4 QUESTIONS FOR THE HOLIDAYS – Do I Know It’s Christmas?
Matthew 1:18-25 (p. 675) December 7, 2014
Introduction:
I’ve discovered something about myself, maybe about human nature in general. I can take things for granted that seem to occur often and at regular times. Sunrises, sunsets, meals, even things that are really important, like my wife, friends, or worship services.
Maybe there’s a subconscious assumption “Well, these things and these people have always been there...so they always will be there.”
I’ve come to believe that is a very dangerous assumption! It’s an assumption that has us taking things for granted. Maybe even believing “This thing or this person will always be a priority...because it’s supposed to be.”
I’m pretty sure this assumption has slowly killed more marriages and relationships than any other. It’s kind of like heat leaving the fire...It never happens all at once. Usually the flame dies down, the coals smolder red for a while, then they slowly cool until the last spark is gone...and rekindling a dead fire is impossible.
And the same can be true when it comes to the Christian and Christmas. We know it’s one of the two “biggies” on the religious calendar, Christmas and Easter. In fact there are people that sometimes only show up at church for these two Holidays. We ministers lovingly refer to them as “Chreasters.”
I’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings, but if Christ is only allowed into your schedule for 2 days out of 365 there is a relationship problem.
Both these holidays have been attacked, contaminated, deluted, and materialized. In order not to offend “Merry Christmas” has been changed by many to “Happy Holidays” and there are many who are tons more excited by “Black Friday” sales than special worship times.
It’s almost as if believers assume Christmas will maintain its meaning and its spiritual emphasis because...it always has...its always been there, so it always will. Christmas will be a priority where I focus on the birth of our Savior...because it’s supposed to be that way.
Satan loves to distract...He is the god of busyness and urgency. So I thought I’d begin this series called 4 Questions for the Holidays with “Do I Know It’s Christmas?” And if we are really going to focus on Christ and celebrating the advent of our Savior then we’d better be prepared to.
I. HAVE OUR PLANS INTERRUPTED
Most of us plan for important events and we have a mental image in our minds of how it will look. How it should look. (Almost never does it even come close!)
Look at Verse 18...Joseph and Mary were planning for a wedding.
A Hebrew wedding has 2 stages. The first stage is the “kiddushin” (the engagement or betrothal): legally the couple was married, but it had not been consummated, they were not living together or intimate. The kiddushin tested fidelity, integrity and could last up to 12 months. To break this engagement required a “divorce.” Now you just “call it off.”
The 2nd stage is “huppah” (the ceremony itself which began the intimacy and living together part of the union).
Joseph was marrying his beloved...drawing up house plans...building their marriage bed, big plans about their marriage...until God told them to prepare a nursery.
Mary would be like any young girl anticipating her wedding day, planning what to wear, who will sit where...what you’ll eat...the celebration dances...weddings were big deals in Hebrew culture, even if you were not wealthy...it was a time to celebrate.
And in the midst of all of this, Mary comes to Joseph and says, “I’m pregnant.” Here’s the huge problem...scripture says, “It was before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.”
Very few of us will have holiday plans interrupted as much as Joseph’s and Mary’s. Their white picket fence dreams came crashing down around their feet.
If God interrupted their Christmas plans for His glory maybe we should realize our Christmas plans are fair game too!
[Do you all remember the movie Christmas Vacation starring Chevy Chase as Clark Griswald? He planned to have his entire family together to celebrate the greatest Christmas ever. As they prepare for dinner, around a beautiful table...here’s what happen.]
SHOW VIDEO CLIP FROM “CHRISTMAS VACATION”
UNTIL “I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE IS OVER”
Folks, we can make plans on top of plans but sometimes God is going to change them. And it’s because He wants us to realize it’s Christmas. Christ Mass...it’s not about turkeys and lights and Christmas bonuses. It’s about the birth of His Son, the Savior of the whole world.
Remember what James 4:14-15 says, “Why you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and vanishes. Instead, you ought to say “If it’s the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
[I was talking to a friend the other evening via text and he’d been at the hospital with his father in law, and he said “I teach kids to trust their hands to hit curve balls. Now I’m learning to trust His hands cause I don’t hit curve balls so well either.
My response “Praying now...sorry for all you’re going through...LIFE IS A CURVE BALL!!!]
Life is a curve ball. The Apostle Peter told believers “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12)
Here’s a loose paraphrase from Rick Burdette “Don’t be surprised at the curve ball lie throws at you. Curve balls are how God teaches us to live lives of faith.”
