Christmas - The type of person God uses (The Birth of Jesus)
Raise your hand if you still have some Christmas shopping left.
Moms always have to be surprised when they get the robe, another bathrobe, or something else to hang up. But Christmas is, sometimes a season filled with unexpected happenings. A couple of years ago, my family and I were traveling across country and we stopped at a Chili's to eat lunch. And inside the restaurant, Sophia and I turned the corner and unexpectedly, we ran into Santa Claus.
Now, this wasn't just a guy dressed up. This guy was Santa. From his head to his toes. He was in a red hat. He had the jacket. He had the full beard, rosy red cheeks, little gold rimmed glasses. He had the big belt and the red pants and the white fur and the boots. This guy was Santa.
And at that point, Sophie was about nine years old. It was in late fall. Completely unexpected. We weren't thinking we were going to see Santa that day. So Sophie stood there looking at Santa's. Big smile on her face. Santa stood there looking at her. Big smile on his face. And no one said anything. So he bends down and he looks at her and he keeps smiling. She keeps smiling. No one saying anything. Sophie finally says, hi, Santa. And he still doesn't say anything. Finally, Sophie looked at me and said, I have to pee. So we went to the restroom. You know, when Santa shows up unexpectedly, he can be a scary thing to some children. In fact, when Santa shows up and he's expected to show up, it can be a scary thing for some kids.
Some kids just don't want to sit on Santa's lap. Maybe you have photographs like the pictures on the screen. Maybe you remember a time when you tried to get your child to sit still for Santa, and they freaked out and they cried and they screamed. And you were felt like the only people in line that had that happen. We have this big build up to the kids seeing Santa Claus. And when it occurs, it can be a nightmare. And I think I know why Santa is overwhelming to some kids. Think about it. He knows when you've been sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good. So you're pretty good. It's no wonder some children are afraid of Santa from the time they're little. We're telling them about. Santa is watching you right now. He sees what you're doing right now. Do you want me to put you on the naughty list? I'm going to write Santa a letter.
I think many people like the idea of Santa Claus from a distance. Many children like that idea of Santa Claus at a distance. But you get too close to Santa, and he's a little overwhelming.
And I think, like Santa is to children,God can be like that often for us big people. I think the idea that there is this omniscient, omnipotent, all-knowing, everlasting God who sees everything, who knows everything, who knows our thoughts before we think them. Well, gosh, that can be a little bit overwhelming. And then when we understand that that overwhelming God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, wants to use you and me for his work on this earth, it's a lot to take in. And it can be overwhelming. In today's passage, Mary, the mother of Jesus, learns from an angel that God wants her to be the mother of Jesus. That God wants this teenage girl to raise the Son of God. And we see her response. So let's read together Luke chapter one, beginning in verse 26.
Luke 1:26
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, greetings, favored woman, the Lord is with you. Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. Don't be afraid, Mary. The angel told her, for you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the son of the most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David, and he will reign over Israel forever. His kingdom will never end. Mary asked the angel, but how can this happen? I am a virgin. The angel replied, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age. People used to say she was barren, but now she's in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God. Mary responded, I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true. And then the angel left her.
And this passage of Scripture today, I think we're going to see some characteristics of the type of person God uses.
And it's very important for us to understand from the get go that as we read this story, we understand Mary was not a perfect person, yet God chose to use her to raise his son. Let me rephrase that. God chose to use an unwed mother to give birth to his son. God chose to use an unwed teenage girl to give birth to a son and to be the mother of Jesus.
Even at this young age, Mary had characteristics of the type of person God uses. Now, like you, I'm still in the process of becoming the person God created me to be. I'm still at work becoming the husband that I imagined I would be 25 years ago when we got married. I'm still in the process of becoming the daddy that I imagined I would be 17 years ago, when we had our first daughter.
I'm still in the process of becoming the pastor I imagined I would be. I'm in that process, and so are you. You are not yet complete, and I am not yet complete. But if we want to become the type of person God uses, then I think there are some characteristics that we can draw out from this passage of scripture that's going to help us fully understand, or at least get a little bit closer to being the type of person that God chooses to use.
Because God's not finished with you. God's not finished with me. God's not finished with our families. So let's press in to this passage of Scripture and really see how we need to develop as followers of Jesus to become that person God uses. So first understand this.
God works through people of faith
God works through people of faith. If you want to become the type of person that God uses understand first and foremost. God works through people of faith. God chose Mary, a teenage girl, to be the mother of Jesus. And because this pregnancy happened outside of wedlock, Mary would face a lot of shame from people in the community. Now, many of us, and maybe you're one that has experienced this. Many of us know people from our family.
