Lessons from the Christmas Story

December 20, 2020 Reference

“Lessons from the Christmas Story” formally “Lessons from the Narrative”

1. It’s another Christmas already. Whoever started the phrase “As slow as Christmas, did live at my house.” Time seems to go by so fast around my house that it seems that Christmas comes ever 2 months instead of every 12 months.

2. I’ve been listening to many of you and even myself this Christmas and there is a question that comes up an awful lot this time of year. What do you want for Christmas. We ask our children that. We ask our friends that. When the people that matter don’t ask us, we try to drop little hints so that they will know.

3. That whole process has cause me to ask, “What will you take away from this Christmas season?” If we were honest, we would say, “Hopefully some new clothes. A new computer. New golf clubs, etc.”

4. It doesn’t take long for Christmas to become about the hassle of shopping and the joy of receiving what you have been wanting all year. There is a cartoon of Dennis the Menace that we all can appreciate. He rushes in to the room, with his mother standing there with here mouth open, and he says, holding a big box in his hand, “We’d better tell Santa Claus to forget about the train set I asked for. I just found one on the top shelf of Dad’s closet.”

5. Louisa May Alcott uses a line in her classic Little Women that says, “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.” But I want to challenge that line of thinking this morning. I think the statement might be better put like this, “Christmas can be Christmas without presents. But Christmas can’t be Christmas without Christ.”

6. Just because you exchange gifts on the 25th of December doesn’t mean you have celebrated Christmas. We exchange gifts on anniversaries and birthdays and Christ doesn’t have any part of that either. Lots of times on Christmas we celebrate our desire for things than our thankfulness for a Savior.

7. According to a Legend Satan and his demons were having a Christmas party. As the demonic guests were departing, one grinned and said to Satan, “Merry Christmas, your majesty.” At that, Satan replied with a growl, “Yes, keep it merry. If there ever get serious about it, we’ll all be in trouble.” We need to get serious about what Christmas means.

8. So this morning I want to look at some quick lessons that we can draw all of the symbols and people of Christmas that will help us remember the reason for the Season.

I. Shepherds- God works from the bottom up and not the top down. (Luke 2:8-18)

Luke 2:8–18 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

1. Have you ever wondered why the first announcements were made to the shepherds. Why the shepherds? It seems to me an announcement that is this important. An announcement that people have been waiting thousands of years to hear God would have gone to Caesar or Herod or somebody else important.

2. Shepherds were way down on the totem pole of the society of that day. There were women, children and shepherds. There was this feeling, well if you can’t do anything else take care of sheep.

3. This tells me that works from the bottom up and not the top down. That is why I believe that when revival comes from our land, it is not going to be started by the President. I believe that revival is going to come when the normal people like you and me hear the news of the Messiah afresh in our lives and long to see him with our own two eyes.

4. Think about this. The shepherds didn’t immediately go and share the news that they had heard. They responded to the news. They wanted to see the Jesus. They wanted to experience the Messiah in person.

5. But after they experienced the Messiah, the couldn’t be quiet about it. Luke 2:17 “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about his child.” The first people who saw Jesus shared Jesus. The first to witness the Messiah became witnesses for the Messiah. That is what will restore America. When this happens revival will come to our land again.

II. The Magi-Following after Christ requires a long journey in the right direction. (Matt. 2:9-11)

1. Often times the traditional nativity scene has the shepherds and the magi all showing up at the manger at the same time. But that is not really the case at all.

Matthew 2:9–11 ESV

9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

2. They tell me that Jesus may have been around 2 years old by the time that the wise men showed up. But to be fair, they were coming from a long way off and they had some obstacles. Herod called them in and wanted to know when the star had appeared.

3. Sometimes we don’t realize what we are signing up for when we sign up for the journey to seek Christ. Accepting Christ is easy. We don’t usually understand the kind of perseverance and resolve it’s going to take to complete the journey. Following after Jesus is not something that you do overnight. It can take a lifetime of struggle fighting sin and heartache before we get to see Jesus face to face.

