Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - Strange Words For a New Mom - #4423

Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Visiting people who are in the hospital - it's not necessarily everybody's favorite thing to do. A lot of times it's hard to know what to say, especially if the person's condition is serious. But there are some visits where it's easy to think of things to say - like when you're visiting a new mom and her new baby. All you have to say is, "Aww - she's beautiful!" or "He's so smart, so alert," or "This is the cutest baby I've ever seen!" See, you're supposed to say these things even if the baby still looks all red and bald and wrinkled to you. But that first Christmas - well, one of the first people to see Mary's baby did not follow the usual script.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Strange Words for a New Mom."

Following the Jewish custom, Mary and Joseph brought their baby boy to the temple to be circumcised, just eight days after that first Christmas. God had someone waiting for them there - an old man named Simeon who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the One he called "the Lord's Christ." He actually held the baby in his arms and praised God for sending Him.

But then came those strange words for a new mom. In Simeon's words is the shadow of great pain for Mary and great hope for you and me. In Luke 2:34-35 , our word for today from the Word of God, "Simeon ... said to Mary, his mother: 'This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel ... the thoughts of many will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.'" Not exactly what a new mother wants to hear.

But eight days into His life on earth, Simeon foreshadows the end of Jesus' life. The Bible tells us that thirty-three years later "near the cross stood His mother" (John 19:25 ). And surely, as Mary saw her boy nailed to a cross and then pierced by a soldier's spear, that sword Simeon spoke of must have pierced her soul.

So as we sing our "sleep in heavenly peace" and "joy to the world" Christmas carols, let's not miss the shadow looming over the manger. It's the shadow of a cross. But that cross was not some tragic twist of fate. It was the plan of a God who loves us very much to give you and me a chance of going to heaven instead of hell - to enjoy the relationship with God we were made for but missed because of running our own lives.

And if there had been any other way to erase your sin from God's book and to pay for your sin, believe me, God would have done it. All your goodness, all your religion, all your Christianity - it cannot pay sin's death penalty. Someone had to die to pay it. And someone did - the Son of God. The writer of the classic carol, "What Child Is This" expressed it powerfully: "Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, the cross be borne for me, for you; hail, hail, the Word made flesh, the Babe, the son of Mary."

So you've had your Christmases, celebrating Jesus' coming. Have you ever had your Good Friday where you stand at the foot of that cross and say the two words that are the difference between heaven and hell - "For me. Jesus, what You did here was for me. And I'm giving me to You." That's the only way you can receive the gift of eternal life He died to give you.

If you've never done that - if perhaps you've known about Jesus all your life but you've missed this step - let this be your Jesus-day. You'll have a lot more to celebrate than just Jesus' coming to earth. This Christmas you'll celebrate His coming into your life. If that's what you want, I want to send my booklet "Yours For Life." Just let me know you want it.

It wasn't just Mary's heart that was pierced on that awful day on Skull Hill. We can only imagine the anguish in God the Father's heart, watching Him be broken for you. So God will never forget what you do with His Son.