Why Christmas Is a Big Deal:
The Little Things Are the Big Things in Life!
Scripture Text: Luke 1.39-45
INTRODUCTION
The whole atmosphere in sports-stadiums is something-to-behold! When my wife and I went to watch a professional football game, …people all-around-us were severely inebriated! ~ …They were hollering at the referees; …hollering at the players; …yelling at each-other! It was kinda-funny to watch their antics.
We used-to-go and watch the local professional baseball team play ~ …and I remember seeing one player make an amazing-catch at the warning-track; …and in-that-same-game, he hit a towering home-run that brought the fans to their feet.
But, the atmosphere in big-time sports-stadiums is really-something ~ …It’s almost as-though there’s an electricity that runs through the place as players-perform, …and cheerleaders cheer, …and the crowd chants and hollers. I-know that most-of-us know what I’m talkin’-about ~ …Just-during the last 3-or-4 months I’ve heard different-ones who’ve made a pilgrimage to area colleges and professional teams’ stadiums. We enjoy our teams and rooting-them to victory… Don’t we!?!
Well… I’m right-there with-ya! I lament the current-state of some of my teams.. But, I’m thrilled with how well others are doing. And…I’m really looking-forward to watching our-own high school team (on the court this season).
But… As-much-fun as sports-are ~ …there’s something that rings-hollow about it-all. It’s as-though we’re makin’ much-ado-about-nothing… Well… not-‘nothing’; …but-certainly not all that we make it out to be!
TRANSITION
BODY
Scripture often-helps us to get a proper-perspective on things; …and if-there’s-ever-a-time that we need to be reminded-of what’s-most-important, …it’s Christmas-time!
I. The Reunion
We’ve kinda-been bouncing-around during the Sunday’s-of-Advent (and we haven’t followed a historical timeline); …so, it might-be-helpful to kinda-put things in order.
An angel appeared to Zechariah and told him that he-and-his-wife (Elizabeth) were gonna-have a bouncing-baby-boy. This boy was going to be the “fore-runner” of the Messiah. His name would-be John the Baptist, …and he would preach to the people a message of repentance, …as a way-of-preparing the people for the coming-Savior.
But, before John began-his-ministry ~ …in-fact, even-before John was-born ~ …the angel appeared to another-person. This-time, it was to a very-young-lady to tell her that she was going to give-birth to the long-awaited Messiah, …the Savior of the world. As-far-as their expected-arrival-time, …John was about 6 months ahead-of Jesus. So, when Mary goes-to-see Elizabeth, Mary may-not-even be-‘showing’, …but Elizabeth would be unmistakably-pregnant!
Luke wrote this gospel close-to 2,000 years-ago. And a lot-has-changed in time. One of the things that has changed is public-perception. For one-thing, we live in a day of amazing-medical-techniques and possibilities. And-so, it’s not-that-surprising for us to hear of a woman conceiving-a-child later-in-life. But, in-the-ancient-world, …this was almost-unheard-of! We all-know that infant-mortality was much higher, back-then. And the danger to a woman ‘well-advanced-in-years’ (to use her husband’s-terms), …well, it was a very-dangerous-position that Elizabeth found-herself-in! And-no-doubt, it would’ve-been the talk-of-the-town.
Then, there’s-Mary! In-our-day-and-time, …it’s no-longer that-surprising to hear of teen-age-pregnancies. While-it-may-not-be-the-norm, it’s-common-enough. But in New-Testament-days, such-a-thing would’ve-been absolutely-scandalous! And-while Luke doesn’t tell us the turmoil that Mary’s-fiancé (Joseph), …Luke doesn’t-tell-us all-that-he-goes-through, Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Joseph was-ready to break-off the engagement; …and there-may-have-been some-in-town that had threatened to stone Mary because of supposed-immorality.
So… when we read about Mary’s little-trip to see her relative, Elizabeth, …and-when we hear about their joy-at-seeing-one-another ~ …what we should-keep-in-mind is all-the-stuff that is swirling-around in-the-background: …each-is probably the target of community-gossip; …each has some-concern for personal-well-being (Elizabeth, because of her age; Mary, because of charges of immorality); …each has had their nice-comfortable, routine rudely-interrupted by the angel-of-God!
