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“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” —Isaiah 26:3
Merry Christmas, friend! Thank you for following my blog. Your support and prayers mean the world to me.
Last weekend, I had the privilege of preaching on Jesus as Prince of Peace from Isaiah 9:6-7.
You can watch or listen to the sermon in the link below or by clicking here. Here’s a short excerpt:
When I was in youth group years ago, we played a game called “soapy-tarp-tug-of-war.” Have you heard of this game?
It’s just as dangerous as it sounds. Adults lay out a giant tarp, spray it down with soap and water to make it as slippery as possible, then toss in a bunch of kids who don’t know any better and tell them to play tug-of-war.
It’s a giant mess. Water and soap everywhere, kids flying around, slipping, falling, screaming, breaking bones.
Pure chaos.
Anyway, I still remember as you pulled, there’d be bystanders standing outside the tarp shouting things like, “Pull harder! That way! C’mon!”
And as you’re slipping around—worn out, losing grip, out of strength, laying flat on your back, injured—you almost want to turn to the bystanders and say, sarcastically, “Oh, pull harder? Thanks so much—why didn’t I think of that?!”
Here’s the thing: When we’re slipping in life—losing grip, exhausted, injured, out of strength, laying flat on our backs—we don’t need a Savior who stands outside of our mess and shouts, “C’mon! Just pull harder!” We need a Savior who is stronger than us to enter into our mess with us and give us the strength we don’t have on our own.
In fact, we need a Savior who will take the rope for us—one who will take our burdens on his own shoulders.This is exactly what we have in Christ.
The good news of Christmas is not, “You’re stronger than you think. Just pull harder!”
The good news of Christmas is that “Mighty God has come in the flesh—he has stepped into our mess to save us—and HE is stronger than you know.”
I pray the Lord blesses you through His Word!
~Blake
P.S. The sermon starts at the 5:40-minute mark.
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Blake Glosson (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is a pastoral resident at Chapelstreet Church in Geneva, Illinois. He has been published and/or republished or referred by:
- The Gospel Coalition
- Life Bible
- Crosswalk
- Eternal Perspective Ministries (Randy Alcorn)
- Challies.com/Tim Challies (here and here)
- DashHouse (Darryl Dash)
- Moody Radio (here, here, and here)
- The JOY FM (here and here)
- ChurchLeaders.com
- Monergism.com
- The Aquila Report (here and here)
Previously, Blake served as the director of young adults at New Covenant Bible Church in St. Charles, Illinois.
Watch or listen to more of Blake’s sermons here.
Read “How to Find Freedom From Shame” here.
Read or watch “How to Resist Revenge and Become Meek” here.
Read “The Neglected Ministry of Asking Questions” here.
Read “Christian, You Are Fully Known and Fully Loved” here.