December 4, 2005

A Christmas Story

The Kind of People God Uses

Luke 1:26-38

Opening Words: Like Michelangelo who created David from a block of marble, Advent is a time to chisel away all the excess in your life.  For hiding inside of you is the person that God intended. You may have to chisel away your prejudices, stereotypes and frustrations. You may have to chisel away your negativity and set your sights higher. 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 21 days until Christmas, so we better get busy.

This is sermon number two in an eight part sermon series I have called, A Christmas Story. Let me call this message, The Kind of People God Uses. The main character in the story is Mary. In our world she would be considered a teenager but to her world she was a woman. She is approximately fifteen years old and she is betrothed to a man by the name of Joseph. The betrothal stage was more binding than an engagement. It lasted one year and you acted like you were married, without sexual contact. It is for this reason that Mary’s unwanted pregnancy is so shocking. Next week we look at Joseph’s attitude about the pregnancy. But today we look at Mary’s openness to God’s service. This is my question for you today Do you want to be used by God?

Introduction

I love the story of Cindy Wynn, who was a nursing instructor at the local hospital. She had enlisted the aid of her husband, Tom, for a mock community disaster drill. On the appointed day Tom climbed into an ambulance, got his instructions, then waited while fellow volunteers gave him a grisly makeover. His "victim costume" included torn clothes, assorted cuts and a mask that made his eyes look swollen shut. Paramedics then set out for the staged scene. After a few minutes of driving, they sounded the siren, and Tom knew it was show time. When the ambulance stopped and the driver threw its doors open, Tom gave a most convincing performance as an accident victim, staggering, screaming and waving his arms wildly. He was surprised to hear thunderous laughter all around him. Removing the mask from his eyes, he saw he was back home — surrounded by 150 friends and family wishing him a happy 50th birthday. Do you like surprises? I do not want you to be surprised about being in God’s service. I want you to make yourself available to God with your eyes wide open. That is the goal of this message. Do you want to be used by God?

I believe this is a pivotal time in history. Advances in transportation and communication have made our world very small, so we cannot afford to live in isolation. The church cannot afford to live in isolation. The church cannot afford to do the same old thing. We cannot sit back and do church work while our world needs a massive overhaul. Our world is facing some massive problems and God is looking for people to help with these issues. So this is my question for you today. Do you want to be used by God?

This morning I am going to end this message with an invitation for you to pray with me. We are going to ask God to use us in his service. However, before we pray I want you to think about three words. I don’t want you to be surprised. I want you to offer yourself to God with your eyes wide open so I want you to consider three words. These three words if taken seriously will change your life. These three words may make you reconsider offering yourself to God. These three words are illustrated in Mary’s life. So if you are ready for these three words then say, “Amen!” These three words begin with the letter C.

Word Number One: Courageous

If you want to be used by God then you better be courageous. If you want to be used by God then you must let God make the decisions for your life. That is not easy. Someone else, God, will be making the decisions for your life. The decisions that God may make with your life may not be your first choice. God may take you out of your comfort zone. If you are going to be used by God then you better be courageous.

Mary was courageous. She had a plan for her life. She was betrothed to Joseph. In a few months they would get married. In time the children would come and she would spend the rest of her life raising and loving her young. That was her plan for her life but that was not God’s plan for her life! God’s plan included and unwanted pregnancy. God’s plan would include a judgmental community and a questioning Joseph. God plan would include some hard times. Yet in verse 38 it says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Mary was a courageous young woman! Do you want to be used by God? The first word is courageous. The second word is consider.

      Word Number Two: Consider

If you want to be used by God then you better consider the cost. Salvation is a free gift of God. Jesus died on the cross for your sins. All you have to do is accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you will be saved. That is Bible. You will be going to heaven. You don’t have to do anything else but you may want to do something to thank God for saving your sin sick soul. Everyday you get up you may want to find a new way to thank God for Jesus. You may want to be used by God to thank God and if you are going to be used by God then you should consider the cost.” Martin Luther once said, “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.”

On the day that the angel came to announce the pregnancy to Mary I am not sure she understood the impact this would have on her life. Mary’s life was a great paradox. On the one hand she had the blessing of being the mother of the long awaited Messiah. Her name is still hailed within the life of the church. She wore a crown of joy but she also wore a cross of sorrow. The same heart that beat with pride at his birth broke at the crucifixion. Mary teaches us to consider the cost of discipleship. Do you want to be used by God? If you want to be used by God then you better be ready for some hard times! The second word is consider. The first word was courage. The third word is confident.

Word Number Three: Confident

If you want to be used by God then you better confident in God. In other words, you better trust God. There is an old preaching story about a man who lived on Long Island was able one day to satisfy a lifelong ambition by purchasing for himself a very fine barometer. When the instrument arrived at his home, he was extremely disappointed to find that the indicating needle appeared to be stuck, pointing to the sector marked "HURRICANE."  After shaking the barometer very vigorously several times, its new owner sat down and wrote a scorching letter to the store from which he had purchased the instrument. The following morning on the way to his office in New York, he mailed the letter. That evening he returned to Long Island to find not only the barometer missing, but his house also. The barometer's needle had been right--there was a hurricane! The man did not trust his new barometer. Do you trust God?

Mary trusted God! I don’t believe she understood everything but she trusted God. She was approximately fifteen years old. However, she knew that in the end God knew what was best! Mary’s story must become your story. You may not understand everything. You only see a small slice of the pie so you better trust God. Can you really say God knows what is best? Trusting in God has more to do with the future than the present. Do you want to be used by God?

Conclusion

Let me end by saying this. I am forty-eight years old. In my heart of hearts I want to do something great for God. I want God to use me. I want to make myself available to God. I am not alone. Many people want to make themselves available to God. Maybe you do too? If you want to be used by God pray with me. But before you pray for God to use you think about Mary. Do you really want to be used by God?

Mary was approximately fifteen years old. She had her whole life in front of her. She had a plan for her life. Then suddenly, everything changed. An angel appeared to her and told her she would be the mother of the Son of God. At the conclusion of this shocking announcement she simple said, I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”  Is that your response to God in your life? If you want to be used by God then you better be courageous. You will lose control of your own life. If you want to be used by God then you better consider the cost. If you want to be used by God then you better be confident in God’s promises. If you want to be used by God then say, “Amen!”