Jesus Changes Everything

Jesus Changes Everything

A large part of our service that morning was our children’s Christmas program, and it reminded me of a book called Fortunately, by Remy Charlip. Fortunately Ned got a letter inviting him to a surprise party, but unfortunately it was in Florida and he was in New York. Fortunately a friend loaned him an airplane, but unfortunately the motor exploded. Fortunately there was a parachute, but unfortunately it had a hole. And on it goes, through a haystack and a pitchfork, sharks, tigers, and a cave, until fortunately the party was for him, because it was his birthday. That is a great story for children, but in life endings are not always happy. Our lives go up and down, and statistics say people struggle most right after Christmas, when the family has gone and we return to normal. Joy “is not something that is shaken by the fortunate and unfortunate things of life like poor Ned went through.”

We know the reason our lives are broken. It is sin, and the fall. Before the fall, work was fun. After it came thorns and thistles. We see brokenness in our leaders, who lie and cheat, and honestly we are not that different, with the same desire to do wrong. This story in Luke 2 is the repair for all of that brokenness. When Jesus arrived, he changed the world, even our calendar, and he changes us.

Jesus Changes the World (Luke 2:8-14)

Shepherds were keeping watch over their flock at night, and an angel of the Lord appeared, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. It would be scary to be in a dark field and see that. But notice what they were afraid of: the glory of the Lord. That is the bad news of the gospel, that there is a distinction between God’s glory and normal humans like us. God is holy, perfect in every way. When we see him for who he is, we see how dark our hearts are. And yet the angel said, “Fear not.” He did not say fear not because you are all good. He said fear not because he was about to introduce the Savior, who takes away the fear of being separate and brings true hope and peace.

Verse 11 says, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” This is the Messiah, promised for thousands of years. Then the multitude of the heavenly host praised God and said, on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased. Who is God pleased with? “He’s not pleased with those who try harder because we can’t try hard enough.” He is not pleased with those who are religious, because “religion hasn’t saved anybody.” He is pleased with those who have become one with his Son through faith.

Jesus Changes Us (Luke 2:15-17)

The shepherds said, let us go and see this thing that has happened. They heard the truth, and they did not go back to normal life. They searched to make sure it was true. Some of you have never put your faith in Christ. You have heard his name, but you have never clung to him as your Savior. That is what faith is. If you are interested, the Spirit is working in your heart. Keep going down that path. Talk to me, to another pastor, or to the friend who invited you. Acts 16:31 says, “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” He asks us to believe, not to work harder.

And the shepherds made known the saying that had been told them about this child. They did not keep it for themselves. They were not highly respected people, but they had a circle of influence. If you are a believer, he has given you that privilege and responsibility, and what better time than Christmas to share with neighbors, loved ones, and coworkers?

Jesus Changes Our Hearts (Luke 2:18-19)

Verse 19: “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” About a year earlier an angel visited Mary, and now the shepherds told her more. She did not go on with her life. She treasured it. Often we get caught up in this world and stop treasuring who Christ is. In the Bible the heart is the deepest part of you that gives you all the desires of life, what drives you. Mary let what she knew change her. Years later she watched her son die on a cross, and that truth carried her through. Our lives are temporary, and on our worst day Jesus is still our best friend. When people forsake us, he will not. He changes us from wanting what this world wants to wanting what he wants. David, after his sin, prayed to restore the joy of his salvation. That should be a prayer we pray daily: God, help me to have joy in my salvation. That joy is not affected by anything else in my life, because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.