Many of us know people from our, maybe our children that have gotten pregnant outside of marriage. And the first thing that we think about is maybe the first thing we think about is what are other people going to say? Well, let me just add this. If that's you today, I want you to know, look, this is a place where you can find hope and second chances.
And we want to do everything we can to come alongside you to be a blessing to you. Or if that's a family member, we want to be able to come alongside them and bless them and care for them. But the people 2000 years ago weren't filled with so much grace. 2000 years ago, if a man and woman were betrothed to be married and the woman ended up pregnant and it wasn't the fiancee's child.
Old Testament law said that they could that that man, the groom, could take his bride to the doorsteps of her parents house and invite the men to come out and stone her to death. There wasn't a lot of grace built into that law. This was a teenage girl that just learned even though she was a virgin. She was going to be pregnant.
What she faced, the challenges that she faced were insurmountable. And yet how she responded is not quite the way you and I might respond. God chose Mary. He knew she was a teenager. He knew that her pregnancy would bring disgrace. So why did he choose Mary? Well, I believe that it's because Mary's faith in God was strong enough to get her through the shame.
Her faith in God was strong enough to get her through the disgrace, through the rumors, through the gossip. I believe that her faith in God would guide her through those difficult conversations that she had with Joseph. Like, can you imagine sitting down with Joseph and say, Joseph, I do love you. I have been faithful to you. And it was the Holy Spirit that that conceived this child inside me.
Mary had to have enough faith to navigate through the conversation with her parents. Mom and dad, I promise you, I promise you, I have been faithful. God knew that Mary had the type of faith that could overcome gossip, overcome rumor, overcome disgrace. God knew that Mary had the type of faith that could navigate through the hard, difficult season that he was asking her to walk through.
Out of all the people on the planet, God chose a teenage girl named Mary because he knew her faith would get her through. And that's exactly what faith does for you and I. Faith helps us navigate difficult, embarrassing seasons.
Faith helps us navigate through hard situations in life. Faith helps us overcome situations, trusting that God is going to give us the next few words to say that he'll give us the right words at the right time, to say the right thing.
The author of Hebrews describes face this faith this way.
Hebrews 11:1
Faith is a confidence that what we hope for will happen. It gives us assurance about things we cannot see. As a follower of Jesus. We hope that one day Christ is going to return. We look forward to that day that we will be in heaven, where God Himself wipes away every tear from our eye.
Where there's no more sorrow, no more death, no more decay, that we are one with God and able to worship him for the rest of our lives. We can't see that right now, but our faith gives us hope. So we place our hope in what we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:6
It is impossible to please God without faith.
The moment you surrendered your life to Jesus, it was because you had faith that Jesus gave up his life for you. The moment you surrendered your life to Jesus, it's because you had faith that Jesus was the Son of God. You understood that you sin, that you deserve death, and that God, through Jesus, forgave you of your sins. That Jesus, when he died on the cross, he paid the price for your sin. You didn't see it. You weren't there 2000 years ago. But by faith you believe what Jesus did for you. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. So the very same faith that we put in Jesus to forgive us our sins is the same faith by which we ought to live.
Hoping for those things that have not yet happened. Believing God will work all things out for good. Believing that God will restore your marriage. Believing that God will restore your relationships. Believing that God will provide for you when you feel like you're at the end of your rope, and that nobody else cares. Believing that God will provide a way for you.
Faith. Faith is what we live by and it's by our faith that we please God. So God works through people who have faith in him.
God works through people who trust him
When we trust in God, that is a result of our faith. Faith is more than just head knowledge. When faith moves into obedience, it's called trust.
God works through people who trust him. Now, earlier in the gospel, the angel Gabriel visited a man named Zechariah. He was an old priest, and he showed up while Zechariah was doing his duties inside the temple. And the angel Gabriel showed up and said, Zechariah, have I got some news for you? Your old wife is going to bear child, and she's going to be called, you know, later on we're going to discover this John the Baptist, and he's going to prepare the way for the Messiah.
And Zechariah responded almost by laughing, how isn't that angel Gabriel? How? There is no way that's going to happen. How can I be sure? Send me a sign. Instead of trusting God would do what he had promised. Praying for a child is what Zechariah and Elizabeth did for years. And when the angel Gabriel showed up and said, okay, you're going to have a child.
He did not believe. He refused to believe the news.
Luke 11:8 - 20
Zechariah said to the angel, how can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife also was well along in years. That's another way for saying my wife is old too. And the angel said, I am Gabriel. I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news. But now, since you didn't believe what I said, you will be silent and you will be unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.
Zechariah did not trust, and his lack of trust had consequences. And when you and I do not trust God, we will experience consequences. God desires to bless us. God desires to protect us, but we must trust him. And when we demonstrate trust, we're walking in obedience.
