Worst Christmas Sermon of All Time (updated)

Okay, we're back our number two fighting for the faith. Brace yourselves. Probably the worst Christmas sermon you will ever hear. I mean, this is like the Christmas hijack Sermon, it's that bad. We're gonna hijack the baby Jesus and we're gonna put you in his place.

Yeah, I'm not joking.

Hmm.

Then be straws padding and duct tape are highly recommended. Here we go. The good the bad the ugly we review it all here at fighting for the faith. We are an equal opportunity sermon reviewing service today's sermon comes to us via Potential church.

I think this is out of their Miami, Florida Campus, but they have multi sites all over Florida and Bahamas. I think And Lima Peru of all places but Potential church isn't really a church yet. They're just a church in potentia and I think this is gonna set them back from actually ever achieving full church status, but the person preaching this message is a Troy Grambling, he's the Fuhrer Fuhrer of potential church.

Fuhrer is the German word for leader. He's not a pastor. No way. A true pastor somebody who shepherds God's sheep Feeds people on God's Word and points him to Christ. The name of the sermon by the way is Christmas paradox.

What's turning turning what's upside down right side up? That's the name of the sermon and this is the first week in the sermon series about the Christmas paradox and You know, I can't even really describe Ahead of time what goes wrong with the sermon?

You're just gonna have to experience For yourself what goes wrong? So to prevent jaw injuries I strongly recommend go grabbing your your high schoolers football helmet and put the chin strap on. If you don't have that grab your your your son or daughter's bicycle helmet.

I know it's kind of odd to tell you to wear a helmet while listening to this edition of fighting for the faith. But believe me when I tell you it's probably safer that way because head injuries are possible while listening to the sermon jaw injuries.

Are you know? For sure a very real danger and if you're driving you may want to pull over because this sermon is so bad it could cause you to steer off the road and Literally fly off a cliff and have your life come to a gruesome flaming end.

So just want to let you all know that. So without any further ado, here's Troy grambling. Just remember I warned you Christmas paradox what turning what's upside down right side up?

Here we go. It is great to see you guys.

We are glad you are here as we talk about the paradox the upside down Christmas. How to make it right side. Right side. Man, the volunteers did great job, right. You guys ready for Christmas. Now we have a.

Let's see.

Now just so you know, they have kind of like a living nativity thing on stage and there's barnyard animals. And so he's grabbing a goat that's tied up to one of the posts and he's gonna bring him out on stage.

And Sheila loose. They tied Sheila up to. Too tight. I'll let you meet Fred if he'll come out here. All right. Come on Fred. You want to come on out here? See that. Can you guys say hi to Fred?

Come on Fred.

It's okay. Well Fred doesn't like you. Okay, I want to talk though a little bit about about Christmas, right? How many of you have a manger or a nativity set you set up at Christmas time? And when you do you're really more worried about breaking it and and all because it's beautiful I mean some of them are just amazingly Beautiful, but the truth is is the real one wasn't so Beautiful instead it was just just the opposite instead of something that was beautiful.

It's really something that's kind of stinky. You know something how to be careful where you walked and where you stepped or you could get more than you anticipated I mean a whole do it's actually quite a paradox when you think that a king Was born in a manger because right where would Kings normally be born and normally be born in a palace?

But Jesus the king, let's see if we can get Fred back up here. Come on Fred. Okay now I stop here.

I'm not gonna get into the historicity of this. Understanding that's come down to us regarding the manger and the in the homes in Bethlehem. It it's kind of based on a faulty understanding of how things are, but that's a completely different story.

This is so far so good. This is kind of the typical Christmas fair. Jesus, you know born a lowly humble means. Okay, not born in a palace, but born in a place where he was laid in a manger. Okay, that and no problem there so far.

It's gonna jump the tracks really quickly here. And I just you know, listen, I don't even know if I have the ability to warn you for what's gonna happen. So you just gotta brace yourself and be ready at all times.

Let's continue.

