A Cliffs Note Christmas Series

When we think about the Christmas account, people who are familiar with it like us, think about bright stars, angel choirs, filled hotels, stables, sleeping and startled shepherds, and wise men looking into the sky. That is how we think about the story. Details. Details. Details. However, the Matthew account is different. He doesn't go into a lot of the details. Listen to how he describes this familiar story.

Text: Matthew 1:18-25, 2:1 (TLB)

These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her fiancé, being a man of stern principle, decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her. As he lay awake considering this, he fell into a dream, and saw an angel standing beside him. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a Son, and you shall name him Jesus (meaning ‘Savior’), for he will save his people from their sins. This will fulfill God’s message through his prophets—‘Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called “Emmanuel” (meaning “God is with us”).’” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel commanded and brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her Son was born; and Joseph named him “Jesus.”

Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in Judea, during the reign of King Herod.

Matthew's account is at best the reader's digest version of the birth of Jesus. He gives us the cliffs notes version. The high lights and nothing else. He simply announces that Mary is pregnant. Joseph has doubts. He has an angel visit. He overcomes his doubts. Jesus is born under Herod's nose. In fact, Matthew fast forwards from Mary conceiving Jesus to Mary having Jesus. No long journey described. No prenatal vitamins. No swollen ankles or weird late-night cravings. No panic filled moments because of contractions that end up being false alarms. No information about packing the go bag. No envelopes addressed for baby showers. No consternation or fear over no room in a hotel. No frustration over community condemnation. Just conception and then birth. Matthew simply bypasses the 9 months that lead up to birth.

And the truth is when it comes to our own lives, although we think about the details of our story, we live like the Matthew account.

What we forget when we live like this is that . . .

To manage the manger you must plan. What I mean by living like Matthew's account is that we want to give birth in the same season of announcement. We want the reader's digest version or cliffs note version of our dream. Fast forward through all the stuff that leads up to or makes delivery possible. However, you have to carry it before you can birth it.

Most people don’t manage the waiting period properly.

The truth is that most of us waste/squander the waiting period and often become distracted by other things in that period of pause. The problem with that is that you need the distance between announcement and fulfillment so that you can plan.

Paint the nursery, load up on diapers and start thinking about names.

Too many of us mismanage the nine months so that when we get to the manger, we’re not ready. If you don’t plan, then you will not execute. The book will never be written. The song will never be orchestrated. The education will never be obtained. You have a dream of being the next great worship leader? Then plan now before you have a platform. Get voice lessons and learn to read music now. You have a dream to be the next great pastor? Preach somewhere now! Work on sermons now. Read books and study now! You have a dream of being a great businessman? Learn to balance a checkbook now. Learn to lead people now. Learn systems now! You have a dream of being a great spouse/parent? Then find a mentor now? Why? Your gifts need the support of skills. Without skills you will come to a season where you won’t be able to use your gifts. If you don't manage the manger, then you will end up with a baby and no crib. Baby and no formula. Baby and no diapers. You will give birth to something you can't handle.

Planning reveals that you are expecting His word to actually come to pass. Are you praying for what you have not planned for? That is exactly what happened to the people of Israel. They prayed for 400 years for a Messiah and never planned for His arrival. So, He shows up and they totally miss Him. They don't just not have room for Him in an inn, they don't have room for Him in their hearts. God works a laid-out plan. Before the foundation of the world the Lamb is slain. In the fullness of time. He plans but too often His people don’t. We must learn to plan now to give birth later!