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Turn On The Light
3 Pivotal events: Of crucial importance in relation to the success of something.
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On D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops in Normandy.
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Reformation: 95 theses nailed to a church.
The Most Important Pivotal Moment In History – from Adam to the Prophets.
Birth: “the light has come”: Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given [gift], and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
It’s a Gift – Hosea: “When Israel was a child I loved them. Out of Egypt I called My Son – fed, clothed, taught them to walk – but they rebelled… [the light faded]”
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Government – All power and authority is given to the Son – ruling and reigning!
Many say, “Jesus doesn’t rule over me!” Oh yes, He does…
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Wonderful Counselor – Remarkable; incomprehensible.
He guides those who are willing to follow.
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Mighty God – Champion, warrior, undefeated!
His “gift” is victory!
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Everlasting Father – A relationship that lasts forever for those who know Him.
This time of year many know “about” Him.
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Prince of Peace – The opposite of chaos.
Peace is greater than fear just like light is greater than darkness.
“I am surrounded by the arms of a loving God – I’m no longer a slave to fear.”
IT’S ABOUT CELEBRATING WHAT GOD HAS DONE!!
It’s a redemptive time of year…God “redeems” man from a state of darkness and we “celebrate” this transformation.
Rich in symbolism, the Christmas tree can point to the cross: once a dead and barren tree, supporting a lifeless Savior, it now stands evergreen as the symbol of eternal life that darkness cannot overcome (cf. 1 John 1:5).
2. Baptism: “the light is turned on.” Matthew 3:13-17 (NKJV) Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptizedby him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
2 points of application: Have you been baptized? Has the Spirit come upon you?
Be baptized today as a step of obedience – you may be cold [so was the Jordan].
We ALL want a PAINLESS PENTECOST!
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It appears that it was a step of obedience that led to the Spirit descending upon Him – He goes from no ministry to the most powerful ministry that the world has ever seen.
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Without it, there may have been no miracles, no authority, and no cross…NO LIGHT.
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C.f. Acts 10:38, “…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
Obedience and being Filled with the Spirit are always related [Wed. 3rd].
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice…”
From Acts – to the Reformation – to the Awakenings and Revivals: TO BE THE LIGHT WE MUST BE FILLED WITH THE LIGHT
Moody They are good teachers, they are wonderful teachers…but why will they not see that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is just the one touch that they themselves need?”
3. Burial: “lights out”: It was Hell’s hour to celebrate. But then the great light…
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All of hell could not stop Him.
CELEBRATE: A perfect creation; Fallen man; A perfect sacrifice.
Isaiah 53:3-5 (GNT): We despised Him and rejected Him; He endured suffering and pain. No one would even look at Him—we ignored Him as if He were nothing. But He endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should have borne. All the while we thought that His suffering was punishment sent by God. But because of our sins He was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment He suffered, made whole by the blows He received.
I don’t understand! … BUT I’m not going to let that stop me FROM TURNING ON THE SWITCH. [I don’t understand electricity, BUT I’m going to turn on the LIGHT!
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In 1871, D. L. Moody, preached in Chicago. His text was, “What shall I do then with Jesus…?” At the conclusion he said, “I wish you would take this text home with you and turn it over in your minds during the week, and next Sabbath we will decide what to do with Jesus…” Then, Ira Sankey began to lead in singing, but Sankey never finished, for while he was singing the roar of fire engines thundered by the church, and before morning much of the city of Chicago lay in ashes. To his dying day, Mr. Moody deeply regretted that he had told the congregation to come next Sabbath and “then” decide what to do with Jesus.
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