Distractions
Sermon Series: Distractions- Distractions are a huge part of the world we live in today
What is the true meaning of Christmas?
Most would answer this question by saying something like, “The true meaning of Christmas is celebrating the Birth of Jesus,” and that is true!
One of the greatest distractions this time of year is
falling into the trap of trying to “create the perfect moment.”
- God’s “Perfect Christmas moment” took place a long time ago, but it didn’t look anything like our idea of the “Perfect Christmas moment.”
- Let’s imagine for a moment that God defined the perfect Christmas moment the way many of us do today. A couple things that would have gone differently
- Mary would not have gotten pregnant outside of marriage
Luke 1:26 -31 26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
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- We don’t usually bat an eye at the news of a young lady getting pregnant outside of marriage today because it is so common.
- Culturally, this would have meant the end of Mary’s future! To get pregnant outside of marriage meant no future and most likely getting killed.
Deuteronomy 22:20-21 20But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, 21then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
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- Joseph had every right to not go through with the marriage and to leave Mary, but God was creating a different kind of “Perfect Christmas Moment.”
Matthew 1:19–20 19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But 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.
2. Jesus would have been born in the comfort of Mary and Jospeh’s home
Luke 2:1-5 1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And 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, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
Luke 2:6-7 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
- The point is this: God’s perfect Christmas moment looked nothing like what you and I expect our perfect Christmas moment to look like.
God’s perfect Christmas moment was: “God and man meeting face to face in the flesh”
Galatians 4:4-5 4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Two challenges for this year:
1. Give purpose to your PRESENTS—Go for it! Find the right gift that your family or friend will love. There is nothing wrong with that. But don’t leave out the reason that we give gifts during this season. The reason that we give good gifts is a reminder of the good Gift that was given to us in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
2. Give purpose to your PRESENCE—To be truly “present” means not just physically being there but spiritually being there as well. It means taking the time to be intentional in everything we do, pointing to Jesus through all of our holiday traditions.
Let’s redeem all of the amazing and wonderful Holiday traditions that would otherwise be empty without Jesus!