CHRISTMAS: God Will Turn Things Around for Good
Mt. 1:18-25
INTRODUCTION
Christmas, instead of being a time of joy, can be a time of great stress. Often there are unrealistic expectations and disagreements. One Poem says...
A. “TWAS THE FIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS” by Tony Cooke and David Beebe
1. ‘Twas the fight before Christmas & all through the house; not a creature was peaceful, not even my spouse. The bills were strung out on our table with dread, in hopes that our checkbook would not be in the red.
2. The children were fussing & throwing a fit, when Billy came screaming & cried, “I’ve been bit.” And Momma with her skillet, and I with the remote, She said, “You change one more channel and I’ll grab your throat.”
3. When on the TV there arose such a clatter, I sat up on the couch to see what was the matter. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, the cable was out, it was my worst fear.
4. “The Cowboys, the Celtics, the Raiders, the Knicks, without the sports channel I’d soon need a fix!” And then in the midst of my grievous sorrow, I remembered the times I had promised my kids “tomorrow…”
5. “Not now, my children, but at some soon time, Dad will play with you, and things will be fine.” Now under conviction, I looked at my wife, where was my kindness? Why all the strife?”
6. “My heart quickly softened; I now saw my task, some love and attention was all they had asked. I gathered my family and called them by name, and told them with God’s help I’d not be the same.”
7. “We’ll keep Christ in Christmas and honor His plan. No more fights before Christmas—on that we will stand. My children’s eyes twinkled; they squealed with delight. My wife gladly nodded; she knew I was right.”
8. “It was the fight before Christmas, but God’s love had come through, and just like He does, He made all things new.”
B. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF STRESS
1. Shortage of money to buy things for others.
2. The Pressure of decorating, shopping, dinners.
3. Loneliness or estrangement. 43% are single, and 27% live alone. Some aren’t on speaking terms.
4. Grief. Missing a deceased loved one. Christmas time can intensify our missing them.
5. Pleasing others. We try to meet everyone’s expectations & probably. fail.
6. We’re going to read about a Bible couple who also had a difficult Christmas season.
C. TEXT
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But 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, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Matthew 1:18-21,24.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem…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 room for them in the inn” Luke 2:4-7.
D. A PERFECT BEGINNING
1. God sent angels to Mary & Joseph; filled people with the Holy Spirit (Mary, Eliz., John Baptist), and worked the miracle of the Conception.
2. But this was followed by a time when God seemed to be absent and the difficulties of life closed in on this couple.
3. Today we’re looking at “Christmas: God Will Turn Things Around For Good.” First let’s look at:
I. JOSEPH & MARY’S NIGHTMARE
A. JOSEPH’S BETRAYAL
1. Joseph & Mary’s marriage got off to a bad start -- Mary turned up pregnant during the engagement and Joseph knew that the child was not his; they had never been intimate.
2. What must have been Joseph's feelings?
a. ANGER? Yes. Anger at her unfaithfulness and at whomever had defiled their marriage bed.
b. EMBARRASSMENT? Yes. Half of his friends thought he was a fool for picking her and the other half thought that he was the guilty party. So Joseph’s reputation was shot.
c. SORROW? No doubt. His life had been planned around her and he was sorry for her too; she had ruined her life.
d. NOW WHAT TO DO? He decided to end their engagement before the final step.
3. This shows us that we can be in the center of God's will and disaster strike. Had God abandoned Joseph? No! But the story isn’t over. God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to explain that Mary was carrying the Savior of the World. God brought order to the chaos and peace came to Joseph’s heart. God will do it for you too!
B. MARY’S REPUTATION SMEARED
1. Mary was a righteous woman, yet she became ostracized and stigmatized for a pregnancy that was not caused by sin. At six months, when she began “showing,” the rumor mill and gossip chains began cranking.
2. Two kinds of human beings talk too much: the male and the female kinds. Someone has said, "We’re born with our eyes closed and our mouths open, and we spend the rest of our lives trying to reverse that mistake of nature."
3. Paul called rumor-mongers "dogs." Why? Think about it: dogs get into your trash and spread it all over the neighborhood.
