A Right Pace Series

Introduction: On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made their first flight of an airplane at Kitty Hawk NC. On their 5th attempt, the plane under the control of Orville, embarked on a 12 second flight.

Wilbur rushed to the local telegraph office and sent the following message – WE HAVE FLOWN FOR 12 SECONDS - WE WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Upon receiving the telegram their sister, Katherine went to the newspaper office, told the editor of her brother’s new flying machine, and informed him, they would be home for Christmas, if he would like to set up an interview.

He told her that was nice, and he would be sure to put something in the paper regarding the boys.

On December 19th, the local paper placed the following headline on the 6th page of the paper: “WRIGHT BROTHERS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS”

The most important story of the year – man’s first flight – and the editor missed it!

I wonder if the same could be said about us when it comes to Christmas. Look all around us…

• The trees are decorated

• The music is festive

• The Season is Right – It is Christmas, and there are only 14 shopping days left!

In all of our rushing around, in all of our gift buying, in all the things we have to do during this season – HAVE WE MISSED THE IDEA – Jesus has come to earth!

We are in a series of messages titled “I’m dreaming of a right Christmas”

For there to be a RIGHT CHRISTMAS, there must be a right pace.

To be honest Christmas is a time when the pace picks up, there are gifts to buy, homes to decorate, parties to attend, meals to prepare, people to visit, sometimes it makes us tired just thinking about Christmas

In our rush, are we so busy DOING CHRISTMAS, we forget to CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?

The first Christmas had a hurried pace as well.

• Mary discovered she is pregnant and runs to her cousin, Elizabeth’s home to share the news.

• Caesar Augustus demands a census of the Roman Empire; all citizens are required to return to the city of their birthplace. Suddenly all roads of the Empire are filled with travelers for this census.

• The Shepherds upon hearing the Angelic Announcement of the birth of the Christ Child “Hurry off” to Bethlehem

• Soon the Wisemen see the STAR, and begin a cross-country tip from the east

• Herod, full of jealousy and fear, believes Jesus is a thereat to his kingdom and issues a decree all boys under the age of 2, living in the vicinity of Bethlehem are to be killed. This causes a time of hurriedness, as parents flee from Bethlehem to escape Herod’s wrath.

As you can see, the Christmas rush is not a symptom of the modern man.

Yet The Apostle Paul would later write about the first Christmas -

When the right time came, the time God decided on, He sent his Son, born of a woman, born as a Jew, to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own sons. Galatians 4:4-5

Paul said when everything was right, when God’s timetable was set…

• He chose a little town called Bethlehem

• A couple known as Joseph and Mary

• The setting of a stable

• To save the world

That was a RIGHT CHRISTMAS

Maybe you feel overwhelmed this Christmas – Maybe your pace is too hurried – Maybe you are so busy DOING CHRISTMAS, you are forgetting to CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS.

This morning I want you to see how you have a right Christmas, by having a right pace during the Christmas Season. I want to challenge you to slow down and not simply do Christmas but enjoy the Christmas Season

For us to have a right pace we must experience patience – patience is not simply waiting, patience is waiting with anticipation – Listen to the words of David as he cries out to the Lord in Psalm 40, I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.

Is it possible this Christmas you need a new song to sing? You can have a new song to sing, if you have a right Christmas. Remember how the first Christmas was so right?

LUKE 2:1-7 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.