A BRAVEHEART FOR CHRISTMAS
Perhaps quite a few here in our audience today have seen the movie, Braveheart. It’s the story of William Wallace. He may be one of the greatest heroes of Scotland. I have to confess that I didn’t know who he was until I saw the movie. You will in a few moments see a clip from the movie.
Just a bit of background for those who not seen the movie… I found out that William Wallace was really a committed Christian. According to Steve Farrar, “The movie touched on his faith but diluted his Christianity by inserting immorality that historically has no basis.” Farrar asserts that Wallace was a man who has a deep faith. It was well known that wherever he went he would have a man named John Blair following him around. For you see, John Blair is the personal chaplain, the spiritual adviser of Wallace. Blair was the man who was credited with writing down the original story of William Wallace.
The story revolves around the time when the king of Scotland died without an heir, a successor, to the throne. Sensing an opportunity the king of England, Edward the Longshanks, stepped in the turmoil of that time and claimed Scotland for England. This was his tactic – he would buy off the Scottish nobles, all the big shots, the people who owned land, and gave them more land and titles to get them on side with him.
William Wallace did not like that at all, he wanted Scotland to be free. He was tired of the English raping and pillaging the Scots. Apparently, the English even killed his wife. So he rallied the common men of Scotland to fight against the well-trained and well-armed armies of England. You see, Wallace had a brave heart.
Wallace too was offered land and titles but he couldn’t be bought off like the nobles. He had integrity. There is a higher goal – it was freedom for all the people of Scotland.
A. Braveheart: THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS
Similarly, this is the story of God, the story of Christmas… Come with me to story of Christmas… Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT)
6Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. 8And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.
Jesus whose very nature is God, did not use His title, rights, His nobility, nor all the power of heaven that is at his beck and call. According to Luke 4 Satan offered to buy Him off as well. He offered the world, all the land and titles, when Jesus was tempted as a human being…
Luke 4:5-6 record for us…
5Then the Devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6The Devil told him, "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them--because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7I will give it all to you if you will bow down and worship me."
But Jesus though feeling weak, after having gone without food for forty days, could not be bought. Instead he chose to come alongside the poor, the victimized, the sinner and became a braveheart. He humbled himself came as a slave, to show that God is not against humankind but plans to team up with them, to rise against the tyrants of darkness, the domains of what Tolkien would call “Mordor” and “Sauron”, our sin-filled imperfect world and take away the barrier between a sinful people and a holy God by offering Himself as the ransom for the sins of the world.
Just as William Wallace wanted freedom for all the people of Scotland, Jesus, our Savior Jesus Christ, wanted freedom for all the people of the world. For our God hears the cries of those who are imprisoned, tortured and suffering. He is so moved with love and compassion. He came and died for us. The darkness, the choices humankind has made to make life work apart from God, could not keep Him away. And so with the coming of the Christ-child in Christmas, a braveheart is born and His name is Jesus.
As He grew up, He rallied a group of men He called Apostles and turned the world upside down. The world has never recovered from that, as we, today, can see with our own eyes, lives are still being changed, by the braveheart of God. For this is Jesus’ mission, this is His heart; this is the story of why we have Christmas…
21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
22All 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." Matt. 1:21-23 NIV
B. THE CHOICE: Shall we follow this braveheart of God?
There was a young noble in movie Braveheart, his name - Robert the Bruce. He was the logical successor to throne of Scotland. He admired the courage and passion of Wallace. In a dialogue, … let’s roll that scene… hear Wallace’s reply “What does it mean to be noble? Your title gives you the right to the throne of our country. But people don’t follow titles. They follow courage.” Those words made an impact on Robert. That was what made an impact in the Christmas story - The courage of our God who did not stay in a cosy heaven but came and died, sacrificed Himself on the cross so that you and I can be free… The Bible says: “it is for freedom that Christ has set you free” Gal 5:1.
But Robert’s father, dying of leprosy hidden away in a castle tower, was a devious and treacherous noble of Scotland. For him to preserve his power and land, he persuaded Robert to betray Wallace. Roll the scene… “I have nothing” “Land titles, men, nothing” “It’s tearing me apart” “I don’t want to lose heart” “I will never be on the wrong side again.”
Many today have realized what Robert the Bruce has found out. “I have nothing”… Read Matt.6:19-33.
After all the striving, nothing! Who at the end of their life would say “if I only had spent more time at the office?” Who would say “if I only had one more toy” who would say “if only I had more BBQ Chicken to eat”, “if only I wore Armani not Levis”. One of the most common statements of people who died in war is “tell my wife - I love her”. As Jesus died on the cross the words of John 3:16-17 tells us… as He gave and died “He loves you” He died for u, he did not die for nothing. “Are you not much more valuable than they (the birds of the air)?”
I believe as I went through baptismal classes with all 13 of you, you too have indicated your choice, from your own volition, from your own heart to trust this love of God. No one forced you to follow Christ, but you have made the choice to get on side with the God whose braveheart, whose love, whose choice is to come for you and I. Through your public declaration of faith today, you are turning away from the dark into the light, following the braveheart of God.
I ask the rest of u to consider what are u living and striving for… end of life will u say “Land, titles men, nothing …I have nothing, but trouble, no love, nothing” or will u say “I have the love of God, I have Christ, I have everything, for all things will be given to me, what me worry? No way!”
Someone said: “One of the great delusions that go with wealth, power and status is to think we are in control of our lives. The most difficult lesson for most people to realize is that God values the heart, not what we possess.”
Today, there is a God who made Himself nothing in the Christmas story declaring to you, you are something, something to die for according to Jesus Christ. If you realized today, I have nothing, you are losing heart. You want to have heart again, u don’t want to be on the wrong side again. Make a choice to believe in the One whose heart is for u. You can make sure you are on the side of God. Will u just close your eyes and follow me in prayer?
Dear God, my Braveheart, I don’t want to be on the wrong side again. With love and with courage you offered your life for mine. I thank You for taking away my darkness. I believe You, Jesus Christ, died for me. I want to join in with you and come into your family. By faith I receive your life in me. Amen.
If u have prayed this prayer, fill out the green card, and tell us u made the choice to follow God and drop off the card in the offering plate. Thank u!
To you who are committed to follow Christ, keep reaffirming your choice. YOU are of great worth to God. Perhaps u are worrying about things in this life, store up treasure in heaven where it’ll be safe. Strive for treasure of the earth, it’ll rot away, you can take it with u.
Remember the braveheart of God this Christmas. He has come for us. Renew your vows to follow Him “Lord reign in me”
