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FROM THE PASTOR'S STUDY

Topic: Luke's Perspective of Jesus: Ch. 2 Message Outlines (Include Audio)

Luke 2:1-7 (2)

by Darrel Cline
(darrelcline biblical-thinking.org)

Chapter # 2 Paragraph # 1 Study # 2
December 19, 2004
Lincolnton, N.C.
(Download Audio)

(119)

Thesis:  When Christ entered history, He brought no rebellion against God with Him.

Introduction:  At this time of year, the debate about the celebration of "Christmas" is always reignited by those who claim that it is wrong for believers to take part in what was not originally a matter of regular celebration by the Church and what has, without debate, been turned into a deeply paganized season of serious hostility toward Christ. Covetousness is idolatry and covetousness runs amok during the Christmas season. The determined attempt to make the season "secular" by eliminating all reference to Jesus is also idolatry. So, there is some sense in which the season is extremely dangerous for the saints because we all have a tendency to be swept along by the culture with little to no regard for the need to stand in the Truth. But, it is also true that false arguments do little to nothing to help us stand in the Truth. And, there is a plethora of false arguments that are made every year at this time in order to try to create a rebellion against "Christmas" in the hearts of the saints.

In our study this morning, we are going to ignore the debate. God looks on the heart and never criticizes people who do what they do as an expression of their love for Him, and men are notorious for trying to force some kind of external conformity to their version of what constitutes "love for God". The truth is: God criticizes both idolatry and Pharisaism. But, there is a greater fact before us in the text today: God's methods of dealing with men's problems of sin seldom find a real agreement in the hearts of men.

Last week we looked at the mouse who wanted to be considered an elephant and saw that the decisions of the power hungry invariably feed their own destruction. This morning we are going to look at the typical reaction men give to the power hungry -- to see that it is not at all how we ought to react.


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This is article #120.
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