NEW YEARS 2012
“Change For The Better”
Philippians 3:12-14
Have you heard about the man who moved into a retirement community to spend the rest of his life there? It wasn’t long until he had made a number of friends among the other residents. There was one lady he was especially attracted to, and she was attracted to him, also. So they spent a lot of time together. Finally one evening he proposed, asking her to marry him. The next morning he woke up remembering his proposal, but he couldn’t remember her answer. So he went to her and said, "I’m really embarrassed. I proposed to you last night but I can’t remember if you said `Yes’ or `No."’ "Oh, thank goodness!" she replied. "I remembered saying `Yes’ but I couldn’t remember who asked me."
Sometimes I feel that way about New Year’s resolutions. I tell myself, "This year I’m going to turn over a new leaf. I’m going to exercise regularly & lose weight. I’m going to do all kinds of things to improve myself physically and spiritually." But then somehow I forget. Maybe you have that problem, too. So I have a suggestion for a New Year’s resolution that we ought to be able to remember. It is kind of broad and very general, but here it is. Let’s promise ourselves and God that we will make a change for the better. In 2012, as God’s people, as His church, let’s make this one simple resolution we’re going to make a change for the better. To help us let’s take a look at what we can change for the better.
First Develop A Positive Outlook Toward Life
Each of us can make a change for the better by developing a positive outlook toward life. A few years ago a lady committed suicide, leaving behind this note. "I decided that unless life was worth living I would just quit living." How do you feel about your life? Is it worthwhile? Or, let’s change the question. What would it take for you to feel that your life is worthwhile? What would have to happen to make you feel really positive about your life? If you won the lottery, would that do it? If your marriage suddenly was all patched up, would that do it? If your kids began to make you proud, or if you got a promotion, would that do it? What would it take for you to really feel positive about your life?
Now if that’s the way you’re thinking then you’ll probably never feel really positive about life because all the little pieces that must come together to make you positive about life will probably never be there. That is the reason I have selected Philippians 3:12 14 as our text this morning. But before I read it to you, you need to realize that Paul is in prison, chained to a Roman guard, under horrible conditions. Yet despite that, he writes these wonderfully positive words, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind & straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Now stop for a moment and ask yourself, "What is Paul trying to grab hold of?" Paul tells us in vs. 10, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection & the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." What is he reaching for? What is his goal? Paul’s goal is the resurrection from the dead. His goal is eternal life with Jesus. That is what he is reaching for and striving for every day. His goal is heaven.
Now here is the point. If our goal is heaven, if our goal is eternal life with Jesus Christ, then all these little setbacks in life are only stepping stones getting us closer to the time when we will be with Jesus. There will be disappointments in life, but every day that passes is one day closer to the time when we will be with Jesus. If that is our goal, then Romans 8:28 is true. "All things" do "work together for good to those who love God & are called according to his purpose."
The world says that the way to feel good about yourself is by climbing the ladder of success by making a lot of money by having influential friends by receiving a lot of awards by belonging to the right circles. Those are the things that make you feel good about yourself. But the Bible teaches us that we are to feel good about ourselves because God loves us. You are such a treasured person in God’s sight that He gave His only Begotten Son for you. That makes you valuable, and you can feel good about yourself. Frank Peretti said, "It’s no wonder that our young people today have poor self images when they go to school and read books that tell them that they are the products of blind chance and that they are just accidents of nature unplanned, unloved, and unwanted.
But the Bible tells us that we are wanted & loved & cared for by God Himself. Jim Valvano was head coach of the N.C. basketball team. He rose to fame when his team started winning championships. Everybody liked him. He was always cracking jokes and had a winning way of dealing with people. But in 1991 Valvano learned that he had inoperable bone cancer. During Christmas time, 1992, he said, "It’s difficult to be thankful this Christmas because I’m not sure I’ll be here next Christmas." And he wasn’t. He died in 1993. "But," he said, "This Christmas I’m getting down on my knees and thanking God for every day of the 46 years of my life." He was positive about life because he realized that life is a very precious gift God has given us. It must sadden the Lord that oftentimes we take this gift He has given, and don’t treasure it for the precious thing that it is.
Second d Develop A Positive Attitude Toward The Church
I don’t say this in a self serving way at all because one thing that is right about the church is that our desire is simply to lift up Jesus, to reach out to a lost and dying in the world with the message of salvation. Yet, at times I hear people criticizing the church. For instance, someone says, "The church costs too much." We are always worrying about how much something costs. In Matthew 26 there is an interesting account of something that happened as Jesus ate with His disciples. If you remember, a woman brought a jar filled with expensive perfume and broke it and anointed his head with the perfume.
Immediately some of the disciples criticized the waste, saying that the perfume should have been sold & the money given to the poor. But Jesus defended her, saying, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. … When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial." You see, we have a different value system than the world. The world would consider something waste that we consider valuable. The world thinks you’re wasting your time going to church. You wanted to hear about God and Jesus Christ, and the world thinks that’s a waste.
When the world looks at your tax return and sees that you gave away 10% or 15% or 20% of your income to build the kingdom of God, it would call that a waste, too. But the things the world calls wasteful today are probably the only things that will last for all eternity. Remember, when the woman poured the perfume on Him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
Now we need to understand that when we risk something for God we could lose. We have won the big battle already because Jesus went to the cross and died for us. We might lose some skirmishes along the way because Satan is still the prince of this world &and there are a lot of things going on that are not God’s will. But I would rather be trying something great for God and fail than be playing it safe and succeed. John Wesley was a great English preacher of the 1700’s. He was considered a rather spiffy dresser. One Sunday morning he wore a bow tie that had long ribbons that hung downward. After the sermon was over a lady walked up to him and said, "Brother Wesley, are you open to some criticism?" He said, "I guess so. What would you like to criticize?" She said, "The ribbons on your tie are entirely too long and inappropriate for a man of God." And she took out her scissors and cut them off. A hush fell over the people standing there as Wesley calmly asked, "Now may I borrow the scissors for a moment?" As she handed them to him, he said, "Ma’am, are you open to some criticism?" She answered, "Well, I suppose I am." He said, "All right then, please stick out your tongue."
In Ephesians 4:15 Paul tells us,”Tthat we need to speak the truth in love”. We need to make sure it is the truth, but we also need to be sure that we are speaking it in the spirit of love. So we need to develop a positive attitude towards the church.
Third Display A Positive Attitude Toward Others
Robert Schuler wrote, "It would amaze us how many people we could influence for Christ if we would just treat people nicely." I think he is right. This is a hard world, a world that doesn’t always exercise courtesy. Sometimes it’s a dog eat dog world. People are jockeying for positions on the freeways and in their companies, and they’re filled with all kinds of stress and anxiety. But the church must be a place where we all can come and be accepted and loved and encouraged and built up in a place where there are people to help us carry our burdens and everyone feels welcome.
