Dr. Tom Doubt, Senior Pastor
Four Mile Creek Baptist Church
Richmond, VA
THE COST OF CHRISTMAS
Luke 2:33-35
BACKGROUND:
A. Two weeks ago, we began looking at the “C”s of Christmas. The 1st “C” was the Coming as the shoot from the stump of Jesse that will have the Spirit of the Lord upon Him (Is 11:1ff).
1. Last week’s “C” examined Christ as the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being (Heb 1:1ff)
2. This week our “C” is the Cost of Christmas, found in Luke 2.
B. One estimate this year suggests the average cost of Christmas is $800 per family.
1. Tis the season for love, joy, peace on earth – well, almost
a. Two women were caught on a store camera in K-Mart the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is called – That’s right, “Black Friday.”
b. Both women got to the store about 4 AM in order to get bargain. By the time they got to a particular area of the store, only one item was left. They ended up in fist fight to save few $$.
c. Video shown on the nightly news showed store cops subduing both women. It was uglier than Smack Down Wrestling. For these two women the Cost of their Christmas was whatever they saved on the gift, minus a fine, minus the embarrassment.
2. Each Christmas we are reminded of costs & our approach to counting cost.
a. It costs us time & effort to find just the right gift, the right decoration.
b. Costs include time & space to go places, do things
c. There is the emotional cost of love & reconciliation, as well as the cost / benefit ratio of worship, prayer, and Bible study.
C. Luke 2 records the cost factors in the very 1st Christmas
1. Shepherds come to see Baby Jesus in manger (v 15). Cost was involved in whether to believe what they were told, whether to go and see.
2. God did not keep Jesus in the manger very long (v 21); it was not cost effective for His plan. When Jesus was 8 days old He was circumcised according to the Law (Lev 12:3).
3. The Baby was given the name Jesus, the Hebrew form of Joshua. The latter was derived from Moses adding Yahweh to the name of Hoshea (Num. 13:16), and meant “the Lord God is salvation.” It cost Joseph to follow God’s direction since no one in his family was named Jesus.
4. After 33 more days, Mary was ceremonially clean (v 22). It cost the holy family to travel to Jerusalem to dedicate Jesus according to God’s command (Ex 13:2).
a. Mary & Joseph were poor, so their offering cost only 2 turtledoves or pigeons (v 24).
b. One was for a burnt offering, the other for a sin offering (Lev 12:8). The Sin offering was done first as the ceremonial cleansing of impurity. The burnt offering was for thanksgiving for the child.
5. It cost Simeon that first Christmas. It cost him to wait patiently for the consolation of Israel (v 25). It cost to believe the promise that he see the Christ (v 26). It cost to allow himself be led by the Spirit into the temple that day. (v 27)
6. When Simeon sees Jesus, he takes Him in his arms, and praises God for the salvation all peoples (v 31). Then he turns & blesses Mary & Joseph in an unusual way.
Read: LUKE 2:33-35
INTRODUCTION:
A. Christmas is a lovely holiday for many because it’s so predictable. You always know where to find Jesus, not like the empty tomb at Easter.
1. We know exactly where to find Jesus each Christmas – in a manger.
a. It’s always in the O Little Town of Bethlehem
b. Every year we find Him Away in a Manger
c. He is such a predictable Infant Holy, Infant Lowly that we Go Tell It on The Mountain.
2. There seems to be a great temptation to keep Jesus in the manger all year long. The cute, helpless Baby will not challenge us very much. Sure, we can acknowledge that Baby Jesus is the Son of God, but we do not have to respond to Him as Savior of our life.
