88. Merry Christmas. This Means War!
"He was bringing war because this old world had fallen into bitter, soul-crushing slavery to an evil dragon. A serpent of great beguiling who tricked our only king into trading in his scepter for over-tight handcuffs... His crown for rusty chains. On that first Christmas morning, after legions of failed men who came before Him, the heaven-sent God-Man was born the royal Man-King. Delivered as a helpless babe to deliver and set the helpless free."
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/datprodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/datprodcast/support [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/datprodcast/support]
Transcript
Hello everyone and welcome back to the podcast where we prod the sheep and beat the wolf. This is episode 88.
Merry Christmas. This means war One of the most significant accomplishments in antiquity in a history that has been littered with wars and violence was a 100 -year period of peace
Known simply as the Pax Romana, which in English means the peace of Rome This unique and peculiar era of warless tranquility
Which is unmatched and unrivaled in any other period known to man saw no more nations rising up against nations
Wars and rumors of wars were not on the lips of women in the market for that hundred years and the myriad of complex personalities usually unrestrained and agitated were now contained within a
Burgeoning empire of peace which lasted from 27 BC Under the reign of Augustus Caesar until the death of Nero in 68
AD This is the world and the setting to which our
Savior was born Now on that first Christmas morning in Judea God did not show up for a press conference at one of the palaces
He certainly didn't show up for a precious moments commercial in the big city instead In a surprise attack, he stormed the beaches of Bethlehem he blitzkrieg the stables of that old country barn and Assembled all the legions of heaven to herald
Christ as Lord to the shepherds in the field He held his fiery star on loft the
Judean skies to announce his birth to kings and kingdoms Who would either worship him or be put down?
While under the fragile peace of Rome the Prince of Peace was born
And he was bringing that peace through war because this old world had fallen into a bitter soul -crushing slavery to the evil dragon a serpent of great beguiling and trickery who
Swindled our only King into trading his scepter for over tightened cuffs
His crown for rusty chains he traded freedom for slavery rule for servitude on that first Christmas morning, however
After legions of men had failed and failed to slay the dragon
The heaven -sent God man was born the Royal Man King Delivered as a helpless babe to deliver and set the helpless free this
King brought peace through war Like Isaiah said for unto us a child is born and unto us a son has been given and The government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called wonderful counselor mighty
God the everlasting Father Prince of Peace and Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end
Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice
From henceforth forever more and the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this
Incarnation as invasion Every Christmas time we celebrate that the invasion has begun
The world was not left to pine away and oppression and deep darkness. No The light of the world has come
Human governments which all have limits in various ends and seasons would be replaced by a government that knows no end a
Government that would not bring about a measly hundred -year ceasefire among the competing peoples
But a government who would bring his wonderful and perfect reign of peace forever our
King is One who had put the world on notice the babe and swaddling clothes
Announced to the nations that you would either bow down and worship him or you would be trampled under his glorious feet
Son of man the Prince of Peace Made war in order to bring peace back to the land
He entered into our brokenness in order to bring his perfect shalom He went raiding behind enemy lines rescuing his elect and delivering them safely back to God.
He Triumphed not only over the manger but over the grave. He wrestled control of the cosmos away from the fallen serpent disarming the powers and the rulers and the spiritual beings and the authorities and beginning an uprising 2 ,000 years ago
That would turn this world upside down far as the curse is found. That is
Precisely what our King has done. He brought peace by first bringing war never -ending rain
When you look at what God says in Isaiah 9, especially 6 and 7 he promises nothing less than total dominion
He claims that the government that Jesus has inaugurated will continue until no ground is left on earth to take
He will rule until his kingdom comes on earth as it already has in heaven
This means brothers and sisters That Christmas is not about wrapping paper and gifts.
It's not about trees and lights or anything else Christmas is About the downfall of the entire world order
It is about the downfall of sinful nations. Christmas is about the end of Corrupt politicians padding their pockets and allowing their scumbag children to live above the law
Christmas is About the war of God that will end sex trafficking
That will annihilate abortion mills and it will put the world back right again
Christmas is Not about gluttony Packages boxes bags or any of that Christmas is the first fruits of the death of democracy oligarchy
Socialism and every other failed human government the Christ child in the manger signifies that the world is now under the rule and the authority of a king and his rule of total peace is
Coming deeper and deeper in conclusion this Christmas as you enjoy your eggnog and figgy pudding and who doesn't as You feast on your ham and throw back us a couple glasses of hot cocoa
Remember that Christ was born not as babe, but as king and As king he was born to reign and in that reign through his death, burial, resurrection, ascension to the throne of God All the iniquity that we see on earth will one day be put under his massive glorious feet
Instead of despair brothers and sisters Allow the light of hope to fill your hearts remember
He is sovereign and he is Lord and he will make all things new and that is the hope of Christmas Merry Christmas to you.
Merry Christmas to your household and until next time. God bless you Thank you so much for listening to another episode of the broadcast each week
We're going through the Christmas narrative and we're gonna be looking at and focusing on different aspects of the Messiah's birth and this week
We did so by looking at the great hope that we can have in Jesus's reign If you'd like to support this show, you can smash the like button subscribe with notifications
So you do not miss any new episodes that are coming out And if you want you can find a creative way to wrap it up and put it in someone's special stocking
I don't know how you're gonna do it, but you can figure it out Also, if you'd like to give us a year -end gift to support this ministry go to www .theshepherds
.church That's T H E S H E P H E R D S dot church and click the giving tab
Every dollar that you give to this ministry will go to support ministry gospel ministry in New England and beyond So until next time have a very