4. It’s amazing how far some people have to travel to find Christ, but somehow they make the journey. Some of you even here say, “It’s only by the grace of God that know Jesus as my Savior.” Some addicted to alcohol. Some addicted to money.

5. Then there are those who once were in love with Jesus. But, along the long winding road their heart grew distant from Christ. John in the book of Revelation who speaks of a church just like this.

Revelation 2:1–5 ESV

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

The mark of true believers is perseverance. It’s not that our love can’t grow cold and backslidden. But, the Lord brings us back home.

III. The Star- Heaven’s Spotlight on what is important. (Matt. 2:7-11)

Matthew 2:7–11 ESV

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

1. The Bible tells us that for at least two years this star shown over Jesus. I think the star served as a spot light to light the way to those who knew what it meant. I have my own ideas of what was going on in the sky that night. What I don’t think it was something quiet as obvious as a glaring fireball hovering over the house the magi came to.

These magi was star gazers. Somehow they had come in contact with Jewish literature that caused them to look in to the sky. Then these pagan astrologers, not astrologers as we think of it. But, they saw the signs that they knew pointed to the coming Messiah. And they pursued the marker in the night sky to Christ.

What was going on in the sky pointed them to Christ.

The Bible still says that creation points us to Christ.

Romans 1:18–20 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

God is pointing to himself through the evidence seen in creation. God is pointing to himself with the leading of the Holy Spirit. God is pointing to himself through the power of the revealed word of God. If people are not following Christ, it is not because the signs are not there, but because they are harden and blind to the truth.

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

May we pray that God will open the eyes of the spiritually blind and lead them to Christ.

IV. Baby- A lesson on dependence. (Luke 2:12)

Luke 2:12 ESV

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

1. A Baby is the most dependent creature on the planet. It can not survive without his parents. Christ could have come in all his glory, like he will when he comes again. But the fact that he came as a baby shows us the importance of dependence.

2. Jesus loved children.He told the disciples,

Matthew 19:14 ESV

14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

What did he mean? I think he meant that we had to come dependent on him, and not anything else.

3. Not only was he completely dependent on his mother, but throughout his life he was completely dependent on the Heavenly Father.

4. The Bible tells us that Jesus routinely got up early in the morning and went to a quiet place to seek the Father. Before he went out on his 3 year ministry, he went into the wilderness to fast and to pray for 40 days. What does the Son of God need to fast for? Most of my prayers are “Make me more like Jesus.” He was exactly like Jesus and he still prayed and fasted. He needed to feel himself depending on God. So do we. I

V. Manger- A lesson on humility.

1. It blows my mind that the most exalted being in all the universe made his arrival on earth in a manger, a place where the animals eat.

2. This is so foreign to our culture. Think about how do the most exalted, famous people in America make there entrance. They do it in Limousines and wearing nice clothes. I know everyone has seen the Acadamy Awards. This is where all the movie stars go to receive awards for their movies. The arrival gets more press than the awards do.

3. They roll out this big red carpet. Big stars roll up in their limousines. The stars make this long walk to show off their designer dress or suit. And people actually get paid to report on what these people are wearing.

4. That is so different to the way the King of Kings made his arrival. There were movie camera’s. No red carpet. Not even a barn like we would think of it. Probably a cave. Not a wooden feed through, but a cutout in a stone cave. Probably the garage for the inn that was full. Full of stinking animals that had made a long journey who still had to find a place to use the bathroom. That is where Jesus made his entrance into this world. That is where Mary and Joseph fell awestruck over meeting the Son of God.

5. Jesus taught us by word and deed that “the greatest of you will be a servant.”

6. A saint of many centuries ago got it right with this prayer: “Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, let me learn by paradox that the way down in the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess everything, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive. Let me find thy light in my darkness, thy joy in my sorrow, thy grace in my sin, thy riches in my poverty, thy glory in my valley, thy life in my death”

7. What will you take away from this Christmas seasons. Leave with the lessons that God teaches us in this Christmas story.