You see, if we treat each other with love then wonderful things will happen for the kingdom of God. So this new year let’s make sure that we display a positive attitude toward others. When Terry Bradshaw was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame he mentioned other players who had played with him and said, "This honor would mean nothing to me at all if I didn’t have people like that who loved me."
Conclusion
People need people. Someone wrote a song about that. But more than that people need positive people a constant positive influence in life. Maybe that more than any other ought to be our new year’s resolution this year “A Change For The Better.” I’m going to be positive as I look at my life. I’m going to be positive as I look at the church. And I’m going to be positive as I look at others."
May I suggest to you that as this resolution filters down into every segment of your life, that 2012 will be one of the best years you have ever had. And as you live each day of it, you will get closer and closer to the goal, the heavenward prize, to be with Jesus. We are a year closer to heaven than we were this time last year. Everything is on course, folks. We need to trust the Lord and love Him to place our lives in His hands and allow Him to use us to His glory. If you are here without Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior, then you have an opportunity to make a change for the better right away. On this first Lord’s Day of the new year, come and name the precious name of Jesus, accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and be faithful to Him. You’ll find that it will be the best thing you’ve ever done in your life. Amen.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES 2011
“Home For Christmas”
John 1:14
On December 17th, 1903, after four attempts, the Wright Brothers flew their “flying machine” for the first time. Wilbur rushed to the local telegraph office and sent the following message: “We have flown for 12 seconds – will be home for Christmas!” Upon receiving the telegram, their sister Katherine went to the newspaper office and told them the news. Two days later, the local paper placed the following headline on page six: “Wright brothers home for Christmas.” Amazingly, being home for Christmas trumped their flight feat. Sure, they were the first to fly, but it was even more important that they were coming home.
I guess that is why the Christmas Season is so busy because a lot of people go home for Christmas to see loved ones and family. There’s something deep within each of us that longs to belong to a place called home. We hear Christmas music being played in a lot of areas we go and even the secular songs speak of a yuletide yearning. I’ll Be Home For Christmas…written during WWII, captures the longing to be home. I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas speaks of a time long ago when our expectations of a white and wonderful Christmas were met…..or were they?
Our songs and sentiments speak of a yearning for what we have yet to experience or as one person said, “The longing for things that have never happened.” It’s no secret that not everyone is merry about Christmas. We’ve all seen on the news about the atheists objecting to signs towns put up. Or people we’ve met in stores that just have that big frown on their face…….reflecting…”Bah, Humbug!”
For others it’s a time of memories when we spent special times at other Christmas’. Smelling the pine, the taste of roast turkey, of mom and dad sitting around in their bath robes as us kids opened presents. And times as we gathered as a family on Christmas Day evening to exchange presents. For others, this night is a reminder of the way of life should have been but never was. Those who have looked through other people’s windows as such scenes of domestic bliss, but…never as an insider.
I know that some people are missing here this evening because they have gone home for Christmas to where family is or where children live that have moved out of state. Other’s maybe have no one or place to go. Other’s may be dreading it because it will be the first Christmas that you’ve had since the loss of a loved one. Christmas could even be warm or just plain weird for some of you. Your home might be beautiful or it may be broken. John Ortberg suggest that there’s the home we long for and the home we have, and there’s always a gap between them. We all know that Joseph and Mary were away from home that first Christmas. In Matthew 1:20, Joseph is told to “take Mary home as his wife” but that didn’t last long because they had to bounce down to Bethlehem.” The shepherds, because of the nature of their work, were far from home. As we learned last week, the wise men had wandered away from home so they could worship King Jesus. The family of Jesus set up their home in Bethlehem for awhile and then fled to Egypt and then back to Judea and finally ended up in Nazareth. Later Jesus made Capernaum his home base, but during his ministry, the Bible says that Jesus had no “place to lay his head.” And Jesus was literally far from home when He was here because he came all the way from heaven.
Because we all long to belong, we will be homeless until we find our home with God. There’s a longing for home inside each of us that no human home can satisfy. Did you know that the word ‘home’ is used 186 times in the Bible. You can make a distinction between this in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.
First In The Old Testament We Are Homesick For God
Ever since Adam and Eve were thrown out of their home in Eden, there’s been deep homesickness inside each of our souls, a deep longing for belonging that can be traced through the entire Old Testament. In Genesis 8:9 we read about Noah setting a dove free after the 40-day flood: “But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth…” The phrase “set its feet” in Hebrew literally means “home.” That’s a cool description of home. We’re looking for security – not just a place for our feet but a place of safety for our souls.
The psalmist observes the sparrows and swallows finding homes and longs for that same sense of security in Psalm 84:3. It’s almost as if he’s jealous that they have unlimited access to the home of the Holy One: “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young -- a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.”
In Psalm 90:1, Moses, who spent most of his life wandering in the wilderness, declares that home is where God is: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” .…” Martin Copenhaver argues that because we’re homesick for God, our Christmas celebrations are often incomplete. Even if we could return to a place where everything seemed complete, we would find that someone is always missing: “We are homesick, not for some home of our past, but for a home we have never seen and cannot readily imagine. This is why I believe our homesickness, in some way, is a yearning for God.
Second In The New Testament God Is Homesick For Us
If the Old Testament shows our homesickness for God, a case could be made that the New Testament depicts God as homesick for us. That’s what the core of Christmas is all about. In John 1:14 is one of the most startling verses in the Bible: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
A grandfather was visiting his grandson one Christmas when he walked into the family room and saw the toddler standing up in his playpen, crying. His face was red and tear-stained. When little Jeffrey saw his granddad, his face lit up and his hands reached out for help as he pleaded, “Out, papa, out!” What grandfather could resist this plea? And so he walked over to the playpen and reached down to lift his little buddy out of captivity. Just then, however, “Law and Order” stepped into the room with a dishtowel in her hand and spoke sternly, “Jeffrey, you know better.
You’re being punished. Leave him right there, dad.” And she marched back out of the room. The grandfather didn’t know what to do. Jeffrey’s tears and outstretched hands tugged at his heart, but he didn’t want to interfere with a mother’s discipline either. He couldn’t stand being in the same room and not being able to do anything but he couldn’t leave without feeling like a traitor. Grandpa then had an idea. Since he couldn’t take Jeffrey out of the playpen, he decided to climb in with him. That’s a pretty good picture of what Jesus did for us…He climbed in with us.
