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INTRO: [VIDEO: CHRISTMAS TREE FARM]
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE REAL CHRISTMAS TREES IN YOUR HOUSE? I’M TALKING ABOUT THE REAL DEAL. LIFT YOUR HAND. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ARTIFICIAL TREES, FAKE TREES? THAT’S VERY INTERESTING. ABOUT 32 MILLION REAL TREES WILL BE SOLD DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON AND ABOUT 9.2 MILLION FAKE TREES.
T.S. THE CHRISTMAS TREE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. DID YOU KNOW THE CUSTOM OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE BEGAN IN GERMANY IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 700’S, AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE CHRIST TREE? WE USE AN EVERGREEN TREE BECAUSE IS REPRESENTS LIFE, SPECIFICALLY THE LIFE OF JESUS, AND HOW HE IS ALIVE TODAY.
BUT, WHILE THE TREE IS A FOCAL POINT OF THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION, MOST OF US DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND IT’S SIGNIFICANCE. SO JUST FOR A COUPLE OF MOMENTS I WANT TO ASK YOU TO TAKE THE ZOOM LENS OF YOUR EYES AND FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF ELEMENTS, A COUPLE OF PARTICULARS, THAT MAKE UP THIS TREE BECAUSE THESE ELEMENTS AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE OUR LIVES.
LIGHTS
I GREW UP IN THE CAROLINAS AND PEOPLE IN THIS AREA OF THE COUNTRY KIND OF DIAL IT DOWN WHEN IT COMES TO CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. LESS IS MORE IS SORT OF THEIR MANTRA. WHEN I MOVED TO TEXAS I WAS BLOWN AWAY AT THE LENGTHS THAT PEOPLE WOULD GO TO IN ORDER TO DECORATE. TEXANS ARE PROS AT EXTERIOR ILLUMATION. BIG HAIR, BIG RANCHES, BIG LIGHTS. MAN, WE PUT LIGHTS EVERYWHERE, AND I’VE ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN ABACK BY THE AMOUNT OF LIGHTS AND DIFFERENT STYLE OF LIGHTS THAT CAN BE SEEN DRIVING AROUND THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA.
ILLUS: ABOUT 500 YEARS AGO, THE GREAT THEOLOGIAN MARTIN LUTHER WAS WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS THINKING AND PRAYING. AS HE LOOKED AT THE TREES IN THE FOREST HE NOTICED THE BACKDROP OF THE BEAUTIFUL STARS BEHIND THEM. HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF WOULDN’T IT BE INCREDIBLE IF WE COULD REPLICATE THAT SAME EFFECT. SO HE TOOK CANDLES AND PUT CANDLES IN THESE TREES TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THE STARS SHINING THROUGH THE BRANCHES. SO MARTIN LUTHER IS CREDITED AS BEING THE FIRST ONE TO PUT LIGHTS IN A TREE. AND ALSO, BECAUSE HE WANTED HIS KIDS TO SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL THING, HE WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE CHRISTMAS TREE FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE.
JUST AS MARTIN WANTED TO SHOW HIS CHILDREN THE BEAUTY OF THE LIGHTS ON THE TREE, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WANTS TO SHOW HIS CHILDREN THE BEAUTY AND POWER OF HIS LIGHT. THAT’S WHY JESUS SAID, “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.” [JOHN 9:5] THEN HE TURNED IT AND CHALLENGED US. HE SAID, “YOU BE THE LIGHTS OF THE WORLD.” MTT. 5:14
JESUS COMPARED HIMSELF TO LIGHT, BECAUSE DARKNESS IS OUR NATURAL STATE. WE CAN’T TURN ON OUR OWN LIGHT. WE HAVE TO RECEIVE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.
JESUS ALSO COMPARED HIMSELF TO LIGHT BECAUSE LIGHT IS SOMETHING THAT PENETRATES DARKNESS. NOT ONLY IS LIGHT PENETRATING, LIGHT IS ALSO ILLUMINATING.
