Please Don’t Come For Christmas – Part 3
4 reasons why Jesus shouldn’t have come
Celebration Church – December 13, 2009
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Please Don’t Come For Christmas – Part 3
4 reasons why Jesus shouldn’t have come
Celebration Church – December 13, 2009
Reason #1 - He wasn’t wanted by the ruling authorities
Reason #2 – He wasn’t welcomed by His own
Luke 2:12, 15-18 (NIV) “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." …Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”
Reason #3 – He wasn’t worshipped by the people
The announcement came to shepherds not the elite
“You (shepherds) will find a baby....”
The shepherds found ONLY Joseph, Mary and the baby
“…they… found Mary and Joseph, and the baby…”
People were astonished at the shepherds report
“…and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them…”
Luke 2:18b “…all who heard it were amazed…”
HOW TO WORSHIP LIKE THE SHEPHERDS
1. Know that God’s love extends to you
Luke 2:10b (NIV) “… I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
Titus 2:11 (NIV) “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
Grace = favor
2. Extend your love back to God
Luke 2:20 (NIV) “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
I John 4:19 (KJV) “We love him, because he first loved us.”
Rev 4:11 (NIV) "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
3. Extend God’s love to others
Luke 2:17 (NIV) “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…”
1 John 1:2-4 (Msg) “… The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you … this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!”
MANUSCRIPT
INTRO – (after welcome time)
As we continue our series, I hear a lot of buzz about town with people asking what’s this “Please don’t come” thing all about? Well in a world where Jesus entered and was forced from day one into a life of rejection, the world has basically said that He’s not welcome here.
How would you like to have a big birthday party being thrown for you only to find out you’re not invited? There’s cake and presents, there’s celebrations, music and gatherings, it’s because of you, but you’ve been asked to not attend.
The first Christmas was marked by this idea of Jesus not being wanted or welcome.
Reason #1 - He wasn’t wanted by the ruling authorities
Herod said, we don’t need a new king – we’re fine with the one we got!
Reason #2 – He wasn’t welcomed by His own
Joseph’s family said by their actions, there’s no room for this sort of person – go somewhere else.
Today, let’s look at another reason why Jesus probably should have just stayed at home in heaven.
Luke 2:12, 15-18 (NIV) “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. …Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”
Here’s the third reason:
Reason #3 – He wasn’t worshipped by the people
The King of kings arrives and only some shepherds are there to worship Him!
• The announcement came to shepherds not the elite
“You (shepherds) will find a baby....”
Notice it says, “You” will find the baby. Who? You - the shepherds. I’m sure the shepherds had the reaction to look at each other and say, who? … what? … Me? You talkin’ to me? Yes, YOU will find the babe.
(Shepherd) “Well Mr. Angel, you must have got this one wrong. …Your GPS not working? You’re talking to shepherds here, not the welcoming committee. I think the welcome wagon lady is down in the village.”
(Angel) “No, YOU!”
Now actually this should bring some comfort to people like you and me. The angel didn’t bring the news to the rich and famous. They came to the poor and unknown. THAT SPEAKS TO ME.
(May not have time but interesting - Tower of Edar material about birthplace, it’s where the sacrificial lambs were birthed for sacrifice, the shepherds would have known right where it was)
• The shepherds found ONLY Joseph, Mary and the baby
“…they… found Mary and Joseph, and the baby…”
There was no mayoral decree welcoming the new born King. No ambassadors showing up to honor him, just some stinky, dirty rough shepherds.
If a world dignitary were coming to our town, we’d throw a parade, we’d have festivities, and there would be talk about it in the paper locally and globally. That’s not what happened here. No one even knew except these sheep herders.
Jesus slips in under the radar of humanity and no one of prominence shows up!
• People were astonished at the shepherds report
“…and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them…”
All who heard were “amazed.” Now isn’t this the Jewish people? Aren’t these the ones who were to be looking for the Messiah? Yes. Still none of them were there and no one had a clue as to what was happening. Yet all around them God was at work.
In the Christmas story we see just a few people that were eagerly expecting the Messiah. But most missed the whole thing.
God’s at work around you, are you aware?