The first part of verse 14 says that the “Word became flesh…” This is the single, most unique quality of Christianity that makes it different from any other religion: God became flesh. That Jesus made His dwelling among us. He wants to be close to us. The word ‘dwelling’ is the same word used for ‘tabernacle’ in Old Testament. It was a portable tent where the glory of God dwelt in the days before the Temple was built in Jerusalem.
After spending three years with Jesus His disciples had finally found a home in Him. Being with Him gave them a sense of belonging, an identity, and a purpose. Then, in John 14:1 Jesus announces that He is leaving them. This really shakes them up and so He says: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” He then tells them about a home that He is going to prepare for them. Back then homes were in a housing arrangement. In center was courtyard and pits for cooking and homes were on outer edge. When young man wanted to be married, parents would arrange contracts. After couple betrothed, they had to wait for home to be added to fathers home so they had a place to live. When done father would say, now, go get your bride. Friends, that’s what Jesus is talking about in John 14:2-4: “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Jesus is the groom who has the room ready for us. We are the bride that has been bought with a price. When time is right He will take us to that home where we will be with Him forever. And there’s only one way to get there, and that’s to move from the cradle of Christmas to the cross of Calvary. Jesus went to the cross so you could come home for Christmas. In John 14:23 Jesus spoke these stunning words, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” When we believe and receive Him, He will come and make His home in our hearts. I wonder, is He at home in you this evening?
It’s an interesting irony, isn’t it, that Jesus has prepared a room for us even though there was no room for Him when He was born? Despite the fact that we kicked Jesus out of our world, Jesus invites us into His home. Jesus said that there is a place for those who believe in Him. In fact, he left the disciples in order to get some rooms ready for them.
We’re all searching for home. Part of our problem is that most of us are too tied to this place. We often think that this is the land of the living, and that when we die we go to the land of the dead. The opposite is really true – this is the land of homelessness, when our life here is over, we are transferred to another abode – either to a home of eternal joy or to a place of terrible torment. There are really only two possible destinations. The Apostle Paul understood where home really is in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 when he wrote: “…as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord…we are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
This Christmas know that you don’t have to give God anything…….He wants to give to you this Christmas. . But some of you have your hands so full of stuff that you don’t have room for what He wants to give you. He wants to meet your deep longing for home. The Apostle John wrote down these words in Revelation 21:3-4 that show God’s homesickness for us: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling [home] of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” God’s home is now among His people. The entire Bible is pointing to this very moment. Even if things are good for you on Christmas there will be a fleeting sense that the best is yet to come. Will you come home to Him right now? I can remember when my oldest daughter came to us and told us she was leaving. She was about 7. So we helped her pack a bag and sent her on her way down the street. In a few minutes she came back. We’re all runaways, aren’t we? And God is calling us home right now.
God’s waiting, right now, for all of us to come home. We all long to belong, and until we come home to Him, we will be homeless. And Christmas is all about God’s homecoming. We couldn’t get to God, so God got to us. Jesus is Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Creator of the universe came home to creation. God chose to be with us, to live in our neighborhood so that one day we can live with Him in our heavenly home.
This quote from Tim Keller is spot on: “Christmas is the end of thinking you are better than someone else, because Christmas is telling you that you could never get to heaven on your own. God had to come to you.” Do you want to be home for Christmas? Then come home to Christ. You will remain unfulfilled and restless and homesick until God becomes your dwelling place and you find your home in Him. It’s time to come home right now. The good news is that we don’t have to find our way home – Immanuel has found His way to us.
I want to give you a chance to come home right now. If you’re already at home with Him, just say thanks. Maybe there’s someone you can pray for who is a long way from home. Perhaps you don’t know if you’re home with God or if He is home with you. You can be sure by praying this prayer: “Father, I want to come home. I confess that I’ve drifted far from you. I’ve sinned big time and I’m ready to turn around. Thank you that through the death of Jesus I have been bought with a price. I’m coming home right now. I ask you to forgive me and to make your home in my heart so one day I’ll be home with you forever.” You can be assured now that you truly are home for Christmas.
CHRISTMAS DAY 2011
“All I Want For Christmas Is Hope”
Luke 2:38
Hark, the Herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn king; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled’ Yes, God and sinners reconciled. If we were to take a survey today we would find that hope is hard to find during the holidays. I invited someone to today’s service and when he saw the invite he said, “Looking for hope at Christmas? I need hope all year long.” It’s tough to sing “Joy to the World” when there’s so much junk in our lives. Some of us secretly wonder if it’s really true that the “hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.”
Is Christmas all about baking? Or is it wrapped up in football and food? For some it’s such a sad season that they can barely talk about it. Or is it all about shopping? Some of you have been crushed by something that has happened in your life and you’ve lost all hope. Here are some things about hope.
Definition of Hope…………Hope is not only hard to find; it’s difficult to define. Some equate hope with an optimistic feeling that all will turn out well. We hear this every spring from Phillies fans. For some it’s wishful thinking whether it’s related to the weather: “I hope it’s nice today” or a general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled. That reminds me of Larry and Elmer who were out hunting in the woods and got lost. Trying to reassure his friend, Larry said, “Don’t lose hope. All we have to do is shoot into the air three times, stay where we are, and just hope that someone finds us.” They shot into the air three times, but no one came. After a while, they tried again but there was still no response. They decided to try once more but not before Elmer said, “I hope it works this time. We’re down to our last three arrows.”
It’s easy to get hurt when our hopes are high and they come crashing to the ground. Ever had a Christmas when you were a kid that you really wanted something special and didn’t get it? You get so excited only to have your hope vanish. It’s like what it says in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Some of you have lost hope today but it’s not just because you didn’t get a present you wanted. Your life has been decimated by disappointment and your expectations have evaporated.
I came across a couple Bible-based definitions of hope that are very helpful: Hope is a future certainty grounded in a present reality. Here’s another one: Hope is wishing for what God has already promised us. The Bible says in Isaiah 40:31 that strength is renewed for those who hope in the Lord. This word is more than just a wishful optimism. In the Old Testament it means “to bind together, often by twisting.” It refers to the process of making a rope by taking at least two strands of material and twisting them together. Understood in this way, hope means that I bring my pain to the Lord on the one hand and on the other hand I hold specific promises of God. To hope means to wrap my problems together with God’s promises.
We could say it this way: Hold on to the rope of hope when it’s hard to cope. Ecclesiasts 4:12 adds God’s provision to His promises and our problems: “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” The third strand is the Savior, Jesus Christ, born on Christmas, crucified on Good Friday and raised on Easter. He is heaven’s child, the hope of the world. With Him wrapped around our lives, we are safe and secure. The word “hope” is used some 52 times in the New Testament and is always connected in some way to God; that’s enough hope for every week of the year!
