God’s Plans for Christmas
Luke 2 and Matthew 2
All of us make plans for Christmas. We go here this day and there that night. We see these relatives, then those friends. This morning we are going to see God’s plan for Christmas. About a month ago my son Hans graduated with a degree in strategic planning from the Navy War College – they plan how to get the right people at the right place at the right time with the right equipment. (I am proud of him of course.) I began to look at the Christmas story in a different way, as a strategic plan by God. When we look at the Christmas story it might look like a series of unrelated events happening randomly, but in reality, all of the events were part of a careful plan of God, God’s Grand Plan.
I do not know when the specific plan was formulated, but I do know that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were all involved in the planning and execution of the plan. It might have been planned for centuries – I am sure it was not just a series of accidental happenings.
The first thing that happened was that God determined that the exact proper time for the birth of Christ was right then. God had waited for centuries for this event, but I think for a number of reasons this was the best time for the birth. The Roman Empire was extremely strong at the end of what we call B.C. or before Christ. That is important since the powerful Roman Empire provided a time of peace for the event to take place. The Romans had spread the Greek language all over the Empire and most of the people could communicate in it. The Roman roads also would make travel easier for the future spread of the message about Christ.
After the moment was selected, God put a star in the sky to announce the birth of Christ. Read Matthew 2.1 – 2. The star was probably placed in the sky about two years before the birth of Christ. I do not know what the star was – maybe it was a comet, or it might have been a special light in the sky that only a certain few could see. I believe the Magi were Jewish astronomers/astrologers who were watching a certain part of the sky that might have been called the constellation of David. In this part of the sky this light appeared and it was interpreted as a sign that a new king of the Jews had been born. I love to look at the night sky – what if tonight in the center of the big dipper there was a new light, a star that had never been there before? We would wonder what it was and if it had some significance. The Magi had been notified by the star that something special was going to take place, and this special event was the birth of a new king of the Jews, and they began to move toward Jerusalem.
Then God moved his attention across the Mediterranean Sea to Rome. There God talked to Caesar Augustus the ruler of the Roman Empire. God gave him the idea to have a census or taxation of in the entire Empire. Politicians usually need little help in deciding to tax their people. I don’t know if August knew this was part of God’s plan for Christmas, but it was, and the exact day for the birth of Jesus was set to coincide with the census.
Next, God had to select the right woman to have the baby Jesus. This was not just any young woman. She had to be of the house of David since the linage of the child must be from the line of King David. She had to be a good young lady – not perfect because no human being is perfect, sinless from birth except for Jesus himself. She needed to be engaged to be married but not married yet since she needed to be a virgin. There might have been a number of young ladies in Israel at this time that fit these qualifications, but God chose Mary to offer to be part of his plan. Read Luke 1. 26 – 38. I love the response of Mary. She had been surprised by the angel, and shocked at his announcement, but then she accepted what was going to happen with the magnificent statement - "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. The part of the plan that included Mary was in place. The baby Jesus was in the womb of Mary and began to grow.
God then began to work with Joseph who was the earthly father who was to raise Jesus. He needed to be included in the plan. Joseph was engaged to the love of his life. In a sense they were married already in the eyes of the people. Then Joseph discovered that Mary was expecting a baby. He knew he was not the father and he must have been furious and extremely disappointed. He loved Mary, but he could not marry her. Joseph was an essential part of God’s plan so he had to be included. God sent an angel to tell him what he needed to do. Read Matthew 1.18 – 26. Joseph did exactly what the angel told him to do. Joseph obeyed God because he loved God and wanted to obey him. He obeyed because he loved Mary and wanted to do what was best for her. He obeyed because he was part of God’s plan.
There was one more big part of God’s plan but it would have to wait for a while. I can imagine angels coming to God and saying what is next, what should we be doing? God just said wait – the plan is working but it will take the proper number of months.
