OPEN: Here it is the first week of December and people are already getting into the Christmas spirit. They’re decorating their homes, putting up Christmas trees and mistletoe and holly… and Christmas lights all over the place.
We Americans are so used to our traditions of the season that we sometimes don’t realize that other nations don’t always do things the way we do.
For example, in Italy they don’t have Christmas trees; instead they decorate small wooden pyramids with fruit.
In Caracas (the capital city of Venezuela) it is customary for the streets to be blocked off on Christmas Eve so that the people can roller-skate to church.
In Yugoslavia, on the 2nd Sunday before Christmas, children creep in and tie their mother’s feet to a chair, shouting ’Mother’s Day, Mother’s Day, what will you pay to get away?’ She then gives them presents. Children play the same trick on their father the following week and get more presents.
And in Britain it is a Christmas tradition to make a wish while mixing the Christmas pudding, but the wish will only come true if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise fashion.
(From a sermon by Bruce Rzengota, on sermoncentral.com)
But Japan has perhaps the most American style of Christmas… because they borrowed it from us. They put up decorations, exchange presents, send cards, sing yuletide songs, decorate trees, serve special seasonal treats and make a big fuss over St Nick, Rudolph and Frosty.
But there is one distinct difference from our American Christmas… they don’t honor Jesus.
Why not? Because Japan is 99% Shinto and Buddhist in their religion. Only ½ of 1 % of their people claim to be Christians.
The Japanese are attracted to the glitter and romance of the American version of Christmas, and have adopted nearly everything except the real reason for the season.
(from an illustration by Robert Leroe)
Galatians 4:4 tells us that the reason for the season… was Jesus. It says:
“…when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
God waited patiently until the time was right… and then He sent His Son.
Why? Because something wasn’t quite right until Jesus came.
BUT what was it that wasn’t right?
Six hundred years before Jesus was born in the manger God made this declaration:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will FORGIVE their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34
That’s what Jesus came to do.
He fulfill that new covenant, to make good on the Father’s promise.
Jesus came to forgive our sins.
When the angel appeared to the Shepherds he said:
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a SAVIOUR….” Luke 2:11
And WHAT was He going to save us from?
When the angel appeared to Joseph he told him that Mary would “… give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people FROM THEIR SINS." Matthew 1:21
Jesus came to fulfill the promise God made about 600 years before.
The promise was that God was going to make a NEW covenant with us.
A covenant that would make it so that God would forgive us our iniquities and remember our sins NO MORE.
Now WHERE did Jesus do that?
Where did He fulfill that promise?
Where did Jesus make it so that God would forgive us and not remember our sins?
Did He do that in the manger?
No… He did on the cross.
One person said it this way:
“They say that Santa puts presents UNDER the tree.
But Jesus came and became our gift ON the tree.”
So – if that’s true – (that Jesus forgave us on the cross) what’s all this about a manger? Why on earth would Jesus need to come as a baby to bring us this salvation? Why include the baby thing - as part of the story - in the Gospels?
Notice that it was AT HIS BIRTH that Jesus was proclaimed to be the one who’d save us from our sins. So, this baby thing…is part of the package. It’s part of the message of the cross begins in the manger
So why do it that way?
Why make the baby part of the salvation message?
I believe it’s tied into the declaration in John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Everybody knows that verse… but not so many know the next verse
“For God sent not his Son into the world to CONDEMN the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17
Notice that word CONDEMN.
Why would God put that word in the verse?
Because … that’s how people often see God.
Lots of people think of God as an angry God. A God who is furious at them.
According to a survey conducted by USA Today some years back – nearly ½ of Americans see God a harsh being that looks down upon the earth in anger and who is just waiting to drop the hammer on those who sin!
(http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-09-11-religion-survey_x.htm)
Now why would they believe that?
Well, because – it’s true!
You don’t want to mess with God.
Hebrews 10:31 says “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Hebrews 12:29 declares “… our God is a consuming fire.”
