Some years ago there was a popular wall hanging that hung in many homes it said.
Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest at every meal the silent listener to every conversation.
Guess who’s coming for dinner.
In 1967 there was a acadamy award winning movie called guess who’s coming for dinner.
The film focuses around a mother and father (Tracy and Hepburn) who’s daughter brings home her fiancee, who just happens to be African-American. Suddenly, the parents find their morals and their principals being questioned and they find themselves battling their own demons. For Spencer Tracy’s character, that demon comes in the form of his racist side, a side he never knew he had. Hepburn is more understanding and happy for her daughter.
The point is, in life, we should expect the unexpected.
We just never know when our hopes and dreams collide with reality just how different they may turn out to be.
In twenty three days families all around New Zealand will meet for Christmas Dinner.
In the midst of the normal commercial and social frenzy the Christian is asked the question – guess who is coming for dinner?
Christ is the special guest at your Christmas dinner!
The question relates not so much to the person who might be joining us on Christmas day – but rather the person who is the cause of the celebration Jesus Christ.
What happens this Christmas is the anniversary of the first Christmas.
But we know from the bible that although Jesus has ascended into heaven – He is coming again.
As we approach Christmas we do well to ask questions about the character the personality and the nature of the person whom we celebrate at our christmas dinner .
In a real sense Jesus is our dinner guest.
When he is invited to dinner in the bible he always is surprising.
Peter invited him to dinner and he heals his Mother in law.
Some Pharisees invite him to dinner and he challenges everything they believe.
At an impromptu meal at the beach shortly before he ascended to heaven Jesus challenged his disciples to look after his sheep.
And:-
When Jesus comes to dinner he changes things completely.
At emmaus – after his death on the cross Jesus spent time at a meal with two of his followers – They never quite guessed who was coming to dinner.
LK 24:30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
When Jesus is in our midst our hearts will burn within us and our lives will change.
I guess one of the things Mary has in common with us was that she – too was anticipating the coming of Jesus.
Like the movie, Guess who is coming to dinner, there may be some necessary adaption and growth in understanding if we want to truly understand the nature of our Christmas dinner guest and demonstrate the correct response to our guest.
Today I want to suggest three things that Jesus brings to the Christmas season. Three things that Jesus brings us, which if understood, will transform what we actually do at Christmas. Three things that make Advent an ADventure
The first thing is Jesus brings us long term security –
Freedom from fear.
LK 1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
LK 1:29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”
The reason people feel fear is because they are or feel they are out of favour with God.
Yet it is often at a place of unfamiliarity and extremity that one finds God.
Mary had been living her life like the rest of her generation but there was an aspect of her life that was lived towards God.
When we live our lives towards God we find favour with him.
When we know God’s favour – fear vanishes.
In my job I often raise the subject of God with people and immediately I see fear in their eyes.
The fear is caused by an uncertainty about
God and their long term future.
Faith is the antidote to fear.
He was 25 when his first book captured the hearts of his native land. Fame quickly went to his head. He drank immoderately and partied wildly, and in this state he did the one thing one should never do in his country, he carelessly criticized his government’s regime. He was arrested and sentenced to death. But the ruler of his country showed mercy and commuted his sentence to ten years of hard labor. So on Christmas Eve, 1849, Fyodor Dostoyevsky was sent to Siberia "like a man buried alive”, he writes later, “nailed down in his coffin." But Fyodor Dostoyevsky was about to learn that God could bring about good even in the harshness of Siberia. On his arrival in that desolate region, two women slipped a New Testament into his hand and when the officer’s back was turned, whispered to him, “search it carefully at your leisure”. There in Siberia, this young man discovered the beauty of the parable of the prodigal son. It revealed to him the marvelous mercy of his heavenly Father. "One sees the truth more clearly when one is unhappy," he wrote from Siberia. "And yet God gives me moments of perfect peace; in such moments I love and believe that I am loved; in such moments I have formulated my creed, wherein all is clear and holy to me. I believe that there is nothing lovelier, deeper, more sympathetic, more rational, more manly and more perfect than the Savior: I say to myself with jealous love that not only is there no one else like Him, but that there could be no one."...
Mary practices simple faith and it changes her life.
LK 1:38 "I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
When you practice simple faith it will also change your life.
Secondly is access toThe Holy Spirit.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
The Holy spirit is all over Christmas everywhere you turn.
From the conception of Christ to the fulfilling of Biblical prophecy by arranging for The Christ to be born in Bethlehem through to the strange visit from the Magi – The Holy Spirit is invovled in this grand adventure.
But the amazing thing is that God promises to fill us with the same Holy Spirit and when we allow him to work in our lives amazing things can and do happen.
2TI 1:13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you--guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Many people wonder why Ghod is not able to work in their lives.
Simply put – they have not been filled with the Holy spirit.
.
LK 11:11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him
What God wants us to do is to receive the Holy spirit so that we can have great adventures with jesus.
For example.
During an earthquake some years ago, the inhabitants of a small village were generally very much alarmed, but they were at the same time surprised at the calmness and apparent joy of an old woman whom they all knew. At length one of them, addressing the old woman, said, “Mother, are you not afraid?”
“No,” said the woman, “I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world.”
During WWII, when Italy invaded Ethiopia, all Protestant missionaries were forced to leave the country. In one district there was a church of about 70. Some 5 years later when the missionaries returned, they found 60,000 Christians organized into fully indigenous churches. It was the work of the Holy Spirit!
We will not achieve much without the work of the Holy spirit.
The other night Geoff and Brenda were at our house when Melany Sheat called.
There was a matter we were going to pray about but Melany also mentioned that her cat had been missing for about four days.
I could see that she was concerned so when we prayed about the first matter I also prayed about her lost cat.
After we prayed Geoff shared that he thought the cat was locked up somewhere – perhaps a cupboard.
Melany went home.
Within quarter of an hour she was on the phone telling us that her cat had been found not shut in a cupboard but in the neighbours garage.
What joy there was as we saw the Holy sp;irit answer our prayers – instantly.
If we want a great advent we will ask God to refill us with His Holy spirit.
Thirdly
When Jesus comes into our midst he brings remearkable humility.
Elizabeth and Mary both express remarkable humility and excitement about God.
Even the baby leaps for joy in Elizabeths womb –
This apart from being a powerful argument against abortion – how can a baby who is not a person leap for joy??
LK 1:38 "I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
LK 1:39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Mary herself comments in Luke about the importance of humility in having Jesus in her midst. She says:-
My soul glorifies the Lord
LK 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
LK 1:48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
LK 1:49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me--
holy is his name.
LK 1:50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
LK 1:51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
LK 1:52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
LK 1:46 And Mary said:
We find Mary’s excitement is contagious – she is passionate about what God is doing in her life.
Elizabeth is too.
She is not sad that her baby is not the saviour she accepts her lot and is excited.
Whatever God is doing in your life – Get excited about it he is working out his purposes in you as well.
Is your situation not clear?
Get excited in your faith – God is at work nonetheless.
Freedom from fear
access toThe Holy Spirit.
remarkable humility and excitement about God.
Freedom from fear
access toThe Holy Spirit.
Remarkable humility
jgullick@xtra.co.nz
