Ever wondered where the idea of Christmas greetings came from? Why do we greet others with “Merry Christmas” and send Christmas cards, letters and emails?
The idea comes from God. God was the first Christmas greeter and He didn’t send a card or even an email to say, “Merry Christmas” to the world. He sent angels, He sent a prophet named John the Baptist, He sent His own Son, and then He sent Christ’s followers to share the Good News about Christmas!
We’ve got a lot of Scriptural ground to cover today so we’ll get right to the first installment in our three-part Christmas series, "Sharing Christmas."
In Luke chapter one we learn why and how to share Christmas greetings. And, as I said, we learn from God. As in so many other areas of our lives we need to be like Him.
Luke’s Christmas story begins like this. We’re using the Amplified Bible.
1SINCE [as is well known] many have undertaken to put in order and draw up a [thorough] narrative of the surely established deeds which have been accomplished and fulfilled in and among us,
2Exactly as they were handed down to us by those who from the [official] beginning [of Jesus’ ministry] were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word [that is, of the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God],
3It seemed good and desirable to me, [and so I have determined] also after having searched out diligently and followed all things closely and traced accurately the course from the highest to the minutest detail from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4[My purpose is] that you may know the full truth and understand with certainty and security against error the accounts (histories) and doctrines of the faith of which you have been informed and in which you have been orally instructed.
In verse 4 Luke spells out his purpose in writing to the original recipient of his Good News account, Theopholis. Luke was a doctor, a scientist, interested in the facts. He wanted his friend Theopholis, to know that the Christmas story is not some fairy tale. It’s not like "A Miracle on 34th Street" or, "Its a Wonderful Life," or even "A Christmas Carol," all movies I like to watch by the way.
You younger adults probably like different Christmas movies but what I’m getting at is that the Christmas story is not a movie script. Luke writes about “eyewitnesses” and “highest to the minutest detail” and about writing “an orderly account,” so that we cold “know the full truth and understand with certainty and security against error.”
There are a lot of Scrooges and Grinches out there who think the story of Christmas is a hoax but it’s authentic! You have this scientist named Luke writing to authenticate it.
Yes, it’s miraculous! It’s supernatural! But it’s real! It’s true! And it’s so important – it’s so special – that God went to great lengths to SHARE CHRISTMAS with us by GREETING US!
For the next three weeks we’re going to look at the greetings from God and how they teach us vital truths about how to greet one another.
The first GREETING FROM GOD is in the miraculous birth of John the Baptist. It wasn’t as miraculous as Christ’s birth but it was supernatural. John’s parents were… well, let’s continue the story from Luke’s Good News account:
5In the days when Herod was king of Judea there was a certain priest whose name was Zachariah, of the daily service (the division) of Abia; and his wife was also a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6And they both were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
7But they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren; and both were far advanced in years.
8Now while on duty, serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9As was the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And all the throng of people were praying outside [in the court] at the hour of incense [burning].
11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear took possession of him.
13But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you must call his name John [God is favorable].
14And you shall have joy and exultant delight, and many will rejoice over his birth,
15For he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord. And he must drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit even in and from his mother’s womb.
16And he will turn back and cause to return many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God,
17And he will [himself] go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn back the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient and incredulous and unpersuadable to the wisdom of the upright [which is [m]the knowledge and holy love of the will of God]--in order to make ready for the Lord a people [perfectly] prepared [in spirit, [n]adjusted and disposed and placed in the right moral state].
18And Zachariah said to the angel, By what shall I know and be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.
19And the angel replied to him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the [very] presence of God, and I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news.
20Now behold, you will be and will continue to be silent and not able to speak till the day when these things take place, because you have not believed what I told you; but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time.
21Now the people kept waiting for Zachariah, and they wondered at his delaying [so long] in the sanctuary.
22But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them; and they [clearly] perceived that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary; and he kept making signs to them, still he remained dumb.
23And when his time of performing priestly functions was ended, he returned to his [own] house.
24Now after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she secluded herself entirely, saying, [I have hid myself]
25Because thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He deigned to look on me to take away my reproach among men.
Why does Luke talk about John’s miraculous birth before talking about Christ’s birth? Because John the Baptist was a greeting from God! The angel Gabriel brought the first Christmas greeting and it wasn’t directly about Jesus but it was about how John was going to prepare the way for Jesus.
From Gabriel’s message about John the Baptist (and from John himself) we learn a vital first principle in greeting people for God:
We should GREET OTHERS WITH GOOD NEWS!
