You might be wondering why I am starting a Christmas series even before Thanksgiving. Well, the stores start Christmas now, so I figure if you can’t beat em, join em!
That is only partially true. One reason I am starting it now is that I am going to be on vacation next week. But another reason, and a more important reason, is that we need to think of some things before we get into Christmas.
So it may seem odd, but I want you to go to December 26, or whenever Christmas ends for you. How do you want to feel when it is all over? What do you want to remember? What do you want to be able to reflect upon?
Better yet, go back to that day last year. What did you feel? What did you think? I think many Americans, by the time they get to December 26th are glad that it is over. Are you one of them? If you are glad when it is over, then you are not making the right memories. You are not close enough to the one that it is all about.
So maybe this year you need to work on simplifying, making it a more restful holiday. Maybe this year you need to grant the wish that you had at the end last year and make it a simpler holiday!
Think back even further to the best Christmases that you had. Now you might remember the one where you got the car or the trip. You might remember those really big gifts. But my guess is that most of your best memories have to do with the people that you spent them with.
For me, I remember going to my aunt’s house on Christmas Eve. She is the aunt that was here for Spencer’s graduation. She lived out in the country on a farm in the house that my dad grew up in. We would go there, exchange some gifts, and my mom and dad would play games with my aunt and uncle. Not surprisingly, it was always late when we left. I can remember lying in the back window … and I lived to tell about it! Don’t tell anyone, they might take in my mom and dad for child endangerment! But anyway, I can remember lying there and looking up at the stars. I was searching the sky to see if I could see Santa’s sleigh.
I never made it all the way home. I was asleep and got carried into the house. But that is a great memory. It has nothing to do with what I received. It is about who I was with and what I was doing.
My guess is that if we got the kids up here, they might tell about a great gift. Well, probably not, because even they have forgotten it by now. But if we had adults up here, they would tell similar stories to the one that I just told.
And I would also guess that many of you have felt overwhelmed at Christmas. Maybe this year is the time to change that.
If you are living the way you should as a Christian, you are trying to be more and more like Jesus. Well, maybe we should apply that some thought to the way we treat Christmas. We should live it the way God did.
God skipped excess and used what He had. Think about it.
He didn’t send Jesus into the womb of a queen, but into the womb of a peasant girl. His father would not be a king, or a wise man, or a scholar, but a simple carpenter.
I would like for you to turn with me to Matthew 6. It is on page 961 of the Bible in front of you. It is also a part of the Sermon on the Mount that we have been looking at lately. Jesus gives us some solid teaching that applies year round, but especially at Christmas time. Here is what he says:
Matthew 6:25-33
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? [26] Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? [27] Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
[28] "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. [29] Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. [30] If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ [32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. [33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
This passage gives us some of the most common things that we worry about during Christmas. And that line in verse 32, “the pagans run after such things,” certainly applies to Christmas too. We shouldn’t be chasing after and worrying about things that non-Christian people chase!
You know the sins of worry and fretting over things are acceptable sins … even in the church. You can come in here and give a whole list of things that you worry about, and no one will question it. But just because we accept it doesn’t mean that God does. Worry is a slap in the face of God and he doesn’t take it lightly.
And worry is a big problem in Christmas. It might be worrying about something as simple as, “will they like the gift that I am giving them.” Or it might be something more complicated like, “is there going to be another blow up at my parents’ home this year?” Or “will such and such be there?” Or, “I just don’t know what parties to go to, or who to visit.”
Did you catch those words: (verses 31-32) “do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ [32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
We are told specifically to not worry about such things. It is not optional, Jesus says, “do not worry.”
Jesus made it clear that freedom from anxiety is one of the inward evidences of seeking the kingdom of God first. When you worry, you don’t have God’s Kingdom or God’s purposes first. You are thinking of yourself first!
So if we are going to skip excess and find simplicity, we need to start with inner simplicity. Jesus tells us not to worry about the outer material things in our life, but to seek one thing – to seek God’s kingdom, His reign, and His rule. Inner simplicity comes from keeping the first things first. Jesus makes the promise that if we put first things first, all the other things will come, but they will not have the hold on us that they would if we sought them first.
When you keep things simple, you will find that you have a joyful unconcern for possessions. It is an inward spirit of trust. The sheer fact that a person is living without things is no guarantee that he or she is living in simplicity. Paul taught us that the love of money is the root of all evil, and often those who have it the least love it the most.
It is possible for a person to be developing an outward life-style of simplicity and to be filled with anxiety. Conversely, wealth does not bring freedom from anxiety.
