PEACE AMONG MEN THAT PLEASES GOD!!!

SCRIPTURE: LUKE 2:14 (NEW AMERICAN STANDARD) 

"GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE AMONG MEN WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASED."

MAIN POINT: THE ANGELIC PROCLAMATION AT THE BIRTH OF THE LORD DECLARES THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS PLEASES WITH MEN WHEN WE MAKE PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

INTRODUCTION: LET US BEGIN WITH GLORY TO GOD. GLORY INDEED. GLORY, HONOR AND PRAISE TO THE GOD OF ALL CREATION. LET US LIFT HIS NAME ON HIGH. LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT THE GLORY OF GOD AND FOUND THAT GOD’S GLORY IS REVEALED IN ALL CREATION. AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE DAY WE CELEBRATE THAT GLORIOUS INCARNATION LET US SHINE THE LIGHT OF GOD’S LOVE EVEN BRIGHTER THOUGH OUT THE EARTH.  AND THAT PLEASES GOD. WE KNOW THAT GOD WILL GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS AS WE DELIGHT IN HIM. IT IS WHEN WE WANT TO PLEASE HIM WE DISCOVER HIS GOOD PLEASURE. GOD CREATED US TO LOVE US. WHEN WE LOVE HIM IN RETURN WE DISCOVER THE UNLIMITED RICHNESS OF HIS GRACE. IT IS THAT GRACE WHICH BECAME MANIFEST WHEN HE STEPPED DOWN OUT OF HIS HEAVENLY HEIGHT TO TAKE ON THE MORTAL COIL OF LIFE AMONG HIS PEOPLE. WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT TODAY IS HOW WE CAN PLEASE HIM AND IN SO DOING BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE THE RICHNESS OF HIS GLORY.

1^ST POINT. THE ANGELIC APPEARING.

THE ANGELS OF GOD ARE HIS MESSENGERS. THE MESSAGES THEY GIVE TO US IN HIS WORD COME FROM THE HEART OF GOD. NOW, I AM NOT A PROMOTER OF THE ANGEL CRAZE THAT LEADS PEOPLE ASTRAY. WE ARE NOT TO PUT ANGELS ABOVE OUR LORD AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT SATAN OFTEN COMES TO US AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.  WHAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT IS THE FACT THAT THE BIBLE IS OUR RELIABLE SOURCE ABOUT THESE HOLY MESSENGERS. THE FIRST ANGELIC SONG OF JOY THAT I CAN FIND IN THE BIBLE IS IN THE BOOK OF JOB. IN THE 38^TH CHAPTER OF JOB, GOD ANSWERS OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND. IF YOU KNOW THE STORY OF JOB HE LOST ALL OF HIS WORLDLY POSSESSIONS AS WELL AS HIS FAMILY AND HIS HEALTH. IN THAT ALL HIS “FRIENDS” COULD DO IS FIND FAULT IN HIM. JOB IN HIS PAIN AND ANGUISH CRIES OUT TO GOD FOR AN ANSWER. IN GOD’S REPLY HE TELLS ABOUT THE ANGELS SONG OF JOY AT THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH. (JOB 38: 7) WHEN THE MORNING STARS SANG TOGETHER, AND ALL THE SONS OF GOD SHOUTED FOR JOY? 

ON THAT FIRST NOEL THE ANGELS DID SING. ONCE AGAIN THE HEAVENLY HOSTS REJOICED AT THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S SPLENDOR.  LETS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT HIS ANGELIC VISIT.

IN THE 2^ND CHAPTER OF LUKE’S GOSPEL BEGINNING AT THE 8^TH VERSE WE SEE THE RECORD OF THIS MAGNIFICENT  APPEARING.  WE FIRST NOTICE ONE ANGEL SHOWING HIMSELF TO THE SHEPHERDS. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE FEAR THAT MUST HAVE COME UPON THEM AT THAT MOMENT. THE ANGEL CALMS THEM WITH HIS SOOTHING VOICE AND GIVES THEM THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS. IT IS THEN THAT A “MULTITUDE OF THE HEAVENLY HOSTS” SUDDENLY REVEAL THEMSELVES. NOW YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW THE LONELY SHEPHERDS FELT WHEN THE ONE ANGEL CAME UPON THEM BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WORD  HOST MEANS MANY THEN A MULTITUDE OF HOSTS WOULD BE A BUNCH OF ANGELS. IF THE ONE ANGEL DIDN’T COME FIRST TO PREPARE THEM I DO NOT BELIEVE THE SHEPHERD’S HEARTS WOULD BE ABLE TO STAND THE SUDDEN APPEARING OF THE HEAVENLY HOSTS. AT TIMES I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE TODAY WOULD BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE THAT GOES ON AROUND US THOUGH OUT THE DAY. IT IS NO WONDER THAT WE GET MORE WRAPPED UP IN THE APPEARING OF THE ANGEL THEN THE MESSAGE THEY CAME TO GIVE.

2^ND POINT: THE ANGELIC MESSAGE.

LET’S TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE FIRST ANGEL’S MESSAGE. THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE.  “FEAR NOT; FOR, BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE. FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD.”

