Accepting Christ's Invotation

Accepting Christ’s Invitation Matthew 11:28-30 Have you ever thought about the future? For the most part, we as people like surprises. A surprise Christmas card from an old friend, a surprise guest drops by making your Christmas celebration more joyful, a surprise birthday party, or maybe a surprise promotion at work. All of these surprises, and there are many others, boost our energy. They excite and encourage us because it’s a way of letting us know that other people notice and care for us. And often, it’s the thought, the planning, that goes into organizing a surprise that becomes the most meaningful part, because it reveals the effort others took for our happiness. But while surprises will come, when it comes to our future, we don’t want to be too surprised. So what do we do? We plan. Even with all our planning, we can only plan for so much. I mean, have you ever watched on TV how sports announcers will try to predict the winner of games? They look at talent, statistics, achievements, coaching, and what they’ve done in the past in an attempt to predict the winner. But at the end of the day, guessing who will win is simply that-a guess. As far as we’ve come with technology, the future is something we still cannot control. There are some things we do know, or we at least expect. We expect the sun to rise in the morning and set at night. There are small constants within our everyday lives, but then there are the larger variables: Will I find someone to marry? Will I get that job? Will I have enough money to retire? What are the doctor's test results? Just like when the disciples asked Jesus about the future, Jesus replied, “You’ll hear of wars and rumors of wars, but don’t be alarmed” (Matt. 24:6-8). Well, when Scrooge was about to embark upon his futuristic trip, he was certainly alarmed at what the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come has to show him. Scrooge is most fearful of the future, and the happiness Scrooge felt from seeing his friends from the past, and the compassion he feels in hearing Tiny Tim’s “God bless us every one” soon gives way to fear. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a shrouded, silent spirit, and Scrooge becomes fearful when his questions elicit only an ominous pointing finger from the ghost. Silence is uncomfortable, isn’t it? That awkward moment when nobody knows what to say. Like after church service one Sunday, while everybody is leaving and shaking hands with the pastor, and 8 year old boy standing with his parents tugged on the preacher's coat, getting his attention. He said, “When I grow up, I’m going to give you some money.” “Well thank you,” the preacher said, “but why?” “Because my father says that you’re one of the poorest preachers we’ve ever had!” I’m sure anybody who’s ever had children can relate. But sometimes, silence is unnerving when we’re in desperate need of an answer. When we pray to God and “hear” nothing in response, sometimes it leaves us with an uncomfortable and uneasy feeling that God has turned away or that God cannot be bothered with our petitions. But I’ve come to realize that silence is what it sounds like when God is listening. It’s not that prayers go unanswered; rather, the silence is God’s invitation for us to continue speaking. Does the Word of God seem silent in your heart? Are you caught in a place where your eyes cannot see what tomorrow might bring? Remember, Jesus says in today’s Scripture, “you will find rest for your souls.” The best rest comes in moments of silence, so if you’re hungry for the Word of God, then put yourself in a position to hear it. When Scrooge hears no answer from the spirit, he becomes fearful, but it’s a quiet fear that speaks loudly to Scrooge, inviting him on his redemptive journey. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come takes Scrooge back to Bob Cratchit’s home, and Scrooge notices the house is quiet and still. He soon realizes that Tiny Tim has died, and watches as the Cratchit’s experience the pain and sadness of their loss. Next, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come takes Scrooge back to his own home, where he watches his servants sort through his belongings. As his servants pick through Scrooge’s lifelong accumulation of stuff, they feel little remorse for poor old Scrooge, and Scrooge then realizes that in comparison to life and what’s really important, all of his stuff is not worth much. And then it hits him; his servants are going through his belongings because Scrooge has died. