November 27, 2005

 

A Christmas Story

Disillusioned!

Luke 1:5-18

 

Opening Words: It was Michelangelo that created the great statue of David from a block of marble. It is truly one of the great pieces of art in the world. From the moment it was revealed to the world everyone asked the same question, “How did you do it?” Michelangelo said it was like David was inside the marble. All he did was release him by chiseling away the excess rock. Advent is a time to chisel away all the excess in your life so we can see the real you. You may have to chisel away your prejudices, stereotypes and frustrations. This world can tarnish you. There is some work to be done. But, when you are all finished you will discover yourself, the way God intended from the very beginning. There are only 28 days until Christmas, so we better get busy.

Today, I begin an eight part sermon series I have called A Christmas Story. Each one of these sermons will be based on passages found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. They are the original Christmas story. Each one revolves around the birth of Jesus. Let me call this sermon, Disillusioned! This is my question for you today, are you disillusioned?

In order to help you understand the passage let me say a few opening words. The main character in this morning’s scripture lesson is Zachariah. He was a priest from the line of Aaron. It was the job of the priests to keep the incense burning at the Most Holy Place in the temple. That was done by incense supplied at the conclusion of the morning and the evening sacrifices. Priests were not part of an elite group. There were 24,000 priests in his day. Those 24,000 priests were divided into 24 divisions. Zachariah was from the division or family of Abijah. A lottery system was used to select the priest of the day. Zachariah won that day. This may have been a once in a lifetime opportunity for him. With this understanding let us hear this morning’s scripture lesson.

Introduction

Armand M. Nicholi, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, explains that Sigmund Freud died at the age of 83, a disillusioned man. Tragically, this Viennese physician, one of the most influential thinkers of our time, had little compassion for the common person. Freud wrote in 1918, "I have found little that is good about human beings on the whole. In my experience most of them are trash." Freud died friendless and disillusioned. Webster defines disillusion as this, “to destroy or undermine an ideal, illusion, or mistaken belief that is held by somebody.” Are you disillusioned?

Body

When you were younger did you have a plan for your life! You were going to do something special. You had such expectations for yourself but something went wrong. It can happen in any area of your life. Perhaps, you are disillusioned with your marriage? You wanted to grow old together but she or he just grew old. Perhaps, you are disillusioned with your children. You looked forward to having a little one but you never considered all the work? Perhaps, you looked forward to their teenage years but now they don’t talk to you? Perhaps, you looked forward to their adult years but they spent the holiday with the spouse’s family in another community? Perhaps, you are disillusioned because you never had children? Perhaps, you are disillusioned because you never got married or you have never had a single date? Perhaps, you have never had that first kiss? Perhaps, you are disillusioned because of that empty chair around your Thanksgiving table? This was the first Thanksgiving since the funeral. Perhaps, you have grown disillusioned with your college? You went to college to expand your mind but your roommate is nicknamed, “Beer Head.” Perhaps, you are disillusioned with your job or a lack of a job? Perhaps, you are disillusioned with Christmas? You wanted to buy your loved ones the best gifts ever but you have no money. The credit cards are maxed out! Perhaps, you have grown disillusioned with the war? How many died today? Perhaps, you have grown disillusioned with America or the world? Perhaps, you are like Freud?  You have grown disillusioned with people? Perhaps, you have grown disillusioned with the church? Let me ask you that question one more time. Are you disillusioned? Your plan for your life just isn’t working out? If you have ever felt disillusioned then you can relate to Zechariah.

Zechariah was disillusioned! He had a plan for his life! As a young man he dreamed of as house full of happy children. He married a fine young woman by the name of Elizabeth. They moved in together but the children never came. After years of marriage they are still rocking an empty cradle! That disappointment grew into disillusionment. Everyone in their little corner of the world talked about it. In their time and place being barren meant not having favor with God. When you are unable to have a child the world seems to be filled with crying babies. Each tiny cry reminds you of your disappointment. Zechariah was disillusioned. Are you disillusioned?

