Acknowledging the Real Christmas Story inside of
me and all around me today"
December 14, 2008 ~ Pastor Mike
Barnett
Matthew
2:1-23 (pg. 681) says:
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in
Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star
they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place
where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On
coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed
down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with
gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned
in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another
route.
13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a
dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and
escape to
16When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was
furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in
18"A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."[7]
19After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to
Joseph in Egypt 20and said, "Get up, take the child and his
mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the
child's life are dead."
21So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land
of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus
was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.
Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23and
he went and lived in a town called
·
Despite popular belief, the Magi were not
kings and there was probably more than just three of them.
·
“King of the Jews”
in verse 2 indicates that the Magi were Gentiles.
·
Matthew demonstrates that people of all nations acknowledged Jesus as
the “King of the Jews” and came to worship him as Lord.
·
The term “Magi” originally referred to a priestly caste in ancient
·
Babylonian elements of astrology, demonology, and astronomy were used in
their work which centered around religious court life.
·
It is believed that the Magi served as religious advisors to those in
government in
·
The three gifts of gold, incense and myrrh may have given rise to the
legend that there were three “wise men”.
·
….but the Bible does not indicate the number of Magi and they probably
were not Kings.
·
Their actual number is uncertain, but the eastern tradition claims that their were 12 Magi.
·
These Magi came from the east looking for the one born “King of the
Jews”.
·
·
They apparently had been exposed to Old Testament prophecies from Jewish
colonies situated in the east.
·
Although many Jews returned to
Therefore in
If the Magi came from
·
Contrary to popular tradition, the Magi did not visit Jesus at the
manger on the night of his birth as did the shepherds….they came some months
later and visited him as a “child in his house”.
·
·
The Magi’s goal was to find “the one who has been born king of the
Jews”.
GOD PROVIDED
THEM WITH A STAR.
Why did God provide a
star for the Magi?
1. THE STAR – GOD PROVIDES A
(TRAVEL GUIDE) FOR (SEEKERS).
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE
CHRISTMAS STAR:
·
The seekers were grateful for the
travel guide.
·
They knew they never would have found
Christ without the star.
·
The Christmas star
was God’s (gift) of (direction) – God’s travel guide for seekers.
THE SYMBOLISM BEHIND THE
CHRISTMAS STAR:
·
The Magi were
Gentiles – meaning they worshiped other God’s.
·
Throughout history, God has always provided
travel guides to earnest spiritual seekers who did not know Him.
·
God sees to it that
those who diligently seek Him do in fact find Him.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 (pg. 558)
says:
“For I know the plans I have
for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come
and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you
seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the
LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity, I will gather you from all
the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD,
"and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into
exile." Jeremiah 29:11-14
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN AT
CHRISTMAS TIME:
·
God has put travel
guides in your life in the past and in the present, and will continue to do so
in the future!
·
THANK GOD FOR THE “(TRAVEL
GUIDES)” HE HAS PUT IN YOUR LIFE.
·
THANK GOD FOR YOUR UNSEEN TRAVEL GUIDES BY FAITH EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT
SEE THEM WITH YOUR PHYSICAL EYES.
·
Continue to follow
the travel guides God has placed before you even when they are just average
people or unspectacular looking guides.
·
Use the travel
guides God has already put into your life – they are usually people.
·
Ask your travel
guides the tough questions that have been plaguing you.
·
The “wise men” would probably have
preferred a more personalized kind of guidance, but they were humble and
submitted to the guide God provided.
·
And they were thankful for it too!
·
Look at the star –
God has probably given you one – use it soon.
2. THE STABLE – GOD SENT JESUS TO (LIVE) IN THE (REAL) WORLD.
John
1:1-2, 14 (pg. 750) says:
“In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning…The Word became flesh and made His dwelling
among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came
from the Father, full of grace and truth”.
OBSERVATIONS
ABOUT THE STABLE:
·
The stable was probably like all the
others we have seen: crowded with smelly animals, dark, damp, rodent infested,
and completely unsanitary for the birth of a baby.
THE
SYMBOLISM BEHIND THE STABLE:
·
THE GOD WHO PROVIDED
THE EXTRAVAGANT TRAVEL GUIDE CHRISTMAS STAR COULD HAVE PROVIDED A SUITE AND A
HOTEL OR A PRIVATE ROOM AT THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, BUT HE MADE THE DELIBERATE
CHOICE NOT TO.
·
JESUS’ FIRST BREATH
OF AIR BURNED WITH THE ODOR OF ANIMAL URINE.
·
THE FIRST NOISES HE
HEARD WERE THE GRUNTS OF LIVESTOCK.