When the right time came, Joseph heard about the taxation and knew he had to go to Bethlehem even with a very pregnant wife. He started out, I am sure treating Mary with as much gentleness he could. As they came to Bethlehem, God called the angels to start the last part of the plan. “Do you see those shepherds down there just outside of Bethlehem? Go tell them this: Read Luke 2.10 – 14. These shepherds were the last part of God’s Christmas plan. Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem and the precious baby Jesus was born in a stable, just as he planned. The shepherds came rushing into town and worshiped the baby just as he planned. Sometime later the Magi from the east came and worshiped the baby and brought expensive gifts to the family, to pay the expenses for the next part of God’s plan.
What do we learn from all of this? First, that the most important event in the history of the world before this or since the birth of Christ was carefully planned. Next, the plan was carried out by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Do you see how God plans and carries out his plans? From that we can see how he planned and carried out all the events in the life of his Son on earth.
Two more things: First this plan showed the absolute love God has for all of us on the earth. With great sacrifice the holy God of the universe sent his only son to earth to die for you and for me. The message of Christmas is I love you and want you to have eternal life.
Second, he has a plan for you in your life, a strategic plan for you to come to him for salvation and then live for him in a life of service.
Monday, December 31, 2007
New year's sermon
New Year – New Normal
Ephesians 4. 17-28
This has been a good year for me reading a number of books. Some books I read are good as a whole, some have a great chapter of two. Some suggest to me a phrase or an idea that is good for me to think about and teach. Earlier this year I read the book, 90 minutes in Heaven, by Don Piper. He is a minister and a number of yrs ago he was returning from a conference when an 18 wheeler crossed the centerline and ran over his car. When the EMTs got to the scene, they checked on him but found no response or vital signs so they went on to help other victims. During the next 90 minutes Mr. Piper said he had a vision of going to heaven – it is an exciting description. Then another minister who had stopped to help on the crash scene checked Mr. Piper and found he was still alive so he was taken to the hospital and spent many months in tortuous recovery. The book is a good description of what crash victims go through in their recovery.
Later in the book, he writes about the “new normal” in his life. Before he could run and play with his kids, but now the new normal for him was very different – he could walk, but not much more. The idea of a new normal is what intrigued me. Every one of us has a normal way of life – habits we have and patterns we follow. Some one I know very well has a very predictable normal. Up at between 7 and 7.30. Get dressed while watching Little House on the Prairie, goes to the kitchen to fix a cup of coffee, goes to the living room to find the crossword puzzle in the paper, and does the puzzle while watching the Waltons.
What is your normal? All of us have habits like that. Sometimes things happen to change our normal, like the car crash of Don Piper, but we can also choose a new normal for ourselves, and change our lives to make them better and different. Most of us do not change because we are satisfied with our lives and do not see any necessity to change. As Chrs we need to have a constant dissatisfied satisfaction with our lives, I believe. When I look at my life there are things I am satisfied with, but there are things I need to change. Unless we are already perfectly like Jesus Christ, we need to want to change to be more like Christ. I need a new normal and a new year is a good time to start a new normal.
Turn with me to Ephesians 4. We are going to look at verses 20 – 24 – read. The apostle Paul is reminding the readers where they came from. He is saying you used to follow the evil desires of the flesh and going from bad to worse. But now they had been taught to put off the old self and put on the new self. In the new normal all of us need to look first at what we need to stop in our lives. In another book I read there was a story that told about a woman who lived in a small town. This woman gossiped all the time to every one about every one. Some one anonymously sent the woman a note saying – “Gossiping is a sin. Gossipers go to hell.” This woman got so mad that she went all over town accusing people of sending the note and spreading all kinds of rumors and talking about people, trying to find out who sent the note. That is a sin, and needs to be stopped. Listen to verses 25 – 28 for suggestions of things we need to stop. Read. Another sin is just wasting time. There is something I do which is a total waste of time and that is going to stop completely in 2008.
What do you need to do, as the passage says “to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The newness comes primarily when we first become Christians, but we need to be renewed all the time. I am going to suggest a few small things that you might want to pray about and try as new normals for next year.
1. I believe every Christian needs to be in the word of God regularly. I have printed a new Bible reading list for the first 3 months of the year. I would be overjoyed if all of us would read just one chapter a day of the divine word of God. Let this become your new normal – studying the Word every day.
