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CELEBRATING IN SPITE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES 12-18-11 Sermon
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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2: 4-19
Balloons, confetti, noisemakers, food—what’s needed to make a celebration special? Birthdays require presents, cake and ice cream and friends around to help you eat and celebrate. Who can imagine a good 4th of July celebration without fireworks?
In the world of sports, when a city’s team wins the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, or the NBA playoffs, there are massive celebrations. Countless thousands of people skip work and school and participate in a giant victory rally and buy silly souvenirs from vendors.
There’s nothing wrong with having a good time or expressing excitement or being part of some major festivity. In Jesus’ day the celebration of Passover always drew hundreds of thousands of non-residents to the city of Jerusalem.
Ancient Roman celebrations included elaborate victory parades and massive feasts during which people binged and then threw up so they could go back and eat some more. In the time of Rome’s power they had so much of the world’s wealth that their tastes became distorted and bizarre. Pies made out of parrot’s tongues were all right for the nobility, but if that pie was for the emperor, all those birds had to know how to TALK before their tongues were used!
Think with me a bit about Mary at that first Christmas. Her name means bitterness. From the hour of the announcement on, dark pain lay ahead for her—friends’ disbelief, lack of understanding, accusations of promiscuity and her son’s illegitimacy, to begin with. In our sexually casual age it is difficult for us to realize what depth of trust in God Mary displayed here. She faced the possible loss of her betrothed fiancé, Joseph. In those days there was no casual sleeping together before the marriage or during the engagement. And the engagement was usually a year long. Breaking the engagement required a divorce even though the marriage had not happened yet, it was that solemn a promise. Until the angel reversed Joseph’s direction through a dream, he had resolved to break the marriage contract between them and leave Mary to carry and bear this baby alone. If he did, it is possible that Mary would have been stoned to death for committing adultery!
After she had returned from seeing Elizabeth, going back to her own village to make her home with Joseph, Mary experienced the weariness of months of pregnancy culminating in the long southward journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register to be taxed. She and Joseph were poor. When they dedicated Jesus at the temple they gave a sacrifice of doves, which was the sacrifice of the poor. So, it is unlikely that they had a donkey to ride. Donkeys were expensive. Sometimes several families or a whole village shared a donkey. So she and Joseph most likely walked the 100 or so miles to Bethlehem.
Bethlehem seemed harsh and unwelcoming in winter since there was no room for them at the inn. You may think of Israel as being hot all the time, but Bethlehem is just a few miles from Jerusalem, and I was in Jerusalem during the winter once when it snowed. Perhaps her first uneasy cramping of labor had begun, and the panic of helplessness as the busy innkeeper turned them away.
Yet, we read nothing of any complaints on Mary’s part. She’s not saying This isn’t the way it’s done down here God. I mean, no chocolate on my pillow at some nice inn, that’s all right. But not even a pillow or a bed? Not even an inn! If I understand what’s happening right, this child is the messiah himself. Your only born son! So if every hotel and motel is filled, at the very least one would think you could have some nice surprise for us now that we’ve finally made it to Bethlehem.
Reading about Mary we are reminded again and again of pairs of opposites, causes for celebration paired with unpleasant circumstances. The pain of childbirth joined with the exhilaration of having produced the child who was God. The pain of the place—an animal shelter, coupled with the glory of the shepherd’s supernatural experience of angels. Later on the excitement of the arrival of wealthy Gentile wise men from the east bringing worship and exotic gifts to the feet of a Jewish baby, paired with the pain of Herod’s massacre of the infants of Bethlehem and having to flee Israel to go to Egypt. Mary’s little one was protected at the cost of all the lives of the baby boys of Bethlehem who died in his place.
Joy and pain must have struggled for supremacy in Mary’s emotions as she tried, in her soul’s privacy, to put it all together, to weigh each event and wait for its meaning to come clear. If she had lived today she might have gone on Oprah or written a book, but we read that Mary kept it all in her heart.
