THE JESUS CHRIST-MAS SERIES

 

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS

Micah 5:1-5

Pastor Mike Barnett ~ December 3,2006

 

 

Micah 5:1-5 (pg. 658) says:

 Marshal your troops, O city of troops,n

    for a siege is laid against us.

  They will strike Israel's ruler

    on the cheek with a rod.

 

  MIC 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

    though you are small among the clansn of Judah,

  out of you will come for me

    one who will be ruler over Israel,

  whose originsn are from of old,

    from ancient times.n "

 

  MIC 5:3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned

    until the time when she who is in labor gives birth

  and the rest of his brothers return

    to join the Israelites.

 

  MIC 5:4 He will stand and shepherd his flock

    in the strength of the LORD,

    in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

  And they will live securely, for then his greatness

    will reach to the ends of the earth.

 

    MIC 5:5 And he will be their peace.

  Micah 5:1-5

 

 

 

 ILLUSTRATION #1

 There was a church in the northern part of the United States that had held a Christmas pageant for 47 years with the same director.  Perfection was her goal – nothing less.  For years the church’s pageant ran like clockwork: perfect lines, perfect spacing, perfect everything.  Then one year, something even better happened.  The director’s commitment to perfection had been much better than her commitment to children.  Her reasoning was:  “When there are too many youngsters, there is no control.”  As a result, many children in the church were excluded from being in the pageant.  Only the best kids made it.  This particular year, however, the Christian education Committee passed a resolution: “All children who wish to be in the Christmas pageant may do so.  Parts will be found for them.”  This was more than the longtime director could handle.  She resigned in anger and disgust. The pageant did not fall flat without the former director, but it was different. There must have been a dozen shepherds and at least 20 angels and probably more than two dozen wandering sheep. The real climax of imprecision came when Mary and Joseph entered.  Joseph walked solemnly beside Mary.  The narrator was to read the biblical story about going to Bethlehem”…to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child”. One mother realized that the children didn’t really understand the Elizabethan English of the King James Version about Mary being “great with child”.  At the last minute, she switched to the Good News Translation.  As Mary and Joseph entered, the narrator read, Joseph went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him.  She was pregnant.”  As the last word echoed through the P.A. system, little Joseph froze in his tracks. This is not how he had heard it in rehearsal.  He gave Mary an incredulous look, then looked out at the congregation and said, “Pregnant?  What do you mean, pregnant?” Needless to say, this brought the house down.  The Pastor’s wife, wiping tears from her eyes, said, “You know, that may be exactly what Joseph said.”  The former director wore her triumphant “I told you so” look. Later, when they sang silent night, a couple of magical things happened.  First, the sheep bleated their way down a side aisle and sat in the pews to watch the conclusion of the pageant. This meant the former director was suddenly surrounded by the children that she had once excluded. Second, snow began to fall and the church became very quiet.  It was so beautiful; no one stirred for some time – not even the sheep.  Then Minnie McDonnel – hard of hearing, and always speaking too loudly – broke the spell when she “whispered” to her  husband in a voice that all could hear, “It’s perfect!  Just perfect”!  And it was perfect, only not in the way previous pageants had been perfect. It was perfect in a way that God makes things perfect – the way that he accepts our fumbling attempts at love and covers them with grace.

 

·        Have you ever known anyone who was a perfectionist?  They are impossible to live with.  I don’t mean someone who strives for excellence.  That’s an admirable quality; perfectionism isn’t.

 

·        ILLUSTRATION #2

 

·        All of us have had critical people say mean-spiritualized words to us.

 

·        The fact is, Perfectionism breaks a person’s spirit.

 

·        Perfectionism does not come from God – it comes from the ___________________(world) we live in.

 

·        Perfectionism is a paradigm made by human beings.

 

·        Perfectionism is man’s attempt to _____________________(control) the circumstances.

 

·        Perfectionism is a human ___________________________(illusion) that does not exist in God’s economy.

 

·        Only people are perfectionist.

 

·        GOD IS NOT A ________________(PERFECTIONIST) – GOD IS ________________________(PERFECT!)

 

·        THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!

 

·        GOD IS PERFECT – NOT A PERFECTIONIST!

 

·        WHAT GOD _________________________(CREATES) IS PERFECT!

