JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
Text: Luke 2:1-7
"On February 24, 1948, one of the most unusual operations in medical history took place in Ohio State University’s department of research surgery. A stony sheath was removed from around the heart of Harry Besharra, a man thirty years of age. When only a boy he had been shot accidentally by a playmate with a .22-caliber rifle. The bullet had lodged in his heart but had not caused his death. However, a lime deposit had begun to form over the protective covering of the heart and gradually was strangling it. The operation was a delicate one separating the ribs and moving the left lung to one side. Then the stony coating was lifted form the heart as an orange is peeled. Immediately the pressure of the heart was reduced, and it responded by expanding and pumping normally. "I feel a thousand per cent better already," said the patient soon after the operation.
"There is a parable of life here. Our hearts develop a hard protective coating because of accidents and incidents in life. They are coated by the deposits of a thousand deceits and rebuffs. They are hardened by the pressure of circumstance. Inevitably they become smothered and insensitive to the divine. Ever so easily we find it easier to sneer than to pray. It becomes simpler to work than to worship. Self-satisfied, proud, often cynical, our hearts need a spiritual operation that only Christmas can perform when we dare to surrender our hearts’ burden before the cradle of Bethlehem" (Charles M. Crowe. Sermons For Special Days. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1951, p. 163). That is why Jesus is the reason for the Christmas Season. Jesus can heal our broken and wounded hearts. “Christmas is a time to celebrate, proclaim and demonstrate” (C. W. Kiningham. Year ‘Round Sermon Outlines. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1987, p. 47).
CHRISTMAS IS A CELEBRATION
It is the birthday of Jesus that we celebrate on Christmas Day. We make a big deal about the birthdays of two of our Presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Do we make a big enough deal about the birthday of Jesus? We sometimes substitute X-mas for Christmas. Is it possible that sometimes people say X-mas because they are trying to take Christ out of Christmas? Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
Jesus revives the heart’s desire for a life that has meaning because Jesus is the one who gives life its meaning, it’s joy. “On July 14, 1789, Jean Lenoir, a cobbler living in an obscure side street in Paris, wrote in his diary: "Nothing of importance happened today." Just a short distance away was the Bastille (a prison), and on that very day a mob has stormed it. they killed the troops, freed the prisoners, destroyed the building, and started the French Revolution. That event changed the whole course of life in France." (Crowe. p. 162). A day without Jesus is a day without joy. Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season. When Jesus was born, it was the best day that the world has ever known. Yet, when Jesus was born, there was no room for him in the inn (Luke 2:7).
Luke 2:8-11tells us about when the angel greeted the shepherds in the field. The shepherds were scared. They had probably never seen angels before. Listen to what the angels told them. “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11 NKJV). Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season.
We cannot sing that song, “Down In My Heart” in all honesty unless we have the joy that Jesus gives in our hearts. “Principal Rainy, of whom a child once remarked that she believed Principal Rainy went to heaven every night, because he was so happy every day”. Rainy himself once said that “Joy is the flag that is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there" (A. Naismith. 1200 Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes. Great Brtitain: Pickering Paperbacks, 1988, p. 107). We cannot celebrate if there is no joy. Rainy was a man who made room in the inn of his Heart for Jesus (Luke 2:7). Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season.
Sometimes we are guilty of celebrating Christmas as if it was "nothing important." We are sometimes so near Christmas as a holiday with festivalism and commercialism while we are so far away in heart from our Savior who was born in Bethlehem almost 2000 years ago. Just as there was no room in the inn, there are times when people do not let Jesus come into their hearts (Luke 2:7). If the heart cannot cradle Jesus as its King, then it has no joy. Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season. Consider Epesians 3:16-19: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (NIV). Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season.
CHRISTMAS IS A PROCLAIMATION
A proclaimation is a declaration! “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14 NKJV). There are times when we fail to do this peace and goodwill justice because we simply have not made room for Jesus in our hearts (Luke 2:7). Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season.
I once read a story that I have never forgotten. This the story of a lonely young lady who had been the roommate of her friend. She had always heard of the unkind things that this young lady named Helen had done. Unlike her friend Marty, Ida had perceived Helen much differently, because she perceived the young lady as a troubled person, whereas Marty considered her to be a troublemaker.
The week before the Christmas holidays, Ida’s mother made lots of her Christmas fudge. Ida wrapped some of it up in small boxes to give to her friends. When she went by Marty’s room Helen was the only one there. And Helen misunderstood as she thought that the gift was for her, as tears came to her eyes. "You brought me a gift?" she asked, "how could you? Nobody ever ..." Putting her arm around Helen, she asked, "Nobody ever what Helen?" Nobody in my whole life ever liked the way that I am. So I decided if nobody was going to like me, I would make them remember me by doing means things." After that Helen went into the bathroom and locked the door. And she remained quiet for a long time, until finally she thanked Ida for the present and asked her to go away.
The tragedy about Helen was that her parents were both dead and her older brother and sister did not want her around. ..." [Let me interject, there was no room for her in the lives of those who could have made a difference, much like there was no room for Jesus in the Inn (Luke 2:7). And Jesus said that whatever we have done to the least of these, is the same as if we had done it unto to Him (Matthew 25:40,45). Helen certainly qualified as one of the least of these.] After the holidays, Helen did not return and neither Marty nor Ida was surprised since Helen had been failing her classes. But Unfortunately, the word came to both Marty and Ida that Helen had committed suicide." (Ida Nelle Holloway. Loneliness: The Untapped Resource. Nashville: The Braodman Press, 1982, pp. 23-24).
Our proclamation by way of announcement is therefore an awesome responsibility. This means that we are not just people who have good news, but people who must apply the good news. Therefore, the way we live at peace with one another or fail to do so either helps or hinders the announcement we make about the good news of His coming and the joy it accompanies. Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season.
CHRISTMAS IS A DEMONSTRATION
God demonstrates His love for us through His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Consider Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us" (NIV). It is God’s demonstration of how Jesus, His only begotten Son came to reconcile us to God and also to each other.
As a forgiven and reconciled people, we have a responsibility to preserve, reaffirm and demonstrate our love for each other. If we do anything that is hurtful to someone, and do it knowingly, then we are not reaffirming our love for each other. Instead, what we are practicing is selfish ambition (Philipians 2:3). The Bible tells us that we should live this way: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philipians 2:3-4 NIV). We do this by remembering that without Christ, there is no such thing as Christmas!
“At the time Christ was born, there was in the world at that time the expectation of a king to come. At about the same time of His birth, some hailed Augustus, the Roman Emporer as the Savior of the world. "When Jesus Christ came the world was in an eagerness of expectation. Men were waiting for God and the desire of God was in their hearts". (paraphrased and quoted. (William Barclay. The Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel Of Matthew. Volume 1. Revised Edition. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975, p. 27). There is still an eager expectation and desire for God in the hearts of people today. The problem is that there are some people like Harry Besharra … they have heart problems. Besharra’s heart problems required the help of a surgeon. After the surgery, he felt one thousand percent better. The kind of heart problems most people have are spiritual and require the healing touch of the Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, who was born 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. When they let Jesus into their hearts, they will be able to proclaim with joy that Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season. Is the inn in our hearts open? Have we made room for Jesus? Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season. Amen.
