Christmas and us

Hello Everyone, and thank you for joining us for our Christmas Eve service. This is roughly our Churches 24th Christmas Eve service, and we have all learned the story and the reason for the season of Christmas. I admit that doing a topical sermon is one of the most dread types for a pastor or Biblical Teacher because it is challenging to ensure that we do it right and give God the glory.

We know the General Idea that There was a woman by the name of Mary and that she was pregnant without having any relations with a man. The Baby was God in human form, and he was born into a manager.

No, this was not the manager that we think of, it was not wooden like the nativity scene but a complex stone trough that was not something you would think you put a child in. Nevertheless, what is the big deal? Why do we keep going over and over. learning the story and all of the components year after year?

If we know the story, then what is the point? We could sink Christmas songs and then go home all in 20 mins. Okay, let us eat Christmas cookies and put on our Christmas jammies for the night. However, there is a reason that I am going to show you tonight that will explain why this story is so paramount to us as Believers in an age where we are struggling more and more with every breath in our lungs.

If you are old school and love a feel of a Written Bible, please turn to Luke. It is around the third book in the Bible and has excellent details.

Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26–38 ESV

Luke 1:26–38 ESV

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Moreover, Mary said to the Angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

Anyone that knows us as a church knows we love questions and answers during church service. So here are your questions. What is something that you are afraid of?

Okay, now I had a feeling that not many people were going to respond, so I was going to throw myself underneath the bus. I have three major fears. First, I would not say I like heights at all. Even going on a ladder to get a book from the top of the bookshelf at home has me on edge. Nevertheless, I need that book for my studies. Next, is losing our home because I first got my place; I lost it because of health and bills when I first got my place. lastly,I am terrified that I will become like my dad and everything he did that messed up my siblings and me. this is a gut check in everything you do. There are simple fears, but they terrify me.

My fears and things that keep me up are not the same things that keep you up at night.

So you have a giant, mighty angel named Gabriel that appears, and his name means in Hebrews God is my warrior, and you are scared. I just put you up on the roof, and you have no idea what to do.

Instead of just freaking out, Gabriel Hey tells Mary that it is okay, do not freak out. I am not going to hurt you. I am just here to give you a message.

Your Heavenly Father has found favor or grace with him, and you will have a baby boy that you are going to call Jesus.

This next question is for all the fathers and grandpas in the room?

How scared were you when you found out you would be a parent?

You were terrified, and you started to freak out and look at everything else that needed to be done. Can we do it financially? The world is doomed, and we will be bringing a life into this world.

Then, after the shock wears off, you realize that you are a virgin and have no relations with someone of the opposite gender.

After a moment, I assume that she is told that he will be the king above everything else. Her Son will be reigning over everyone in this world.

Mary is like, what? I am a virgin, engaged to be married to a wonderful guy, and still very young. Biblical Scholars do not know exactly how old she and Joseph were during this time, but Mary was 13-16 years old. These were Biblical times where the teenager was pregnant. She was shocked, petrified, and speechless all at the same time. Gabriel, looking like a strong angel marine, is like Your Relative Elizabeth, who was old, has conceived a child, and she was told she could not have a child.

If your Relative can have a child after so many years of hoping and praying for this beautiful gift, nothing is impossible with God. She was written off as barren with no chance of conception.

God Got this if you were going to summarize it in 2021.

In the last few verses in the passage, Mary says, " Okay, I do not understand, but I will be God's Female Slave and do what I am told.

Who remembers two years ago when Covid-19 first hit? What were your fears, thoughts, challenges during the pandemic?

I was hoping you could hold onto that feeling of the unknown and everything else and multiply it because this is precisely what is happening in our passage.

So let us jump to the other side of the coin. You have the mother terrified and ridiculed because being impregnated by God is not something familiar, and if you were pregnant before marriage, you were unfaithful and tarnish to everyone around you. You shamed yourself, your family, and your future husband all at the same time.

Matthew 1:18-23

Matthew 1:18–23 ESV

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

So during this time, Joseph is preparing a place for himself and his future wife to live. It was common practice to build an addition to his parent's house either upstairs or the side, kind of like a mother-in-law suite but for the new couple. He is building and just doing everything he has to get this accomplished. He wants to marry this beautiful young woman, Mary. Suddenly, Mary finds him and tells him what is happening. We do not have this in scripture, but I imagine it was not easy for either of them to tell or hear. Joseph wanted to keep things back in control because he wanted to keep going with his plans of building their home and marrying his new bride. Things did not go as planned.