 

·        WHAT GOD USES TO CREATE OFTEN TIMES COMES OUT OF WHAT WE CONSIDER AS _______________ ________________(IMPERFECT MATERIAL!)

 

·        GOD CREATED HIS MOST PRIZED POSSESSION - MAN OUT OF DIRT!

 

·        GOD CREATED THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS OUT OF A BABY BORN IN A MANGER!

 

 ILLUSTRATION #2

 

·        In the British, Museum in London you can see the final draft of Thomas Gray’s masterpiece Elegy Written in a Country churchyard.  Lovers of English literature marvel at how every word seems so carefully chosen. This display proves that they, in fact were.  Gray wasn’t satisfied with his first draft, so he rewrote it.  Then he improved the poem a third time.  This continued for eight years.  With all that persistent polishing, Grey never considered his poem complete.  In the museum display you can see each successive copy carefully penned by hand – all seventy-five drafts!  This is a commitment to excellence, and it is a good quality. 

 

·        A perfectionist, on the other hand, isn’t one who rewrites a poem 75 times; it is one who would never begin a poem in the first place because they know that it could never be as perfect as they would want it to be.

 

·        Perfectionist are people who _____________(strain) compulsively toward _______________(impossible) goals and measure their __________________ _____________________(self worth) entirely in terms of their ________________________(achievements). 

 

·        As a result…Perfectionists are terrified by the prospect of ________________________(failure). 

 

·        Perfectionist feel driven and, at the same time, unrewarded by their accomplishments.  They are most ________________________(unhappy) people.

 

·        Sadly, many people confuse such compulsiveness with Christianity.

 

·        They take Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:48 – “Be perfect, even as your heavenly father is perfect” – to mean that we are to be perfect without a flaw.

 

·        When Jesus made this statement he undoubtedly meant we are to be perfect in our love – even as God’s very nature is love.

 

·        I dislike a lot of bumper stickers with cute religious expressions, but there is one that is right on target.  It says “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven,”

 

·        Christians are not perfect – even the best of us.  But we can be forgiven.

 

·        THE FORGIVENESS AND GRACE GOD BESTOWS UPON US CAN LEAD US TO ____________________________(REPENTANCE) WHERE WE LOOK MORE LIKE JESUS NAD LESS LIKE THE WORLD!

 

Romans 2:1-4 (pg. 796) says:

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

 

·        That is the reason for Christmas!

 

·        This is why Jesus came into the world to free us from our sins...

 

·        Jesus would have no _______________________(reason) to come into a ______________________(perfect) world where people were sinless, spotless and whole!

 

·        “JESUS DID NOT COME FOR THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS”!

 

·        JESUS CAME TO RESCUE IMPERFECT ____________________________(SINNERS) FROM SPIRITUAL _____________________(DEATH)!

 

·        Jesus has a knack but turning imperfect circumstances around.

 

 AND

 

·        When you look at the details of Jesus’ birth, many of the circumstances were far from perfect. 

 

·        Caesar was imposing taxes for his own interest.

 

·        Herod violently protected his throne, motivated by fear, greed, and insecurity.

 

·        Joseph and Mary were not married, yet she was pregnant.

 

·        Though Joseph was a man of faith and obedience to God, I am sure that this situation created tremendous concern among the members of their families. 

 

·        And now, days before giving birth, Joseph and Mary find themselves on a journey to a little town called Bethlehem, where there will be no adequate place for them to stay.

 

·        The king of kings was to be born, not in a major metropolis, not in luxury and comfort, but in a stable in a seemingly insignificant town

 

·        He was born in a cave that was used as a stable for animals of all places!

 

·        Stables are for animals not for kings and saviors!

 

·        THIS WAS LESS THAN A PERFECT SCENARIO

 

ILLUSTRATION #4

There was an interesting article in MONEY magazine a couple of years ago.  It seems that MONEY ranked the area around Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, dead last among 300 cities surveyed in which to live.  Mayor Joseph Daddona of Allentown which is part of the region MONEY panned – said, “Lee Iacocca’s mother lives here.  Do you think that Lee Iaccoca would let his mother stay in a place that wasn’t fit to live in?”  Dick Strain, executive director of the Bethlehem chamber of commerence, referring to cities that finished much higher in rank, said, “I don’t know too many people here who would rather live in Philadelphia or New York.” An editorial in the Bethlehem globe times newspaper, said, “what a remarkable coincidence!  At the same time as their survey, we were concluding that MONEY is the worst magazine in the nation.”

