Introduction: The Christmas pageant at FIRST CHURCH was always a highlight of the holidays for the members of the church. The director took great pains to make sure everything was perfect for the performance.
Lines were memorized, costumes were created and everything was just right for the annual event.
As time went by the director became more focused on the performance of the pageant rather than the message of the season. She began to make demands on the children, which seemed a bit unfair. Only the children with the best behavior and best attendance were able to participate.
This upset many of the parents and they took their concerns to the pastor. Words were exchanged and soon the long time director quit.
With only 2 weeks until Christmas, the parents threw together a new pageant. All the children of the church were invited to a part of the program, regardless of behavior or attendance.
The parents thought the KJV of the Christmas story was too hard for the children to memorize, so they opted for the Good News Version, a modern translation.
On the night of the pageant, all was going well until the Narrator came to the part about Joseph finding out Mary was pregnant. Years before the narrator had used the words “with child”, but a young man hearing the word pregnant began to giggle uncontrollably. From there it only got worse; several of the children forgot their lines. Others forgot to go on the stage at the right time.
The former director had a look on her face that said, “I told you so”
Then something interesting started to happen. The unruly boys dressed as shepherds came to the former director, in a great act of respect and appreciation presented here with a gift, and asked her to have the closing prayer.
As she walked to the front of the church, people noticed it began to snow outside. Millie Jones who was hard of hearing leaned over to her husband and in a whisper that could be heard a block away said. “PERFECT, JUST PERFECT”
We all want a perfect Christmas, A Christmas suitable for a Norman [INSERT NORMAN ROCKWELL PRINT IN PPT] Rockwell Print, A Christmas that warms the heart and refreshes the soul.
Many people this year will not have perfect Christmas…
• The Iraqi Ward has robbed children, moms and dads from a perfect Christmas
• Some will not have a perfect Christmas because of economic reasons, debts are mounting up and they wonder is there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
• Others are experiencing a strained relationship with family members and this causing the upcoming holidays to be less than perfect.
• For others this is the first Christmas without a loved one who has passed on and the holidays just don’t seem the same.
Knowing we will not always have a perfect Christmas – we should strive to have a RIGHT Christmas.
For there to be a right Christmas there must be a right focus. Someone has coined the phrase, “Let’s put Christ back into Christmas”. The truth of the matter it has been awhile since Christ has been the focus of Christmas.
I read in 1594, Christmas was canceled in the New England Community of Salem because of “too much frivolity and worldliness”, and was not reestablished for 23 years.
Not much as changed in the last 400 years it seems we still have a wrong focus when it comes to the Christmas season.
However, it may be simple and we have heard it for years – “Jesus is the reason for the season” But is that true?
Let us look at our text this morning and discover the true focus of Christmas.
Play Visual Bible Matthew 1:18-25
From this passage, Matthew tells us the true focus of Christmas
1. Christmas is about Salvation
A. To understand Christmas one must look not in the gospels but in the book of Genesis
In the Garden of Eden, we find perfect harmony, Man and woman enjoying fellowship with their creator. Yet in Genesis 3, harmony becomes chaos. Sin introduced by the Serpent brings about changes in the relationships of God and his creation. One word defines the change – SEPARATION. Moreover, the separation brought about several consequences
B. First Adam & Eve experienced the aging process that would eventually lead to their death.
In their perfect state, they knew no pain, but because of sin their bodies began to deteriorate. There would be aging, suffering, soft skin would give way to wrinkles, eyes would dim and eventually death would come.
C. Second result of sin, all of creation would change
In the first two chapters of Genesis one phrase is used repeatedly – it is good. God’s creation was good; God was designing a perfect creation for his servant Adam, no shortcuts, no leftovers. Yet because of sin all of creation is altered. Thorns and weeds now grow next to flowers and fruits.
D. The third result of sin was God and man’s relationship was severed.
Before sin, Adam and God enjoyed an intimate relationship, walking in the garden together. After sin, God appeared in many forms from a burning bush to a small voice. Sinful man would never walk with God again.
E. The fourth result of sin was one of sacrifice.
After God had banished Adam and Eve from the garden, he replaced their leaf clothing with animal skins. God was teaching Adam and eve, they could not cover their own sins. They were not self-sufficient, an innocent animal would have to die to cover their sin. Thousands of years before Jesus was born God was giving us a preview of our saviors life.
