As I’ve expressed in past year…I have a special
more than at any other time I find during this season. I sense God’s presence in the world…and with it, the significance of my own presence.
Traditions: Our opportunity over these recent years to bless others on the Promenade through…has become a new and cherished tradition.
Thank the worship team…
Thank Bob Harris and all those who helped setting this up this year…
• First Day…Ray Young…women
• Second Day…Young guys…”Last sign of goodwill in the world.”
I’ve especially appreciated this opportunity because THE SPIRIT AND INSPIRATION OF CHRISTMAS HASN’T COME EASY THIS YEAR
I’ve been reminded of the competing dynamics we all know so well
It’s caused me to look into the great contrasts and paradox of all we celebrate at Christmas in the birth of Christ.
Christmas cards so often portray the peace of a new mother…the disarming nature of a newborn child (so vulnerable.) But there’s another dimension we must see as well…What ushers in the comforting comes by way of confronting every life.
What at once is disarming is equally disruptive…In fact, ready through the accounts, we find everyone has their lives disrupted
Zechariah…told he’d have a son long after he and Elizabeth (reflective.) had given up…”prophetic voice” to prepare the way (a pretty disruptive voice at that)…as a sign…mute…In time shepherds…wise men (astrologers) from the east…King…BUT NONE MORE THAN MARY.
“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendent of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greeting, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind o greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.” Luke 1:26-38
Here of course, we find the VERY HOPE OF CHRISTMAS
1. The fulfillment of God’s promise to invade this world so desperately separated from Him; a promise to confront the injustice, despair, and death and destroy their power…, to provide new hope. It was a deep seated hope then(…Roman rule.) and still today (evening news.)
2. Stray dog…God willing to join us at very depth This promise, this presence is indeed meant for all. BUT IF THAT’S TO BE OURS THIS CHRISTMAS, WE MUST CONSIDER GOD’S PRESENCE WITH US
HOW GOD WAS BORN TO THAT FIRST FAVORED WOMAN NAME MARY. WHAT WE FIND, IS THAT WHICH IS SO…COMFORTING IS ALSO CONFRONTING… DISARMING IS ALSO DISRUPTIVE.
1. The angel startles Mary emotionally with His presence and words (may not have been quite as Denzel Washington.
DISRUPTS HER VERY PRIVACY…her sense of space…of safety. (Joke about “my wife” “Don’t do that.” I wonder if some of us have similar expectations towards God? We say we want God to come close to us…to be in our lives…but we expect him t never startle us, we want to maintain our sense of privacy…space…Perhaps Mary needed to talk to God about BOUNDARIES…BUT SHE DIDN’T.
2. DISRUPTS HER PLANS FOR LIFE ENTIRELY! She’s “pledged to be married” = betrothed”; would last one year and was as binding as marriage itself…in fact it required a divorce to free one from this pledge…which is just what one could expect if they were to be found pregnant with child. So here she is, enjoying the most cherished plans ones whole life…the point in her live when she’s the center of her family and friends attention. NOW SHE IS TO BE THE CENTER OF THEIR SHAME AND SCORN….For that matter there’s Joseph…Even if they would stay together…soon there would be a cry piercing the air in need of attention…So much for their time together…As I’m beginning to learn, nothing disrupts life more than the cry of a little baby. And all this makes me wonder…Just how sacred are my plans to God. Do I presume God will honor them? Do I secretly expect that I can enjoy God’s presence in my life on my terms?. .without being disrupted?…Mary learned otherwise…and finally.
3. DISRUPTS HER NEUTRALITY…for this son would establish a Kingdom with no end v.32-33 Thru David’s lineage, somehow God would send a ruler to restore justice and righteousness forever…this was the Messianic Hope…an expectation so common even a young Jewish girl would have known it well….but soon she would face its implications.
An earthly …local King would feel threatened…and try to find them…and indeed there will always be insecure rulers who feel threatened like King Herod. Perhaps most telling were the words spoken to her by a man named Simon.
• Luke 2…your soul too would be pierced. In loving this child, you will know the cost of loving this world…
• I haven’t seen that scripture on a Hallmark card lately, why not?
BECAUSE WE’VE MISSED THIS GREAT TRUTH…DIMENSION OF CHRISTMAS…THAT THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS BY NATURE…DISRUPTIVE…as Mary portrays so clearly….God had invaded her sense of privacy, her plans her passiveness towards life.
I can’t help but wonder how Mary might have responded? This is how you treat your “highly favored? allowing my life to face hardship…misunderstanding?” “Couldn’t you get everyone on board first?…remove the rough spots…resistance?”…These are expectations we might all have at Christmas when we consider God’s presence in our circumstances….which is what makes Mary’s response so striking…v 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
NLT “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.
NRS “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word:”…”Let it be…” Words which still inspire even our own generation as the Beatles wrote “When I find myself in times of trouble…”
WITH THESE WORDS…MARY FOREVER JOINS THE DRAMA OF CHRISTMAS
• MARY LET GOD DISRUPT HER LIFE
• MARY SURRENDERS HER PLANS TO HIS PRESENCE
o MARY PLACES HER LIFE IN GOD, AND GOD PLACES HIS LIFE IN HER
THERE LIES THE SECRET OF A TRULY “MARY” CHRISTMAS…It’s about placing our life in God, so that he can place his life in us. Perhaps we’ve misunderstood what it means to have a MERRY CHRISTMAS…neutralize…We need to look at Mary.
For though our Savior came to Mary in this unique historical incarnation…by the Holy Spirit he seeks to come to all.
God’s people are referred to as a bride
God sent his Spirit that all who receive Christ might be filled with His Life…pregnant with his life?
God said that Christ will come to all…live in all who says “Let it be.”
…Frderick Buechner…”Once you’ve seen Christ in a stable…you never know where he will be…God is on the loose and we can never be safe from His presence.
Perhaps you’ve never received this life…never said “yes.”
Perhaps you’ve come to this Christmas season finding you simply feel more detached from His presence…because your “yes” to God has become quieted and quenched.
Maybe a part of you is emotionally guarded from God disrupting your privacy as he did Mary. Maybe a part of you isn’t too happy with your circumstances…and has closed itself off from saying “yes” to God right where you are. Perhaps you’ve known a long donkey ride like Mary, felt contractions pains like Mary. We want God’s presence but haven’t realized the role of our “yes” to God. We do well to not the final verse, Then the angel left her…(another, [Brad cannot read the word} Our “yes” to God is more than passively resigning, its actively receiving him.