There’s a lot of bad news out there, and unfortunately sometimes we have to be the bearers of it. But when we’re greeting others for God we should take a lesson from God and emphasize the good news!
Gabriel brought Zachariah the good news that he and his wife Elizabeth were going to have a child even though they were previously unable and even though they were too old to have hope without Supernatural intervention. The added bonus was that God was going to use this child to point people to God’s Son! Doubly good news!
I remember the day that Deb told me she was for sure that she was pregnant with our first child. I was so beside myself that day that I ran a red light and got pulled over and ticketed. Man I was so happy the traffic ticket didn’t bother me.
Deb was happy. She didn’t say, “Oh well, I guess we’re going to have a baby.” She said, “Brian, it’s official. I just got back from the doctor and we’re going to have a child!!!”
I remember several months ago when that first child of ours called from Spain and said, “We’re having twins!” I was tickled pink, (and blue, because it was a boy and a girl!) Brooke didn’t say, “Mom, dad, I’ve got bad news.” No, it was great news!
Right now the economy is sour and terrorists are still blowing things up, like they did recently in India. People are still being murdered – I read last week that the murder rate is rising again – largely due to gang and drug violence – but still bad news. Hardly a week goes by that we don’t read or hear of some innocent child, teen or even adult being abducted and later their body found, or in some instances, never found, etc. Bad news is all over the place.
But it is the pleasure of the Christ follower to share Good News!
Luke shared it when he wrote this Good News account to Theopholis.
Gabriel shared Good News when he greeted Zachariah in the temple – and the symbolism of this greeting is enormous – Zachariah is in the temple, worshipping God and representing others before God – and God, in one of those very rare occasions sends Gabriel, God’s messenger who ministers in the…what did Gabriel say in verse 19? “I stand in the very presence of God.”
“I’ve got good news from God Himself Zachariah. While you’re here worshipping and interceding for others and you’ve remained faithful to God even though you and your wife haven’t had a child when you’ve wanted one so badly – I bring you good news – Elizabeth is going to get pregnant! And furthermore the child’s going to be a very special child. He too is going to greet others for God and tell them the good news from God just as I am to you.”
You might object and say, “Wait a minute, John the Baptist was one of those negative preachers just like all of the prophets before him.” But nothing could be further from the truth!
John the Baptist said, “Repent ([think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 (Amp)
That’s not negative. That’s informative. It tells people what they need to do in order to become God’s friend. Every one of us needs to "REPENT; think differently, change our minds, and regret our sins and change our conduct," because this is how we express our faith in Christ and begin to walk with God.
Jesus preached precisely the same message.
"From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, ’Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Matthew 4:17 (Amp)
Christmas night 1971 was a tough night for our family. Dad passed away in August due to his alcoholism, and mom was left to raise three teenage sons by herself. We were renting a duplex apartment and the recently widowed lady next door came home drunk Christmas night and left a cigarette to smoulder in her chair. At 2 o’clock in the morning a man was pounding on our front door and yelling for us to get up.
The duplex was on fire. He had alrady pulled our neighbor from her apartement and was awakening us also so that we could escape the blazes we didn’t even know about.
nder normal circumstances the guy who woke us up might have been a nuisance but he save our lives by telling us danger was at hand.
John and Jesus were doing the same thing. So it’s actually the Good News of how to escape a life without Christ, both for now and forever.
John the Baptist and Jesus weren’t negative to seekers. They reserved their harsh and negative preaching to the legalistic hypocrites, not to seekers. They were the antithesis of the negative hypocrites.
Who would you rather talk to about any subject, especially about having a relationship with God - a sour and hateful person, or someone with joy, a smile, and cheerfulness about them?
So we who follow Christ need to practice the same pattern as Jesus, John, Gabriel, Luke and many others: GREET OTHERS WITH GOOD NEWS! Be positive. Be encouraging. Be uplifting. Be polite. Be cheerful. Smile. Be enthusiastic!
But Gabriel wasn’t finished with the Christmas greetings from God.
26Now in the sixth month [after that], the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth,
27To a girl never having been married and a virgin engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one [endued with GRACE]! The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women!
29But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled and disturbed and confused at what he said and kept revolving in her mind what such a greeting might mean.
30And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found GRACE (free, spontaneous, absolute favor and loving-kindness) with God.
31And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus.
32He will be great (eminent) and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David,
33And He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages; and of His reign there will be no end.
34And Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband?
35Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God.
36And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.
38Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. And the angel left her.
What a greeting!
