OPEN: A few years back, Wellington, FL had their baby Jesus stolen two years running. This was a wealthy community and their Jesus was worth around $1800. The third time around they put a GPS inside and traced the thief to her home.
But the baby Jesus doesn’t have to be expensive. In 2008, in Eureka Springs AK, the thieves not only stole a plastic baby Jesus, they also took the concrete block and chain meant to keep that from happening
It’s called the “Stolen Baby Jesus Syndrome.”
Some take the babies as a joke.
Others do so because they want to protest Christmas.
When found, the babies are often defaced with profanity or Satanic symbols (AP Dec. 10, 2008)
ILLUS: But the thief doesn’t always have bad intentions
About 6 years ago, Chicago Police say an art student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago was arrested for stealing a figure of the baby Jesus from the Nativity Scene at the Daley Plaza.
Two witnesses saw him pull the three-foot figure from the manger and just walk away with it.
When questioned about the theft, the man said he took the figure because he saw it and wanted it.
(http://www.14wfie.com, Baby Jesus Stolen - Again, 12/6/04)
APPLY: Now, how should we respond to that kind of behavior?
Well, to begin with, I’m not sure I’d put out an $1800 ceramic Jesus in the nativity scene.
But aside from that - from chapters 7 through 12 - the Prophet Isaiah is telling us that we have a “live” Jesus… not a ceramic or a plastic one.
And this Jesus God has given us is not just “alive”
· Isaiah 7 told us He was the virgin born God. He would be called Immanuel– God with us.
· Isaiah 9 explained that not only was He the “mighty God” but He was to be a light to those walking in the darkness of the shadow of death.
· Isaiah 11 declared that He would be the fulfillment, of one of 100’s of prophecies concerning the Messiah.
And now - here in Isaiah 12 - the prophet is telling us that this virgin born Son of God would do such powerful things in our lives that we would be tempted to erupt in songs and shouts of praises to God.
ILLUS: I’ve been listening recently to a secular radio station that has advertised their “New Year’s Eve” Party. They’ve told of the bands that will be there. All the food they’ll have. There will be singing, dancing, drinking and “partying” till long into the morning hours.
And why would they party like that on New Year’s Eve?
Because the New Year’s holds the promise of a new beginning. It’s the hope of starting over again and doing things better than they had in the past.
But Isaiah is telling his readers that they have a better reason to rejoice.
Theirs will be a rejoicing that is based on what HAS done for them… not what might yet be.
vs. 1 says “In that day you will say: ‘I will praise you, O LORD’”
vs. 5 declares “Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things”
And vs. 6 tells us “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion”
There’s going to be a “party going on”, and the source of their rejoicing will be the coming of a great Messiah and what He will do for their lives. But what would this Messiah do that would generate so much excitement?
Look again at vs. 1:
“In that day you will say: ‘"I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.’”
God was mad with me?
Yes, He was.
And He would still be angry if something hadn’t been done about it!
In Ephesians Paul writes to Christians in this relatively “nice” church. This was one of those rare letters where there are few if any words of warning or correction. Yet to these “nice” Christians, Paul writes this:
“As for you - you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.” Ephesians 2:1-3
Notice, Paul wasn’t just pointing the finger at the people in that church.
He was pointing the finger at himself as well: “Like the rest, WE were by nature objects of wrath.”
In his letter to Timothy, Paul declares: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners— of whom I am the worst. 1Timothy 1:15
Or as God tells us “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
Not just the folks who steal plastic babies out of Nativity scenes – that means you and me as well.
Now, that generally doesn’t set well with a lot of folks.
They don’t like the idea of a God who might sit in judgment of them.
They like to think of themselves as pretty nice folks.
And so many people reject the message of Jesus and Christmas because they see beyond the image of Mary and Joseph and the little baby in a manger. They get it. They realize that behind that story is the teaching that they are sinners… and they don’t like it.
They would prefer another view of Christmas.
They like the Christmas that is embodied in one of the most popular Christmas songs of the season. If you know it – sing it with me:
“You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout I’m telling you why - Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list and checking it twice; Gonna find out Who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping - He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good - So be good for goodness sake!”
Can you be “good… for goodness sake”
Jesus said, you may as well forget that.
When the rich young ruler approached Jesus and asked “what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus replied: “Why ask me about what is good… Only God is good.” (Mt.19:16-17)
One preacher is said to have told his audience:
“I’m paid to be good, but you folks are good… for nothing.”
He can say that because the Bible says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”
That doesn’t mean we can’t “DO good”
There are plenty of people who do “good things”.
Even evil people can do good things.
Non-Christians can do good things.
But no matter how many “good things” we may do, the Bible teaches that we can’t really “BE good” without God.
In fact, for us to claim we are “good” without God is for us to claim a SELF righteousness.
And somehow that just doesn’t seem quite right.
Most people who are honest with themselves would agree with Mark Twain who said:
“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side, which he never shows to anybody.”
And – Twain was right – all of us have a dark side.
All of us have things in our past that would bring us shame if others knew what we’d said … or done… or thought.
But we won’t be able to hide that dark side forever.
On judgment day God’s going to open some books that tells about everything we have ever done.
Revelation 20:12 “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” Revelation 20:12-14
The WHOLE WORLD is going to hear every last detail of our lives
Everything we have ever done
Everything we have ever said
Everything we have ever thought
EVERYBODY IS GOING TO KNOW ALL ABOUT IT!
And the weight of all those sins would bar heaven’s gate forever.
For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (even you)
When you think about it that way, the stealing of a piece of plastic or ceramic from a nativity scene, seems almost petty by comparison.
