We gather to celebrate the culmination of our four week trek. A season in the Christian year we’ve traditionally called Advent. This year we decided to step back in time to period when America was a in a transition from being a nation at war with one another, to a country looking for its soul.
After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including the celebration of Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. It wasn’t until President Ulysses S. Grant declared Christmas a legal holiday in 1870 that American’s began to celebrate Christmas as we know it today.
By placing the vision of peace within the hearts of American families, President Grant was trying to sooth a period of class conflict and turmoil that many today can now imagine in the wake of what has happened in Ferguson, Missouri. The North and South were divided on the issue of Christmas, as well as on the question of slavery. Many Northerners saw sin in the celebration of Christmas; to these people the celebration of Thanksgiving was more appropriate.
However President Grant’s declaration held and actually did bring opposing forces together and help the nation rebuild by placing the vision of peace that passes all understanding within the hearts of Americans.
So over the past four weeks, we have tried to explore the this time of preparation by clarifying four ideas which often get overlooked in the ritual of advent and Christmas.
SLIDE: Christmas Declared a holiday
The first week we learned that while we like to say Christmas is for the children, it’s not. It’s about a child named Jesus - A child who would be king, lord and Savior. The second week we review prophesy of Jesus the Christ and the miracle of his birth. We explored miracles a bit, agreed they do happen, yesterday, today and in the future by the power of the Holy Spirit. The third week we talked about holy interruptions. We pondered together how much this event was a holy interruption in the course of human history and how it does and can change all of our futures. And then last week, we discussed how the real hope in the season comes as a part of the peace Christ brings to the world when it recognizes that God came to earth because of his love for his creation and his desire for all to come and be with him in eternity.
It’s what makes the whole story of Jesus birth so special. Let’s read again together.
SLIDE: Luke 2:1-14
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
SLIDE: PEACE FAVOR REST
I really love those words “Peace, Favor and Rest.” They represent a major understanding in my faith walk. When the Lord’s favor rests on someone, they live at peace in the world. I think many in America are searching for this peace but are under the false notion that if they try a little harder, try to be a little better, follow all the rules that somehow they will experience the Lord’s favor. But it actually doesn’t work that way. Favor falls on us when we admit our lives are broken. We can’t do anything to fix them and that we need God to rescue us. It’s at that moment, we have a choice: He either is or he isn’t. If he is God, creator of it all with some cosmic plan that just might be beyond my understanding, then I must surrender my life to him. When I do, it all changes. I move over to the winning side. I no longer have to know it all, do it all or even experience it all. I can have serenity. Serenity is defined by Miriam Webster as: freedom from oppressive, destructive, emotions and thoughts.
Now, I know how your American mind works, does that mean I just stop striving for more or to make more of myself? The answer to that is “no!” The freedom I am speaking of speaks to the question, “So what does the birth of Jesus mean for me and my life?”
SLIDE: So what?
I can tell you it doesn’t mean sitting in front of a TV. While many of us long to “veg out” or do something mindless, the reality is what we are actually looking for is to be inspired and recharged. The TV can rarely do that. Now, please don’t get me wrong. I am not bashing watching TV or going to movies. I am saying real rest and favor will never come from it. What does inspire and recharge is taking time to remember why you were created, you have been reserved by God for that purpose, you must chose that purpose, you must recognize your deficiencies in achieving it, you must surrender your power to access God’s power to fully accomplish it and you must be in constant contact with Him to stay on course. By literally stopping to soak in God’s presence we are loosening the world’s control over us and increasing our freedom to be all He has called us to be.
I can remember a moment in my previous business life where everything was going well and I wondered, “Is this all there is? Is the purpose of my life to get up, do some task, make some money, come home, play with the kid, talk to my wife for a short time, “veg” in front of the TV, go to bed at 10 an get up the next day and do it again? Is that it?”
My re-birth came shortly thereafter, when in the process of evaluating my life, I realized the entire career pursuit for money was to fill this incredible whole in my soul. I realized there would never be enough. I was addicted to more. Money never satisfied me for more than a couple of seconds. It was like a piece of holiday chocolate. Good for a moment but soon I was looking for more. It wasn’t until I decided to admit how warped this is and ask for His guidance that God began to really move in my life.
SLIDE: God’s son has been born.
For me, God’s son being born means He is real, His love is real, I can experience it, I can live it and I can’t stop but want others to experience it the way I have. I really don’t want anyone to leave this place without fully understanding that. God’s love for you means he would become man, live, die and rise again to make sure we (the human race) understand He does exist and this is real. God asks only that you confess your old ways, surrender to him and believe. Simple but not easy for many.
https://communitycenter.life/rev-robert-butler-info