Romans 5:10 tells us that at one time “we were enemies” of God
And Ephesians tells us that before we became Christians:
“were by nature children of WRATH” Ephesians 2:3
Wrath?
Whose wrath?
God’s!
But John 3:17 tells us that Jesus was NOT sent to CONDEMN us, but to save us from our sins.
That’s one of the reasons Jesus came as a baby.
Babies are “approachable”.
Have you ever watched when a mother or grandmother brings a child to church.
EVERYBODY seems to gather around and make goofy faces and noises.
It’s like a magnet.
Everybody wants to hold the child… or at least touch it.
WHY?
Because babies are accepting.
They don’t reject you, they don’t judge you or condemn you.
They’re “SAFE” to be around.
ILLUS: In his book “God Came Near” Max Lucado wrote this:
"When God chose to reveal Himself to mankind, what medium did He use?
A book? No, that was secondary.
A church? No, that was consequential.
A moral code? No, to limit God's revelation to a cold list of do's and don'ts is as tragic as looking at a Colorado roadmap & saying you'd seen the Rockies.
When God chose to reveal himself, he did so through a human body.
The tongue that called forth the dead was a human one.
The hand that touched the leper had dirt under its nails.
The feet upon which the woman wept were callused and dirty.
And his tears... oh, don't miss the tears... they came from a heart as broken as your or mine has ever been.
So, people came to him. My, how they came to him!
They came at night;
They touched him as he walked down the street,
They followed him around the sea;
They invited him into their homes, and placed their children at his feet.
Why? Because he refused to be a statue in a cathedral or a priest in an elevated pulpit.
He chose instead to be Jesus.
There were those who mocked him, who were envious of him, who misunderstood him and there were those who revered him. But there was not one person who considered him too holy, too divine, or too celestial to touch. There was not one person who was reluctant to approach him for fear of being rejected.
REMEMBER THAT.
Remember that when you see the nativity scene with a helpless infant drawing shepherd and wise man, manger beast and celestial angel, all in an unthreatening atmosphere that was to mark his entire life, even when that life was eventually slain on a desolate hill in Judea.
Remember. For man seems always to build barriers between himself and God.
But Jesus builds bridges."
That’s why Jesus came as a baby – to build a bridge between God and man.
To be vulnerable and helpless so that everyone would feel comfortable in His presence.
There’s something about the story of the baby in the manger that speaks to people.
ILLUS: Gene Dulin (one of our brotherhood's missionaries) told of standing in Austria, looking at a hand carved nativity scene. The figures were a bit larger than life and was one of the most beautiful that he’d ever seen. As he stood thinking about the meaning of the nativity a grandmother stopped with her 3 year old grandchild. She stooped over and began talking with the child. She pointed to Mary, then to Joseph, and to the baby. Dulin says he couldn't understand her language, but he knew she was telling the story of Jesus.
Then Dulin added, "For 2000 years parents and grandparents have passed on the story of Jesus.
It has changed millions of lives and the whole world."
And it all started with the gentle story of a baby placed in a feeding trough.
But there’s a problem when we try to tell people about the reason Jesus was born.
As long as Jesus stays a baby… it’s ok.
But once he grows up things get complicated.
ILLUS: About 7 years ago an Elementary teacher in Massachusetts told her class to draw a picture of something that reminded them of Christmas. One of the 8 year-olds drew a picture of Jesus on the cross with “x”s over His eyes signifying the fact that Jesus had died for us.
The father said he got a call from the School informing him that his son, a second-grade student, had created a violent drawing. They made the boy leave school, and recommended that a psychiatrist do an evaluation.
WHAT?
Yeah… a baby is ok
But Jesus on the cross… ehhh… that’s something else again.
That’s not only “violent” – it’s offensive to some folks.
ILLUS: The famous singer and song writer Billy Joel talked about this:
I used to go to mass with my friends, and I viewed the whole business as a lot of very enthralling hocus pocus. There's a guy... nailed to a cross and dripping blood, and everyone's blaming themselves for that man's torment, but I said to myself, 'Forget it. I had no hand in that evil.
