ONE UNUSUAL MESSAGE
Part 1 of the Christmas Perspectives Series
READ AT BEGINNING OF SERVICE:
John 1:1-5 (NIV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
INTRODUCTION:
Perspective is an interesting thing. What you or I see is not always the same as what someone else sees…
Have you ever noticed: When the other fellow acts "that way", he is ugly; when you do, it’s nerves. When others are set in their ways, they’re obstinate; when you are, it is firmness. When your neighbor doesn’t like your friend, he’s prejudiced; when you don’t like his, you are a good judge of human nature. When he tries to treat someone especially well, he’s a flatterer; when you try it, you are being thoughtful. When he takes time to do things well, he’s a slowpoke or lazy; when you do, you are deliberate and careful. When he spends a lot, he is a spend thrift; when you do, you’re generous. When someone picks flaws in things, he’s cranky and critical; when you are, it is graciousness. When someone dresses especially well, that person is extravagant; when you do, it is tastefulness. When he says what he thinks, he’s spiteful; when you do, you are being frank. When he takes great risks in business, he’s foolhardy; when you do, you are a wise financier. (Autoillustrator.com, PERSPECTIVE)Lack of perspective or a poor perspective often leads to tremendous breakdowns in communication as can be seen by the following example:
A school superintendent told his assistant superintendent the following: "Next Thursday at 10:30am, Haley’s Comet will appear over this area. This is an event which occurs only once every 75 years. Call the school principals and have them assemble their teachers and classes on their athletic fields and explain this phenomenon to them. If it rains, then cancel the day’s observation and have the classes meet in the auditorium to see a film about the comet." Assistant superintendent to school principals: "By order of the superintendent of schools, next Thursday at 10:30 Haley’s Comet will appear over your athletic field. If it rains, then cancel the day’s classes and report to the auditorium with your teachers and students where you will be shown films, a phenomenal event which occurs only once every 75 years." Principals to teachers: "By order of the phenomenal superintendent of schools, at 10:30 next Thursday Haley’s Comet will appear in the auditorium. In case of rain over the athletic field, the superintendent will give another order-something which occurs only once every 75 years." Teachers to students: "Next Thursday at 10:30 the superintendent of schools will appear in our school auditorium with Haley’s Comet; something which occurs once every 75 years. If it rains, the superintendent will cancel the comet and will order us out to our phenomenal athletic field." Students to parents: "When it rains next Thursday at 10:30 over the school athletic field, the phenomenal 75 year old superintendent of schools will cancel all classes and appear before the school in the auditorium accompanied by Bill Haley and the Comets." (Autoillustrator.com, PERSPECTIVE)
Perspective is that word that describes the condition that many of us can readily identify with in our own lives but rarely struggle to understand in another. Perspective influences our actions, our reactions and sometimes even our lack of action. When we look at something in a certain way we have a certain perspective on it – one that is often unique to us alone and rarely duplicated in the way someone else looks at the same thing. Perspective depends on several filters through which it is developed: circumstance, experience, and character. Your perspective is shaped by the circumstances you are in, the experiences you’ve had in the past, and who you perceive yourself to be. But perspective can also be influenced by what I like to call the HOSI (How Others See It) factor that is, one’s openness to try to see things through another person’s perspective.
I would like to give an example of this HOSI factor. I’d like to describe something to you.
It is a self-balancing, 28-jointed adapter based biped with the following: Millions of warning signals, railroad and conveyor systems…crushers and cranes (of which the arms are magnificent 23-jointed affairs with self-surfacing and lubricating systems); A universally distributed telephone system needing no service for 70 years if well managed; An electrochemical reduction-plant, integral with segregated stowages of special energy extracts in storage batteries, for subsequent actuation of thousands of hydraulic and pneumatic pumps, with motors attached…62,000 miles of capillaries. And the whole, extraordinarily complex mechanism is guided with exquisite precision from a turret in which are located telescopic and microscopic self-registering and recording range finders, a spectroscope, etc., and the turret control being closely allied with an air conditioning intake-and-exhaust, with a main fuel intake. Within a few cubic inches that house the turret mechanism, there is room, also, for two sound wave and sound-direction-finder recording diaphragms. There is an expertly devised analytical laboratory large enough not only to contain minute records of every last and continual event of up to 70 years experience, or more, but to extend, by computation and abstract fabrication, this experience with relative accuracy into all corners of the observed universe AS WELL AS a forecasting and tactical plotting department for the reduction of future possibilities and probabilities to generally successful specific choice. (Autoillustrator.com, PERSPECTIVE)What did I just describe to you? I described man! You see the HOSI factor can also shape our perspectives. Some of you may be influenced by this description of "Mr. Jones" in such a way as to have a different perspective on your makeup as a human being -
Psalms 139:14 (NIV)
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
As we approach the Christmas season year after year each one of us have different perspectives on what Christmas is all about. However to a large extent – year after year – our perspective of Christmas risks being affected more and more by the HOSI factor than by any other filter it is derived through. The immense commercialization of the season of Christmas and saturation with Christmas "products" has led to the development of a materialistic perspective of Christmas rather than a perspective that finds its roots in the Word of God and in the Love of God. The Christmas Story is sometimes too easily replaced by the Christmas Store. But how do we keep a "right" perspective on Christmas and the Christmas Story in the face of so much that influences us otherwise? The answer is to let our perspective of Christmas be filtered by the HOSI factor of those who were there NOT by a world that has forgotton.
