Isaiah 2:1-5
“Looking Forward to the Second Christmas”
On this first Sunday of Advent our lesson focuses on the hope we have in the coming of Christ. As a child the Christmas Season was filled with hope. There was the hope that there would be snow on the ground on Christmas Day; there was the hope that there would be present under the tree on Christmas Day and because of those things, it was difficult to sleep the night of Christmas Eve. I still don’t sleep that well on Christmas Eve because I am excited for the day to come.
There are symbols all around our house and church to remind us that Christmas is coming. There are trees that decorate are home and church. I love preparing early Sunday morning by using only the Christmas light to go over my notes and to spend time in prayer. It is part of my Christmas tradition. The gift giving can distract from Christmas but Deb enjoys buying and giving of gifts and so the tradition continues to live on in our home. She enjoys watching her children and grandchildren open the gifts. It might not always be necessary but if it brings joy to the giver and not too much stress, it can be a great part of Christmas. I also enjoy the baking and all the sweets during this time of the year. I know I will pay for it when January comes around but it is still something that I enjoy.
I also look forward to the Christmas programs at church and school. I love seeing the joy in the faces of the children as they perform not only for their family but for Jesus. I know Jesus enjoys watching them speak their parts and sing praises to his name. The Christmas music has a way of lifting my spirits and I enjoy singing and listening to the music of the season. This is a season of hope because we know that Jesus came into the world on Christmas Day and his promise is that he will again return to this world. Just as we are now in the Season of Advent looking forward to celebrating the First Christmas, we are also in the season of the Last Days looking forward to and preparing for the Second Christmas.
THE HOPE OF A SECOND CHRISTMAS. When Jesus entered the world on that first Christmas, he brought with him a change of season. Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets talked about the last days; those days began when Jesus enter into the world. The last days will come to an end when Jesus returns for the second Christmas. You and I are living in the final chapter of God’s creation. It should not surprise you if Jesus would return at any moment. Although the last days began 2000 years ago, time is quickly moving forward to that moment when Jesus will return. The Second Christmas is on it way and preparing for Christmas reminds us of the importance of preparing for the second Christmas.
I believe that if we truly believe that the second Christmas is quickly approaching, it will have an effect on the way we live our life. The way we view God and the way we live in relationship with him is impacted by the fact that Jesus will soon be coming to this earth. Therefore, how we use our finances; how we live with other people; how we worship God is impacted our view of the second coming of Jesus.
How do we know that we have entered the final days until the second Christmas? We read in Hebrews: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last day he has spoken to us by his Son, who he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe” Hebrews 1:1-2. There is no longer a need for the prophets who told of the future because Jesus has come and Jesus has revealed to us all that we need to know in order that we might be able to prepare for the 2nd Christmas.
Therefore, since, we now have the words of Jesus, what does Jesus have to say about his return? Jesus says many things but one of the things he says is this: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gather before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” Matthew 25:31-32. Jesus does tell us that there will be a time of judgment in which some will celebrate Christmas for all eternity with him and others will not. The invitation goes out to all people to celebrate Christmas with Jesus, however, if we don’t desire to celebrate Christmas with Jesus today, why would we want to celebrate Christmas with Jesus in eternity? Judgment according to Jesus is determined by our understanding of Christmas. Is Christmas and is life about what I can get out of it or what I can give away? Jesus indicates that if we are one of his children, we certainly won’t look at what we get but what we give away. As the second Christmas approaches our hearts are going to be open to give more of ourselves away.
AN OPEN INVITATION. The Bible gives an open invitation to come to him and celebrate after all this is Jesus’ party and not ours. We may think that Christmas is all about what we are able to receive or all the food we are able to consume or all the parties we are able to attend, but the first Christmas belonged to Jesus and the second Christmas belongs to him as well. However, there is an invitation to participate in Christ’s Christmas celebration and to understand that by becoming like him and giving ourselves away, we are bringing hope into this world.
The world is at a hopeless state because of selfishness. If you want to see how hopeless this world is in take some time to look at our nation’s government. A Super-Committee was formed in order to come up with ways to lower the national debt. No one was willing to compromise, so they failed. Governments around the world, including our own are failing because they are only looking out for themselves. When this attitude enters the life of the nation, it leaves people with no hope. However, for those who are citizens of the Kingdom of God, hope is found in Jesus. We only need to accept the invitation to become a part of God’s Kingdom.
Isaiah describes the invitation this way: “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it” Isaiah 2:2. The temple was the place where the Jews went to meet their God. They believed that the presence of God dwelled in the Holy of Holies. However, the people were separated from the Holy of Holies by a thick curtain but when Jesus gave his life the curtain was torn in two and now all are able to come to God through Jesus. So when Isaiah talks about people streaming to the temple, he is telling us that people from all nations are streaming to Jesus because he is their hope.
Jesus didn’t have to leave heaven because Jesus was God and he deserved his place of authority and honor in Heaven. However, Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that Jesus humbled himself and he became a man on that first Christmas day. He made himself nothing and he took the form of a servant. As a servant, he died on the cross as a payment for our sin. We should never think that we deserved this sacrifice because we don’t and we shouldn’t think that God owes us this gift because he doesn’t. Jesus showed us that life is about giving ourselves away. People are drawn to him and as His Spirit dwells within us we begin to give ourselves away. We have spent some time the last few weeks talking about the Holy Spirit and this Spirit is real and he does have the ability to change our hearts to become more like Jesus.
This is sometimes where we become mixed-up during Christmas. Children think that if they have been good, they deserve gifts from mom and dad. Not only do they deserve gifts but they deserve what they want. When Christmas really isn’t about what we can receive but rather what we can give away. Children receive gifts because their parents love them and this is one of the ways they are able to show love to them. But they receive this by grace and not by works.
