WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN NO CHRISTMAS

MATTHEW 1:18-25 AND MATTHEW 2:2-11
DECEMBER 15, 2019

THE LESSON FROM MATTHEW TODAY HAS JOHN ASKING, IS JESUS IS THE MESSIAH?

CHRIST THROUGH HIS ACTIONS AND HIS TEACHING CHANGED THE WORLD

IN ANOTHER PART OF THE GOSPLE OF MATTHEW HE SAYS:
“AND THEY SHALL NAME HIM EMMANUEL, WHICH MEANS ‘GOD WITH US’”

NOT A DISTANT GOD,  GOD IS WITH US!

WHERE WE LIVE, WHERE WE GO TO SCHOOL, WHERE WE WORK.
HE IS WITH US WHERE WE HAVE JOY AND HAVE HURTS
HE IS WITH US IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES.

BUT DO WE REALLY BELIEVE IT AND LIVE THAT WAY?
LET’ S START WITH THE THOUGHT “WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN NO CHRISTMAS?”

OF COURSE, WE WOULD DATE EVERYTHING IN A DIFFERENT MANNER

AND THERE WOULD BE NO GIFTS THAT SYMBOLIZE THE GREAT GIFT THAT GOD GAVE TO US AT CHRISTMAS.

BUT, WHAT ABOUT YOU? WOULD YOUR LIFE BE DIFFERENT? IN WHAT WAYS?

I KNOW MINE WOULD DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE NO SUCH THING AS A LUTHERAN MINISTER!!!!!

A. QUICK, NAME SOME GREAT CHRISTMAS LITERATURE
1. FIRST COMEs THE NEW TESTAMENT
A. “WITHOUT IT, WE WOULDN’T BE HAVING THIS
DISCUSSION”
B. BUT, WITHOUT CHRISTMAS, THERE WOULD BE NO NEW TESTAMENT
2. THEN WE COULD LIST OTHER CLASSICS SUCH AS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”
AND “HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS” AND EVEN “LITTLE WOMEN”

IN KEEPING WITH THAT THOUGHT WE ALSO WOULDN’T HAVE:
1. SONGS SUCH AS “WHITE CHRISTMAS” & “RUDOLPH”
2. POEMS SUCH AS “THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS”
3. MOVIES LIKE “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE” OR “MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET”

THINK ABOUT IT —- “WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN NO CHRISTMAS?”

1. THERE WOULD BE NO FAMILY GATHERINGS THIS TIME OF THE YEAR
2. THERE WOULD BE NO CHRISTMAS CARDS
A. NO CHRISTMAS TREES OR HOLIDAY DECORATIONS
3. NO HOLIDAY PARTIES
4. NO CHRISTMAS VACATIONS FROM SCHOOL!!!
5. AND DECEMBER 25TH WOULDN’T BE A HOLIDAY!!!

BUT, OF COURSE, IT GOES MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT. THERE WOULD BE:

1. NO MANGER SCENES
2. NO STORIES ABOUT THE SHEPHERDS
3. NO WISE MEN TRAVELING HUNDREDS OF MILES TO SEE THE BABY
4. NO HOLIDAY TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST
5. THERE WOULD BE NO NEW TESTAMENT.
6. NO BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED CHURCHES
A. IN FACT THERE WOULD BE NO CHURCHES
B. PICTURE WEST RIDGE ROAD HERE ON SKIDAWAY ISLAND
C. AS YOU DRIVE AROUND THIS WEEK, OBSERVE ALL THE CHURCHES THAT WOULDN’T BE THERE
7. WE WOULDN’T BE HERE THIS MORNING TO PRAISE AND THANK GOD!!!
8. WE WOULD HAVE NO CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE IN A WEEK AND A HALF

THINK WHAT THE WORLD WOULD HAVE MISSED

1. NO GOLDEN RULE
2. NO PARABLES ABOUT THE LOST SHEEP, THE PRODIGAL SON, OR THE
GOOD SAMARITAN
3. NO STORIES OF PEOPLE TURNING THEIR LIVES AROUND
4. NO STORIES OF THE MIRICLES OF HOPE
5. NO STORIES OF HEALINGS OF THE LAME, AND DEAF, AND BLIND
6. NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO ACCEPT FORGIVENESS AND TO FORGIVE OTHERS.

