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AC 2013 Outline #2 – SPEND LESS

BASED ON SERMON FROM ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF ADVENT CONSPIRACY

Introduction:1) We often go through life assuming that if “a little is good” then “a lot is better”

a. Happens often on holidays like…Thanksgiving dinnerb. What seems to create this is the notion that if I “just had a little bit more” then I’d be satisfiedc. The reality is this…let’s take the Thanksgiving meal…when we over eat we feel we’ll never eat again

but in about 3 hours we are hungry again and again so we eat “leftovers”2) The fact is we over indulge with more than just food.

a. Video games, Facebook, Tweeting, Exercise bingeing, Spendingb. As human beings we have the capacity to binge and over indulge doing almost anything

3) As your Pastor I would like to invite you into a Conspiracy with me; so find your “inner rebel” today and conspire with me as we take the next step forward in this Advent Conspiracy.

4) Last week we considered Worship Fully…the first thing we should do during Christmasa. In the next two weeks we’ll consider “Give More” and “Love All”

5) But today I want to think about “Spending Less” during Advent

I. WHY USE THE WORD “CONSPIRACY”? (not very Christmasy)

1) Conspiracy is an unusual word to use around the theme of Christmasa. It conjures up various thoughtsb. What’s the need word that comes to mind when you hear the word “Conspiracy”?

i. Theorist! Right? (Conspiracy Theorist)1. Did we really land on the moon?2. Were there really two shooters on the grassy knoll

ii. On the heels of that you think: “Nut job”iii. But we must be cognizant of the fact: Not all conspiracies are the result of “fruit-loops

pooling their collective paranoia 2) A Conspiracy by definition is: a gathering of people who are conspiring or planning together to rebel against

or even overturn the powers that be.

3) But what does that have to do with Christmas? a. Let me show you what it has to do with Christmasb. It’s in the Gospel…in Luke’s account (Luke 2)

II. CONSPIRACY IN THE ORIGINAL STORY (LUKE 2)

1) This is a comfortable story to most of us because we have heard it so often for so longa. Comfortableness can sometimes get in the way of us hearing the real message of Scriptureb. The Christmas story for many is a “comfortable story”

i. But reality is: The Christmas story is not comfortable and not meant to be soii. It is really a dangerous story which took place in dangerous times

iii. Rebellion was at the threshold of Roman when Jesus was born2) Jesus was born in the time of the Caesars / it was a dangerous time

a. We can’t be accurate in terms of day when Jesus was bornb. There were not any historians next to the manger the night Jesus was bornc. No one recorded his birth and declared… “We just left B.C. and have now entered A.D.”d. The Roman empire stretched from India to England at this timee. Known world was under the rule of Romef. In 27 BC Octaves became a Caesar and called himself Caesar Augustus…Augustus means majesty,

diety – he’s now “The Man”i. Genius ruler

ii. Peace came under Caesar Augustus and the people loved himiii. He was trusted by the peopleiv. People thought he was going to bring in the golden age

3) At this time there was a State religion called “The Religio” (roots in mythology)a. No everyone believed in the Greek gods and goddesses but they often continued to participate in itb. The Religio was non-negotiable

4) There was also the “Superstitio” which meant this.a. You could do whatever you wanted to at home (worship anything you wanted including dead

relatives) but publically you had to participate in the Religiob. So publically you had to participate in the Religio but privately you can enter into your Superstitio

practices.5) Julius Caesar, just before Caesar Augustus, had been declared divine

a. While Augustus never called himself a god he did make sure people called Julius a godb. Julius was the adopted father, the forerunner of Augustusc. So if Julius was a god and Augustus was the son of Julius then the only logical conclusion would be

that Augustus to also a god.i. Coins were stamped with words such as: Salvation should be found in none other than

Augustusii. There is no other name given among men whereby they can be saved.

d. This was on a collision course with another group that believed in a crucified Rabbi who was said to be resurrected

i. This movement said they believed, based on his resurrection, that this Rabbi was actually the King of kings and Lord of lords.

ii. Peter, one of the leaders of this movement said in Acts 4:12: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

iii. Peter wasn’t worried about being PC….he took a very politically charged statement by Augustus and made a very powerful statement about Jesus.

