OPEN: (I began the sermon by leading the congregation in singing “White Christmas”)
I’m dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to know.
Where the treetops glisten, and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow.
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas with every Christmas card I write.
May your days be merry and bright and may all your Christmases be white.
APPLY: White Christmas is THE Christmas song of the United States. It was originally recorded by Bing Crosby back in 1942, and it became so popular that he had to re-record it in 1947 because the masters became worn beyond use.
(from http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/whitechristmas.shtml)
Its popularity had a lot to do with the fact that America had just gone to war. Our people found themselves in a confusing and unstable world - loved ones being shipped off to the battlefront, not knowing if they would ever see their families again.
And so this song had a powerful impact on American soldiers. They dreamt of a white Christmas when they could come home again. And WHEN that “white Christmas” came, all would be merry and bright.
For centuries, the Jews had dreamed of their own “White Christmas”
For centuries they been given promises that predicted the coming of a Messiah.
And that messiah would bring
* salvation to His people
* forgiveness for their sins
* and light and peace to those who were God’s people.
THUS the Jews were looking forward to a time when life would be merry and bright again.
Isaiah had predicted that when that day came: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Through Isaiah, God had declared that there would be a “White Christmas” for His people. There would come a day when their lives would be cleansed as “white as snow”.
And their lives would be changed forever!
Now over the centuries – as the Jews watched for this Messiah - they waited… and waited… and waited. And they waited so long they actually began to wonder if He was ever coming. They became a people so filled with despair that they were who literally “living in darkness and in the shadow of death”.
ILLUS: There’s an old hymn that describes that despair that filled Israel:
“O Come, O Come Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel.
That mourns in lowly exile here; until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice, rejoice, Immanuel shall come to thee or Israel.”
So when the angel appeared to Zechariah – Zechariah was initially skeptical. But when he fully understood the significance of his unborn son’s life ministry he knew his son was going to herald in this long promised Messiah.
As a result, God allowed Zechariah to make a prophecy, not only about his son’s ministry, but about this Messiah who was finally coming to change the lives of God’s people.
So… how was this Messiah going to change people’s lives?
Well, for one thing Jesus came down from Heaven to shine His light into darkness of our souls. In John 8:12 Jesus declares “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Now look again at Luke 1:78-29. Zechariah tells us that “because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
He was to shine a on those living in the darkness. How did He accomplish that?
How did Jesus shine light into our lives?
I realize there are several different ways to apply this, but it occurred to me that part of what Jesus came to do was to declare to us a different way to look at life.
In Ephesians 4:17-20 Paul writes:
“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are DARKENED in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. YOU, however, DID NOT COME TO KNOW CHRIST THAT WAY.”
Without Christ, people live lives that are often darkened in their understanding. But once we come to know Christ, we think differently than the world does.
In His teaching, Jesus told us that:
The world looked at the law that declared “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment” And thought to themselves: ‘it’s ok to be bitter towards people who hurt you.’
“But (Jesus said) I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” Matthew 5:21-22
The world would hear the command "Do not commit adultery” and thought to themselves “it’s ok to look… but don’t touch.”
“But (Jesus said) I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28
The world would look at the Biblical command to those in authority that justice should be ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth’ and they’d think to themselves “it’s ok to seek personal revenge.”
“But (Jesus said) I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” Matthew 5:38-40
Jesus was basically telling people –
“Change how you look at life”
“Refuse to live lives filled with bitterness, lust and selfishness”
“Don’t behave like those whose hearts are darkened by these things.”
“Live lives that reflect the light and peace I want you to create in you."
Now, there are people who believe that was ALL Jesus came to do.
They believe Jesus only came to “teach” us how to live.
But Zechariah says: “No! the Messiah had another task.”
Jesus came “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people through the forgiveness of their sins” Luke 1:77
You see – a lot of people - have a warped view of salvation.
They view salvation as a kind of a “do it yourself” thing.
ILLUS: A little after midnight on around Christmas in 1988, a 19 year old woman driving through East Los Angeles apparently fell asleep behind the wheel of her car. Her car plunged through a guardrail of a bridge and was left dangling by its left rear wheel.
For the next 2 ½ hours 25 rescuers and concerned bystanders worked feverishly to pull her to safety. One of the firemen at the scene commented that - in the midst of the rescue effort - “She kept saying: ‘I’ll do it myself.’”
Lots of people folks are like that.
They look at their sins like a balance sheet.
Their sins have plunged them over the edge of the bridge of life, and they think if they just try a little harder/ do a few more good works – their lives will be pulled back from the brink, and they’ll get to heaven.
They basically say to themselves:
“I can do it myself – I don’t need God (or anyone else) to help me!"
But the repeated message of the Bible is: it won’t work that way.
You can’t be good enough to be good enough to please God.