·
JESUS’ FIRST OUTFIT WAS MADE OF DUST CLOTHS – THE EQUIVALENT OF GREASE
RAGS
·
JESUS WAS A REFUGEE
THE DAY HE WAS BORN.
·
FROM DAY ONE, GOD
THE FATHER DETERMINED NOT TO SHELTER HIS SON FROM THE RUDE, CRUDE REALITIES OF
LIFE ON EARTH.
IMPLICATIONS
FOR THE CHRISTIAN AT CHRISTMAS:
·
JESUS CAME OUT OF
THE BIRTH CANAL JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING BECAUSE GOD WANTED THE WORLD
TO KNOW HE WAS JUST LIKE US AND (IDENTIFIES) WITH OUR (PAIN) AND (SUFFERING).
Hebrews 4:14-16 (pg. 848)
says:
Therefore, since we have a
great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted
in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach
the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help us in our time of need.
·
JESUS WAS BORN IN A
BARN WHERE IT STUNK WITH ODOR BECAUSE GOD WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW HE LIVES
AMONG THE (ORDINARY) AND EVERY DAY (DISAPPOINTMENTS) OF LIFE.
Luke 2:1-7 (pg. 724) says:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued
a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This
was the first census that took place while Quirinius
was governor of
·
JESUS SLEPT IN A
FEEDING TROUGH FOR ANIMALS – BECAUSE GOD WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW HE LIVES IN
THE (UNSPECTACULAR) AND (LOWLY) PLACES IN THIS WORLD.
·
JESUS (UNDERSTANDS)
ME AND WHAT I AM (GOING THROUGH) IN THIS WORLD OF PAIN AND SUFFERING BECAUSE HE
HAS BEEN HERE FIRST.
·
WHEN I AM GOING
THROUGH DISAPPOINTMENTS AND PAIN I CAN TURN TO JESUS
AND TRUST HIM BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE.
·
JESUS ENDURED THE
SAME PROBLEMS, TEMPTATIONS, AND PAIN I AM SUFFERING AND HE HAS THE (RESOURCES)
TO HELP ME (OVERCOME) IT.
TRANSITION:
The manger is probably the most identifiable fixture this holiday season among
Christ followers!
3. THE
MANGER SYMBOLIZES THAT THE (ORDINARY) BECOMES (EXTRAORDINARY).
OBSERVATIONS
ABOUT THE MANGER
·
A MANGER WAS NOTHING
MORE THAN A FEED TROUGH FOR CATTLE – ORDINARY IN EVERY WAY.
·
MOST WESTERNERS
WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT A MANGER IS – BUT BECAUSE JESUS WAS LAID IN ONE, IT IS NOW
A HOUSEHOLD WORD.
·
THE (ORDINARY
MANGER) BECOMES AN (EXTRAORDINARY CRADLE) WHEN GOD IS IN IT.
THE
SYMBOLISM BEHIND THE MANGER
·
A FEED TROUGH FOR
ANIMALS BECOMES (TRANSFORMED) TO THE CRADLE OF A KING.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE
CHRISTIAN AT CHRISTMAS:
·
THE MANGER IS A
SYMBOL OF WHAT (CAN HAPPEN) WHEN JESUS CHRIST (RESIDES) IN ME.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (pg. 807) says:
“Brothers,
think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human
standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God
chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak
things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of
this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the
things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. It
is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom
from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore,
as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord’”.
·
WHEN I INVITE JESUS INTO MY LIFE – HE WILL TRANSFORM ME FROM THE INSIDE
OUT.
“Here I am! I stand at the
door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and
eat with him, and he with me”. Revelation 3:20
·
JESUS WILL TAKE MY (BROKENNESS)
AND MAKE ME (WHOLE) WHEN I SURRENDER TO HIM.
2 Corinthians
“Therefore, if anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come”!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 says:
16Be joyful always; 17pray
continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you
in Christ Jesus.
19Do not put out the Spirit's
fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test
everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.
23May God himself, the God of
peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body
be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
Matthew 11:28-29 says:
28"Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls.
·
THE PEOPLE IN MY
LIFE WILL BE IN AWE OF GOD WHEN THEY SEE MY TRANSFORMED LIFE.
Matthew 5:13-16 (pg. 683)
says:
"You are the salt of the
earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It
is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by
men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may
see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”.
4. THE (GIFTS) THE MAGI
BROUGHT TO JESUS REPRESENT GOD’S (PROVISIONS) FOR HIS (CHILDREN).
NOTE: THERE IS A LONG HISTORY
OF INTERPRETATION THAT FINDS SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE IN THESE GIFTS ACCORDING
WITH JESUS’ LIFE AND MINISTRY:
1) GOLD – Represents Jesus’ (kingship).
2) INCENSE – Represents Jesus’ (deity).
