OPEN: In New York City there is a 15,000 square foot mansion that you can rent for a mere $35,000 a month. (purchase price: $13.5 million). It sits on 2.3 acres of land in the Bronx and it’s a fit for a King. In fact, it was built for a King… the King of Kings. Back in 1928 a religious order constructed this home (Bronx) for Jesus to live in when he returned. They kept it clean and dusted for 30 years, but of course… He didn’t show up… so they eventually abandoned the house… and now it's privately owned.
(https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/real-estate/a5350/bronx-american-castle-home-tour/)
APPLY: Now, there’s a contrast for you. Someone built a mansion for Jesus in the Bronx, but when Jesus was born we’re told “(Mary) gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7
No room in the Inn. All that was available was a STABLE and feeding trough. (PAUSE) If only he’d been born in the Bronx.
Now that is odd though isn’t it? Jesus was born in a stable, but He was born to be a King. I mean that’s what the angel said to Mary: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33
And, of course, that’s Isaiah prophesied: “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:7
Jesus was born to be a King… but Jesus wasn’t like all the other Kings of the day. Other kings were usually born filthy rich - they had servants and great possessions, and they all were born and lived were born in elegant palaces. A few of them were even said to be were divine Julius and Augustus Caesar (who ruled Rome in the days of Jesus) were both declared to be gods by the Roman Senate. We all know – of course – that they weren’t gods… but Jesus was.
And though Jesus was God in the flesh, He was born of a poor family, in a humble stable. Born to be a King, but there was no room for him in the inn.
But He was a King, and every King must have a Kingdom. We’re told in Scripture that this Messiah was to have a great Kingdom and that His kingdom would have no end. But now what kind of kingdom was this that would belong to the Christ?
That is actually a very popular topic in the New Testament. This Kingdom was mentioned 158 times in the New Testament - 127 of those times in the Gospels. John the Baptist announced that this Kingdom was coming; Jesus and His disciples preached about what it would be like when it came. In fact, of the things Jesus taught in His ministry –the Kingdom was the number one topic He spoke about. Repeatedly (while on earth) Jesus said the Kingdom was near and at hand.
So where exactly IS this kingdom? I mean if I look on a world map (we showed a world map on the screen) I can tell where a nation exists and I can see where its borders are. And if I look real close I can even see the names of their capitals. But I can’t find the “Kingdom Of Christ” anywhere on this map So, if it’s not there, where is it?
Well, before Jesus was crucified he was taken before Pilate and Pilate asked Him if He were a King. Amongst the things that Jesus said in reply were these words: “My kingdom is NOT OF THIS WORLD. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” John 18:36
You see… you’re not going to find Christ’s Kingdom on a map. You can’t see its borders because there aren’t any! His Kingdom is not of THIS world. It’s a Spiritual Kingdom! We even have a different name for it. You know what that other name is? It’s the church.
Colossians 1:13 tells us “(The Father) has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the KINGDOM of his beloved Son.”
Every time someone becomes a Christian - when they believe in Jesus, repent of their sins, confess that Jesus will now be their Lord and Master, and are baptized into a watery grave and rise to walk in newness of life - they’re plucked out of a dark world and transferred into the Kingdom of Light. The Kingdom of Jesus. A kingdom this world cannot see. And this kingdom has no borders… because Christians can be everywhere.
Now, Christmas is a great time of year. There’s Christmas carols, decorations and lights. It’s festive. It’s exciting. And (during this time) many Christians focus on the baby in a manger.
ILLUS: I read the true story of a church in San Francisco. It was the day after Christmas and the preacher was walking outside the building and, as he looked at the nativity scene they had beside the sidewalk, he noticed the baby Jesus was missing from the cradle. He was just about to go into the church building to call the police when he saw little Jimmy with a red wagon… and in the wagon was the infant, Jesus. The preacher said, "Jimmy, where did you get the baby?" Jimmy said, "I got him from the church." "Oh, why did you take him?" The boy smiled sweetly and said "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to Jesus and I told him that if he’d bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I’d give him a ride around the block in it."
Now, that’s cute. That’s what you expect from a little boy. He was taking the baby Jesus for a ride in his wagon.
