Christmas Eve 1990, The Hopes and Fears Of All The Years

I'm going to introduce you to a few of the great musicians of the 20th century. The first is the great John Lewis. He was a great musician, but he was also a great singer. For in Him was hid the secret which to all the ages ran. Son of Mary, Son of David, Son of God. Son of Mary, Son of David, Son of God. O come, let us adore Him, in excelsis Deo. Glory to God, let us adore Him, in excelsis Deo. O come, let us adore Him, in excelsis Deo. Joy to the world, we sing of Him, to sing of Him, to sing of Him. Joy to the world, we sing of Him, our dear God of love. O come, let us adore Him, in excelsis Deo. O come, let us adore Him, in excelsis Deo. Praise, praise to God. Praise, praise to God. Praise, praise to God. Praise, praise to God. O come, let us adore Him, in excelsis Deo. This night is made ever so personal because you came to us and displayed your glory and splendor and your love and mercy. We thank you tonight, Lord, with an infinite thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ. Well, I want to add my welcome tonight to all of you and especially I see a lot of shorter people, that is kids. And if you're excited about Christmas and what it means to you, greet someone and tell them, I'm excited about Christmas. Tell them your name and then go ahead and be seated, would you? Greet one another. Go ahead, say hello to somebody new. You can be seated then as soon as you've said hello to someone. Well, I'm very pleased because it looks like everyone's getting a seat and we've balanced out the services and that's a great blessing. How many folks joined us tonight from out of state? You've come to be with family and friends. I'm glad you're here. Thank you so much. A large number of you. Thank you for coming tonight. It's a very special service and I hope that you'll appreciate the various parts that have been carefully planned. For each of us to grow closer to God. You know, here at North Way, a lot happens here under this roof but a great deal of our ministry happens other places. We gave you a bulletin tonight just so you know some of the things that we're doing and if you're interested in any of those ministries that are happening, there's a whole lot of different things that we offer to help people in need. You can see that under the North Way Communicator. If you want to fill that out at any time in the service and deposit it in one of our boxes or in the offer desk a little later, we'd just like to know how we can serve you. That's why we're here, serving these people. We're glad you're with us tonight. A group of people that aren't with us that are on my heart every Christmas Eve in a special way are our missionary family. Just think if you were in a nation where they didn't have Christmas trees. Pretty soon it might be this nation. Imagine being in a place where people didn't know that Christ came. Imagine trying to sing carols where people never heard about God. A lot of our missionaries are in places just like that. I always have a special place in my heart for mission folks on Christmas Eve, and I want us to pray for them tonight. I've asked our newly returned missionary from the field, Tim Wright, to come and meet us. Tim, you don't look like a missionary. You look like a normal person. Is that true? Tim and Linda, his wife, just came back from the nation of Turkey, where what percent are Islamic? 99.9 percent. 99.9 percent. About how many Christians in the whole nation? They think maybe this year there's possibly 300 Christians in Turkey. That actually meekness they know of is maybe 200. Out of 57 million, about 200 or 300 Christians. So we need to pray, don't we, for our mission, our family, and the needs of the world. Tim's going to lead us. If you'd be so kind, I hope this won't embarrass you, but we believe in agreement in our church. So let's symbolize that by joining hands with the person next to us, and Tim's going to lead us. Father, we thank you that we're in Turkey, where the hunters are. We've heard the rivers in Morocco, the stalkings in China, the cormorants in China, the sharks in China, Father. We look them up to you. The bibs in Los Angeles, Father. Father, we pray that your presence will be with them, Father, that they know that they're not there alone, Father, that you have given them wisdom and protection. Father, we pray that they could give you wisdom to be faithful to you. As part of being an exciting place to be, things are always changing. If you happened to miss our service yesterday, I made an important announcement. I'm sure you're going to want to know. That is, out of nowhere, we called it a suddenly in our church, the property next door, which we've been trying to gain closure on for the last nine months, we suddenly had the bank call us and say, we want to close the property, we want to get this deal done so we can go on. So we're really thrilled about that, and we'll be doing that in the next several weeks. I hope you make enough room for a lot more folks to join