Babies Make Us Better Christians Matthew 1:18-25 preached at Carr Christmas 2017
Bret Harte tells a story of how a baby came to a mining camp and transformed that camp.
Poor women with a questionable reputation, the only woman in the camp, died. She left behind a small baby and the men of the camp had to take care of it. The baby was lying in a box. The men felt that a box was not fit for a baby’s crib. So they sent one of their members eighty miles on a mule to Sacramento to get a rosewood cradle. When the cradle came, the rags on which the baby was sleeping on seemed out of place. So the man was sent back to Sacramento to purchase some clothes-lacy, frilly, clothes. When the baby was dressed in its lovely garments and placed in the rosewood cradle., the men observed for the first time that the floor was dirty. So they scrubbed it clean. They cleaned the walls, the ceiling, and mended the windows as well. Because the baby needed to be quiet at times the men ceased some of their rough language and rowdy ways. When the weather permitted they took the baby outside and they discovered that the mining area had to be cleaned and flowers were planted to make the surroundings as attractive as the baby. Finally the men began to improve their personal appearances. Thus the baby caused the transformation of a roaring mining town into a new and attractive place.
1. Babies make us better Christians because they Transform us from Retaliation to Reconciliation
• (Parents often say don't fuss in front of the kids)
• In verse 19 19Joseph did not want to expose her to public disgrace
• Baby Jesus makes us New Creatures 2 cor 5: 17the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, For to us a child is born who reconciled us to God and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation
2. Babies make us better Christians because they Transforms us from Carelessness to Carefulness.
• The men in the camp were careful what they said they watched their rough language and rowdy ways. We are careful what we say and do.
• Jopseph had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
• Psalm 101:2For unto us a child is born who will cause me to be careful to lead a blameless life
• many time parents will start to church just because of the baby –
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3. Babies make us better Christians because they transforms us from Detachment to Attachment
• ( Me and Michael became Buddies) It’s so easy to get attached to babies
• Joseph would become attached To Jesus because He was told you will give the baby a name. It is a name above every name you will give him the name Jesus,C because he will save his people from their sins."
• Joseph became even more attached to the baby Jesus because he knew the Words of the ancient Prophet Isaiah who had said, “"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"D--which means, "God with us."
4. Babies make us better Christians because they transform us from idleness to liveliness
• The men in the camp scrubbed the floors, cleaned the walls, the ceilings, fixed the windows, they even fixed up the outside, and began to clean their selves up.
• Note Joseph began immediately prepping for the new born 24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
5. In conclusion, Babies make us better Christians Baby Jesus can makes us Christian
• Baby Jesus can Reconcile us unto God “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, , by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20)
• Baby Jesus causes us to live careful Timothy says, “to live careful and in your teaching continue to live and teach rightly for in so doing you will save your life and those who listen to your teaching.
• Baby Jesus causes us to be attached to Him. Paul was so attached he said, “for me to live is Christ and for me to die is gain.”
• Baby Jesus causes us to Live life with Gusto recall the hymn “Since Jesus came into my life” —??? I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart …
• Psalms 47:1 Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
• The babe In Bethlehem manger make us Better Christians
