A little girl came home from Sunday school waving a paper for her mother to see. “Look Mommy,” she exclaimed, “Teacher says I drew the most unusual Christmas picture she ever saw!”
Her mother took one look and had to agree with the teacher. Hoping her daughter could explain her creation, the mother asked, “Why are all these people riding in the back of an airplane?”
“Well, Mommy, that's the flight into Egypt.”
Accepting that, mother asked another question: “Who is this mean-looking man in the front?”
Her daughter answered quickly and knowingly: “That's Pontius, the Pilot.”
Looking at the picture even more closely, the mother said, “I see you have Mary and Joseph and the baby. But who is this large man sitting behind Mary?”
“Can't you tell?” the little girl asked, beginning to shake her head in disappointment. “That's Round John Virgin.” (John Beukema, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; www.PreachingToday. com)
Children have such a unique view of Christmas, but then so do the elderly.
Before Billy Graham passed into glory, Newsweek published an article on the aging Billy Graham. In that article, One of Dr. Graham's daughters, Anne Graham-Lotz, recounted a conversation with her father on the subject of aging. “All my life, I've been taught how to die,” Billy told her, “but no one ever taught me how to grow old.”
She replied, “Well, Daddy, you are now teaching all of us” (Jon Meacham, "Pilgrim's Progress," Newsweek, 8-14-06, p. 38; www.PreachingToday.com).
That’s the question I want us to explore this morning: How do we grow old? Despite the pain that life can bring, despite the disappointments, despite the trouble we experience along the way, how do we grow old gracefully? How do we grow old without getting cynical and jaded? How do we grow old and still retain the joy and wonder of a child at Christmas?
This an important question whether you are nine or ninety, because all of us are growing old; all of us face disappointments and pain which can rob us of our joy at any age.
So how do we grow old without losing that joy? Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Luke 2, Luke 2, where we see how a 103-year-old-widow did it, who witnessed that first Christmas.
Luke 2:36-37a And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. (ESV)
Or quite possibly, she was a widow for 84 years! The original Greek will allow both translations. One commentator suggested that if she had married at the earliest marriageable age, 12 years, lived 7 years with her husband, and then been a widow for 84 years, she could not be less than 103 years old at this time! (Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown)
Here is a woman that has experienced a long life with plenty of pain and disappointment. She had no family to take care of her. And in that day, widows did not have an easy time of it. They were often neglected and exploited, despite the requirements of the Old Testament Law (Exodus 22:22).
Even so, there is no evidence whatsoever that this particular widow in the temple ever grumbled or whined about it. In fact, her name itself, Anna, means “grace,” which I believe describes her character and her demeanor. Anna was not a cranky old woman full of bitterness over a lifetime of mistreatment. No. She was a woman full of grace!
The fact is Anna did not complain. And believe you me at 103 years old she could have had a lot to complain about, but she didn’t. And neither should you. If you want to grow old gracefully like Anna, then…
QUIT COMPLAINING.
Stop moaning and whining about your circumstances.
When Jesus came to her home in Luke 10 (vs.38-42), Martha complained about all the work she had to do while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, just enjoying His company.
Mayo Mathers confesses that she’s like Martha at Christmastime. She says that hosting parties, cooking up delicious buffets, and shopping for gifts brings out the “Martha” in her. She had never given this much thought until she attended her church's annual Christmas pageant several years ago (2004). In an article for Kyria.com, an on-line resource for Christian women, she writes of her breakthrough moment:
As she sat in the candlelit sanctuary absentmindedly listening to the peaceful strains of "Silent Night," she wrestled mentally with a list of things to be done. When the congregation stood to sing carols, she says, “My lips moved unconsciously to the words while my brain mulled over various menus for our annual Christmas Eve buffet.”
As in every Christmas pageant, the usual parade of bathrobe-draped children marched down the center aisle. A pseudo-weary Mary and Joseph shook their heads in dismay as the innkeeper turned them away. Having watched so many similar renditions of the Christmas story, it had become commonplace to Mathers.
Realizing this, she felt a stab of guilt and bowed her head. “Father,” she prayed, “let me see the story through your eyes tonight.”
The young girl portraying Mary began to sing a lullaby to the child in her arms. Her voice was so pure, so full of love and awe, that Mathers stared at her, transfixed, her distracted musings forgotten. Suddenly, it was as if the congregation had disappeared, and she had been transported back in time to the actual stable in Bethlehem.
As Mathers listened to Mary’s song, wonder and immense gratitude settled upon her. God whispered into Mather’s heart, “If ever there was a time to worship me, it's now! This season is about me only, but each year you crowd me out with the inconsequential!”
Mathers closes her article with these words: “Beautiful, delicious dinners are nice. 'Just right' gifts are delightful. But I'm learning that only one thing really matters: while I tend to be more like Martha, at Christmas, 'tis the season to be 'Mary!'" (Mayo Mathers, "'Tis the Season to Be Mary," Kyria.com, 2004; www.PreachingToday.com).
It is not the season to complain about all the work we need to do. It is not the season to complain about rising fuel costs and inflation. It is not the season to complain about all the trouble we have. Rather, it IS the season to be Mary, to sit at Jesus’ feet and enjoy His company.
My dear friends, if you want to grow old gracefully and retain the wonder of a child at Christmas, quit complaining and...
CELEBRATE.
Worship the Lord. Praise God in every circumstance.
That’s what Anna did. Look what the Bible says about her in verse 37:
Luke 2:37 She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
Anna served God in the Temple. The word for “worship” here is often used of God’s people gathering in a place of worship to express their praise to God.
Now, that’s what you need to do if you want to grow old gracefully. Get together with God’s people to praise the Lord as often as you can.
