ADVENT CONSPIRACY*
FOUR WORDS THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR CHRISTMAS: REBEL
Matthew 2:1-15
Big Idea: Your Christmas can be counter-cultural; not by turning away from something but by turning to someone.
Supporting Scripture: Isaiah 55:2, Mark 12:29-31; Acts 4:12; Romans 12:2; 1 John 2:15
SERMON INTRO
Good morning. I want to begin today with a pop quiz. I am going to give you a sentence or phrase and ask you to fill in the missing words. Just shout them out if you know them.
• Every kiss begins with {Kay}.
• Drive it away. Take time to pay … {Time Buyer!}
• Fall into the {Gap}.
• When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight { Fed EX}
• Save Money. Low prices. Live better. {Wal Mart}
• Takes a licking but keeps on ticking. {Timex}
• Melts in your mouth, not in your hands. {M & Ms}
• We bring good things to life {G.E.}
• Please don’t squeeze the {Charmin}.
• Pardon me, do you have any {Grey Poupon}.
Well they have us don’t they? They have branded their products very effectively; they are embedded within us. Some of those slogans are decades old but we still remember the product.
That’s not inherently evil by any means; but it is anecdotal evidence to me that as the people of God who wish to do Christmas different this year we may need to push back. As Romans 12:2 reminds us: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Pushing back is not new to the Christian. In fact, it is part of our DNA as God’s people. 1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
It is not only part of our DNA as the people of God – it is part of the DNA of the Christmas story. Listen to this passage from Matthew 2.
MATTHEW 2:1-15
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.4When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” 7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
SERMON
It’s easy to miss but I want to suggest to you today that rebelling (pushing back) is a part of the story that is often overlooked by us. I do think, however that those who were part of it knew it was happening and I am certain the writers of the Gospels (years later) knew what their writings were counter-cultural, dangerous and even treasonous.
I know we often think of “rebellion” as a negative thing. But for the believer it is a holy calling. It is positive and proactive.
Navigating the Christmas season so that you are left with meaning, substance, and presence is a choice – a proactive choice we make and follow through on.
Truth be told – if you want to have the Christmas you’ve always longed for you will have to push back this year. There is going to have to be some “holy rebellion” against those forces that seek to influence your Christmas.
I think I can make a case that, from the beginning, the story of Christmas was “rebellious.” It was however in my opinion far less about turning FROM some THING and far more about turning TO some ONE.
In Luke 2:1 we discover that Caesar Augustus is tightening the grip on his empire (from India to England) and requiring a tally of everyone in every place. From that point onward Rome is the back drop of the New Testament’s story and message. From then onward Christianity runs against-the-grain of the empire.
You see, Caesar claimed to be divine. He claimed to be God. The coins and documents from the empire verify this as an undeniable fact.
William Mitchell Ramsay, Ethelbert Stauffer, and other archeologists have unearthed coins that refer to the Caesars in the following ways:
• “Salvation is found in no other than Caesar Augustus”
• “There is no other name given to men whereby they can be saved other than Caesar”:
• “Caesar is Lord”
Octavian Augustus called himself “the son of god.” And the poet of that day, Virgil, (who died years before Jesus was born) says in his writings that he (Augustus) “would mediate between heaven and earth and bring peace and goodwill to men.”
The Christians took the already well know ascriptions to Caesar and gave them to Jesus. They knew that when a person chose to follow the resurrected Jesus Christ it placed them on a collision course with Rome.
Peter’s first sermon (Acts 4) was a direct affront to the supremacy and divinity of Rome’s Caesars. It was treason. In one sentence of one sermon he takes two claims that Caesar has “branded” into the people as truth and transfers them to Jesus. Peter says (v. 12), “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Remember, it was Caesar (Nero) who killed Peter and Paul; the Apostle John obviously had Nero’s pogrom in mind while writing during the reign of the tyrant Caesar Domitian.
The writers of the New Testament signed their death warrant when they penned the Christmas story.
• When the angels say that Jesus would bring “peace on earth and good will to men” (Luke 2:14) the writers were … rebelling. In Caesar’s mind they were committing treason.
• When Luke pens Mary’s words in 1:52 (“he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate”) – well – people died for stuff like this.
These writers were turning from something to someone in no uncertain terms.
Francis Schaeffer said, “The reason Christians were killed is because they were rebels who worshipped a personal God – an infinite personal God only. To Caesar this was treason.” (Francis Schaeffer, “How Shall we Then Live?”)
The very nature of our faith means we are resisting the influences of this world and we are choosing to live counter-cultural lives.
Now I know we are all vulnerable to the beckoning, competing calls of loyalty that this year brings. I do not have this all figured out; I fight against it myself. But what I am convinced of is that the tension is not innocent.
I believe more and more that what we struggle with is idolatry. Anything that claims to satisfy the longings of the soul is an idol. And, from the first Christmas story to this day, there are those that vie to influence your behavior and values.
So – what is the one thing that you sense is competing for your devotion this Christmas? What is saying to you “Only I can satisfy?”
Whatever it is, it is an idol claiming there is happiness in no other. In the first century it was the Kingdom of Rome. Might I suggest that during this season it is “The Kingdom of More.”
But together, we are called to push back with a “holy rebellion.”
What if I was to suggest that saying yes to Jesus will require you to say no to some other things?
• Records show that credit card spending a week ago Friday (Black Friday) was up 8%.
• Economists tell us that 50% of the people who charge this year’s Christmas spending are still paying off last year’s credit card bills.