Just a little further Fred, all right Fred. There we go. A King that was born in the manger. I want to talk about that paradox. The Bible says in Luke chapter 2 verse 7 it says. And she she being Mary gave birth to her firstborn son.

She wrapped him in clothes and she placed him in a what? Placed him in a manger because there was no room for him in the end. Kings aren't supposed to be born. I mean Kings are supposed to be born in a palace not in a manger.

Especially when you think about the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, you got Moses. He's this great, you know. Spiritual leader. Takes the people of God out of bondage. And Moses. Moses wasn't born or grow up in a manger.

Moses. Moses grew up in the palace. You got Adam and Eve the first, you know. God made Adam and Eve and you could kind of say that they grew up not in a manger. But they grew up in Eden the most beautiful place that was ever created.

Kings. Kings are supposed to be born in a palace not in a not in a manger. Do you ever feel the Christmas paradox in your own life? You ever feel like your life looks more like a manger.

There was the jump right there. Do you ever feel the Christmas paradox in your own life. That was the transition question. All of a sudden we're hijacking the Christmas story and somehow Allegorizing it so that we can wedge and literally is a G that means to read into the story.

Your life. Yeah let me just back this up a smidge because I want you to hear the Critical question where this whole thing jumps the tracks and becomes the worst Christmas sermon of all time. Backing it up just a smidge.

Here we go anger, but they grew up in Eden the most beautiful place that was ever created. Kings. Kings are supposed to be born in a palace not in a not in a manger. Do you ever feel the Christmas paradox in your own life?

You ever feel like your life looks more like a manger? Then it does a palace.

Hmm. Yeah.

Are you saying that my life really should be a palace and maybe I'm at the manger stage of my life.

Hmm it's kind of manger is. I mean, you know, yeah, it's a little bit stinky. It's it's you got to be careful of where you step because of all the different messes. Maybe you've made in your life. I mean on the end, you know.

Seriously. The Christmas story is not about me. It's about Jesus Christ and Jesus was literally historically laid to rest. The baby Jesus was laid to rest in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. This isn't about me it's about what Jesus did that's his life not mine.

Inside, you know, you were created for more on the inside. You've got this. Oh, no. No, no.

No, he did not just say that. Hang on a second. I got a back the audio up just a smidge again because I mean this is.

Unbelievable. It's more like a manger. Then it does a palace. It's kind of manger is. I mean, you know, yeah, it's a little bit stinky. It's it's you got to be careful of where you step because of all the different messes.

Maybe you've made in your life I mean on the inside, you know, you were created for more on the inside. You've got this dream or you've got this destiny. You've got this business that you want to start or or you dream about having like this kind of relationship.

I mean on the inside, you know. You were meant for more. You come to church and we talk about how.

On the inside, you know, you were meant for more. So if your life is manger II right now manger ish. Is that even a word? If your life is manger ish, you just know that it's meant for more and you can look at Jesus's life and go.

Oh Yes, Jesus had a manger season in his life, too. And now he reigns in heaven and he's the king so that means if I'm going through a manger ish time in my life that I too will ascend into heaven and I Will be king.

You were God's masterpiece and we talked about how you were created to do something of significance. That that God has a purpose and he has a destiny for you. But on the inside you've got that but you're living in a manger.

Mean where you or what you feel on the inside seems so far away from where you're actually. Where you're actually living.

Mm-hmm. So somehow this text is about me Luke who knew you know that Luke 2 was about me. I just. Every time I read the story, I just have the hardest time seeing me in the story. But Troy Grambling is now teaching the folks there at potential church.

They're not really a church though. They're just a church in potentia teaching them how to see themselves in the Luke story.

Amazing a.

Manger. Jesus wasn't born in a palace instead. It was barn. You ever feel like that? Nobody knows your name. You get up and you go to work.

Do I ever feel like that? Nobody knows my name. Could you know, look at poor Jesus. Nobody knew his name either. Oh, wow.

Man.

Unbelievable and you're underemployed. There's so much more that you think you could do but nobody nobody knows what you can really do. Nobody knows how you could really perform. They don't know you. Yeah, cuz I'm just like God in human flesh.