·        If Bethlehem, Pennsylvania was rated number 300, I would hate to think where Bethlehem of Judea would rank in MONEYS listings.

 

·        In fact, if a committee were appointed to recommend favorable places for the birth of the king of kings, I doubt Bethlehem would even make the list.

 

·        Bethlehem was a little town removed from the centers of influence and power in the world of its day. 

 

·        There was little to recommend Bethlehem for the birthplace of the Messiah.  Yet it was God’s choice. 

 

·        The prophet Micah foretold of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and said in V. 2 of Micah 5:

 

 “But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel whose origins are from old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

 

·        In God’s wisdom, Bethlehem was the perfect place for the Messiah to be born. 

 

·        It is a humble place, and God blesses those with humble beginnings. 

 

·        Bethlehem was the home town of King David, who was far from perfect who sinned in numerous ways, most notably by committing adultery and murder….Yet he was called a man after God’s own heart.

 

THE PRAYER DAVID PRAYED AFTER HE WAS CONVICTED OF HIS SIN: PSALM 51:1-19

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

    according to your unfailing love;

  according to your great compassion

    blot out my transgressions.

 

  PS 51:2 Wash away all my iniquity

    and cleanse me from my sin.

 

  PS 51:3 For I know my transgressions,

    and my sin is always before me.

 

  PS 51:4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

    and done what is evil in your sight,

  so that you are proved right when you speak

    and justified when you judge.

 

  PS 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth,

    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

 

  PS 51:6 Surely you desire truth in the inner partsn;

    you teachn me wisdom in the inmost place.

 

  PS 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

 

  PS 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness;

    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

 

  PS 51:9 Hide your face from my sins

    and blot out all my iniquity.

 

  PS 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,

    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 

  PS 51:11 Do not cast me from your presence

    or take your Holy Spirit from me.

 

  PS 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

 

  PS 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

    and sinners will turn back to you.

 

  PS 51:14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,

    the God who saves me,

    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

 

  PS 51:15 O Lord, open my lips,

    and my mouth will declare your praise.

 

  PS 51:16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

 

  PS 51:17 The sacrifices of God aren a broken spirit;

    a broken and contrite heart,

    O God, you will not despise.

 

  PS 51:18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;

    build up the walls of Jerusalem.

 

  PS 51:19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,

    whole burnt offerings to delight you;

    then bulls will be offered on your altar.  Psalm 51:1-19

 

·        God is looking for something more than perfection from us –  He is looking for our ______________________(HEARTS)!

 

That is the whole point of the Christmas story.

 

·        God didn’t come to us at Christmas because we are perfect and good and wonderful - He came to us because we ____________________________(needed) him.

 

·        He came because our hearts were hardened by sin.

 

·        He came because we, as a human race, made a mess of our lives.

 

·        He came BECAUSE HE LOVED US SO MUCH!

 

·        Have you ever tried to keep a perfect house when a baby is in residence? It doesn’t work.

 

·        When there is a baby in the house you have to forget about perfection and think about love…

 

·        That’s the message of Christmas.  It is not about perfection, it’s about love!

 

·        This Holiday season may seem less than perfect than you.

 

·        Our church may seem less than perfect to you.

 

·        After all, look at all the empty pews.

 

·        Look at all the people that should be here, but are missing.

 

·        HOW COME WE DO NOT HAVE MORE PEOPLE HERE TODAY TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS!

 

 

·        IF THIS WERE A PERFECT WORLD THE PEWS WOULD BE PACKED WITH EAGER LISTENERS READY TO SURRENDER THEIR HERATS, MINDS, AND SOULS TO CHRIST!

 

·        BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT GOD’S PERFECT LOVE IS HERE IN AN IMPERFECT SITUATION.

 

·        JESUS SAID, WHERE THERE ARE TWO OR THREE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE I AM ALSO.

 

·        WE HAVE GOD’S LOVE IN OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND SOULS!

 

·        WE HAVE THE LOVE AND FELLOWSHIP OF OUR CHURCH FAMILY…

 

·        WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLING WITHIN US.

 

·        WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD!

 

·        WE ARE PERFECTLY CONNECTED TO OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN THROIUGH JESUS CHRIST HIS SON FOR THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR, THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.