Matthew 1:21, She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
F. FINALLY, the greatest separation came in the life of Jesus himself.
For the first time ever, God and his son were separated because of sin. Sin compelled Jesus to come to earth as a baby to grow up as a man and to face the cross. Our sin that allowed God to show the full extent of his love. Understand when we say Jesus is the reason for the season, that is only partly true – You and I are the reason there is Christmas, you and I are the reason there had to be Christmas.
The focus of Christmas is not simply a holiday celebration, Christmas is a reminder we all need salvation.
To have a Right Christmas we must also understand…
2. Christmas is about God changing locations.
Matthew 1:23, "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us."
Max Lucado says we sometimes lose the majesty of Christmas in the mundane
• We see the gifts
• We enjoy the season
• We share with family and friends
• We feel a little more generous at this time of the year.
Lucado reminds us, “Let’s not lose the majesty of Christmas, somehow the God who created everything, allowed His son to become a baby.
• The One who had unlimited power, would now allow His son to become powerless in the form of a baby.
• The One who was clothed in majesty, was wrapped in swaddling cloth
• The One, who walked the streets of Heaven, would now be born in a barn.
• The One who had no needs, was now dependant on a young mother
There are three words that describe Jesus on that first Christmas which help us to have the right focus on the season.
A. Humility
Before the birth of Christ, no royalty would ever show their humility. That would be too human, too common. Kings have parades & entourages to draw the focus toward them.
When Queen Elizabeth last visited America, she brought with her the following items
• 4000 pounds of luggage – 4 outfits for everyday she was in America
• 40 pints of plasma
• Her own hairdresser
• Two valets
• An official photographer
• Two personal secretaries
• THE COST OF HER TRIP TO AMERICA WAS 20 MILLION DOLLARS
In meek contrast, God’s visit to earth took place in an animal stable, no attendants were present, there was no place for the baby to lay down except in a feeding trough known as a manger. In fact, the event, which divided history and our calendars, went by unnoticed except for a few shepherds who came by for a visit.
Why did God chose to come by such humble means? God was teaching in the first Christmas – regardless of your stature in life, you could accept his son.
2 Corinthians 8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
B. He was also approachable
Can you comprehend what means for God to lay in a manger? To be so open? So approachable? In the Old Testament God was anything but approachable.
• When Moses came upon the burning bush, he was commanded to remove his shoes for he was on Holy Ground
• Isaiah tells us when he was brought into the throne room of God he cried “Woe is Me I am undone” fearing death was at hand
• The Jewish children knew the lessons well, Touch the Ark of the Covenant and you die, enter the Holy of Holies and you never come out alive.
However, on that first Christmas, what could be more approachable than a newborn baby?
Have you ever noticed how people react when a baby is in the room? People have a desire to touch, hold and talk to a baby. The baby becomes the center of attention.
I wonder what it must have been like for the shepherds on the first Christmas; they arrived at the stable, they find no sentries to guard the entrance, no one to announce their presence to the king. Simply a father, a mother and baby, waiting to greet the world.
C.S. Lewis – Christmas is the time when the Son of God became man so, that men may becomes the Sons of God.
For thousands of years it was understood, sinful man and a holy God could not exist together, but on the first Christmas God was teaching us once again He was approachable in the form of a baby.
C. The Third word that helps draw our focus is Courage
Did you ever notice how much courage was displayed on the first Christmas?
• Mary – She would give birth to the Christ Child, having never known a man. Her only explanation, an Angel told her these things. God had not spoken to Israel in 400 years and now he was speaking through a young unwed mother – IT TOOK COURAGE TO BE MARY
• Joseph – He would take care of Mary, He would make her his wife, and he too would have only the word of an angel for assurance. Joseph demonstrated courage and stood by Mary regardless of public opinion or scandal.
• The most courageous person had to be Christ himself – listen to how Paul described the life of Jesus.
Philippians 2:5-8, 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 wonder what it must have been like when our savior experienced hunger, pain, or rejection. The Christmas carol “Away in the Manger” gives us the idea the manger was a safe place for a baby, but in truth, by becoming a baby he exposed himself to all the frailties of a human including that of death. Why did Jesus show such courage, simply put he loved us.
I am dreaming of a RIGHT Christmas – a Christmas with the right focus
• A Christmas where we focus on Jesus, God’s only son, given as a ransom for our sins
• A Christmas where we focus on the savior who brings hope to a hopeless situation
• A Christmas where we worship God and not the gifts under the tree
• A Christmas where we focus on a King who demonstrated his humility, approachability and courage
Friends that is a RIGHT Christmas
Christmas can only be right, when we are right with God. This year what is your focus?
PRAYER