2. It would be great if all of us were involved in Bible studies. We have some already, but maybe you would like to start one for your friends or even host one – we have a number of people here at the church who could lead the Bible study at your home. Bible studies provide a time of growth in knowledge of the word of God and a good time of fellowship.
3. Maybe you need to look at what you give to the work of the Lord and try a new normal next year. In the last 3 years God has been challenging me to give more to the church and to missions. Each year I pray to God to have him tell me how much I should give the next year. Each year he has let me know and has provided what I need to give. As I give, God gives more for me to give. Look at what you are giving and then trust him to help you give what you have committed. (Minister – preaching about stewardship – someone asked if he was doing that so he could get a raise. Upset – preached this because all of us need to give so we can learn to trust the Lord.)
4. Make a commitment to serve God in some special way as a new normal next year. Are there things you have been thinking about doing to do here at the church or for others? Do them for the glory of God.
5. All of us need to work on our prayer life, or nearly all of us. There are some here at the church that spend hours every day praying for others in a great way. Maybe you need to make a time to pray and start a prayer list to use in your prayer time. Pray for those you love the most – your kids, spouses, grand kids, neighbors, and friends. Pray for the people God puts in your path. Make pray a part of your new normal this year.
In another book I read this year the author wrote about the problem of backsliding of Chrs in the church. I had not read that term for a long time. What it means is that unless we are progressing in our Chr lives, we are slipping back away from the Lord. There is usually no standing still. We are either getting to be more like Christ or we are backsliding.
At the end of each year I take some to look over what I have done that year. I have found that if I do not plan to do anything different, I usually do not change. This year I want a new normal in my life that centers of my relationship with Jesus Christ as I put him first in my life. Choose a new normal for the year 2008 and pray that God will help you to grow.
Ephesians 4. 17-28
This has been a good year for me reading a number of books. Some books I read are good as a whole, some have a great chapter of two. Some suggest to me a phrase or an idea that is good for me to think about and teach. Earlier this year I read the book, 90 minutes in Heaven, by Don Piper. He is a minister and a number of yrs ago he was returning from a conference when an 18 wheeler crossed the centerline and ran over his car. When the EMTs got to the scene, they checked on him but found no response or vital signs so they went on to help other victims. During the next 90 minutes Mr. Piper said he had a vision of going to heaven – it is an exciting description. Then another minister who had stopped to help on the crash scene checked Mr. Piper and found he was still alive so he was taken to the hospital and spent many months in tortuous recovery. The book is a good description of what crash victims go through in their recovery.
Later in the book, he writes about the “new normal” in his life. Before he could run and play with his kids, but now the new normal for him was very different – he could walk, but not much more. The idea of a new normal is what intrigued me. Every one of us has a normal way of life – habits we have and patterns we follow. Some one I know very well has a very predictable normal. Up at between 7 and 7.30. Get dressed while watching Little House on the Prairie, goes to the kitchen to fix a cup of coffee, goes to the living room to find the crossword puzzle in the paper, and does the puzzle while watching the Waltons.
What is your normal? All of us have habits like that. Sometimes things happen to change our normal, like the car crash of Don Piper, but we can also choose a new normal for ourselves, and change our lives to make them better and different. Most of us do not change because we are satisfied with our lives and do not see any necessity to change. As Chrs we need to have a constant dissatisfied satisfaction with our lives, I believe. When I look at my life there are things I am satisfied with, but there are things I need to change. Unless we are already perfectly like Jesus Christ, we need to want to change to be more like Christ. I need a new normal and a new year is a good time to start a new normal.
Turn with me to Ephesians 4. We are going to look at verses 20 – 24 – read. The apostle Paul is reminding the readers where they came from. He is saying you used to follow the evil desires of the flesh and going from bad to worse. But now they had been taught to put off the old self and put on the new self. In the new normal all of us need to look first at what we need to stop in our lives. In another book I read there was a story that told about a woman who lived in a small town. This woman gossiped all the time to every one about every one. Some one anonymously sent the woman a note saying – “Gossiping is a sin. Gossipers go to hell.” This woman got so mad that she went all over town accusing people of sending the note and spreading all kinds of rumors and talking about people, trying to find out who sent the note. That is a sin, and needs to be stopped. Listen to verses 25 – 28 for suggestions of things we need to stop. Read. Another sin is just wasting time. There is something I do which is a total waste of time and that is going to stop completely in 2008.
