Sermon Synopsis for December 16, 2007

“Rejoice in What God Brings” Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11

It’s tough to be sad a Christmas time. Lots of people are.
The children told me that getting presents makes them happy. It’s part of the “joy” of Christmas.

The children were sad to learn that many children get no presents for Christmas; many children haven’t even heard about Christmas. They don’t know that Jesus came. That makes me sad.

Elizabeth and John the Baptist visited us on Sunday morning. (Thanks Gwen and Doug.) Elizabeth reminded us that John had the joy of announcing good news to the people – that Christmas (the Messiah) was coming. It’s feels good to make others happy.

John the Baptist proclaimed that the people needed to repent and get ready for Jesus’ coming into the world and into their lives. The Old Testament predicted that John would do that (Isaiah 40:3-5).

Jesus and the New Testament writers often quoted from the Old Testament. There are two books they quote more than any other.

Deuteronomy – calls us to understand God’s liberation from the things that bind us, and teach that the law shows our obedience after our salvation.

Isaiah – shows God’s interaction in the lives of people living the Kingdom of God, and a hope for the future – the coming Christ, the Savior, the one who will change everything – for the good, it will be better. God is going to bring a time when all our problems and difficulties will be over; and God is going to give us hope to keep going while we wait.

After the prophets, there was a long silence from God … more than 400 years … before God sent the messiah.

That’s a lot of waiting; I imagine that people were at the end of hope, near giving up.
And then it started … God’s presence and message was heard again.

It started with two pregnant women – probably cousins – a young girl and an old woman get pregnant … and all of the sudden, everything is different – the world is about to change.

The first pregnancy leads to the birth of John to Elizabeth and Zechariah.
His dad is so happy that he breaks into song (the Adult Sunday School classes studied his singing). John grows up to be a wild man (I imagine he looks kind of like what a guy looks like after he’s been hunting for a week or two).

His message: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” “Get Ready!” “Christmas is coming!”

And what does all his faithfulness to God get him? What is his earthly reward for following God? He’s thrown in prison, caught up in a political struggle and a struggle with the family of Herod, the so-called ‘king of the Jews.”

You see …, Herod the Great had 6 children by 4 women (he’s the one who had the children of the Bethlehem area killed). Herod Antipas was his 4th child and Herod Philip I was his 5th child. Herod Antipas married Philip’s wife Herodias. Philip was Herod’s half brother (Herod the Great was father of both, but Malthace was Herod Antippas’ mother and Cleopatra was Philips mother). John the Baptist criticized Herod for marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias, who stayed married to Philip even though she married Herod. Salome was Herod Antipas’ neice (and step-daughter), daughter of Philip and Herodias; Salome danced for him at Herod’s birthday party and Herod granted her one wish.

John the Baptist lost his head, because of a birthday wish (see Matthew 14:1-12). Being faithful to God got him killed. The Christmas story is full of sadness; it’s tough to be sad at Christmas time.

The second pregnancy leads to the birth of Jesus, son of Mary (and Joseph is what most of the world thought, but God is really the father). That makes Jesus the Son of God. Remember when he was baptized by John? God said, “This is my Son, who makes me happy.”

Well, our Scripture passage (Matthew 11:2-11) takes place when Jesus is starting his ministry and John is in jail. John starts doubting if Jesus is really the one he told everyone was coming. John doubted Christmas. Sad.

John send his people to ask, “Jesus, are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

So here we are … The Christmas story starts with two pregnant women.

We live in a world of pregnant expectation: Here I go with another analogy. As Christians, each of us is like a pregnant woman.

The Christ is here. But he’s in our lives, filling us with hope and joy; we have the glow of an expectant mom (after the time of morning sickness).

The Christ is coming again (and we anxiously wait for the day to arrive).

In the meantime – we live our lives in pregnant expectation.

Do you have that joyful glow?
Joyful in what God has done / joyful in what God has promised.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
What’s going to make you happy for Christmas? Are you waiting for the advertisement to come in the mail? To be shown on TV?

We get junk mail, see billboards, hear TV & Radio adds, infomercials; everything promises that this thing, or program, or whatever will make you happy. You’ll get what you want … if only you buy.