4. Have you ever been accused of doing something you didn't do? Then you know a little of what Mary felt like. She was innocent, but everyone believed she was guilty. She was labeled an ‘adulteress.’ But God vindicated her and He will you too.
C. 3RD ACT: JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM
1. Imagine Mary (think of your wife or your daughter). She was nine months pregnant, at the very point of birth, swollen and aching all over.
2. She had to travel 70 miles; more than 3 hard days on the road. Up and down mountains and ravines; cold and hot; with bandits and wild animals all around – riding on a bouncing, boney donkey!
3. Then Mary's birth pains began. Joseph knocked on every door in town, but everywhere he went, there was a "no vacancy" sign up.
4. Joseph must have thought, "Could I have been mistaken? Did the angel really say "Son of God?" Where is God now?”
5. There was no antiseptic room, no comfortable bed; no incubator, no competent physicians -- only a barn with some hay. What a disappointment; what a desperate situation!
D. REMEMBER THIS
1. No matter what the circumstances,
no matter what people thought,
no matter who talked about who,
no matter how rough the journey, or how lowly the birthplace...
II. CHRISTMAS STILL CAME!
A. GOD’S WORD WAS PROVEN TRUE
1. The Savior was born! The great plan of salvation was set in motion. 33 years later Jesus died & rose again & is seated at the Right Hand of God! He’s coming back in power & glory!
2. Mary and Joseph didn't see the hand of God, but it was there. You may not see the hand of God on your life, but it's there! Hang on to God's word; it will be proven true!
B. GOD WILL TURN IT AROUND FOR GOOD
1. Many people have come to a place in their life where they don’t even pray anymore about the difficult situations in their lives, but instead have decided to ‘just live with it.’
2. But today, I come to remind you that GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. Not only that, but He’s still healing, still delivering, and STILL WORKING MIRACLES. Is there anybody in this house today who believes God can turn things around for good?
3. It might be your health, it might be your marriage, it might be your job, it might be your ministry, and it might be your finances. It might even be a miracle that you need. God is able to turn any situation around.
III. HOW GOD HEALS THE PAIN OF CHRISTMAS
A. JESUS IS IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US
1. Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah’s 7:14 prophecy, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" —which means, "GOD WITH US."
2. Jesus came to share in our troubles and our struggles. He can sympathize with our weaknesses and problems.
3. WE’RE NOT ALONE! He said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” Heb. 13:5 and “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” Mt. 28:20.
B. GOD IS A GOD OF COMFORT
1. Isaiah said that Jesus was “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief….Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows Isa. 53:3-4.
2. Paul called God the ‘God of all comfort’ “Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort [others] which are in any trouble...” 2 Cor. 1:3-4.
3. If you’re hurting this Christmas season, know that it’s the nature of God to comfort you. Go to Him and pour out your hearts to Him. He will heal you of all your hurts as you cling to Him.
C. A FUTURE HOPE
1. Rev. 21:4 tells of a future time when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
2. In that time, we won’t have any more stress, or worries, or troubles, or sadness. We won’t have to go to work, or the doctor, or pay the bills, or taxes!
3. We’ll be with our loved ones again, never to be separated. Heaven will be so good that God says we can’t comprehend it! That’s awesome. Think of the best scenario you can, and you’ll still fall far short!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Jim Morris was a 35 year old high school chemistry teacher in 1999. As a young man he was a pitcher in the minors, but his dreams of Major League baseball ended in an injury that required major surgery.
2. Years later, coaching his hometown team in Big Lake, Texas, Morris discovered by accident that he could still throw fast balls.
3. He made a deal with his team; if they made it to state finals, he’d try out for the majors. They did and he did.
4. He went to the Texas camp of the Tampa Devil Rays. There he shocked everybody by throwing 98 mph pitches! In a few months, he was pitching in the Big Leagues! God turned his dreams around! He'll do it for you!
B. THE CALL
1. Salvation. “How many need a Savior this morning?” Raise hands.
2. How many want God to turn something around for you? It may be your health, finances, relationships, job, harmony, stress, troubles? Come join me at the front. God will help you. Let’s see God begin the healing!
3. Prayer for healing of hearts and minds.