IF THERE HAD BEEN NO CHRISTMAS:
1. MARY MAGDALEN WOULD HAVE DIED IN HER SIN
2. MATTHEW WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN A TRAITOR TO HIS COUNTRYMEN SINCE HE WAS DREADED ROMAN TAX COLLECTOR
3. PETER, JAMES & JOHN WOULD HAVE CONTINUED ON AS FISHERMEN
4. THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED HEALING WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN BROKEN IN BODY AND SPIRIT
5. LAZARUS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEAD..
6′ THE TEN LEPERS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CURED
7. WE NEVER WOULD HAVE HEARD THE WORDS:
“PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU”
“DON’T LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
“I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT IN ABUNDANCE”
7. THE REPENTANT THIEF ON THE CROSS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO HEAVEN.

IF THERE HADN’T BEEN A CHRISTMAS —WE NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW MUCH GOD LOVED US.
THAT HE CARED ENOUGH TO COME AND BE WITH US
HE CAME TO SHOW US WHAT HE WAS LIKE
HE WAS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS AND FAILURES
HE SHOWED LOVE AND COMPASSION TO THE OUTCASTS OF THE WORLD.
THE SINFUL, THE SICK, THE POOR AND THE WEAK WERE THE ONES HE PULLED OUT OF THE TRASH AND TRANSFORMED INTO A TREASURE.
HE HEADLED THE SICK AND RAISED THE DEAD
HE TAUGHT US NOT TO USE THE VALUES OF THIS WORLD TO DETERMINE OUR WORTH.
IF THERE HADN’T BEEN A CHRISTMAS, WE NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN ALL THIS ABOUT GOD.

IF THERE HADN’T HAVE BEEN A CHRISTMAS:
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO ONE TO DEFEAT THE DEVIL
THERE WOULD BE NO EXPERIENCING THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
THERE WOULD BE NO PROMISE OF A RETURNING SAVIOR WHO WILL OPEN HEAVEN FOR US
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY TO KNOW WHAT GOD WAS REALLY LIKE

CHRISTMAS HAS AFFECTED EVERYDAY OF OUR LIFE — EVEN FOR THOSE WITH LITTLE OR NO BELIEF.
1. EVEN YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING WOULD BE DIFFERENT
2. NOT JUST THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHURCH TO GIVE TO
A. THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF HELPING OTHERS — WITHOUT
EXPECTING SOMETHING IN RETURN — IS CHRISTIAN
B. THE ROMANS AT THE TIME OF JESUS WOULD OCCASIONALLY
SET UP FUNDS TO HELP SOME PEOPLE, BUT NOT ON A REGULAR
BASIS
3. THERE WOULD BE NO LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF OR WORLD HUNGER FUND
4. THERE WOULD BE NO SALVATION ARMY
5. NO YMCA OR YWCA
6. NO PLACES LIKE BETHESDA HOME FOR BOYS
7. MANY FAMILIAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WOULDN’T EXIST
A. THEY WERE STARTED AS CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONS.
B. NO HARVARD OR YALE
C. NO NEWBERRY OR LENOIR RHYNE
8. NO RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LUTHERAN SERVICES OR CATHOLIC CHARITIES, OR MENNONITE RELIEF

THE CHRISTIANS STARTED WITH FUNDS TO HELP THE ORPHANS AND WIDOWS
1. THEN THEY EXPANDED TO OTHERS IN NEED
A. AND THEN TO ALL PEOPLE — NOT JUST CHRISTIANS
2. THEN THEY EXPANDED TO HOSPITALS AND OTHER HOMES TO HELP PEOPLE IN VARIOUS NEEDS
A. THERE WOULD BE NO CHANDLER’S OR ST. JOE’S HOSPITAL
B. NO SHELTERS FOR THE HOMELESS AND NEEDY
3. THEN THEY STARTED SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE.