with us. Maybe you have enough room between the seats so you don't scrape your knees when you get up and down. So I just wanted to share that good news with you, and I want to give us all an opportunity right now. If you'd like to honor God tonight with a gift, we're going to give our offering to the Lord, bless him with our own giving, and I'm going to ask any of you who'd like to tonight to give an offering to the Lord. While you're preparing that, let me pray with you. Lord, to see you work is truly astonishing. To see how you provide is an even greater thing. And as we give our gifts tonight, Lord, I'm very aware that we can only give gifts because you first gave to us. So I pray for everyone that's come tonight to have a thankful heart, Lord, and to give expression by remembering you. We thank you, Lord, and ask your blessing on each one of you. Jesus, thank you. Amen. If you're not giving a gift tonight, we'd love to receive from you this communicator in any way we can serve you as part of that. While the ushers are getting ready, I want to mention there won't be a service Wednesday night because, frankly, everyone up here is going to be laying across the street, right? Trying to recover, and, frankly, you all need to be with your families, but we will be resuming. There's lots of good announcements in that bulletin, including Strike Force, which is a great, exciting thing to have in the morning in January. So be apprised of those things. Ushers, will you come, please? And as they come, let's continue worshiping the Lord together. I think we can stand and give our offerings as we sing, It Came Upon a Midnight Moon. It came upon a midnight moon, the glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth. How good that, how sweet the art of music, can sing of old. The Lord, the Prince of Peace, and King of Glory. Christmas is a time when all of us have certain dreams, and all of us would that we'd have perfect life, but things always happen the way we want them to. But I've discovered that that isn't the case. How about you? Do you discover that every once in a while, there's a little pothole under your road to glory? I'm not sure I can afford it. I don't know. I don't know if I can. I think that's a long way to go. I'd better go and get the stock. I hope it's all mine, Bob. Where every tear will be let, we know it's been a while. And every fear will be, Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh When I'm swept away to another time Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh... Spirit moving my life Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh... Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh... So I'm waiting for another time, at another place Where all my hopes and dreams will be captured with one look at you today Oh, my heart's been burning, my soul keeps yearning Sometimes I can hardly wait for that sweet, sweet someday When I'll be swept away to another time Oh, my heart's been burning, my soul keeps yearning You know the hurts that still plague us, the questions we still have. The Bible has answers for us tonight and I, for just a few moments, in conclusion, want to talk to you about that. As we begin, let's turn all the lights up and I want to ask you a question. What symbol most represents Christmas to you, the prevailing mood of Christmas? Think about it. Would it be a bell, like declaring the joy, or would it be a gift? What would it be for you? Still thinking, right? Let me show you what mine is. Yes, this is it. The prevailing mood for Christmas, for me, is the first song tonight. It said, Earth was waiting, standing restless, mingled with the hope and fear. What child is this? A day to rest. You see, today, millions of family members and thousands of soldiers are anticipating the news from headquarters and yet remain on full alert in the Middle East. Tomorrow, exhausted merchants anticipate a day off, a single day off, in the frenzy of the shopping spree now completed. Families everywhere are anticipating rendezvous and get-togethers and the familiar gift exchanges and traditional family gatherings. And who anticipates Christmas most of all? Huh? Yeah, they're the little ones in your laps and seated in the chairs next to you. They are really looking forward to Christmas. I had one mom tell me this week that her four-year-old ended their Thanksgiving play and on the way home, with a tear in her eye, she said, Mommy, it's so long from Thanksgiving to Christmas. She hadn't checked my calendar. It seemed pretty short to me. And I'm sure every family here has stories to tell of kids who can't go to sleep because of the anticipation on Christmas Eve and parents who can't get up on Christmas morning as kids nervously, anxiously anticipate the big moment. I've already had my 630 alarm set. I'm told that's when we're getting up tomorrow. Maybe most of all tonight, the traffic officer out here is anticipating when this church will finally end all of its services and he can go home. Anticipation is defined as the expectation