Your name. They don't want to know your name. They don't know where you come from. They don't know what you've been through. I mean you ever feel. You ever feel like you're living in a manger and you know, it's funny that you would ask that question.

I do distinctly remember, you know when I was a kid and You know being a normal You know warm-blooded American boy. From time to time. I didn't clean my room and my mom she would come into my room and observe the mess and she would say things like.

Were you born in a barn?

Clean up this pigsty, you know things like that. Um, is that what you mean?

And there's this question when you live in a manger, it's like how do I change the world from here?

When you live in the main live in a manger, how do you change the world from here. 2nd Timothy chapter 3. The Apostle Paul prophesying about the end time says this Understand this that in the last days there will come difficult times for people will be lovers of.

Themselves.

Lovers of money proud arrogant abusive disobedient to their parents ungrateful unholy heartless unappeasable slanderous without self-control. Brutal not loving good treacherous reckless swollen with conceit.

Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power avoid such.

People.

Yeah, it also goes on to say that these are people who are always learning and Never being able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Among them are those who creep into household capture weak women burdened with sins led astray by various passions.

Folks if this isn't the worst example of a love yourself sermon. We're hijacking the biblical text so that we can allegorize it. Who cares if Troy Grambling believes that Jesus was really born of the Virgin Mary on that day?

You're missing the whole point of the text. This story is about you. Yeah, look at. I mean, do you ever feel like you're at a manger point in your life? You know, nobody knows your name. Nobody knows what you can do poor Jesus.

I mean, that's what the Christmas story is all about. There's Jesus. I mean Sidelined in a manger and nobody knows his name. Nobody knows what he can do. Poor baby Jesus in the manger phase of his life.

Are you having the manger phase of your life? I'm gonna lose. Sorry, and we continue.

You know, how do I ever have the kind of relationship? I want to have when I'm living in a manger. How do I ever you know have the kind of business I want when I'm financially in a manger. Jesus came that first Christmas morning and his life didn't begin in a palace.

It began in a barn. It's a great paradox for the first 30 years. You could actually think that we don't hear a lot about Jesus in the scripture, do we? I mean, there's a story about the temple, but there's really not a lot about Jesus.

I put if you want to put that out.

Yeah, but then again Jesus made it clear that the entire Old Testament's about him. So really from beginning to end the whole story is really about Jesus.

Outline you got when you came in. I put this there if you want to write it down. Jesus spent 30 years in a manger for three years of ministry.

Because I know some of us are tired. I don't know what that means. Who cares to the manger?

You know, some of us are ready to move on.

We're ready. So some of us are tired with the main. Jesus didn't spend 30 years in the manger, Troy.

They go to that next step. We're ready for the palace baby. We're ready to to live our destiny.

Jeez, we're ready for the palace, baby. We're ready to live our destiny, baby.

This is Narcissistic.

Eisegesis just spent 30 years in a barn. So that he could do three years of ministry.

Let's back that up again and kind of test that out. Hold on a second here.

Let's see if he's accurately handling the biblical text. Eddie to to live our destiny. Jesus spent 30 years in a barn. Really. Jesus spent 30 years in a barn.

Yeah, poor guy never was able to leave. I mean he was just sidelined. Jesus spent 30 years in a barn. Uh-huh. Apparently he never got out of there and spent time with his father in his carpenter shop.

No, he was stuck in a barn for 30 years.

So that he could do three years of ministry even when Jesus started his ministry. You know in Luke chapter 3 verse 23 It says Jesus was almost 30 years old when he began his public ministry.

Yeah, cuz he spent 30. I mean he was almost 30 years when he started his public ministry, but then again. Yeah, we all know he was in a barn. For those first 30 years.

So there was these 30 years John 1 in verse 46 when Jesus actually started his public ministry. And he kind of started recruiting disciples. Nathanael is one of those he tried to recruit and Nathaniel knew that Jesus came from Nazareth and he said Nazareth can anything good come from there especially from their barns.