Throughout Mary’s life with Jesus she found herself in situations where she was torn between celebration and circumstances that did not lend themselves to celebration. As Jesus moved to maturity, he seemed to have kept some of his hardest sayings for Mary. Feel, if you are a parent, the tone and impact on Mary of the words of Jesus at age 12 on the trip to Jerusalem that disclose a higher loyalty. Jesus said to her, Why are you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house? In other words, Why be so unreasonable? Why search for a truant 12 year old? Why feel anxiety when the son given to you by God turns up missing and you can’t find him for 3 days? Why be astonished when you hear him not only asking, but answering the questions of the temple theologians?
Mary’s womanly concern is demonstrated again at the wedding feast at Cana. When she alerts Jesus to the problem of a wine shortage, he seems to distance himself from it and her when he says Why involve me?
In Mark 3 his family comes to visit him while he is tangling with the religious leaders and Jesus seems to be pulling away from his mother and brothers. He is accused of performing miracles by Satan’s power, and Mark tells us that even his own family is worried that he is out of his mind. Yet, when Jesus is told that his concerned mother and brothers are outside looking for him, he asks Who are my mother and my brothers? And he answers his own question by saying Whoever does God’s will is my brother, and sister, and mother. Can you imagine that those words stung the heart of Mary?
At the cross, under its very arms, near her son nailed there, we read about Mary in John 19, standing there with two other Mary’s. And reading through the lines of Scripture at this point we can guess at what she is going through. That long ago surrender at Christmas where she said in response to the angel’s announcement Lord, here I am, seems so easy compared to her thoughts at the cross—Lord, here is my son!
But consider this, less than ideal circumstances were not going to keep Mary from celebrating at the birth of God’s newborn king, and throughout her life. We are all aware of people who are experiencing less than ideal circumstances at this time of year. Some are recovering from surgery. We have people on our prayer list in serious situations. We have a friend who found that her ovarian cancer has returned. We know of two parents this week who just informed their college age daughters that they are divorcing. Many of us have family members who have never received this newborn king that we sing about into their own heart and life. We have friends or family members who are still trapped in addictions. For some, family gatherings always feature a big family fight so they like to skip those gatherings all together.
So there’s lots of folks this Christmas with no chocolate…and no pillow…and no room reserved at the Hyatt or the Hilton. But that doesn’t mean they can’t celebrate the miracle birth of this newborn king. If the baby that was born is who we believe he is, then those who mourn can now find comfort. Even less than ideal circumstances shouldn’t keep you from celebrating the miracle birth of God’s newborn king.
One thing that does help us get through is the sure knowledge that the crises that we face will pass. We may not know how they will work out, but most of us know that a week from now, a year from now, life will be flowing full scale and the newspaper will still be delivered every morning and the TV news at night will still be uncovering some new scandal about someone running for president, and the dishes will still have to be washed.
The trip to Bethlehem WAS eventually over and they DID find a place to stay, and the baby WAS born, and the shepherds DID come and find the baby in the manger and the wise men DID complete their journey. The problems causing interruptions in our carefully ordered lives DO get dealt with, and through it all, things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out. Let me say that again, things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.
But there is also the promise of advent that we don’t have to deal with these despair bearing interruptions alone, for Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. He says I will never leave you nor forsake you. In the book of Isaiah God says Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Oftentimes when these circumstances that bring despair to our hearts break in upon us, we want to cry out, Where are you God? Why have you forsaken me? In Isaiah 49 God says, Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though SHE may forget, I will not forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Though we might not like what we have to go through, the promise of God is that we never have to go through it alone. God’s children are engraved on the palms of his hands, he knows his children by name, and he is with us.
They called him Emmanuel, God with us. So, yes, as you face that family problem God is with you. And as you face that health problem, God is with you. And as you face that problem at work, God is with you. And as you face that problem in school, God is with you. You can celebrate because God is with you.
How can you celebrate in your heart when you could be overwhelmed by adversity? How can you celebrate when not everything is the way you want it? How do you commemorate an event like the birthday of the King who made the world such a better place?
To start with, you check the impulse to concentrate on the negative, to rehearse the litany of your woes to your friends. Instead, you work on focusing on God’s great promises. In public you give testimony to God’s continued goodness in spite of your real and pressing problems. In private you thank God for every evidence of his care, both large and small, and that’s regardless of whether or not your major problems have been resolved.