Several years ago, Newsweek magazine published a study about church attendance and life-expectancy. The article said that those who did NOT attend church at all lived an average of 75 years. Those who DID attend church some, but less than once a week, lived an average of 80 years. Those who attended church once a week lived 82 years, and those who attended church more than once a week lived an average of 83 years. In addition, the research indicated that a person attending church weekly is less likely to become depressed and more likely to exercise, quit smoking, and stop drinking (Josh Ulick, “Why Religion Helps,” Newsweek, 11-10-03, p.47; www.PreachingToday.com).
So go to church – it’s good for your health, but it’s also good for your disposition. Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get together with God’s people and praise the Lord, because in Christ we have so much to celebrate no matter how bad things are in the world.
During China's Cultural Revolution, Chinese authorities often sentenced Christians to hard labor in prison camps. It was hard for Christians to maintain their faith, much less express it in those days. But for one man, Christmas was not complete without Communion. The significance of Jesus' birth and death made celebrating the Lord's Supper on a cold Christmas Day worth the risk.
On Christmas day 1961, prisoners were working on earthen walls around rice paddies in zero temperatures. Wind howled over the frozen ground.
One prisoner approached his supervisor. Could he have some time off from work since it was Christmas? The guard gave him permission, warning him to beware the warden. The old man walked into a gully, out of sight, out of the wind. He built a small fire and began to celebrate Christmas.
A few minutes later the friendly guard saw the warden headed straight for the old man. The guard hurried over to warn the old prisoner, just in time to see him sipping something from a chipped cup, eating a bite of bread.
When the warden arrived, all he saw were a prisoner and a guard huddled by a small fire. But the prisoner had completed his Christmas celebration, not with a banquet or with sweets, but with a cold cup and a cold crust—with Communion. His celebration of Christmas demanded Communion.
Lee Magness, who wrote about this in the Christian Standard Magazine, concluded, “The birth of God's Son would leave us cold, if not for the death of Jesus, enfolding us in the warm glow of his mercy. Our celebration of his birth needs to be wrapped in the swaddling clothes of God's grace. Our awe at Advent is not [just] that he came at all, but that he came to be crucified (Lee Magness, "Christmas Needs Communion," Christian Standard magazine, 12-23-07; www.PreachingToday.com)
No matter how bad it is out there, trust Christ with your life and wrap yourself in the swaddling clothes of God’s grace. This Christmas, celebrate the reason why Jesus came. He came to die on a cross for your sins, then to rise again, so God can enfold you in the warm glow of His mercy now and forevermore!
If you want to grow old gracefully and retain the wonder of a child at Christmas, quit complaining. Instead, celebrate. Then...
SPEAK OF HIS REDEMPTION.
Declare His grace and tell the story of His love. That’s what Anna did.
Luke 2:38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (ESV)
The news was too good to keep to herself. She had to tell somebody that Christ had come to redeem His people, to set them free from the ugly bondage of their own sin. In Bible days the word for “redemption” was used for the act of freeing a slave after a price was paid. Praise the Lord! That’s what Christ did for you and me. He paid the price to set us free!
A little girl was sitting on Santa’s lap where she gave him a whole list of expensive toys she wanted for Christmas. Then without a word of appreciation, she jumped off Santa’s lap and started towards her mother.
Her mother spoke quickly: “Honey, haven’t you forgotten something?”
The little girl thought for a moment and said, “O yes.” Then turning back towards Santa, she shouted, “Charge it!”
Now, that’s what God did for you when Jesus died on the cross. God “charged” your sin debt to Jesus’ account, and Jesus paid that debt. On the cross, Jesus cried, “It is finished!” – tetelestai in the original Greek language. It was a word that tax collectors scrawled across tax receipts indicating that the bill had been paid. So when Jesus cried tetelestai, “it is finished,” He was saying, “PAID IN FULL!”
Your sin’s account is settled. You don’t owe God anything for your sins, because Jesus already paid the debt for you. Then He rose from the dead! Now, you are free from the fear of condemnation and death. Now, you are free to live for Him! All you need to do is trust Him with your life. All you need to do is commit yourself to His care and His plan for your life.
That’s the good news Anna had to tell, and that’s the good news you can tell, as well.
I like what the Robynson family does every Christmas. In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan tells their story: This family of five, with three kids under the age of ten, chooses to celebrate the birth of Christ in a unique way.
On Christmas mornings, instead of focusing on the presents under the tree, they make pancakes, brew an urn of coffee, and head downtown. Once there, they load the coffee and food into the back of a red wagon. Then, with the eager help of their youngest child, they pull the wagon around the mostly empty streets in search of homeless folks to offer a warm and filling breakfast on Christmas morning. It’s a tradition all three of the Robynson kids look forward to every year (Francis Chan, Crazy Love, David C. Cook, 2008, p. 159; www.PreachingToday.com).
That’s a good practice at any time of year. Instead of complaining about your pain, try to alleviate some of the pain others feel. Visit someone who is hurting this Christmas. Perhaps share a plate of cookies. And if God gives the opportunity, share a little bit of what Jesus has done for you in your pain. After all, good news is always better when it is shared.
How do you grow old gracefully? How do you grow old and still retain the joy and wonder of a child at Christmas? It’s really quite simple. With God’s help, quit complaining about your own problems. Instead, celebrate what God has done in sending us His Son, and share it with as many people as you can.
Henry Nouwen put it this way: “Songs, good feelings, beautiful liturgies, nice presents, big dinners, and sweet words do not make Christmas. Christmas is saying yes to something beyond all emotions and feelings. Christmas is saying yes to a hope based on God's initiative, which has nothing to do with what I think or feel. Christmas is believing that the salvation of the world is God's work and not mine (Henry Nouwen, New Oxford Review, November 1986; www.PreachingToday.com).
This Christmas, say yes to Jesus!
