Christmas Playlist Series# 1

Christmas Playlist Series# 1
By: Bobby Sullivan

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Cancel all conversations that contradict your convictions.

“Amazing Grace” Hymn published in 1779. Written by John Newton.
He was a slave trader.
AND THAT’S THE REST OF THE STORY

“It Is Well With My Soul.” Written on 22nd November 1873 by
Horatio Gates Spafford, He was a businessman in Chicago and lost everything in the Great Chicago fire. He knew D.L. Moody was having meeting in the UK so he sent his wife and daughters ahead while he wrapped up some business affairs. The ship sunk with the 4 daughters while the mother was rescued. Two weeks later he was on a ship over to the UK when out on the deck he wrote this song at the exact spot his four daughters perished.
AND THAT’S THE REST OF THE STORY

Luke 1:68-79 Benedictus — Zechariah’s Song
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,  

71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 

75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:5-19   The Back Story!!
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, [a] of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 

 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.  

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

They had to give two weeks of service each year … Incense — Only get to do it once in a life time, many priests never get this opportunity Zechariah is specifically chosen at this time … God sets you up for stuff!!!!!

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for YOUR PRAYER HAS BEEN HEARD!, ( one of the greatest feelings in the world is knowing your prayers are being heard )and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.    REPEAT! ATTACK THE LACK!  What ever it is that you lack, your prayers have ben heard. God is ready to fill your empty womb with purpose, your barren bank account with seed.
REPEAT_____HE’S GOT MY BACK! 

Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”

• Hope — an expectation of good • Deferred — protracted, drawn out, delayed • Sick — worn down in strength, sick, to be pained, to become wearied.
  

NOTE: I’m now pushin 60! I did not come to Nova Scotia to retire, relax or be rekindled. Im not here to mess around, play around, pamper or pump up. Im not here to watch the waves, eat at waves, or sit back and wave at cars driving PAST the church! .  Im not hear to slow down, chill out, calm down, or cool off .I came for results, revival and refreshing! I came to witness a move of God that will move in like a tsunami, to invade the darkness, to empty hell and fill heaven, to heal the sick, raise the spiritual dead and cleanse the lame liturgical leapers and transform lives to Impact their world.

Zacharia didn’t have any hopes, Im sure he was tired of trying!  Im sure some night they were under the desert sky and Elizabeth got all pretty up and he thought, SERIOUSLY? This is just work and nothings gonna happen anyway! 

Luke 1:20
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

We are not here to silence the lambs or foster the sin of unbelief! Lets agree to believe for a global harvest that begins in Bridgewater! Im sorry but at this stage in my life I am about the numbers. Every number found is one number that’s no longer lost.  Don’t ever speak against what God spoke for in your life! Don’t ever put a question mark after what he put an exclamation point. In other words don’t replace exclamation point with a question mark!!

Faith was so important to God that he had to shut ZACHARIA up so he would not pollute the atmosphere of the miraculous with his venomous thoughts.

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR—-SAY, “ I WILL NOT BE SILENCED WILL YOU?”

• As a Believer, we are called to cancel all conversations that contradict your convictions!

We will not tolerate unbelief, fear, worry, doubt!  It’s in our best interest to  bank on the word of God to deposit faith in our lives which will give us the greatest return on our investment. Whats the investment? BELIEF! 

Mark 4:24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 

Mark 11:23 “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
The whole World is voice activated! 

Luke 1:21-25  And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.   

He had time to think on this before he went home … waiting in silence … well Elizabeth its like this!

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

People say the nastiest things! Everyone has an opinion. We want to encourage, not judge, not speak negative. If your not the solution then stay silent 

John’s Birth Luke 1:57-66
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.”

61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

2. Your calling is confirmed by your conscience! Stick to your guns

Zechariah – God has remembered. Elizabeth – God has promised.   John – God has graciously given. Put these all together:  God has remembered His promise and graciously given. 

Zechariah’s Song “…the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
That is the Good News of Christmas. God has personally invaded all darkness

Genesis 1:2-3   “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”
“Light” – First Word God calls into manifestation.

NOTE:  I decree and declare over you today that by inheritance you are the light of the world. Your presence alone will lead the way, steer people in the right direction, you will make the dark paths lit by the glory of God that resides within you! I have commissioned you to be as a beacon of hope for those who are walking in darkness. You are to shine forth My light, that others may come to the light!

Isaiah 9:2, 6, 7, 9  “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; … For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; … Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, … The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”  

3. Dont steal my zeal : Resist anyone trys to steal your seed ! Whats your seed ? anything that you hav sown into the soil of the savior !
   

3 Observations:
1. Light Confronts Darkness      Whether you want it to or not.  Your faith works
2. Light Equals Life          No Light – No Life Jesus is light!           Your faith gives life
3. Light Doesn’t Hesitate     He never holds back. He rushes into every dark place.  Your faith forces you forward 

John 8:12
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
All the darkness in the world cannot put out one candle flame. 

Jesus is the light. It is Jesus or darkness.
The world was made for HIS light.
Everyone in the world needs His light
The whole world will be filled with HIS light. 

John 12:36 “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” 

COME TO THE LIGHT!

Dec 8-19 Christmas Play List Series# 1, Sermon notes to print, PDF