A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS:
A GREATER MIRACLE THAN THE ONE ON 34TH STREET
Matthew 1:18-25
INTRODUCTION:
A. Over the past few years I have had a growing appreciation for some of the old classic movies
1. I suppose that it all began with April and Alan getting involved in the plays at school
a. The first play that April was in was "Guys and Dolls"
b. After we watched the play I decided to get the movie from the library starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra
2. Last year April and Alan (along with several others from our congregation) were involved with "It’s a Wonderful Life" which is probably my favorite holiday movie
B. I thought that it might be interesting if we were to look at some of these old Christmas classics as we lead up to Christmas
1. Last week I borrowed that old holiday classic from the library which starred Natalie Wood, way back in the year of 1947
a. The movie was "Miracle on 34th Street"
b. Now I know that you’re not suppose to talk about Santa Claus in church, but I can assure you that he has made quite a dent in my checkbook for several years now.
ILL> Someone said that there are 4 stages in the life of a man;
you believe in Santa Claus
you don’t believe in Santa Claus
you are Santa Claus
you look like Santa Claus
2. In this movie a little girl by the name of Susan has been taught by her mother to only believe in things that are concrete and reasonable
a. When a fellow by the name of Kris Kringle is put on trial for claiming to be Santa Claus, Susan’s mother’s new boyfriend, Fred, is called upon to defend Kris in court.
b. Not knowing any other way to defend Kris, Fred announces to the world that he is going to prove that this man really is Santa Claus, much to the chagrin of Susan’s mother who only believes in things that are safe and reasonable.
c. Show movie clip - TRACK 16
C. It may be unintentional, but this clip points out an important truth about the Christmas story
D. I wanted to start this series with a clip from "Miracle on 34th Street" because the foundation of the Christmas message is all about miracles
1. Matthew, one of the apostles, writes about a few of these miracles in the first chapter of his gospel
a. READ: Matthew 1:18-25
I>THE MIRACLE OF INCARNATION (Vs 18)
A. As you read through the Bible there are some things that go beyond reason–that goes beyond what are normal, everyday happenings
1. For example, Jonah spending 3 days and nights in the belly of a fish before being spued on a Ninevite beach
2. What about the Red Sea parting and allowing the Israelites to walk across on dry ground
a. Can you imagine the wind speed that would be required to blow a path across a body of water?
b. That’s something the we probably will never see?
3. Then’s there’s Baalim’s donkey that turns his head and has a conversation with his master
4. Well, somewhere in that list you would have to put the resurrection
a. Accept in movies, people don’t rise from the dead everyday
b. After Jesus was crucified, He was put in a tomb, but the tomb was not able to hold Him
c. Three days later Jesus rose from the grave, proclaiming His victory over sin, hell, and death!
5. Hollywood doesn’t have anything on the Creator of the Universe–He really is the Master of special effects
QUOTE> Fred, "Miracle on 34th Street"
"Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to."
B. The passage that we just read a few minutes ago contains another challenge to what is considered reasonable
1. VS 18 - Mary was pregnant without ever having been with a man
a. While some may have tried that defense over the years, this is the only time that I know of throughout history where it is actually considered as fact
b. Somehow God sent His Holy Spirit upon Mary and she became pregnant
c. The act of God becoming a person in human form is referred to as the incarnation
ILL> A little girl went to her mother one day and asked, "Mommy, where did I come from?"
The mother knew that this day was going to come and had dreaded having this discussion, but she was prepared. She pulled out a book that she had bought for this discussion and began sharing with her daughter about the birds and the bees and how children were brought into the world.
After the mother was done with her talk the little girl said, "That’s nice mommy. But Jimmy says he’s from Oklahoma and I was just wondering where I had come from."
2. Once we understand how we were brought into the world, then it goes against reason to think that a woman could bring a child into the world and still be a virgin
a. This goes against the laws of science and fact
b. And that is where faith comes in
3. VS 23
a. John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
b. The birth of Jesus was unnatural, unexplainable, and unequaled
4. So why did God have His Son be born into a world in a very natural, but also a very unique way?
a. To show that we have a God who understands what we go through
Jesus experienced the pains of growing up
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
b. To show His power through Jesus
walked on water
healed the deaf and the sick
made those who were blind able to see
Fed a crowd of 5000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish
He faced death and won
And He has declared that He will return someday–He is coming again and will take His people home!
