Bible Text: Luke 2:10 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Bern\u00adhard Hohl | Series: Advent 2019 | Did the main par\u00adti\u00adci\u00adpan\u00adts fall into a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal depres\u00adsi\u00adon after the birth in Beth\u00adle\u00adhem? Not at all! The expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces of tho\u00adse days and nights con\u00adtin\u00adued to move them and they lived on for months and years. And what about us? Does Christ\u00admas live on in us into a new year? <\/p>\n
We are at the peak of the 2019 Christ\u00admas cele\u00adbra\u00adti\u00adons! Some events are alre\u00ada\u00addy behind us; others we still have ahead of us. We con\u00adti\u00adnue to cele\u00adbra\u00adte hap\u00adpi\u00adly with rela\u00adti\u00adves, fri\u00adends and fami\u00adly. This is beau\u00adtiful every year. It is a time we look for\u00adward to again and again, every year! But then, in the ever\u00ady\u00adday life of the new year, Christ\u00admas is quick\u00adly for\u00adgot\u00adten, even if the lights on the bal\u00adc\u00ado\u00adny or in the gar\u00adden shi\u00adne for a long time. Quick\u00adly for\u00adgot\u00adten, becau\u00adse in Decem\u00adber 2020 it will be Christ\u00admas again. But in the new year, the first thing that comes is the after\u00admath: The was\u00adte paper has to go, and so do the bot\u00adt\u00adles that have accu\u00admu\u00adla\u00adted. Many peo\u00adp\u00adle will then have to deal with the bath\u00adroom sca\u00adles for a litt\u00adle lon\u00adger! The fit\u00adness temp\u00adles will be over\u00adc\u00adrow\u00added and wal\u00adkers will noti\u00adce how many jog\u00adgers are out and about at the begin\u00adning of the year. Bible Text: Luke 2:10 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Bern\u00adhard Hohl | Series: Advent 2019 | Did the main par\u00adti\u00adci\u00adpan\u00adts fall into a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal depres\u00adsi\u00adon after the birth in Beth\u00adle\u00adhem? Not at all! The expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces of tho\u00adse days and nights con\u00adtin\u00adued to move them and they lived on for months and years. And what about us? Does Christ\u00admas live on in us in a\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[35],"wpfc_sermon_series":[62],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-bernhard-hohl","wpfc_sermon_series-advent-2019","wpfc-sermon-single","post-2615","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","hentry","wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"],"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nChrist\u00admas \u2013 what then? What actual\u00adly hap\u00adpen\u00aded at that time with Mary and Joseph with the child? The Christ\u00admas sto\u00adry in Luke, chap\u00adter 2, beg\u00adins with the words: \u00abNow it came to pass in tho\u00adse days\u2026\u00bb and con\u00adcludes at the end of the chap\u00adter with the remark: \u00abJesus grew up; he was a strong child, fil\u00adled with wis\u00addom, and God\u2019s grace res\u00adted on him\u00bb (Luke 2:40 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Item. So that was it! But what hap\u00adpen\u00aded next? Thanks to the Gos\u00adpel of Matthew, we know about the flight into Egypt and also about the return to Naza\u00adreth. But then we hear not\u00adhing more! Jesus is sim\u00adply allo\u00adwed to be a child; and as a youth and carpenter\u2019s son, he then hel\u00adped out with his father! It takes no less than 30 years until Jesus appears in public. 30 years is a long time when you are wai\u00adting for some\u00adthing! Did the peo\u00adp\u00adle of that time also quick\u00adly for\u00adget the extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adry birth in Beth\u00adle\u00adhem? Who of us still knows what hap\u00adpen\u00aded 30 years ago in 1990? When Jesus began to pro\u00adcla\u00adim the King\u00addom of God, the expec\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon of the Mes\u00adsiah was still very gre\u00adat among the peo\u00adp\u00adle of God. The pro\u00admi\u00adses were still well remem\u00adbe\u00adred. What hel\u00adped the peo\u00adp\u00adle at that time to keep the expec\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon ali\u00adve? We are also wai\u00adting! We are wai\u00adting for the return of our Lord and Saviour. How can we keep this expec\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon ali\u00adve over all the deca\u00addes of our lives? One ans\u00adwer is: with the help of the Christ\u00admas sto\u00adry! What is so uni\u00adque, so valuable and so encou\u00adra\u00adging about this story?
\n1. it shows God\u2019s great\u00adness and omnipotence
\nThe angel who announ\u00adces to Mary her \u00abimpos\u00adsi\u00adble\u00bb pregnan\u00adcy tells her about Eliza\u00adbeth, her rela\u00adti\u00adve who is bar\u00adren and old, that she is now six months pregnant and then says: With God no thing is impos\u00adsi\u00adble. That\u2019s how our God is! He moved the Roman Emper\u00ador Augus\u00adtus to do some\u00adthing that had never been done befo\u00adre in the Roman Empire: a cen\u00adsus! \u00abThe\u00adre had never been such a cen\u00adsus befo\u00adre. It was taken when Qui\u00adri\u00adni\u00adus was gover\u00adnor in Syria\u00bb (Luke 2:2 Hfa).
