Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval;

4 for it is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer.

1. Wrath is simply the consequences of thought or action.
2. The state is not restrained by the same principles as is the Christian.
1. The Christian is called to endure persecution and to use persuasion.
1. This is short term because there will always be Saddam Hussein's or others who will attempt to use the same methods to maintain power and control.
1. History is replete with examples.
2. You can eliminate the individual, but you cannot eliminate the class.
3. This is true because of the nature of the human condition.

MAIN BODY:

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1. There is a long-range solution to the question that is appropriate to our complete understanding of Christmas.
1. Christmas is not a closed event.
1. Jesus is born
2. He is born for a purpose
1. He is not only a teacher of righteousness
2. He is the Messiah, the Savior.
3. He is the one born to be king.
1. This is the question of the Wise Men
2. It is also a truth.
2. Christmas is the beginning of a process that will lead to the final resolution of the human condition.
1. The human condition that allows for Saddam Hussein's
2. The human condition which is responsible for pain and suffering, disease and death.
2. What if I were to tell you that the day is coming when there would not be one panel of this church standing.
1. How would you respond?
2. Would you want to know when and how?
3. Would it be to your advantage to know?
4. This is what Jesus told his followers about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the end of the age.
1. In Luke 21:6-7 Jesus says to his disciples: "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."
2. After he told them he looked for their response.

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3. We humans respond in different ways to the news that Christ is coming again.
1. Indifference
1. The Barna Research Group conducted a study for the Lutheran Hour Ministries. It found that in 1996, fewer than half of Americans who identify themselves as Christians say the most important part of Christmas is the birth of Jesus.
2. Family time ranked the highest as the feature of Christmas that makes it most important to them. ⁽¹⁾
3. Paul writes in Hebrews 3:12-19
1. [12] Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
2. [13] But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. [14] For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.
4. We share the gifts without serious thoughts of the reason or purpose.
2. Simple Neglect, which may not be so simple.
1. Davis Carothers, Salem-Friendship Union Hill United Methodist Church, MS tells a story about a mom named Mary
1. The rush of the Christmas season carried Mary along its demanding way when tryouts for the Christmas program were announced. Certain that the whole church clamored for her six-year-old Billy's great talent, she looked forward to teaching him Joseph's part.
2. When he came back as a prophet, she decided he would be the best looking prophet in a pageant.
3. Cramming designing and sewing the costume into an impossible schedule, she frantically finished it, complete with bushy, fake-fur beard.
4. The pageant was magnificent, especially Billy, and especially all the beautiful carols the children sang.
5. Mary praised Billy to the stars for singing them all.
6. Then the director announced a new wardrobe closet was beginning.
1. Would the children donate their costume?
2. Mary urged Billy to donate his, which he did.
3. Except for the beard, which he continued to wear.
7. Pressing him to hurry so they could go on to the next thing on their schedule, he refused to give it up. "Why, Billy?"
8. "Mom, you know those songs? I never learned them. With this beard, I could just move my mouth and nobody knew."
9. Mary said, "That was when it hit me. I was going through the motions of Christmas when I didn't know the song."

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2. Learn the song of Christmas.
1. It is more than birth.
2. It is redemption.
3. Scoffing, this is the "Bah Humbug," attitude.
1. Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:1-10 [1] This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you [2] that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. [3] First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts [4] and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!" [5] They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, [6] through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. [7] But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless. [8] But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. [9] The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
4. These were the attitudes of many who observed Jesus and listened to his teaching, but not the disciples
1. They wanted to know.
1. [7] They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?"
2. In the remainder of the chapter he provides them with information that will help them and us to better understand.
1. (Luke 21:25-36 NRSV) "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
2. [26] People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
3. [27] Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory.
4. [28] Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
5. [29] Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; [30] as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near.
6. [31] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
7. [32] Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place.
1. Not the final event.
2. They would see the beginning of the end.
3. They did, Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 CE (Christian Era).

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CONCLUSION:

1. Jesus warns us to be on your guard, En Garde.
1. [33] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
2. [34] "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, [35] like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.
3. [36] Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
4. Can you believe?
5. Will you learn?
6. Will you have faith.
2. Then you will know the meaning and power of Christmas
1. A tourist in the Holy Land bought a ceramic nativity set in Bethlehem.
1. As he prepared to leave to board his flight to return to the United States, the security guard asked him to unpack the box.
2. He pulled out the figures of the wise men, the shepherds, Mary, Joseph and the baby.
3. The security guard said, "I'm very sorry, but I have to check each of these individually through the X-ray."
4. The tourist asked, "Why? It's a ceramic nativity set, after all!"
5. To which the security guard replied, "Ah, these figures could contain explosives."
6. And you know what? he was right. ⁽²⁾

   1. --As reported in Christianity Today, November 9, 1996, 71.

   2. --James A. Harnish, "An Explosion of Joy," December 24, 1996, Tampa Florida.

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