Looking Beyond Christmas - Now What?
Luke 2:36-40
Sermon by Rick Crandall
McClendon Baptist Church - Dec. 30, 2007
BACKGROUND:
*Looking beyond Christmas: In the Scripture today Jesus is 41 days old, and in vs. 22 His parents have taken Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord. While they were there, the Holy Spirit made sure that they crossed paths with a very devoted man named Simeon. Vs. 26-32 tell us that, “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’”
SCRIPTURE:
*With this background in mind, let’s read vs. 36-40 to see what happened next.
INTRODUCTION:
*Pastor Frank Harrington liked to tell about an uncle who was prone to make some pointed observations. His name was Van, and one of the things Uncle Van used to say was, “There ain’t nothing as over as Christmas.” (1)
*Of course, he was talking about the let-down people often feel. But the days after Christmas shouldn’t be a let-down for us. They should be a launching point. The birth of Christ wasn’t a dismal ending. It was a glorious beginning! And it can be, it should be a glorious beginning in our lives.
1. So as we look beyond Christmas -- Now what? First, stay close to the Lord in every situation.
*This elderly widow named Anna teaches us to stay close to the Lord. Listen again to her life-story in vs. 36-37, Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband 7 years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about 84 years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
*Anna may have been over 100, because vs. 37 may mean that she had been a widow for 84 years. And over her long life, Anna teaches us that we should stay as close to the Lord as possible.
*Stay close to the Lord in every situation -- Even in times of stress and sorrow. Anna knew all about sorrow. She had only been married 7 years when her husband died. Did he get sick and suffer from a lingering illness? Was he killed in a terrible accident? Was he killed by a robber or a Roman soldier?
*However he died, it must have broken Anna’s heart. But Anna did not make the tragic mistake so many people make. Anna did not pull away from God. Vs. 37 tells us that she did not depart from the Temple, and this tells us that Anna stayed as close to the Lord as she possibly could. That’s exactly what we should do -- Even in times of sorrow.
*One of America’s best known Christmas carols is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Our choir will sing it in the 11 o’clock service this morning. The song starts:
“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
*But then a surprisingly sad verse:
“And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
*Doesn’t that seem odd in a Christmas carol? Longfellow wrote those words late in the Civil War after suffering double tragedy. In July of 1861, Longfellow’s wife, Fanny had trimmed some of their 7-year-old daughter’s curls.
*Mom decided to preserve the curls in sealing wax. But as she melted the wax, a sudden breeze through the window blew her dress into the flame. Fanny’s light dress was immediately engulfed in fire. Attempting to protect their two daughters in the room with her, she ran to Henry’s study in the next room, where he frantically tried to smother the flames with a throw rug. When that didn’t work, Longfellow desperately tried to smother the flames by throwing his arms around his wife -- severely burning his face, arms, and hands. She died the next morning. He was too ill from his burns to attend her funeral.
*Then in 1863, Longfellow received word that his oldest son Charles had been severely wounded by a bullet that took off part of his backbone. No wonder the poet wrote those sorrowful words -- But that’s not the end of the song!
*Longfellow did not give up on God. He stayed close to the Lord, and the Lord gave him comfort through the good news of Christmas. So the song ends:
-“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
-‘God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
-The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!” (2)
*We must stay close to the Lord in every situation. And the great news for us is that through Jesus Christ we can get closer to the Lord today than Anna had ever dreamed. -- Even when she was looking right into the face of baby Jesus. We can get closer to the Lord, because Jesus has now died on the cross for our sins. We can get closer because Jesus is risen from the dead. We can get closer because the Holy Spirit of Christ is at work in our world right now in a way that He did not work before the cross. We can even have the Lord right here in our hearts -- if we will open our heart to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. So get close to the Lord. And stay close to the Lord.
2. As we look beyond Christmas, stay close to the Lord in every situation. -- And serve the Lord every way you can.
*Anna served the Lord every way she possibly could. In vs. 37 she “did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” There is no way for us to measure the blessings that came from Anna’s service.
-It was spiritual service. -- We see that in her prayers.
-It was sacrificial service. -- We see that in her fastings.
-And it was steady service. -- Anna served the Lord night and day for a long, long time.
*Whether she was 84 or over 100, the Lord blessed her with a very long life, and she made the most of her life. Anna served the Lord every way she could, as long as she possibly could. And one lesson for us is that we are never too old to serve the Lord. But a bigger lesson is that we must serve the Lord while we can. Most of us will not live to 84. -- Almost certainly not to 100.