\nGod arran\u00adged for Joseph and Mary to come to Beth\u00adle\u00adhem! The events sur\u00adroun\u00adding the birth in Beth\u00adle\u00adhem were announ\u00adced seve\u00adral cen\u00adtu\u00adries in advan\u00adce and God has kept his word over this long peri\u00adod of time. He is the one who moves the world! Not\u00adhing is impos\u00adsi\u00adble with him. It is easier to wait for some\u00adthing that is sure to hap\u00adpen! God also moves the stars! The\u00adre was a very spe\u00adcial con\u00adstel\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon of stars in the sky at that time that set the three wise men from the east in moti\u00adon! They want to see the new\u00adborn King! They do not want to miss this sen\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon. They bring gifts, wit\u00adhout which Joseph could hard\u00adly have finan\u00adced the jour\u00adney to Egypt. God pro\u00advi\u00addes for his people!
\n2. God reve\u00ada\u00adled Hims\u00adelf in the cour\u00adse of the Christ\u00admas sto\u00adry through the angels, His ser\u00advants and also through the Holy Spirit.
\nAccor\u00adding to what Mary heard from Eliza\u00adbeth through the angel, she goes and visits her. In the pro\u00adcess, Eliza\u00adbeth is fil\u00adled with the Holy Spi\u00adrit. \u00abWhen she ente\u00adred the house and gree\u00adted Eliza\u00adbeth, Elizabeth\u2019s child leapt in his mother\u2019s womb, and Eliza\u00adbeth was fil\u00adled with the Holy Spi\u00adrit\u00bb (Luke 1:40\u201341 NL<\/span>). Then we read of many ange\u00adlic encoun\u00adters: Three times an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. Mary once, not in a dream, in a direct encoun\u00adter, as also with the she\u00adp\u00adherds in the field. A who\u00adle host of angels sud\u00adden\u00adly gathe\u00adred around the angel with the she\u00adp\u00adherds: \u00abSud\u00adden\u00adly the angel was sur\u00adroun\u00added by the hea\u00adven\u00adly host, and they all prai\u00adsed God\u00bb (Luke 2:13 NL<\/span>). Honest\u00adly, I would have loved to have been the\u00adre. The\u00adre is one more expe\u00adri\u00adence to men\u00adti\u00adon: Sime\u00adon lived with the pro\u00admi\u00adse of the Holy Spi\u00adrit that he would not die until he saw Christ, his Lord. And on a hint from the Holy Spi\u00adrit, he went to the temp\u00adle on the very day when Mary and Joseph were also the\u00adre. That was an expe\u00adri\u00adence for him, to then hold the child in his arms. \u00abNow I can die peaceful\u00adly,\u00bb he says, \u00abfor my eyes have seen the Saviour, the light that shi\u00adnes on all god\u00adless peo\u00adp\u00adle.\u00bb Angels are the ser\u00advants of God. Angels exist \u2013 wit\u00adhout a doubt. They are rea\u00adli\u00adty. With us it is more the Holy Spi\u00adrit who speaks to us and gui\u00addes us through life with Jesus. His near\u00adness helps us to wait!
\nChrist\u00admas is a sto\u00adry with a message!
\nFrom Mary we can learn to take God\u2019s word into our hearts and move it in our hearts. Mary came to hear many things in tho\u00adse days: From the angel: He will be gre\u00adat and will be cal\u00adled the Son of the Most High. \u00abThe Lord God will place him on the thro\u00adne of his father David. He will reign over Isra\u00adel fore\u00adver, and his king\u00addom will never fall!\u00bb (Luke 1:32\u201333 NL<\/span>). The she\u00adp\u00adherds tell Mary what the angels told them: \u00abDo not be afraid! I bring good news for all peo\u00adp\u00adle! The Saviour \u2013 yes, Christ the Lord \u2013 has been born today!\u00bb (Luke 2:10\u201311 NL<\/span>). Of cour\u00adse, the she\u00adp\u00adherds also tell her how the host of angels wor\u00adship\u00adped God: \u00abGlo\u00adry to God in the hig\u00adhest hea\u00adven, and peace on earth to all peo\u00adp\u00adle in whom God is well plea\u00adsed\u00bb (Luke 2:10\u201314 NL<\/span>). Joseph told Mary what the angel said to him: \u00abJoseph, son of David, do not hesi\u00adta\u00adte to mar\u00adry Mary. For the child she is expec\u00adting is from the Holy Spi\u00adrit. She will give birth to a son. You are to give him the name Jesus, for he will free his peo\u00adp\u00adle from all sin\u00bb (Matthew 1:20\u201321 NL<\/span>). From Sime\u00adon she hears him pray, \u00abLord, now I can die in peace! As you pro\u00admi\u00adsed me, I have seen the Saviour you gave to all peo\u00adp\u00adle. He is a light who will reve\u00adal God to the nati\u00adons, and he is the glo\u00adry of your peo\u00adp\u00adle Isra\u00adel\u00bb (Luke 2:29\u201332 NL<\/span>).
