“HELP – I’m Not Prepared for Christmas!”
December 3, 2006
“About this time Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the nation. (This census was taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) Everyone was required to return to his ancestral home for this registration. And because Joseph was a member of the royal line, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, King David’s ancient home--journeying there from the Galilean village of Nazareth.
He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born; and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord. They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born tonight in Bethlehem! How will you recognize him? You will find a baby wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger!"
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others--the armies of heaven--praising God: "Glory to God in the highest heaven," they sang, "and peace on earth for all those pleasing him." When this great army of angels had returned again to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on! Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." They ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.
The shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story expressed astonishment, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and often thought about them. Then the shepherds went back again to their fields and flocks, praising God for the visit of the angels, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had told them.” Luke 2:1-20 (Living)
About 5:30am Friday morning I woke up with the thought in my mind, “I’m not ready for Christmas!” And it’s like the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, “That’s what I want you to talk about Sunday. The fact of the matter is that they weren’t prepared the first Christmas either!” I quickly got dressed, didn’t shower or shave, didn’t have breakfast, but jumped in the car and drove to my office to put those thoughts together.
Part of it was that Julie and I had been talking about how we are so not ready this year for Christmas. Julie is so busy working on a stain glass consignment she promised to someone that she isn’t going to be able to send out Christmas cards or decorate the house as usual or even have open house as we normally do. If any of that is to be done – I’m going to have to find time to do it. That’s just a fact. We have to deal with it.
So the fact of the matter is that we aren’t prepared. And the fact of the matter is that they weren’t prepared that first Christmas either. What was a pregnant woman doing riding a donkey on a dusty Judean road? Have you ever ridden a donkey or a mule? Even riding a horse is bumpy enough. I watch my grandkids riding their horses with their heads flopping and little bodies bouncing up and down and am amazed a pregnant woman would even get on a donkey. I guess it was better than walking – but not much.
Then there were the sleeping arrangements. There was no hotel.com in those days. No Chamber of Commerce with a list of lodging for them. So they were certainly unprepared for a baby to be born. It was bad enough to have to sleep in a barn because there was no preparation for them in town – but to have your baby born in a stinky, bacteria ridden, barn? No. They were not prepared that first Christmas.
But there’s good news. The fact is that God was. Christmas didn’t catch God by surprise. He was planning on it before He ever created the world. Paul wrote:
“… I have been sent to bring faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know God’s truth--the kind of truth that changes lives--so that they can have eternal life, which God promised them before the world began…” Titus 1:1 (Living)
“For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him--and all along he knew who would--should become like his Son…” Romans 8:29 (Living)
“ … long ages ago he planned that we should spend our lives in helping others.” Eph 2:10 (Living)
God is never caught by surprise. That’s a fact. He is not bound by space and time like we are. He knew you before you were ever born. He had plans for you before you were even thought of. From the beginning of time God planned what you were to do and what you were to become. He is prepared to take you through whatever you need to go through to accomplish His plans for you. And not only that – He is also preparing an eternal place for you right now. Jesus said,
“There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly.” John 14:2 (Living)
Well, the facts are that God is prepared for man. He prepared for man’s fall, his salvation, and our eternal life. God is prepared. But we don’t do such a good job of it. Is there anything we can do to prepare for Christmas this year?
Well, as a matter of fact – there is. I’ve made a little acrostic of the word FACT. The ‘F” stands for formulate. If Christmas is going to be meaningful to you this year you are going to have to formulate a plan. The Bible says that God is not the author of confusion. Jesus said we are to prepare. He said,
“… don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if he has enough money to pay the bills?”
Luke 14:28 (Living)
I think God is organized and has it all together. He plans and anticipates and prepares. Don’t you think it would be a good idea if we did the same? What is it that you want out of Christmas? What do you want to accomplish? A lot of us just ‘go with the flow’. We do our Christmas shopping without a thought or plan. It’s Christmas - so we go to the store and spend. We buy way too much. We go way overboard. We hock the happiness of the new year by starting off in a huge hole. Don’t do it. Formulate a plan to make Christmas good. Formulate a plan to make Christmas a wonderful spiritual experience.
The F stands for Formulate. The A in Fact stands for Anticipate. As you are facing the Christmas season unprepared you may dread it – instead of anticipating it. As you formulate your plan it will help you to anticipate the season. How do you build anticipation? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s with a little knowledge of what’s to come. Remember checking out those presents when you were a kid? You would shake them and listen to them and lift up the lid to get a peek at what was inside. Maybe anticipation is build like that; by getting a glimpse of the presents in our future. God does that for us, doesn’t He? Listen:
“And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for all God gives to his Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.” Romans 8:17-18 (Living)
“… no mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord.” 1 Cor 2:9 (Living)
Mere man, worldly man can’t even imagine what God is preparing for us who love the Lord. We can get a glimpse, though I imagine it is just a small idea of what is to come, because the Holy Spirit tells us. Listen to what He communicates:
“I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, "Look, the home of God is now among men, and he will live with them and they will be his people; yes, God himself will be among them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever." Rev 21:3-4 (Living)
“…when the Head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor.” 1 Peter 5:4 (Living)
I don’t know about you, but that makes me anticipate what’s coming. I think we are living in the end times – but we don’t have to fear it. We don’t have to dread it. We can anticipate it – because God let us take a peek at the presents to come. He gives us a look in the future. We know what’s coming and we can welcome it.
The “C” in FACT stands for celebrate. We need to celebrate Christmas. I’m going to find a way to put up the lights. We will find a way to have Christmas dinner with loved ones. We will go to more than one Christmas program and probably to more than one party. I have three parties to go to from work alone. The owner of the company is sending us from the Mount Shasta Building Supply store on the dinner train. Julie and I get to enjoy the dinner train next week. What a fun way to start off the Christmas season. Then I have the contractors Christmas party and the employee’s Christmas party. The Nazarene Church in Yreka has invited Julie and I to spend a night up there in a motel and reserved a table for us at their Christmas program. We will have at least one Christmas party here at our church – so I think we are going to be just about partied out. But why not? We ought to celebrate Christmas. The Son of God came to earth and took on fleshly form to show us what God was like and then to die for our sins. Because He came down to earth we can go up to heaven. That’s worth celebrating! The Christmas parties and the colored lights and the decorated trees and all done in celebration for what God has done for us.
But celebrations are not solo affairs. Celebration always includes others. That first Christmas night the Bible says:
“The shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.” Luke 2:17
We have Christmas programs and parties to share the Good News that God loves us so much that He sent His Son to earth to be born in a manger so He could die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That’s worth celebrating. And that’s worth sharing. Realize what the purpose of the occasion is. It is celebration but also sharing. Share the Christ child with someone this season.
Lastly, the “T” in FACT stands for TERMINATE. What are we to terminate this season? Terminate negativity and gloom. There are more suicides committed at this time of the year than any other. Do you know why that is? I think it is because too many people have the focus on themselves and their expectations. When their expectations are not fulfilled it brings hurt and anger and bitterness and hopelessness. And when life is without hope – life is unbearable.
First, terminate self-centeredness. Don’t focus on what you don’t have – focus on what you do have. Terminate negativity and generate optimism. Whatever is true, right, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, think on THESE things, the Bible says. (Phil 4:8) Terminate gloom and choose joy. Whatever would take Christ out of Christmas – terminate it!
The FACT of the matter is that this could be the best Christmas of your life – if you choose it to be. The FACT of the matter is - this could be your LAST Christmas. We are in the end times – are you prepared in case it is? This Christmas – Formulate; Anticipate; Celebrate; and Terminate – and it will be the best Christmas season ever.