Dimensions of Hope……..By its very definition hope is something that is invisible. 2 Corinthians 4:18 urges us to “Fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.” Romans 8:24-25: “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” These two verses teach that if we’re going to hold on to the rope of hope so that we can cope, we must embrace its past, present and future dimensions. When your grip begins to slip, hold on to…
Past Promises. The Old Testament looked forward to the coming of Christ as God progressively revealed His plan to send His promised One. Isaiah 64:1 longingly pleads: “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down…” This was fulfilled when Jesus was given the name Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” God came down at Christmas. In the first half of the Bible we read of people hoping and longing and waiting. After Jesus is born, we see this longing fulfilled. A woman named Anna is an example of this in Luke 2:38 because when she sees the baby Jesus she gives thanks and speaks about heaven’s child to “all who were looking forward to redemption.” For what things are you looking this Christmas?
Present Help……… No matter what you’re going through right now, no matter how much pain is pummeling you, or how much failure you’re feeling, you can count on God to help right now. Psalm 46:1: “God is an ever-present help in trouble.” David Jeremiah has written a book called, “A Bend in the Road,” in which he explains how everyone sooner or later, comes up against something unexpected and unforeseen. For him it was cancer. For you it may be unemployment or loneliness or straying children or financial worries or a relational rupture. This is when Jesus, the hope of heaven, steps into our hurts. Lamentations 3:25 says that the “Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him.” The key isn’t to hope for something; it’s to hope in someone. Not to hope for something from God but to hope in God. Romans 5:4 tells us pain has a place in God’s plan because suffering gives us the opportunity to persevere and change our character so that we end up having hope that doesn’t disappoint. Psalm 25:5: “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame…”
David Henderson writes: “Despair comes when we believe what our eyes tell us: that when difficult circumstances play their hand, the game is over; there is no trump card, no other hand to be played. Hold fast to hope means being unwilling to let circumstances have the last word. Despair says circumstances tell us what is true about God. Hope says God tells us what is true about circumstances”
3. Future glory……….. There’s also a future element to hope. That reminds me of a scene where Lucy and Linus are sitting in front of the TV when Lucy says to Linus: “Get me a glass of water.” Linus looks surprised and asks, “Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me!” To which Lucy promises: “On your 75th birthday I’ll bake you a cake.” Linus gets up, heads toward the kitchen and says, “Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to.” At least Linus had his blanket.
Our senses scream that this is all there is – that life is the sum total of profession plus possessions, and death ends it all. But this world is neither our home nor our hope. The Bible says that those who are wrapped in a relationship with Jesus Christ have the hope of heaven; a confident assurance in God’s promises. 1 Corinthians 15:19: “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” To hope means to wait. Galatians 5:5 encourages us to hang in there: “By faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.”
It’s only as I place my hope in God am I freed from a compulsive pursuit of the next thing that I think will bring satisfaction to my soul. Hope then can help me through tragedy or triumph. Did you know that Jesus is coming again? He came at Christmas the first time but the Bible says that He’s coming back. When the Scripture writers describe this event, they often link it to hope. Check out Titus 2:13: “While we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Decisions for Hope……………….Sometime ago the government gave out a phone number for homeowners worried about rising mortgage payments: “The best you can do for your family is to call 1-800-995-HOPE.” The only problem was that this was not correct. Instead of an 800 number it was an 888 number. Most everyone wants a little hope in their life but some of us think that we’ve been given a wrong number. Friends, I want to give you the right number this morning. If you want to make your “hope rope” stronger, there are at least three decisions you need to make. If you want to cope then hold on to the rope of hope and wrap yourself in these three numbers.
#1: Get wrapped up in Scripture. Romans 15:4: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” This verse tells us that we can hold on to hope because the Bible helps us endure through problems and gives us encouragement through its promises..
#2: Get wrapped up in the Savior. Jesus is Savior. In fact, that’s what His name means. Matthew 1:21 says that Joseph was to call him Jesus, “because He will save His people from their sins.” We are sinners in need of the Savior. The way to have hope is to have the Holy One in your life as Colossians 1:27 says: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
The first part of John 1:14 says that the “Word became flesh…” This is the single, most unique quality of Christianity that makes it different from any other religion: God became flesh at Christmas. Jesus is the visible word of God. Theologians call this truth the Incarnation. The infinite second person of the Trinity, who created all things according to John 1:1, became a soft baby. The collision of deity and humanity had its full expression in Jesus when the Infinite became an Infant. God became one of us in order to get a message of hope to us.
The Message paraphrase renders it this way: “The word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” For 33 years God moved into our neighborhood. The Bible says that Jesus “made his dwelling among us,” which literally means, “to make one’s tent.” To say that Jesus pitched a tent implies that He wants to be on familiar terms with us. He wants to be close. He wants a lot of interaction. He wants to wrap a blanket around us.
Did you hear about the father and his three children who were lost in the mountains of California for three days? Their story of survival is amazing. They were found because they used tree branches to spell out the word “help” in the snow. When asked how he survived, the father had a two word answer: “Jesus Christ.” I don’t know if you saw the pictures after they were rescued but they show two of the kids being wrapped in a blanket.
#3: Get wrapped up in salvation. Do you ever ignore the gauges in your life? Do you have any warning lights flashing?. Is Christmas really about baking or shopping or sports or drinking or hopelessness? God might be trying to get your attention. Maybe you’re at a place where you now realize that it’s time to hold on to the rope of hope because you don’t know how to cope. You can do these things.
* Admit your sinfulness……. Ephesians 2:12 says that those who don’t have heaven’s child in their life are without hope and without God. 1 Chronicles 29:15 says that “…our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.” It’s important to admit your hopelessness apart from Christ and to own your sinfulness.. Hope can help you heave your garbage to God.
* Ask for help……. In a similar way, the hope of heaven, Immanuel who is Jesus, came to take away our junk. The Savior came to save us from our sins but this is not automatic. We must ask Him to do so. If you want hope you must cry out for help. He gives hope to those who have first humbled themselves enough to ask for help.
* Accept Christ as your Savior……. When the angel made his announcement to the shepherds he personalized the proclamation in Luke 2:11: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” Another definition of hope is “to trust.” It’s time to trust Christ today because he has been born to you. If you need some hope to help you cope than you must receive the Holy One. I heard someone say these words that are so true: Life with Christ is an endless hope; life without Christ is a hopeless end. Hebrews 6:19 refers to this hope as an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
We don’t know what life will hold in 2012 but we can know the One who holds us; the one who lovingly wraps his blanket of love around us. Do you want to know Him right now? Traditionally, Christmas is looked at as the moment time changed. It’s when B.C. became A.D. Today can be the day that you change as well by making Christmas personal.
