ADVENT CONSPIRACY
FOUR WORDS THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR CHRISTMAS: RECEIVE
LUKE 2:8-18 AND LUKE 18:17
Supporting Scripture: Luke 22:17-20; John 1:12; 2 Cor. 9:14-15; Romans 5:15; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9;
INTRO
So we come to the end of Advent. Our goal has been to encourage and empower us to have the Christmas we’ve always longed for. We are allowing God to infuse our Christmas with an authenticity – to make it possible for us to get to Christmas evening without a sigh of disappointment. I hope the pieces are coming together for you. We have chosen to look at four simple words that can change our Christmas. The first three words were: worship, rebel, and give. Together, these three offer a holy balance; principles that can actually make Christmas different. They make a 3 legged stool to support the weight that Christmas has accumulated.
Maybe with the fourth word we can move from an insulating, defensive posture to one of celebration and cheer.
And for that I turn to the story of the shepherds.
LUKE 2:8-18
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Let’s pause and pray.
SERMON
The angels’ proclamation was an invitation. It was an invitation to the shepherds to allow the historical events happening in Bethlehem become part of their personal stories. It would have been easy for the activities in that stable to have moved on and the shepherds remain oblivious. The angels prevented that.
Look at verses 10-12 a little closer.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring YOU good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to YOU; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to YOU: YOU will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
The angels made the story of the birth personal. They made it the shepherds’ story.
If we want to have the Christmas we’ve always longed for we will have to allow God to make this historical event our story too. We will have to have some “ownership” in it as well.
As I said, the objective of our final word is to move from a defensive posture akin to “let’s not get this wrong this year” to a positive posture of celebration and cheer. When the shepherd’s story becomes our story this can happen; 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great JOY. I contend that making their story your story will help us to also be “joyful” (v.10) and “amazed” (v. 18).
Let’s face it. One of our underlying objectives this year is to have authentic joy / authentic cheerfulness in the Christmas season. That is also one of God’s objectives. Joy is, you may recall from this past summer’s series, a tell-tale sign of one who is filled with God’s Spirit.
And the key to this joy – this cheer (same word in Greek) is found in our last word – RECEIVE.
Joy is an interesting word study. It has the same root as a few other words we talk about around here.
The word for joy or cheer is “chara” (joy) or “chairo” (joyful).
You might think that word sounds a bit familiar. It does. The root word is “charis” which is the word that is consistently (always) translated “grace” is the New Testament.
They are related to yet another word “charisma” which means “gift of God” or “spiritual gift.”
And to yet another word “eucharisteo” which means “thankfulness.”
Do you see the circular pattern in these words? Start where you will they are all related.
God’s gift (charisma) is grace (charis) and it produces joy (chara) and thankfulness (eucharisteo).
The way this story of joy becomes our story (our experience and testimony) is to “RECEIVE.”
For many of us it is harder to receive than it is to give. We tend to shy away from it for whatever reasons.
• If someone pays us a compliment – we become self-effacing.
• When someone tries to help us with something or do something for us we subtly let them know we do not need their help or charity.
• When someone offers us a gift we find it awkward to receive.
In his book, “Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace” Miroslav Volf says, “In wanting to give without recognizing our need to receive we become arrogant …”(p. 63).
There is something powerful in the act of receiving.
• It brings the offer of a gift full circle and it brings fulfillment to both parties.
• It kindles relationship. It honors the gift as valuable.
• Volf would suggest that refusing the gift humiliates both the giver and the receiver.
Sometimes it’s awkward to receive gifts I know. Last week you, the congregation, gave Vickie and I a gift – it was hard to receive it. I wanted to say “That’s not necessary.” But the proper response was actually, “Thank you; we are grateful.”
We have a hard time accepting gifts but there is joy in an authentic acceptance of a gift. I think the closer we get to adulthood the more awkward it is for us to accept a free, no strings attached, gift. The Bible seems to think so too. Jesus said (Luke 18:17) "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
God’s salvation is a gift isn’t it? Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Four times in Romans Paul calls Jesus Christ and His salvation a gift from God. For example:
• Romans 5:15 says, “… For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!”
• Romans 6:23 says; “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We also have a hard time accepting the gift of God’s grace.
• It scares us.
• It seems too good to be true
• We cannot reciprocate
• We cannot earn it or deserve it
• It’s too extravagant.
That’s why it is a stumbling-block to so many people.
All we can do is open our hands and receive it like a little child. All we can do is be thankful like a little child. "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
My son taught Vickie and me the potential joy that is available in a gift on his fifth Christmas. We bought him numerous gifts that year but one in particular captivated him; a red fire truck that he could get in and peddle. I have never since seen such uninhibited euphoria and joy. My five year old was speechless. He stood with his arms to his chest staring at the fire truck and shaking with joy. He looked at us with complete thrill and gratitude. He, literally, could not speak.
Again, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
This Christmas I want you to pause. I want you to really stop and make a list. Check it twice. Make a list of God’s gifts to you!
• Life itself
• Friends
• Family
• Clean water
• Employment
Allow that list to create joy within you. Give yourself permission to respond to God as a little child.
Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle.”
Children acknowledge that everything is a miracle. So do God’s children.
WRAP-UP
Well, back to the circle of words … When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (communion) we read this (Luke 22):
17 After taking the cup, he GAVE THANKS and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, GAVE THANKS and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
We also find the root of the word chairo (grace) in 2 Corinthians 9:14-15; “And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing GRACE God has given you. THANKS be to God for his indescribable gift!”
There’s that word again – “eucharisto”. It means to give thanks. “The Eucharist” is not the elements of the Lord’s Supper it is the service itself – the event itself. Worship and receiving the elements is “the Eucharist” the act of giving thanks.
So today we have taken the opportunity to give thanks; to celebrate the gift of Christmas – God’s son.
Martin Luther used to have an imagery that he used to describe faith – it was simple open hands. He would say that faith is nothing more than choosing to receive what God has made available. Will you “Receive” this Christmas?
• As a Christ-follower there is no better time, place, or way to say thank you than by identifying with Him in communion.
• As a seeker there is no better time, place, or way, to receive the gift of Christmas, God’s Son than through this sacrament.
John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
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The sermon idea (and some 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