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come immediately takes Scrooge to a graveyard, and Scrooge in horrific fear falls upon his own gravestone. With tear-filled eyes, Scrooge dreadfully asks, “Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of the things that May be, only?” Scrooge is desperate to know if any hope remains! And if you’ve ever come to a point in which you’re desperate to know if any hope remains, listen to what Revelation 1:4 says, “Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come.” A God who is means that we are not abandoned. A God who was means that we’re forgiven. A God who is to come is a God whose promise can be trusted. And what’s God’s promise? That when Christ asks, “Come to Me,” and you accept His offer, He’ll give you rest. A rest from the burden of sin and guilt. Scrooge doesn’t want to see anymore. He shouts to the spirit, “Hear me! I’m not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been…Why show me this if I’m past all hope? I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year!” Crying and weeping, Scrooge loses his strength, falls on his knees, and through his tears says, “I haven’t taken leave of my senses, I’ve come to them.” And with his last bit of energy cries out, “I do repent! I do repent! Believe me, I’m not the man I was!” With that, Scrooge did something for the first time that money could never have bought, his redemption. As soon as Scrooge uttered those words, he immediately found himself back in his own bed. Scrooge shuffles over to the window and discovers that it’s Christmas morning, and he has been given a chance to change his ways. “It’s Christmas Day!” Scrooge said to himself. “I haven’t missed it.” Christmas Eve night, Scrooge went to be dead in his sins, but woke up Christmas morning with new life! He did nothing to earn it because it was a gift. Salvation is a gift that can’t be earned. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it’s by grace you’ve been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it’s the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” With this gift of new life Christ offers, Scrooge shouts, “I’m as light as a feather! I’m as happy as an angel! Merry Christmas to everybody!” Now, if you’ve ever had a chance to watch the movie A Christmas Carol, especially the 1951 edition, you’ll watch as Scrooge jumps and leaps and shouts and laughs with his newfound joy. So incredibly joyful is Scrooge that his house servants can’t believe it. In fact, watching Scrooge actually makes them panic. Scrooge is so different, so full of life, it takes them a moment to realize that Scrooge isn’t scary, but merry. Scrooge has had a complete life transformation. And you know, the Christmas story, another life transformation, can be seen in 3 scenes. In scene 1, the curtain opens, and we see a magnificent palace, the seat of human power and authority. Caesar sits on his throne and commands that the entire world is to be counted. The news spreads and Joseph and Mary enter the scene, preparing to make the journey from Nazareth in the north to Bethlehem in the south, so they can be counted. While they’re in Bethlehem, the time comes for Mary to deliver her child. She gives birth to a baby boy, wraps Him in swaddling clothes, and places Him in a manger because there’s no room for them at the inn. The scene begins at the palace and ends with no place. It begins with Caesar, who was named the emperor of the world, and ends with a baby placed in a manger. It begins with the seat of human power and ends with those who live in powerless poverty. It beings with everyone being counted and ends with a baby revealing that everyone counts. In scene 2, we find ourselves on the outskirts of town, where the 3rd shift shepherds scan the darkness surrounding the fold for any signs of danger. Then an angel of the Lord stands before them and they’re afraid. Their job was to protect the herd from danger, and now standing before them is a potential threat they’ve never seen, which is why the angel first said, “Don’t be afraid.” Then the angel said something curious – “This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” The wise men receive the sing of a star, but the shepherds needed something more practical – they needed a manger, a feeding trough for animals. They knew how to find a manger. God speaks to us in a language we can hear and understand. The magi had a star. The shepherds had a manger. How is God speaking with you? It may seem frightening at first, but don’t be afraid; it’s the story of great joy – the steadfast assurance that God is with us. The shepherds said, “Let's go to Bethlehem - now,” or as Billy Crystal said to Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally, “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” The curtain opens to scene 3 with the shepherds having found the child lying in a manger. They can’t offer treasures of gold, frankincense, or myrrh, but Mary treasures the gift they did offer – their words. The shepherds don’t linger. They return to their fields, but they returned forever changed. When Scrooge returned from his fantastic journey, he too returned forever changed. And in each scene of our 