When he thought of Jesus… this boy thought of Him as a baby. And for some people that’s all Jesus will ever be. He’s a child. Cute and innocent and inoffensive. And – for them - Jesus never quite grows up. It’s like He never leaves the manger.
There’s lots of folks who are comfortable with Jesus remaining a baby. But as Christians we need to remember that Jesus wasn’t born to STAY in a manger and be a baby all his life. Jesus was born to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
ILLUS: I once read an interesting story about a nativity scene at Daley Plaza in Chicago. Back in 1999 somebody stole the baby Jesus. Now, eventually they found him at a bus station and returned him to the manger. They started securing the baby Jesus with a cord and a bolt and a padlock, and that worked for a while. But in 2004 the baby was stolen again only to be found again 2 days later. That led them to hire a security team. These guards are known as the God Squad, and their goal is to make sure that Jesus NEVER LEAVES THE MANGER AGAIN. (Skye Jethani)
Of course, we’re just talking here about a figurine here, But this is a very expensive figurine – some of these Jesus dolls can cost about $2000 or more so you can see why folks would be upset with Jesus disappearing like this. And I’m not knocking the God Squad for trying to protect a valuable symbol of our faith.
But there are a lot of people out there who would just as soon Jesus never leave the manger. Lots of folks don’t mind Jesus as long as He STAYS there. As long as He remains a baby it’s OK. But if you start talking about Jesus being the King of Kings/Lord of Lords some folks tend to get upset with you.
In fact, that’s why there’s been a “War on Christmas” for the past few years. Cities have been sued for having a nativity on public property. Teachers have been fired for talking about Christmas. Certain businesses have refused to say “Merry Christmas” all because such things are seen as an endorsement of Jesus BEING MORE than just a baby.
ILLUS: Just this year, an elementary principal in Nebraska outlawed Candy Cane decorations at school because (she said) “Historically, the shape is a 'J' for Jesus. The red is for the blood of Christ, and the white is a symbol of his resurrection.” This also included different colored candy canes.
(https://www.foxnews.com/us/nebraska-principal-reportedly-bans-candy-canes-says-j-shape-stands-for-jesus?fbclid=IwAR15MLo6rPeeUvepCo_8KWIW1mjM4Nw0ciZ8gxHOuzuxJqYQqhj6YmYv3n0)
The principal was suspended without pay for overstepping her authority. BUT SHE WAS RIGHT. That’s exactly what a candy cane communicates to us. It is all about Jesus.
ILLUS: One of our men was upset with what he’d seen in an article about Christmas in Wikipedia. He read the description that indicated that for many Christians, Christmas is all about God becoming a man and coming as a baby to eventually die and rise from the dead. BUT what upset him was the true statement that, culturally, Christmas was all about a festivity and that many businesses were pleased with that because this season of the year was when they made the most sales of the year.
Now, I can see why this man was upset… but it doesn’t bother me. I don’t care if the rest of the world celebrates this holiday and ignores Jesus. And I don’t care that businesses make oodles of money during the Christmas season. I don’t care because the world still sets aside this time of the year and calls it Christmas. And that gives me an opportunity to talk about Christ.
We have had the opportunity to sing carols on the Polar Bear Express this season, and I’ve been unashamed in making sure we sang songs that glorified Christ and spoke of Him as God in the flesh come down from heaven to offer us salvation. I’ll use this season, offering no excuses for boldly proclaiming our faith in Christ and declaring to the lost of this world that this baby in the manger was born to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Now, that’s not going to make a lot of folks happy… but I don’t care. I know there are people who’d just as soon that Jesus would STAY a baby. If He’d just stay a baby, they’d be happy. But that’s not gonna happen because Jesus was born to be a King. That’s why He came!
And THAT is why so many people have problems with Jesus at Christmas. As a baby he’s all cute and cuddly. But even the world knows Jesus didn’t stay a baby. Eventually He grew up. Eventually Jesus grew up to be a King. Jesus came to rule and reign in the lives of men.
The reason that upsets folks is that - if Jesus is allowed to become a King - NOW He becomes a threat to how people want to live their lives. If Jesus becomes KING… then I have to admit that there are parts of my life that aren’t acceptable. I can’t go out and get drunk. I can’t sleep around. I can’t read certain books or watch certain movies. I can’t seek revenge or hold on to my hatred for others, and I can’t say nasty things about that person who cut me off in traffic.