THESE ARE ALL RESPONSES TO GOD’S LOVE FOR US
THIS IS HOW CHRISTIANS SAY “THANK YOU” TO GOD FOR THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS GIFT IN BETHLEHEM SOME 2,000 YEARS AGO.
CHRISTMAS IS THE STORY OF THE BIRTH OF A SAVIOR.
1. IT IS GOD COMING TO EARTH TO LIVE WITH US AND HELP US CHANGE

IT’S TIME NOW TO LET GOD TAKE OVER AND COME INTO THE WORLD
1. AND LET HIM COME INTO YOUR LIFE
2. IT’S TIME TO PUT GOD BACK IN CHARGE OF CHRISTMAS
A. FOR THE PAST MONTH, WE HAVE ACTED LIKE THE
SUCCESS OF THIS CHRISTMAS WAS ON OUR SHOULDERS
3. ITS TIME TO LET THE JOY OF THE BABY JESUS COME INTO
OUR HEARTS AND LIVES.

IT’S TIME TO SHUT OUT THE COMMERCIAL PART OF THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION — AT LEAST FOR
A LITTLE WHILE

1. IT’S TIME FOR US TO PREPARE TO TAKE A TRIP TO BETHLEHEM THIS CHRISTMAS EVE.
TIME TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.  REMEMBER, ADVENT IS A TIME OF PREPARATION FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST IN TO OUR LIVES.
2. ITS TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CHRISTMAS IS REALLY ALL
ABOUT
3. TIME TO LOOK AT THE CHRISTMAS STORY ONE MORE TIME

DURING THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF, LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN A TRIP TO BETHLEHEM THAT WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES FOREVER
1. ONCE CHRIST BECOMES THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL
NEVER BE THE SAME PERSON YOU WERE BEFORE
2. AND IN THIS CASE — THAT IS ALWAYS A POSITIVE CHANGE.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY IS THE STORY OF GOD’S LOVE
1. “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD”
2. IT IS A CELEBRATION OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US
3. IT IS ABOUT GOD’S PLAN TO REDEEM AND SAVE US FROM
SIN AND THE DEVIL

 “FOR WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NEVER
PERISH BUT WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE”

LET ME FINISH THIS SERMON WITH A STORY ABOUT ROME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHRISTMAS STORY…...
1. HOW ABOUT A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON
2. CHRIST WAS BORN IN 4 BC
3. BUT LET’S GO BACK A FEW YEARS BEFORE THAT….

IN 29 B.C., FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS THERE WAS TOTAL PEACE IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE
1. THEY CLOSED THE TEMPLE OF JANUS, THE GOD OF WAR
2. THEY CHANGED THE NAME OF THE RULER, GAIUS OCTAVIUS
TO CAESAR AUGUSTUS WHICH MEANS THE “ULTIMATE RULER”
A. THEY CONFERRED ON HIM THE TITLES OF “SAVIOR” AND “GOD”
3. THEY BUILD AN ALTAR THAT SAID, “PAX AUGUSTA”
A. THE PEACE OF CAESAR WAS DECLARED
4. HIS BIRTHDAY BECAME A NATIONAL HOLIDAY
5. EVERY CITY HAD A SHRINE TO HIM
6. EVERY CITY HAD A BANNER THAT READ: “THE SAVIOR OF
THE WHOLE WORLD.”
7. THE WORLD HAD EVERYTHING IT WANTED
8. THE WORLD HAD EVERYTHING IT NEEDED

AND YET THE BIBLE SAYS “GOD SENT HIS SON IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME”
1. WHY…. WHEN ROME WAS AT PEACE?
2. WHY … WHEN THE WORLD HAD ACCEPTED A SAVIOR?
3. WHY … WHEN EVERYONE WAS WORSHIPPING CAESAR?
4. WHY DIDN’T GOD JUST USE CAESAR AUGUSTUS AS THE
SAVIOR OF THE WORLD?

A HISTORIAN FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS’ TIME MAY HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT WHEN HE WROTE:
“WHILE THE EMPEROR MAY GIVE PEACE FROM WAR ON
LAND AND SEA, HE IS UNABLE TO PEACE FROM PASSION,
GREED, AND ENVY. HE CANNOT GIVE PEACE OF HEART, FOR
WHICH HUMANITY YEARNS MORE THAN EVEN FOR OUTWARD
PEACE.”

CHRIST CAME TO BRING WHAT NO MAN COULD DO —PEACE AND HARMONY
1. SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE
2. NEARNESS TO GOD
3. ACCEPTANCE OF SELF AND OTHERS
4. FORGIVENESS TO US AND ….. FORGIVENESS TO OTHERS

THAT IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT CHRISTMAS DID OCCUR SOME 2,000 YEARS AGO.