C. There’s something we need to grasp from all of this
1. If He was born this way and did all these things, what problem could you possible have in your life that He is incapable of dealing with?
a. You see, Christmas is so much more than giving presents and going to parties
b. It’s about the power to accomplish the impossible
c. It’s about the Good News of Christ’s birth
d. Christmas reminds us that God cares! He cares about your struggles and your pains
e. He cares about your life–and He has a proven record that nothing is beyond His power and ability
2. Let’s talk about a 2nd miracle found in this passage
II> MIRACLE OF INNOCENCE (Vs 21)
A. Jesus, just like every other child born into the world, was born in innocence
1. Yet, as we grow and make improper choices and choose to sin, we lose that innocence--We are guilty
a. And once we lose that innocence we can do nothing on our own to ever get it back
b. Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
c. Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. And that’s where this 2nd miracle comes in
a. Not only was God giving us His Son, but He was giving the opportunity to regain our innocence before Him
b. VS 21 - Jesus, he will save his people from their sins
c. The name means "to save" - same as the name Joshua in the OT
d. When Jesus went to the cross he took upon Himself our sins
e. 1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
B. Through Jesus Christ, God declares us righteous, or innocent
1. The Bible talks about this in at least 3 different ways
a. He Covers Sin
Psalm 32:1
Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
b. He Cleanses Sin
Psalm 51:2
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
c. He Cancels Sin
C. Let me tell you why all of that is important
1. Innocence is the one thing that Christian people have that non-Christian people do not have
a. Christian people might be successful in their jobs and earn a lot of money to be comfortable, bus so can non-Christian people
b. Christian people can have great marriages and have good families, but so can non-Christian people
c. Christian people might be blessed with good health and a long life, but so might non-Christian people
2. The one factor that makes the Christian different from the non-Christian is that God sees us as innocent while He sees them as guilty
a. We are saved–they are lost
b. We will spend eternity in heaven–they will spend eternity in hell unless they invest in a relationship with Jesus Christ
3. Christmas shows us God’s plan in action
III> MIRACLE OF INDWELLING (Vs 23)
A. God with us
1. Before Jesus left His disciples He promised that He would send His Holy Spirit to them–a Comforter
a. On the first day of the Church as recorded in Acts 2, Peter said we receive God’s Holy Spirit into our lives when we are baptized into Jesus Christ
b. God with us
QUOTE> A preacher (Joe Humricheous) made this statement,
"God wants a relationship with you more than you want a relationship with Him."
c. God wants to be near
d. God wants to be involved in your life, but you must open the door to His Son
IV> CONCLUSION:
ILL> A fellow by the name of Bret Harte has written a book called, "The Luck of the Roaring Camp."
Roaring Camp was the meanest, toughest mining town in all the West. It was a horrible place to live, inhabited entirely by men, and one woman of questionable character. Her name was Cherokee Sal, and one year she got pregnant and died while giving birth.
Those men took that baby and put it inan old box with some rags in it. One of the guys said he didn’t think that looked very good, so he jumped on his horse and rode 80 miles to buy a rosewood cradle.
The cradle helped, but those rags still looked kind of nasty, so one of the guys rode into Sacramento and bought some silk blankets. Before too long someone noticed that the baby probably wasn’t too safe on that old dusty floor, so a few of the guys got on their hands and knees and scrubbed that thing spotless. It wasn’t long before the windows were cleaned, the porch was clean, the walls and ceiling were washed, and one of the guys had put some curtains up.
One night over diner one of the guys suggested they start watching their language around the baby, and have their wild parties somewhere else rather than the house. Those who observed the whole thing been noticed the guys were bathing more often, and even shaving on a regular basis.
A. The point of the story is this–that baby changed everything
1. Christmas reminds us that that baby changed everything
a. When I look at the birth of Jesus I realize that I have a God who can do anything
b. I have a God who takes away my guilt and shame
c. I have a God who wants to live inside of me.
QUOTE> Fred, "Miracle on 34th Street"
"Some day you’re going to find out that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn’t work and when you do, don’t overlook these lovely intangibles. You’ll discover they’re the only things that are worthwhile.
