever. Our text is the announcement of the beginning of that plan’s unfolding. Jesus is not only the reason for the Christmas season, but He is the reason for all seasons in life. No matter what circumstance or season we may be in, Jesus is the reason for that, and He is the way. The angel in our text declares that this plan is for all, not just the Jews. Jesus is here not only for Christians but for all people, no matter the state of their lives. Jesus came to save and to deliver. Jesus came on that day because the world needed a savior. He came on that day because someone today needs a savior. We are the reason that He will leave the ninety-nine. We are the reason that He will walk into the storm. We are the reason he came.

We celebrate many things about Christmas. Trees, presents, snow, and St. Nicholas are all integral to the Christmas season. The original reason for the Christmas celebration is often a minor part of the world’s observance of Christmas. The phrase Jesus is the reason for the season has come to serve as a call to return the attention to the real reason for Christmas. The coming of Jesus was not a plan B after the failure in the garden. God had this plan worked out from the beginning of time. Under Moses’ law, dove, bull, and ram’s blood served as the price for sin, but no matter how much ram’s blood was shed, it was not enough to cover all the sins. God’s plan for the perfect lamb would pay that cost forever. Our text is the announcement of the beginning of that plan’s unfolding. Jesus is not only the reason for the Christmas season, but He is the reason for all seasons in life. No matter what circumstance or season we may be in, Jesus is the reason for that, and He is the way. The angel in our text declares that this plan is for all, not just the Jews. Jesus is here not only for Christians but for all people, no matter the state of their lives. Jesus came to save and to deliver. Jesus came on that day because the world needed a savior. He came on that day because someone today needs a savior. We are the reason that He will leave the ninety-nine. We are the reason that He will walk into the storm. We are the reason he came.

We celebrate many things about Christmas. Trees, presents, snow, and St. Nicholas are all integral to the Christmas season. The original reason for the Christmas celebration is often a minor part of the world’s observance of Christmas. The phrase Jesus is the reason for the season has come to serve as a call to return the attention to the real reason for Christmas. The coming of Jesus was not a plan B after the failure in the garden. God had this plan worked out from the beginning of time. Under Moses’ law, dove, bull, and ram’s blood served as the price for sin, but no matter how much ram’s blood was shed, it was not enough to cover all the sins. God’s plan for the perfect lamb would pay that cost forever. Our text is the announcement of the beginning of that plan’s unfolding. Jesus is not only the reason for the Christmas season, but He is the reason for all seasons in life. No matter what circumstance or season we may be in, Jesus is the reason for that, and He is the way. The angel in our text declares that this plan is for all, not just the Jews. Jesus is here not only for Christians but for all people, no matter the state of their lives. Jesus came to save and to deliver. Jesus came on that day because the world needed a savior. He came on that day because someone today needs a savior. We are the reason that He will leave the ninety-nine. We are the reason that He will walk into the storm. We are the reason he came.

Our text tonight speaks of a select group of people: those who fear the Lord. Men and women who want and strive to do right. The prophet says of these righteous people that they walk in darkness. Life has its seasons of darkness, where it seems that God is nowhere near. No matter how closely we walk with God, we will all experience times of darkness in our life. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of this concept is the story of Peter walking to Jesus on the water. Peter went from a position of demonstrating great faith to sinking in less time than it took to type this sentence. God was right there to catch him. We can walk through the darkness and know that we are not alone. There is one who will walk with us in the darkness until we emerge into the light. We are not alone. That knowledge is a great comfort when we find ourselves walking in the dark.

Our text tonight speaks of a select group of people: those who fear the Lord. Men and women who want and strive to do right. The prophet says of these righteous people that they walk in darkness. Life has its seasons of darkness, where it seems that God is nowhere near. No matter how closely we walk with God, we will all experience times of darkness in our life. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of this concept is the story of Peter walking to Jesus on the water. Peter went from a position of demonstrating great faith to sinking in less time than it took to type this sentence. God was right there to catch him. We can walk through the darkness and know that we are not alone. There is one who will walk with us in the darkness until we emerge into the light. We are not alone. That knowledge is a great comfort when we find ourselves walking in the dark.

Our text tonight speaks of a select group of people: those who fear the Lord. Men and women who want and strive to do right. The prophet says of these righteous people that they walk in darkness. Life has its seasons of darkness, where it seems that God is nowhere near. No matter how closely we walk with God, we will all experience times of darkness in our life. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of this concept is the story of Peter walking to Jesus on the water. Peter went from a position of demonstrating great faith to sinking in less time than it took to type this sentence. God was right there to catch him. We can walk through the darkness and know that we are not alone. There is one who will walk with us in the darkness until we emerge into the light. We are not alone. That knowledge is a great comfort when we find ourselves walking in the dark.

Most bible scholars believe that this psalm was a participation song that reinforced the believer’s relationship with God. It indicates that there is a connection between opening our mouth and participating in worship and being connected to God. This Psalm parallels Nehemiah’s day. It is likely tied to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerelesum. Nehemiah was surrounded by hatred and opposition, but he built anyway. This psalm was probably a celebration of the favor of God they had while they continued to build. We each have a song. Only we know what God has seen us through. Only we know the victory that God had delivered to us. This psalm reminds us to sing and celebrate to the Lord, especially during troubled times. Our song is important. That is why the enemy works so hard to silence it. He knows that if we can quiet our song, it will inhibit God’s work in our life. It does not matter how much experience tries to push us down and put us in prison; the sound of our praise reaches God’s ears. Bible scholars believe that when Jesus left the last supper, He was singing this psalm. He was on His way to fulfilling his mission to die on a cross. In the next few hours, His disciples would fall asleep while He prayed. One would betray Him. He would be arrested. The disciples would deny Him and leave him. He would face Pilot and would ultimately be hung on a cross to die. With all that was ahead of Him, Jesus sang a song of victory and deliverance. Our song is powerful, and God wants to hear it from our lips.

Most bible scholars believe that this psalm was a participation song that reinforced the believer’s relationship with God. It indicates that there is a connection between opening our mouth and participating in worship and being connected to God. This Psalm parallels Nehemiah’s day. It is likely tied to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerelesum. Nehemiah was surrounded by hatred and opposition, but he built anyway. This psalm was probably a celebration of the favor of God they had while they continued to build. We each have a song. Only we know what God has seen us through. Only we know the victory that God had delivered to us. This psalm reminds us to sing and celebrate to the Lord, especially during troubled times. Our song is important. That is why the enemy works so hard to silence it. He knows that if we can quiet our song, it will inhibit God’s work in our life. It does not matter how much experience tries to push us down and put us in prison; the sound of our praise reaches God’s ears. Bible scholars believe that when Jesus left the last supper, He was singing this psalm. He was on His way to fulfilling his mission to die on a cross. In the next few hours, His disciples would fall asleep while He prayed. One would betray Him. He would be arrested. The disciples would deny Him and leave him. He would face Pilot and would ultimately be hung on a cross to die. With all that was ahead of Him, Jesus sang a song of victory and deliverance. Our song is powerful, and God wants to hear it from our lips.