Message by Pastor Dr Ng Swee Ming on Christmas Day 2012

1. Christmas 2012
“The Good Samaritan”
– a modern interpretation.

2. The actors/actresses in the play -
 gang members
 the victim and
 the ‘passerbys’.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

3. Can you identify with -
 mother & son
 business woman
 ‘facebook Gen-Z’ teenager
 worship leader
 pastor
 two foreign workers .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

4. Q: If this were a real situation –
how many of you felt upset with
those who did not stop to help ?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

5. Q: How many of you felt that you
would have helped if you had been
passing by ?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

6. The ‘victim’ was in need ...
But he was not the only one ...
 mother & son
 business woman
 facebook Gen-Z teenager
 worship leader
 pastor
 two foreign workers
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

7. So easy to see the “need” out-there...
But what happens when a need ...
 comes into our neighborhood
 come “up-close”...
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

8. What you may not know –
there were actually TWO PLAYS going on at the
same-time...
Up front on the stage ...
& another among the congregation ...
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

9. “My car battery is weak.
Can you please help to
jumpstart his car .... ?”
“I have the cables ....”
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

10. “I am not feeling well.
Do you have some
panadol I can take ?”
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

11. “My phone is flat. Can I
please borrow your phone
to make an urgent call...?”
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

12. “We came to church
together. Halfway
thru the service we
suddenly realises she
may have misplaced
the car-keys. I went
to look for the keys
but discovers the car
is gone. I need help
to make a police
report ....?”
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

13. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

14. Seeing a “play” is very different from ...
being ‘Up-close’ and involved ...
Why is this so ??
We are all only human
... weak
... imperfect
... even sinful
... we all have our ‘needs’
... and also our ‘fears’
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

15. Question Again:
How many of you felt that you would
have helped if you had been
passing by ?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

29. "For the Son of Man
came to seek and to
save what was lost."
Luke 19:10
Christmas 2012

30. 3 P’s for this Christmas :
1.PERSON
2.PURPOSE
3.PROMISE.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

31. Christmas is about a PERSON
 ‘The Son of Man’
 Galatians 4:4 “When the time had fully
come, God sent forth his Son”.
 Theologian – Incarnation
 Bible – Immanuel = “God with us”
 That PERSON is JESUS CHRIST.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

32. John 1:14a “The Word became flesh
and blood, and moved into the
neighborhood.”
(The Message Bible)
C. S. Lewis:
“The central miracle in
Christianity is the
INCARNATION –
God becoming Man.”
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

33. Christmas is about the PERSON of JESUS CHRIST
At the heart of Christmas is this truth:
 Immanuel (Gk) – “God with us”
 God has come down to us in the person of
Jesus.
 Now we can know what GOD is like because
JESUS His Son has come & lived among us.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

34. Christmas is also about:
 PURPOSE
 Why did Jesus – God’s Son
have to come ?
 Because people are LOST
 Jesus came to SEEK the LOST.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

35. PURPOSE : to SEEK the LOST
Parables of
 the lost sheep
 the lost coin
 the lost son**.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

36. Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own
way;
and the LORD has laid on him the
iniquity of us all.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

37. Game : Hide & Seek
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

38. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

39. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

40. Question ?
 Are you still playing ‘Hide & Seek’ with
God ?
 Are you still ‘HIDING’ from God ?
 Just because you cannot ‘see’ God does
not mean God cannot ‘see’ you .... .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

41. Christmas is also about ...
PROMISE
• What did God PROMISE ?
• It all in His name -
“Jesus Christ”.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

42. Christmas is also about ...
PROMISE in the name of Jesus Christ.
 ‘Jesus’ – Greek form of ‘Joshua’
which means "Yahweh is salvation.“
 ‘Christ’ Greek form of ‘Messiah’
which means ’the anointed one’ .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

43. Christmas is about ... PROMISE
 Jesus Christ is ‘anointed by God to
save those who are lost.’
God’s PROMISE at Christmas is
 To SAVE all who are ‘LOST’.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

44. God’s PROMISE for this Christmas
& every Christmas ...
JOHN 3:16
For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him
should not perish
but have eternal life.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

45. There is NO LIMIT to God’s Salvation
For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only Son, that WHOEVER believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life.
WHOEVER – means ....
includes YOU & I .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

46. Song : The Love Of God – 3rd verse
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Tho' stretched from sky to sky.

47. In Conclusion :
Christmas is about :
1.PERSON
2.PURPOSE
3.PROMISE.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

48. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

49. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

50. You may have come to church without Jesus,
but you don’t have to leave without him
You may have come feeling guilty,
but you can go home forgiven / restored
You may have come feeling ‘dirty’,
but you can go home clean
You may feel very unworthy,
but Christmas is all about God sending His
Son just for you – to save you ... .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

51. That’s the true power of CHRISTMAS
to create a miracle of change inside the
human heart
God has more LOVE & GRACE in His heart
than you have sin in your life
eg Paul’s testimony in 1 Tim 1:15
Jesus is a ‘greater’ Savior than you are a
sinner
You don’t have to leave the same way you
came ... .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

52. Luke 19:10 Paraphrased
“God’s Son came in the PERSON of Jesus Christ
that first Christmas
with the sole PURPOSE of seeking the lost
and to freely PROMISE salvation
to all who wants it ”
 the Choice...
 the Decision...
is yours to make.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

53. So the Good News of Christmas ...
 Is in the PERSON of Jesus Christ
 His PURPOSE is to SEEK the LOST
 His PROMISE is to SAVE
Do not play Hide and Seek with God anymore
We cannot hide from Him
He has sought you out ...
It depends if you want to be found ...
and receive the eternal life that he offers ... .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10

54. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed! .
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.“ Lk 19:10