Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes
Luke 2:1-7, Cor. 2 8:9
“If you had $100.00 to give, who will you give it to?” Jake Bellow
“Well might the sun be turned to dying embers, the Moon lose her beauty, the Stars cause to shine, or the Ocean lose her mystery as to read that the Son of God was born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. He who made darkness a swaddling band for the Seas was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.” Dr. R.E. Lee
I: Gifts of Men.
1. Expensive and wrapped so.
2. Some will cost a small fortune.
3. The Credit Departments will do a landslide business.
4. Christians may be so pressed to pay Christmas bills that the Church of Christ will suffer with it’s bills.
5. Buy cash or buy time, expensive or inexpensive gifts will be given.
II: “He was Rich.” Cor. 2 8:9
1. He could have given material gifts unmatched.
a. “The cattle on 1,000 hills are mind.” Psa. 50:1
b. “The Earth is Lords and the fullness thereof, the World and they that dwell therein.” Psa. 24:1
2. He could have and did give man a whole world.
3. But what good is material things to a dead man?
III: “He became Poor.” Cor. 2 8:9.
1. Of humble and poor parent.
2. The poorest of places to be born.
3. People didn’t stand in cold rain awaiting the news of his birth.
4. No well trained world famous Doctor to attend Mary.
5. No prestige, no power of kings, or armies.
6. He had no place to call his own, he borrowed a donkey, crucified on a borrowed cross, borrowed grave.
7. Yet the date lines of earth are bent around his cradle.
8. Millions have been made rich through his gift.
IV: “Yet thru His Poverty Might be Rich.”
1. Who is really rich? What do you count riches?
2. If you were on your road to Hell what gift would you want?
3. Peace of mind and heart! Lambs book of life.
4. Joy and happiness, Queen of England: “I’d give my million dollars to laugh like that.”
5. When the Sands of Time ran out, God’s gift is just beginning to bless those who have received it!
The greatest gift is yours when you Repent.
Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes
Well might the sun be turned to dying embers, the moon lose her beauty, the stars cease to twinkle or the Ocean lose her mystery, as to read that the Son of God was born in a Manger and wrapped in Swaddling clothes. He who made darkness a swaddling band for the seas was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a Manger. Gifts we give! Gaudy Jenail of Christmas.
I: The Humble Birth.
1. Humble and poor parent.
2. The poorest of places, No Place.
3. There was no great doctors to care for mother and child.
4. People did not stand in the driving rain to receive the news.
5. No wealth, no power of Earth, no trumpet of man.
6. Like the 1st flowers of Spring, He came quietly as far as Mans preparation was concerned.
7. Yet the date lines of the World bent around that manger.
II: “He became Poor.” Price He Paid. Cor. 1 8:9
1. The wealth of the Universe was his.
2. The riches unknown to man.
3. He had no place to lay his head.
4. He had no money to pay his taxes.
5. He borrowed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem.
6. He left no Estate to his mother.
7. Yet millions became richer than Millionaires.
III: He Gave Up the Glory of Heaven. John 17.
1. Glory with the Father.
2. The worship of Angels.
3. The command of the Universe.
4. He tasted life as man knew it except for sin. How much it cost him to redeem us, Christmas cost Jesus a great price.
IV: “His Own Received Him Not.”
1. No room in the Inn.
2, No room in the Temple.
3. No room in Politics.
4. The Same today much of World Atheist.
“But as Many as received him…”
Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes
“Well might the Sun turn to dying embers, the Moon lose her beauty, the Stars cease to twinkle, or the Ocean lose her mystery, as to read that the Son of God was born in a Manger and wrapped in Swaddling Clothes. He who made darkness a Swaddling band for the Seas was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a Manger.” Luke 2:1-7, Cor 2 9:6-15
I: God’s Gift was not Fancy Wrapped.
1. The beauty of Man’s gifts.
2. The Spirit in which they are given.
3. The heartache the gifts may bring.
4. God’s gift:
a. Not attended by Earth wealth.
b. Not hailed by the Potentates of Earth.
c. Unannounced by Religious leaders.
d. Just plain wrapped, announced by Angels to Plain people.
II: No Room for God’s Gift. Here is the Real Test of Life.
1. No room in leading Religions.
2. No room in Political circles. Herod tried to kill him.
3. The Ancient World was more occupied with taxes than God’s gift.
4. At no time during his 33 years did the leaders and religious people make much room for him.
5. The World that received him on a pallet of straw thrashed him out on the point of a Roman Spear.
III: So Little Room for Him in our World.
1. The great masses of People under the rule of Communist.
2. Governments that profess Atheistic Laws as their Guide.
a. There is no God. No absolute standard of Truth.
b. Man is a Material Machine, matter in motion, nothing more. Man has no soul, no spirit, no future life. He is entirely an evolutionary product man is no more than an animal.
c. Man is only an expression of environment. They believe they can change the lepers spots by changing his environment.
3. America is more pagan than at any time in our history. 200 million with 60 % never given time or talent to God.
4. California 20 million, 14 mill. had no room for God. Our schools accepted the Mandate of the Supreme Court goaded by an Atheist that we no longer pray or read the Bible.
IV: But as Many as Received Him.
1. Shepherds — Mary, Joseph, Zacharia, and Anna, Simon.
2. Millions now have made room for him.
3. Jesus said they would be the salt of the Earth, the Light of the World.
4. Behold I stand at the door and knock… Rev. 3:20.
5. He became poor that was might be rich.
6. What is real wealth?
7. God’s gift must be received.
Every Man has become a Law unto himself. We have sown to the Wind and are REaping the whirlwind. The booze crowd and pleasure and Entertainment find nothing sacred. We lead the World in Suicides. Our house may be left to us Empty.