I suggest you mull over this greeting more when you get home and have more time. Right now I just want you to notice what we need to emulate in this greeting from God through His messenger Gabriel:
The second vital principle in greeting others for God: GREET OTHERS WITH GRACE!
Gabriel informed Mary in verse 28 and again in verse 30 that this message from God was a message of GRACE! The Amplified Version defines grace as, “free, spontaneous absolute favor and lovingkindess.”
To experience God’s grace is to have “free, spontaneous absolute favor” with Him, and to experience His lovingkindness!”
Gabriel’s message to Mary was not to be afraid because she had God’s grace operative in her life.
Grace is not something we earn - or else it wouldn’t be grace. It’s a free gift from God.
Mary needed God’s grace just like we all do and especially in order to carry out this miraculous mission for God!
What a wonderful greeting belongs to the church to proclaim to everyone in the world! God’s grace is free to those who will believe in Christ and it brings absolute forgiveness and friendship with God!
Furthermore, Gabriel was gracious by allowing Mary to work through her questions. We too need to be gracious to others who are working through their questions about God.
We need to be gracious to one another. “Well so and so ticked me off and I don’t want to greet them.” Do yourself a favor. Get over it.
There’s an interesting article in this month’s Reader’s Digest. (I read all of those “deep” periodicals.) In “Hello Everybody,” Joe Kita lists 11 things he learned from going an entire month of greeting everyone he saw. #11: “It’s a form of universal health insurance.”
“It’s impossible to say hello without smiling. One leads to the other just as a tap causes a knee to jerk. And smiling has been clinically shown to lower blood pressure, boost immunity, and even release natural painkillers (endorphins), each of which lowers stress, boosts happiness, and improves health. Apparently, a smile creates a similar effect in the recipient. Canadian researchers found that calling center employees who played a five-minute ‘smile hunting’ game before work, in which they repeatedly picked the smiling face from a photo assortment, had 17 percent less of the stress hormone cortisol after their shift.” (Reader’s Digest, December 2008, Pages 108-111)
Greet others. Greet them with Good News! Greet them with grace!
One last thought. The third principle comes from how Mary and Elizabeth greeted each other.
39And at that time Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town of Judah,
40And she went to the house of Zachariah and, entering it, saluted Elizabeth.
41And it occurred that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit.
42And she cried out with a loud cry, and then exclaimed, Blessed (favored of God) above all other women are you! And blessed (favored of God) is the Fruit of your womb!
43And how [have I deserved that this honor should] be granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For behold, the instant the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord.
Greet others with Good News! Greet others with Grace!
But also, GREET OTHERS BY GIVING AFFIRMATION.
We’re not told what Mary said in her greeting to Elizabeth but the Greek word for her salutation, or “greeting,” literally means, “to embrace, to receive joyfully.”
And then we are told what Elizabeth said to Mary. This has got to be one of the most affirming things one human being ever said to another!
Can you imagine how it made Mary feel to have another human being reinforce the greeting from God? It’s one thing to hear an angel say something, but to have it reaffirmed by another human being, especially Elizabeth, whom Mary respected and admired so much…what a confirmation of the will of God in her life!
And to have baby John jump for joy in his mother’s womb – that had to make Mary glad! It’s exciting to witness the miracle of a child moving inside the womb. It’s something very mystical if you ask me. And when Mary embraced Elizabeth she must have felt the baby jump for joy!
God didn’t leave us to do His will alone! We need each other! We need one another’s affirmation!
We all need encouraging statements and reassurances. We need each other’s greetings of, “keep up the good work; you’re on the right path; you’re doing fine; it’s going to be okay; God’s going to do exactly what He said He would do!”
Can you imagine how important it would be in the days to come for Mary, to remember this affirmation? Sent on an arduous journey to Bethlehem from Nazareth just so the Roman government could take a tax census; having her baby born in a place where animals were housed; using a feeding trough as a cradle for the Son of God? One day seeing her son AND HER SAVIOR die on a cross for the sins of the world.
I’ve had some people say some things to me that have helped me make it through some terribly tough times. Haven’t you? It doesn’t have to be something profound. It just has to come from the heart. You don’t have to be eloquent. You just have to be loving and encouraging and affirming like Mary and Elizabeth were one to another.
And that’s how God greets us and how we should greet each other.
He sent the message of Luke, He sent the angel Gabriel, He sent John the Baptist, He sent Mary to Elizabeth – AND HE SENT HIS SON JESUS TO US! All of these greetings in an effort to give us His GRACE, HIS GOOD NEWS, and to GIVE US AFFIRMATION.
Now its our turn!
