Play video clip - Charlie Brown Christmas
Scene 6
How fascinating – a cartoon classic in its simplicity brings us back to the basics.
Just as, every Christmas, we intend with all our hearts to bring the message of Christ to our broader community, we often work as hard trying not to lose focus in an effort to keep the truth clear in our own hearts.
I get great amusement when Glenys gets on a role with chivalry – new love! We see an ‘older’ couple walking – no, prancing – to their car, hand in hand. He walks to the passenger side of the vehicle and opens the door for her. Glenys, observing the playful frivolity, comments, “Must be their second marriage” (as I rush around the car to get the door!)
o Novelty of Christ and Christmas can wear thin with time – dangerous place to be – our purpose and definition rests in it! Friends, we need to fall in love with Jesus all over again, as if for the first time!
(Have prayer for fresh insight and experience)
We have a wooden nativity of Mary, Joseph and Jesus that sits outside our house and at night a yellow spotlight shines directly on it. It kept blowing over from its position. As I continued trying different things to keep it in place, my mind began to think of a lesson in this annoying problem. A lot of people have chosen to let the winds of the times topple the Foundation of Salvation as an insignificant message. It is no more to them than my piece of plywood that would soon be propped against the garage wall when Christmas is over.
Then I wondered why it was so important to me and my wife and family to anchor it, to keep it in place. For me, it is more than a piece of plywood. It is a representation of my faith. Many of us have chosen to anchor our very lives and existence to the Promise (Jesus) and confident conviction, “God is with us”!
Once I knew the nativity was anchored for the Season, another question came to mind. How do I know I’m still connected? What are the checks and balances to help me gauge how deeply I am connected to God’s plan and design for me and that we are really in relationship? How do you know?
We know we are in relationship and deeply connected when the birth of Christ:
1. Determines our priorities – v. 15
We need to briefly touch down here to understand something of the shepherds’ cultural and working realities, to fully appreciate what is happening here. An unblemished lamb was offered in the temple for the morning and evening sacrifices. The flocks used for this were pastured near Bethlehem so it is likely that the shepherds were caring for these particular sheep.
This work was menial. Because the details of ceremonial cleansing were meticulous with regards to hand-washings, rules and regulations, the shepherds would most often not have been part of the sacrificial process and worship. As a result, the orthodox community would have had little to do with, or respect for, this company of shepherds.
How appropriate that Mary’s Lamb, the perfect, unblemished Son of God, was heralded to these very shepherds and they were the very first to look upon him!
It is no small consideration to think on the act of the shepherds of leaving the sheep to pasture unattended and cared for. Adding to that the possibility that these could have been the Temple flock only compounds the extent of the responsibility. To leave the sheep without a shepherd to protect them from wolves and opportunists, who would quickly steal for themselves, was the height of irresponsible and careless conduct. Only a life-altering experience would motivate a shepherd to neglect their livelihood, risk losing their jobs and likely be in debt with compensation demands due to loss of assets.
Why not stay where they were and let the Christ come to them? Surely over time they would see him and achieve the same experience. No, they knew. They knew this was no ordinary King or commonplace night. Their experience of faith was so profound that all sense of reason and orderliness was stripped away. There is only one thing any sane person can do when heaven speaks to your heart --- run after it! Cast off rational process and step out into faith. Only faith would have them run to Bethlehem as if this thing was true! Only a confident trust in the message they had heard would push them to run until their lungs hurt as they scouted up the terraced fields toward Bethlehem which sat atop the hill.
Look closely at your priorities. The things that consume your time, energy, money and investment are the things that define who you are and what is important to you.
One guy knows sports inside out but doesn’t know Genesis from Matthew or the Bible from Romeo and Juliet. She can color-coordinate a room but doesn’t know how to explain the simple ABC’s of her faith or paint the mystery of her salvation to a neighbor. They can talk for hours over a coffee and apple strudel but begin to yawn or tune out 10 minutes into prayer. He can strip a car down and put it back together but he is intimidated to think about joining the men’s study group to strip away the façade and get dirty in the reconstruction of his faith.
We know we are in relationship and deeply connected when the birth of Christ:
2. Changes our hearts – v. 17, 20
Someone so aptly said, “Happiness is a spiritual experience which breaks through the shell of common things.”
How glad we are that the story did not end with “And the shepherds returned.” – They returned to their work and wrapped their coats around them to stay warm, as before. Now they fireworks and show was over, life resumed as before. No, the story says, “And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen!” The shepherds realised God was with them! Because of this they spread the word everywhere!
The shepherds had a spiritual experience that broke through the shell of common things. Tending sheep was now more than a job. It was part of a greater plan, by a Higher Being, with a cosmic purpose and plan for them!
One theologian, in studying this passage, alleged, “What we must learn is to be quiet before the voices which speak to us of the unseen reality of life. Those voices may come in forms no more impressive than those of the shepherds; but they come...Before such messengers there can at least be wonder, and it is wonder that opens the mind and heart to the truth.”
Some of the less impressive forms that brought to me the manifestations of God this week came in a variety of forms: a hug; spare ribs left in the fridge; an encouraging email about my ministry; a pot of coffee brewed with me in mind; close friends; laughter with family.
When we get up in the morning, it is God’s design for us not to be going to work, but to be going out with him to shape the world for his cosmic purposes! How cool is that?
We know we are in relationship and deeply connected when the birth of Christ:
3. Draws the attention of our audience – v. 18
Many were amazed by the shepherds’ words. What a tremendous shift from being ignored to being noticed.
When we have something of substance we will attract a lot of attention, personally and as a church. The world is searching for truth. On Friday, December 2, 2005, ISP NEWS – written by Net 4 Now – posted the results of Yahoo’s commissioned survey with 1,000 people (Britons). The survey found a nation of soul-searchers. 51% of the respondents are searching the Bible for the answers to life and the internet has a close 46% of the respondents searching the web for the same answer. Only 1 out of ten actually believe they’ll find the answers they are looking for.”
The Centre for Research and Information on Canada conducted a survey in September of last year (2004) to explore the importance of religious practice in the lives of Canadians. In just twenty years the importance of religious practice has slipped from 79% to 61%. Those who say it is no longer important has increased from 20% to 36%.
Many Canadians have chosen the alternative. More and more of us are choosing to allow the winds of the times topple our faith over so that it doesn’t matter and every day is becoming life as usual – work like we did yesterday, embrace routine and nothing’s changed. There is nothing of eternal significance or value happening in our lives, in our city or in our world. We simply exist for what we can achieve and acquire and we live for now for that is all there is.
We need to decide how Jesus fits into the equation of our lives. We must evaluate if He truly is The Reason for the Season or Christmas is a Season with no particular Reason.
WRAP
When we are in meaningful relationship with God and are in pursuit, honestly, with his plan and design for us, it will determine our priorities, change our hearts (perspective on life) and draw the attention of people around us.
Maybe, if we take the message of Christmas seriously enough, we can change that Canadian statistic so that in the next twenty years there might not only be 79% again that believe religious practice is of value but maybe 85% could be there.
Mary had a little Lamb.
His name is Jesus.
Where does it fit in your plans?
