The Responses To The First Christmas
(adapted from “A Savior Has Been Born” by Melvin Newland; sermoncentral.com)
Lk 2:1-20
In the last 15-20 years we have seen a lot of change in how people of this country respond to Christmas. There seems to more and more avoidance of the use of the name of Jesus Christ. It is politically incorrect to mention Jesus, or read the Bible, or do anything Christian. Instead of saying “Merry Christmas” you should say “Happy Holidays”.
But, every time we say “Merry Christmas” we are witnessing to the fat of Jesus' birth.
How do you respond to Jesus' birth? Are you politically correct or do you set forth Jesus' birth in every way?
Today I would like for us to look at the responses to the first Christmas. See if you fit in one of these responses.
I. The Response Of The Innkeeper
So Joseph and Mary came to Bethlehem because of the decree of Caesar Augustus. It was hard trip on Mary because she was pregnant; but finally they made it. They are in Bethlehem.
In Bethlehem
In Bethlehem there came a very special night
As the world wrestled in its plight.
The world should have, with open heart, bowed down
When the very special guests came to town.
But the world was thinking of the king and his might
And the great burden of taxes that soon, on them would light.
So Joseph and Mary were there in the town of their kin.
They wanted to rest but there was no room in the inn.
Said Mary: “What will we do, where will we go?”
Joseph answered with his heart sinking: “I don't know”.
One last inn, there's the door, let me knock.
Sorry, came the reply, but you can stay with the stock.
So there in that stable with Mary so forlorn
The baby Jesus was born.
In that stable among the cows and sheep,
Lay Baby Jesus in the manger, fast asleep.
Now if only they can find an inn where they can stay. But, no, the inns are full. There is no room in the inn.
Do you know how many times the innkeeper is mentioned in the Bible? Well, that was a trick question. The innkeeper is not mentioned at all. We don't know for sure that there was an innkeeper. But, since there was an inn, we assume that there was an innkeeper.
Who was he? What was he like?
O Innkeeper, O Innkeeper
On Innkeeper, O Innkeeper, are you a man of sin
Because You said to Joseph and May: “there is no room in the inn?
Are you a man that is mean spirited, grumpy and weary
Who slammed the door in the face of Joseph and Mary?
Or, are you a kind-hearted man we should console
That was the victim of circumstances out of your control?
Whether you are a villain or a hero
For sure, we will never know.
But I believe your response was that of preoccupation
I doubt you ever gave them any real consideration.
Never had your inn been so full as on that night.
Never had demands on your time caused you so much plight.
All you wanted was to take care of the guests who had come.
After all, the price they paid added up to a tidy sum.
O Innkeeper, o Inkeeper you are so much like people today.
They are so busy: they run this way and that way.
They are so busy with all the things of the season
They don't have a clue about the holiday's reason.
They are so busy they don't open their heart to God's love.
So they never receive the Christmas blessings from God above.
Let it be our prayer that we will not do the same.
Let's let “opening our hearts to Jesus” be our Christmas aim.
So the innkeeper's response was preoccupation. Just like so many today are so busy with the activities of the season they don't have time for Jesus.
II. The Response Of The Shepherds
Shepherds were the lower class of Israel---the social rejects. Their job was a dirty one. It was one that kept them away from home for weeks. One that caused them to live in the wilderness ( live with the sheep).
But, God reached across the barriers of society and tells the shepherds: “ I want yo to be the first to know: in the city of David, a Savior has been born.”
The shepherds were so afraid their knees were knocking together; but their hearts were leaping with joy as they listened to the angels sing.
Hymn 88: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
So the shepherd's response was excitement. Excitement mainly because the Messiah had come, but, also because God had announced it to them. They felt so privileged.
And if we are honest we will admit that we are privileged too. We are not here because we are smart or have figured out the peophecies, or we are rich, or because we have done something special.
We are here because we have the privilege of being born in the right country at the right time, and have family and friends that have told us about Jesus.
We are here because we are privileged people --- just like the shepherds--- and for that we should be excited.
III. The Response Of Herod
His response was that of fear. History tells us he was so afraid of losing hos throne that he killed his favorite wife and three of his sons.
Then the Wise Men come and ask if he knew anything about the New King. The paranoid fear of Herod raised its ugly head. Herod summoned the religious leaders and asked them if they knew anything about this New King. They said: “Yes, the prophets say that He will be born in Bethlehem”. Herod summons the wise men and tells them of Bethlehem and tells them to let him know where the New King is so he an worship him also (secretly planning to kill Him.)
Herol's response was that of fear. And today so many respond to Jesus with fear. If I crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords in my life I will have to quit playing at being a Christian. I will have to really put Him first in my life. I will have to let Him change the way I think and act. I am afraid to do that.
We need to put fear behind us and let our faith take hold of us and rejoice as we come to Jesus. Won't you come?
Hymn 89: “O Come All Ye Faithful”
IV. The Response Of The Religious Leaders
It is interesting that when Herod asked the religious leaders about the birth of this new king them knew the answer.
Matt. 2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
They knew the right answer. Why didn't they go to Bethlehem?
The reason is because theirs was a response of pride. If they had gone they would have been admitting the wise men knew more about the expected Messiah than they did. They would have been admitting that God didn't reveal the news to them but to these gentiles.
They probably had so much pride that they thought that if anything new happened they would be the first to know.
Today some people won't admit they need God. After all, they say, I'm doing pretty good myself. I've got a good job, a big house and a new car. I am doing good.
They are so full of pride they won't admit all those things don't satisfy they won't admit that deep hunger down in their heart. They won't admit they need God.
But we do need God
DEAR GOD WE NEED YOU:
To help us count our blessings rather than our money.
To help us not just pay lip serice to the real meaning of
Christmas but true homage.
To help us realize the real heroes are not sports figures but firemen, policemen, and soldiers.
To help us not think about the madness of the holidays but
the real meaning of them.
To help us not get on one another's nerves but on our knees.
To help us not think so much about gifts from stores but
gifts You have given us.
(“Last Chistmas---This Christmas” from MARYTALKER@aol.com Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001)
V. The Response Of The Wise Men
Their response was that of perception. They understood the things that were happening around them. They lived hundreds of miles away. They were astronomers. They studied the stars. I think one of the reasons they studied the stars was because of the teachings of another wise man. A wise that was a Jew. A wise man by the name of Daniel. Daniel became a much respected adviser of kings. There is no doubt that Daniel taught about the love of his God, and how his God showed His love to His people many times in the past. And someday He would send a very special king to save His people and the birth of that king would be signaled by a very special star. (Numbers 24:17 )
When the wise men saw that speial star, they knew that it must be the star Daniel taught about. So they headed to Jerusalem, the capital city of Daniel's people.
The wise men's response was that of worship. We should respond that way too.
VI. The Response Of Mary
GOD'S REQUEST
God made a request of Mary on that wonderful day.
The angel told her what God wanted; now, what would she say?
Mary was troubled by the request she heard.
But she said: “Be it unto me according to thy word”.
Oh what a glorious statement that Mary did speak.
If only each of us would be so meek.
If “Be it unto me according to thy word” is what we said.
How many people, to our savior would be led?
We will never know for the number is untold
Because, to so many in this world, our hearts are cold.
So let us pray that into our cold heart
God's warm love, He will impart.
Because God's request to us is that we will share in every way
the love that come to earth on that first Christmas Day.
Mary's response was that of complete Surrender. That should be our response too.
[ LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES ]
As we light our candles from the Christ Candle, let them symbolize our response to Jesus. That yes, you will be a light to light the world, a light to lead others to Him.
Hymn 91: “Silent Night, Holy Night”
Prayer