For the next few weeks we are going to be looking at the Christmas Story from the perspectives of different people who were there. As we ponder how they viewed the events and the different things that occurred in their lives hopefully our perspective of Christmas will be forever altered and changed – maybe a little, maybe a lot, but nevertheless changed.
PRAY
Today we are going to begin our Christmas Perspectives series by looking at how Mary and Joseph perceived the Christmas Story.
It all started with one unusual message… one unusual message…Luke 1:26-56 (NIV)26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 "I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" 46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
MARY:
The Christmas Story? It began for me in the spring. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was out for a walk in the early evening with my heart practically bursting in joy as I reflected on the way my beloved Joseph had proposed to me. Oh I was so excited about our marriage to each other. "Just think, in few more months I will be a wife and I will have a husband!" Oh, God is so good! In my excitement I began skipping down the road and laughed merrily as I sung praises to my God in my heart and with my voice. The man of my dreams, I am marrying him!
All of a sudden a voice stopped me in my tracks and I turned around quickly and beheld a man who was most incredible. He spoke again and I knew that this person was no ordinary man. When he greeted me it was so unusual and the words echoed around my heart – "Highly favored? I am but an ordinary woman living in the "backwater" of the world – sure, I may be descended from the line of King David but until the Messiah comes, all the favor that I have is only from my family and my betrothed. As for the Lord is with me? Yes, He most definitely is, for how else could I have been given my Joseph!"The angel interrupted my thoughts as I looked at him wide-eyed and apprehensive. He told me not to be afraid, that I had found favor with God. Oh, how my heart leapt as I heard those words pass his lips. But then the angel said something that absolutely floored me. I will have a child? And he went on to say that this would not be any ordinary child – in fact, it was clear that this child would be King – would be Messiah. I didn’t understand this. How could I have a child? Let alone such an important child? "I am so young – I am just getting married – I have never…well – I’m a virgin and…" the emotions going through me at that time were so intense – I looked at the angel and whispered, "I am a virgin – how will this happen?"
The angel looked into my eyes and smiled as he told me that this child would be a miracle of God and that the child would be God’s Son! I was so amazed by his words – I almost fainted! How could a woman be a mother to God’s Son? But the angel went to say that my older cousin Elizabeth was pregnant with a child – in fact in her sixth month – I had heard rumors but it’s true? Truly, nothing is impossible with God. I believed the angel, I believed God, and even though I was afraid, and I had so many questions, and so many doubts, and so many fears, I believed.
When the angel left it was so sudden and so quick. I couldn’t contain myself, I couldn’t tell Joseph yet – would he understand? Would he believe me? Yet I needed to tell someone – and I quickly decided I would make the journey to Elizabeth – surely she would understand and know what I should do about Joseph and in the meantime I can help her with her coming child!… What did Mary feel when she received this unusual message from the angel Gabriel? What would you ladies have felt – think back to when you were in your late teens – think about being told that you were going to be pregnant with a child, a child who would be the Son of God! But what about Joseph?
It all began with an unusual message...
Matthew 1:18-24 (NIV)
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
Joseph:
When I first read the letter I had received from Mary I was distraught. It was bad enough that she had disappeared out of the blue – I had heard she had gone to her cousin Elizabeth’s but still, for her to not even say good-bye or tell me she was going…What is it with women? At first I thought, maybe she’s having second thoughts about our marriage. I mean, perhaps she got thinking it might be better to be married to someone other than a carpenter. But no, she would have told me – then I thought maybe it’s a family emergency – something that just couldn’t wait and that’s why she couldn’t tell me right away – but then, what reason would there have been not to tell me – in fact I could have gone with her and protected her on the journey. I had just settled on the thought that Mary was planning a surprise for me that she didn’t want me to know anything about when I got the letter… Oh there was a surprise all right! But not a very pleasant one. The words burned themselves into my mind, "Joseph, I am pregnant…" She went on to tell me about the angel and the message she got from God but I had so much trouble getting around those first words. At first I was angry, and then I was in agony. My heart sank as I realized what this meant.
