Series:  Advent, #2 

December 10, 2006

KEEPING THE FOCUS ON CHRIST

Luke 2:1-7, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. [2] (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) [3] And everyone went to his own town to register. [4] So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. [5] He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. [6] While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, [7] and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

          How many of you will attend a Christmas party this year?  A special Christmas concert?  Send Christmas cards?  Shop for presents?  Decorate your home?  There’s a lot going on this month, isn’t there?  The question I want to address this morning is, How can we keep our focus on Christ in the midst of all that?  If Jesus is the reason for the season, then we surely ought to think more about Him than anything else.  How can we do that with all the other stuff  we are doing? 

          One way to do it would be to use some of the common elements of our Christmas celebrations as memory aids that we anchor to a Christmas truth.  So this morning, I am going to give you five environmental triggers that will remind you to focus on Christ in the midst of everything else. 

          The first is a

I.          Nativity Scene

          I really do love all the outside Christmas decorations that we see in yards and public places:  candles, reindeer, bears, gift boxes, Santa, elves, wreaths, etc.  It’s all very colorful and pretty.   Mixed in with all that we sometimes see a Nativity scene, and the temptation is to just lump it all together in our minds as “Christmas decorations”.  But there is something different about the nativity scene, because it portrays the central truth of Christmas: a Baby was born in very rustic circumstances to a poor family 2,000 years ago, and that Baby changed the course of human history. 

          So whenever you see a Nativity scene on a neighbor’s lawn, or in a home, here’s what you can do:  Say, “That really happened in human history.”   There are a lot of extra trappings that have accumulated around the central fact, but the nativity scene isn’t a myth, or a fantasy, or the creation of man.  It’s a portrayal of something that actually happened.  To me, anyway, events that happened that far back in history –2,000 years is a long time—sometimes take on the aura of a fairy tale.  But this was historical reality. 

          We looked at Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus.  But why should we think we can trust him?  How do we know that what he wrote is true?  Let’s go back to the beginning of Luke’s gospel and read what he said about how he came to write this biography of Jesus.  Luke 1:1-4, “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, [2] just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. [3] Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, [4] so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”   Luke was a doctor, and as such was a very careful observer of things.  He obviously thought and wrote very carefully and logically, and he assures us that he did his research so that his readers could know for sure that these things really happened just this way. 

          One day on our sabbatical,  Barbie and I stood on a field outside Jerusalem, near Bethlehem, which is only about 5 miles away, and realized it was a field just like that, maybe even that one, where the angels made that astonishing announcement to the shepherds.  In the week before that, we had sat on the grassy slopes overlooking the Sea of Galilee where Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount.  We walked through the ruins of Capernaum where He spent a lot of time and healed a number of people.  We stood in awe at the place where Jesus was crucified—a hillside that looks remarkably like a skull—with a tomb nearby.  “This really happened in human history.” This is not like Santa and the sleigh. This is not the snowmen and the elves.  So whenever you see a nativity scene between now and Christmas day, that’s what I want you to say: “This really happened in human history.”

          Another hook we can hang our Christmas thoughts on is the music.

II.       Music   Luke 2:8-14

          The Christmas music starts in the stores and many of our homes right after Thanksgiving, and by the end of the season, I am sick and tired of Christmas songs!  But they can be important reminders of the true Christmas story.  Luke continues the story from our Scripture reading:

          Luke 2:8-14, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. [9] An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [10] But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. [12] This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” [13] Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

     [14] ‘Glory to God in the highest,

        and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’”

          This was the first, and the greatest, Christmas carol ever.  Sometimes I hear what passes for Christmas music on a contemporary Christian radio station, and I want to say to the artist, “Listen to yourself! That’s terrible!”  But the first Christmas carol was written right. It said, “Glory to God in the highest.”  This really puts the emphasis in the right place:  on God.  It says, For what He did by sending his Son, God deserves glory, praise, and honor in the highest heavens and in the highest degree.

          The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the greatest miracle of all time.  C. S. Lewis wrote a very dense book called Miracles, in which he said, if the incarnation is true, then all the rest of the miracles Jesus reportedly did are easy!  Once we become convinced that God got all of His divine nature into a human being, then there is no problem believing that that man could perform miracles like healing the blind, and raising the dead.  Even the resurrection seems obvious. 

          And that’s the point the angels were singing about.  The baby you will find in a manger is the Messiah and the Lord.  Paul said it this way later, Col. 2:9 (NLT), “…in Christ, the fullness of God lives in a human body.”  John wrote, John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Theologians have struggled to try to understand this for centuries, but the best they can come up with is this:  Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man at the same time.  He had two natures, one divine, one human, combined in one person.  Our response to that should be the same as that of the angels:  Praise God!  Glory to God for this absolutely amazing miracle. 

