INTRODUCTION

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our Christmas day service! We're so pleased that you have joined us this morning to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

For those of you with young families, I'm sure your day started bright and early!

And based on the excitement in the room and big smiles, it's clear that Christmas brings much joy. I must admit although my girls are that little bit older, the wonder and excitement of the season is not lost. Olivia has been blasting Christmas tunes for the last couple of weeks and Riley has been baking up a Christmas cookie storm… and Zena, well Zena has been wrapping gifts for days… in fact I was a little concerned that if I got too close to the table I too might have been covered in wrapping paper and placed under the tree… or certainly wrapped across the knuckles.

I make no bones about it, I love this time of the year!

But I wonder, what is it that you enjoy most about Christmas?

  • Is it the carols, because boy did we sing carols on Saturday night…
  • It is the decorations, the trimming of the tree? Because I don’t know about your home but our tree was decorated on the 1st of December
  • Is it a delicious meal? I am of course acutely aware that I stand between you and lunch.
  • Is it time with family & friends...?
  • I have come to the conclusion that the one thing that I treasure most at this time of the year is that almost everyone takes a break, they down tools and even business goes quiet. Which means that no one is phoning me and that there are no problems to be fixed on the work front.
    • I appreciate that this is not the case with everyone and some still need to work over this period.
    • Why do I love this, because it means my mind can rest and I can now enjoy all these other things mentioned above.

Amidst all the joy and festivities, let's not forget the true reason we celebrate today. Christmas is a time to remember the incredible gift of God's love, given to us in the form of his son, Jesus Christ.

Or maybe, just maybe, Christmas feels bittersweet this morning. You can't quite enter into the joy of the celebrations. Perhaps you're listening online, and although you love this time of year, you're missing out because of health issues that keep you away.  Perhaps loss, bereavement, work stress, financial pressures or loneliness cast a shadow, making it difficult to celebrate. But even in the midst of these personal struggles, remember this: Jesus is our hope.

Hundreds of millions of people across the world will be celebrating Christmas in many different ways - the vast majority of which will not even stop to remember the babe in Bethlehem. Not so here this morning. This morning, here at Medway Community Church, we remember the birth of our saviour.

Just so you know what is happening this morning, our plan is not to be too long - we'll be keeping things simple, focusing on the heart of Christmas: we are going to sing a few of our favorite carols and Christmas songs; read portions of the Christmas story, and there is no preacher, rather I will be sharing a short message of hope at the end. And so to make sure that you don’t only hear the droning of my voice, I will need your help with the singing and I've invited some folks to help with the readings.

While we celebrate with our families today, it's important to remember the context of Jesus' birth.  Our story takes us to Judea, 2000 years ago, where people lived under foreign rule, desperately longing for a saviour.  Their fervent desire had been building for centuries. Let's hear how Isaiah spoke to their hopes in Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6-7.

READING: Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah paints a beautiful picture of the promised Messiah, a child who will bring hope and salvation. He will establish and uphold a kingdom of peace, of which there will be no end…

With that image in our minds, let's rise and sing 'O Come All Ye Faithful,'  a song filled with deep love and respect for the newborn King.

Our singing celebrated the birth of Jesus, the fulfillment of the prophecy we read about in Isaiah. Now, let's hear how Matthew describes the miraculous events leading up to that holy night. Sammy is going to read Matthew 1:18-23.

READING: Matthew 1:18-23

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But 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. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
 and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).

The story of Jesus' birth fills us with awe and wonder. Joseph's obedience to God's plan paved the way for the birth of Jesus.  As we reflect on the miracle of that first Christmas Day, let's lift our voices in praise once again.

‘Joy to the world
On a night like no other
Emmanuel
God is with us’

We've heard about the angel's message to Joseph. Now, let's journey with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and witness the birth of Jesus. 

Matthew described the miraculous circumstances of Jesus' conception. Luke's Gospel adds another layer to the story by placing it within the historical context of the Roman census. Let's turn to Luke 2:1-7.

READING: Luke 2:1-7

The Birth of Jesus
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And 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, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And 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.

Luke's Gospel paints a picture of humble beginnings: a baby born in a stable, laid in a manger. Yet, within this simple scene lies the glorious impossible – God incarnate, come to dwell among us.

Imagine the wonder of that night: shepherds gazing in awe, angels proclaiming good news, and the Creator of the universe, a tiny baby in a manger. Let’s sing together again, let's rise and sing together ‘The Glorious Impossible’.

The birth of Jesus was not a private event. It was a cosmic event that drew attention from afar. Matthew tells us about some unusual visitors who embarked on a long journey to find the newborn king. 

READING: Matthew 2:1-3

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;

The Magi recognised Jesus as the King of kings, and the story of the Wisemen reminds us that Jesus came for all people, from every nation and tribe. Just as they were drawn to worship the newborn King, so are we invited to come and adore Him. Let’s sing again.

While the Magi traveled from afar,  shepherds were nearby, watching over their flocks.  Luke's Gospel tells us how they encountered the angels and witnessed the miracle of Jesus' birth. Let's listen to their story.

READING: Luke 2:8-14

The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
 and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Imagine a day when we stand with the angels, praising God face to face! That day is coming, but even now, we can experience a foretaste of that heavenly worship. Let's join our voices with the angels and sing 'Holy Forever'.

Object lesson: No more room in the Inn

An experiment to see what we can put in the container until it is full. We start by putting in the golf balls, followed by the rocks and then the sand.

