1. Each of us have Christmas traditions. One of the most important ones for our family is putting out the nativity set. This is our family set here. Last year I brought this set and talked about the people who missed their opportunity to be a part of the story--the innkeeper, the people of Bethlehem, King Herod and the people of Israel, I suggested that the same things that kept them from being a part of the Christmas Joy could keep us apart too.
2. This year I thought I’d like to do exactly the opposite. Instead of talking about the people who missed Christmas, I’d like to take a few minutes with you to think about the people who made Christmas. I’d like us to look at each of the pieces of the nativity set and consider what attitudes and actions are immortalized by their presence in the story.
Proposition: Following the same logic as last year, I’d like us to consider whether following in the footsteps of these people can bring the peace and joy of the season to us.
The first person I’d like to consider is..
I. Mary
(pick up each figurine as you talk about that character)
From all that we can tell from the Biblical account that we read a few moments ago, Mary was an ordinary young lady. She was planning to be married. Just like girls today I’m sure there was much excitement and planning going into not only the ceremony but her dreams of what married life would be . But…
Mary was willing to sacrifice her reputation and her plans.
The Scripture tells us that Mary was visited by an angel one night who said she had been chosen for a special purpose… Mary responded, "How can this be since I am a virgin?" The angel said that she would be overshadowed by the power of the most high… she was to bear a child not her own but the Son of God.
I want you to consider with me for just a moment the implications of what she was being asked to do. She had to consider not only her own plans which would be considerably upset by this task. She had to consider whether Joseph would even want her when it was learned she was pregnant. Further, she had to consider what all of her family and neighbors would think of her.
Nevertheless, Mary responded, "I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said."
What about us? Are you and I willing to sacrifice the plans we have so carefully made to make ourselves available for whatever the Lord might call us to? Are we willing to put aside pursuit of comfort and worldly pleasure? Will we say with Mary, "I am the Lord’s servant?"
Next I’d like to consider this man…
II. Joseph
Remember Joseph had plans too. I imagine he was eagerly awaiting the day he would be joined with his beloved. Then, we don’t know how or from whom, he gets the news that Mary is pregnant. How devastating that must have been. I imagine that Mary tried to tell him about the visit of the angel but it must have been very difficult. You see, to become a part of the Christmas story…
Joseph was willing to believe the impossible.
An angel visits Joseph in the night and tells him that it’s all true. Even then it was a fantastic story. Nothing in life could prepare you to believe that your fiancé would become pregnant with the son of God.
Leo here is going to be married soon. Now Leo you’ve been in the desert for a couple of months, and Priya--she’s been in the states at school for since August. Now how would you have taken the news that she was 2 months pregnant? And do you think it would’ve been hard to believe if she said, "No really it’s God’s baby." Even with an angelic visitation, it would be hard to swallow. But Joseph became a part of the Christmas story because he believed the impossible and then acted on it.
The Bible says that when he awoke from his dream, Joseph did exactly what the Angel had said and took Mary to be his wife.
You know the Christmas story is still a little hard to believe, maybe harder than the one about Santa. We’re still each one called to have faith that the virgin-born Son of God was not only born in a stable, but died on a cross to pay the price for our sins and then rose again to show his victory over both sin and death.
The only evidence we have is the eyewitness testimonies and the internal witness of the Holy spirit that burns within us to convince us of the truth of this impossible story. Next let’s think about. The …
III. Shepherds
These guys were minding their own business when angels appeared, again what was a pretty unlikely story. The shepherds made it into the Christmas story because…
The shepherds were willing to seek the truth.
They get the announcement on the hills during the night, that the Messiah, the Promised one had been born, not in a palace or a mansion but in a stable not far away. Most of us would have discounted it as bad pizza-- bad shepherd’s pie maybe, or perhaps a mass hallucination, but the shepherds made it into the story because they got up and went to see whether this was true or not.
The Bible says that they said to one another, "let’s go see."
You and I have to make a similar decision. The story calls for faith, because it’s a lot to believe. But having heard the story we have a choice to look into it or discard it. Will we take up the challenge of the angels "come and see" or will we discount it as a myth and a fairy tale?
Next I’d like to think about the…
IV. Magi
These were men from the east who were seekers of truth. They sought it in many ways--one way was in the stars. And God decided to put a record in the stars of what he was planning so that these men could find their way to the truth. But that truth represented a radical departure from they way they had always thought of the world…
The Magi were willing to change their belief system.
They came to worship a king, a messiah who was promised to the Jews. Their quest for truth brought them to a baby king in a manger and there they kneeled to worship.
What about us? Does our world view leave room for a truth that exceeds our ability to understand? Are we willing to say, "I believe." Even when we cannot understand?
I sometimes like to ask skeptics of the Christ-story what percent of the knowledge available in the world they have: "Do you think you know even one percent of all there is to be known in the universe?" Invariably they reply they don’t know even one percent. Then I’ll ask, "Is it possible that in the 99% of the knowledge you don’t have, that there might be room for something outside your realm of understanding and experience?"
Are you willing to make room for Jesus in your world view?
There’s one last piece in the nativity scene that I’d like to look at with you, and it’s the most important piece of all…
V. Jesus
Even though He’s the center of attention it’s easy to forget to consider how he got involved in this scene. The Bible makes it clear that He had existed from the beginning of time, He is the eternal Son of God. But he entered into the human story because…
Jesus was willing to humble Himself.
Martin Luther, put it this way: The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.
Philippians 2:5-8 says "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!"
I like this verse because it takes us all the way from the manger to the Cross. Christ Humbled himself and became a servant, God became man, and not only was born humbly, but died humbly, in great shame, a criminal’s death to pay the price for each of our sins. He brings the Christmas story to each of us.
We all have the opportunity to experience the light that his coming brings by putting our trust in Him, believing that his sacrifice washes the stain of our sins, that his ressurection purchases for us eternal life.
Right now we are going to symbolically pass that light as a reminder of the hope that he brought to the world.
Passing the Flame…Silent Night
Conclusion:
Right now we are standing with the symbolic light of the Christ child. I said a few moments ago that each of us can have that light in our life. But it is our choice. Perhaps you are standing here with a candle lit, but you know that flame isn’t burning in your heart.
IT CAN BE! If you are willing to be a part of the Christmas story. If you are willing to offer your life to God’s service like Mary, If you’re willing to believe the story is true like Joseph, If you’re willing to come and see like the shepherds, If you’re willing to change your understanding like the Magi. If you’re willing to humble yourself like Jesus.
