Who would you be most like in the Christmas Story?
In seeing all of the kids running around practicing for the Christmas Play....
I’ve asked the Question to several of them, "Who are you in the Christmas Story?"
Today, I want to Ask you that Question.
I know you’re not dawning costumes and pantimining the motions.....
But As I was Meditating on the Account of the Birth of Jesus......
I could see many Parallels between the Characters the Bible Portrays and People of our day.....
And After all, Isn’t the Bible really a Mirror for us to Look into, that we might see ourselves?......
Let me Explain.....
Some folks are Represented by the Innkeeper.....
His life is represented by the words "There is no Room"
Maybe, You’ve Got alot going on in your life......
Maybe you’ve got more business than you can keep up with.....
Your world is crowded and You Have No Room For Jesus Inside.
What a sad Legacy that man left.....
He had The Opportunity of a lifetime.....
He could have been the One to Give Jesus His First Room......
He could have had a permanent place in History....but Alas, he was just to crowded with other people and things...
Some Folks are Represented by Herod.....
He said he wanted to find Jesus and worship Him....
But the Truth is -----He Only wanted to Protect His Domain.....
He couldn’t stand the thought of Someone else Ruling....
Lots of People today are just like him.
Some of them even claim they want to know Jesus....
but again.....they’re actions give them away.....
See, If we really want to know Jesus.....
His Arms are open wide.....He opened the Way to "Whosoever will, let him come."
But the Hard part for the Herod People is LETTING SOMEONE ELSE RULE.
We want to have our own way.....be in control of our own destiny.....
It’s so sad to think though that by being in control ---we loose Everything Eternally.....
Then there’s the Scribes and Pharisees.....
They Knew Jesus was coming ......but they Only
Wanted a Saviour on their own terms......
They Loved their Position in Life.....
The Glamour .....the Prestige......the Power......
Too many today won’t serve Jesus because He Will not come on their terms.
We have to Come to Jesus on His Terms.....
We have to acknowledge All that We Are Not......All that we Need......
Before we can See our way clear to Accept Him.....
When Jesus comes the 2nd Time.....Many folks are going to be Just Like those Guys.....
They knew He was coming.....but they refuse to get ready.
There are many today who wish to take the Christ out of Christmas......
At this most of America’s Christians are Offended ......
For it is the day we celebrate the Birth of Jesus ....who is the Christ.....
But sad to say Many of us have taken the Christ out of Christian.
When we live our own lives.....with our Own Agenda.....
Seeking our Own Way.....and Fitting Christ in Where we can......
Just a little Here and there......
Then we Wonder "Why we have no Power.....Why doesn’t God move in our lives today?"
It is because He Moves Through Jesus .....Not Through You and Me.....
Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Light, No man comes to the Father but by Me...."
Well, if Man can’t come to God Except through Jesus....
Then God will not Come to Man Except through Jesus....
And As we Live Our Own Lives.....We Shut ourselves out from what God Wants to do in us.....
We have closed God out by Closing Jesus Out.....
Oh, we want Jesus in our lives.....Just not Much of Him....
When I was a Child.....I liked to drink Coffee.....
I would take a Little Coffee with A Lot of Creme and Sugar to Kill the Taste....
It wasn’t the Coffee I Liked ----but the Attention I Got by Drinking it.....
Most folks who drink beer are the same way.....
The stuff tastes Terrible to most.....but they like the Status they think they get from it.....
So many folks are that way with Jesus.....
All we want is Just Enough that we can Say we are Christians......
Enough of Jesus to Keep us out of the Fire of Hell......
But to Truly be a Christian is to be LIKE CHRIST......
Oh, but then there are the Shepherds.....
I think I Like those guys best of All.....
They’re Such Simple Folks......
Just doing what they do......as best they can......
When those Angels showed up.......they were afraid at first....
I have to admit .....there have been times when I’ve been afraid of what might be coming next.....
But since I’ve come to Jesus......I know that No Matter what .....
He’ll take care of me......and In the End .....Everything will be fine......
Those Shepherds didn’t waste anytime.....
When they heard the news....they were off to find Jesus.....
We think of them as Simple People....Uneducated maybe....
But They Were the Wisest of those we’ve seen so far.....
Because They went Whole heartedly after Jesus......
Then there are the Wise Men.....
Most folks think that they came the Night of Jesus Birth.....
But Biblically that’s not Accurate.....
By the time they Arrived.....Mary, Joseph and Jesus were living "In a House"
They weren’t in the stable......
These Guys were indeed wise.....
Anybody who comes after Jesus is to be commended for making a WISE CHOICE......
We often think of wise people as being successful in Business or Acadmics.....
As someone who is Successful in Worldly Standards...
but Jesus said "What good is it to Gain the World and lose your soul......What would a man give in exchange for his soul"
Worldly success is at best Temporary.....
If you make in business .....eventually Markets change.....
If you are a Successful Athelete......Eventually someone comes along who is Stronger and Faster.....
Jesus gave us the best Advice when He said "Lay up for yourselves Treasure in Heaven......."
Those Wise Men were Rich and Powerful......
But what made them really wise .....is the choice they made to Pursue Jesus.
You may Consider yourself Wise.....
You may be Successful......
You may think that Christianity is a Simple Minded Man’s Religion....
But you’re Wrong and if you don’t change.....You’ll end up DEAD WRONG.
Time and Time again the Bible has Proved to be Wiser than the Wisest Scholar.....
Our Worldly wise men have always been Years and Years behind God’s Wisdom.
We didn’t learn of the Great Idea of Quarantine until the Mid 1700’s but God gave Israel the concept some 3500 plus years ago.....
Then there is Mary......She makes the Smartest move of all.....
when the angel came to tell her of the news of Jesus....
Her Response was this.....
"Be it unto me according to your word...."
That should be All of our Cries......
God is a God of Love, Mercy, Grace and Faithfulness.....
If we are Truly Wise......We’ll Trust Him.....
It may go against our Culture.....Our Family.....Our Friends.....whatever.....
But I guarantee It will be worth it.
For Because Every Word we know of Jesus past has been proven True.....
We have Every Reason to Expect the Future Words to be true.....
He will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch angel, .....the dead in Christ will rise first....then we who are alive and remain will be caught up to meet Him in the Air.
No One in the Past can Change the Place they have taken in History......
No Matter how Good or How bad.....they’re place is fixed....
Your’s however is not......
Who in the Announcement of Jesus do you most Resemble.....
And What will you do about it?