*Time is short. We must serve the Lord while we can, trusting God to use our faithful service in ways we cannot see. Anna had no idea that God would add her story to His Word, or that millions of people would be blessed by it down through the centuries.
*Pauline Hylton gives us another example of God using our faithful service in ways we cannot see. It happened years ago when Pauline’s parents were serving the Lord in the Salvation Army. One miserable December night they went out for an open-air meeting. It seemed like a waste because no one else was even around, but Pauline’s dad said, “God doesn’t need people to be out listening. He only needs us to be faithful.”
*So they played a few Christmas carols and Pauline’s dad gave a short message before everyone retreated from the cold. A few weeks later, dad was ringing the bell at a mall when a lady asked him if he had been on that certain street corner a few weeks before.
*When he said yes, she explained: “My father had been in a coma for 6 months. We were dreading the holidays since Dad was not really with us. But then we heard the carols, and to our amazement, my father sat up and said, ‘That’s God’s music.’ -- And with that he died.” (3)
*God used those few songs to give great comfort to a dying man’s family. And God can use your service in ways you cannot imagine.
3. As we look beyond Christmas, serve the Lord every way you can. -- And trust God to surprise you with joy.
*God loves to surprise His people with joy. I have no idea what kind of day Anna was having when she walked across the temple court. But I can imagine that she was in some pain -- achy shoulders or knees. Her sight must have been failing. She might have been lonely. Anna might have been carrying some heavy burdens that day. But she had no idea of the wonderful thing she was about to see.
*In vs. 38, as Anna was gong about her normal day, she ran right into the new-born Savior. Suddenly Anna received a new burst of joy in her life! God made sure that she got there just in time to see Simeon take the baby in his arms and say, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”
*Anna was surprised by joy. And many times the Lord will do the same thing for us. Maybe it’s the joy of a new baby or grandbaby, or a special time with friends, or a good report from the doctor. God likes to surprise us with His joy, and it can come in the smallest things of life. But the best joy comes as it did that day from our close encounters with the Lord -- Those times when He allows us to see His Hand at work. -- Those times when He gives us a special touch.
*Susan Starnes tells about the night she went into her daughter’s room to pray. Susan’s daughter was 8 at the time, and during her prayer right out of the blue the little girl said, “Jesus, please lock the doors if they haven’t been locked.”
Mom held back a chuckle at that unexpected request and thought nothing more about it -- Until the next morning when she opened the front door, and found her keys on the outside of the lock, where she had accidentally left them.
*Surprise. Susan was joyfully amazed at how the Lord had led her little girl to pray. And she thanked Him for His protection. (4)
*Believers, God wants to surprise you with His joy. And this is so important, because Nehemiah tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. And joy is one of the most Godly characteristics we can have in our hearts. The fruit of the Spirit is love -- Then joy!
*In Luke 15 Jesus told three parables to help us understand God’s attitude toward seeking the lost. And every time the lost was found, there was great joy. Listen to Luke 15:1-10.
1. Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
2. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them.’’
3. So He spoke this parable to them, saying:
4. "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
5. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
7. I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
8. Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it?
9. And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’
10. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’’
*Joy is a good and proper and Godly thing. And what do you think I will do if I have this Godly joy? I will do the same thing Anna did in vs. 38: “She gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” Anna shared her joy with everyone she possibly could. And that’s what the Lord wants us to do.
*You may not feel very joyful today, but don’t give up on the joy of the Lord! Ask the Lord to restore His joy to you -- And He will.
4. As we look beyond Christmas, trust God to surprise you with joy. -- And strengthen your life with spiritual growth.
*The Lord Himself is our model for spiritual growth, as we see in vs. 40, “The Child (Jesus) grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”
*God never wants us to get stuck in a spiritual rut. As long as we are in this world, the Lord wants us to be growing spiritually. God wants us to grow strong in His wisdom and grace. In Eph 4:13&15, Paul tells us that we should grow, “Till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. . . (That we) speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ.”
*Peter tells believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). God wants all Christians to grow spiritually. Are you growing? -- Maybe not.
*Pastor Selwyn Hughes helps us see God’s high standards with these questions:
-Am I trying to grasp things from God’s hands or are my hands relaxed and empty so that I might receive?
-Do I shrink from painful experiences or do I welcome them in the knowledge that they will make me a more sensitive person?
-Am I so sure of God and His resources that I am free from a spirit of “demandingness” and over-concern?