ILLUS: AS I SAID EARLIER I GREW UP IN THE SOUTHEAST AND WE KIND OF LIVED OUT IN THE COUNTRY. ONE EVENING MY FATHER, ARMED ONLY WITH A LITTLE FLASHLIGHT, TOOK MY BROTHER AND ME ACROSS THE DIRT ROAD WHERE WE LIVED, THROUGH SOME WOODS AND INTO THIS LITTLE POND. AS WE WERE WATCHING THE SUN MELTING INTO THE HORIZON, DAD SAID, “LOOK, THERE’S A SNAKE IN THE WATER.” THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE SAID, “THERE’S ANOTHER ONE, ANOTHER ONE AND ANOTHER ONE.”
SNAKES WERE EVERYWHERE, DOZENS AND DOZENS OF THEM. I’LL NEVER FORGET WHAT MY FATHER SAID. HE SAID, “ED, BEN, JUMP ON MY BACK AND I’LL CARRY YOU OUT.”
ONCE WE JUMPED INTO HIS ARMS, WE FELT STRENGTH AND SECURITY. AND HE BEGAN TO CARRY US OUT. HE TURNED ON HIS FLASHLIGHT AND THAT FLASHLIGHT ILLUMINATED A PATH FOR US. WE FOUND OUR PATH THROUGH THE WOODS AND IT GUIDED US HOME. GOD WANTS TO PENETRATE OUR WORLD. HE WANTS US TO DISCOVER HIS INCREDIBLE PATH THAT HE HAS FOR OUR LIVES. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DISCOVER IT IS TO HAVE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INSIDE OF US.
THE BIBLE SAYS, “YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.” [PS. 119:105] THIS LIGHT ILLUMINATES THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE!!
LOOK AT THESE LIGHTS FOR A COUPLE OF MOMENTS. WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES SOME QUESTIONS. AM I IN DARKNESS TODAY? DO I HAVE THE LIGHT IN MY LIGHT? WITHOUT THE LIGHT, OUR LIVES ARE UNSURE AND UNCERTAIN. WE CAN’T SEE THE PATH. MAYBE YOU’RE ON THE BANKS OF LIFE AND KIND OF FEELING LIKE I WAS AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO TURN. YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN THE TREE. IT’S ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU DO WITH THE TREE.
AM I A LIGHT? AM I GIVING DIRECTION, ENERGY AND ILLUMINATION TO MY RELATIONSHIPS, TO MY MARRIAGE, TO MY CHILDREN, TO MY FRIENDS? SO MANY WHO HAVE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST IN THEIR LIVES ARE SORT OF LIKE THE FLASHING LIGHTS WE SEE – OFF AND ON, OFF AND ON. WHEN YOU’RE AROUND A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE, YOUR LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. WHEN YOU’RE IN ANOTHER VENUE, YOUR LIGHTS ARE OFF. THE TRUE LIGHT OF CHRIST IS A CONSTANT.
DECORATIONS
AREN’T THE DECORATIONS BEAUTIFUL ON THIS TREE? THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED TREE. THE DECORATIONS MAKE EVERY TREE UNIQUE, AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TASTES IN TREES, COUNTRY TREES, MODERN TREES, DESIGNER TREES, NATURAL LOOKING, WE PUT A LITTLE BIT OF OUR PERSONALITY INTO OUR TREES. LIGHTS ARE ONE THING BUT ALL THE ORNAMENTS AND THINGS ARE SOMETHING ELSE. EVERY YEAR WE ALL TRY TO GATHER TOGETHER AS A FAMILY AND PUT THE ORNAMENTS ON OUR TREE. GOD HAS ADORNED OUR LIVES AND PLACED SOME DYNAMIC DECORATIONS ON ALL OF US. WE ALL HAVE ABILITIES, GIFTS AND APTITUDES THAT ARE UTTERLY UNIQUE. GOD HAS ACCESSORIZED ALL OF OUR LIVES WITH SOME INCREDIBLE STUFF. YET MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALL THESE DECORATIONS, ALL THE TRIMMINGS AND SYMBOLS OF SUCCESS BUT ARE UNFULFILLED. YOU MAY HAVE ALL THIS STUFF BUT YOU’RE ARTIFICIAL. IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS THE LIGHT IS NOT ON. YOU’RE NOT TRULY ALIVE.
