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Dec 04, 2022

Advent 2022 - The Christmas Dragon - Revelation 12 (click for resources)

Passage: Revelation 12:1-12

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Advent 2022

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: christmas, jesus, advent, war, devil, satan, defeat

Theme: The Manger Scene…Mary, Joseph, wise men, donkey, sheep….and a dragon? This hasn’t shown up on any Hallmark cards that I know of, but the dragon, whose name is Satan, was indeed at the birth of Jesus, seeking to murder the newborn Jesus before he could take his place on the battlefield, and then on the Throne. Despite the enemies best efforts, he has been fully defeated. Though his tail is whipping around in his last throws of death, The Christmas Jesus is the Victor Jesus who will once again come to finalize our renewal.

You can watch Emma Beth Walsh's amazing testimony that happened just before the sermon HERE

Theme: The Manger Scene…Mary, Joseph, wise men, donkey, sheep….and a dragon? This hasn’t shown up on any Hallmark cards that I know of, but the dragon, whose name is Satan, was indeed at the birth of Jesus, seeking to murder the newborn Jesus before he could take his place on the battlefield, and then on the Throne. Despite the enemies best efforts, he has been fully defeated. Though his tail is whipping around in his last throws of death, The Christmas Jesus is the Victor Jesus who will once again come to finalize our renewal.

 

CENTRAL TEXT: Rev 12

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars   of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers[fn] has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Sermon Discussion Questions

How does this adjust your image of the cute and cuddly manger scene?

Talk about why the devil is so intent on killing Jesus.

What is his ultimate goal?

How is Christmas actually God’s declaration of war?

Revelation 12 isn’t just about Christmas but about the whole battle from start to end. “The Woman” isn’t simply about Mary but she is representative for all of God’s people throughout all time up until the time Jesus was born...how did they all “give birth” to The Messiah?

If the devil is defeated, why is he still doing damage with his tail?

Until Jesus returns we will experience the aftershocks of this nasty war.

Who/What is our enemy?
What does it actually look like in real life?
What are our resources and weapons?

How does this Ultimately this results in GREAT JOY?