Where would we be without christmas

Good evening everyone,

We as a church have heard the angle of Christmas from many different viewpoints ranging from Jesus himself, his parents and even God but why is it so important that we have Christmas. The secular world would say it is all about presents and a fat guy in a red suit. But if you do a quick history of the holiday we celebrate it was brought back to life in the early 1920’s as a way to cheer us up and away from a circus to family. DO you think it is still about family or is it about what amazon can deliver to me for my family and for myself ? We as a country spend thousands of dollars on presents for our family, friends and even people we cannot stand. It is a way to keep up with the Jones and prove that we have better stuff.

If you drive down fowler you see a car dealership that is small and not in the greatest neighborhood that says your wife wants a car and only you can deliver. We as a country have taken something that is meant as a time to celebrate the birth of our savior and now we are making up for everything by buying cars and expensive jewelry. One of my most dreaded questions of the year is what do i want for Christmas because i honestly don't want anything. I have a loving and somewhat healthy family. What else is there to it?

As i was thinking about what to preach on for my first Christmas Eve service which topical are not very easy i kept circling back to one concept and that is where would be be without the birth of the son of God ? What is the big deal and why do you go all out for this magical holiday that we call Christmas. I hope everyone packed a seatbelt because it is going to get in depth quickly.

We have a collective group have to understand that the plan for God in human form was not a back-up plan or something that just happened as a result of our doing. This was planned before the very foundation of the earth and even before we knew what was time in itself. God didnt just say that okay the humans have royally messed it up so i am going to go down as one of them from the womb to the grave and provide the legal foundation to pay for their sins and transgressions.

The mention of Jesus birth and the need for a savior is all over the New Testament but where does it start? Does God just decide that he is going to send his one and only son to earth at he drop of the hat.

Lets check out Deuteronomy 18.15-19 where moses is talking

Deuteronomy 18:15–19 ESV

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

We have moses Telling us that there is someone more worthy than him that is going to be the ultimate savior or messiah. The jewish Culture during the birth of Jesus and the death and Resurrection was that this savior was going to be a great military leader that was going to overthrow Rome. Think of this hope and thought of everyone that was desperately needing the stimulus checks that went out the first time. People are losing their jobs, no money and they are starving. The savior was that money from the government. This was what Jesus was for these people but they did not realize that it was him until after his death on a roman cross.

We normally go verse by verse as a church but the thought of and importance of Christmas cannot be contained in a single verse or even a thought.

Our Heavenly Father sent his son who is apart of the trinity to start from the very beginning. It wasn't like he went from nothing to 33 years old but he was grown in the womb of Mary a virgin who was engaged to be married but had amazing and strong faith. She was terrified but knew that God was Good and that she was chosen to do something great by him.

So what do you do ? You find out your fiance’ that you love and your building the addition to your parents house so you can start your life together is pregnant ? back to the drawing board and naturally, you would deal with it quietly. Break up and get away from that situation! It is going to get messy and dangerous quickly right?? That is what we would do and what the culture in that time would be. Obviously she is not a virgin but waits their more.

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).

Joseph is basically told that look Mary has not been unfaithful and that you have to man up and do what is right. You will be Jesus earthly father but the biological father will be God our Heavenly Father. I use the term biological loosely so we understand that this was not a normal way to have a child come into the world. This was not planned or understood by Jesus Mother Mary. There was no planning beforehand so she has to scramble afterwards so she and jesus are ready. This was not an easy situation and the faith of everyone involved was tested. The culture of this time did not accept unmarried women to be pregnant or even to have relationship with a man. It was tabot and meant that Joseph , Mary and unborn jesus growing in her womb were going through many trials during those 9 months.

Baby jesus was feeling this stress from his mother just like unborn children know when their mother is stress, their father voice and even when mom is upset. Jesus was born just like all of us so. There was no shortcuts, no skip ahead and started out just like all of us in the development process in the womb. He kicked Mary inside her stomach when she was trying to sleep, grew tiny toes and fingers and grew bigger and bigger as she progressed.

Now Mary was getting close to time for baby Jesus to be born but sometime comes up that all of us love. Something involving the government. Lets check out Luke

Luke 2:1–5 ESV

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Who Remembers what they were told when they were first 18 years old. I was told 3 things you have to do in life - eat, die and pay your taxes.

Caesar Augustus who ruled Judea the region of that day ruled very hands off and let the jewish people do their own thing. Keep it quiet and pay your taxes to the Roman government and i will leave you alone. The Government elected officials were changed to Quirinus. Because of this they all had to go back to taxes and money for the goverment. He went there to see how much money they could get. Again even in this time money was the root of what they did.