GOD HAS CREATED US ALL IN A UNIQUE WAY, AND HE HAS PUT HIS IMAGE IN EACH OF US. WE’RE ADORNED WITH UNIQUENESS; GOD’S ACCESSORIZED US IN A WAY THAT FITS EACH OF US. BUT THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU MAKING A DIFFERENCE WHERE YOU ARE? ARE YOUR DECORATIONS UNDERDEVELOPED? WE CAN NEVER REACH FULL POTENTIAL UNTIL WE GIVE IT ALL TO CHRIST. WE WILL ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE, THE SWEET SPOT, WHEN WE DO IT GOD’S WAY. IF WE DON’T, WE’LL BE A SHADOW, A FLICKER, A SHELL, A HINT, OF WHO WE COULD BE. YOU SEE, WE CAN’T DECORATE OUR OWN TREE; WE NEED TO ALLOW GOD TO DECORATE THE TREE SO OUR LIVES CAN REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND TRULY GLORIFY HIM.
ARE YOU TRULY FULFILLED IN LIFE? MANY OF US MAY LOOK WELL DECORATED FROM THE EXTERIOR BUT WHEN YOU LOOK ON THE INTERIOR WE’RE NOT REALLY ALIVE, WE’RE PHONY. DO YOU WANT TO BE THE REAL DEAL? THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN THE TREE.
STAR
SEE THIS STAR ON THE TOP OF THE TREE? GOD PUT THIS STAR IN THE PATH OF THESE SEEKING WISE MEN WHICH LEAD THEM TO THE CHRIST CHILD. PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SITUATION, IN THEIR SANDALS FOR A SECOND. IN MATTHEW 2:9-10 ELABORATES ON THIS. CAN’T YOU PICTURE THESE ANCIENT ASTROLOGERS SUDDENLY SEEING THIS MAGNIFICENT STAR? THEY WERE PROBABLY GOING NUTS BECAUSE THEY GOT TO FOLLOW THIS STAR AND HAVE A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS HIMSELF. MANY OF US IN THIS AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST. TURN BACK THE CLOCK FOR A FEW YEARS. SOME WILL HAVE TO GO WAY BACK. THINK ABOUT THE TIME IN YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU BECAME A CHRISTIAN. MAYBE YOU WERE WANDERING AROUND IN SPIRITUAL CIRCLES. MAYBE YOU WERE IN THE DEEP WEEDS. GOD, THOUGH, PUT AN EARTHBOUND STAR IN YOUR PATH TO LEAD YOU TO CHRIST. TAKE A COUPLE OF MOMENTS AND ASSIGN A SPECIFIC NAME TO THAT STAR. MAYBE IT WAS A FRIEND, A PARENT, A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER, A PASTOR, A COACH. GOD PLACED AN EARTHBOUND STAR TO LEAD YOU TO CHRIST. WHERE WOULD YOU BE WITHOUT IT?
SOME HERE ARE INVESTIGATING CHRISTIANITY. YOU COME TO CHURCH NOW AND THEN. MAYBE YOU’RE PART OF THE POINSETTIA AND LILY CROWD. YOU COME ON CHRISTMAS AND EASTER. THE BIBLE SAYS IF YOU’RE TRULY SEEKING, IF YOU’RE TRULY INVESTIGATING THAT GOD WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU. HERE’S THE COOL DEAL. GOD RIGHT NOW HAS PLACED A STAR, AN EARTHBOUND STAR IN YOUR PATH. HE’S PLACED A STAR TO POINT YOU TO CHRIST. ARE YOU FOLLOWING THAT STAR? A LOT OF PEOPLE SAW THIS STAR BUT ONLY THE WISE MEN TURNED AND FOLLOWED THE STAR. YOU MIGHT BE SAYING, “WELL, THIS EARTHBOUND STAR IS MY SPOUSE. OR MAYBE IT’S A FRIEND. OR MAYBE THE EARTHBOUND STAR IS THE PERSON THAT INVITED YOU TO THIS SERVICE OR MAYBE IT’S ME. ONCE YOU FOLLOW THE STAR, AND THE STAR IS THE GUIDE THAT LEADS YOU TO CHRIST, AND THE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS WEEK SEEK THAT PERSON OUT AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP OUT THERE, A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
YOU MAY HAVE ALL THE TRIMMINGS AND TRAPPINGS OF SUCCESS BUT YOU STILL FEEL UNFULFILLED. THERE’S NOTHING THERE. AND GOD HAS PLACED ALL OF THESE STARS IN OUR LIVES, BUT YOU’VE BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. GOD’S POINTING YOU TO CHRIST WITH A STAR BUT MANY ARE REBELLING AND GOING THE OTHER WAY. RESPOND TO THE STARS GOD HAS PUT IN YOUR LIFE, AND THEN YOU CAN BECOME A STAR TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE STARS WHO HAVE PERFORMED HERE AT AAC. THOSE STARS CAN’T HOLD A CANDLE TO THE STAR THAT POINTS US TO LIGHT, TO TRUTH, TO LIFE THAT LAST FOREVER.
