What would it look like to slow down? We're diving into an unlikely story that holds a powerful lesson. Tune in to explore the true essence of Christmas and discover how God's presence demands our stillness. Join us for a fresh perspective. IT'S EASY TO GIVE at Harmony, text any amount to (859) 459-0316  to get started (or give online @ my.harmonychurch.cc/give ).

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OPENING ILLUSTRATION:

One of my favorite moments around Christmas time is the night before Christmas.  Everything is still, kids are in bed, you’re awaiting the next day and all the hustle and bustle and excitement.  It’s the best isn’t it.  I love slowing down and sitting in the glow of the Christmas lights in the dark of the room.  I’ve been trying to identify why I love it.  I think it’s because it’s the antithesis of our world.  EVERYTHING about this time of year is Go go go.  It’s all year end, it’s all travel plans, last minute shopping, games, concerts, parties, packing, wrapping and a MILLION other things.  

What would it look like to slow down?  

I know, you don’t even think that’s possible, do you?

“Kent, how would I even do that?”

I want to take you to a super unlikely story that won’t feel Christmasy at all, then I want to show you something that came out of it

and then I want to point you to the Christmas story…

THE BIBLE

The year is 701BC, there is a King named Sennacherib from the land of Assyria.  The seat of his Kingdom is a little town called Nineveh.  You may recognize that name, it’s the city Jonah was sent to prophesy to.  This is why he didn’t want to go.  I believe Jonah is a huge part of the reason that Assyria came and attacked Israel - the Assyrians will literally swoop down and carry off the northern part of the Kingdom, up in the Galilee area.  They take off those Jewish people and they are never heard from again.  Now, in 701, Sennacherib is coming after the Southern parts of the nation.  He has attacked and captured 46 different walled fortressed cities of Judah, King Hezekiah’s cities.  Sennacherib writes on the Taylor prism of Sennacherib that he had Hezekiah caged like a bird.  He was going to destroy Hezekiah - he’s surrounded him with an army that has yet to be beat.  Hezekiah sends out his emissaries to meet with Sennacherib’s supreme commander and the commander, speaking Hebrew the commander begins to mock Hezekiah and Israel, I mean they have been cutting through the nation like a hot knife in butter.  He tells the Israelites that he will give them 2,000 horse if that would help, if they think they could even find men to ride them.  Hezekiah’s officials ask him to stop speaking in Hebrew so the people won’t hear and the commander goes to the next level and starts speaking to the people on the wall, “abandon Hezekiah and his God, come to us, we will give you life, we will protect you, we will give you what you need.”  

this looks like the end.  The are beat.  Thankfully, Hezekiah had been preparing for this moment and had built a tunnel for water to the city or they would have been in even bigger trouble, but it’s only a matter of time..

What you don’t know is that Hezekiah isn’t like most of the Kings of Judah.  Most of them were not faithful to God, most of them were not really people of character.  But Hezekiah is different.  Hez. really cares, he has destroyed the idols, gotten rid of them, he had called the people to repentance.  He has driven people back to God.

Maybe you feel this.  

Hezekiah has been doing everything right and it feels like everything is going wrong.  Death is at his door.

Hezekiah literally goes to the temple and prays, he sends some officials to Isaiah the prophet, yeah, the one who wrote the book of Isaiah.  He asks Isaiah to pray and what to do/what will happen.

Isaiah prays and tells Hezekiah this, listen…:

2 Kings 19:32-36

32 “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

“‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it.

33 By the way that he came he will return;     he will not enter this city, declares the Lord.

34 I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.’”

35 That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

Overnight, everything that was a disaster disappeared.

Super Christmasy, right?

I told you, this was not going to be your normal Christmas sermon…

“Kent, what does this have to do with slowing down?  I don’t get it?”

Let me read a passage for you that many scholars think was written as a response to this event

Psalm 46:8-11

8 Come and see what the Lord has done,

    the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease

    to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the shields[d]with fire.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

The author of the Psalm looks out at this incredible moment where God rescues them and the author says this, did you catch it?

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

Honestly 

I’ve always preached this as, “You need to slow down and stop doing so much and realize who God is”

…and that’s true.  It’s saying “Be still and know that I am God.”

But the part I’ve always missed is the REASON you are still be

The reason is NOT because you are so busy and you need something from God

The reason is because you are in the presence of the most spectacular being in the universe and His presence necessitates stillness - full attention.

In one fell swoop, God knocked out every potential danger Hezekiah faced and it didn’t even seem to take any effort really.  

Because He’s God…

Now, let’s turn to Christmas.

Do you know what Christmas is really about?

Not the Christmas of trees and fat guys and wrapping paper.  I mean the first Christmas?  The Christmas when God came into the world?

Here’s the human predicament.  

b

Every one of us was trapped by sin and dysfunction.

b

Every one of us has had something promise us life that could never make good on that promise.

-the bottle, a relationship, success, money, power, prestige, etc.

Every one of us needed rescue.

This is the story of Christmas - it is the story of Rescue

It is the story of God, coming into the world to rescue us all from our own sin and destructiveness, to buy us back out from the authority that we had given over to the enemy.  

Jesus set us free.  He gave us new life. Through His death on the cross, He defeated death.  

At the end of Matthew Jesus says these words 

Matthew 28:18

“18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Jesus freed us, and He has all authority.  This Christmas, you need to slow down and realize you stand in His presence, that Jesus has already rescued you.  Some of you need to turn to Jesus, to give your life to Him, others of you need to recommit to Him and step back, be still and know that He is God.  Because God came to rescue you…