\nAll the\u00adse words Mary took into her heart and moved, rol\u00adled! Can God\u2019s Word still move us and occu\u00adpy us, so that it beco\u00admes more and more pre\u00adcious to us. We have it good! We have the who\u00adle Bible. We can read ever\u00ady\u00adthing God has said in the Old and New Tes\u00adta\u00adments. Don\u2019t we have it very good while we wait? Of cour\u00adse, ever\u00adyo\u00adne invol\u00adved in the Christ\u00admas sto\u00adry told their expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces to others. This went like wild\u00adfi\u00adre through the world of that time. Thus Mary, Joseph, Sime\u00adon and Han\u00adnah beca\u00adme ambassa\u00addors of the good news. This encou\u00adra\u00adged the peo\u00adp\u00adle to keep wai\u00adting. Tho\u00adse who are allo\u00adwed to have such a spe\u00adcial expe\u00adri\u00adence tell ever\u00adyo\u00adne about it and do it again and again \u2013 all their lives! We should never for\u00adget that: We have some\u00adthing to say! We have some\u00adthing to tell! The Apost\u00adle Paul says it this way: \u00abThus we are ambassa\u00addors of Christ, and God uses us to speak through us. We ask fer\u00advent\u00adly, as if Christ were doing it per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly: be recon\u00adci\u00adled to God!\u00bb (2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 5:20 NL<\/span>). We all have our par\u00adti\u00adcu\u00adlar abili\u00adties and gifts to live and share this mes\u00adsa\u00adge; let us use them!
\n4. doing some\u00adthing makes wai\u00adting easier!
\nMary and Joseph are encou\u00adra\u00adging for us for our faith and for our actions. They belie\u00adved what they heard. They took part. Joseph did not slip away and run away. Mary said to the angel, \u00abI am the hand\u00admaid of my Lord and God, I am rea\u00addy for what you have told me.\u00bb They took God\u2019s word serious\u00adly. They had an open ear for God\u2019s spea\u00adking. They have been cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous. They have ris\u00adked say\u00ading yes to what God has told them to do. When such a new year lies ahead, it is quite exci\u00adting: What does God have in store for me in the new year? Let Mary and Joseph encou\u00adra\u00adge you!
\n5. do not lose cou\u00adra\u00adge when you have to go through incom\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsi\u00adble things.
\nMary and Joseph had to flee to Egypt with the baby becau\u00adse the child\u2019s life was in dan\u00adger. Being a refu\u00adgee! Moving to a for\u00adeign world \u2013 wit\u00adhout a moving van and trai\u00adler, only with a don\u00adkey \u2013 hundreds of kilo\u00adme\u00adt\u00adres. What an ordeal for this fami\u00adly! And the infants who lost their lives becau\u00adse of Herod? God should have\u2026 Why did\u00adn\u2019t God\u2026 This does\u00adn\u2019t fit at all with what he did with the Emper\u00ador Augus\u00adtus\u2026 What is this? Mary and Joseph did what God told them to do. Tho\u00adse who are on the way with God in life some\u00adti\u00admes have to take incom\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsi\u00adble paths, accept incom\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsi\u00adble detours. Some of us could pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly tell you about that too.
\nSome\u00adti\u00admes Jesus shor\u00adtens our wait with an encou\u00adra\u00adging experience.
\nThis is what hap\u00adpen\u00aded to the scri\u00adbes and high priests of that time. Jesus enters the temp\u00adle at the age of 12. He cele\u00adbra\u00adted his Bar Mitz\u00advah with his fami\u00adly, his reli\u00adgious coming of age. He stays in the temp\u00adle a litt\u00adle lon\u00adger than his par\u00adents think and lis\u00adtens spell\u00adbound. He pier\u00adces the tea\u00adchers with his ques\u00adti\u00adons and talks. And ever\u00adyo\u00adne is ama\u00adzed at his intellect and his ans\u00adwers. Again, that got peo\u00adp\u00adle tal\u00adking and ama\u00adzed! That is the only thing you hear about Jesus in the\u00adse 30 years until his public appearance! Christ\u00admas \u2013 and then what? Wai\u00adting! To sum up: Christ\u00admas makes wai\u00adting easier for us, becau\u00adse it reminds us of many things that are hel\u00adpful for us as a wai\u00adting church today. Per\u00adhaps you see moun\u00adta\u00adins behind the door of the year ahead. Count\u00adless see\u00adming impos\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre: With God no thing is impos\u00adsi\u00adble! Our God stands by his word! He has the visi\u00adble and invi\u00adsi\u00adble world in view and under his rule. God has pla\u00adced his angels around you and put his Holy Spi\u00adrit in the hearts of belie\u00advers. We have a mes\u00adsa\u00adge to move! We have some\u00adthing to tell. The wai\u00adting time will be shorter if we con\u00adscious\u00adly make our\u00adsel\u00adves available to God with our gifts. Cheer up when we expe\u00adri\u00adence incom\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsi\u00adble gui\u00addance from God. God hims\u00adelf shor\u00adtens the wai\u00adting time through encou\u00adra\u00adging expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces. Share them and encou\u00adra\u00adge others \u2013 like the she\u00adp\u00adherds! Amen.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"