ILLUS: I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAS HAD MANY STARS IN HIS LIFE. HE HAS BEEN SHOWN THE LIGHT OF TRUTH OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT HE HAS NOT RESPONDED. HE’S BASICALLY DISSED THESE STARS GOD HAS PLACED IN HIS PATH. AND AS A RESULT HE’S UNFULFILLED AND UNCERTAIN.
WHAT IF THE WISEMEN HAD IGNORED THE STAR 2000 YEARS AGO? HAS GOD PLACED A STAR IN YOUR LIFE? DON’T IGNORE THE STAR, BECAUSE THE STAR SHOWS YOU THE WAY TO THE TREE.
GIFTS
LOOK AT THE GIFTS. ALL OF US ARE WIRED FOR GIFTS. HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE THE DESIRE TO GIVE AND RECEIVE PRESENTS. ISN’T THAT STRANGE? REALLY IT’S NOT STRANGE BECAUSE WE’RE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. WE HAVE A GOD WHO IS INTO GIVING. ANIMALS DON’T HAVE THIS DESIRE. I’VE NEVER SEEN A HORSE OR AN OSTRICH OR A WATER MOCCASIN WRAP A GIFT OR GIVE A GIFT TO SOMEONE. IT JUST DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY. THE ONLY GIFT I’VE SEEN AN ANIMAL GIVE (LIKE A DOG OR A COW) IS THE KIND YOU CAN PICK UP IN A SHOVEL.
THE ESSENCE THOUGH OF KNOWING CHRIST IS GIVING. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE. BASICALLY, GOD STROLLED DOWN THE STAIRCASE OF HEAVEN WITH A BABY IN HIS ARMS AND GAVE US JESUS.
ILLUS: FOR MY SON’S 13TH BIRTHDAY I SURPRISED HIM AND TOOK HIM ON A TRIP. WE WENT TO NEW YORK. I HAD SOME THINGS TO DO UP THERE SO WE SPENT THE NIGHT AND CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN NEW YORK, EJ WAS ADMIRING THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THAT INCREDIBLE CITY. HIS FIRST STATEMENT BEGAN WITH THE TWO WORDS ‘I WANT’. HE SAID, “DAD, I WANT TO BUY PRESENTS FOR MOM AND MY THREE SISTERS.” HE SAID, “I WANT TO GIVE.” IT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY, BUT HE SAID ‘I WANT TO GIVE.’
THAT’S WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING. CHRISTMAS IS CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY. HE DIDN’T SAY I WANT. NO, THE SENTENCE WENT ON. HE SAID, “I WANT TO GIVE.” JOHN 3:16; ROMANS 6:23; EPHES. 2:8; 2 COR. 9:15, “THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT!”)
AND JESUS HAS GIVEN US THE ULTIMATE GIFT. DURING THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON GIFTS. THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT, BASICALLY, DOES TWO THINGS. IT EXPRESSES THE PERSONALITY OF THE GIVER, AND IT MEETS THE NEED OF THE RECIPIENT. GOD HAS GIVEN US A GIFT THAT REFLECTS HIS PERSONALITY. ALSO, HE HAS GIVEN A GIFT THAT MEETS OUR NEEDS. IF WE NEEDED INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE, HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN US A TEACHER. IF WE NEEDED TECHNOLOGY, HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN US A COMPUTER TECHNICIAN. IF WE HAD NEEDED MONEY, HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN US AN ECONOMIST. IF WE NEEDED PLEASURE, HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN US AN ENTERTAINER. WE NEED FORGIVENESS, AND HE GAVE US A SAVIOR.