What do you need to do, as the passage says “to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The newness comes primarily when we first become Christians, but we need to be renewed all the time. I am going to suggest a few small things that you might want to pray about and try as new normals for next year.
1. I believe every Christian needs to be in the word of God regularly. I have printed a new Bible reading list for the first 3 months of the year. I would be overjoyed if all of us would read just one chapter a day of the divine word of God. Let this become your new normal – studying the Word every day.
2. It would be great if all of us were involved in Bible studies. We have some already, but maybe you would like to start one for your friends or even host one – we have a number of people here at the church who could lead the Bible study at your home. Bible studies provide a time of growth in knowledge of the word of God and a good time of fellowship.
3. Maybe you need to look at what you give to the work of the Lord and try a new normal next year. In the last 3 years God has been challenging me to give more to the church and to missions. Each year I pray to God to have him tell me how much I should give the next year. Each year he has let me know and has provided what I need to give. As I give, God gives more for me to give. Look at what you are giving and then trust him to help you give what you have committed. (Minister – preaching about stewardship – someone asked if he was doing that so he could get a raise. Upset – preached this because all of us need to give so we can learn to trust the Lord.)
4. Make a commitment to serve God in some special way as a new normal next year. Are there things you have been thinking about doing to do here at the church or for others? Do them for the glory of God.
5. All of us need to work on our prayer life, or nearly all of us. There are some here at the church that spend hours every day praying for others in a great way. Maybe you need to make a time to pray and start a prayer list to use in your prayer time. Pray for those you love the most – your kids, spouses, grand kids, neighbors, and friends. Pray for the people God puts in your path. Make pray a part of your new normal this year.
In another book I read this year the author wrote about the problem of backsliding of Chrs in the church. I had not read that term for a long time. What it means is that unless we are progressing in our Chr lives, we are slipping back away from the Lord. There is usually no standing still. We are either getting to be more like Christ or we are backsliding.
At the end of each year I take some to look over what I have done that year. I have found that if I do not plan to do anything different, I usually do not change. This year I want a new normal in my life that centers of my relationship with Jesus Christ as I put him first in my life. Choose a new normal for the year 2008 and pray that God will help you to grow.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
sermon for Dec 3
The Joy of Christmas through Tears
Matthew 2.15 – 18
The Christmas season has started again. This to me is one of the most exciting times of the year – there is the most beautiful music, wonderful decorations, fantastic food, and some of the best times at church. But this is also the season for sadness and depression. I read an article last week that was entitled, “Surviving the Holidays.” You have read those articles – they are in every magazine and newspaper this time of year. Just the title bothers me – you survive terrible things in life, but I have a hard time thinking about Christmas as a terrible thing. Last year I went out to my daughter’s house in Seattle at Thanksgiving and we walked a half marathon – 13.1 miles. It was snowing, raining, windy, and a long ways to walk – we survived that, just barely.
There are sad things about Christmas. This might be the first holiday season without a loved one. Last year Lucille Moore and Guy McAlister were with us, but both of them died this year. We miss them. If some one asks if we had a good Thanksgiving or Christmas we usually think in terms of were our families with us. If yes, then we had a good time. If not, then it was not a good holiday.
Some people gage their happiness or sadness by what gifts they get or give at Christmas. All of us are busy shopping for just the right gift for those near us, or maybe you have finished your shopping. I know one lady who was done with her Christmas shopping last July. I will have a good Christmas if I get one special gift – I am not going to tell anyone what I want – if people know me they should guess what I want and get it for me. And I am going to be upset for mounts if I don’t get it. Enough of that.
There is only one passage in the Christmas narratives that is really sad. That is found in Matthew 2.16 – 18. Read. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and the vicious king Herod was afraid of him. Herod had killed even his own children because he was afraid they were going to take away his throne. When he heard there might be a rival king born in Bethlehem, he made sure no boy child born in the last two years near there was murdered. I can not imagine that – any human being ordering those killings and soldiers carrying them out. (Thing about Hans.)