Heaven can’t be bought… it’s a free gift from God.
But people have a hard time accepting the idea God would give them anything free.
ILLUS: A preacher was trying to explain this to the congregation. Having placed a beautiful poinsettia plant up on the stage - and just before the sermon - the preacher pointed to the plant and explained that it was free to anyone.
Someone snickered, “What’s the catch?”
“No catch. It’s free.” No one moved.
A college student asked, “Is it glued to the altar?” Everyone laughed.
“It is not glued to the altar. Nor are there any strings attached. It’s yours for the taking.”
“Well,” asked a pretty teenager, “can I take after the service?”
The preacher shook their head. “You must come and get it now.” (Today is the day of salvation).
Finally a woman the preacher had never seen before stood up in the back. Quickly, as if she were afraid she’d change her mind, she strode to the altar and picked up the plant. “I’ll take it,” she said.
As she returned to her seat carrying the free gift, the preacher launched with enthusiasm into their text, Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” And went on to preach that the gift of God is eternal life! It’s free.
The preacher then wrote: “When the service had ended and most of the people had gone home, the woman who claimed the poinsettia came to the platform, where I was picking up my Bible to leave.
“Here!” she held out her hand. “This flower is too pretty to just take home for free. I couldn’t do that with a clear conscience.”
I looked down at the crumpled paper she stuffed into my hand.
It was a ten dollar bill.
This woman couldn’t accept the idea of anything being free from God… and yet it was.
Salvation is a free gift from God… but it did come at a price.
It didn’t cost us anything… but it cost God everything.
The knowledge of salvation must include the idea of our receiving forgiveness from God for sins. Unless our sins are forgiven, we will NOT get into heaven. No matter
* how nice we may be
* how moral we may have lived
* how many little old ladies we’ve helped across the street
Unless God removes our sins, we won’t be allowed to come into His presence.
God spent centuries teaching the people the need for sacrifices to bring forgiveness of sins.
God’s people sacrificed birds, sheep, goats and cattle. And the implied message was: if you are to be forgiven – something has to die.
Hebrews says it this way:
“… the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22
For us to receive forgiveness for our sins – something/ someone – had to die.
And Isaiah had declared that this would be the fate of the Messiah:
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter….” Isaiah 53:4-7
The song “White Christmas” declared that a person’s life could be changed by a chance winter storm. The Bible tells us that our lives could only be changed by the deliberate act of Jesus.
This world looks for satisfaction in all kinds of places.
They look for it in their possessions, relationships, parties, even in what kind of weather they enjoy – whether bright sunshine or white snow.
But the problem is that all those solutions are short-lived – they all eventually melt away.
Jesus warned us not to put our treasures in things where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
ILLUS: Someone once observed
If our greatest need in life was pleasure, then God would have sent an entertainer.
If our greatest need would have been money, then He would have sent a financial consultant.
If our greatest need would have been for information, He would have sent an educator.
But God in His infinite wisdom knew that our greatest need was forgiveness - and so He sent a Savior.
But the satisfaction Jesus could offer us goes way beyond anything this world can offer.
ILLUS: John Mays shared this interesting story
“I was on my honeymoon in the Bahamas when a man walked up to me and said, ‘Would you like to buy some cocaine? You can tell everyone how much you really enjoyed the Bahamas.’
After I said ‘No!’ and got over the shock of that man’s boldness, I wondered how Jesus would have responded if someone came up to him selling drugs.
Later that day, someone else came up to me selling drugs and that gave me another chance to share Jesus with them in a most creative way. After he told me that he had the ‘good-stuff,’ I asked him, ‘What have you got?’
Once he said ‘Cocaine!’, I said the following:
‘Is that all you have? I’m disappointed! I was hoping you would have something better than that. You see, I’ve got the real thing! What I have is all natural, pure and very powerful. And it makes me feel great all day and all night. And get this, it may be illegal in some countries, but not in this one so you can’t get arrested for having it!’
By this time the man was very curious and he asked me what is this incredible stuff I was talking about.
I said, ‘I’m talking about having Jesus in your heart! It’s awesome what he will do for you when you get him inside of you! No drug in all the world is as good as having Jesus in you.’
The man stopped smiling and got this real serious look on his face and said, ‘I want what you have. How do I get it?’
How do you get it?
How do you get the gift of God that goes beyond the passing joy of a “white Christmas”?
1. You believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God. (John 20:31)
2. You accept that you are a sinner and that only Jesus can remove that sin. And you determine to “repent” or turn away from accepting sin as a normal way of life (Acts 3:19)
3. You confess Jesus as your Lord. You make the Lord and master of all that you own (Romans 10:9-10)
4. You allow yourself to be buried in the waters of baptism for the forgiveness of sin (I Peter 3:21-22)