There has got to be a better way to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
• The One who was poor
• The One who was an outcast
• The One who championed the needs of the poor
• The One who claimed to exclusively be able to provide humankind with satisfaction and meaning.
It is gut-check time folks. It’s time to ask ourselves hard questions that get to the core of our faith.
It’s time to ask yourself what is driving you this Christmas.
• Is it the desire for others to like you? So much so that you’ll go in debt for their temporary and fickle praise?
• Is it the desire to have more stuff? Are you often disappointed at the quality of gifts others give you?
• Is it pride? Do you want to give the best and have the best?
In Central America there is a road called “El camino de la muerta.” That means “The road to death.” This road which stretches from La Paz Bolivia (13,25 ft) to the Amazon Basin (sea level) has been deemed by transportation departments to be the most dangerous road in the world. Up to 300 people a year die travelling it.
• It has huge drop offs
• It has mud, rain, and mud slides
• It has virtually impassable wash outs
• It is extremely narrow and has no guard rails
But people continue to think they are “special” and they can manage “it.”
Chasing “it” is a road to death my friends. “It” cannot satisfy.
Isaiah 55:2 asks a question: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?”
Let me say it again … SAYING YES TO JESUS WILL REQUIRE YOU TO SAY NO TO SOME OTHER THINGS.
I am not telling you not to give. In fact, next week I am going to tell you that you should give!
I am not asking you to have a heart that is “two sizes too small.” In fact, I am suggesting you let God expand the size of your heart this season.
What I am suggesting is that:
• You give differently.
• You push back against the hyper-consumerism of our age.
• You not settle for the superficial.
• You celebrate the Lordship of Christ and look to Him for satisfaction and joy
Again, REBELLING IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT TURNING FROM SOMETHING AS IT IS TURNING TO SOMEONE. But doing this, rebelling like this, will have consequences. Rebellion always does. But it is in the DNA of Christmas and the DNA of our faith.
Some of you are familiar with the name, Morgan Spurlock. He produced the documentary “Super-Size Me.” He has produced another lesser-known production titled “What Would Jesus Buy?” Please note: I am not recommending the movie it is a bit distasteful but it makes a good point. The movie follows a fictional minister named “Reverend Billy” and the “The Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir.”
He is travelling the nation warning the masses of a pending “Shopocalypse.” He arrested in Times Square for preaching a two-word sermon “Stop Shopping!!!!” Starbucks has a permanent restraining order issued against him.
The review of this movie says this: “Religion aside for a moment, there's a terrible addiction that has swept across this country, and it's one of the nation's best kept secrets. Mostly everyone will tell you that it's a really bad thing, but nobody can seem to stop doing it. And it doesn't come cheap, nearly sixty percent of us are in long term debt because of it. No, we're not talking booze, drugs or overeating. It's shopping. And over 15 million Americans may in fact be addicted to it.”
Spurlocks’ intention is to inspire real reflection when it comes to exactly what this consumerized holiday season is all about. Reverend Billy and entourage put out a wakeup call to mall junkies everywhere, exorcising the demons from assorted cash registers and credit cards as he urges consumers to return to a more authentic relationship with Christmas.
If you want joy in your Christmas I’d recommend you heed the sermon of Reverend Billy and seek “a more authentic Christmas.” I recommend you look to the only One who can bring joy to your world.
Maybe we could start my filtering our Christmas through Jesus’ two core values and making them our core values.
Mark 12:29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
He Who Has Ears to Hear
Let Him Hear
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The sermon idea (and much of the content) is provided by www.adventconspiracy.org and Rev. Greg Holder of Windsor Crossing Community Church.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
Come to the Waters
Responsive reading based on Isaiah 55
Leader: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
People: We spend our money for that which is not bread, and our labor for that which does not satisfy. We toil and gather until our barns overflow then we build bigger barns and fill them. Yet, we never have enough.
Leader: The Lord says, “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; Seek the LORD while he may be found; and call upon him while he is near;
People: We will forsake our wicked way, and our unrighteous thoughts; We will return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on us, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Leader: And you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
People: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
Week 2 Advent Wreath Candle Lighting
READER #1 - Decisions, decisions, decisions! Christmas just overflows with decisions! Who should we buy gifts for? What gifts should we get them? What color, style, or model should we buy? Which decorations should we put up? Should we mail Christmas cards to people, or send them e-cards? And what about church? Christmas is on Sunday? Should we go to church, or stay home? So many decisions! It’s a little nerve-racking.
However, we are not the first people to face decisions about Christmas.
READER #2 - After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." Unable to locate Jesus, they ended up standing in front of King Herod himself asking for directions. The King did some quick research and told them they would find the baby in Bethlehem. He also said to them, “As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
READER #3 – So, off they went and found the New Born Messiah. They gave him gifts; gifts that were marvelous, thoughtful, and meaningful. But when they were done, God warned them not to return to King Herod. So now, they faced a very difficult Christmas decision; should they do what the King had told them to do, or do what God had told them to do? It seems like an easy decision, unless you’re the one making it.
READER #4 - Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and so we light two candles in our wreath.
May these two candles remind us of the decisions we will make this season. Will we listen to the voice of our culture which implores us to spend more, or to the voice of our God who invites us to love more?
LIGHT TWO CANDLES
READER #5 - Let us pray together: Father God, we worship you today and ask you to speak to us. Help us to choose well and to celebrate the birth of your Son in a uniquely counter-cultural way. It is our sincere desire to have a meaningful Christmas season that honors Your voice over all others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