I think there were tears connected with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, but most of those were tears of joy. Earlier this year when Dave and I preached on OT people, I talked about God’s Grand Plan – starting with Abraham, then Joseph, Moses, David and others, God worked out his plan to bring the Messiah to the earth. Now here with the birth of Jesus in what we call the Christmas season, God’s Grand Plan came to fulfillment. All of the OT people looked forward to this moment in history. I think there were tears of joy in God when his plan came to fulfillment in the coming of his only son to the earth. All of history up to the first century was aiming at this very moment. God loves the world so much that he was willing to give his son so we can have eternal life. There was certainly joy when Jesus was born to Mary, maybe even tears of joy.
I don’t know too much about the emotional make up of angels, but if they cry, the angels who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds must have had tears of joy also. You remember the story – there were normal shepherds out in the dark fields guarding there sheep. These were just some guys doing their job like generations of other shepherd. Then out of the dark came an army of angels surrounded by the brightest light anyone had every seen, singing praises to because the very son of God was born in Bethlehem that night. I have sung songs of praise to God through tears of joy. Those angels probably did that too night. The shepherds, yes even those hard, rough shepherds, shed tears of joy when they went to Bethlehem and looked down at the baby in the manger.
There were tears of joy for Mary and Joseph that night too. For these two it is a little bit more complicated. Joseph was in love with a beautiful pure young lady. They were going to be married and celebrate that love. Then just before they were to be married, Joseph’s hopes and dreams seemed to be shattered went he learned that Mary was expecting a child. He knew he was not the father. There were tears of deep sorrow for this good godly man, lots of tears I am sure, and a great deal of anger too. It took the appearance of an angel from God to convince him to take Mary to be his wife. I think there were tears of sorrow by Mary too. She must have endured the looks and comments of the people in the village when she started to show. Very few of them would have believed claims of a miraculous birth.
But now in the city of Bethlehem that night Joseph and Mary both celebrated the birth of their firstborn son. Think back to when you held the first child born to you – to all the children born to you. There is no greater joy. My son Peder and his wife Sarah had Aurelia 3 months ago. I went up there late that afternoon and you could not force the smile off his face even if you would have wanted to. Joseph and Mary did not know fully yet how precious this would be, but they had tears of joy that night when they looked at the newborn baby Jesus in the manger.
I think the real secret people have at Christmas time whether they have tears of joy or tears of sorrow is if they see the baby in the manger or if they look at something else. He is the one who brings the joy even 2000 years later. Too many eyes at this time of year are focused on parties or food or presents or even family gatherings. Those are all good and fun. Way too many are focused on drinking at the Christmas parties, and that is never helpful.
Any time we take our eyes off the Lord – in this case the baby in the manger, we are can and probably will have tears of sorrow. My expectations are not met. I don’t get what I want. Other people did not do what I want them to do or get me what I wanted. Jesus came to show us that the joyful life is oriented to loving God and others. He came to give, and when we live for him and give to others, we have joy even tears of joy. This Christmas look at the son of God in the manger. Every time you get busy with other stuff, ask yourself, how can I get my eyes back on the Lord and how can I help others see him? Enjoy the other things about Christmas, but remember Jesus Christ is the one who gives joy, the lasting eternal life joy to us and others.
Matthew 2.15 – 18
The Christmas season has started again. This to me is one of the most exciting times of the year – there is the most beautiful music, wonderful decorations, fantastic food, and some of the best times at church. But this is also the season for sadness and depression. I read an article last week that was entitled, “Surviving the Holidays.” You have read those articles – they are in every magazine and newspaper this time of year. Just the title bothers me – you survive terrible things in life, but I have a hard time thinking about Christmas as a terrible thing. Last year I went out to my daughter’s house in Seattle at Thanksgiving and we walked a half marathon – 13.1 miles. It was snowing, raining, windy, and a long ways to walk – we survived that, just barely.
There are sad things about Christmas. This might be the first holiday season without a loved one. Last year Lucille Moore and Guy McAlister were with us, but both of them died this year. We miss them. If some one asks if we had a good Thanksgiving or Christmas we usually think in terms of were our families with us. If yes, then we had a good time. If not, then it was not a good holiday.