-Is my goal to be happy, or is it to be holy?
-Am I more taken up with getting pleasure out of God than I am with giving pleasure to God?
-Do I have a deep compassion and concern for the plight of others?
-Is my heart clean and pure?
-Have I experienced an inner cleansing that has reached to the deepest depths?
-Am I a reconciler -- one who seeks to reconcile others to God and, where necessary, to each other?
*Pastor Hughes asked these questions and then added: “Don’t be discouraged if you can’t see all of these beautiful attitudes at work in your life. Remember, we grow in grace.” (5)
*But are you growing? -- Maybe not. Rick Warren points out that: “Spiritual growth does not just happen once you are saved, even if you attend services regularly. Churches are filled with people who’ve attended for their entire lives yet they are still spiritual babies. Spiritual growth is not automatic with the passing of time. The writer of Hebrews sadly noted, ‘though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again’ (Hebrews 5:12). Millions of Christians have grown older without ever growing up.
*The truth is that spiritual growth is intentional. It requires a commitment to grow. A person must want to grow, decide to grow and make an effort to grow. Discipleship begins with a decision. (6)
*Make the commitment today. Don’t let your spiritual life get stuck in a rut.
*God wants all Christians to grow spiritually. But how are we going to do it? There is a whole lot to say about this, but today let me just focus on two requirements for spiritual growth:
1-Of course, we must feed ourselves on the Word of God. Peter was speaking to believers when he said: “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). One problem many Christians have today is that they are starving themselves from the Word of God. And I am not just talking about coming to church on Sunday and Wednesday. I am talking about taking in some of God’s Word every day. Jerry Vines said, “An unread Bible is like food uneaten, a love letter never read, a buried sword, a road map unstudied, gold never mined.” (7)
2-We must feed ourselves on the Word of God in order to grow, but also realize that you cannot grow alone. As Rick Warren said, “The truth is that Christians need relationships in order to grow. We don’t grow in isolation from others. We develop in the context of fellowship. (6)
*Paul Harvey told about a 73-year-old man who was rescued by his friends, just in the nick of time. This farmer had been pinned under his tractor for four long days and nights. He suffered through a terrible storm, and had to have his leg amputated below the knee. But it could have been a lot worse. It could have cost him his life, and it would have, too. -- If his friends hadn’t come looking.
*Why did they go to his farm to check? He missed Wednesday night prayer meeting. Not showing up for the least attended service of the week caused those who loved him to realize something must be drastically wrong. That man’s faithfulness to the Lord and His church saved his life. But his faithfulness did much more than save his life. It gave him the kind of spiritual growth God wants all of us to have through close relationships with each other. (8)
*Christmas is over. But that’s not the end for us.
*Make it a glorious beginning.
-Stay close to the Lord in every situation.
-Serve the Lord every way you can.
-Trust God to surprise you with joy.
-And strengthen your life with spiritual growth.
1. W. Frank Harrington, "The Love That Brought Him," Preaching Today, Tape No. 51. (Found on Bible Illustrator for windows - Topic: Forgetfulness - Index: 3003-3004 - Date: 7/1998.1499 - Title: Christmas Should Never Be Forgotten)
2. Adapted from “The Story Behind ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’” - By Tom Stewart - December 20, 2001 (Found at WhatSaiththeScripture.com)
3. Pauline Hylton, Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 6. (Found on Bible Illustrator for windows - Topic: Faithfulness - Subtopic: Of God - Index: 1228 - Date: 7/1998.1989 - Title: Not a Silent Night)
4. Susan Starnes, Louisville, KY. "Heart to Heart," Today’s Christian Woman. (Found on Bible Illustrator for windows - Topic: Protection - Subtopic: Divine, Examples of - Index: 365 - Date: 12/1997.2346 - Title: Locked up Tight)
5. Adapted from KERUX ILLUSTRATION COLLECTION - ID Number: 29509 - TITLE: How Do I Rate? - AUTHOR: Selwyn Hughes
6. Adapted from KERUX ILLUSTRATION COLLECTION - ID Number: 10416 - SOURCE: Baptist Press, http://www.baptistpress.org/ - TITLE: Does Spiritual Growth Just Happen? - AUTHOR: Rev. Rick Warren - DATE: 6/16/03
7. Quote from “A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation, p.69” by Jerry Vines (SermonCentral illustration submitted by Steve Hereford)
8. Illustration found in online sermon: #604 “Why Believe in Church” by David Holwick - Eph 4:11-16