But…
But then we read in Isaiah 12
“In that day (when the Messiah comes in answer to prophecy) you will say: "I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.” Isaiah 12:1
Ephesians 2 says it this way:
“All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
BUT (pause) because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions— it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:3-5
In other words: you couldn’t have been good enough - to be good enough - to get into heaven. But God loved you and I so much that He gave His only begotten Son…
Ephesians 1:7 says “In (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
You remember those books that will be opened at Judgment?
If you belong to Jesus – you don’t have to worry about it.
All your past – said/done/thought – they’re not there anymore.
Those shameful things from your past and mine can never be read aloud because they have been blotted out by the blood of Jesus.
ILLUS: Remember “whiteout”? When people would make a mistake in typing with a typewriter, they couldn’t just backspace and erase what had been typed. They’d often use whiteout to cover their mistakes and then write over the spot. Their mistake had been “covered” and made to look as if it had never even happened.
That’s what happens when God applies the blood of Jesus to our lives.
Romans 4:7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”
ALL our sins are covered.
They don’t exist any more.
God has removed them as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12)
He has taken them and buried them in the very depths of the sea (Micah 7:19)
When you and I
· believed in Jesus,
· repented of our sins
· confessed Jesus as our Lord and Savior
· and were buried in the waters of baptism for the forgiveness of our sins…
ALL our past (all the things that would have bro’t you & I shame) was covered by the blood of Jesus… and they can never be read by anyone. Ever!
But Jeff… what if I sin again?
What if I do, or say, or think something that brings me shame – all over again.
Well, God thought of that too.
In 1 John God tells us:
”…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin… (AND) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:7 & 9)
Once we’ve become His children, God wants us to walk with Him.
He wants us to have fellowship with one another.
And He WANTS the blood of His Son to purify us from all sin.
So when we do sin – all He asks is that we ‘fess up’.
To acknowledge that we have failed. That our sins have offended Him. That we were wrong.
And if WE ARE willing to confess our sins to Him… at that very moment (thru the blood of Jesus) He forgives us and purifies from all unrighteousness.
He does this because He promised He would.
He is faithful and just and desires to remove our sins far from us.
And Isaiah tells us that is why Jesus came.
To free us from our past.
To turn God’s anger away from us and make so God would bring us comfort and forgiveness.
And when that happens, Isaiah says it will make it so that we want to shout and sing and praise His name before the rest of the world.
“Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.” Isaiah 12:5
And that is one of the great gifts of Christmas.
This is the one season of the year that people play songs about Jesus.
This is the one season of the year almost every believer and unbeliever…sing songs about all that God has done.
ILLUS: A lady who served on many civic committees, asked to select carols suitable for a community Christmas-tree lighting, sought the help of a local preacher.
When she scanned the list he had selected, she exclaimed in dismay, "But they’re all so theological."
And they are.
That’s the beauty of the great carols of our faith.
Sing with me the following songs:
“What Child is this, who is laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping
This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe the Son of Mary.”
APPLY: This is Christ the King! He has the right to be our Lord. He has the authority to tell us what is right and what is wrong.
“God bless ye merry Gentlemen, let nothing you dismay
For Jesus Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan’s power, when we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tiding of comfort and joy.”
APPLY: Did you notice? Jesus came to save us from Satan’s power?
He came because we had gone astray. We had sinned.
“Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King”
APPLY: When Jesus came, He reconciled us to God. We were “not good”, but He made us “good” with God.
CLOSE: That’s the constant message of the baby in the manger.
It’s something we get to sing about over and over throughout this season.
But there are people who try to remove the baby from the picture.
They’ll steal from Nativity scenes, or they’ll try to shut out the carols, or they’ll go to court to try to get us to go away.
So, what if they succeed?
What if they are successful in shutting down Christ in Christmas?
Well… then we sing and shout a little louder.
Because the world didn’t give us peace with God… and the world can’t take it away.
ILLUS: Two water towers have always served as landmarks for travelers heading for their homes near Wauconda, Illinois. But especially at the holidays.
More than 40 years ago, John Kuester, then village police chief, suggested mounting large twin crosses on the towers to luminously mark the season. Adopted by the village, the display of crosses became a tradition. Right after Thanksgiving, when Christmas decorations went up, the crosses also lit the sky from their near-heavenly height.
But five years ago [1989], Robert Sherman, spokesman for American Atheists, Inc., heard about the crosses. Since Wauconda’s crosses were on government property, Sherman saw an alleged violation of church and state. He delivered an ultimatum: remove the crosses from the water towers or meet in court.
Several town hall meetings followed. Resident Joyce Mitchell, a member of Crossroads Community Church, asked God to give her the right words and right spirit before each meeting.
"The Christians in the community were united with the rest of the community--whether they were churchgoers or not--in refusing to let some outsider tell us how to celebrate Christmas."
But the decision was forced by economics. Realizing a similar case had lost in court, the residents of Wauconda opted not to burden themselves with hundreds of thousands of dollars in court costs. Then a grassroots group of residents had the final say.
"Our business, Wauconda Boat Company, is located across from the village hall," resident Rosemary Buschick explains. "The meeting about the crosses was on a Tuesday night, and when it was over, we knew the crosses would have to come down. Then my husband, Chuck, went to the back room of the shop and constructed a window-sized cross with lights to display the next day. Will Shumaker, whose home appliance store is also on Main Street, also put up a cross. Within weeks, crosses were appearing on houses everywhere--attached to antennas, stuck in yards, beaming from trees, shining in windows. It seemed to just happen."
When Joyce Mitchell drove around the village with her daughters, who were 6 and 9 at the time, she began to cry. "The media portrayed us as losing the fight, but we didn’t lose. Two crosses had been replaced with hundreds. God was glorified in the end."
The world didn’t give us our peace with God, and so the world can’t take it away.
We – of all people have a reason to celebrate the season… and to sing, and to shout and declare the praises of our Savior no matter what else may happen.