Joesph, Mary and Baby Jesus in her womb have to go to Bethrethum so they can be counted for taxes. This was not an easy feat. It was a five day journey from Nazareth where they lived to the city of Bethrihum. It was hard for someone who wasn’t 9 month pregnant. Now any man who says that a women is not stronger than a man has never witnessed the sacrifice and determination that she has when it comes to her family and her children either born or unborn. Mary was scared and everything was unknown but she had faith in her Heavenly Father. She was not very young maybe 16 at the oldest. We don’t know exactly nonetheless we know that she was getting ready to start her life with Joesph.

However, what is the big deal of sending the son of God in human form to earth? Why is the significance and why should we separate the birth of jesus when really it should all be about his death and resurrection?

Without, the birth than we have lost everything. Jesus was savior, the messiah and was sent from his party in Heaven to cover our transgressions. Witrout, Christ we deserve death even for the most simplist sins. YOu talked back to your parents or you told a white lie then you go somewhere toasty. You go to hell we as a country all get caught up on what we get each other and what we want for Christmas. But God gave the ultimate gift that has no way to value it. He gave us life where we do not have to worry about pain, agony or even the simple aspect of time.

Jesus was blameless and never sinned a day in his life. He dealt with all of the temptations and struggles. He had poppy diapers, skinned knees where the giant boulders attacked him. He knew everything that we deal with because he walked the miles in his own Sandals. He knew the feeling of not being able to have the right words to express what he wanted to his earthly parents.

Nothing matters if we do not look at the whole picture. Imagine that you take your child or grand child and you destine them for death for something they never did. Not a single item that happened to Jesus 33 years later he deserved or earned. We celebrate Jesus Birth but without, Christ we have no cause for celebration of this holiday and no celebration of even living. If you do not believe than you are destined a thousand deaths when God sent his son to die for our transgressions.

I am not saying that Christians or Believers are perfect because we are not. We are far from it and struggle with everything under the son but we do not have to do it alone. We have a Heavenly Father that cares , loves us and disciplines us when we need it. We are his children and he sent his child to die on a Roman cross, whipped and beaten within an inch of his life, humiliated publicly for speaking the truth.

The process of God sending apart of the trinity to walk the earth while he was maintaining everything amazes me because we cannot comprehend the thought that he was keeping everything going while he also was in the form of man learning how to walk, becoming a Carpreter and handling the massive rocks of the region. We have the God in human form who is going through everything we went through. He was kicking Mary in the middle of the night. He cried when he was hungry and he even ran away from his parents when he was younger to learn teaching from the Jewish Elders in his early years.

So while you are looking at your Beautiful Christmas tree either fake or real understand that there is a reason for everything. The reason is not for the latest play station or more tools for dad but to celebrate the birth and the sacrifice of his life. The red twinkling lights are not just there for our enjoyment but actually is there to symbolize and remind us that with the birth of Jesus he was starting his journey to his death on a Roman cross in which 3 days later he rose again. Death could not contain him no matter what. The most powerful empire or government of that time could not keep him dead or contained.

Do you think that your struggles, challenges and worries are too big for the son of God who conquered all of this?? God knew the outcome of everything before the foundation of the earth but he still sent his son to die for us even though truthfully we are not deserving of it. We are worse than the stinky cloth diapers that baby Jesus had after he was born.

Without, Christ there is no reason for Christmas at all. You might as well save the time ,effort and money you spent on the beautiful decornations, cancel the parties, return the amazon packages of gifts for each other and go back to normal because it is not worth it.

So what key points can we take a way and remember while we are eating. And spending time with our families.

Christmas is not the most important holiday but critical to our salvation

Christmas is the beginning but it is not the pathway that has covered our sins. Jesus still has some time in this story til he is sent to die on the pain crumbling Roman Cross.

Christmas is more than Earthly presents

Christmas is about the ultimate gift that was given to us. The gift of the ability to enternal life. Without the birth how can Jesus die for our sins.

Our Creator can do all things

Our Alpha and Omega created , maintained everything while he was also learning how to walk.

God understands our pain, struggles and challenges because he has been there.

Be a good Neighbor

Instead of thinking what gift to get your neighbor or family. Think are they saved ? Are they going to be partying in heaven with Jesus or will they be missed.

Entenral life is more important than something that is going to die or need batteries. Our God doesnt need these things because he is outside of the confines of everything we know.