[Christmas of 2007 was one of the hardest I can remember in my life. My son Tyler was in harms way in Iraq....my eldest son Ricky had just been through a divorce and was living with us. My teenage daughter was still in rebellion and pregnant. She would give birth to Peyton in February of 2008. I was trying to minister to my family at Fern Creek while it felt like my family was falling apart. It’s as close to feeling hopeless as I’ve ever been. My white picket fence dreams for my family were crashing around my feet.]
You see our best laid plans are subject to interruption...and it’s at these times God will discover how we pass the test.
Joseph could have really blown it.
Learning the woman you are committed to by way of “kuddushin,” married to but not intimate with, is pregnant...would give the best of men something to struggle with. After all, there’s only one way women get pregnant right? I mean in all created history it requires a man and a woman “becoming one” in the Genesis 2:24 way for a child to be conceived, right?!!
“But, Mary was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.”
At least initially when Joseph finds out she’s pregnant...it’s over...He’s faithful to the law so he is going to divorce her (the law said if it was done publically she could have been stoned to death) But Joseph didn’t want Mary to be disgraced publically. (No revenge from his heart, says a lot about his character). He’s going to divorce her quietly.
The beautiful plans for the loving couple were coming to an end.
But Joseph would soon discover the truth of Christmas. Know what it really is...and if we would know what Christmas is really all about then...we must:
II. LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT GOD AND OTHERS FIRST
God does not leave us in the midst of the fiery ordeal too long. He has a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises us as Christians “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
His plan is never to destroy us in the fire. His plan is to purify us in the fire, like silver and gold...Ps. 66, Zach. 13:9 and Malachi 3:3 all say, “He will put us in the fire and refined us like silver and test them like gold.”
This Christmas maybe God will get your attention in ways you never would have chosen. Maybe because you’ve started to forget what Christmas really is. Maybe because He wants you to stop focusing on this world’s definition of Xmas...and He wants us to put Christ back in it...as central...as Savior...as the greatest gift ever given...wrapped in swaddling clothes.
God let Joseph and Mary know His plans...one through an angelic visit from Gabriel, and another in a dream.
Not only is Joseph asked to see God’s plan and trust it, he is assigned the task of naming this Holy Spirit produced child...Jesus...Hebrew “Yeshua... Savior... Deliverer...The angel’s promise...“He will save His people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what Isaiah, Micah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the prophets had foretold hundreds of years before.
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, (which means, “God with us.”)
When Joseph woke up He completely obeyed. He even remained celibate with Mary until the birth. And then he did not give him his name...but God’s...Jesus.
Joseph chose obedience...Mary chose to be God’s servant.
Will you be open to God’s plan when He interrupts yours? Will you return to this truth about Christmas...It’s about God and others?
1. Invite someone to one of our special services so you can share the real truth of the holidays.
2. Sacrifice a gift and use that money for a mission or ministry that affects real people. (I can recommend some if you want)
3. Look for ways to really serve others through this season, and use it as a springboard for the New Year.
4. Do not be ashamed of Christ with your family and look for openings to restore broken relationships, forgive quietly, love generously.
5. Don’t allow the urgency of gift shopping, the busyness of the season to squeeze out the truth of Christmas and the joy of our salvation.
Nothing will happen to you without God knowing it...so pray, wait for God to provide the way and then obey...instead of a knee jerk reaction...knee jerk reactions are usually horrible.
Illustration:
Mrs. Monroe had nine children, one day she came home from the grocery store and found the house as it usually was...only quieter. She looked in the living room and saw five of her children sitting in a circle. She put down her groceries and went to get a closer look. Her five adorable children were playing with 5 of the cutest little skunks you’ve ever seen! Mrs. Monroe yelled, “RUN CHILDREN, RUN!” Each child grabbed a skunk and ran in five different directions. The mother yelled again, “Run, Children.” Scared the kids so much they squeezed the skunks. Skunks don’t like to be squeezed (AP.) When we face interruption/dashed plans we gotta be careful. Don’t react with our feelings, emotions. Great potential to squeeze the skunk.
Romans 8:28 says “All things work together for the good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”
It’s 2014 and my eldest son is remarried and happy, my son Tyler is home from war and married to his wife Hanna. My eldest daughter has 2 beautiful boys and is married to a good man named Rodney. My daughter Karissa is now 22. Peyton is 6. She graduated from High School with honors, and is about to receive her Occupational Therapy degree this spring. She works very hard, but is continually grateful for God’s redemption...so are her mom and dad. Our family is far from perfect...but the hoplessness of 2007 has been replaced with “thanksgiving.” It wasn’t our plan...it was His. His is better!!!
It wasn’t Joseph and Mary’s plan...it was God’s and God’s was better.
This year, “Do you know it’s Christmas?” If you have forgotten, or maybe needed to be reminded don’t look at His interruptions as horrible setbacks...use them to see God’s plan for your life and a way to serve others.
Let’s Pray.