It’s easy to get caught up in it – a coupon comes in the mail (50% off any item), “Biggest Sale of the Season,” “Nothing says I love you like Jewelry.” Etc. Consumerism drives the USA economy – retail sales is the biggest sector of our economy – Economists tell us if people stop buying, the economy is going to tank. Sad.

In the attack on the twin towers – more than 2000 people, from many countries died.
Part of the response of our government was to encourage the US population to go shopping, make purchases, don’t let this thing stop our economy – buy, buy, buy. Sad.

At Christmas time a boy decided to go over Santa’s head and write to God.
He wrote to explain to God why he should receive a bicycle for Christmas.
He wrote several drafts, explaining why his behavior and attitude merited a bicycle; each ended up in the trash. He just wasn’t good enough or special enough to merit the bike.

Finally he walks to the manger scene in front of a local church and steals the baby Jesus out of the manger.

He writes, “Dear God, if you ever want to see your son again, send me a bicycle.”

Some people think that you can hold the true meaning of Christmas hostage for some presents. It won’t work. Sad.

WHAT’S THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS?

For many, Christmas means giving and receiving gifts. You might say, in jest of course, “I enjoy your presents (not presence) at Christmas, so if you don’t bring any, don’t bother coming.”

For many Christmas is gifts and shopping … January can bring – broken toys and credit card payments.

In the midst of rampant consumerism (our culture) … the Church in 20th century America celebrates the arrival of a baby into a poor family, who flees political persecution, grows up in a poor town, has a following of a few thousand at best, is framed in a corrupt legal system, and condemned to capital punishment as a common criminal. He rises from the dead, and promises to return.

Here we are, the church in the world. It’s material goods vs. Jesus again.

We celebrate the arrival of Jesus … in the midst of rampant consumerism. It’s a tough message to bring.

So … the question remains: What makes you happy? What brings you joy?
For the world, the answer is: “Things.”
For God and his Church: “Jesus brings true joy.”

John the Baptist asks Jesus, “Are you the one?” “Is this what we’ve all been waiting for?”
Jesus replies – indirectly, “here’s what’s happening, you figure it out.”

It’s what Isaiah said would happen when the messiah appears: blind receive sight, lame walk, disease is cured, deaf hear, dead receive life, the poor get good news.

Things are changing; lives are changing. The messiah is beginning to change the old order of things.

GOD BRINGS TRUE JOY TO US
We live in a world of blindness, lameness, disease, deafness, poverty, even death itself – these are not part of God’s eternal plan for us. They’re not what God wants. They’re not part of God’s will.

They exist because we live in a world of darkness – but the message of Christmas is that “a light has come in the darkness.” God is starting to change things.

What better news do you want?

With Jesus in our lives – things change: our lives … and ultimately, the lives of those we come into contact with.

The world we know wants material things for Christmas – these will bring happiness for a short time.

God brings Jesus to the world for Christmas – Jesus brings true happiness and eternal joy.

Has Christmas come for you? Has Jesus come into your life?
What is the evidence of Jesus in your life?

A changed life brings real joy. Do you have the Joy of the Lord in your life?

GOD BRINGS JOY TO OTHERS THROUGH US
Jesus in us bringing change to a world that needs faith, hope and love.

As a church we are involved in all sorts of ministries. Why? God’s joy is gushing out of our life.

The dead are raised – every life you help bring to Christ, is saved from eternal death. The dead are raised to eternal life.

I was reading through some of our old missionary letters. I was reminded of the story of Alfonzo. My wife, Francesca, helped start a ministry in Bolivia that is now known as “Casa de la Amistad” (Friendship House). They ministered to children who lived in prison with their mothers (That’s a long story for another time).
Alfonzo’s Mother was a rough woman, in for drug trafficking among other charges.

Every year “La Casa” holds a Christmas part for the kids (they could come out of the jail). That year, it was a great party. The kids were so excited; they were jumping around, and singing and shouting – pure chaos … pure joy.
Alfonzo (about 13) was especially happy - he’d never had a Christmas gift before. If that wasn’t enough to make him truly happy, he told us that he received the true meaning of Christmas – he accepted Jesus into his heart. It was a happiness (joy) that could never be taken from him.

God wants to bring true joy into your lives this Christmas.
God wants you to bring his message of joy to others this Christmas.

When you have the Joy of Christmas in your life, it bubbles over into the lives of others.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

True joy, true happiness is found in relationship with Jesus.