Life With the King: A Kingdom Christmas - The Right Way to Celebrate Christmas (Romans 14:17)

Series: Life With the King

Sermon: A Kingdom Christmas: The Right Way to Celebrate Christmas

Scripture: Romans 14:17

Date: December 2, 2018

 

Last weeks' WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Spend some time in your alone time with Jesus this week thanking Him for things that a non-believer cannot thank Him for.

 

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 14:17)

He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him.  (Proverbs 27:14)

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 14:17, NKJV)

In the kingdom of God, eating and drinking are not important.  The important things are living right with God, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 14:17, NLT)

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 14:17, NCV)

We've seen that the kingdom of God is that realm of salvation where God rules as King in the hearts of those He has saved.

WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Pray about the right way to celebrate Christmas.  Memorize Romans 14:17.

The issue here is that the followers of Jesus were getting upset with each other and arguing about things that were not important.

"Not the externals, but the eternals must be first in our lives."  -Warren Wiersbe

Let's look at two correct ways to celebrate Christmas:

1. God's prescribed righteousness
   • There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.  (Luke 1:5-7)
   • What is your standard for righteousness?
   • What are the convictions that you live by?
   • A non-Christian, looking at a Christian, ought to see loving things, not arguing and fighting and talking bad about each other and lawsuits, but righteousness.  Here he is not referring so much to our righteous standing (justification) but our righteous living (sanctification).
   • We cannot hide behind our beliefs that we are convinced we rightly believe and not rightly treat each other.  Jesus will not allow for that.
   • This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  (John 15:12-14)
   • What if He (Jesus) decided to come and rescue people who were like Him?
   • "Doing good is the act that benefits other people and reveals the character of God."  -Chip Ingram
   • It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.  (Romans 14:21)
   • Love each other like brothers and sisters.  Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves.  Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart.  Be joyful because you have hope.  Be patient when trouble comes, and pray at all times.  Share with God's people who need help.  Bring strangers in need into your homes.  Wish good for those who harm you; wish them well and do not curse them.  Be happy with those who are happy, and be sad with those who are sad. (Romans 12:10-15, NLT)
   • Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  (Matthew 5:8)
2. God's provided righteousness
   • "Come, all ye drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers, adulterers, fornicators; come, all ye scoffers, harlots, thieves, and murderers, and Jesus Christ will save you; he will give you rest, if you are weary of your sins."  -George Whitefield
   • The way to get our Christmas MOJO back - is More of Jesus Only.  Christmas is about JOMO for MOJO - the Joy Of Missing Out (on all the pressure!) for More Of Jesus Only (all of His presence!)
   • "When the holidays hit this year, we're all not choosing to fall more in debt because of consumerism, but we're choosing to fall more in love because of Christ."  -Ann Voskamp
   • When the holidays hit this year, we're all not going to be hit by all the worry - we're choosing to be hushed by all His wonder.  Holy days - over hyped-up holidays.  Falling in love - over falling in debt.  Wonder - over worry.
   • The wonders of His love are everywhere - if you are in love with the wonder of Him.  This is how the brilliant live.