The experiment is then done in reverse, and in so doing we observe that not all the golf balls can now fit into the container.

The lesson we learn is that the container is like our lives.

Golf Balls (Most Important Things):

  • Family: Spending time with mom, dad, siblings, grandparents.
  • Friends: Playing with friends, being kind to others.
  • God: Praying, reading the Bible, going to church, singing songs about Jesus.
  • Health: Eating healthy foods, exercising, getting enough sleep.
  • Helping Others: Doing chores, sharing toys, being nice to people.

Stones (Less Important, But Still Matter):

  • Toys: Their favorite toys, video games.
  • School: Learning new things, reading books.
  • Activities: Playing sports, taking music lessons, drawing.
  • Relaxation (Screen time): Watching TV or playing games on a tablet.

Sand (Least Important Things):

  • Complaining: About things you don't have.
  • Worrying: About things that might not happen.
  • Getting upset: Over small things, like losing a game.
  • Fighting: With siblings or friends.
  • Being selfish: Only thinking about yourself.

When we focus on the small things when we allow the small things in life to distract us, then there is little time and space left to fit in the big things. 

I am not saying that the small things aren’t important or that they don’t matter… not at all, rather they are not as important as the big things and they can all too often distract us.

The same is absolutely true of our spiritual lives. 

Have you ever been driving somewhere, a route with which you are familiar, and yet for some reason you miss your turning?

It isn’t because you are lost or that you don’t know where you are going, you just got distracted and missed the turning and now you need to turn around or take a different, longer route.

I did this the other day. I was traveling with Carl (Arna and Sandra’s son) to a meeting in Stellenbosch, and despite the fact that we had Google Maps guiding us, we were so busy chatting about something trivial that I missed the turning and this ended up having to drive kms further down the N1 to take the next off ramp and to come back to the turning I had missed, making us 15 minutes late.

Most of the time this happens, as was the case this time, because something is going on in our minds that causes us to lose focus, and causes us to take our focus off our objective.

It isn’t just driving either.  There are a number of things that we miss out on because we aren’t paying attention or get distracted. Special moments - moments to connect with family or our spouse.

A couple of weeks back I was watching Olivia’s indoor hockey game and for just a second I looked down at my phone, and very quickly I was caught up in a work email and completely missed a goal she scored. I allowed myself to be distracted.

As frustrating and disappointing as that is, what if we were to be distracted and missed something really big. Can you imagine being so distracted that you missed your own wedding OR the birth of a child OR some other important milestone...

What about Christmas?

Can you imagine if you woke up this morning and realised that it was Christmas day and you had done nothing to prepare for it?

You would think that would be pretty hard to do. How could someone miss Christmas?

Well this morning we have already read about someone who was so busy, that they completely missed out on the birth of Jesus.

Luke 2:6-7 says the following:

6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And 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.

This small sentence contains a big message.

  • First, one has to understand what is taking place in the text at this particular time.
  • As we read in Luke, the Roman Emperor had issued a decree which required everyone to participate in a census.
  • Unlike today where you have someone come to your house to fill it out with you, in the 1st century everyone had to return to their ancestral land or the land from which their family came.
  • So Joseph and a very pregnant Mary had to make the difficult journey to Bethlehem.
  • These were unique circumstances.  A young couple with a little one on the way having to make a 40km journey mostly by foot or donkey.  And Joseph and Mary were undoubtedly concerned about travelling this close to her due date, but they had no choice.
  • They find themselves far from home, tired from their journey - anxious - away from anything and anyone that is familiar to them - and Mary goes into labor.
  • Every inn that they go to, the answer is the same, there are no vacancies.
  • For the sake of his marriage, Joseph needed to get it figured out and quickly.
  • They arrived at an inn who, like all the others, did not have any room, but they did have a stable and so the innkeeper offered it to them.
  • I wonder what was going on in the innkeeper’s mind? I mean Mary’s condition and distress must have been fairly obvious.
    • Perhaps his sense of compassion was overshadowed by the distraction of making money.
    • Perhaps, with the town being so full, he was distracted and preoccupied with the basic needs of his guests.
    • It's possible that the innkeeper, seeing a poor, young couple arriving late, may have prioritised those who appeared wealthier or more important. 
  • Whatever his motives, he missed out on the miraculous entrance of God in human form because he was too distracted by what was going on around him.
    • He was too distracted by the small things in life and in doing so he missed, what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 9:15, as an “indescribable gift”
      • 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
  • Just like this innkeeper, we too can be distracted and miss out on the miracle of Christmas.
  • Even worse than that, we will settle for a counterfeit Christmas that is consumed by the trappings and values of this world rather than the hope, joy, and peace that the true meaning of Christmas brings as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
  • This Christmas, I challenge you. 
  • If you are coasting along in life and you have not recognized Him as the king in your life, then I urge you to stop, reflect, and truly invite Him to take His rightful place on the throne of your heart. 
    • Don’t wait, do it today. Accept the great gift given to all mankind – the gift of salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ.
  • If you know him and you love him - then be intentional about not letting those small things get in the way of seeing God at work in your life and in our family this Christmas.
  • Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room in our lives for Jesus.

We are going to stand and sing one last song together.

The innkeeper missed the miracle because he was distracted. Let's not make the same mistake. As we sing 'O Holy Night,' let's open our hearts to the wonder of Christ's birth and commit to making room for Him this Christmas.