          So when you hear any Christmas music, even if it is not singing about the incarnation, remind yourself, “Oh yeah, this is an echo of the angels’ song, and they were singing about the incarnation, the Word made flesh.  Praise God that He could get all of Himself into a baby!”

          Another way to keep our focus on Christ is to use Christmas cards as a memory hook. 

III.          Christmas cards   John 15:15

          We received our first Christmas cards before Thanksgiving, so some people are way more organized than we are.  Actually, we discovered the first year we were here in Loveland that the Christmas season is just too busy for a pastoral family to get to the cards.   So we decided to pick up on Loveland’s theme and do Valentines.  It works pretty well for us, because we can re-read the cards people sent us at Christmas, and comment on things they said in our letters to them. 

          But here’s what most people do with their Christmas card list. Throughout the course of the year, they are evaluating their relational world. And then, when it comes around to Christmastime, they actually form a list. It’s a list of their friends. They want to touch or bless the lives of their friends around Christmastime, so they send them a card for encouragement.  So whenever you receive a Christmas card, the first thing you ought to think is, “I’m on someone’s friendship list.” That’s a beautiful thing. Thank God for your friends, specifically for those who sent you the card you are holding.

          But secondly, remember that when we open our hearts to Christ, we are on His friendship list.  Jesus said in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”  As great as it is to have friends who send us cards, it is infinitely greater to be on God’s friendship list.  You know, the best human friend you have is flawed. They don’t have unlimited time for you. They don’t always have perfect listening skills or empathy, or perfect advice.  But when you’re on God’s friendship list, you’re in a relationship with a perfect friend. His love is unconditional.  His listening skills are unparalleled. He’s available 24 hours a day. His counsel to you is always wise and true. His power and his resources are infinite. And he makes them available to you.

          What a great thing to realize that with God as our friend, we’re never alone. Some of you are dreading this Christmas season, because there will be an empty chair at the table. Maybe a loved one died, and you can’t imagine how you’re going to make it through this Christmas. Maybe this is the first Christmas that you’ll be single because of divorce.  Or maybe this Christmas you’re contending with the imminent loss of someone because of a bad medical report. Some of you may be wondering if this is going to be your last Christmas because of something you recently heard from the doctor.  There’s a lot of competition for the kids and grandkids on the part of the parents and grandparents, and that young family can’t be with everybody at the same time; so maybe you’re grieving over the fact that you don’t get the family home this year, and it will be lonely. 

          You need to know today that you are not alone going into this Christmas. You’re on God’s friendship list. And he’s coming to you right now, as I’m speaking, and he’s saying, as He did to His friends before He ascended into heaven, “I will never leave you or forsake you.  I will be with you to the end of the age.”  Friends are there for us when the road is tough, and Jesus promises to walk with you into this Christmas season. Even if you’re facing the valley of the shadow of death, He says, “I’ll be there. It’ll be okay. It might be hard, but we’ll make it. We will make it together.”

          So whenever you get a Christmas card, between now and Christmas day, say, “Oh God, thank you for my friends.  Thank you for this friend who took the time to send me a card  I am relationally rich!” And then before you put the card down, say, “And thank you for the greater miracle, that through Christ, I am on your friendship list and your friendship is available to me every moment of this season.”

          Here’s another mnemonic device we can use to help us remember what Christmas is all about:

IV.     Credit Cards   Ps 49:8,9; 1 Pet 1:18,19; Matt 20:28

          I think I read that the average person will spend about $700 on Christmas gifts this year.  Whether you are above or below that average, many of us will spend more during December than at any other time of the year, and a lot of those purchases will be made with a credit card.  I don’t know if you realize it or not, but every time you pull out that card and hand it to a cashier, you are going into debt.  You are promising to pay for that item later.  You’re saying, I don’t have the money on me right now, or I prefer to use the credit card rather than checks, but I promise to pay for this later.  That’s a debt.  Someone else—the credit card company—has paid for the item, and now you owe them. 

          I hope and trust that all of you are only charging things you know you can afford to pay for later.  But I know that many people, especially at Christmas, go into this kind of debt for things they can’t afford at all.  All they know is that they don’t have the money now, they think they need to buy this, and they really don’t think too much about how they will pay for it in January when the bill comes due.  January can be a real harsh dose of reality when those credit card statements arrive. 

          Now here’s how we can turn this situation into a positive.  Each of us has accumulated a debt with God.  When we sin, when we violate His loving laws for us, when we do stupid things that hurt us and others, we incur a moral debt. The Bible says that we have all piled up a debt that we cannot possibly pay.  Psalm 49:8-9, “the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough--[9] that he should live on forever and not see decay.”  The penalty for non-payment of this debt is a lot more severe than what we get from the credit card companies.  All they do is increase your credit limit, and keep sending you bills for 2% of your total debt.  But the penalty for not paying our debt to God is spiritual death—eternal separation from Him. 