CHRISTMAS CAN PREPARE US FOR CHRISTMAS. I know that it is difficult for us to understand the true meaning of Christmas when there is so much misinformation out there about Christmas. Like the advertisement of the wife that is giving her husband a red Lexus for Christmas. Now lets be honest, how many wives can afford to give their husbands a red ford much less a red Lexus? Yet the purpose of the ad is to make us wish, we could receive an expensive gift for Christmas.
The lady of the house is also looking for some type of diamond jewelry from Jared or some other jewelry store. Then there are all the electronic gadgets that most people would like. Does this really prepare us for Christmas? Is Jesus going to judge us by what we end up with when we die or what we have given away? I can tell you for a fact that there is nothing in this world that can give you hope. Material things are unable to bring satisfaction in life, unless you are giving those things away. When you give things away it will give you hope and satisfaction but not when you receive it.
Isaiah tells us what give us hope when he writes: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” Isaiah 2:3. Jesus came to this earth not only to give himself away but also to teach us how we too are able to give ourselves away. Jesus designed Christmas to be the great give away rather than the great get my way.
If you want to give hope to this world this Christmas, learn from Jesus what it means to give yourself away. Deb has a niece who is a manager of a Buckle Store in Michigan. A lady came in looking for a winter coat when she found one, she said that she needed to put it on lay-a-way because she was going through a difficult divorce and she wanted to buy her children Christmas presents first. Another customer over-heard the conversation and handed the clerk the money for the lady’s coat and wished her a Merry Christmas. I’m sure this lady had not planned on doing that when she went out shopping that day. I want to believe that it was the Spirit of Jesus that convicted her to buy something for someone who needed a touch of grace.
When Jesus was talking about the Second Christmas and the judgment that was going to take place he said this: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…” Matthew 25:34-36. They then asked when did they do this and Jesus told them that when they did it to the least of these they were doing it onto him.
Christmas prepares you for Christmas because Jesus said that it is all about following him and learning to walk the path that he walked. It has everything to do with what you are willing to give away. When we give ourselves away, we are not earning anything but we are learning what it means to live like Jesus and by doing this we bring hope into the world.
Christmas has come early to some people this year. It was an exciting day on Monday as people dropped in with goods and donations for the Harlan Dorhout benefit. I received donations from people from the community on Monday. I don’t know if they had any connection with the Dorhout’s but they wanted to share their love with them. The people who were setting things up for the nights events worked hard all day and they never stopped smiling. This was a great thing we could do as a community and it did not matter how much you gave because it was walking in the steps of Jesus. Over 1000 people came on Monday night and I have received many a thank you for this facility. This facility has cost all of us, but the community has been blessed already.
Wednesday evening, we took an offering that was able to be used to help feed people who do not have what they need. It may be a temporary fix but it is a meal. Yet during this Christmas season what would you do if you received an opportunity to share a meal with someone in need? What would you do if while you were shopping you were given an opportunity to help someone who was struggling financially?
Max Lucado shares this story: “A few months ago I was sitting at the red light of a busy intersection when I noticed a man walking toward my car. He stepped off the curb, bypassed several vehicles, and started waving at me. He carried a cardboard sign under his arm, a jammed pack on his back. His jean were baggy, his beard scraggly, and he was calling my name, ‘Max, Max!’
I lowered my window. He smiled a toothless grin and said, “I still remember that burger you bought me.” Then I remembered. Months, maybe a year earlier, at this very intersection, I had taken him to a corner hamburger stand where he enjoyed a meal together. He was California-bound that day. ‘I’m passing through Texas again,’ he told me. The light changed, and cars began to honk. I pulled away, leaving him waving and shouting, ‘Thanks for the burger, Max.”
I’d long since forgotten that meal. Not him. We never know what one meal will do…When we provide food stamps, we stave off hunger. But when we invite the hungry to our tables, we address the deeper issues of value and self-worth.
CHRISTMAS EYES. I would challenge you during this season of Advent to have Christmas eyes. These are eyes that are open to those who could use the gentle touch of Christ’s love because they need to know that there is hope. There are many words that describe Jesus throughout the Bible but one of those words is the word compassion. Mark writes: “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” Mark 6:34.
Christmas eyes are eyes of compassion. It is asking the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to someone in need and then it is fulfilling that need. It may be buying someone a meal or giving a gift card but whatever it is when you do it with compassion; you are bringing the hope of Jesus into the world. Jesus also tells you that when you do the least of these you are doing it unto him.
Now none of us have to do this but remember Jesus did not have to come to this world the way he did on that First Christmas morning. What makes Christmas so special is that there are people giving their life away to others, not because they have to but because they want to. They want to experience what Jesus experienced when he lived on this earth.
CHRISTMAS HOPE. Jesus is the hope of the world and Isaiah tells us that eventually the day will come when his peace will rule the world. Isaiah writes this: “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train of war anymore” Isaiah 2:4. This promise seems to be a long way off. We live in a world where there is very little peace and it appears as if there is more strife than peace. We even struggle with peace in our own nation. Those who lead us are unable to reach agreement on how best to pay down the national debt and there is more skepticism with our Nations leaders than ever before.
Yet the church has the ability to bring hope to the hopeless by showing love to those who are living without hope. When we start to give away our life because we want to and not because we have to, the stress of Christmas begins to leave and we become a tool of hope and peace in our world.
Throughout the final chapter of the Bible are these words: “I am coming soon!” Christmas is coming and soon this chapter of life will be coming to a close. When Jesus comes will we be looking to receive something more or will we be glad that we have given it all away? I challenge you this Christmas to bring hope into this world by bringing the light of Jesus into the heart of someone who needs to know that God loves them and God has sent you to them with a message of hope. Amen.
