Merry Christmas! So today, is Christmas Eve, and I wanted to ask you about one memory you have that stands out to you about Christmas. Now in the last couple of weeks, I’ve asked you about your favorite movies, and songs, but in one word or phrase, what is your stand out memory?
I would describe one of my standout memories from Christmas as bursting pipes, and squashed spiders.
Here’s the story. I was living in that house in Comanche where I got my velveteen rabbit Christmas, for those of you who remember that story from a couple of weeks ago. The following year, after I got that rabbit, my dad had caught a tarantula and we kept the little guy as a pet. Well, it just so happened that for Christmas we took a train ride from Sacramento, California to Grand Junction, Colorado to see some family. It was a fun time, but it wasn’t as memorable as when we got home. When we came back home after a really long trip, we found out that it had been a very cold week. So cold in fact, that the pipes in the house had burst. On top of that, and more important to a seven year old boy, our tarantula had escaped.
Well, eventually we had to move out of the house because of the damage, and then found out later, that the people watching our house at the time, had killed our pet after they found him crawling around. It was a devastating year. But one, that has become a standout memory, that I’m reminded of every Christmas.
That’s one thing that can be good and bad about Christmas. Because it’s such a big deal in our society, the memories that are made around this time, get brought up yearly. Whether we want them to or not. That one moment at Christmas can continue to affect us, years, and even decades after it happened.
And that is what we see with the Collision of Christmas, when 2,000 years ago, heaven met earth. When God collided with humanity. Today we’re going to be jumping around the Christmas story, because we only have one week left, but we still have more repercussions to see. So if you have your Bibles we’re going to be starting in Luke chapter 2, verse 8.
But as you find Luke chapter 2, verse 8, let’s talk about the three parts of the collision of Christmas that we have talked about so far.
In our first week we talked about Mary. The obscure girl from an obscure town, who was chosen by God to bring God into this world. She was a virgin girl, right about to get a husband and start her family. But then God stepped in and told her he had a plan for her. And that plan was that God would create a child in her, through supernatural means, rather than the natural way. She understood that by accepting God’s plan, she could very well be killed, or at least be ostracized from her community. But God used this nothing girl, to bring about the Savior of the world. God used a girl that had nothing to give, so in turn God could give everything.
In our second week, we talked about Jospeh, the man who Mary was going to marry. We found out that he was both a man that followed God closely and a very loving man. And when he found out that Mary was pregnant, instead of having her killed, or making a big deal about it, he was going to call the marriage off, and move on with his life. But he too was convinced by God to follow God’s plan. God called Joseph to adopt a son who was not his, so that God could adopt humanity.
Each of these two parts of the collision of Christmas happened before the collision actually occurred. Yet because of both of these people, God was able to come into this world, through an obscure way, to adopt us.
This led us to last week, where we talked about Jesus, the collision. God colliding with this world. But not in the way that as fitting for a King. Instead of being welcomed as the Savior of the world; as the one who would fix everything, and fulfill every deep desire of humanity. Instead he was rejected, time and time again, having no place to be born, except a stable; no where except in an animal’s food dish. And at what should have been the greatest moment in human history, pasted by most of the world, as a whisper of the night. Jesus wasn’t received the way he should have been, but his impact was no less great. And the reality of the Collision of Christmas is that it happened quietly.
Which is where we come today. To the aftermath of the Collision of Christmas. How this one night, has radically changed the course of human history. So let’s get into it, starting in verse 8 of Luke chapter 2.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Let’s talk a little about shepherds. These guys, shouldn’t be seen as social outcast on the same level of say some who collected taxes. But rather they were not seen as particular educated. Like Jospeh, who we talked about being a carpenter, these shepherds worked with their hands. They were not highly educated in the ways of religious teaching, nor were they particular wealthy individuals. And being with their sheep at night, meant that they were probably not the owner of the herd, but rather hired hands.
These shepherds represent the common person. In today’s view, people that go to college are seen, in some circles as more well off. Whereas people who work with their hands, are seen as less educated. Even though this view is wrong, it’s still a view that people hold, and it parallels this time in history. Those that have education are seen as higher class; those who work with their hands are seen as lower class.
But it is the lower class, that is greeted by the angels. It is the uneducated that the birth of the Savior is announced. The unimportant, are called important by God, and called to witness the collision of Christmas. Let’s take that, and switch to the book of Matthew chapter 2, verse 1.
Where in Luke we learn about the unimportant ones of society, in Matthew 2, verse 1, we learn about the most important.
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
These Magi, or wisemen, or kings, are on the other side of the coin. The shepherds represent the least important, the Magi represent the most important. But these men had to be on the look out for the Savior. They were invited to, but only if they were wise enough to see the invitation. They had all the wealth and tools necessary to find Jesus, but so did others. The difference, is that they also had the drive to meet Jesus.
And so, when we put both of these groups together we realize one of the aftermaths of the Collision of Christmas is that God has come to everyone. God’s not just here for the rich, because we can’t earn God’s favor. God is not just here for the poor, who are in need. Instead, rich or poor, all are welcome, all are sought after by God.
In the Christmas carol, “O Holy Night,” a stanza in the original French says this,
“The Redeemer has broken every bond:
The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.