3. We buy on the delayed installment plan – Christmas now – Easter whenever.
4. The Bible reminds us that was not God’s plan – Jesus was not going to stay for long in the manger.
B. 40 days after Jesus’ birth, God brought Simeon to the center stage of history.
1. His blessing on Joseph & Mary brought home the complete message of Christmas
2. The message was not about a Baby, but a Messiah
3. The cost of the message was challenging, difficult and painful.
THEME: The Cost of Christmas includes:
Cause of salvation that challenges all peoples (v 34)
Contradiction of the truth of God’s sign is futile (v 34)
Calvary payment plan is painful, yet necessary (v 35)
MESSAGE:
A. CAUSE OF SALVATION IS THE CHOICE OFFERED BY JESUS
1. Jesus would be the cause of the falling & rising of many in Israel (v 34)
2. God sent Son Jesus Christ to the people for 3 reasons:
a. We needed a friend – What A Friend We Have in Jesus
Peace we often forfeit; needless pain we bear
Because not carry everything to God in prayer
Weak & heavy laden; cumbered with load care
Precious Savior still our refuge; take to Lord in prayer
b. We needed a Savior – who seek & save what lost (Luke 19:10)
(1) In Him was the life that was the light of all people (John 1:4)
(2) Whoever believes Him will not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)
c. We needed a change – anyone in Christ is a new creation (2 Cor 5:12)
3. Illustration: Bret Harte’s The Luck of Roaring Camp is about the meanest, toughest mining town in the Old West [Rodney Buchanan, sermoncentral.com]. Cherokee Sal became pregnant by an unknown father. She died giving birth, but the baby lived. The miners put the baby in a box with rags. One of them thought a box didn’t seem right, so he rode 80 miles to get a rosewood cradle. Another miner went to Sacramento and bought silk & a blanket. They scrubbed dirty floors & walls, put curtains on windows, so the baby would have a clean place to live. Since the baby slept a lot, they had to stop their loud drunken brawls. The temperament & behavior in Roaring Camp became more pleasant; all because of a baby.
4. Of course, not everybody in world is changed by the Baby Jesus
B. CONTRADICTION ARISES TO THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD
1. Those like King Herod would not accept the prophecy (Matt 2:3)
2. A High Priest at Jesus’ trial refused to believe He is Christ, the Son of God (Matt 26:65)
3. Roman soldiers took a bribe to contradict the resurrection (Matt 28:15)
4. Simeon told Mary that her Baby would be a sign spoken against (v 34)
5. The truth of this sign is found in Jesus Christ, yet many try contradict the sign
a. Jews acknowledge Jesus was real, but contradict His divine nature
b. Muslims claim Jesus was prophet like Mohammed, but not God
c. Mormons contradict truth that Christ is the God, not one of many
d. Jehovah Witnesses speak against the Word is God
e. Judges & ACLU speak against displaying this sign
6. Even many who claim to be Christian have eyes on Jesus, but speak against Him from their hearts
7. The Cost of Christmas is too great for such groups & individuals
a. If they admit the Baby in manger is God, then they are forced to change their life
b. Christ’s atoning death & resurrection leave no room for interpretation
c. So, man think it is better to contradict the sign than give up their old lifestyle & beliefs
d. Many avoid looking at the manger lest the thoughts of their heart be revealed
C. COST OF CHRISTMAS ALWAYS INCLUDES THE CALVARY PAYMENT PLAN
1. Simeon told Mary that a sword would pierce her own soul (v 35)
2. The Calvary payment plan would be very painful for her
a. All of the Gospels have Mary at the crucifixion, directly or indirectly
b. She stood at a distance from the cross, likely in great distress
c. Yet there is something absent from the Gospels that is of great significance. Mary did not cry out to stop the death of her Son – why?? She knew from the beginning who Jesus is & what He must do. As painful as it must have been, she knew it was God’s payment plan for us.
3. Maybe this Calvary payment plan is too painful for us. It is a cost of Christmas we want to avoid. We can surely empathize with how much pain Jesus had to endure. Perhaps the great pain we feel at Christmas is the realization that Jesus took our place.
4. Part of our pain is knowing we inflicted it on the Baby in manger. Our sins yanked the Baby out of the manger and threw Him on the cross.
5. Imagine the pain Jesus felt as nails were driven into Him. Nails that had our name on them.
6. As I drive these nails into this piece of wood, think for a moment of the pain God endured because of us.
a. Nails driven because of our dishonor, lies, murder, adultery
b. Nails driven by hate for others, our lack concern for neighbors
c. Nails through Jesus because we denied Christ entry into our lives
d. Nails of secularism to hide our disobedience
ALTAR CALL:
A. As these nails are driven into the wooden cross, let me ask you a question:
1. Were you there when they crucified My Lord?
2. Yes you were, we all were
3. Sing accapella Were You There
B. What do those nails mean to you, what will you do about them?
1. Is there a nail representing your reluctance to let Christ be your Lord
2. Are there nails that signify your living apart from the Body of Christ?
3. Are there nails with your name on them for unrepented sin?
4. Maybe today you can ask the Holy Spirit to remove a nail – as we continue to sing Were You There