LET US PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST IN JUST A FEW DAYS

The “I AM” Statements of Jesus
Lenten Sermon Series

The season of Lent comes each year, and Lent invites us into a
deeper, more intentional walk with God. Why now? Why this
spring? On the horizon is Good Friday and Easter, the highpoint of
the Christian year. Shaped by those impending events, the church
has encouraged the forty days before Easter as a time for study,
reflection, and spiritual growth.

Daily Devotions

To that end, we are inviting all our worshippers (and those reading this) to participate in a reading of a daily devotional – our “Lenten Challenge”.   Some who have signed up have never done such a thing. Others have been doing daily devotionals for many years. Regardless of your background, this Lent there’s an opportunity for personal growth, and I ask that you take advantage of it.  Daily devotions allow for personal growth and a deepening of the faith. They also help shape our
identity.

Consider the following statement:

What we think about ourselves does a great deal to shape our outlook on life and living.

Consider the following, which I have heard others say, both positive and negative:
I am frustrated. I am resourceful. I am hopeful.
I am loveable and capable. I am unlovable. I am afraid.
I am fed-up. I am a hot mess. I am resourceful.
I am a creative. I am negative. I am blessed.

Even though these are statements about one’s self, these words shape and influence how we picture
ourselves, and subsequently shape how we relate to others.

Sermon Series: Jesus says “I AM”

As we might have “I Am….” statements such as those listed above, there is another voice in our ear, that
of Jesus himself. In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes a series of self-defining “I Am” statements. In
engaging in metaphors and principles, Jesus conveys to us important aspects of his identity. This Lent,
each Sunday we will engage these words of Jesus. What follows is a schedule:

• Sunday -“I AM” Theme
• March 10 -The Door
• March 17 -Bread of Life
• March 24 -Light of the World
• March 31 -True Vine
• April 7 -The Good Shepherd
• April 14 -Palm Sunday: The Passion according to John
• April 21 -Easter:I am the Resurrection and the Life

Each of these statements give us a glimpse of how Jesus relates to our lives. Most, but not all, are
metaphors. The goal of this series is to gain a deeper understanding of Jesus. If our understanding of
Jesus grows, our confidence in how he works in our lives also will grow. That is my hope and goal for
every person who visits our congregation.

I pray that this Lent would be a time of deepening our spiritual roots. As we reflect on our own identity in
daily devotions and in worship, we also encounter Christ, who brings his transforming grace to our lives.
+Pastor Jason Talsness

Going to Guatemala

Declare his glory among the nations,
 his marvelous works among all the peoples. I Chronicles 16:24

This year I will be again going to Guatemala for a medical mission trip. Messiah has a long history of supporting this worthy cause. We will be serving in Antiqua, Guatemala with Faith in Practice (“FIP”). FIP is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian organization that seeks to improve the physical, spiritual and economic conditions of the poor in Guatemala through short term integrated surgical, medical, and dental mission trips and health related educational programs. Each year, more than 1,200 medical professionals and support personnel from across the United States and the world travel to Guatemala.

Our Team

Going this year from Messiah, in February for either one or two weeks, are Pat Cooper (food prep and presentation), Eric Gilster (OBGYN), Jim Hazel (food preparation and presentation), and me (Chaplain).
Imagine a group of 30 Americans who work in healthcare and other fields, taking time off from work to do the same work as their day job, but in Guatemala. Nurses, dentist, surgeons, pharmacists, and so on, all drop what they are doing to go south for a week to help people in need. Many go at their own expense. It is a remarkable thing to witness.

A Day in the Life

This being my second year, I know now what will be expected of me. My morning starts at 5:00 a.m. with devotions. I lead the team in prayer and song. I am not a morning person, but as long as I get a cup of coffee in me, I’m good to go.

After devotions and breakfast, we go to perform the surgeries for the day. Everyone has a role. One important function I have is to pray with those who are about to go into surgery. With the aid of an interpreter, we hear the stories of people who are hurting. Moms, children, seniors, all come and wait to be seen. They are grateful to get the care they so desperately need.