John 14:21
He who has my commands and keeps them, this is the one that loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my father, and I will love him and show myself to him.
You and I are called to trust God, and we demonstrate our trust in God by keeping his commandments. And the greatest commandment that Jesus gave to us is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The greatest demonstration of trust for a follower of Jesus is not that you'll win the lottery one day, is not to spend $10 on $10 cards and scratch him off. And prayerfully, you win the lottery. The greatest demonstration of trust for a follower of Jesus is to love your neighbor, as you love yourself.
There are so many people in today's world that don't want to enter the doors of a church, because the church isn't loving their neighbor as they love themselves. And that's one thing that we've got to do a better job at. As followers of, Jesus is walking in submission, trusting him and doing and living obediently to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Look at the similarities between Mary and Mary and Zechariah and the angel Gabriel. Zechariah did not believe and he said, how can I be sure? I need a sign because my wife and I are way too old. But Mary trusted her and said, okay, how's this going to happen? I've never been with a man. I don't understand how this is going to happen.
God chooses to work through people who have faith. He's not afraid to answer your questions. He's not afraid to speak to you, but he chooses to work through people who have faith. Mary believed, and she experienced blessing. Zechariah later believed when Elizabeth had a son and he named him John.
God desires that you and I experience his presence through walking in obedience. Living by faith. Following him with a trust filled heart.
God works through people who have a servant's heart
Look at what Mary said in verse 38. I am the Lord's servant. Let it be to me as you have said. Mary could have come up with 100 different responses, and all of them, as a parent, would be what my daughter I would want my daughters to say.
If this was a situation that happened to them, I would want my daughters to say, God, could you use somebody else for this? There's no way my community is going to buy this. My marriage plans do not include having a baby bump on my wedding day. My wedding plans do not include being pregnant with the Son of God.
There's no way the people in the community are going to believe this God. Would you please choose somebody else? I don't want this weight. I'm a teenage girl. I don't want to carry this burden. And I think oftentimes when we hear that whisper from the Lord of of God speaking to our hearts, and he's leading us to do something, what we often say is, God could you please choose somebody else for this?
But I don't want to love my neighbor as I love myself the way you want me to. I want to love them from a distance, but I don't want to care for them. I don't want to become a servant to them. But instead of trying to convince God to change his mind, she accepted the plan and she submitted to God's leadership. And she said, I am the Lord's servant. That's because servants do what their masters ask them to do. Servants do what their masters ask them to do.
Throughout the history of the world. If someone has said to another you are the boss, that means they do what the boss asks them to do. When one of my daughters gave her life to Jesus and she was baptized at a young age, about six years old, I asked her. I said, so what does it mean now that you've given your life to Jesus?
And she said, he gets to be the boss of me for the rest of my life. And that is the correct picture of the Lordship of Jesus. When we surrender our lives, we're surrendering our lives. We're becoming a servant to the Most High God. And Mary's attitude was spot on. Could God have used somebody else? Yes. But he chose her.
And she said, I am but a servant. And because she had the heart of a servant, her life was forever changed. So if you have doubts that God can actually use you, become a servant. If you have doubts that God can use you in this world, become a servant to other people. Watch and see how God blesses humility.
Watch and see how God blesses those who try to bless other people. See, your whole role as a follower of Jesus is trying to bless other people. You're loving other people the way that Jesus loves you. When Jesus looked at his disciples and when they asked what the greatest commandment was, he didn't say, beat people over the head with the Bible, tell them how wrong they are in life.
He said, love your neighbor as you love yourself despite your differences politically, despite your differences socially. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love crosses every line, every border, every boundary. That's why love never fails. And when this Christmas season, when you're sitting around the Christmas table with your in-laws and you're sitting around the Christmas table with family and friends that you don't agree with.
Love never fails. Becoming a servant never fails. Beating him over the head with scripture will fail, but love won't.
So be a servant
Make those around you more important than you. There's a reason why we have the word called selfishness in the in the dictionary, right? Every every language on earth has a word for selfishness. It's when they're looking out for themselves.
This Christmas season. Let your family know how changed you've been by Jesus because of your selflessness. Because you're making them more important than you. You're taking care of them. You're tending to their needs. You're living like a servant. Will it get hard? Yes. God never calls us to easy. I wish he did. I wish God called us to easy things in life.
But he doesn't. God calls his followers to do the hard to take the form of a servant and to bless other people. If you want God to use you, be a servant and be committed to the Lordship of Jesus in your life. Demonstrating to your family and friends how much Jesus has changed you. By the way you take the form of a servant as well.
God uses people who are faithful. God uses people who place their trust in him, and God uses people who have the heart of a servant. Let God use you this Christmas season to make a difference.