Glynlea Grace United Methodist Chruch

Scripture

  Core Idea, Challenge & Summary

Core Idea: Jesus is God become human. Therefore, God knows our suffering.

Challenge: To help people face pain and suffering with courage because they know God understands them when they cry out in pain.

Summary: Christmas is about God becoming a baby human named Jesus. As a human, Jesus experienced the same type of pain and suffering we experience. Jesus cried when He saw His good friends Mary and Martha mourning over their brother’s death. God hurts when we hurt. On the cross, Jesus experienced a desperate, lonely, and painful situation as he cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” God knows what it’s like to be in a desperate, lonely and painful situation. God understands us when we cry out to Him in pain.   

Christmas is not about presents, decorations, mistletoe, Christmas trees, eggnog, and children playing. These are great attributes of the Christmas celebration but we must not allow them to distract us from what Christmas is really about. Christmas is about the widow experiencing her first Christmas without her husband. Jesus became human and experienced the pain of grief. God, therefore, understands the widow’s pain. Christmas is about the young girl who’s afraid of Christmas because she knows her sexually abusive cousin will be visiting. Jesus became human and experienced the pain of abuse and betrayal. God, therefore, understands the little girl’s pain. Christmas is about the father who lost his job and is wondering how he’ll feed his family. Jesus became human and had compassion on those in need. God understands the father’s anguish. Christmas is about the Creator God Almighty becoming human and being able to relate to us.

The Sermon

I. Introduction: Lt. General “Chesty” Puller

     A. The Marine’s Marine

• Most decorated & beloved Marine in history – Only Marine who earned 5 Navy Crosses
• Fought in Guadalcanal, Peleliu during WWII and in Inchon and Chosin in the Korean War
• Enlisted men loved Chesty Puller

     B. “Chesty” Puller started off as an enlisted man and could relate to enlisted men

• Enlisted in the Marines in 1917 to fight in WWI
• Attended Officer Candidate School in 1918 and became an officer
•  “Chesty” Puller came across a Lieutenant who ordered an enlisted man to salute him 100 times for missing a salute. “Chesty” Puller told the Lieutenant, “You were absolutely correct in making him salute you 100 times lieutenant, but you know that an officer must return every salute he receives. Now return them all”[1]   
• Chesty Puller knew what it was like to be enlisted and could relate to the enlisted men

     C. Likewise, God knows what it’s like to be human and can relate to us as a human.

• In the same way “Chesty” Puller can relate to enlisted folks, God can relate to us.
• A little over 2,000 years ago God became a little baby human named Jesus. Jesus is God in the flesh.
• Jesus experienced the same type of pain and suffering that we experience in our lives.
• All people experience some type of suffering and God can understand this suffering because He became a human.

II. The shortest Bible verse is also one of the most profound: John 11:35 – “Jesus wept”

     A. The story behind “Jesus wept” (John 11:1-44)

• Jesus receives a message that His good friend, Lazarus, is ill and dying at his home in Bethany.
• Jesus waits a few days before going to Bethany. Jesus explains to His disciples that He will raise Lazarus from the dead to demonstrate God’s glory.
• Upon arriving at Bethany, Jesus meets with Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary.
• Martha and Mary are grieving and crying. In response to their grief and pain, Jesus weeps.
• Jesus goes to the grave and raises Lazarus from the dead.

     B. Why did Jesus cry?

• When Jesus saw Martha and Mary weeping, He knew he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. He knew people would soon be overjoyed and celebrating. So, why didn’t Jesus say, “Stop your bellyaching. I’m going to make things right”?
• Jesus cried simply because his friends were hurting.

     C. What does this mean?

• Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus’ crying is a reflection of God’s character.
• When we cry, God cries. When we hurt, God hurts. It’s a result of God’s loving nature.
• When I grieved over the death of my infant daughter, God was grieving with me.
• When we, as a nation, grieved the murders of over 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001, God was grieving with us.
• God knows what it’s like to grieve and hurt. God became one of us and can relate to us.

III. While on the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

• Jesus was able to identify himself with the suffering servant of Psalm 22. This Psalm begins with, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
• Jesus knows what it feels like when it seems that God is no longer around

• Have you ever been in a situation that was so bad, you wondered, “Where is God?”
• Think back to the worst thing that has ever happened to you. Think back to your worst pain. God understands your pain because He became human and experienced pain.
• God is with you through the pain. God will get you through the pain and will make you stronger as a result of the pain.

• Jesus became human and experienced the pain of grief.
• God, therefore, understands the widow’s pain.

• Jesus became human and experienced the pain of abuse and betrayal.
• God, therefore, understands the little girl’s pain.

• Jesus became human and had compassion on those in need.
• God understands the father’s anguish.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesty_Puller