Some people gage their happiness or sadness by what gifts they get or give at Christmas. All of us are busy shopping for just the right gift for those near us, or maybe you have finished your shopping. I know one lady who was done with her Christmas shopping last July. I will have a good Christmas if I get one special gift – I am not going to tell anyone what I want – if people know me they should guess what I want and get it for me. And I am going to be upset for mounts if I don’t get it. Enough of that.
There is only one passage in the Christmas narratives that is really sad. That is found in Matthew 2.16 – 18. Read. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and the vicious king Herod was afraid of him. Herod had killed even his own children because he was afraid they were going to take away his throne. When he heard there might be a rival king born in Bethlehem, he made sure no boy child born in the last two years near there was murdered. I can not imagine that – any human being ordering those killings and soldiers carrying them out. (Thing about Hans.)
I think there were tears connected with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, but most of those were tears of joy. Earlier this year when Dave and I preached on OT people, I talked about God’s Grand Plan – starting with Abraham, then Joseph, Moses, David and others, God worked out his plan to bring the Messiah to the earth. Now here with the birth of Jesus in what we call the Christmas season, God’s Grand Plan came to fulfillment. All of the OT people looked forward to this moment in history. I think there were tears of joy in God when his plan came to fulfillment in the coming of his only son to the earth. All of history up to the first century was aiming at this very moment. God loves the world so much that he was willing to give his son so we can have eternal life. There was certainly joy when Jesus was born to Mary, maybe even tears of joy.
I don’t know too much about the emotional make up of angels, but if they cry, the angels who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds must have had tears of joy also. You remember the story – there were normal shepherds out in the dark fields guarding there sheep. These were just some guys doing their job like generations of other shepherd. Then out of the dark came an army of angels surrounded by the brightest light anyone had every seen, singing praises to because the very son of God was born in Bethlehem that night. I have sung songs of praise to God through tears of joy. Those angels probably did that too night. The shepherds, yes even those hard, rough shepherds, shed tears of joy when they went to Bethlehem and looked down at the baby in the manger.
There were tears of joy for Mary and Joseph that night too. For these two it is a little bit more complicated. Joseph was in love with a beautiful pure young lady. They were going to be married and celebrate that love. Then just before they were to be married, Joseph’s hopes and dreams seemed to be shattered went he learned that Mary was expecting a child. He knew he was not the father. There were tears of deep sorrow for this good godly man, lots of tears I am sure, and a great deal of anger too. It took the appearance of an angel from God to convince him to take Mary to be his wife. I think there were tears of sorrow by Mary too. She must have endured the looks and comments of the people in the village when she started to show. Very few of them would have believed claims of a miraculous birth.
But now in the city of Bethlehem that night Joseph and Mary both celebrated the birth of their firstborn son. Think back to when you held the first child born to you – to all the children born to you. There is no greater joy. My son Peder and his wife Sarah had Aurelia 3 months ago. I went up there late that afternoon and you could not force the smile off his face even if you would have wanted to. Joseph and Mary did not know fully yet how precious this would be, but they had tears of joy that night when they looked at the newborn baby Jesus in the manger.
I think the real secret people have at Christmas time whether they have tears of joy or tears of sorrow is if they see the baby in the manger or if they look at something else. He is the one who brings the joy even 2000 years later. Too many eyes at this time of year are focused on parties or food or presents or even family gatherings. Those are all good and fun. Way too many are focused on drinking at the Christmas parties, and that is never helpful.
Any time we take our eyes off the Lord – in this case the baby in the manger, we are can and probably will have tears of sorrow. My expectations are not met. I don’t get what I want. Other people did not do what I want them to do or get me what I wanted. Jesus came to show us that the joyful life is oriented to loving God and others. He came to give, and when we live for him and give to others, we have joy even tears of joy. This Christmas look at the son of God in the manger. Every time you get busy with other stuff, ask yourself, how can I get my eyes back on the Lord and how can I help others see him? Enjoy the other things about Christmas, but remember Jesus Christ is the one who gives joy, the lasting eternal life joy to us and others.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