Who is this? Who is this Jesus and John chapter 1 in verse 10? It says he Jesus came into the very world that he created but the world didn't recognize him.

Yeah, that's because he was wearing like a you know, those funny Groucho Marx glasses with them fuzzy mustache. No one could recognize him. You know, that's what happens when you spend 30 years in a barn.

When Jesus walked around and he saw all the things that he had created. But when he saw the people that he created they didn't even know who he was. In Mark chapter 6 Jesus.

Yeah, just like you cuz I mean when you do you walk around and feel like nobody knows who you are and they don't know.

Your potential yet went home and it says that next Sabbath. He began teaching in the synagogue and many heard him and they were amazed. They asked where did he get all this wisdom, right? Cuz he's been in a barn for 30 years and the power to do such marvelous miracles.

But it's hard to get power like that when you've been locked up in a barn for 30 years.

Then they scoffed well, he's he's just a carpenter. He's the son of Mary's the brother of James and his sisters who they live right here with us. You know when John the Baptist this great prophet in the New Testament.

When John the Baptist proclaimed as he was baptizing one day because John had a whole lot of followers.

And yeah, I mean John was practically a megachurch pastor just like you.

Jesus kind of walked up on the shore and John it. See. That's the thing, you know.

See if Twitter was around back then. John the Baptist had like 50 ,000 followers on Twitter and like Jesus only had like 40.

And said behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

See, that's like retweeting right there, you know to try to you know, help people.

You know, he said it with that great power and everybody's kind of like who yeah who yeah.

I'm not following him on Twitter. Who is who is who's he talking about? We haven't seen him. He looks like he just came out of a barn and like he's been in there for 30 years.

That that's the Messiah. Nobody knew who Jesus was. You ever feel like that? Oh.

Man, oh I'm going to freak out. You're right. So he takes all these verses out of context makes it sound like you know Jesus was just suffering from pure obscurity, you know, and do you ever feel like nobody knows who you are, too?

Don't worry. You're gonna be famous just like Jesus. All you got to do is get past your barn phase.

I mean nobody knows who you are. When I was in Arkansas I was an interim pastor for a church in Black Oak and Black Oak has a giant population of about 15 people and and I Would go and I would speak there every weekend.

Well one weekend I couldn't go and so I asked one of my buddies by the name of Tommy easel if he would go and Teach for me that weekend. He said sure. No problem. What he forgot was exactly how far it took to get there or how long it was about an hour drive.

He left too late. And so sure enough he got there. He was late. The service has already started. I mean many of you know exactly what that feels like. And so he comes in and.

And.

He runs up to the front of this church. He sits down right there in the front seat and music has started. He's nervous, you know, and as soon as the last song is finished, he jumps up. He gets behind the podium and he just starts to apologize.

I'm so sorry, man. I didn't realize it was gonna take so long to get here. I mean I should have planned better. He just Apollo I'm sorry and about that time a leader stood up and asked the question. Who are you?

And he's like, oh, I'm Tommy easel pastor Troy asked me to come and speak on his behalf. He couldn't be here. And that same gentleman said well who is pastor Troy? My friend Tommy had went to the wrong church.

You ever feel like you're at the wrong church. You ever feel like that in life you just have shown up at the wrong place and people are like, who are you?

What what do you do? Well if they feel like they've shown up at the wrong church potential church. They're not even a real church yet. They're just a church and potentia and this sermon is gonna set them way back.

It's gonna be a long time before they ever achieve real church status and it looks like they're not gonna be able to achieve real church status under Troy grambling because now all of a sudden you ever Feel like people just don't know who you are.

Don't worry. You can be famous like Jesus because that's what Jesus's life is all about. He went through the barn phase which took 30 years. He was in 30 years in a barn. But then three years of ministry and boy.

He just took off like a rocket and now he's a king and see you're gonna be just like that.

Doing you just kind of feel. Feel behind like you're not making any progress. If this Christmas you and I are really gonna turn what's upside down. Right side up. There's about three things we need to do.

So just do these three things and you you can get out of your barn phase. Would you jot these down here?