          Praise God for Christmas!  Because the Christ who was born at Christmas came into the world specifically to pay our debt to God.  1 Peter 1:18-19, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed …, [19] but with the precious blood of Christ.” 

Matthew 20:28, “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 

          The only way to pay this debt we owe to God is with our life.  The wages of sin are death; our life is forfeit.  But Jesus came to be our substitute, as He laid down His life in our place.  His life was worth the life of everyone who ever lived.  Now the debt for all of us is fully paid. 

          But we have to accept that.  Imagine how foolish it would be for someone to have their credit card debt paid in full by another, but still be sending payments to the card company.  It would be even more foolish to have Jesus pay your moral debt to God and not accept it, so that when you died, you discovered that you still owed your eternal soul.  He has paid the debt; reach out to him in your heart and tell Him you want that payment (what Christ did on the cross) credited to your account. 

          So here’s my suggestion for how to turn our holiday shopping into a spiritual experience focused on Christ:  Every time you use your credit card this month, when that card is being processed and you’re standing at the counter, say something like this, “Jesus Christ paid my moral debt.  I am eternally grateful.  So in this moment, when I could be fussing over the high cost of Christmas, I will worship him instead.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for paying my debt.” 

          A final memory hook we can use to keep our focus on Christ is the gifts. 

V.      Gifts   John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8,9

          When our kids were little, every year we read them the book, Santa, Are You for Real?.  It’s an excellent treatment of a subject many parents are not sure how to handle: what to tell their kids about Santa Claus.  The book explains that we got the tradition of giving gifts to each other at Christmas because of a wealthy and godly man named Nicholas, who was moved to give money to poor people at Christmas. 

          Somehow, many people today  have come to expect Christmas gifts as though they deserved them.  They have missed the whole point of a gift.  A gift is not a reward or a prize for having done something really good.  It’s an undeserved expression of love.  And around Christmastime, people who love, give. It’s just that simple—people who love, give.

          As God did.  The most famous verse in the Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.”  It was a gift.  We didn’t deserve it; God just gave it because He loved us.  The Bible says, Ephes. 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.”  We didn’t earn this; we don’t deserve this.  It’s just a free gift from the God who loves us. 

          As I mentioned last week during communion, this is an expensive gift.  Some of us are spending way more than we should on Christmas gifts this year, but no one will spend as much as God did to give us the gift of eternal life: He gave His only Son;  He willingly sacrificed Him on the cross, so that we could live forever in a love relationship with Him.  Jesus Christ is God’s incredible Christmas gift to you. 

          And all you have to do to get what He offers is to tell Him you want it.  Just say, “Yes, Lord; I want to know you. I want a relationship with the creator of the universe.  I want to experience your love for me.  Come into my life and forgive me for my sins.  Make me your child; I want to follow you.”

          You may have heard this before, but I think it puts things in perspective.  “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was for forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.” Jesus is God’s best, greatest gift of all.  

          So when you are shopping for gifts, remember the gift of God.  When you are sending gifts to loved ones who live far away, remember the gift that God has given you in Christ, and pray for them, that they will know God’s gift as well as open yours.  When you are wrapping gifts for others, remember: God gave His Son for you and His mother wrapped him in cloths.  And on Christmas Eve, or Christmas day, whenever you open gifts from loved ones, think for a moment and say, “What I needed most in my life, forgiveness from my sin, came to me as a gift. I did not earn my salvation. I cannot merit my salvation. Thank You, Lord for your indescribable gift.”

Let’s do a quick review.  We have at least these five ways to do Christmas right this year by keeping our focus on Christ: 

o       First, when we see a nativity scene, we are going to say, “That really happened in human history.”

o       When you hear Christmas music, instead of just letting it be background noise, we’re going to use it to remind us of the first Christmas carol where the angels said, “Glory to God in the highest,” and we are going to use that as a trigger to praise God for the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

o       As you open your Christmas cards and read the notes from friends, you’re going to thank God for those friends, and then you’re going to say, “And through Christ, I’m on God’s friendship list.  Thank You, Lord, for making me your friend.”

o       Credit cards  And when you’re single-handedly trying to fend off a retail recession in our economy by using this little piece of plastic, when you are going deeper and deeper into debt that will come due in January, you’re going to say, “Thank God my moral debt has been paid by Jesus, and I worship him for it now.”

o       Gifts.  When you’re doing anything with gifts—wrapping, sending, or opening them-- you’re going to say, “Thank You, Lord, for my salvation. I didn’t deserve it; I didn’t earn it. It came as a gift of God.”