As the day goes on, I meet with staff, discuss what surgeries are coming up, and followup with those who have gone through surgery. The day is covered in prayer. As the week goes on, I get to know the American staff, their hopes and struggles. My time with staff is almost as important as the time with the patients. All in all, my role is much like that of Father Mulcahy in the television series in M*A*S*H. I quickly go from counselor to helper to dispenser of spiritual ideas within an hour. I enjoy this role, being part of a team and learning about the art of medicine.

Ten Facts about Guatemala

• Roughly the size of North Carolina
• Famous for its 33 volcanoes
• The most populated Central American country
• Blue denim comes from Guatemala!
• Some 5-10 people are killed by falling bullets at Christmastime, when people shoot skyward in celebration.
• Guatemala is ground zero for chocolate. The first chocolate bar was invented there during Mayan times.
• Guatemala has the second-highest concentration of ozone in the world, according to The Economist magazine’s The World in 2007.
• The native indigenous have a statue they worship called Mashimom, a little guy with a mustache dressed in a suit who wears hat. The locals give him cigars and alcohol so he will bless them.
• About 60% of the population does not know how to read or write.
• Instant coffee was invented by a Guatemalan.
• The majority of the Guatemalan population lives in extreme poverty and has virtually no access to medical care.

The Guatemalan Connection

Over the years, FIP has developed a deep respect for the medical, clergy, and administrative Guatemalan staff as they seek to meet the needs of the poor. We are honored to join them in this mission. Each year, nearly 900 Guatemalan volunteers work beside FIP volunteers in this endeavor. FIP Practice teams see more than 25,000 patients annually. FIP volunteers serve through a variety of teams that are connected, providing a continuity of care in the context of short-term medical mission.

How you can help

Perhaps you can’t go to Guatemala, but you want to help. Please pray for us. A blog will be kept of the events of the day, a link will be provided in the Messiah Minute. Although some supplies are donated, each medical mission trip costs about $30,000. If you would like to contribute toward supplies, Faith in Practice is a 501(c)(3) organization, and contributions are deductible for tax purposes. Faith in Practice has been rated a Four Star Charity by Charity Navigator. All contributions go to the mission.

If you would like to donate to this cause, there will be an informational seminar when our Messiah Lutheran missionaries return. Thank-you for sending me on this mission trip. It is inspiring to see God’s work in the world. I look forward to my return February 16 when I can share what Messiah is doing through this ministry.

Pastor Jason Talsness

All About Our New Look and Logo

Have you noticed the new masthead on this month’s newsletter?  This is part of a larger effort to further establish a “look” or “brand” for our congregation.

We live in a rapidly transforming age and the way churches communicate has changed greatly in recent years. There was a time when churches informed solely via paper and ink: the weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter. Today most churches have a website and a weekly email in addition to the bulletin and newsletter. This incorporation of digital pathways means congregations need to reflect who they are visually by way of fonts, icons, logos and pictures.

A verse connected to this discussion is from a small Old Testament book Habakkuk. The prophet reports:   ” Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision;
   make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.”       Habakkuk 2:2

In this passage, the Lord has given Habakkuk a vision, but the vision needs to be plain and understandable to the extent that a runner can read it while speeding by. It isn’t enough just to have a vision of what God wants; the vision needs to be immediately interpretable.  This verse translates well to our time and place, where people are rushing from one thing to the next. Messiah needs a clear and defined image that connects to our congregation.

Our Message

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins,  we might live for righteousness; by his wound you have been healed.  I Peter 2:24”

Our new logo proclaims boldly what centers us: Messiah’s cross. It is the focal point of our worship space where we address God in prayer and praise. Assembled from various types of wood, it is symbolic of our congregation — people from different places gathered together to be the body of Christ at Messiah Lutheran Church. The cross is where God meets us as Jesus Christ crucified and risen, bringing us abundant and eternal life.

The backdrop of our logo ties in with the green-blue color palette of our sanctuary.

Our Look

The words “Messiah Lutheran Church” seek to be both new and old at the same time, reflecting our stable but relevant presence in the community. The “Skidaway Island” script is a bit whimsical, reminding us of the joy our unique setting brings.

We also have a logo that encapsulates our mission statement, which states:   In the name of Jesus, welcome everyone, grow in faith, support one another, serve others.

These visual tools don’t change who we are. The content of our mission remains the same but how it is presented and portrayed does change, giving us a fresh and inviting look. I hope you agree.

Gratefully Yours,     Pastor Jason Talsness