Oh, yeah, I'll take copious nose. Here's the first one. And you think about Christmas paradoxes. We don't need to allow our circumstances to determine our destiny.

Uh-huh. Yeah, it sounds like Joel Osteen kind of stuff. Don't allow your circumstances to determine your destiny. Uh-huh. You do understand that your sinful condition is going to determine your destiny.

If you are still dead in trespasses and sins and you're not repentant and Brought to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Yeah, those circumstances will determine your eternal destiny in hell.

We can't allow our circumstances to determine our destiny. The fact that we were born in a manger today. Can't determine where we're gonna live tomorrow.

This is literally making me angry like I can feel my blood pressure rising. This is blasphemous.

Because the truth is Jesus loves to do things in secret.

Really? You got a verse that says Jesus loves to do things in secret.

Why do you think Jesus was born in a manger? He was oh, I know cuz he was trying to hide cuz he liked to.

Be in secret. That's why I spent 30 years in the barn to be in secret cuz he likes to keep things a secret.

Doing something behind the scenes. He was doing something that nobody else could see in Psalm 139 it says David speaking. He says, you know what. God you knit me together in my mother's womb. You watched me as I was being formed in.

What. What's that next word? Secret is being formed in.

Secret. When really did you go to seminary and learn that Psalm 139 teaches that God likes to do things in secret. I Mean this is just unbelievable. By the way this sermon is an argument in favor of a law being passed requiring the the random drug screening of.

All.

Seeker driven pastors. Nobody else could see what God was doing. God was at work in the womb of David's mother Preparing him for the destiny that was in front of him. Oh, yeah.

See, that's what God was doing. God knit together King David in secret because he was preparing him for his destiny. Oh, you know what. God made you in secret, too. Oh, you know what? That means that God was secretly preparing and knitting you together to for your destiny.

You're probably gonna be bigger than King David. I'm sure he'll. He'll pale in comparison to you and your destiny.

God loves to do things in secret right now. You may feel like your relationship or your finances. You may feel like your main your life is in a manger. Truth is it's God's doing something in secret. You can't see it right now the people around you can't see it right now.

But God is at work. God is doing something. Yeah.

What if God's, you know judging them. Look at poor Pharaoh, I mean, you know God hardened his heart and look what happened to him. God was preparing him for his destiny.

It can't allow where you're at today to determine where you're going to be tomorrow. Cuz you're great.

You're special. You have a great destiny. You or your future is filled with kingdoms and you're gonna be a king.

When Christmas story is filled with these kind of examples in Luke chapter 1 in verse 28.

So the Christmas story is full of these kinds of examples only if you completely rip them out of context allegorize them and then Isagetically narcissistically read yourself into the text.

It says the angel went to her her being Mary and said greetings. You who are read those next two words with me out loud if you would at all of our campuses today. What are they?

Highly.

With me again.

Ha. So now we're going to read Luke chapter 1 the story of Gabriel announcing to Mary. This is the annunciation. This is Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she's going to be with child and give birth to a son.

And we're just gonna rip it out of context and focus on this. Did you notice that the angel Gabriel said to Mary you are highly favored? You see that's not about Mary. That's about you.

Highly favored. The angel comes to Mary and says, you know what. Mary you're highly favored. That word could be translated. Accepted Mary. You're accepted now. Mary and Mary was in a manger. I mean her family wasn't wealthy.

Mary didn't live in a big house. They they weren't well known in the community. Mary was really she's just a teenager.

And yet God was she in the manger phase prior to the manger. I'm curious.

Okay comes to this teenager and says Mary nobody else can see what I'm doing. Nobody else knows what I'm up to. You know what? It even says about Mary. Mary says it says that Mary kept these things in her heart and she.

Pondered them or she she thought about him. Yeah, she was pondering the words how favored she was you know because it was all about Mary, you know, cuz you should nobody knew her and she was Really convinced that you know, she wasn't quite living up to her potential.

