The Unfulfilled Promise of Christmas

REFLECTION QUOTES

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

~Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Danish philosopher and theologian

“We live in a broken world and we want hope. And we go to movies—we read stories—because we get to see broken people become whole. And that’s the message that Jesus gives us.”

~Matthew Luhn, Pixar Story Editor and Artist

“Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.”

​~Vaclav Havel (1936-2011), Czech statesmen, writer and former dissident

“How can all things be worked together by God for good? The answer is at hand. It is because God’s ultimate purpose is to make us like Christ. His goal is the complete restoration of the image of God in His child! So great a work demands all the resources which God finds throughout the universe, and He ransacks the possibilities of joys and sorrows in order to reproduce in us the character of Jesus.”

~Sinclair Ferguson (1948-present), Scottish minister, professor and author

“Suffering and injustice that can make us bitter or dehumanized becomes an opportunity to grow in compassion and solidarity. I am convinced this is not a virtue but a grace, not something to be proud of but to be grateful for.”

~Francisco Argüelles Paz y Puente, Mexican-born activist

“To believe that God must take away certain sinful affections for you to serve Him fully is self-centered at its core. You are commanded to serve Him because of who He is, not because of how you feel. The commands to kill the flesh, flee youthful lusts and take up your cross all reveal a major component of Christianity which is that you don’t have to feel obedient to BE obedient.”

~Jackie Hill Perry, writer, poet and hip-hop artist

SERMON PASSAGE

Genesis 47 & 50 (ESV)

Genesis 47

29 And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” 31 And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

Genesis 50

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” … 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.