If you’re ready you can do so right now, today by praying this prayer with me. Feel free to just say it silently if you’re prepared to do so: Jesus, I admit that not only do I have little hope but I have a lot of garbage in my life. I own my own sinfulness and recognize that you desire to wrap yourself around me today. I want you to be my Savior. Please save me from my sins. I need your help. Thank you for coming to our world on Christmas.
And then for dying in my place on the cross to forgive me for my sins and to give me the hope of heaven. I believe and I receive you into my life. I accept your free gift of salvation. If there’s anything in my life that needs to change please change me.”
Friends, to experience hope, welcome Him to your world. Allow Him to wrap Himself around you so that when you don’t know how to cope you can hold on the rope of hope.
Friend, if you want to experience hope, then you must welcome Him to your world. Allow Him to wrap Himself around you so that when you don’t know how to cope you can hold on to the rope of hope.
Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You’ve been promised, we’ve been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Hark, the Herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn king;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled’ Amen
SERIES: CHRISTMAS AT THE MOVIES
Part One: “Miracle On 42nd Street
Matthew 1:1-17
How many of you have seen the movie, “Miracle on 34th Street?” There’s a scene in that movie where the Post Office delivers mail for Santa Claus to the Court Room proving Kris Kringle to be Santa Claus. IS THE A SANTA CLAUS? Nearly a century ago or more, there was a newspaper article written to a little girl named Virginia. Do you remember the opening line of that article? That’s right, “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus.” That sentiment has been the basis of more than one Hollywood movie….the most memorable of which was “Miracle on 34th Street.” However, as tender a sentiment as that be, the very concept seems to defy all logic.
In a book by Wayne Rice entitled; “Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth, he wrote the following observations; It is truly heartwarming to know that millions of people around the world believe in Santa. Sure, most are under four feet tall, but still it’s amazing that so many believe in the big guy in the red suit. Consider the following: Around the globe, today, live approximately two billion children. Santa doesn’t visit all of them, of course. Subtracting the number of Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, or Buddhist children reduces Santa’s Christmas Eve workload to 15 percent of the total, or 378 million.
At an average (census) rate of 3.5 children per household, and presuming there is at least 1 good child in each home, Santa must visit about 108 million home.
Santa has about 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to the different time zones and the rotation of the earth - assuming he travels east to west. This works out to 967.7 visits per second. That means that at each household with a good child, Santa has around 1/1000th of a second to park the sleigh, hop out, jump down the chimney, fill the stockings, distribute the remaining presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left for him, get back up the chimney, jump into the sleigh…and get on to the next house.
For the purposes of our calculations, we will assume that each of these 108 million stops is evenly distributed around the earth. We’re talking about a trip of about ¾ of a mile between each household; a total trip of 75.5 million miles at the speed of 3,000 times the speed of sound. And a conventional reindeer can run at best 15 miles per hour. The payload of the sleigh adds another interesting element. Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a medium-sized Lego set (2 pounds) the sleigh must carry over 500 thousand tons, not counting Santa himself. On land, a conventional reindeer can pull no more than 300 pounds. In air, even granting that the “flying” reindeer could pull 10 times the normal amount, the job can’t be done with a mere eight or nine of them—Santa would need 360,000 of them. Then there is the air resistance at such a speed of this. And Santa would be instantly pinned to the back of the sleigh by more than 4 million pounds of force which would turn him into a quivering blob of pink goo.
And you wonder why some people don’t believe in Santa Claus. The movie (Miracle 34th) acknowledged that there were difficulties in accepting the idea that there really was a Santa Claus. And, how does the movie solve that question? That’s right. It appealed to a higher authority…the US postal service. Because of this and other evidence, the resulting change that took place in the lives of the main characters was the miracle in the movie. But the miracle was brought about because they found a reason to believe… a reason to believe that which had been difficult to accept.
Now… God knew that mankind would also find it difficult to believe what He was going to do. I mean…. the very idea that God would become flesh and dwell among us, come down in the form of an infant, in an obscure stable in an out of the way town called Bethlehem. There are many today who still find it hard to believe. So God supplied proof. In the opening book of Matthew it begins with telling us the genealogy of Jesus. After going all through the generations it tells us this in
Matthew 1:17, “Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.”
Now… did anybody notice that there was something wrong with the title of my sermon? What was wrong? That’s right… the title of my sermon was Miracle on 42nd St…. but the name of the movie was Miracle on 34th St. (I’m about 8 streets off) Now, why would I do that? Well, for the life of me, I couldn’t find any numbers in Scripture that added up to 34. But as I was looking for those numbers - I came across this passage, and I saw… 14 and 14 and 14… and that added up to…? That’s right: 42. And in that 42, I found a miracle. There are three things about this miracle.
First, God Provides Us With Proof That Man Would Need To Believe That Which Is Difficult To Accept.
I can imagine Matthew preparing his Gospel. Doing his research into all aspects of Jesus’ ministry and background. And I can see him pouring over Old Testament Scripture looking at the names of all of Jesus’ ancestors. And as he begins to gather his information together, he starts to do some calculating… and then he sees something. What he sees gets him so excited, I can visualize him rushing into the living room and grabbing his wife by the shoulders shouting: “Hannah, Hannah, look at this!” And then he points the information on his paper. He’d found a pattern. It was if all the puzzle pieces had begun to fit together.
Have you ever worked on a jigsaw puzzle? How many of you have done that? Have you ever come to the point where nothing seems to be fitting together as it should… and then, all of a sudden, you begin to see the pattern - and all the pieces begin to fall into place. And, when that happens, you experience this sense of euphoria, an excitement as you see the pattern develop.
And that excitement was only over a bunch of cardboard puzzle pieces. Just imagine how much more exciting it would have been for Matthew to find such a pattern… realizing, as he did so, that he’d found evidence of the handiwork of God Himself. And that’s why, when Matthew has gotten done telling us all about the line of descendents from Abraham to Jesus he stops and he says… hey – look at this again in Verse 17,“there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.”
Between each of the major events in the history of Israel, Matthew saw the evidence that Jesus’ ancestry had never been an accident or a haphazard quirk of fate. God had planned out the entire course of human history even to the minor details, and that would have been exciting to Matthew. One of the most amazing things for me – as I’ve studied Scripture – is to watch as similar patterns appeared again and again and again throughout the Old and New Testament.
Now, if these patterns had been the result of one author, you might say… well that was a literary trick, or a kind of unique trait of this or that writer. With many writers today you can pick up their books and after reading it for a while you can predict the plot because the patterns of the author are the same in all of their books. But, now when patterns such as these occur in various books, written by numerous human authors, over hundreds of years, you know that there is only one author of the entire Bible……….the Holy Spirit of God. Peter wrote in II Peter:1:21, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” In other words, whenever a writer like Isaiah, or Daniel, or Zechariah wrote their books… it wasn’t really their words. They were carried along in what they wrote by the main author – the Holy Spirit. And so, as you read along through Scripture you’ll come across these patterns, these common themes because it’s the same author of each and every book you find in Scripture. And these patterns reveal the presence of God.