You know, she wanted to have her destiny and Hmm, you know, what's funny is is that when I read Luke chapter 1? Um, I don't read anything about me and there are you and there or anything like that? In fact, let's read the Annunciation story and see what's really going on.

Here are you ready. Luke chapter 1 verse 26. In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and The Virgin's name was Mary and he came to her and said greetings.

Oh favored one. The Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at the saying and Tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. So the angel said to her do not be afraid Mary For you have found favor with God behold you will conceive in your womb and you will bear a son you shall call his name Jesus and he will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High and The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his in of his kingdom.

There will be no end.

Huh?

So the message that the angel Gabriel gave to Mary was about Jesus. It wasn't about her. It was about Jesus. It was good about to be what how God was going to use her but it was about Jesus. He left all of that stuff out and says look see God said that Mary was favored and you know, you are too.

Mmm, okay. Let's continue.

Because God loves. He loves to do things in secret. Another great example is of course Moses. We mentioned him a few moments ago. You remember Moses is.

You know this great do I mean does any of his retelling of any of the biblical stories regarding any of these characters even remotely sound. Like what actually happened if you read the stories, could you?

Can you square them with how he's? Well summarizing them like not at all a leader notice.

He's leaving all the details out so that he can make this about you found in the Old Testament that took people's God's people out of bondage. Well at 80 years old. He's already blown it in the palace.

He screwed up and so as an 80 year old man. Well, let's just read it. Exodus chapter 3 verse 1 says one day Moses verse 1. Yes. Oh, yeah.

Let's just read it because then it'll look like a biblical sermon if I just read this verse out of context.

This was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro. Now it's not his sheep. It's his father-in-law's. It's not his daddy's sheep. In other words, these sheep aren't gonna be handed down to Moses.

It's his father-in-law sheep. So this is his manger period. Got it. Okay, his father-in-law is now with him because his father-in-law is important it says he was a priest and so Moses doesn't have his own flock and Moses is not gonna get this flock and Moses is is doing the least of things and look where he's doing it it says.

And he led his flock far into the wilderness. Or you could say some translations say the backside of the desert. The least likely place that you think God would be working is exactly where at 80 years old two-thirds of his life has already passed is exactly where Moses is.

Because God loves. He loves to do things in secret and you know, yeah.

Yeah, are you on the backside of the desert in your life, are you still stuck in the barn in the manger. Don't worry God loves to do things in secret.

What the very next verse says is that God came to Moses in a burning bush. It was on the backside of the desert. Dealing with somebody else's sheep that God came and did something in Moses his life. John the Baptist the Prophet we mentioned a few moments ago that said behold Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

Look what it says about him in Luke chapter 1. It says. And you my little son who will be called the Prophet of the Most High. I mean, it's a big job. He says, you know, what? Yeah, you my little son.

We called the Prophet of the Most High. Little guy you gonna be a prophet and you're gonna be the Prophet not you're gonna be the Prophet of the Most High.

Because see this is showing you how God's gonna work in your life, too.

Because you're gonna let people know that the Lord is coming. You're gonna prepare the way of the Lord. In other words, there is something out in front of you John. You just not gonna believe. You've got a destiny.

But where is John. Verse 80 says John grew up and became strong in spirit and he lived in where? The wilderness. Right. Do you guys got an outline? Is that verse in there? You know how to read? All right.

I mean, I'll help me. All right, help me out. He was in the wilderness until he became. Until his public ministry. So for several decades, where is John the Baptist? He's in the manger. He's in the manger.

God says I'm gonna use you in a big way, but John wasn't in the palace or in a great You know high school or in a great college. No, no, he's in the manger. He's out in the wilderness because God does things in secret.

Yeah, that's that's why he was in the wilderness.

Cuz God was doing something in secret.

Yeah, see in the secret. And then you go to Ephesians chapter 1 in verse number 6 and it says yeah.

Ephesians chapter 1 verse 6. Notice not a single verse is being read in context.

Why?

Because this isn't a biblical sermon. Every little bit is ripped out of context. So that you can't actually piece anything any coherent biblical thoughts together instead. This is just makes it possible.