Sermon for 12/26/2004
Different
Introduction:
For 30 years, Randy Murphy drove without a traffic incident, without being stopped by the police, and without a driver’s license. Then, the 46 year old Knoxville, Tennessee native’s luck ran out. On his way home from work as a dishwasher, he increased the volume on his radio. Turning the corner he was stopped by police officer Mark Taylor who pulled him over because of the blaring music. When Officer Taylor asked Murphy for a driver’s license, Murphy admitted he didn’t have one. What would we expect in that situation?
Officer Taylor asked Murphy why he didn’t have a license. Murphy said that he couldn’t read enough to pass the written test. With uncommon courtesy, Taylor told Murphy, if you’re willing, I’d like to help you with the reading part of the test. The police officer gave Murphy his pager number. Later that afternoon, Murphy paged Taylor to schedule their first meeting. For the next three months the men met several times a week to review the test booklet. When Murphy felt ready, Taylor accompanied him to the department of motor vehicles. Murphy took the test six times before he passed and then sailed through the road test. Taylor’s act of kindness earned him the Officer of the Month award from the Knoxville Police Department.
WBTU:
A. Jesus is different.
B. Chuck Colson, of Prison Fellowship, tells about a prison in Sao Do Campos, Brazil, which is run according to Christian principles. The prison only has two people on its staff. The inmates do everything else. Each prisoner has another to whom he is accountable. Every prisoner goes to chapel or takes a course in character formation. Each prisoner is assigned to a volunteer family outside the prison that makes him a part of their family. The rate of return for crimes after release is 4% compared to 75% in other Brazilian prisons.
When Colson visited the prison to discover the secret of their success, a prisoner took him to what at one time was an isolation cell. When the door opened, Colson saw a beautifully carved wooden figure of Jesus hanging on the cross. The prisoner pointed to the figure of Jesus and whispered, "He’s doing time for all of us." Jesus made the sacrifice for you. He went alone to the solitary confinement of our cross and did our time—all of it. That means you are completely forgiven!
That’s what makes Jesus different from everything else in the world! Only one religion gives us a Savior who has done it all for us. Only one religion offers complete forgiveness.
C. A got this sermon idea from Gene Woolard, the preacher at the Shattalon Church of Christ in Winston Salem. He sent us a Christmas card last year and this is what it said.
Thesis: Jesus had a different kind of birth; He had a different kind of kingdom; and He wore a different kind of crown
For instances:
He had a different Kind of Birth
A. Why didn’t Joseph just go without Mary?
B. The troubles of transporting a pregnant wife.
C. How many were born at home?
D. Jesus was not born at home but even worse in a barn.
E. The unsanitary conditions and the smells in a barn.
F. Jesus was laid in a feed trough.
G. Shepherds were the first ones to come. Old smelly shepherds, usually not respected in society.
H. Oh, but what about the kings from the East. They didn’t come until several days later when Jesus and family were in a house. Matthew 2:11- And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped him.
I. I was thinking this past week about the day after the birth of Jesus. That night, Christmas Eve, Jesus was born in a stable. The shepherds came and then the next morning I am sure that Mary and Joseph got out of that barn. They found a place to stay, a house, and they were there until 33 days later when they took Jesus to the temple to have a sacrifice made to the Lord for him. It wasn’t far from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Every first born male needed to go to the temple and have this sacrifice made according to the Law of Moses. This is where we see Simeon and Anna coming up and giving thanks and prophesying about this baby. Evidently Joseph and Mary go back to Bethlehem and then we see the Magi coming and then they take off for Egypt. They are in Egypt for a few years until the death of Herod and then they finally return to their hometown of Nazareth.
J. Could you imagine the life of Joseph? He is a carpenter in Nazareth, a skilled job. This would have made him a member of the middle class. He wants a wife so he becomes engaged to Mary. This is when his life is turned upside down as it is for many men. Before they come together, Mary is found pregnant. Joseph wants to put her away quietly and not have anything to do with her when an angel appears to him and says that this Child is of the Holy Spirit. He takes her and makes her his wife and then they all have to go to Bethlehem because of the census. The baby is born in Bethlehem and so they have to stay there for many days. Joseph has to find a place for them to stay, the first night in the stable and then a house. Then they have to flee to Egypt where Joseph has to find another place for them to stay. He has to find work in Bethlehem and now in Egypt. After a few years he is finally able to go back to Nazareth and set up his carpentry business and raise his family. I am sure that he breathed a sigh of relief when they all were back in Nazareth. This is a lot for any man to do. So many changes! Not what he would have wanted.