The next couple of days were torture – Mary said in the letter that the only other person who knew was Elizabeth and that she had written to me first because she didn’t know how I would take it and in the hopes that God would reveal to me what He had revealed to her – about the…about the child. At first, I didn’t know what to believe. I knew Mary would never have cheated in such a despicable way – she was too pure, she was too much in love with God for that to happen – and yet how else could she be pregnant? The story she told about the angel and all…I didn’t know what to believe – it just isn’t possible and even if it was true – where did that leave me? I wasn’t the father of this child. The woman I loved was carrying someone else’s child…I knew that I couldn’t marry Mary – I wouldn’t be allowed in the synagogue and would become unclean, sure if we married soon enough no one would know – but I would. And yet, there is no way I could put Mary through the public disgrace and shame that would come if I were to expose her in a public divorce. Besides, what if she was right? What if this really is God’s child? I will not be responsible for making Mary and child an object of scorn and misery. And so I resolved to divorce Mary quietly, I would write a letter – and she would receive it as I had received hers. Even as I began writing it, the tears ran down my face – all my joy, my love, my hope for family was being extinguished by each stroke of the pen.
While writing the letter I fell asleep – and while asleep I had a dream. In this dream an angel of God appeared to me and confirmed everything Mary had told me about the child she was carrying. Then, joy of joys, I was told to take Mary as my wife and name the child (who would be a son) Jesus! This wasn’t any ordinary dream – it was so vivid and the words of the angel so powerful that when I woke up everything was still as clear to me as I had seen in the dream. Oh the joy, that filled my soul as I raised my eyes and arms to heaven and praised the Lord for His goodness and His blessings. Could it really be? Could this child that my…my wife be carrying be the promised Messiah? One who would save His people from their sins?
I ripped up the letter that I had begun and began packing things to make the journey to Elizabeth’s – "Mary! I’m coming to marry you!!! YEEE HAA!!"
For Joseph, the Christmas Story began with disappointment. No doubt the news of his pregnant fiancé would have been hard to accept. But his disappointment would have been quickly replaced with relief as he realized that this child Mary was carrying was in God’s will and for God’s purpose and was no ordinary child.
For both Mary and Joseph – their perspective of the Christmas Story would have been an intimate one as it began with the unusual message that they were the chosen earthly parents of God’s Son. Mary the virgin mother and Joseph, her betrothed were privileged to be the first hearers of the Christmas message. This same unusual message rings out to you and I this morning as we begin to look at this story from their perspective, "To you a child will be born and His name is Jesus, and He will save His people from their sins." Folks the Christmas story began with that announcement and it begins with that announcement in our lives. Mary and Joseph perceived the message from God as truth and received it in faith. If you look at this message through the eyes of Mary and Joseph you will see it as truth and receive it in faith yourself. Feel the wonder, know the joy of the promise of God through the birth of His Son in your heart! Do you believe!
However, we won’t end there – for Mary and Joseph still had 9 months ahead of them – a time that I will call the journey.
the journey
Matthew 1:25 (NIV)
25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Luke 2:1-5,7b (NIV)
1 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 his 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…there was no room for them in the inn.Joseph:
The wedding was… Mary:
…beatiful… Joseph:
Through the whole celebration we kept looking at each other. We communicated with our eyes our love for each other, the joy we each felt, and the secret we shared.
Mary:
We made the decision right away that we wouldn’t umm… Joseph:
…consummate our marriage until the baby was born.
Mary:
We simply thought it was wise – so there would be no opportunity for doubt that this child truly is a miracle.
Joseph:
The months following the wedding were, well… Mary:
…interesting… Joseph:
…difficult at times. Naturally there were a few rumors going around because of how soon Mary began to show evidence of the child she was carrying.
Mary:
There were the jokes and the snickering here and there, "Boy, you two sure didn’t wait long to start a family eh!" "The stork didn’t waste any time with you, right Mary?"
Joseph:
And then there were the questions we ourselves struggled with – I mean this is no ordinary child. Can you imagine what its like knowing that you are being entrusted with the most important child to ever be born!
Mary:
At least Joseph, we didn’t have to worry about picking out a name!I had heard that first-time mothers have a lot of concern over the progress of their pregnancy and I guess I was not an exception – except that I was probably driving Joseph crazy with all the little concerns I kept having… Joseph:
Especially the "cravings", why, you sent me on a two day trip to Elizabeth’s once because you had a craving for her special shepherd pie!
Mary:
It’s the way she makes it Joseph! Any way, there were times when we both felt that maybe God had made a mistake in choosing us – but then we were always comforted and held on… Joseph:
..to the promise He had made us.
There was one thing that happened that really got me worried at one point. It was when Caesar issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. We were told that because we were of the line of King David that we had to go to Bethlehem to register for the census. This was no easy journey especially since Mary was due to give birth at any moment.