In the midst of our oldest son, Luke’s, heroin addiction, at Christmastime he was out living on the streets somewhere. It was traditional for family members to gather at our home for Christmas dinner. For several Christmases we never knew if Luke might show up or not. And everyone in the family knew about the situation. If Luke did show up, all the women in our family were careful to keep their purses with them while Luke was in the house. When we left our home at Christmastime we didn’t know if Luke might break in while we were gone and steal the presents. That is what Christmas was like for us, several years in a row. We actually felt safer when he was in jail.
But even in this difficult time we had reason to celebrate. The Savior of the world was born. And that Savior had come to me ahead of the Christmas season, during my sermon preparation one day, and said, Take a look at Isaiah 49:25. It’s for you! I had no idea what that verse said so I went and looked it up. It says I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. That promise that God would save my children sustained me during those dark hours. And now that Luke is ministering on the streets of Brazil as a missionary saving the least, the last and the lost with God’s help, I know that God’s promises are trustworthy. There is reason to celebrate even in the midst of unpleasant circumstances because the Savior of the world has come to help us.
God celebrated at Jesus’ birth. He sent a whole army of angels to announce the birth to some shepherds. He set a star in the sky for some wise men to follow to see this newborn king. The shepherds came and celebrated. The wise men came and celebrated. Mary and Joseph celebrated, even in less than ideal circumstances.
To put your circumstances into perspective you can pray a Well, at least it never came to that prayer. In other words, if things are tough now, imagine what it would be like to be going through that situation without Jesus. Use your imagination to describe what an incredible mess you would be in if you had to rely exclusively on your own strength, wisdom and insight. You could pray, Jesus, the problems of this day are nothing compared to the mess I would be in were it not for you! Celebrate that you are not the person you would be if Jesus hadn’t made a huge difference in your life.
Take some time to put together a special Christmas prayer. When you get home, get out a piece of paper and begin listing all the things you like about Jesus, all the things you are thankful for about Jesus. Add to it each day between now and Christmas, and then take some time on Christmas day to tell Jesus what you have written.
In spite of your circumstances, extend someone a Christmas pardon. Knowing how pain feels, you don’t wish it on anyone. So, in this season of goodwill toward all, work on showing love, on being forgiving, on bringing joy to the world of someone who is hurting.
Even less than ideal circumstances shouldn’t keep you from finding a special way to show that you truly love and honor Jesus. Yes, you recognize that your circumstances are not the best. However, you make certain that Jesus is your focus, knowing that what he faced on your behalf was much harder than what you will ever have to go through. Maybe, like Mary, you should go on a Christmas trip. Maybe God’s been nudging you to visit a certain person. You’ve been apprehensive, but go for it. Take some baked goods to the neighbor across the street. Visit someone in the hospital or nursing home or a shut-in.
Ask yourself What’s so exciting about Christmas? What difference does it really make in my life? Explain to yourself so you can explain to others that you are commemorating a mind-boggling event, that you believe this baby born in Bethlehem was none other than God coming to earth. That Mary’s child was different from other boys and girls. That’s hard to believe until you see how different and wonderful Mary’s son was. You see him as one who merits your allegiance. You view him as your rightful ruler. You seek to serve him with your whole life.
So between now and Christmas day, you remove the bad times mask and show your face that reveals the joy of the Lord. There are more than enough times to be down, but this is a helium filled balloon, confetti and streamers celebration time. If Joseph and Mary could celebrate the birth of the Lord in a stable, you can certainly do so in your setting. Remember we sing, O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Circumstances weren’t ideal that first Christmas Day, and they haven’t often been perfect for believers down through the centuries. But Jesus comes to you this Christmas and asks Will you follow me? Will you let my influence mark your life?
If you believe that Jesus can forgive your sins, enter into your life by his Spirit and begin teaching you to live under his rule, this is a great time to ask him to do just that. It will set off an internal celebration with you. But is also sets off a celebration in heaven, for scripture tells us that all heaven rejoices when a sinner repents. It changes your circumstances so that everything begins to seem insignificant in comparison to this relationship. It marks for you a marvelous Christmas, the Christmas you’ve always longed for. And eternity alone will reveal the extent of the celebration staged in heaven when you and your King once again become friends.
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