Don't Miss Christmas

Don’t Miss Christmas

Luke 2; Matt. 1-2; John 1:10

Most of us know December is a very busy month for celebration- maybe the biggest celebration of the year. But you really don’t know the half of it. In fact, there are many official celebrations in the month of December. Let me list a few for you (all of these are official!)

You’ve probably already missed National Safety Razor Day on Dec. 2, National Dice Day on Dec. 4, Bathtub Party Day on Dec. 5, and National Pawnbroker’s Day on Dec. 6. Did you celebrate National Day of the Horse on Dec. 10? How about “Pick a Pathologist” Day on Dec. 13? I like this one: National Barbie and Barney Backlash Day on Dec. 16?

If you missed all of these special days, then do not fret. You can still celebrate National Humbug Day on Dec. 21, National Whiner’s Day on Dec. 26, National “No Interruptions” Day on Dec. 30, and maybe the most important, National Make Up Your Mind Day on Dec. 31.

I guess many of us have missed or will miss the festivities on these special days in December. On the other hand, there is one day in December that you most probably cannot miss even if you wanted to: December 25- Christmas. It is one of the most universally celebrated holidays in our nation, if not the world. And yet I believe that there are many people- maybe even some in this congregation this morning- who will miss Christmas this year.

No, I don’t mean they won’t put up a tree, or buy presents, or sing carols, or even come to church. But they will miss understanding the meaning, or experiencing the power of that night that God did something so wonderful and so powerful that it literally changed human history.

This morning, I want to talk to you about some people who missed Christmas because today many still miss Christmas for the same reasons. I also want to remind you of some people who did not miss Christmas, but experienced the meaning and power of that night in a way that gave them hope and joy. I want to encourage you today, not to miss Christmas.

I. SOME PEOPLE MISS CHRISTMAS.

The annual Nativity play for the kids was going well until the scene where Joseph and Mary knock on the door of the inn, and Joseph asks, “Can you give us food and lodging for the night?” But the little boy playing the innkeeper gets lost in his role, flings the door open wide, and announces, “Come in, come in. You shall have the best room in the house.” But Joseph saved the day when he walks in, looks around, shakes his head, and announces, I’m not taking my wife into a place like this. Come on, Mary, we’ll sleep in the stable!”

The Bible tells us that even with all of the wonderful events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, there were some who were unaware or even hostile to the arrival of the new born King. How did they miss Christmas? The Bible gives us three reasons:

a. They have no room for the King. (The people at the inn.) (Luke 2:7) Quick, what was the name of the innkeeper in the Christmas story? Would it surprise you to know that the Bible does not even mention an innkeeper? The only phrase that mentions the inn is in:

Lk 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

How did they find out there was no room in the inn? Did the innkeeper tell them or did they find out some other way? Was any attempt made to make room for Mary and her baby?

The Bible doesn’t tell us. Maybe the no vacancy sign was lit up. Maybe the innkeeper was apologetic, or maybe he was uncaring. Maybe the people in the inn refused to make room. All we know from the Bible is that there was no room for this expectant mother, and so Jesus had to be laid in a manger. (Did you notice the Bible doesn’t say He was born in a stable?).

The point Matthew is making here is that even though Jesus is God’s King, nobody made room for Him when He was born. And many do not make room for Him today, and because they don’t, they miss Christmas. Another reason some people miss Christmas is because:

b. They hate the King. (Herod.) (Matt. 2:3, 16) One of the most wicked characters in the true story of Christmas is the murderous King Herod. When the Wise Men come to Jerusalem to seek the One Who is born King of the Jews, Herod was not in the mood to celebrate. In fact, he becomes very worried. Why? Herod was not a Jew, but what is known as an Idumean- a descendant of Esau. Through he and his family’s political maneuverings, he had been appointed King of the Jews by the Roman Empire. But he was not very popular, and always suspicious of almost everyone who would take his throne away from him. He was cunning, and hated this newborn King so much He later had all of the boys 2 and under in Bethlehem killed. Herod missed Christmas, because He wanted to get rid of Jesus, and there are some who miss Christmas because they hate Jesus so much they want to get rid of Him, too. But there is one more group who missed Christmas because