Second, Why Would God Bother To Make A Pattern In The Ancestry Of Christ?
Because the lie of descendents was crucial to what God wanted to accomplish. The ancestry of Christ was intended to be a paper trail. That’s why we have Jesus’ descendents listed not only here but also in Luke. God intended to leave us a paper trail. Now, what do I mean by “a paper trail?” It’s like that dramatic scene in Miracle on 34th St., where the postal workers pour out letter after letter on the judge’s desk – delivering it to “Santa” that proved that a higher authority had acknowledged this man Kris Kringle was actually who he said he was.
Here in Matthew, we see God… pouring out ancestor after ancestor after ancestor before you as proof that a higher authority was putting His stamp of approval on Jesus, acknowledging that He said He was - the prophesied Messiah, the Son of God – God become flesh. Starting with Abraham, and going thru Judah, and David, and Solomon, again and again and again God said to each of them “The Messiah was to come thru them. This is the paper trail. This is how you’ll know that the Messiah is who I said He’d be. These are his credentials. These are his papers of authenticity. By being of the line of these descendents, God proved that Jesus was who He said He was.
Third, It’s Important That God Proved That Jesus Was Who He Said He Was For One Reason.
Down through history - there have been many great religious leaders: Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius and others. In their day, they said powerful things that were meaningful to the people of their day and great religious movements sprang up around their teachings and personalities. And people have often asked: Well, what makes Jesus so much better than these other great religious leaders? The answer to that question is found right here in Matthew 1. No other founder of any other great religion has EVER had these kinds of credentials. For example: About 500 years before Jesus was born - a man named Buddha came along. He established a religion we know of as Buddhism, and many people gathered around him and tried to live by his teachings. But before he was born, nobody ever said: “Hey somebody is going to come along and he will come from this or that family. These are going to be his credentials. And this is how you’ll know he is who he said he was.”
Mohammed was born about 500 years after Christ. He established a religion we now call Islam and many people gathered around him and tried to live by his teachings. But before he was born, nobody ever said: “Hey somebody is going to come along and he will come from this or that family. These are going to be his credentials. And this is how you’ll know he is who he said he was.”
BUT, when Jesus came… He didn’t just pop up in history and say “Hey, I have a great idea!” Oh no. Long before Jesus was ever born, God put His stamp of approval on Him, so that we can know that all of the Old Testament looked forward to the birth of this one little boy in Bethlehem. And because of that one child’s birth – miracles have taken place in the lives of millions of men and women.
In Conclusion
A story is told by a missionary standing in Austria, looking at a hand carved nativity scene. The figures were a bit larger than life size and were one of the most beautiful that he had ever seen. As he stood thinking about the meaning of the nativity, a grandmother stopped with her 3 year old grandchild. She stooped over and began talking with the child. She pointed to Mary, then to Joseph, and to the baby. The missionary couldn’t understand her language, but he knew she was telling the story of Jesus to her grandchild. Then the missionary added, "For 2000 years parents and grandparents have passed on the story of Jesus. It has changed millions of lives and the whole world." That’s the gift of the baby.
It’s our faith in this Jesus - proven to be the Messiah, the savior of mankind - that has changed our lives. Won’t you let Him change yours?
Part Two: “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”
Matthew 2:1-16
How the Grinch Stole Christmas:
Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot…But the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville did NOT! The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason. It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small. But, whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes, he stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Who’s staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown at the warm lighted windows below in their town. For he knew every Who down in Who-ville beneath was busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath.
“And they’re hanging their stockings!” he snarled with a sneer. “Tomorrow is Christmas! It’s practically here!” Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming “I MUST find some way to stop Christmas coming!” Hmmm… it seems like a Christmas has always had that kind of effect on some people. In our present age, Christmas is so disliked by some people that groups like the ACLU have threatened people with lawsuits if there’s even a mention of Christ in the season of Christmas.
Not so long ago, Broward County (Florida) told the Calvary Chapel there that they could not include the words: “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” in their Christmas display. So the church filed a suit in the U.S. District Court claiming they had the right to display the words. Judge William agreed with their “free speech” argument and allowed them to keep the words in their display as long as they included the words, “Calvary Chapel says,” before the words “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.”
Even though 90% of Americans celebrate Christmas, and even though Christianity is the largest religious group in the nation, “Jesus” has been repeatedly forced into the closet during this season. So much so that the very word “Christmas” has been removed from the season and replaced by the term “Happy Holidays” Couple of years ago California made the news on this issue. They had changed the name of their Christmas tree to the “Holiday Tree”… until Governor Schwarzenegger declared that he thought that was unnecessary … and promptly renamed it a “Christmas Tree” much to the chagrin of the politically correct crowd.
There’s a school in Chicago – which recently staged their holiday program celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa… but excluded any reference to Christ and the Christmas story. Back in 1991, humorist Dave Barry poked fun at all of this when he wrote: To avoid offending anybody, the school dropped religion altogether and started singing about the weather. At my son’s school, they now hold the winter program in February and sing increasingly non memorable songs such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Frosty the Snowman” and--this is a real song--”Suzy Snowflake,” all of which is pretty funny because we live in Miami. A visitor from another planet would assume that the children belonged to the Church of Meteorology. Read Matthew 2:1-20 …Three things we see in this Scripture.
First: There’s Something About The Story Of The Birth Of Christ That Creates Animosity
But what? James Martin on a trip to the Holy Land, bought a nativity set for his Sunday School. Carved out of olive wood in Bethlehem itself, the set had all the traditional figures – sheep and oxen, wise men and shepherds. Mary and Joseph and, of course, the baby Jesus. For the return trip, security at Tel Aviv airport was very strict. He thought he’d have no trouble with getting it through security. But he did. Each figure was carefully scrutinized and even taken away for x-ray examination. “You see,” said the security officer, “we must make sure there is nothing explosive in them.” There is something EXPLOSIVE in the story of Jesus. And nowhere is that explosiveness more obvious than in the story of Herod.
King Herod was King of the land of Israel in the day when Jesus was born. But he wasn’t King by right of birth, for he wasn’t an Israelite, he was an Edo nmite. He was ruler of the land only because Rome had given him that throne. He called himself “the Great” and in some ways he was a “great king.” o He had doubled the size of the Temple o Built numerous palaces and fortifications o Kept the area of Palestine at a relative peace with its neighbors o And – when a famine had devastated Israel – he purchased food for his starving people with money from his own treasury.
So why would a successful, wealthy, compassionate king be so upset with a baby born in Bethlehem? So upset that he was willing to massacre every child in this village to make sure he had destroyed that one single helpless child? Actually, Scripture doesn’t tell us why, but history gives us a pretty good picture of this wicked King’s motivation. You see, Herod had a reputation for jealously protecting his power and position.
• When his 16 year old brother-in-law tried to make a name for himself Herod playfully held the boy’s head under water until he died. • Years later, one of his many wives, became involved in a plot to have her family rise to power… even though he loved her deeply, he had her executed. • And, a couple of years before his death, he heard rumors that two of his sons were engaged in a plot to kill him – he had them executed as well. After hearing of this last incident, Caesar Augustus commented: “It is safer to be Herod’s pig than to be Herod’s son.” Herod’s main motivation in life was to “stay in control” of his life. Anything or anyone that threatened this authority faced his wrath. He would do anything in his power to destroy whatever endangered his ability to stay in control of his life, even to killing all babies two and under thinking Jesus would be destroyed.
Second: Herod’s Motivation Goes To The Heart Of Why So Many Others Oppose Christmas
People embrace Kwanzaa which is a celebration created by and for the black community today. They’ll embrace Hanukkah… a religious holiday celebrated by the Jewish community. But let someone bring up the story of Jesus - and watch the fireworks begin. Why? Because people who have a problem with the baby Jesus have a heart problem. You remember the words in the story of the Grinch? His heart was 2 sizes too small. Herod’s heart was too small for anyone other than himself to rule in his life. There was no room. And that’s why so many others reject the Christ child. To acknowledge Jesus to be what the Christmas story says would mean they would have to acknowledge that Jesus had a right to their hearts and minds. But there’s no room in their hearts for that message. There’s no room in their hearts for God to reign.
That’s why many of the Christmas Carols we sing so often are so offensive to non-Christians. We don’t often give much thought to those words because we’ve sung them so often… but I want you to give serious thought to the meaning of the following carols as we sing them together:
What Child is this, who laid to rest on Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe the Son of Mary.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him born the King of angels.
O come let us adore Him, o come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem."
Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."
Did you catch the message in these songs? “Christ the King” “King of Angels” “God and sinners reconciled” This Jesus receiving the praise of both men and angels. Christmas Carols declare the divinity of Christ. They literally shout out that Jesus is the Son of God born to be King of our lives… and the KING of the lives of others as well.
Three: How Do We Change The Hearts Of Those Who Don’t Want Jesus/King In Their Lives?
How do we change the size of their hearts? From the movie from the top of Mt. Crumpit. Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mt. Crumpit, He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it! “Pooh-Pooh to the Whos!” he was ginch-ish-ly humming. They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming! “They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do! “Their mouths will hang open a minute or two “Then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO!
“That’s a noise,” grinned the Grinch, “That I simply MUST hear!” So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low. Then it started to grow…but the sound wasn’t sad~ Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn’t be so! But it WAS merry! VERY! He stared down at Who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME. Somehow or other, it came just the same! And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so? “It came without ribbons! It came without tags! “It came without packages, boxes or bags!” And he puzzled 3 hours, till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “Doesn’t come from a store. “Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!”
And what happened then…? Well… in Who-ville they say that the Grinch’s small heart grew 3 sizes that day! And the minute his heart didn’t feel quite so tight, He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light and he brought back the toys! And the food for the feast! And he… HE HIMSELF…! The Grinch carved the roast beast!
Did you realize what a beautifully theological story this is? What changed the heart of the Grinch? It wasn’t the ribbons, it wasn’t the tags It wasn’t the packages, boxes or bags. It was the witness of the people down in Who-ville…the witness of people that the Grinch had always hated because of the Christmas they celebrated. It was their singing and their joy that changed the Grinch. A lady who served on many civic committees, asked to select carols suitable for a community Christmas-tree lighting, sought the help of her preacher. But, when she scanned the list he had selected, she was dismayed. In frustration she cried: But they’re all so theological."
Yeah, they are, aren’t they? But this woman had missed the point of those songs. Christmas for her wasn’t about Jesus. Her kind of Christmas would never change the heart of a Grinch. Her kind of Christmas would never change the world because her kind of Christmas would never challenge people to change the size of their hearts. Herod’s heart would never change and so God directed them to take Jesus and go to the land of Egypt, where they stayed until Herod’s death.
Conclusion: It’s Only The Story Of A Changed Heart That Makes Any Difference In This World
After the death of Herod Jesus and his parents returned to Israel and the rest of the story reveals that Jesus is the one that changes hearts of people. It’s what He’s been doing for thousands of years. A pastor from Ohio stated that there was a man, named Gary, in his church that he was witnessing to for several years. Gary was suddenly arrested and put in prison and because of what he did, he probably would never get out. The pastor visited him in prison several times and taught him about Jesus and over a period of time he came to Christ. Gary then became involved in more teaching with the prison Chaplin and continued to walk close with Jesus.
But last spring, however, Gary had a stroke and lost about 90 lbs. He walks with a limp and requires a cane to get around. He recently sent the pastor a Christmas card where he spoke of another inmate by the name of Abel who had taken Gary under his wing. “He has taken me under his wing to me get around, get me things, carry my tray at chow. I said he took me under his wing. I believe he is an angel from God and I am so blessed. I owe this young man so much and have no way to repay him. His family doesn’t write him or care for him. So my only wish for Christmas is for him to receive mail and Christmas cards from people who do care.
This would mean so much to have Christmas cards sent from you and your family. So, the pastor asked people in his church if they would flood him with Holiday Cards.
Gary had been a man whose heart was too small, just like Herod’s heart was too small. Maybe your heart is to small today and needs to be changed. But the Jesus who was born so long ago in Bethlehem made such a difference in Gary’s life that now he is thinking of others and their needs as well. Let us this Christmas allow Jesus to change our hearts and to think more about others than ourselves, so that we too can help to change some hearts. Amen.
SERIES: CHRISTMAS AT THE MOVIES
Part Three: “The Santa Claus”
Ephesians 4:17-5:2
This is the time of season that you can take the kids to visit Santa Claus at the Lehigh Mall. This past Sunday he even drove past our house…..him and Mrs. Santa, and our grandchildren waved and yelled and received a little bag of candy. Story is told about a Christian by the name of Nicholas, who was very kind and he would often dress up and go out to give gifts to poor children. Over time people made up stories about him until eventually, we got the jolly old elf living in the North Pole. All kinds of stories have been told about Santa Claus. The poet, Clement More gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. Thomas Nast, the cartoonist, made him big and fat and gave him a red suit trimmed with fur. And of course, the cowboy singer Gene Autry gave him Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
But one story line I’ve noticed a lot lately is one that tries to answer the question: How does one go about replacing Santa Claus if he decides to retire, or if he dies?