He sees a brother where there was only a slave,
Love unites those that iron had chained.
Who will tell Him of our gratitude,
For all of us He is born, He suffers and dies.
No matter our social, ethnic, gender, or economic background, Jesus was born for us, to bring us to God.
The aftermath effect of God coming for everyone and not a select group, moves us to our second aftermath of Christmas. Which is found in the same story of the Magi. And it happens in one verse, the next verse. Verse 3 says, “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.”
This is a very interesting verse, because it’s obvious why King Herod is disturbed with Jesus being born. Jesus represents a challenge to his throne. But why does it say, “all Jerusalem with him?”
I don’t know if you have ever been awoke in the middle of the night, but I have, for several disturbing reasons. But do you know what the most disturbing reason I have ever been woken up is? Throw up. The sound of a dog or a child regurgitating their food, is the alarm that doesn’t let you hit snooze. And it can be disturbing. And it’s so disturbing, because usually it happens when everything is at peace. Your bed is warm, your dreams are pleasant, and your sleep is sound. And that one emission smashes it all to pieces, and you’re left half-awake dealing with a disaster.
When I read that all Jerusalem was disturbed with Herod, I realize, that they realized that their status quo is about to be puked on. Because of Jesus every ounce of human history becomes effected. Rome drastically changed, because of Jesus. Millions of people have had their lives complete altered because of Jesus. Nations have risen and fallen because of Jesus. We even revolve our calendar and the way we count history around Jesus.
You might have heard this quote that is attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, he says this about Jesus’ effect on humanity. “I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself have founded great empires. But our empires were founded on force. Jesus alone founded His empire on love, and to this day millions would die for Him. I think I understand something of human nature, and I tell you, all these were men, and I am a man. Jesus Christ was more than man.”
“I have inspired multitudes with a devotion so enthusiastic that they would have died for me. But to do this it was necessary that I should be visibly present with the electric influence of my looks, my words, my voice. Who cares for me now removed as I am from the active scenes of life, and from the presence of men? Who would now die for me?
“Christ alone across the chasm of eighteen centuries makes a demand which is beyond all others difficult to satisfy. He asks more than a father can demand of his child, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart. He will have it entirely to Himself. He demands it unconditionally, and forthwith His demand is granted.”
“Wonderful! In defiance of time and space, the soul of man with all its powers and faculties becomes an annexation to the empire of Christ. This phenomenon is unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man’s creative powers.
“Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this sacred flame. This is what strikes me most. This is what proves to me quite convincingly that Jesus Christ is God.”
And this another part of the aftermath of the Collision of Christmas, God changes the course of history. If we had more time, we could chart the course of human history before Jesus’ birth and come up with possible outcomes that would follow. And how different those outcomes would have been without Jesus. But because of Jesus’ birth every drop of human history following has been touched in some way.
But it doesn’t stop there. The final effect of the aftermath that I want to share with you today, comes from a part of the story we don’t usually talked about. Again we move back to the book of Luke, where we find a man named Simeon in verse 25 of chapter 2.
In Luke chapter 2 verse 25, we see a custom of the Jews that on the eight day, after a boy was born he was presented in the temple to be circumcised. After that happened, Mary and Jospeh met Simeon.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Simeon was a man waiting to die, but God had promised him that he would see the Savior of the world. So day in, and day out, Simeon waited. How long? Only God knows, but when Simeon saw Jesus, he saw God’s promise fulfilled. The collision of Christmas puts an exclamation mark on the fact that God keeps his promises. In Jesus’ life he fulfilled over 350 very specific promises of God. Some of which were completely out of his control. Things such as who he was born to, what town he would be born in, where he would grow up, how he would die, and the results of his death.
And this is another aspect of the aftermath of the collision of Christmas, God keeps his promises. And one of those promises, is that whoever puts their faith in Jesus will be Saved. Will be adopted into God’s family. That our sin, those things we do that are not from God, can be forgiven, if we accept what Jesus has done for us.
Just this past year in our denomination alone, 26,903 people trusted in Jesus as their Savior. That’s 26,903 lives that have been changed by Jesus. Changed by the promise of God.
These men and women follow a long line of those who have trusted in the promises of God. And today, God is calling each of us to experience the aftermath of the Collision of Christmas.
It started with an obscure girl, she was joined by the adopted father, it came in like a whisper to those who would receive it. It collided with earth for every person, effected every aspect of history, all so that God could show he keeps his promise. Now the question becomes, what will we do with the Collision of Christmas? What will be do with this Jesus, that has impacted the world so much?
Will we leave him to lay in a manger, not accepting what he offers us, or will be take him to be our king accepting him as our Savior? To leave him in the manger means that we do not accept the collision of Christmas, that we believe it cannot affect us. But to take Jesus as king means that we will trust that the collision that happened 2,000 years ago can still effect our lives today. Effect our lives in a way that calls us to follow the path of God, and not our own.
Today I want to challenge you with this: May a list of all the ways that Jesus' birth has effected two areas: history in general, and your life specifically. Think deeply about each. This one event of God coming to earth in human flesh, what has resulted in history because of it? What has resulted in your life because of it? It is probably more effective than any of us realize.
Now may the God who can change the course of history through a babies birth, effect you this day so that you are never the same again. Amen.
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