T.S. EVERYWHERE WE GO AT CHRISTMASTIME, WE SEE ALL OF THESE TREES, THE STARS, THE LIGHTS, THE DECORATIONS, THE GIFTS. CHRISTMAS TREES ARE EVERYWHERE. THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE’RE CONFRONTED BY THE TREE. BUT THERE’S ANOTHER KIND OF TREE THAT CONFRONTS ALL OF US.
THE TREE
DO YOU REALIZE THAT JESUS NEVER ASKED US TO REMEMBER HIS BIRTH. HE ONLY ASKED US TO REMEMBER HIS DEATH. WHY? BECAUSE ONLY HIS DEATH SAVES. THIS TREE, THIS CHRISTMAS TREE, WAS KNOWN AS THE CHRIST TREE. A TREE REPRESENTS LIFE. A TREE TAKES CARBON DIOXIDE AND THROUGH PHOTOSYNTHESIS PRODUCES OXYGEN. OXYGEN THEN GIVES US THE ABILITY TO LIVE. THE CHRIST TREE GIVES US THE OXYGEN TO LIVE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIFE OF JESUS IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TREE. HE WAS BORN IN A MANGER, MADE FROM A TREE. HE WAS A CARPENTER. HE KNEW HOW TO WORK WITH WOOD, TO DO EVERYTHING FROM THE FOUNDATION WORK TO THE FINISH OUT. AND ULTIMATELY HE DIED ON A WOODEN CROSS ON A TREE FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE. 1 PETER 2:24 SAYS, 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
CHRISTMAS SIMPLY SAID IS THIS. IT MATTERS SO MUCH TO GOD THAT HE LEFT HIS HOME IN HEAVEN TO BE BORN IN AN EARTHLY HOME, TO LIVE A PERFECT LIFE, TO DIE A SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON A TREE FOR EVERYTHING WE’VE EVER DONE, ARE DOING OR WILL DO WRONG. GOD CAN’T WINK AT SIN. HE CAN’T SKIM OVER IT. HE DOESN’T GRADE ON A COSMIC CURVE. HE’S INFALLIBLE, AND WE’RE FALLIBLE. SINCE HE’S PERFECT, THERE HAS TO BE A PAYMENT FOR OUR SINS AND CHRIST WAS THAT PAYMENT. RIGHT BEFORE CHRIST DIED, HE SAID, “IT’S FINISHED. THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE. THE PRICE HAS BEEN PAID.”
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TREE SO AT EVERY INTERCHANGE, AT EVERY CONNECTION, WE’RE CONFRONTED BY THE CROSS, THE CHRIST TREE. I ASK YOU, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE TREE? THERE’S NO MIDDLE GROUND. THERE’S NO LIMBO. THERE’S NO DEAL CUTTING. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE TREE?
IT’S SORT OF IRONIC, DURING THE HOLIDAYS; WE TAKE THE TREE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND PUT IT ON THE INSIDE. THAT’S WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. IN OUR DARKNESS, AS WE FOLLOW AND RESPOND TO THAT STAR, IT POINTS US TO THE CHRIST TREE, AND WE MOVE THE TREE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND PUT IT ON THE INSIDE. AND THE MOMENT WE MOVE THE TREE FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE, THE LIGHTS COME ON AND WE RECEIVE THE ULTIMATE GIFT, A GIFT THAT TURNS UNCERTAINTY TO CERTAINTY, UNFULFILLMENT TO FULFILLMENT, AND DEATH TO LIFE. THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE TREE?