1. This was the makings of a conspiracy2. This was the fodder for a rebellion3. This was the stuff people in the future would be killed for believing

iv. The problem for the early Christ followers (the superstitio) was they would not join in the Religio…so they were seen as rebels against Rome and the Religio

1. They were openly saying “Caesar isn’t God”2. Francis Schaffer said you weren’t killed in those days because you worshipped Jesus

Christ—Christians were killed because they were rebelsa. Their acts were considered as treason; they were considered rebelsb. If you are a Christian today, you come from a long line of rebels

III. WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (return to Luke 2)

1) Everyone went to their home town to register for the taxationa. Joseph goes from Nazareth to Bethlehem

2) What do we know about Bethlehema. Very small village just south of Jerusalemb. Between the mountains and wildernessc. Little sleepy town; not a very kingly place

3) Micah (5:2) the prophet wrote 700 years before Jesus was born these words: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days”. (ESV)

a. God is saying…My Messiah, my Answer to the problem will enter this situation and he will be born in Bethlehem

b. This is good news for almost everyone."4) Matthew 2 – (2:1-2) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem this was written: “Now after Jesus was born in

Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying…’Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

a. This is a problem…there are now two kingsi. Herod the Great was one of those kings

1. Well connected2. Trusted by Caesar and was given authority

ii. He is wealthy and considered by most standards as successful1. These wise men from Iraq or Persia

b. Because the king of the Jews wasn’t born in Herod’s house they Herod was angry i. Jesus was instantly seen by Herod as his arch nemesis

ii. Needless to say…Herod wasn’t happyc. Herod was very paranoid

i. If he thought people were speaking about him negatively you were executedii. Think what he felt when he heard the words of these wise men from the east.

iii. Herod had 10 wives, loved only one and eventually had her killediv. He has two sons killedv. He wasn’t a safe guy to be around

d. When he Herod about the “king of the Jews” being born he asked those experts around him and he was told.. “Bethlehem”

i. This triggered the slaughtering of all baby boys 2 years old and youngerii. This would have included the killing of Jesus

iii. But they escaped because his parents were supernaturally warned to leavee. Over time…this little baby…God in the flesh…began to change things

i. Heart by heart was changedii. Things were turned upside down

iii. It happened without threats and there was no forceiv. It came through the transformation of the hearts of peoplev. Philip Yancy called this: A revolution of grace.

IV. WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR US…THIS CHRISTMAS?

1) Question: In your personal world, are their Caesars in your world that demand your worship, money, time, affection?

a. Those little Caesars lie to us alli. Tell us if we only have “this” or “buy that”…then we can celebrate Christmas well

b. We may say we don’t really think happiness comes from spending a lot at Christmasi. But we justify spending a lot…because I feel obligated to help jumpstart the economy

ii. That is wrong…it’s just circular logiciii. It’s really just The Religio…

c. I want to encourage you to spend less this year; i. Don’t buy into the lie

ii. Don’t participate in the Religiod. Please understand I’m not saying you shouldn’t spend money or give gifts at Christmas

i. This is often the most misunderstood point of the four weeks of Advent Conspiracyii. I’m not saying start spending nothing on gifts or don’t get children presents

iii. Actually giving gifts is excellent…it reaches back into the Christmas storyiv. But the question is how much is too much or not enough?v. Don’t make this a matter of critiquing or judging one another or the church as to how well we

are doing with this point of “spending less”e. What I want to ask you to do is this:

i. Will you have an “honest” conversation with your family and friends about this….”What do we expect from our stuff?”

ii. Go back to Isaiah (55:2) where he talks writes: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?”

iii. All of our stuff should be stamped with “Dissatisfaction Guaranteed” ---why? Because it won’t last.

1. If we live in the “kingdom of more” we will always think that having more will bring us happiness….but it never will.

f. When we live believing that “if a little is good; more is better; and a lot more is the very best” then we will always live with regret and chasing after more because for you the best will always be just out of reach.

i. To avoid this we must rebel a little; join the conspiracy and walk a different path; take a different journey.

ii. For some of you “spending less” is obvious; already a way of life; you are wondering why it even needs to be taught.

g. While there are things we can and possibly should give up this Christmas there are certain things we should never give up:

i. Hopeii. Dignity

iii. Loveiv. Trustv. Life (even that of the unborn to avoid financial pressures)

Conclusion:1) Christmas is more than stuff2) What if Christmas meant we “stood for something”3) We are not saying Christmas is bad but we are saying it’s about a “better” way; a more meaningful way;4) Let’s say “no” to some of the things that don’t really matter but “yes” to stuff that really matters; stuff that lasts;

yes to what’s real; yes to Christ; yes to the gifts God has given us;5) Let’s leave here today committed to living, laughing, giving, and being different than we ever have lived,

laughed, given, and been before.6) But remember: As we join the conspiracy, as we rebel a little…let’s not be proud or arrogant in our new way of

approaching Christmas….don’t lecture or shame friends and family when they don’t do Christmas like you

a. Rather…remind them of how God slipped into this dangerous world and turned everything upside down one heart at a time.

b. On Christmas morning...will you kneel down and declare (whether you have a little or a lot) Jesus is King; Jesus is Lord; God is God and Caesar is not!!!

7) As we spend less it frees us up from anxiety and we can then ‘give more’ of our time and resources where they really matter. More on this next week

8) As we spend less we can help the world’s most vulnerable by empowering churches all over the world to respond to critical needs.