A Season to Worship
A Season to Celebrate • Sermon • Submitted
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Christmas is the biggest commercial holiday in the United States, responsible for hundreds of billions of dollars spent on decorations, food, and of course, the “perfect” gifts for loved ones. Many people begin their Christmas shopping even before Thanksgiving and take full advantage of retailers’ Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
The weeks leading up to Christmas Day are supposed to be filled with peace and happiness, but too often we experience a holiday of worry and stress. Amid the excitement and bustle of the season, we can easily become so frazzled that we lose sight of what it is all about. Perhaps this is what author E.B. White meant when he observed, “To perceive Christmas through its wrappings becomes more difficult with every year.”
If we want to avoid the stress associated with the material concerns of the Christmas season, we must turn our focus upward to the One whose birth we celebrate.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Peace from God
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Peace of God
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The announcement of Jesus’ coming was intended to bring peace to troubled hearts, both in those days and still today. When we understand the miraculous message that Jesus came to earth to be our Saviour and Prince of Peace, we can truly worship Him during this season.
In our last lesson, we considered how Joseph came to understand the announcement of Christ’s coming. This week we’ll see how the announcement came to Mary. And we’ll see how His presence brings peace to our troubled lives.
The Message of Peace
The Message of Peace
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Given in a humble place.
One might imagine that God could have picked a more impressive town for the birth of His only Son, the Messiah. Nazareth was a small, poor Jewish village that had no trade routes and was of little economic significance to the region. It was nothing like Jerusalem, which was central to the nation and would have been a fit birthplace for a King. But God’s not impressed with the magnitude of a city. In fact, great works of God often start in small places, in people that have a great commitment to the Lord.
Nazareth reminds us that God is not looking for accomplishments of man’s doing—He’s looking for people with a heart for Him.
Given to a holy woman
One Sunday school teacher asked her class, “Who do you think was the most important woman in the Bible? Eric raised his hand and answered, “Eve.” “Why do you think Eve was the most important?” the teacher asked. “Because they named two holidays after her— Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.” Mary isn’t necessarily the “most important woman in the Bible.” But she did play a vital role in our Saviour’s birth. And in no area of her life is that role more clearly seen than in her holiness and purity.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.
Mary was not unique financially or socially, but she was a ready vessel for bringing the Son of God into the world. Further she sought to follow God’s will for her life and she was a woman favored by God. Verse 28 of our text says Gabriel addressed her with, “Hail, thou that art highly favored,” meaning she was full of grace. What a tremendous testimony.
The Reason For Worship
The Reason For Worship
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
This was the greatest news the world would ever hear, and it was certainly the most important news Mary had ever been given. But if we put ourselves into her shoes we can understand why her response was not peaceful or joyful. Mary likely felt a good measure of fear as she asked, “How shall this be?” (v. 34).
Often when God is working in our lives, we won’t understand what’s going on or how He’s about to work. Therefore His ways can seem troubling. But just as Joseph had a choice, so did Mary when faced with a troubling time: to trust herself or to trust God. As she listened to the angel, Mary heard some things about Christ that would calm her fear and give her reason to worship.
Because of Christ’s Presence
Because of Christ’s Presence
Jesus - Savior
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus - the only Name that Saves
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Because of Christ’s Perfection
Because of Christ’s Perfection
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
One family learned the hard way that it’s not necessarily the thought that counts when it comes to Christmas gift giving. An elderly aunt who was tired of trying to figure out the perfect gifts for her family decided one year to give everyone gift cards. She purchased a selection of greeting cards to accompany her gift and penned inside each, “Buy your own Christmas presents!” before mailing them off.
She soon noticed her family members were behaving strangely toward her, as if she’d offended them, but it wasn’t until one afternoon while cleaning out a junk drawer in her house that she discovered the reason. Inside the drawer was the stack of gift cards she’d purchased—she’d forgotten to mail them with the Christmas cards!
We all know what it’s like to spend time looking for that one “perfect” gift for our loved ones—something that they’ve always wanted, or maybe that they never realized they wanted but, that is perfect for them. In all our searching and researching, sometimes we get it right, and the excitement on their faces brings us great joy. Of course, sometimes we get it wrong, like the lady above. But God knew mankind so well that He knew exactly what we needed and sent the perfect Gift: Jesus. And when we give the gift of Jesus to others by sharing the gospel with them, we can rest assured it’s a perfect fit. He alone is what the world still needs today.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
The Consent of Mary
The Consent of Mary
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
To God’s Will
To God’s Will
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
William Barlcay once said that the most popular prayer is “Thy will be changed,” but the greatest prayer on earth is “Thy will be done.” That’s what Mary was saying with her words. Even though she couldn’t comprehend the magnitude of God’s plan, she essentially said “Lord, You’re at work here—I don’t know how exactly—but do what You want to do through me.”
To God’s Word
To God’s Word
Andrew Murray said, “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.” We will find, as Mary did, that when we determine to trust God’s Word, we are putting ourselves in hands that are more than capable of caring for us.
Better still, as we trust His Word, we learn that it never fails.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him From generation to generation.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, And exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath holpen his servant Israel, In remembrance of his mercy;
As he spake to our fathers, To Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
As you make your Christmas lists and check them twice, make sure you are setting yourself up for a season of worship rather than worry and stress. Worship is made possible as we, like Mary, believe the Word of God about who Jesus is and why He came.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Worship comes as we yield our will to God’s will and find peace in resting in His promises.