It’s quite a story, isn’t it?...with so many unique characters and fascinating events: Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, Bethlehem, a donkey, no room in the inn, magi from the east guided by a huge star, the wonder of the birth of a new baby and the horror of the deaths of other newborns
What I find interesting is that this whole story with multiple scenes and multiple personalities, multiple beings, numerous plot changes, wild emotional swings has but one truth that defines it.
· one concept that runs through the entire story line
· one notion that separates it from all other events in history
· one mission that God had for the whole thing
Christmas has really only one big idea summarized by 3 words: God with us or God came near.
Matthew, the author of one of the gospels said it this way: All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:18-23
· The prophet Matthew was referring to was Isaiah who made the proclamation 700 years before the events we now call Christmas. Here’s what he literally said:
The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Isaiah 7:14
· In its time he was talking about some other virgin and some other child that scholars have not ever nailed down … at least 5 or more possibilities
· but most people (including Matthew) believe that Isaiah was also looking out into the future referring to the baby that would be born 700 years later…who would be the personification of the name Immanuel = God with us
When we who are Christian think about this name or hear it in any of a number of songs it usually evokes some kind of positive, thoughtful, warm emotions:
Ø For instance Immanuel…God with us is freeing…as Tim introduced to us last week
o “…its purpose is to let us know that when we surrender to Jesus we are the ones who receive new life… a new life free from the fear of death, a new life empowered by the one who defeated death, a new life saved from our sins. Tim Ayers
Ø You’ll see next week that the big idea of God with us is hopeful and stimulating
o Barry is going to show us that Immanuel shows us a new way to live…a new way to be human…and relate to each other.
Ø And on Eve I want to show you how God with us…is comforting and tender
o God came near means you are not alone.
But today I want to show you that not all the emotions evoked by the incarnation are warm and endearing and engaging and tender…
There is something else about God coming near that is a little more ominous … intense…and challenging…and confrontational…
· Immanuel is a challenge to anyone or anything that is anti-God
· Immanuel…God coming near is a warning to the enemy of humanity and all his minions.
For Immanuel declares a coup has occurred. Immanuel proclaims a revolution has begun. Immanuel announces that there is a new sheriff in town…a new king sweeping in a kingdom that has long been under wraps.
Remember what Isaiah said: Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Isaiah 7:14
Let’s look what he said a few chapters later: Isaiah 9:6 page 572
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:6-7
Notice the reference to government (once in V 6 and once in V 7)…it also could be interpreted empire or kingdom. Notice too, the reference in V 7 to his rule and his throne.
· this is muscle flexing…this is power posturing
And notice saber rattling of the last sentence of V7 … The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! …or the God of warrior angels guarantees it!
So…see what I mean about intense?
· The incarnation was a coup…it was an invasion…it was a takeover …it was an overthrow…it was a revolution…it was an act of war …one Kingdom invading another Kingdom
If I am messing up your warm and fuzzies about Christmas just wait…let me tell you another story about Immanuel…God coming near… that’ll really rock your boat.
About 30 years after the events of Jesus life a man named John received a peculiar revelation. He got to see into the past, the present and the future things in the spirit realm. Full of bizarre creatures and wild events.
Revelation 12:1 page 1048
Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. 5 She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days. 7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. Revelation 12:1-10a
· it’s fanciful and allegory but it really happened…God came near, Immanuel was born and the Kingdom of God invaded the territory of Satan.
For millennia Satan…the red dragon…had been breaking things. Working with the weak sinful will of humanity:
· he caused the broken place of isolation
· he incited the broken place of hatred
· he egged on the broken place of the planet’s decay
· he was the instigator of the broken place of pain
· he was source of the broken place of injustice
· and it was he who tempted man to rebel against God and was the agent behind the foundational broken place of separation.
But Immanuel , God with us, Jesus, came to heal it all.
He announced the establishment of the kingdom that would displace the kingdom of the dragon…restore the cosmos and humanity to peace and healing…
Immanuel, God with us…Jesus...came to heal the broken places
· people saved
· human beings no longer lonely and isolated
· men and women and boys and girls no longer in pain
· the planet’s decay reversed
· Hatred, racism, ethnic tension eradicated
· Injustices - poverty, abortion, human slavery – eliminated
This is Immanuel’s mission…to bring freedom…yes, to introduce a way of life…yes…to come along side us to comfort us…yes…but also to bring a revolution and incite a war for justice.
How come nobody has ever written a Christmas carol about all this? Maybe they have…
Joy to The world! the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness
…then there’s this:
O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
It’s all very cool…very powerful…very triumphant but there’s a twist in the story… A strange thing happened.
The baby Jesus was born…grew to become a powerful young God-man… God with us…clearly started exerting his kingly muscles: healing the broken places all around him…casting out demons, making well so many people around him, drawing an entire nation back to God. The invasion had begun…the Kingdom of God was near…
…but it lasted only 3 years. It seemed to end before it had even started…did the Kingdom of God fizzle? did the dragon roar back and win?
Nope. Watch this. Because it involves you. Jesus plan was never to come near and stick around…his plan was to recruit an army of ambassadors, kingdom warriors who would expand the healing power of the kingdom throughout the world.
Go and announce that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Matthew 10:7
Go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see. Matthew 22:9
Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Mark 16:15
Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19
Go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Luke 10:1-3
This going is what He did. The incarnation…Immanuel…God coming near…is exactly what he commissions each follower of His to do. Go! Incarnate! And when you go you will go with my power:
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
So, campuses of Grace Church the story of Christmas is the story of your commissioning. He came…now you go.
· you are to go and heal pain
· you are to incarnate and overwhelm people with love and end their isolation
· you are to take on the care of a planet in decay
· you are to confront hatred always, everywhere
· you are to be vigilantes of justice – Incarnate wherever you see poverty, slavery, abortion, and abuse
· and you are to prosecute the war on separation…take the gospel of salvation to the homes, schools and businesses of Fishers, Indianapolis, Noblesville, Westfield, Carmel, Bloomington, London and beyond.
There is a dragon to fight. Suit up. Grab your sword…pray…attack…and heal!
Finish what Jesus started!
Joy to The world! the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness