CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE
Sermon Review
23 December 2001The pastor of a church in California put a sign in front of his church during the advent season that said, "Jesus is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas." He received a complaint from a woman in the community who took exception with the message. She closed the conversation by saying, "I don't think the church should try to drag religion into every holiday."
It is very hard not to drag Jesus into Christmas for, as you know, it is supposed to be his birthday we celebrate. And what a birthday it was - one that had quite an impact on the lives of Joseph and Mary, as you have had opportunity to think about this morning. And throughout history Jesus has continued to have quite an impact on the lives of millions of other people since. In fact it seems that when Jesus gets involved in a person's life it is pretty well impossible for there not to be a noticeable impact.
I remember many years ago when I was studying at the QLD. Uni., there was a guy in my class who once made a remark to me about Christians. He said I don't mind Christians, I just can't stand those born again ones! The reason for his objection appeared to be that 'born again ones seemed to want to talk about Jesus all the time'. Of course, as a Christian myself I would hope for many more life changes than just that! However, the point is that for the person who believes that they have met Jesus personally in their lives, it is hard for them not to want to talk about him.
Of course many object to Christians and Christianity, not just my friend at Uni. Something which remindeds me of a story I once read. A preacher announced a special men's meeting in his church, proposing to give the men a chance to air their objections to Christianity. Over 1200 men were present. The first objector said, 'church members are no better than others'. And then others joined in saying things like, ' Ministers are often no good'; 'the church is full of hypocrites'; 'the church is a rich man's club'. All in all, the objections covered 27 different concerns. At the end of this meeting the Pastor said that there were certainly many objections and grave concerns raised, but that he noted within those 27 areas, not one objection was raised about the person of Jesus himself. As any Pastor would in that situation, he launched off into strong persuasion to get to know Jesus personally, and not miss the trees for the forest.
Over the centuries there have been many explanations for the impact that Jesus has on people when they claim to have been forgiven and come to know Him personally. Christian conversion has been seen as a psychologically induced experience brought about by brainwashing a person with persuasive words and emotional presentations. Others have suggested that it is a matter of conditioned reflexes. The claim is that anyone, after repeated exposure to Christian thought, can be caught in a type of spiritual hypnosis.
This would of course make Christianity nothing more than a strong psychologically-based delusion, either self-induced, consciously or unconsciously - or the manipulation of suggestible hearers. If it is a delusion, it is certainly a powerful one, as one alcoholic, with a vivid memory of his past hopeless struggles and new sense of power through Christ has written. 'Thank God for the delusion; it has put clothes on my children and shoes on their feet and bread in their mouths. It has made a man of me and it has put joy and peace in my home, which had been a hell. If this is a delusion, may God send it to the slaves of drink everywhere, for their slavery is an awful reality.'
Consider others like Lambert Johnson, a physicist, who, remarking on his conversion says, 'For me it is the first time I feel complete as a human being. After years of study and reading Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Zen, which led me no place, I have begun to build a new understanding of reality on the foundation of the solid rock, Jesus Christ. Old problems and desires have faded away and I have seen miracle after miracle of God working in my life.' Josh McDowel 'Evidence that Demands a Verdict'
Or June Hunt - Billionairess. Outwardly plain and almost conspicuous by her simple taste in clothes, June is surrounded by her father's Dallas-based empire with assets estimated in the billions in oil, cattle, electronics, real estate, investments, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. She says that she weighed the pros and cons of becoming a Christian, and decided it was worth every risk if He could give her the quality of life she was seeking. After years of sharing the Christian gospel through song at conventions, crusades, youth rallies and Christian women's clubs, she says that knowing Jesus Christ is worth much more than a billion dollars.' Josh McDowel 'Evidence that Demands a Verdict'
Or someone religious like Dr. Don E. Schooler, a Minister: After serving two churches he tells the story of the light breaking in upon himself when he wept like a child and called out to his wife that he had missed it, utterly missed it. Christianity was not just social and personal ethics, but the living Christ coming to dwell in me, liberating me, and assuring of my sins being forgiven. 'Power', he says, in some measure has come into my life'. Josh McDowel 'Evidence that Demands a Verdict'
Conclusion: I suppose Joseph and Mary's experience could be cast aside as brain washing or spiritual hypnosis, just as the alcoholic, the physicist, the billionairess, the minister, and mine, if I shared it, as well as many other millions of similar experiences. But are you satisfied with those explanations? I sincerely hope not for they are really poor explanations. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birth. But it can equally be a moment to explore why it is that his birthday is worth celebrating, and why so many believe that they know him personally. History reveals that when people believe they have been forgiven and have come to know Jesus personally, their lives are impacted in many incredible ways. The question that I want to leave you with today is, 'why is it so?'.
Blessings