Getting Ready for Jesus
James Merritt
Psalm 2
INTRODUCTION
1. Everywhere you go you can see it, hear it, smell it, and feel it. You can see the bright colorful lights draped around trees, mantles, doors, awnings, even bushes. You can smell the scent of freshly cut cedars, firs, spruces, and pines. You can hear the jingling of bells, the singing of carols, and the ringing of cash registers.
2. What is happening? People are getting ready for Christmas. Yet, what is a happy time, I think, is also a sad time, because even though people are getting ready for Christmas, they are not getting ready for Christ.
3. To illustrate this, listen to this parody of the Christmas story found in the gospel of Luke:
And there were in the same country, children keeping watch over their stockings by the fireplace. And, lo! Santa Claus came upon them; and they were sore afraid. And Santa said unto them: ''Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people who can afford them. For unto you will be given great feasts of turkey, dressing, and cake; and many presents; and this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the presents, wrapped in bright paper, lying beneath a tree adorned with tinsel, colored balls and lights. And suddenly, there will be with you a multitude of relatives and friends, praising you and saying, 'Thank you so much, it was just what I wanted.' And it shall come to pass as the friends and relatives have gone away into their own homes, the parents shall say to one another, 'Darn it! What a mess to clean up! I'm tired, let's go to bed and pick it up tomorrow. Thank goodness, Christmas only comes once a year!' And they go with haste to their cold bed and find their desired rest.''[1]
4. For most people that pretty much summarizes the beginning and ending of Christmas. Against that backdrop I do not know of a more appropriate passage in all of the Bible than Psalm 2. Because we see here at one and the same time, ...
James Merritt
Psalm 2
INTRODUCTION
1. Everywhere you go you can see it, hear it, smell it, and feel it. You can see the bright colorful lights draped around trees, mantles, doors, awnings, even bushes. You can smell the scent of freshly cut cedars, firs, spruces, and pines. You can hear the jingling of bells, the singing of carols, and the ringing of cash registers.
2. What is happening? People are getting ready for Christmas. Yet, what is a happy time, I think, is also a sad time, because even though people are getting ready for Christmas, they are not getting ready for Christ.
3. To illustrate this, listen to this parody of the Christmas story found in the gospel of Luke:
And there were in the same country, children keeping watch over their stockings by the fireplace. And, lo! Santa Claus came upon them; and they were sore afraid. And Santa said unto them: ''Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people who can afford them. For unto you will be given great feasts of turkey, dressing, and cake; and many presents; and this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the presents, wrapped in bright paper, lying beneath a tree adorned with tinsel, colored balls and lights. And suddenly, there will be with you a multitude of relatives and friends, praising you and saying, 'Thank you so much, it was just what I wanted.' And it shall come to pass as the friends and relatives have gone away into their own homes, the parents shall say to one another, 'Darn it! What a mess to clean up! I'm tired, let's go to bed and pick it up tomorrow. Thank goodness, Christmas only comes once a year!' And they go with haste to their cold bed and find their desired rest.''[1]
4. For most people that pretty much summarizes the beginning and ending of Christmas. Against that backdrop I do not know of a more appropriate passage in all of the Bible than Psalm 2. Because we see here at one and the same time, ...
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