Luke 2:18b “…all who heard it were amazed…”
The shepherds run to tell the news to all the people who missed out. I imagine that many of these people were thinking, “Oh how I wish I was there to see that.”
I bet many of them were wondering what it was like to stand in the presence of the King, the promised Messiah. Here they are being told by the ones who actually got to see the babe, to sense the presence of God and worship while the rest of the world went on not even knew what was happening.
Today, let’s talk about how we can have that same kind of experience; to sense the wonder of God, to behold the promise of God, to experience the presence of God while the rest of the world slips right on by.
HOW TO WORSHIP LIKE THE SHEPHERDS
How do I get included today in this sort of thing that the shepherds experienced way back then?
1. Know that God’s love extends to you
Luke 2:10b (NIV) “… I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
As you look into the skies at night, you can see stars that are millions of light years away. Long before you were born these stars were sending their signal to earth. Some of them burned out ages ago and yet their message is still being sent forth. Before you were even aware of them their message was on the way.
God is like that. He’s been sending a message of love toward you since before you were even born. His message is constant and it’s for all. He’s saying; I don’t care who you are or what you’ve done. It doesn’t matter what your past is, I LOVE YOU!
Now look at that verse again. It says, “I bring you good news…”
The good news is all about God’s unfailing and unconditional love for you. It has been sent to you, it was heading your way before you were here and like a constant beam of light it has been shinning on you for all of your life.
Titus 2:11 (NIV) “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
Circle the word grace and appeared. Sounds like the angels and shepherds doesn’t it?
The word grace can mean gift, benefit or favor. God has extended you a favor. WHY? Because He loves you.
You will never worship like these shepherds did, you’ll never experience the overflowing joy they had until you can accept what God has already been saying to you since before you were even here – “I LOVE YOU”
2. Extend your love back to God
Luke 2:20 (NIV) “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
The shepherds very quickly realized that they had a unique opportunity. God came to them. They experienced His love, now they were sending it back to Him.
Circle, “things they had heard and seen.” Next to it write the word experienced.
They now knew something that they didn’t know before. They now saw something they had never seen before. They saw and they heard – they experienced GOD!.
When you experience the love of God, it’s like you can see and understand things that have always been there, but you simply missed them.
The sunset, the wonder of creation…
Get around a new believer and listen to them talk about life. They’re seeing and hearing as never before. Now with spiritual eyes.
Now this love we have we extend back to God, but it all starts with Him.
I John 4:19 (KJV) “We love him, because he first loved us.”
We call this extending love, worship!
One day in heaven, Jesus Christ is going to step forward to be crowned King of kings and Lord of lords. In heaven He alone will be found to be worthy to take that place and we will sing the song – “You are worthy, to receive glory and honor and power…”
Rev 4:11 (NIV) "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
3. Extend God’s love to others
Luke 2:17 (NIV) “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…”
Now the shepherds didn’t take this “experience
” and just keep it to themselves. As we’ve seen they spread it around. Remember the first word by the angel – “I bring YOU Good news of great joy for ALL THE PEOPLE.”
IF YOU WANT TO WORSHIP, IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THESE SHEPHERDS FELT, SPREAD THE WORD!
That’s right, spread the word. Tell people the good news. Let people be amazed at what God has done for them. They may not even be aware.
The Apostle John writes to verify that the information about Jesus is accurate. It’s not some made-up story; it’s not some fairy tale. They were there for His ministry, they experienced the miraculous. He says…
1 John 1:2-4 (Msg) “… The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you … this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!”
Underline, “we want you to enjoy this, too.”
This is what God wants for you:
1. Receive His love
2. Extend it back to Him
3. Share it with others
The question I have for you is this: Have you received the love of God? If not, why not today? If you have are you extending it back to Him and are you spreading the Word?
TIME OF COMMITMENT:
PRAYER FOR SALVATION: Dear Jesus, thank you for coming as a baby so long ago. Today I want to accept your message of love to me. You showed that love by living a perfect life for me, by offering yourself for my sins and then by dying and coming back to life. Today I surrender to your love. I accept your payment for my sins and I claim you as my Lord. Help me to follow you from this day on. In Jesus name A-men!