K. Think about the incarnation. Said 2 weeks ago that it was a miracle. No male component. Had a good question: Today we can determine the father of a child by a paternity test. What would have Jesus’ paternity test revealed? I guess it would have said the Holy Spirit, it would not have said Joseph.
L. A virgin gave birth. Think about Mary. No, really, God did this!
He had a different kind of kingdom
A. (John 18:36 NIV) Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."(John 18:37 NIV) "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
B. Andrew Daughters- What kind of kingdom has Jesus? Neither castle nor palace has he. Neither congress nor parliament sitting, deciding what laws there will be. He has neither army nor navy; no air force to guard the frontiers to keep out the strangers unwanted and maintain the enemy’s fears. Immigration he seems to encourage, of some quite disreputable, like fisherman, publicans, sinners. To such he is hospitable. It seems there’s no revenue service or taxes we must calculate. He surely cannot run a kingdom on what we put into the plate! No 1040 form comes in April to fill out before the fifteenth, with penalties charged for nonpayment, beginning upon the sixteenth. No currency’s here with his picture, no coinage engraved with his name. And where are the posters and slogans proclaiming his power and fame? And I see no trappings of kingship, no robes made of velvet and fur, no crown made of gold set with diamonds, to befit our supreme arbiter. Jesus said that his kingdom was really not what Pilate had thought it had been. It was not of this world. And its glory was not of the kind to be seen. For those of us here in his kingdom, there is one other thing we have known: of the kingdoms around in his lifetime, it’s the only one left with a throne.
C. The Romans were scared of the Christians because their allegiance was not to the Emperor but to Jesus Christ. Our first allegiance as Christians is not to the US but to Christ. We are members of the same kingdom as people in other cultures and nations.
D. We have different hearts. We have the heart of Christ. We have a new attitude. We have new motives to please Christ. We are interested in God’s Word.
E. WE have a new family. We have a changed purpose. We have a changed destination when we die.
F. (Mat 20:25 NIV) Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.(Mat 20:26 NIV) Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(Mat 20:27 NIV) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--(Mat 20:28 NIV) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
G. There is the story is told of Booker T. Washington. He was an African American who went from being a child of slaves to the president of a college. While he was president, a woman walked up to him who didn’t recognize him, and said to him, “Why don’t you come over here and chop some wood for me.” She probably looked at the color of his skin and assumed that he was an ex-slave looking for work. Mr. Washington didn’t resist. He politely chopped wood for the lady, and after it was all over – it took awhile - she gave him a couple coins and said, “Now be on your way.” A few days later this lady discovered that this man was the president of the local college. And so she went to the college and visited him in his office, and apologized for treating him in such a low manner. But Mr. Washington was humble. He said, “I don’t mind working, and I had the time, so I was happy to do it. I believe in being humble, and chopping wood was the perfect way for me to be humble that day.” That’s humility. There’s no “me-first” attitude there. Just being humble.
He wore a different kind of crown
A. (Mat 27:27 NIV) Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him.(Mat 27:28 NIV) They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,(Mat 27:29 NIV) and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him (Paid homage to him- Mark) and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said.(Mat 27:30 NIV) They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.
B. At this point the gospel of John tells us: (John 19:4 NIV) Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him."(John 19:5 NIV) When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"(John 19:6 NIV) As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!"
C. After this Matthew says: They took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
D. Think about that crown of thorns and how painful that was.
E. Jesus was not crowed to rule, but for death. He was crowned, not for worship, but for sarcasm. He wore this crown, not for himself, but for you and for me.
F. It was a crown of disgrace but by the power of God, he transformed it into the most spectacular crown ever beheld by mankind.
Conclusion:
B. He invites us to live in a different kind of Kingdom
C. He invites us to wear a different kind of Crown. The crown of righteousness, the crown of glory and the crown of life. A crown that will never fade away and a crown that will last forever.
A. He invites us to a different kind of birth.
(John 3:3 NIV) In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."(John 3:4 NIV) "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!"(John 3:5 NIV) Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