Joseph is debating inside what to do? She is pregnant and will be shamed if we keep going. I should divorce her and give her mercy and respect.

Does anyone see the connection of how Mary and Joseph want to control their lives, but God has a different plan?

sounds Familiar right??

During the night, Joseph is visited by an Angel. He is scared because this is not common and the Angel says, calm down. Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife and know that she is bearing the Son of God. You will name him Jesus, and he will save you from his sins.

I imagine he thinks that he had some lousy lamb or something because this is in no way correct, but this was not an everyday occurrence, and he is scared to death. He thought he would be able to get rid of the situation with Mary and the unborn child quietly, and now he has to continue with his plans to marry his bride Mary.

The concept is that we all have things we do not want to do, but he was being charged to continue with everything and name his new Son Immanuel or God is with us. Back then, names meant something, which was the most fantastic Name.

Jesus was the human version of God who walked this earth and dealt with the same challenges and sins we face every day. He was blameless and never sinned, but he knew the temptation of lying to his parents, sneaking out, Sexual temptations, murder, and anger, to name a few.

He was the savior to wipe all of our transgressions in this world. Imagine a giant reset button that wipes all of our transgressions because he was born in a manger in a sinful world with no blemish of sin. He died on a Roman Cross being tortured, but Death could not keep him. Christmas is not about the birth of a baby but the ultimate gift that God has given us. The gift of our Salvation.

We are not alone in this world and all of the fears that we hold onto. Jesus Earthly Parents were beyond terrified and needed a diaper change after Gabriel visited them, but they got through it through their Heavenly Father's faith. They knew that they were doing his will.

So what are we afraid of?

Is it heights, being like our parents, health issues? Are we trying to control and trust ourselves? Is it Brian's way, or is it God's way? We need to face this in reality because we are nothing in the grand scheme of things, but we were saved through nothing short of a miracle and plan from God.

Are you afraid of dying, or are you afraid of dying without having a relationship with your creator and sustainer of this earth? Are you willing to jump off the imaginary ladder and trust God, or are you going to be screaming, "Get me down"?

Yes, I admit I am still afraid of heights, but if I do not die, it will hurt.

Believers of Christ have nothing to fear except the fear of not knowing their Heavenly Father. Are you afraid that you will die? Are you afraid of cancer? Heights? Negatively being like your parents?

God is the key to everything because he is everything. Abba, our Heavenly Father, is the swiss army that fixes everything. Didn't you have a good father growing up? God provides a relationship with him and puts great men in your life to help shape you into the person you need to be. Did God get this? God will never forsake you or leave you. We know this from Deuteronomy 31:6-8.

Deuteronomy 31:6–8 ESV

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Mary and Joseph could not control what happened, and they were rolling with the punches. He did not expect that they would have to travel almost a week to be counted for the census, but this provided a way to go back to the roots of David.

The aspect of Christmas is more than presents but to realize that Jesus was tortured, persecuted, humiliated and hung on a wooden cross to die. This was beyond painful. Giant massive Rods as nails hammered into his hands. But he rose again on the third day. He took all of this suffering for our sins and transgressions so that we did not have to pay for them. Anyone that has been around knows that there has to be justice or payment for our transgressions. Either we pay for them by going to hell or Jesus takes our place. This all started from the very beginning and was foretold before even the foundation of the earth. This was very well known that there was going to be a great messiah or leader that was going to save the nation of Israel. They thought it was going to be a great military leader but instead it was a baby that was born in a stone made manager. Just like Mary and Joseph was afraid I imagine that Jesus was afraid because he knew at the end of his earthly life that he was going to be heading to the cross to pay for the sins of millions. So what are we truly afraid of compared to all of this ?

Lets Prayer-

Dear Heavenly Father, as we wrap our service, I want you to put everything we are scared of?

(pause)

Are we scared of Covid and everything that stems from it? Are we afraid of our Government or the ability to pay our bills?

Are we terrified that we are broken and cannot be fixed no matter what?

Did we let you down and be afraid that we will be tortured in hell forever?

Alternatively, maybe we are scared that we let you down and do not love us.

Please remind us all that there is a reason for Christmas, Lord. It is so much more than what we got for Christmas, the amazon packages, the gift cards, or even the food. Sending your Son to be born in a sinful world has tarnished everything it touches, and Jesus wiped clean everything that was turned black and smelly.

I pray, God, that you work inside of us and remind us that our fears are only earthly and that you can love us and fix us. You are our ultimate father, and we surrender ourselves to you.

amen