THE MESSAGE THAT THE ANGEL GAVE IS THE MESSAGE THAT MAN HAVE BEEN WAITING FOUR THOUSAND YEARS TO HEAR. SINCE THE FALL OF MAN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN WHEN GOD HIMSELF GAVE THE PROMISE OF CHRIST’S COMING.  (GEN. 3:15) “GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY.” THAT IS HOW WE SHOULD APPROACH CHRISTMAS. IT IS WITH GREAT JOY FOR ALL MANKIND THAT A SAVIOR IS BORN. AND HIS NAME IS JESUS. THE NAME ITSELF MEANS JEHOVAH SAVES. JESUS IS THE MANIFESTATION OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, THE PHYSICAL REALIZATION OF THE SPIRITUAL REALITY. LET US NEVER TAKE THIS SEASON FOR GRANTED. LET US NEVER AGAIN MISTAKE THE TINSEL FOR THE TRUTH OF GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. IT IS IN THE LIGHT OF THIS GLORIOUS ANGELIC MESSAGE THAT THE MULTITUDE OF HEAVENLY HOSTS BREAKFORTH IN THE NIGHT. IN THE SAME WAY THAT  CHRIST HIMSELF CAN BREAK FORTH IN THE DARKNESS OF OUR SOUL TO REVEAL THE HEALING TOUCH OF THE FATHER. THE SALVATION OF ALL MANKIND MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH.            

IN THIS MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE WHEN WE TOUCH THE HEART OF GOD OUR OWN FLESHLY DESIRES FILLED WITH DOUBT, FEAR AND PAIN CRY OUT FOR ANSWERS. LIKE JOB, WE CRY OUT IN OUR ANGUISH AND PAIN WHETHER IT BE PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL OR SPIRITUAL, WE LOOK TO GOD FOR THE ANSWER.

3^RD POINT:  GIVE GLORY TO GOD IN HEAVEN AND AS FAR AS THE EARTH, WELL LET THERE BE PEACE AMONG ALL MEN FOR THAT PLEASES GOD!

EVEN IN OUR PAIN WE LOOK FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME. CONFLICT IS IN OUR SINFUL NATURE. SINCE ADAM FIRST ATE THAT FORBIDDEN FRUIT AND BLAMED NOT ONLY EVE BUT ALSO INADVERTENTLY BLAMED GOD FOR GIVING HIM EVE. WE HANG ONTO RESENTMENTS WE HOLD GRUDGES WE CAN NOT EVEN FORGIVE OURSELVES. GOD CAME TOP THIS EARTH TO SAVE US FROM THE CONSEQUENCES AND THE BOND OF SIN. IT IS THAT BOND THAT KEEPS US TIED TO OUR PAIN. IT IS THE RESENTMENT AND UNFORGIVENESS THAT WE HOLD IN OUR HEARTS THAT KEEP US FROM EXPERIENCING THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S SPLENDOR. THE DEPTH OF THE CREATORS LOVE FOR US. THE RICHNESS OF HIS GLORY. THE ANGELS WERE NOT JUST SINGING A HALLELUJAH CHOIRS BUT THEY WERE GIVING US THE ANSWER OF OUR HEART.  GIVE GLORY TO GOD WHO IS IN HEAVEN. HE IS HIGHER THAN WE ARE. IN FACT HE IS THE HIGHEST. THERE IS NOTHING HIGHER, EVEN SATAN HIMSELF KNEW THAT WHEN HE SAID HE WOULD CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN AND BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH. HE KNEW THAT THERE COULD BE NOTHING HIGHER. THERE IS GLORY IN GOD WHO IS THE HIGHEST. AND US, WELL IF WE WISH TO BE IN GOD’S GOOD PLEASURE. IF WE RELY WANT TO BASK IN HIS GLORY WE NEED TO BE AT PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER. YOU ARE FORGIVEN BY THE BLOOD THAT GOD HIMSELF SHED ON CALVARY’S CROSS. NOW TO EXPERIENCE THE FULLNESS OF GODS LOVE LET US DO WHAT JESUS DID AND FORGIVE THOSE WHO DO NOT DESERVE FORGIVENESS. IF GOD CAN GIVE UP HIS HEAVENLY POSITION AND HUMBLE HIMSELF BEYOND ANYTHING ANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED. WERE YOU LAID IN A FEEDING TROTH WHEN YOU WERE FIRST BORN. HAVE YOU BEEN SPAT UPON AND BEATEN BEYOND RECOGNITION. JESUS UPON THE CROSS FORGAVE ALL THE SINS OF THE WORLD. THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS FORGIVE THOSE WHO HURT US. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF PEACE. PEACE ON EARTH AMONG ALL MEN.

CONCLUSION: DO YOU WANT ALL THE BLESSINGS OF CHRISTMAS? DO YOU WANT ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU THIS YEAR? THEN LETS LISTEN TO THE HEAVENLY HOSTS AND MAKE PEACE AMONG OUR FELLOW MEN. IN SO DOING WE WILL BE DOING WHAT JESUS DID AND WE WILL EXPERIENCE THE ANOINTING OF GOD’S GLORY.