 

·        OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN

 

·        WE OUR REDEEMED

 

·        WE HAVE NEW LIFE IN CHIRST

 

·        ALL BECAUSE GOD SENT HIS PERFECT SON JESUS CHRIST TO AN IMPERFECT PLACE TO DIE ON A CROSS FOR US SINNERS.

 

·        AND WHEN “WE LESS THAN PERFECT SINNERS” RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR AND WORSHIP HIM AS THE MESSIAH….OUR LESS THAN PERFECT LIVES ARE INFUSED AND PERMEATED WITH GOD’S __________________________(PERFECT) LOVE.

 

·        AND HIS PERFECT LOVE CAST OUT OF _____________________(FEAR) OF THE __________________________(IMPERFECT!)

 

 1 John 4:16-18 (pg. 863) says:

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:16-18

 

Proverbs 3:25-26 says:

Have no fear of sudden disaster
       or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

 26 for the LORD will be your confidence
       and will keep your foot from being snared.

 

·        LIFE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT ANYMORE FOR ME TO BE ___________________(JOYFUL).

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 (pg.837) says

16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil. 23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

 

·        I AM JOYFUL IN THE MIDST OF THESE LESS THAN PERFECT CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE PERFECT LOVE LIVES ______ __________(IN ME) AND THROUGH ME.

 

 1 John 4:16 says, “God is love”.

 

 Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21:

 “The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”  Luke 17:20-21

·        I CAN BE JOYFUL KNOWING THAT GOD’S PERFECT LOVE IS __________________________(SANCTIFYING) MY IMPERFECT LIFE!

 

·        GOD IS LOVE AND HE NOW LIVES IN YOU AND YOU LIVE IN HIM!

 

·        LOVE HAS A NAME!

 

·        AND HIS NAME IS JESUS CHRIST THE MESSIAH…

 

·        WHO WAS BORN IN AN IMPERFECT BARN.

 

·        WHO RODE TO JERUSALEM ON AN IMPERFECT DONKEY.

 

·        WHO DIED ON AN IMPERFECT CROSS TO DIE FOR IMPERFECT PEOPLE LIKE ME AND YOU…

 

·        SO THAT WE COULD HAVE PERFECT LOVE IN OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND SOULS AND LIVE FOR ETERNITY WITH THE FATHER IN HEAVEN FOREVER AND EVER! 

 

 

   PRAISE HIS NAME – JESUS THE MESSIAH WAS BORN IN A BARN!

 

 ILLUSTRATION #5

·        Years ago, Harry Reasoner wrote a piece about Christmas for the show 60 minutes.  He said: “The basis for this tremendous burst of buying things and gift giving and parties near hysteria, is a quiet event that happened a long time ago.  You can say that in all societies there as always been a midwinter festival, and that many trappings of our Christmas are almost violently pagan, but you come back to the central fact of the day…the birth of God on earth.  It leaves you only three ways of accepting Christmas. 

 

  • One is cynically, as a time to make money or to endorse the making of it.  One is graciously, the attitude for non-Christians, who whish their fellow citizens all the joys their beliefs entitle them.  And the third, of course, is reverently.  If this is the anniversary of the appearance of the Lord of the universe as a helpless babe – it is a very important day.  It’s a startling idea that a virgin was selected by god to bear his son as a way of showing his love and concern. The story has a magnificent appeal.  Almost nobody has seen God, and almost nobody has any idea of what he is like.  But everyone has seen God, and almost nobody has a real idea of what he is like.  But everyone has seen babies, and most people like them.  If God wanted to be loved…if god wanted to be intimately a part of our life, he moved correctly, for the experience of birth and family is our most intimate and precious experience.  So, if a Christian is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it.  Maybe on some given Christmas, some final quiet morning, the touch will take.”

 

·        Maybe this Christmas will “take” for someone here today, maybe you won’t have a perfect Christmas.  Perhaps it will be far better than that.

 

·        I hope that you will see right into the heart of the sacred event – to the God who is looking not for perfection, but for love and worship from his creation!

 

·        God is looking for another King David – a man or woman who is after his heart in the midst of less than perfect circumstances.

 

·        GIVE YOUR HEART TO HIM AND IT WILL BE A PREFECT CHRISTMAS FOR YOU!