But, when Mary arrives at Elizabeth’s home, …and-when Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice calling-out-a-greeting, …the whispers and the gossip and the accusatory-tones that have flooded their lives, …it all-falls-silently away, …as these two-women - …pregnant with the instruments-of-God’s-plan to redeem-the-world – …these-two-women celebrate ~ …and they talk-about how blessed they are to be honored by God; and they rejoice-over God’s amazing-plan which included the privilege of carrying-these-two-babies that would change-the-spiritual-landscape of the entire-world!
And I suppose that as Mary looked-into Elizabeth’s-eyes, …and, as Elizabeth embraced the young-Mary, …I suppose that these two finally-felt-free ~ …free of the gossiping-whispers of other-people; …free of the mis-understandings and suspicions by neighbors; …free of the worries-and-anxieties that they may-have-been-tempted to allow-into-their-hearts. But, I suppose that they-also-felt-free to celebrate, …and-to rejoice in the amazing-things that God was doing ~ …and-the-fact that they played such a prominent-role in God’s-plans!
II. Elizabeth’s Song
When Elizabeth opens-her-mouth, …she is beside-herself! Luke only-gives her three-verses to express-her-song ~ …and in those-three-verses, …she speaks a blessing three times: “Blessed are you” ~ she says to Mary; “Blessed is the child you will bear” ~ she says about the Baby-Jesus; And-finally, “Blessed is she who has believed” ~ again, talking-about Mary.
Elizabeth does-nothing to draw attention to herself. You might-expect her to at-least wonder-aloud at the role-her yet-to-be-born-child will-play ~ (as the forerunner; the trail-blazer; the one that Isaiah-the-prophet had spoken-of). Isn’t it natural for expectant, and new-mothers, to talk about the fruit-of-their-wombs?... …and to-wonder-aloud, what this-child will-grow to be-like!?! ~
Mind-you, I’m not-suggesting that it’s a prideful, or-selfish thing-to-do!... But-Elizabeth doesn’t-even digress in-this-way. It’s-all-about Mary and the Baby she carries!
The only two-times that she refers to herself is-when she asks-out-loud why she is so-favored to be visited-by the mother-of-her-Lord; …and-when she says that her-baby did some-gymnastics when the sound of Mary’s-voice reached her-ears!
You have-to-wonder how-surprised she’ll-be when her son-grows-up to-be a fiery-preacher, prophet-type. He’s not-gonna-sit in the king’s-court, though… …or-spend his life ministering in the Temple. He’s gonna-be an outsider, …wandering-around on the edges-of-society, …preaching from tree-stumps and baptizing in the muddy-waters of the Jordan.
Elizabeth doesn’t glorify-herself or her soon-to-be-born son. She’s got the right-perspective. It’s all-about what God is doing, …and what God has planned. And-whatever part she-plays in God’s-activity, …and-whatever role her-son, John, will-fill ~ well… Elizabeth’s-song shows she’s humbled and honored and joyful.
III. Mary’s Song
We didn’t read Mary’s-song (It’s found in verses 46-56 ~ so it’s considerably-longer than Elizabeth’s!); …but her-focus is entirely-on the Lord-God! In her song, she refers-to-God 14-times! She sings of His glory and His mercy; …she worships Him and rejoices-over His faithfulness. She also-celebrates the things that God has-done and is-doing: …He has been mindful of the humble; …He has performed mighty deeds; …He has scattered the proud and brought-down rulers; …He lifts up the humble and fills the hungry; …and He has helped His people.
Mary’s song is a worship-hymn that turns our-attention away-from-herself, …and points-us God-ward.
And-ya-know, I think that’s-significant.
I think it’s significant because it-seems that human-beings are so-inclined to focus on-themselves: …either in complaining over circumstances-and-situations that throw them out-of-their comfort-zone; …or in vain-attempts to draw-others’-attention to themselves and their accomplishments and honors ~ as-a-way to promote-themselves or to lift-themselves-up.