And one of the cleverest movies to explore that theme was from the movie The Santa Claus. Tim Allen becomes Santa by mistake because he didn’t read the fine print. And he put on the Santa suit and thus bound himself to a legal contract know as the “Santa Clause.” In one scene Tim Allen is in the Doctor’s Office receiving a check-up and complains about the changes that have taken place in his life. There were changes in his body fat and facial hair. After he shaves, the beard just pops back out.
He tries dying his gray hair black only to have it change back again. And no matter how much he exercises he can’t get rid of his belly. There are also changes in his attitudes and he finds himself going “ho ho ho” a lot. He finds how and where he lives changes. You see, once he put on that suit, his life was never the same. How does this relate to us as Christians……………Three Ways.
First, The Bible Tells Us To Put On Something……..JESUS
Once we put on Jesus, our lives are never the same either. We become the children of God. We have a new home and a new set of relationships. The Bible tells us that Jesus puts on us a “White Robe” without spot or blemish. And once we put on those clothes, our lives are never the same again. When Tim Allen put on Santa’s Suit, it changed…. ….how he looked and thought and how he acted. It changed everything about him. And that is what should happen to us when we “put on” Jesus. That single act should change the way we look and think and act.
Here’s what it says in Ephesians 4:17-21……..that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk…….by being alienated from the life of God….because of the blindness of their heart……who have given themselves to lewdness, the work of uncleanness with greediness. Then in Vs. 22-24, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Paul goes on to tell us “putting on Christ” means that our behavior changes. Vs. 25-27 to put off lying. We should prefer truth to lying. To not give place to the devil. Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth. We should prefer a “G” Rated way of talking as opposed to surrounding ourselves with the filthy language we find in the books, TV and other forms of entertainment that surrounds us. To not be angry and do not sin. We should not allow anger to so overcome us that it destroys our relationships. To give to those who have need.
We should work with our hands and give to the poor, rather than looking for handouts. We need to be kind and compassionate to others, forgiving them just as God and Christ has forgiven us. In short, when people are around us, they should be able to see what we’ve put on. They should be able to see Jesus in us. When we don’t behave that way, people will sense that something isn’t right. It’s called walking your talk.
Back in 1999, the Indianapolis Star carried a story about a Department Store Santa Claus that didn’t behave like Santa ought to have. Apparently, a mother had placed her 1 1/2 year old child in Santa’s lap only to have the child begin to cry. The mother suggested to “Santa” that he the child might quiet down if he put his arm around him, and at that, Santa Claus got a little belligerent with her. When the mother started to pick up her baby, the man in the red suit said: “Was it worth it? Was it worth it for you to torture your child for a picture? You must be an evil person.” When the woman told the man she planned to file a complaint, he leaped from his throne and said: “You can complain about me if you want, but I am Santa Claus. I am the best person in the world. I am good.”
Then she told him he ought not be around children, he got really angry. He started to rip off his clothes. He took off his beard, his wig, his coat, his belt. Some stunned parents covered their children’s eyes. Santa was promptly led away by security guards. Now… did that man reflect the Spirit of the suit he’d put on? Of course not!
And what Paul is telling us here in Ephesians 4 is – that can happen to us as well. We’ve got to be careful how we behave, because the world is watching to see what difference Jesus makes in our lives. Now if we are all honest, we’ve blown it a number of times, right? Ever at a sports event and didn’t like the call the refs made? People yell all kinds of things and maybe you found yourself yelling the same things at them. I’ve been in situations sometimes where I found myself saying, “Oh, I shouldn’t be doing this. I need to be like Jesus and when I’m doing those things it’s not reflecting Him, but disgracing Him.” You see, it is so easy to forget that we’ve put on Jesus. And there are times we’d just like to be just like everybody else. But we’re not!
Now, it’s NOT that we’re better people than everyone else. It’s just that we’ve GOT something better than everyone else. And we need to advertise that. Because they do know we’re Christians they will be watching to see if it makes a difference what kind of Jesus we have put on.
Second, How Do You Go About “Putting On Jesus?”
Galatians 3:27 tells us, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” What does that mean? It means that when you came to Christ you were baptized into his death. We were therefore buried with Him, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” We put on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. We identify with what He died for…… us. We literally die and are buried and rise up to a new life.
Now, in the movie – the “Santa Clause” Tim Allen puts on the suit by mistake. He had no idea what he was getting in to. But you can’t do that with Jesus. You can’t put on Jesus by accident. No matter how many times you try, you can’t accidentally be buried with Christ. It is a conscious decision that each one of us has to make to belong to Him. That you’d stake your life on the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. And because you believe that you were a sinner. And you believe that only Jesus’ blood could remove your sin. And now you want to turn your whole life over to Him……to believe you can trust Him. So when, we accept Jesus……we put on Jesus……because we want to be His child.
Third, Why Is It That We Can “Put On Jesus?”
Because – about 2000 years ago, Jesus put on our flesh and blood. He became like us… so that we could become like Him. Philippians 2:5-11 says, “Christ Jesus… being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
When Jesus came He came and was just like us…….a human being. As Mary Ellen Ashcroft put in an article she wrote entitled, “Gift Wrapping God:“To get ready for Christmas, God undressed. God stripped off his finery and appeared – how embarrassing – naked on the day he was born. God could not be God-with-us if he wasn’t flesh. Jesus took off His God nature… and He put on flesh. He became like us… so that we could become like Him. He bought us in this way, so that we would know the way to freedom with God. God exalted Jesus and He became obedient unto death on the Cross. And my friends it says, that one day……one day……every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In Conclusion
The story was told by a pastor who walked into the church sanctuary to discover a bird flying around. He said that from time to time birds would get into the church building. And when that would happen, he’d open the doors and windows and then go into his study to work on the sermon. Most of the time, the birds would find the open door or window and be gone by the time he came back out… but this time, the bird didn’t leave. It was still there. So, he found a long broom and tried to shoe it out of the building.
He’d get the bird to fly around… and once in a while it would get near to a window… but then it would fly back into the sanctuary. After a while, this got really frustrating. And he remembered thinking: “If I could only communicate with it – prove to it that I didn’t want to hurt it. But I can’t communicate with it because I’m a man… that’s a bird. And then it suddenly it struck him that this is what God had felt. If only God could become a man, then he could prove that He didn’t really want to hurt us, but instead He wanted to lead us to safety and love us unconditionally.
And that’s what God did. As the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 2:14-15 said, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death— that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” That my friends is why we need to put on JESUS…….to free ourselves from death and the fear of death and have the assurance that we will spend eternity with Him.
