The Facts of Christmas

December 24, 1988

"Let now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. Luke 2:15

The Spirit of Christmas— the Meaning of Christmas— are dependent on The FACT of Christmas.

Introduction:

It is hard to imagine what the glory of angels in a night sky might be. But you can be certain it beat anything the shepherds had seen or were ever likely to see again. God has a way of filling up the sky with just a hint of His glory! [I recall one 4th of July at West Point, when after the (wonderful!) band concert some really impressive fireworks began. "Humans" were 'filling the sky with glory.'

[But as it happened, a small-to-middle-sized thunderstorm happened along just then, and there was a moderate display of lightning. Again and again the entire Hudson River far below the parade ground was lit as bright as noon day. And one particular bolt of lightning I shall never forget— I was terrorized and fascinated all at the same time: a line of liquid electricity made a circle all around that valley from one side of the mile- wide river to the other for a split-second that seemed to last and last! And somehow the sky rockets and sparklers seemed puny and downright anti-climactic after that display of heavenly power and glory!]

I cannot imagine what "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,'Glory to God in the highest!'" might have looked and sounded like! But we may be sure that it was GLORIOUS! But then the glory was gone! And so, after the GLORY, came a trip to Bethlehem and a stable. Encounter with real people, real smells, real parental concerns, but also a real KING!

THIS IS NO BEAUTIFUL MYTH. I do not have a problem with those who speak of the "mythical" in scriptural history; there is a parable-like quality to the way God has dealt with people through the ages. [The Exodus, and the entire Old Testament record of God's dealings with the people of faith are both true history, AND an example of how God is faithful to His Word.]

But Bethlehem is a real place; a real Baby was born there on a particular night. The Son of God is Eternal, and never had a beginning. But Jesus Christ, God's incarnate Son, became a man in a new thing; in a way that had never been before. JESUS CHRIST'S BIRTH IS A FACT.

THIS IS NOT A TIMELESS TRUTH! Eternity has intersected time. But we cannot really grasp or understand timeless truth. We cannot know the Transcendent in any intimate kind of way— at least in our present, finite limitations. AND THIS IS PARTICULAR FACT.

CHRISTIAN FAITH DEALS WITH PARTICULAR FACTS. [Christmas comes at the winter solstice, and the return of light and warmth and the promise of spring are all beautiful thoughts that can be applied to the Christmas story. But Christmas is not a warm, fuzzy feeling.] The Eternal God has sent us a Man to deal with our sins, and with our lives as we live them. [I John 4:3 "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not from God."]

THE PARTICULARS OF OUR OWN HISTORY HAVE POWER TO MOVE US DEEPLY. [I am moved by Byers Green, Bishop Aukland, Barton, North Yorkshire ... Askrigg and Bainbridge, Yorkshire Dales ... because Metcalfes come from there.] And somehow we almost instinctively feel that Jesus Christ and His personal history are part of our own personal heritage. THAT IS WHY BETHLEHEM AND CALVARY AND OLIVET SPEAK SO POINTEDLY TO US!

THE PARTICULARS OF OUR FAITH CALL FOR A PARTICULAR RESPONSE IN OUR PERSONAL HISTORY. Just as Jesus came to A PARTICULAR place at a PARTICULAR time in human history, He comes to each of us IN FACT, in TIME, in SPACE, in our own personal history.

"Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born Yet not within MY heart- My heart is still forlorn."

"O Come to MY heart, Lord Jesus! There is room in MY heart for Thee!"

Conclusion:

Christian faith is tied to eternal, never-ending Truth. Our God is Almighty, and Everlasting. He is the great I AM . But Christian faith is factual faith! The meaning and the spirit and the wonder of Christmas all hang on the slender thread of a Mother's labor, and a Baby's low cry—

Christmas is NOT 'timeless truth'— it is PARTICULAR TRUTH FOR REAL, LIVE PEOPLE. And Christmas truth is not complete— it is NEVER complete— until it is received in a particular and personal way.

1. Just NOW if you have never welcomed Jesus into your heart- - just NOW, in a particular, specific prayer, you may invite Him in to be LORD and SAVIOR! [Revelation 3:20 - December 24, 1988, at 6:30 p.m., in the Wollaston Church of the Nazarene], you can receive Jesus Christ into YOUR personal history, to rule and guide and bless your life from now on for TIME as well as for eternity!
2. And just NOW we can ALL obey and share Christ in a particular way. Jesus has given us a way in which we can, in good faith, share in His fellowship and grace in a wonderful way. The Lord's Supper is open to all who own Jesus as Lord and Savior. I invite you to make it your means of grace this evening.

[Come as you are - come as you are led of God's Spirit. Come by yourself, with a friend, with your family together. Come as part of God's Family! Receive the elements; pray a brief prayer of thanksgiving for the FACTS OF CHRISTMAS and for the FACT that Jesus is with YOU, with US!; and then eat, drink, and rise, return to your seat for the candle lighting that shall follow immediately.]

Prayer of dedication; invitation.