or hope of something yet to be realized. Anticipation. Dear ones, everyone here has hope in their heart. It's being human to have hope. Some of you hope tonight for a better circumstance in 1991. Maybe a better job or a better home. Some of us hope for healing in our bodies. Some of us hope for a reconciliation. Some of us hope to hear from a loved one that's been estranged. Some of us hope to find just the perfect mate. But all of us hope for something. It's part of who we are. And Christmas, if it represents anything, it represents a reason for our hope. Christmas tells us that there's someone who cares about us in our condition, in the entanglements of our lives. Someone who cares enough to send an answer for our lives. Most of all, Christmas gives us reason to hope that there's an answer for our ultimate need in life, which is the need to overcome death. I don't know who you are today, whether you're in your 80s or you're 8, but every one of us is moving toward the day when this life will end. And every human being has a hope that beyond this life there's another one. Every human being wonders what happens when they breathe the last breath of their lives. This was driven home to me very tangibly this year when I read a recent article in USA Today about the movie Ghost. Sometimes I like people to raise their hands on these things, but I won't do that tonight. But many of you have seen the movie Ghost. It was the number one movie of 1990. Without a whole lot of money poured into advertising, it sold $200 million worth of tickets, the number five movie of all time. And I asked myself, why were people so enamored with this movie? Was it the romance and the little love story that was going on between Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore? Maybe. Was it the humor of Whoopi Goldberg? I doubt it. But why did people flock to see this movie? One person here says saw it 11 times. Was it the nostalgia of the unchained melody? I'll tell you why I think it was. Because people saw in that movie an expression of hope, that love was eternal. In a very kind of graphic way, the producer made it clear, the director made it clear, that there was hope for eternal reward and hope against the reality of eternal punishment. Millions of people have seen that movie. Because American people, just like anyone else, want to know, is there an eternity? Is there something beyond this life to look for? We want to believe it so badly, and yet all of us are surrounded with reminders that in this life, things are very difficult. And why should I be expected to believe that something would get better when I can't seem to make this life better? You're like the single parent I talked to this week, who works 50 hours every week, comes home after a long day, and then has to become a double parent, as well as take home care of a household and a home. And she wonders, will things get better? Or maybe you're like the family that I talked to, whose dad's job was eliminated all of a sudden when the company was sold unexpectedly, no hope of a new one on the horizon. Or maybe you're like the person whose marriage is breaking up, or whose illness is prolonged, or whatever it might be. And all these things happen, like we saw portrayed in the drama tonight. They make us wonder, will things get better? But is there reason to hope? Folks, people hurt, don't they? I was in a doctor's office about six weeks ago, related to this little back problem I'm having. And another man was in there about my age, and we were waiting for the doctor. And I said, well, what's happened to you? And he told me, he said, five years ago, I was in a construction accident. He said, I stepped into a construction elevator, and it broke loose and fell 40 feet down the side of the building. I said, well, what happened? He said, I broke both of my legs in two places. I sheared my elbow off in the side of the cage. I crushed three discs in my back. I broke my nose. I fractured my skull and was in a coma for four months. He looked at me and said, what's wrong with you? I had an opportunity to talk to this man about the love of God and about God's plan for his life. And yet he had a battle going on in his life, wondering if there was anything to hope for. Five years of living with pain. I want to say two things to you. There's a Christmas yet to come. The Bible tells us about it in the book of Revelation. I'll just read it for you real quickly. In Revelation 21, the Bible says, And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. And they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. And he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. That is the hope that we look forward to. Those who have Christ in their lives and know that God has prepared that for us, that's the hope that has been established for all who trust in him. Imagine a place that's pain-free and debt-free and pollution-free and worry-free and death-free. There's no lines either and no call waiting. That's what God promises for those who have a