But, there’s none-of-that in Mary’s song. You might-expect there to be some-of-it, at-least… She is, after-all, a young-teen-ager ~ …maybe as-young-as 13, but-almost-certainly no-older than 16! And aren’t young, teen-age-girls known to-be preoccupied with themselves and what-others-are-saying-about-them? (no-offence, ladies!) But, Mary’s-song is not about-her …and her-situation, …and the drama that she finds herself in!
Mary’s song is all-about the goodness and wonder of-God. Her heart pours-out in verse ~ …in a celebration of who-God-is and what He’s-up-to!
Bible-scholar, Tom Wright, looks at this-family-reunion between Mary-and-Elizabeth… And this-is-what he-has-to-say about-it:
Mary’s visit to Elisabeth is a wonderful human portrait of the older woman, pregnant at last after hope had gone, and the younger one, pregnant far sooner than she had expected… Underneath it all is a celebration of God. God has taken the initiative – God the Lord, the saviour, the Powerful One, the Holy One, the Merciful One, God is the ultimate reason to celebrate.” (Luke for Everyone, 16)
PAUSE 4
CONCLUSION
Why is Christmas such-a-big-deal? ~ Why does it dominate the radio-air-waves, …and influence store-schedules? Why does it dictate our thoughts from November through December, …and create such tension in our checkbooks? Why does Christmas play such a big-part in vacation-planning, …and travel-schedules?
If-we’re-honest-with-ourselves, …we will recognize lots-of-“reasons” at work in the ways that we observe-Christmas. Whether you like-it-or-not, you will spend money on presents for people that don’t really need what you’re going to get them; …and you will buy gifts out-of a sense-of-obligation, rather-than-charity; …and many-of-us will put a strangle-hold on the family-finances for the next-couple-of-months because we over-spend at-this-time; …we’ll go to parties that we don’t-really-have-the-time-for; …and we’ll eat more-sweets than our belt-line can handle!
There’s lots-of-reasons that have snuck into our lives and shaped how we observe the Christmas-holiday. We hear sentimental-movies tell us that “It’s all-about family and spending time with the people you love.” We watch commercials that tell us that Christmas is all-about dazzling someone with an extravagant-gift. We ~ and I am guilty of this too ~ we buy gift-cards so that our loved-ones can get what they really-want… Is this what Christmas is all-about!?!
I heard a funny-story the other day about a Sunday School teacher ~ trying to talk to her preschool-class about Christmas:
Thanksgiving was only five days away. The Sunday school teacher wanted to have her preschoolers playfully correct some wrong ideas about this upcoming holiday. So she began: “Let’s see, Thanksgiving. That’s the day when we think about the stuff we have and how we want more than anyone else has and how we don’t care about anyone but ourselves and .... ”
“No!” the kids started to yell. “N-o-o!”
Then one little guy announced, “That’s not Thanksgiving, Miss Michelle. That’s Christmas!”
Is this what we’ve come to think Christmas is all about? Is this what we’ve trained our kids to think Christmas is all about?
Mary’s-song reminds us of what’s most-important about Christmas. It’s not the family gatherings. It’s not the gift-exchanges. It’s not the mountains of baked goods. It’s not the smell of pine and the twinkle of lights. Or the hope of snow.
These things are fun and they add to the enjoyment of the holiday ~ …but they are not the main-thing. The main thing is that the Lord God chose to do a wonderful-thing by sending His Son to be born through Mary. He is Mighty, …yet came as a helpless Babe. He is merciful, …and we are so in need of His mercy. He opposes the proud and rebellious, …but accepts the humble and repentant. And I hope-and-pray that as we celebrate the Christmas-holiday, …that our joy will be based on the Gift that got the whole thing started:
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3.16-17)
Very-familiar passage!... But, as you look at it, What-you-see is that God is giving so-much! ~ …giving His one and only Son, …giving the promise of eternal-life, …giving forgiveness, …giving salvation. And we are the recipients (of His good-hearted, giving-nature)!
Now… that is a Gift worth celebrating! Let’s join Elizabeth, …and Mary, …and Zechariah, …and the angels-of-old ~ …Let’s join all-the-generations that have gone-before-us and rejoice in the One who came that we might be saved; And let’s look-forward to His return: What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see! When I look upon His face – the One who saves me by His grace. And He takes me by the hand, and leads me through the promised land. What a day, glorious day, that will be!
