THE BETHLEHEM GAUHaLL

SERMON STARTER

 

          We live in a lawless promise breaking culture. We have lived for decades without limits on money, possessions, civility and morality. Ancient Jewish law (Torah) recorded in the first books of the Bible remind us that Almighty God gave His chosen people, Israel the land for an inheritance forever.

          God established a system by which His people could receive again what was lost through misfortune, drought or infirmity. Every Fifty Years there was a Year of Jubilee in which that which was lost was restored to their original owners. The Fifty Year restoration was called a "Shemita."

          Over the years Israel became lawless disobedient to the commands of God. Through greed, dishonesty, usury and averace the people lost the land until finally God gave them up to the Syrians and the Babylonians. In capture and exile Israel languished 70 years until God released them to return to their homeland.

          We have a God who is a true Promise-Keeper. Though Abraham had passed away aeons past, God remembered His Promise to him. Israel painfully remembered the command and practice of Gauhall redemption, giving back land, possessions and property every fifty years.

          The history of the Jewish people is one of making and breaking promises to God. There are cycles of properity and plenty followed by complacency and idolatry followed by punishment and estrangement from God, followed by contrition and repentance.

          The birth of Messiah is the ultimate Gauhall redemption. Jesus is our true redeemer: He has bought us back from sin, death and the grave. Adam’s line of inheritance had fallen because of sin. We were barren and couldn’t produce life; we were headed to death. So God Himself intervened that we might be redeemed and bear fruit.

 

Pastor Phil  <><<  

 

Christmas Day, 2016

Pastor Phil Roland,  Sheepfold Ministries

 

THE BETHLEHEM GAUHaLL

Isaiah 43:1-6

"The birth of Messiah is the ultimate Gauhall redemption. Adam’s line of inheritance  had fallen because of sin. We were barren and couldn’t produce life; we were headed to death. So God Himself intervened that we might be redeemed and bear fruit."                                           Pastor Phil  <><<

²⁵ 'If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold.   Leviticus 25:25

 

¹ But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.   Isaiah 43:1

גָּאַל‎ = Ga-uh-all = "To buy back what is lost thru the right of                                           inheritance"

 

I.  THE ANCIENT LAW OF GAWH-AL - Deuteronomy 25:5

⁵ "If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband's brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.  

 

          A. Two Inheritances Promises to the Sons of Abraham - Gen. 17:7,8

                    ⁷ I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and                      you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be                        your God and the God of your descendants after you.

                    ⁸ The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an                        everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will                     be their God."

                    1. The People - God's promised genetic (DNA) inheritance

                    2. The Land - God's Land of Promise forever

          B. Law of Ga-uh-all  /  Redemption - Exodus 6:6

                    ⁶ Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am the LORD; I will bring you out

              from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their

              bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great

              judgments.

                    1. God promises to bring you back and restore

                    2. He promises to restore both genetic and land inheritance

                    3. None of Abraham's descendants were to be without land

                    4. None were to be barren

 

 

THE BETHLEHEM GAUH-ALL, cont. p.2

 

II.  THE GENETIC LINE OF THE GAUH-ALL REDEEMER

          A. Tamar (Judah) received the right of the Gauh-all Law - Gen. 38

                    1. Technically, Tamar tricks Judah into obey the law

                    2. Some men then as now didn't want the responsibility

          B. Ruth (Boaz) received the right of the Gauh-all Law - Ruth 4

                    ¹³ So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the     LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. (Perez) (Obed)
              ¹⁴ The women said to Naomi: "Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not     left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout                     Israel!   Ruth 4:13-14 (NIV)
                    1. Obed became the father of Jesse

                    2. Jesse became the father of David

                    3. Mary is of the genetic lineage of David

                    4. She becomes the honored mother of our Lord Jesus

          C. Bethlehem is the place where Ruth was redeemed

                    1. Jesus is born in Bethlehelm where Ruth met Boaz

                    2. Ruth and Boaz became part of a romantic love story

                    3. Their lineage leads to Mary who meets the Lord

                    4. Jesus becomes Messiah and Gauhall Redemption fulfillment

 

III. THE GOSPEL IN THE CHRISTMAS STORY - Luke 1:26-27

²⁶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

 

          A. The Birth of Jesus is the ultimate Gauhall Redemption

                    1. We Descendants of Adam had lost our Possession to Sin

                    2. Sin left us barren and our lives unproductive

                    3. We gave our birthright over to sin and disobedience

                    4. We were headed for death and the grave

          B. Salvation happens when God puts His Life within you

                    1. Amazing parellell with Mary and the Holy Spirit

                    2. Inviting Christ into your heart the same as Mary - Luke 1:38

                                        ³⁸ Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to

                          me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

                    3. Being Born Again, what is conceived in you, bears fruit

                                        ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,                                            kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control.                            Against such there is no law.    Galatians 5:22-23

                    4. We receive Christ's life, love and His very Spirit

                    5. God Himself becomes our Gauhall-Kinsman-Redeemer

 

 

 THE BETHLEHEM GAUHALL

Isaiah 43:1-6 (NKJV)
¹ But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
³ For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
⁴ Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life.
⁵ Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west;
⁶ I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth--

 

 

 

 

 

  

CLOSING ILLUSTRATION

THE HUG

 

          Friday evening Lois and I were shopping at Walmart. Walmart is where we temporarily part company. I grabbed an electric scooter and she prefers a shopping cart. We are connected by our cell phones. My first stop is usually at the prescription drug section where I wait in line. While I am waiting I strike up a conversation with the lady in front of me.

          Suddenly, I heard her say, "I'm going to give you a hug."Before I could do or say anything she grabbed me tightly for a hug that is usually reserved for family. At the end of the embrace, she made it a "Southern Hug" with a kiss on my neck. She turned and followed the clerk's call to pick up her meds and was gone.

          I was flabbergasted, not really understanding what just happened. After some thought it occurred to me that God suddenly gave mankind a hug and a promise by sending us His Son. He often comes suddenly and even unexpectedly to where we are and we are embraced by his loving Presence. In a sense, God gave us His affectionate embrace in Bethlehem when He have us His only begotten Son.

          What about You? Have you ever felt his embrace and birth in Your heart? Why not do that this very day?

         

 

1 Corinthians 13 at Christmas

 

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shining balls, but do not show God's Love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show God's love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show God's Love to my        family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crystal           snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in           the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

God's Love in us stops the cooking to hug the child.

God's Love in us sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.

God's Love in us is kind, though harried and tired.

God's Love in us doesn't envy another's home that has           coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

God's Love in us doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way,           but is thankful they are there to be in the way.(my favorite)

God's Love in us doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

God's Love in us bears all things, believes all things, hopes all           things, endures all things.

God's Love in us never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs           will rust.

But giving the gift of God's love will endure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES AT THE SHEEPFOLD

We will have a traditional Christmas evening of

Carols, Communion and Candlelight

7:00 pm Saturday Eve.

Refeshments will follow

 

CHRISTMAS MORNING SERVICES AT THE SHEEPFOLD

We will have a Christmas Morning Service

If you have family time planned do it!

10:30 am Sunday Morning

If holidays are tough for you, please come!