Mary:
All the way there Joseph was constantly looking back over his shoulder at me while leading the donkey I was riding. The expression on his face and in his eyes spoke volumes to me of the love he had for me and the concern he had. I kept reassuring him that I was fine – while at the same time trying to reassure myself that everything would be fine. We both spent much time in prayer on the way to Bethlehem!
Joseph:
When we arrived in Bethlehem we were exhausted and tired and I immediately began searching for a place for Mary and I to stay. I knew that Mary was going to have the baby soon and so I was trying to look for a place that would be suitable.
Mary:
Each time Joseph came out of a doorway shaking his head, I shared with Him the sorrow that he carried for the lack of room. We both thought – If only people knew who this child was I am carrying!
Joseph:
Finally I found a place – it was all I could find but it was just in time.
Mary:
It was a stable. Joseph got me comfortable and then we waited as the labor pains grew more intense…waited in the hush of the night- and with the expectancy of the wind.
Mary and Joseph’s perspective of the Christmas story would have also been influenced by the Journey in between the unusual message and the birth of the child. It was a journey that would have been full of ups and downs and fears and joys. Yet, Mary and Joseph did not waver from their faith and because they believed in the truth of the message. Because of that belief they were able to endure the journey that eventually found them in Bethlehem, in a stable.
Some people may look at this story with a perspective that causes them to say, "Wait a minute, what is going on here! Mary and Joseph – God is ripping you off! He’s gone and told you that you’re going to be looking after His Son and then He doesn’t do anything about your late pregnancy journey to Bethlehem and of all places having to stay in a stable. You guys should talk to him about this – I mean you have a little leverage don’t you?"
But Mary and Joseph didn’t share that perspective in fact, the Bible records their simple obedience to God’s Word and their beautiful acceptance of His plan.
There is a journey that everyone of us face as well. It begins the moment we hear the unusual message and it continues as we believe and have faith in the promise of God. In this journey there may be many ups and downs and there may be times when it seems as if things don’t make sense but keep believing in God and have faith in His promise. Remember the Christmas story is not only about God coming to earth on that very special day – but it’s also about Jesus Christ remaining with us every day of our lives. What is your perspective?
Then there was the moment… the moment
Luke 1:41-45 (NIV)
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Luke 2:6-7a (NIV)
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…Mary:As I lay in between labor pains my mind flashed back to the moment I first walked into Elizabeth’s house after hearing the message from the angel. As soon as I said hello, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb moved in an extraordinary way and Elizabeth began to bless me and…she knew…she knew that I was carrying the Son of God. Clearly it was the Spirit of God upon my cousin! Oh, how I rejoiced in hearing this confirmation of the message of the angel. I sang praises to God, to my Savior and rejoiced in Him.
The labor pains brought me back to the present and as Joseph held my hand the moment came when the child was born. Joseph was the first to behold the baby and I saw his face enraptured in an expression of pure joy and peace. It’s as if his entire countenance had changed with looking at the baby. Then he brought the baby boy to me and I beheld his eyes for the first time.
Mary and Joseph: There was a tremendous awe that came over me as I realized whose eyes I was looking into. It was sometime before I looked back up at my husband/wife – for the moment, all time had stood still as I found myself silently worshipping God’s Son, Our Savior, Our Lord – in the flesh – the fulfillment of the message and the promise… This moment is the perspective of Joseph and Mary on the Christmas Story – for them it was an intimate, real time with God. This moment is the single most defining point in the history of humanity – it is the moment that God came to be with us himself.
When Quirinius was governor of Syria, in a town called Bethlehem, a child was born who, beyond the power of anyone to account for, was the high and lofty One made low and helpless. The One who inhabits eternity comes to dwell in time. The One whom none can look upon and live is delivered in a stable under the soft, indifferent gaze of cattle. The Father of all mercies puts himself at our mercy. (Autoillustrator.com, CHRISTMAS, quoted from A Room Called Remember, by Frederick Buechner, p.61)Thus Christmas looked through the eyes of Mary and Joseph is seen with the perspective of the message, the journey, and the moment. God’s message to them, is His message to you – He came as a man as the savior of the world – as a promise of salvation for all who would receive Him. In our journeys of life may all of us come to the moment of being present at the birth of Jesus - at His birth in our hearts. This Christmas, experience the moment in your life and witness the promise of God being fulfilled in your own heart.
The grounds for belief and disbelief are the same today as they were two thousand or ten thousand – years ago. If Joseph had lacked faith to trust God or humility to perceive the holiness of his spouse, he could have disbelieved in the miraculous origin of her Son as Easily as any modern man; and any modern man who believes in God can accept the miracle as easily as Joseph did. (Autoillustrator.com, CHRISTMAS – quoted from C.S. Lewis)
This sermon was preached by Darren Ethier at Hanover Pentecostal Church on November 26,2000. This message is Part 1 of the sermon series: Christmas Perspectives. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1873, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
