I. Introduction
It is Christmas. It is the time of year that most of us, even the most cynical and crusty, are filled with emotions, memories, and nostalgia. The older you get the more you long for the simpler days of Christmas morning excitement, gathering with family and friends, to sing familiar old songs that make us feel like kids again. Most of us would agree that at least at Christmas everything in our world seems right and everything seems in order. However, may I just for a few moments take you back to a few moments of the original Christmas?
Matthew 1:18-19, 2:13-15 (TLB)
These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her fiancé, being a man of stern principle, decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her.
After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up and flee to Egypt with the baby and his mother,” the angel said, “and stay there until I tell you to return, for King Herod is going to try to kill the child.” That same night he left for Egypt with Mary and the baby, and stayed there until King Herod’s death. This fulfilled the prophet’s prediction, “I have called my Son from Egypt.”
Our demand for nostalgia and our idealized view of Christmas has caused us to miss the truth about the arrival of Jesus in the lives of Mary and Joseph and the community around them. The result is we sing "Silent night, holy night all is calm" when nothing could be further from the truth.
On Christmas we expect to hear the preacher say Jesus' arrival made everything right! And in one sense it did but I need you to hear me say that Jesus' arrival actually turned everything upside down.
In fact, I want to submit to you what may be an obvious but often overlooked truth about Jesus that even those of us who claim to be in relationship with Him often forget or ignore. The Christmas account bears this truth out. It is glaring but it doesn't really fit into our stylized concept of Christmas. But that doesn't make it any less true. Here it is . . .
One of the indications that Jesus has arrived in your life is change.
I bring this to your attention because so many of us embrace Jesus, but we never embrace the change that accompanies His arrival in our life. We simply want to add Him to our life and continue to live like we have always lived. But during Christmas I want to point you back to the experience of Mary and Joseph and declare to you that when Jesus shows up it turns everything upside down.
Think just a moment about the implications for Mary and Joseph. They were engaged. Wedding arrangements were well underway. Save the date cards have been mailed. Invitations were sent to the printer. Deposits had been submitted. Food choices were finalized. Flowers are being selected. A dress has been designed. Living arrangements are being discussed. Their future dreams together are the topic of long whispered conversations. But an angel shows up and turns all the dream wedding plans upside down. Now a virgin is pregnant. Joseph had been humming "It's a nice day for a white wedding!" and in one moment Mary and Joseph go from traditional wedding plans to a shotgun wedding. They instantly transition from single to married. They arrive in Bethlehem for the census. Jesus is born. They go from newlyweds to parents before they get to go to the beach for their honeymoon. They have visitors. Wisemen with gifts. And due to a madman's fear of being overthrown as the governmental power, this couple goes from unnoticed, unwanted, ignored to hunted and running for their lives. This forces them to make an unexpected move to Egypt. Before they even really get to set up long term residence in the community of their choice, they have to pack the U-Haul, leave friends, family and their own culture behind and slip across the border to hide out.
I noticed at least two ways Jesus’ arrival turned everything upside down.
Jesus' arrival turned their plans upside down.
Jesus' birth causes their precise, laid out, prepared, mapped out plans to go out the window. His arrival forced them to adjust and change how they had planned to live.
I wonder how many of us have asked Jesus into our heart but failed to allow Him to impact our calendar, our dating, our career, our checkbook or our dreams? We meet Jesus and we continue to live our plan. Mary and Joseph would just look at us and shake their heads because when Jesus showed up in their lives His arrival changed every plan. The truth today is that until we come to the place where Jesus has the authority and ability to change our plans then we really haven't allowed Him to arrive in our lives. Some of you testify of His Lordship, but you can't prove it by how you live. You are still the one in control. Others never have to say a word, we can see that Jesus showed up in your life because He has adjusted and rearranged all your plans. Jesus' presence in your life will mess with your plans!
Some of you are freaking out right now because you would say I didn't plan it this way. My life isn't lining up with my carefully thought out, dreamed out plan and I would encourage you to recognize that this may simply be the indication that Jesus is in the mix! Let Him lead and let Him guide you even when it takes you off the map you had drawn out.
The second thing I noticed is that
Jesus' arrival turned their path upside down.
We read the account and act as if the trip to Egypt was no big deal. Just a single and quick mention of this detour. Must have been a vacation. An excursion. A dreamed about honeymoon adventure. NO!!! This was a big deal. This move took them out of their comfort zone. No friends. No family. Foreigners. Refugees. Aliens. Wanted. Hunted. This was not the selected, planned on, or desired path I can assure you. I doubt very seriously that Joseph had ever dreamed of moving to Egypt one day. When Jesus arrives in their lives it changed their path.
When Jesus arrives in our life, He will turn our path upside down. In other words, when you have a genuine encounter with Jesus you will not be able to walk the way you did or where you did before Jesus. In fact, Isaiah 45 declares that one of things God does for us is that He makes the crooked path straight. He changes our path. He straightens us out.
So, if we are going to look for indicators to reveal that we are in relationship with Jesus one of those is that how we walk should be different! We are thrilled that Jesus came as Emmanuel - God with us - God in our neighborhood. However, we really don't like the fact that He often shows up and makes us change neighborhoods! He shows up and requires us to send out change of address notices. We are asked to move to a new attitude neighborhood. He requires us to change perspective, habits, mind sets.
I need to inform you, in case you have forgotten, when you encounter Jesus, your path should and must be changed. We no longer walk our own path but like David we say, "Your Word is a lamp for my feet, and a light to path!" In other words, your Word - the Word written and the Word that became flesh and lives in me - is the lamp, guiding factor, illumination for my walk. I no longer go my own way. He lights the selected path I should walk. I can't wander my own path all week long and just walk His way on Sunday. No, Jesus' arrival in my life will turn my path upside down. I will have to walk places I never would have walked. I will have to avoid places I used to frequent. Why? Because He now determines my path! Why? Because He is the Way!
So, let's sing the songs of old. Let's enjoy the season. However, let's ask a very important question in this season . . . The question is . . . has the arrival of Jesus turned your plans and your path upside down? Has rebirth changed everything? Can you claim rebirth if everything hasn’t changed? Too many of us will allow Him to alter our soul while we refuse to allow Him to alter our plans or path. This Christmas, like the first Christmas, let’s allow Him to turn our world upside down.
