It’s funny. On Christmas Eve, we all get dressed up to go
celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the baby born in Bethlehem. Except that, it’s almost the year 2012 and that
little baby would be over 2000 years old—not a baby anymore.
When you are young,
baby Jesus is someone you can relate to, someone you can imagine holding,
someone you can sing songs and lullabies to, but how old are you now? 20?
35? 50? 80? Are
you still trying to relate to baby Jesus when you’ve got mortgage payments, a
full-time job and 3 kids? It’s hard to
imagine baby Jesus helping you with that.
Have
you seen the movie Taladega Nights: The
Ballad of Ricky Bobby? Well, I’d like to
show you a video clip that maybe you CAN relate to: (Play Video)
Is
that who Jesus is to you? Infant Baby
Jesus in his golden fleece diaper? Isaiah
told us that God’s chosen Messiah would be called, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
God’s plan was that baby Jesus would grow up. And that Jesus, the man, would have a
message, “Follow me!” “Follow me.” Infant baby Jesus won’t tell you that. He can’t even say a word. But Jesus, the man, grew up and died on a
cross for you. That’s why we are
celebrating his birthday tonight. Not
just because he was born, but because he still lives today.
Maybe you can no
longer relate to baby Jesus. That makes
sense. In first Corinthians, Saint Paul
said, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I
reasoned like a child. When I became a
man, I put childish ways behind me.” Today,
on Jesus’ birthday, I’d like to introduce you to Jesus, the man. The man who died on a cross for you and was
raised from the dead. A man you can
respect and admire and follow even to the ends of the Earth. Through suffering and persecution. A guy you could and would risk your life and
your reputation for.
The man, Jesus
doesn’t need your gifts at his cradle, His call is for your life and He has the
authority to ask for it as your Prince, as your Father, and as your Mighty God. “Don’t coddle me, follow me!” he cries! Most of you don’t need another baby to
worship. What you need is a leader who
will take you out of the darkness of your life and into the light of a new
day. A warrior general to fight beside
against all those things of this world that threaten your family and your way
of life. A man who can shatter the
burdens that lie on your shoulders.
That’s who Jesus
grew up to be. A man who defeated the
forces of sin and death for you so that you could live your life ready to serve
the world no matter the cost. Are you
ready to live up to that challenge? To
be an example for your kids as to how to live a life of integrity? To work in your community for positive change? Well, then Jesus is the best friend you could
ever have. A baby is wonderful, because
it brings hope for a new life and a better world. But a man brings action. The church is where we come in to reconnect
with Jesus, that man of action, so that we might be sent out to follow Him. To live a life of purpose. To follow God’s purposes, God’s ways and
God’s will.
Jesus
isn’t going to use “baby Jesus powers” to make this world a better place. He has given you the gifts to do that. And he has promised to work through you to
give you the power to make a difference.
This drill is a great gift, but without a power source it won’t
work. Without God in your life, you are
as useless as this powerless power tool.
That’s why God sent His Holy Spirit to live inside all those who believe
in Him—that’s the power source! So that
you and I might be able to heal others who are sick, to share with others the
truth of salvation and to deliver those who are oppressed by the Devil.
We
can believe in the baby Jesus. We can
love and adore Him knowing that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ
alone. But, we are called to follow the
man. Jesus, the man who died on a
cross. Jesus, the man who was raised
from the dead. When Christmas is over,
forget about the baby for awhile and seek to follow the man who gave up his
life so that you might live. Amen.
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