One of the reasons the Bible speaks to us is that the Bible speaks to the human condition. The Bible meets us at our point of need. How many disillusioned people are there in the Bible? There are many! Let us just look at a few. Moses was disillusioned! He had a plan for his life! He was raised in the pharaoh’s house and he had a plan for his life! Then one day in a moment of rage he kills in Egyptian solder in defense of his own people. For the next forty years he lived in the wilderness thinking about his lost dreams. The plan for his life wasn’t working. Moses was disillusioned. Eli had a plan for his life! He was blessed with sons. He had a plan for their lives but something went wrong. The Bible describes them as wicked men who had no regard for the Lord. Eli was disillusioned. David had a plan for his life! He united the twelve tribes and led them to a world power. He had a plan and it was working. Then, he came across that woman and he went from the penthouse to the outhouse. David was disillusioned. Even our old friend, Judas Iscariot had a plan! In his heart of hearts he knew that that Jesus was the Messiah. He was going to ride Jesus’ coat tails to a comfortable life. Then it happened, he discovered that Jesus came to serve, not be served. Judas Iscariot was disillusioned. Have you ever known anyone that wasn’t disillusioned at some point in their life? It is how we handle our disillusionment that separates us (disciples of Jesus Christ) from the rest of the world. Are you disillusioned?

Zachariah was disillusioned. The plan for his life wasn’t working. There were no children and he was old. He had given up. It was at this point that he was touched by an angel. It was at this point that he is forced to look at his life from God’s perspective. Sometimes God’s plan for our lives and our plans for our lives are not the same. As disciples of Jesus Christ that is the challenge.  We must be flexible enough to accept God’s plan and lay our plan to the side. We must be obedient enough to set our plan to the side and accept God’s plan. We must look at our lives from God’s perspective. That is that flexibility that makes Zachariah such an amazing person. You remember the story.

Zachariah is in the most holy place in the temple burning the incense of the collected prayers of all the chosen people. In that collection of prayers was Zachariah’s prayer to have a child. It was not the first time. He had prayed for a child for years. Zachariah prayed that prayer but he never expected the answer to be yes. Have you ever prayed for something and didn’t really expect God to say, “Yes!” The angel Gabriel comes to deliver the good news but Zachariah rejects it. He is just too disillusioned with his life. It takes nine months for him to surrender to God’s will. My challenge for you on this holiday weekend is to look at your life from God’s perspective. If you will try to look at your disillusioned life from God’s perspective then say, “Amen!” Let me end with a story.

Norma Claypool was disillusioned! She graduated from college in 1967 a disillusioned young woman. Her degree was in psychology. However, she longed for more. She wanted a husband and children. She had neither. There did not seem to be much hope of ever having that life. Disillusioned she worked long hours to neutralize the pain. She was a psychological-social social worker in a big city hospital. Her first client was a little girl by the name of Eleanor.

Eleanor was two years old and became Norma’s angel. She was in the hospital because she had been burned in a fire. Eleanor was two years old but she was a veteran of nineteen different surgeries. Eleanor was a beautiful little girl but not everyone could see her beauty because of her scares. I hate to say this on a holiday weekend but Eleanor’s parents couldn’t see it. So they gave her up for adoption. When Norma Claypool walked into little Eleanor’s hospital room the two year old could only cry. The two year old did not trust anyone. She had experienced too much pain. But Norma had the little girl placed in her lap. Eleanor shrieked at the top of her lungs but Norma Claypool just rocked her. In time the little girl feel asleep from exhaustion. Norma just rocked her. Norma had a special touch with children like Eleanor. Every time Norma had a few extra minutes she would stop by to rock Eleanor. Eleanor began to trust Norma and soon she would go home with her for weekends. Two years later, 1969, Norma Claypool adopted Eleanor. Over the past 35 years Norma Claypool has had nine such children come to live with her. Norma Claypool’s’ life is filled with children!

There is one fact that you should know about Norma Claypool. She is blind. She has never seen the physical scares of those children. She just saw the beauty of their hearts. Norma Claypool was disillusioned. She had a plan for her life but it wasn’t going to happen. God had a different plan. God forced her to look at her life from a new angle. Eleanor was her angel. Who or what is your angel?

Conclusion

Are you disillusioned? Are there some big voids in your life that need to be filled? Did you have a big plan for your life and it just never happened? If you are disillusioned then maybe you should look at your life from God’s perspective. God had a plan for Zachariah and God has a plan for you. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”