So simplicity is not so much about what we own, but about what owns us. If we need lots of possessions to maintain our self-esteem and create our self-image and to look good to our neighbors, then we have forgotten or neglected what is important to God. If our time, money, and energy are consumed in selecting, acquiring, maintaining, cleaning, moving, improving, replacing, dusting, storing, using, showing off, and talking about our possessions, then there is little time, money, and energy left for other pursuits such as the work we do to further the Community of God.
Simplicity seems to fit at Christmas in some ways, and in other ways it does not. Christmas is supposed to be a festival, a feast to celebrate. The difficulty is that in historic Christianity, and Judaism, feasts were always matched with fasts: abundance, matched with lack, in order to feel the depth of both. In our society we are encouraged to live in perpetual feast. There are very few things that we only have at Christmas time any more – things like chocolate and mandarin oranges. They aren’t special; we just have more at Christmas. Simplicity and fasting does not rule out the feasts, but the fast keeps the feast special.
You might know that Muslims fast during Ramadan. They don’t eat anything from sunrise to sunset. One Muslim was asked why they fast during Ramadan. He said, “so, I will know the taste of hunger in my mouth, and I will have compassion on the poor.”
When we overdo it, I think we take our mind off of the goal. We take our mind off of what is important.
Last week we talked about prayer and fasting. In a way prayer and fasting could be compared to physical exercise. But the discipline of simplicity is a lifestyle change. And just like you need both to lose weight, you need both to grow in Christ.
The discipline of simplicity is the conscious act of not being tied to the things of this world. One writer said, “Simplicity does not mean getting rid of all your possessions, but rather integrating them into you life’s purpose.”
But Christmas hasn’t become about simplicity, it has become about indulgence.
I read this email from Outside Magazine with the title: “Gift Guide Madness”
It read…
“The time of immaculate consumption is upon us. From a flaming kayak paddle to an indestructible laptop that can pinpoint your exact location on earth, we’ve gathered the hardest, softest, smoothest, and sleekest gear of the year in our annual holiday-swag blowout. PLUS: More gift ideas for everyone on your list, from books and CDs to travel gear.”
They then direct you to an article full of reviews of the latest gadgets and gear for outdoor adventure sports. I just loved that line – “immaculate consumption” - all at once it reminds us that we have missed the point of Christmas by making it a spiritual act of materialism and it invites us into the adventure of missing the point.
This message applies year round, but you need to hear this more now than at any time of the year. Jesus warns us about getting caught up in serving the god of materialism when he says (Luke 16:13)
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
So if you want to make sure that you aren’t stressed out when Christmas is over here is some things you can do to make sure that you don’t bow at the shrine of money.
1. Spend less.
I know that is easier said than done, but it is important. Our system of “buy now, pay later” is a system that encourages disappointment when the holidays are over because then we are faced with “how am I going to pay for this?” Maybe you should ask that question before you buy. You don’t have to have the latest and greatest. Besides, it won’t be the latest and greatest for long!
I am not saying you shouldn’t buy anything, or that you shouldn’t give gifts, but I am saying don’t overdo it. Stay within the money that you have. If it is going to take the next 3 or 4 months to pay off your Christmas bills, then you aren’t using money the way that God wants you to use it.
Richard Foster in his book “Celebration of Discipline” has some other basic principles that will help us spend less and focus on the right things. He says to…
A. Buy things for their usefulness, not their status
Doing that alone will help you save money, because guess what, status items cost more that useful items. You don’t need all of the modern equipment, especially if it is going to send you in debt.
So if nothing else, prioritize. Put the useful things at the top of your list and the luxury, or status things below that. If you don’t have any useful things on the list, you might want to rethink what you are doing.
Do you remember as a young child how much you hated getting clothes? In some ways we still feel that way, but just like it is wise to do some of that with your kids, it is wise for adults too. But I am not hinting that you should all buy each other underwear for Christmas, but think more of useful things.
Richard Foster also tells us to…
B. Develop a habit of giving things away. De-accumulate.
John the Baptist lived a simple life, even by their standards. In Luke 3 he gives us an important teaching that tends to get eliminated in our society. Luke 3:11
John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”
Think about that. I am sure that all of you have two coats. If you see someone who doesn’t have one, John says that it would make sense to give one of yours away. That applies to coats, but I think we can do it with other things too. If you are buying your 5th Nintendo game, it might be time to give some of the others away. I am not talking about the junky one that doesn’t work. Give away a good one. That will be good discipline for you, and also could be a blessing for someone else.
But that doesn’t just apply to kids games. I have seen golfers with three great sets of clubs. Isn’t that a little selfish? You can only use one at a time.
