Love

Happy Sunday, and merry Christmas. As 2021 comes to a close, I want to thank so many of you that have donated to David Shivers Ministries. We're a 501c3 not-for-profit, and all donations are tax-deductible. On my website, davidshivers.com, there's an address to mail a gift to. You hit the contact button, or there's even a donate button where you can give online if you would like to.

I want to thank you for watching. I have talked to friends in Georgia, Mississippi, Indiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, and Alabama that watch. If I missed your state, please get on the website and contact me and let me know where you are watching from.

Today is week two of Advent. Last week we spoke of the hope that we have because of Jesus is coming. Today we'll talk about love. Loves makes you do crazy things.

We usually film my sermons in my office here at home. I sit behind my desk in front of a backdrop, and my office is filled with lights and boom stands and all sorts of things so we can make these videos look as good as we can. When I say we, I mean my wife, Jeannie. She does so much week in and week out.

Over Thanksgiving, I emptied my office. I took down the backdrop and the lights and the sound equipment. I moved my desk to the side wall, and I set up a tent in my office. Why did I do that? Grandchildren. We camped in for the holidays.

I slept on the floor with an eight-year-old and a five-year-old. Why did I do that? Well, I thought they might like it, and they did. I left my comfortable Tempur-Pedic adjustable bed for a tent. I left my wife for the grandkids. Why? Well, remember what I said earlier: love makes you do crazy things.

About two weeks ago, our daughter had a baby girl. When she was in the hospital, Jeannie and I went to her house and kept her other two. Our daughter and son-in-law were at the hospital for three days. My wife and I kept a two-and-a-half-year-old and a one-year-old. It was exhausting. It was great fun, but it was exhausting. Why did we do it? Love.

There are so many things in this world that divide us. It seems worse to me now than ever before. Politics divide us if we let it. Sports can divide people. Covet opinions can divide us. We live in a divided world, and at times this world can be hateful.

That leads me to the question: what can we do about it? What difference can we make? I think that question has been asked for generations, and I think the answer has been the same for 2,000 years now. If you want to make a difference in this hateful world, show the love of Jesus to everyone.

Now, that's easier said than done. Earlier I spoke of doing things for my family. That's easy. My family is easy to love, but what about the rest of the world? Does Jesus want me to love them too? Oh, you know the answer already, don't you? Of course. We are to love. That is to be our default position. That is to be our only option.

In the Christmas story, there are so many great examples of love. Today I want us to look at a few examples found in just four verses in Matthew chapter 1. We will look at verses 18, 19, 20, and 21. We are told:

"Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She'll bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.'"

In this account, we see the love of Joseph for Mary. Before the angelic visit, all Joseph knew was that Mary was pregnant and that the child was definitely not his. We're told that he planned to divorce her quietly. In those days, if you were engaged or betrothed, that was as good as being married. It was legal, and to become unengaged took a divorce.

If Joseph had wanted, he could have had Mary stoned to death. The law would have allowed it, but his love would not let that happen. The visit of the angel changed everything for Joseph. He learned that Mary was never unfaithful. He learned that Mary was faithful and special and that God had chosen her to be the mother of Jesus.

Joseph loved and trusted God, so as a result, Joseph loved and trusted Mary. Love changes whatever it touches.

The next part of the story we read from Matthew chapter 1 I want to focus on is the last thing the angel said about Jesus. The angel said, "He will save his people from their sins." Now, that is love. Jesus came to save, to forgive, not to condemn.

Remember these words from John 3:16 and 17: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." Verse 17 says, "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." That is truly amazing love, isn't it? Jesus came to this world to love us, period.

As Jesus grew, we have opportunity to see him save people in scripture. We know many of their stories. A thief named Zacchaeus was saved. A Samaritan woman with loose morals was saved. Earlier we read from Matthew chapter 1. Matthew, a disciple of Jesus, was once a tax collector. Jesus saved him.

Jesus forgives sin, then and now. Over the years, I have seen the love of God transform so many people. I have seen drunks become Christians. I have seen adulterers become believers. I have seen murderers come to faith. I have seen people that are not dependable and trustworthy become leaders. We should all be so thankful for the love that God has given to us through Jesus.

Several years ago, I baptized a young woman with a horrible past. You name it, she had done it. I'll never forget the day I baptized her. She was smiling from ear to hear, and she told me, "This is the greatest day of my life." As she was rejoicing and celebrating the love of God, I thought that while she was celebrating, there was a celebration in heaven, because her sins had been forgiven.

Merry Christmas. Let God love you. What a great gift we have been given. As a follower of Christ, you need to give love away.

Pray with me. Father, thank you for this season, and thank you for the love that changes this world. And we know this world needs the love of Jesus. Let it begin with us. In Jesus' name, amen.

God bless. Merry Christmas.