3-scene story, there’s one common theme – the manger. In the first scene, the child is placed in the manger. In the second scene, the angel proclaims that the manger will be a sign to them. In the third scene, the manger is found and celebrated. Scrooge found the manger. And for the first time in his life, Scrooge has something real to celebrate, his redemption. The weary and burdened Scrooge took Christ’s yoke, which eased his burden. It was always said of Scrooge that he knew how to keep Christmas well. Maybe the entire point of A Christmas Carol lies in 3 small words: keep Christmas well. I wonder if the same could be said of us? But What do we Keep and How do we keep Christmas well? The answer lies in front of you. The Advent candles remind us what we’re called to keep. We should keep Peace, continually learning how to love our enemy and break bread with the outcast and forgotten. We should keep Hope, always trusting in the Sovereignty of God. We should keep Love because “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and calls us to proclaim His Name to the world. We should keep Joy, constantly remembering the steadfast assurance that God is with us. We’re called to Keep, we’re called to Keep Christmas, and we’re called to Keep Christmas Well. And now, with new life found in Christ, Scrooge gives Christmas presents to his servants, gives them a sizable raise, and tells them to go home to enjoy Christmas. Scrooge rushes out his front door, throwing snow as he sings and dances down the street. He donates and gives gifts to everyone he encounters, revealing that he is a new and joyful person. He went from Scrooge, that stingy old miser, to Ebenezer, a “stone of help,” and lived true to his name. But there’s one last thing Scrooge must do. Earlier in the story, his nephew Fred offers Scrooge a Christmas dinner invitation, but back then, Scrooge just wanted to be left alone, to keep Christmas in his own way. Fred pleaded with Scrooge to come, but that crotchety old miser rather rudely dismissed Fred. Scrooge knows that his journey isn’t quite over until he humbly and selfishly reconciles with his family. He approaches Fred’s door, head hanging low he wanders into the dining room and says, “I’ve come to dinner. Will you let me in?” Without hesitation, Fred welcomes him in and a wonderful party, a family reunion takes place. “Come to Me,” Jesus says, and He will let you in. And in the months and years to come, Scrooge finally makes good his promise to his late sister, he takes care of Tiny Tim, even paying to have Tiny Tim’s lame leg fixed, so he can walk and play without a cane. With Fred’s invitation accepted, Scrooge’s redemptive journey is complete. Christmas is an invitation into a relationship with God, through Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ is born so that God might have ears to hear our wants, eyes to see our need, hands to outstretch on the cross in order to clothe us in His resurrection, and lips to speak the story of Good News, that we might share with the world. When Christ’s invitation is accepted, we discover that we have been redeemed. We’ve neither earned it nor do we deserve it. It’s a gift from God. Scrooge knocked at the door and asked to be welcomed, and with joy, he was. If Scrooge can be redeemed, then so can we! We all have fear about the unknowns in our futures, but we can rest in the fact that God holds the future in His hands. The birth of Jesus proves God’s love and pursuit of us, and we can accept God’s invitation and live confidently in the face of the unknown. 3 weeks ago, each of you received this card with a bell. On it is written, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The spirits of all 3 shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” With that, we come to the end of Scrooge’s journey, but maybe the beginning of yours. So let it be true of you that you Keep, that you Keep Christmas, and that you Keep Christmas Well. God bless us all! AMEN Lord, today as we look at Christmas future, give us the courage to face the future with hope and without fear. We rejoice as we look back to the day when Christ was born, and faithfully follow You as You lead and guide us into the future. For You know all things and in You we are secure. Your Word says that You are near to the brokenhearted, and in eager anticipation we look towards that day where You will wipe away every tear. Lord, you came to us and freely offer everyone to come to you. And no matter how busy we get, how many emotions flood over us, or how weary or heavy burdened we may become, let us find our rest in You. For Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Teach us these truth’s Lord. Write them upon our hearts and apply them into our lives. It’s Christ who takes away the sin of the world, and also taught us to pray, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.