There Goes My Life

Title: There Goes My Life

12/21/03

Text: Mt. 1:18-25, Jn. 19:25-27 and Mt. 3:16-17, Jn. 3:16

A.M. Service

Purpose: A Christmas sermon dealing with the aspect that there may come moments in life where we think we’ve thrown it all away. How does the Christmas story restore hope to those in that situation.

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Introduction

“There Goes My Life…” Written by Kenny Chesney

Kenny Chesney has a new CD/Video out entitled, “There Goes My Life…” It’s a ballad focusing on the life of two young kids in high school that find themselves in a crisis moment of a pregnancy out of wedlock. (I want to say here that I’m not advocating the immoral situation of this young couple, but rather the interesting wording of the song.)

The video pictures a scene of this young couple standing in the entry way of a football stadium, where the young lady explains that she has found out that she is pregnant. He, in disbelief begins to reflect, rubbing his hand through his hair, walking off, sitting alone in the locker room over a decision that was made in an unguarded moment of passion.

Song Verse: “All he could see is his dream going up in smoke. What will I do in this time when all my plans are gone. There goes my life, there goes my future. My everything, might as well kiss it all good by, there goes my life.”

The song continues on by reflecting on the life of this little one now in the world. A couple of years have passed, and the mistake he’d made now covers the refrigerator door. He loves that little girl, as she walks up those stairs, she says, “I love you daddy, goodnight,” and he responds, “there goes my life, there goes my future.”

The song concludes when this same little girl stands in the doorway of their home, saying goodbye as she’s off to the coast for college, and he stands in the window waving goodbye, singing, “there goes my life, there goes my future.”

The reason I mention that song, again is not to glorify an immoral situation by no means, and Scripture is very clear on that. But the wording of it.

How does the Christmas story intersect a life that seems like it is being thrown away, and says, there goes my life…

In a season that is suppose to be filled with joyfulness, and glee, there are many who feel like their lives have changed because of an impulsive decision, a lack of judgement, or and improper behavior. Does God have anything today, to bring us hope? Yes he does.

How does Jesus respond to those who feel like, “There goes my life…?”

I. What Have I Done?

It’s the story of Mary and Joseph in Matthew 1:18-25

It deals with the aspect of apparent mistakes in life…

Sometimes we have the benefit of reading the Christmas story from this side of history rather than the other. Sometimes we sanitize and sterilize the human response and feelings in such a manner that seems almost unrealistic, if we were placed in the same situation.

I remember a few years ago when we watched the drama presentation my brother Tom performs in at Sight and Sound in Lancaster PA. It was the Christmas story, and Mary founds out that she is pregnant, and runs to tell Joseph. I’ve read this story countless times, and yet, it really wasn’t until I watched it dramatically played out, did I realize that initial responses to this encounter we not favorable.

We are not told of the specifics of this encounter, just that Mary has been visited by an angel and told that she was going to be with child. The Holy Spirit comes upon here and she conceives as part of God’s plan. She runs to tell Joseph, and while the Scripture is not specific in detail, it does make this comment. Verse 1:19 says, “Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decide to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.”

What has happened?

Modern readers need to understand the traditions involved in ancient Jewish marriages.

1. First, the two families would agree to the union and negotiate the betrothal.

2. Next, a public announcement would be made and the couple was "pledged." Though the couple was not officially married, their relationship could be broken only through death or divorce. Sexual relations were not yet permitted.

a. This second step lasted for a year. During that time, the couple would live separately, with their parents. This waiting period would demonstrate the bride’s purity. If she were found to be pregnant during that time, the marriage could be annulled.

b. Because Mary and Joseph were pledged to be married, they had not yet had sexual relations, but while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Mary was pledged and pregnant, and Joseph knew that the child was not his own. Mary’s apparent unfaithfulness carried a severe social stigma.