I have no original sin. There's no blood of any sacred martyr on my hands. I pass on all of this."
Jesus in manger… that’s cute.
But Jesus on the cross – well there’s something offensive about that.
How come? Why is it so offensive?
Well, because the baby says “God loved us” enough to send His baby Son.
But the Cross declares – we’re sinners… we deserved to die.
The cross declares we’re not all that nice.
We’re not all that good.
And a lot of folks aren’t excited about that truth.
The Bible tells us we’re all sinners - and the cost of our sin is death, so God sent someone (Jesus) to take our place and to die in our stead.
And now He calls us to accept that truth.
He calls us to repent and change our lives and change our hearts.
And frankly that’s offensive because to ACCEPT God’s gift of salvation I have to admit I’m not such a nice person.
I have to admit that if you really knew me… you wouldn’t like me very much.
I have to admit that I’ll never be good enough to be good enough to get into heaven.
ILLUS: Years ago a man expressed interest in becoming a Christian and I started to ask him a few of the usual questions I usually ask of everyone to make sure they know what they’re getting into.
Me: “Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God?”
Him: “Yes. Absolutely.”
Me: “Do you believe you’re a sinner?”
Him: (long pause) “Well, I’m not that bad a person.”
Me: “Well, here’s the deal. Jesus died to save sinners. If you don’t think you’re a sinner then you’re saying He didn’t die for you. If that’s where you’re at… I can’t help you.”
Him: “Oh… well then, yes I’m a sinner.”
We talked about that for a while.
In order to be forgiven of your sins… you first need to first ADMIT you have something to be forgiven of - because God won’t forgive you without your accepting you have a problem and without your being willing to bring those sins to Him.
ILLUS: Let’s say you have a rich uncle who loved you so much that one day he calls and says
“I’ve decided I want to pay ALL your bills. All you need to do is come on over with a copy of your bills and I’ll pay every last one of them.”
Now… would that work for you?
You OK with that?
Of course you’re OK with that!
Now, if you went to his place would you leave any of your bills behind?
Of course not… you’d take every last one of your bills to him. You’d take your water bill, electric bill, gas bill, doctor bills, car loans, house payment… and then you’d scour your files to make sure you didn’t forget anything.
There’d be no guilt, no shame, no embarrassment …
AND you’re definitely NOT OFFENDED!!!
And so now Jesus comes to you says: Come to ME.
Bring all your sins and shame and regrets and I’ll pay for every last one of them.
All you gotta do is admit you have those things.
AND BRING EVERY LAST ONE TO ME.
Ephesians 1:7 tells us “In (JESUS) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…”
Peter said “To (Jesus) all the prophets bear witness that EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Acts 10:43
Again in Acts 3:19 “REPENT THEREFORE, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out”
And on the day of Pentecost Peter told the crowd (who asked what they should do)
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38
Just come to Jesus on His terms
• Believe that He is the Son of God come to heal your sins.
• Repent of your sins.
• And allow yourself to be buried in the waters of baptism, burying those sins in that watery grave Jesus
And the debt will be paid.
CLOSE: The Wise Men came to the baby Jesus with gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
That was good stuff. Great gifts.
But if you REALLY want to give Jesus the gift He wants what you and I need to do is come to Him with the gift of a humble and contrite heart.
When the fullness of time had come, God sent us his Son…
At just the right time… Jesus came to be born, to live, to die and to rise from the dead to offer us the gift of forgiveness.
Years ago someone wrote a powerful poem about this:
"What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man I would sure do my part.
Yet what can I give Him? Give my heart."
What can you give Him? What can you bring?
What can you offer that's fit for a King?
Bow before Jesus, that's where you can start.
What can you give Him? Just give Him your heart.
(From a Poem by Christina Rossetti
2nd stanza added to by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir)
INVITATION