Not because JEFF says so… or the church says so… but because Jesus is now my King and I live to please Him. If Jesus is King I’ve got to change …and a lot of people don’t want to do that.
ILLUS: Back when Jesus was born, there were certain wise men who came from the East. Apparently, the star they’d followed didn’t lead them directly to Bethlehem and all they knew was that a King was to be born in Israel. For them, it seemed logical that if a King was to be born in Israel it should have happened in Jerusalem, so they stopped there and asked “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2
But then, in the next verse, we’re told “When Herod the king heard this, he was TROUBLED, and all Jerusalem with him.” Matthew 2:3
Why were they troubled? Well, this wasn’t what they expected. If the Messiah was to be born then surely He would appear to the mighty and the religious in Jerusalem… but they’d heard little if anything about this.
As for King Herod – he was troubled for an entirely different reason. These wise men came seeking the “King of the Jews”, and (as far as Herod was concerned) there was only one King… and he was it. The possibility that a new King had been born was seen by him as a threat to his power. And so Herod sought to kill this child before He could challenge Herod’s domain and authority.
But Herod need not have worried. Jesus only came to be the King of those who wanted Him. You can only become part of His kingdom because you choose to be.
The Gospel of John tells us: “(Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, NOT OF BLOOD, nor of the WILL OF THE FLESH, nor of the WILL OF MAN, but of God.” John 1:10-13
Notice what that says: Jesus made it so we could become children of God. He came that we might become part of His kingdom… but we have to make that choice.
1. You can’t get in to this Kingdom “of blood” (you can’t be born into Kingdom). In the days of Christ, anyone born of a Jew was a Jew. You became part of the Old Covenant because you were born of a bloodline of Jews. But you can’t do that with Christ. You can’t become a Christian because you’ve been born of Christian parents. You have to make your own personal choice to be born of God.
2. And you can’t get into this kingdom because “of the flesh” (I can’t decide for my child). I can’t decide for my kids nor my spouse, nor my friends, nor for you. Only you can decide whether you want to be part of Christ’s Kingdom.
3. And you can’t get into this kingdom by the “will of man” (I think I’m good enough). I can’t decide that I’m good enough to have earned a ticket into Heaven. I simply can’t be good enough to be good enough. My good deeds won’t buy me a place in the Kingdom… but if believe – repent – confess – and am baptized, I receive what I never deserved. The right to become a child of God.
The only way you get into this Kingdom is by making Jesus the KING of your life.
CLOSE: Now here’s the good part. In His offer for us to become a part of His Kingdom, Jesus doesn’t care about who you are. He doesn’t care about how much you have (money doesn’t matter). He doesn’t care about how important you are. He doesn’t care about WHO you know (influence doesn’t matter). And – most important - He doesn’t care about how much sin you’ve done. When Jesus came to dwell on earth He spent most of His time with sinners and tax collectors and prostitutes, and He often explained that He came for the lost and broken hearted. He came to take the worst of sinners into His Kingdom.
And, you see, THAT is one of the most powerful messages that we learn from His birth in the stable. Max Lucado put it this way:
“No person, however poor, should be born in a cow stall. Hay on the floor. Animals on the hay. Don’t place the baby in a feed trough; the donkey’s nose has been there. Don’t wrap the newborn in rags. They smell like sheep. And speaking of smells, watch where you step.
Perhaps our world, and your life, resembles a Bethlehem stable. Crude in some spots, smelly in others. Not much glamour. Not always neat. People in your circle remind you of stable animals: grazing like sheep, stubborn like donkeys, and that cow in the corner looks a lot like the fellow next door.
The manger tells us… that there is no place God will not go. If he is willing to be born in a barnyard, then expect him to be at work anywhere— bars, bedrooms, boardrooms, and brothels. No place is too common. No person is too hardened. No distance is too far. There is no person he cannot reach. There is no limit to his love. Because when Christ was born, so was our hope. (http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/12/01/max-lucado-should-just-skip-christmas-this-year.html)
But here’s the deal: God will only work in your life… but only if you give that life to Him. Someone once said it this way: “Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts; the gift of God to man--His Son; and the gift of man to God when... we first give ourselves to God.” (Vance Havner)
INVITATION