So if you are going to buy newer and better, maybe you should give the item that is still in good shape away.
Now I am not saying that to give you an excuse to buy the newest, but it is a good practice with some things. I am not sure that it is really a word, but de-accumulate. It is a biblical teaching.
The third thing that will help you spend less is if you…
C. Don’t believe the hype.
Our country has to be the best at advertising. They will make you think that you need things that you don’t really need. It will make you happier, better looking and more the envy of others. Even if the claims were true, you don’t need those results from those items, so don’t fall for the hype.
The fourth one might be the most important for your long term contentment…
D. Avoid debt at all costs.
The slogan, “buy now with no payments until…” is becoming more and more popular. That can be a dangerous trap. That can lure you to buy something that you can’t afford now with the hopes that you will be able to pay for it later. That is a dangerous way to live.
If you can’t afford it now, you probably don’t need it now. I know that sounds unChristmas like, but it will make the rest of the year a lot more pleasant.
I honestly think that one of the ways God communicates His will to us is through finances. If you can’t afford it, He probably doesn’t want you to have it. So make a goal to spend less. Also,
2. Stress family over wants.
Do you remember what we said at the beginning about what you remember the most? If you remember the time with your family, then maybe that should be a more planned and important part of your celebration.
At times that might mean your immediate family over your extended family. Many of us live a long way from our extended family. You have to decide which in-laws to visit. Keep the most important part of your family in mind as you decide. The ones that live in your house should have your highest priority.
3. Do less.
It is okay to say no to some things. You don’t have to go to every office party or open house. If they really love you, they will get over your absence, especially if you tell them that you are trying to simplify. They might even be envious of your discipline.
Even if we don’t try to pack as much worldly possessions into our house as possible, it is easy to try to pack as much as we can into our schedule. We feel that if we are not busy, we must be missing something. We feel that if our children are not involved in hockey, swimming, music, soccer, and tutoring we are depriving them.
Just as we need to reduce the material clutter in our lives, we need to reduce the schedule clutter. The discipline of simplicity is not just buying less; it is doing less as well.
When we listen within, we may hear an invitation to lay down our encumbered lifestyle. It is as difficult a decision now as it was in the 1600s.
Contemporary life surrounds us with a whirlwind of constant noise, incessant activity, and meaningless clutter, so it is not surprising that most of us are overextended, chronically tired, and feel weighed down by the pressures we carry. We have chosen lives that crowd our appointment books, fill our email boxes, and overload our answering machines, even as we long for a plainer way of living-one that will free us from the strain and anxiety of these times. The Spirit is speaking through the whirlwind of modern life, and if we listen quietly to the cool, calm Center within, there is an invitation to plain living awaiting each of us.
If you had to describe to someone what a “simple” life was, what might you say? Would you say that they had a garden where all their food came from and they did not need to go to a grocery store? Maybe they had no need of a car and the entire headache that comes with that. Maybe the simple life means the person has everything they need and nothing more. What is the simple life? If you are a person who lives in today’s world, how do you have a life that could be described as simple?
In our quest for security, we lose touch with reality:
(1) We crave things we neither need nor enjoy.
(2) We buy things we do not want to impress people we do not like.
(3) We feel ashamed if we drive a car until it wears out.
(4) We feel that to be out of step with fashion is to be out of step with reality.
(5) Covetousness and greed is called ambition
Romans 12:2 is a great verse for Christmas:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
If you want to know God’s will, you can’t be conformed to the world. We are commanded not to be conformed to this world for a reason! Christians are called to be different. We are called to think differently and act differently. We are called to live differently from this complicated material driven world. And you know, there is no better time to show that difference than at Christmas.
Perhaps we can best define simplicity by identifying what it is not. Simplicity is not the swearing off of possessions and purchasing things. Simplicity does not mean that you hate money and those people who have an abundance of it. Simplicity is not the desire to be poor and to remain that way.
The central point of the discipline of simplicity is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of God first, and then everything necessary will come in its proper order. It is not that there will be no presents under the tree, but that those presents will be thought out and kept in the proper perspective. Everything hinges on us maintaining God first. Nothing can come before the kingdom of God. A life of simplicity is to not have anxiety about material things.
A life of simplicity is to use what wealth you have for God… first.
A life of simplicity then is to keep this sinful drive to want things in proper perspective.
A life of simplicity accepts that everything you have is a gift from God.
A life of simplicity accepts God’s care of what we have.
A life of simplicity admits that everything we own should be available for others.
Do you want to have that simpler Christmas? You can, but you might have to work at it. You might even get some grumbling from your family at first, but it will be worth it for all of you in the end.