relationship with him. But you may be like the person that was talking to me a while back and said, Yeah, I hear that. He said, But how do I know that you Christians are right? I mean, first of all, there's a lot of religions out there. There's a lot of things going on, and I'm open-minded, and this is a pluralistic society. How do I know you're right? He said, And furthermore, if Christians are right, how come they still have the same problems the other people do? I mean, why are they sick? Why do they hurt? Why do they divorce? Why do they sin? Why do they struggle? I had to agree with him. I said, But there is an explanation. You see, in the kingdom to come, there is no sin. There is no evil against God. All of those things have been wiped away. But in this life, we continue to war against the fallen nature with which we were born. So even Christians fall short. Even Christians hurt and have disease. But one day, God will say, No more. There's a Christmas that's yet to come when God says, I will dwell with men, and I'll wipe every tear, and heal every pain and every hurt. But the news for tonight is not just that there's a Christmas yet to come, but there's also a Christmas for today. Because 2,000 years ago, using the same word in the New Testament, John 1 verse 14 says, that God dwelt with man, and we beheld His image, full of the grace and glory of God. You see, when Jesus Christ came, when the first Christmas came, God left heaven and came to earth and brought a little bit of that heaven, a little bit of that healing, a little bit of the balm in our wounds, a little bit of the fulfillment of our dreams, and an assurance that there's more to come. You know, it's kind of like some of the kids that are here tonight. They're like mine. They walk by that Christmas tree for days and days and see that pile of gifts, and they say, Oh, Dad, can't we open them now? Can't we open them now? And if you're a parent like me, I'd finally say, Okay, you can open one. And God said, I'm going to send them one gift as a promise for all that's to come. The one gift was the perfect gift. Jesus Christ, He said. And God says to all of us tonight, you may be still hurting. You may still have pain. You may still be struggling with what life is about. Maybe you don't have all the answers. Maybe you have a loved one in the Middle East or a husband in another part of the country or a fiance that's left you. But know this for sure. God says, I will fulfill your dreams. I will answer to your needs. And the assurance that you can have on this Christmas is Christ in you. The hope of you. Christ in you. He's the down payment of God's promises yet to come. And He extends them to you tonight. In another time and another place, God will fulfill all that we long for. But in this day and this night and this Christmas Eve, let's reach out to Him. If you're a believer tonight and your life is upside down and things aren't complete, you don't hope in vain. Just have some anticipation. Some expectation, alright? Be ready to hear from Him. Don't ask God to stick a knife up in you to make it happen, alright? Just wait on Him. And if you don't know the Lord, I want to urge you, what's out there in your future? What are you hoping for? You'll find it. And let's sing this invitation song. Come, Emmanuel, God with us. Let's sing what was announced to us. God has come to dwell among us. Let's sing together. Emmanuel, Emmanuel His name is called Emmanuel God with us. Once again, make an invitation. Emmanuel Whatever it is tonight, it remains to be fulfilled. For some it may be the longing of a relationship with God. For some it may be a husband or wife who seems far off. For some it may be a friendship that has been ripped apart. For some it may be a healing of a nagging injury or illness. Whatever it is, dear one, tonight, receive hope in Christ. Turn to Him. Call out to Him. Receive life from Him. Lord, that we might know the blessing of fullness. Promise in that little infant child yet to be realized one day. We spend glory with Him. Be prepared to leave tonight. I'm going to sing Silent Night, Holy Night. And I'm going to ask you to hold your light out as an expression of your willingness to say, God, I'm trusting, I'm hoping in you. Let's sing it. Silent night Holy night Holy star Holy child How I wonder What you are Silent night Holy infant So tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night Holy night Shepherds quake At the sight Glories stream From heaven afar Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born Silent night Holy night Son of God Love's pure light Radiant beams From Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Lord, because your light has come into our lives, we hope, God, not in vain, but we hope for that day of eternal glory, that hope of the Christmas yet to come. And Lord, we hope with great assurance because in us this Christmas day dwells Christ, the hope. Say with me, won't you? Christ in me, saying, the hope of glory. God bless you, and have a merry, merry Christmas.