AFTER THE PRAYER AT THE END OF SERMON:
THE STAND
ILLUS: THE WEEKEND AFTER THANKSGIVING, MY FAMILY TRADITIONALLY BEGINS TO GET READY FOR CHRISTMAS. YOU KNOW, WE DECK THE HALLS AND LIGHT THE LIGHTS AND PUT UP THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND ALL THAT. WELL, AS I WENT TO OUR STORAGE AREA TO GET OUT OUR ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE AND STARTED TO SET IT UP, I DISCOVERED A PROBLEM. I COULD NOT FIND THE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND, SO I COULDN’T PUT UP THE TREE. I HAD THE TRUNK AND THE LIMBS AND ALL THAT STUFF BUT I DIDN’T HAVE THE STAND. WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC STAND THAT WAS FOR THAT SPECIFIC ARTIFICIAL TREE, THE TREE WOULD NOT STAND UP. SO I HAD TO GO OUT AND BUY A NEW CHRISTMAS TREE.
WE RARELY THINK ABOUT THE STAND WHEN WE’RE LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS TREES, DO WE? WE LOOK AT THE LIGHTS, THE ORNAMENTS, THE STAR AND ALL THAT, BUT THE LITTLE STAND AT THE BOTTOM GETS OVERLOOKED. WITHOUT IT, THOUGH, THE CHRISTMAS TREE CANNOT FULLY REALIZE ITS PURPOSE.
LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. ARE YOU REALIZING YOUR PURPOSE, YOUR FULL POTENTIAL, IN THIS ONE AND ONLY LIFE? HOW DO YOU DO THAT, HOW DO I DO THAT? IT IS THROUGH THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS THE STAND THAT HOLDS THE TREE UP FOR THE WORLD TO SEE AND NOURISHES OUR LIFE IN CHRIST.
CHRIST SAID HE WOULD BUILD HIS KINGDOM ON THE ROCK OF THE CHURCH AND THE GATES OF HELL WOULD NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT. IF YOUR LIFE IS NOT GROUNDED IN THE LOCAL CHURCH, YOU WILL NEVER REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL IN THIS LIFE. YOU WILL NEVER FIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS, RELATIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY, EMOTIONALLY, FINANCIALLY. THE CHURCH IS THE PLACE WHERE WE CAN SHOWCASE OUR GIFTS. IT IS THE STAND THAT SUPPORTS OUR LIFE IN CHRIST.
I PRAY, IF YOU ARE NOT ORBITING YOUR LIFE AROUND THE CHURCH, THAT TODAY WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF A NEW CHAPTER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE AT FELLOWSHIP CHURCH. WHETHER YOU’RE SINGLE, MARRIED, A STUDENT, THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU. ON JANUARY 15-16, WE HAVE NEW SATELLITE CAMPUSES OPENING UP, SO WHETHER YOU’RE CLOSE TO GRAPEVINE OR UPTOWN OR THE PLANO/NORTH DALLAS AREA, WE WANT YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN THE GREATEST THING GOING THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN, THE LOCAL CHURCH.
ILLUS: MIKE MEDANO PLAYS FOR THE DALLAS STARS, HE’S A PHENOMENAL PLAYER. BUT WHAT IF HE SAID, ‘I’M A PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYER BUT I DON’T PLAY FOR A TEAM.’ YOU’D SAY, ‘COME AGAIN, YOU AREN’T A HOCKEY PLAYER IF YOU DON’T PLAY FOR A NHL TEAM.’ YOU’D THINK HE WAS A LITTLE TOUCHED, A LITTLE CRAZY.
WELL, MANY, MANY PEOPLE SAY, “YEAH, I’M A CHRISTIAN BUT I DON’T GO TO CHURCH.” THAT MATH DOESN’T WORK. THAT DOG WON’T HUNT. IF YOU SAY YOU’RE A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, YOU NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO A LOCAL CHURCH. AND, I MAY BE A LITTLE BIASED, BUT I THINK FELLOWSHIP CHURCH IS ONE OF THE BEST CHURCHES AROUND AND A GREAT PLACE FOR YOU TO BE CONNECTED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE NO FOUNDATION, THAT YOUR LIFE IS UNSTABLE? THEN I INVITE YOU, I CHALLENGE YOU, TO BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF A LOCAL CHURCH THIS COMING YEAR AND, I PROMISE, YOU’LL BE AMAZED AT WHAT GOD DOES IN YOUR LIFE.