3) MYRRH – Represents Jesus’ (sacrificial
death) and burial.
NOTE: More than the Magi know
or intend, these gifts are likely used to providentially
support the family in their flight to
·
GOLD, INCENSE, AND
MYRRH WERE WORTH A
·
LIKEWISE AS GOD’S
CHILD – HE WILL GIVE YOU THE PROVISIONS YOU NEED!
· GOD WILL (PROVIDE) FOR YOU JUST LIKE
HE (PROVIDED) FOR HIS FIRST SON JESUS BECAUSE HE IS JEHOVA JIREH WHICH MEANS
“GOD, THE PRODIVER”.
·
THE BIBLE SAYS ALL
OF US WHO ARE WORSHIPERS OF CHRIST ARE NOW A PART OF HIS ADOPTED FAMILY – WE
ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.
·
GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR
HIS CHILDREN JUST LIKE HE PROVIDED FOR JESUS!
Matthew 6:25-34 (pg. 685) says:
25"Therefore I tell you, do not
worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you
will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important
than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store
away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And
why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do
not labor or spin. 29Yet
I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was dressed like one of these. 30If
that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of
little faith? 31So
do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What
shall we wear?' 32For
the pagans run after all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But
seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be
given to you as well. 34Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.
·
JUST LIKE GOD
OUTWITTED KING HEROD AND PROVIDED PROTECTION FOR HIS FIRST SON – JESUS CHRIST,
SO TOO GOD WILL OUTWIT THE RULERS OF THIS WORLD AND PROVIDE PROTECTION, LOVE
AND PROVISIONS FOR YOU!
Romans
28”And we know that
in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[1]
who[2]
have been called according to His purpose. 29For those God foreknew
He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he
also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also
glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is
for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son,
but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously
give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom
God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns?
Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was
raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or
persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is
written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep
to be slaughtered.”[3]
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
·
JUST LIKE JESUS WAS ONE WITH THE FATHER SO YOU TOO ARE IN CHRIST AND
CHRIST IS IN YOU –
John 17:6-26
6"I
have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they
know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the
words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came
from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not
praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All
I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory
has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they
are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy
Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that
they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and
kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one
doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming
to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they
may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word
and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am
of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that
you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am
not of it. 17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As
you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I
sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
20"My prayer is not for
them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you
in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you
sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to
see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the
creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know
you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known
to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have
for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
·
CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF GOD IS (NOT) (SEPARATE) AND OUTSIDE OF YOU –
HE LIVES IN YOU AND YOU LIVE IN HIM VIA THE (HOLY SPIRIT).
John 14:9- 21 (pg. 764) says:
9Jesus answered: "Don't you
know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who
has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't
you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I
say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is
doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father
is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I
tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.
He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to
the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.
15"If you love me, you
will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of
truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans;
I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you
will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize
that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in
you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is
the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too
will love him and show myself to him."
Luke 17:20-21 says:
20”Once, having been asked by
the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The kingdom
of God does not come with your careful observation, 21nor will people say,
'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within[b] you.’"
·
GOD IS NOT (OUTSIDE)
OF YOU – HE LIVES(INSIDE) OF YOUR (SOUL) AND YOU
LIVE IN GOD THE (FATHER) THROUGH(CHRIST) IN THE POWER OF THE(HOLY SPIRIT)!
·
THAT IS THE TRUTH THAT WILL SET YOU FREE ONCE YOU BELIEVE IT AND ACT
LIKE IT!
That’s why the apostle Paul
said in Philippians
·
BECAUSE THE
CHRISTIAN IS NOW IN GOD AND GOD IS NOW IN THE CHRISTIAN – YOU CANNOT SPEARATE
THE TWO!
·
IT IS AN ILLUSION
AND DECEPTION TO THINK OTHERWISE!
·
TRUTH: IF GOD IS IN
YOU AND YOU ARE IN GOD THROUGH CHRIST, THEN YOU ARE LACKING (NOTHING) – YOU ARE
WHOLE AND (COMPLETE) IN JESUS’ NAME!
1 Corinthians 1:7 says:
4”I always thank God for you because
of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in
every way—in all your speaking and in all your
knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7Therefore
you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus
Christ to be revealed. 8He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be
blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has
called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful”l.
·
THE WORK YOU
PERCEIVE THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE IN YOUR LIFE WAS (FINISHED) ON THE CROSS –
THERE IS NOTHING MORE YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOURSELF WHOLE. THE
SPIRITUAL (DISCIPLINES) OF BIBLE STUDY, PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING ONLY (REVEAL)
WHO YOU ALREADY ARE IN CHRIST OVER (TIME).
·
WHEN IT COMES TO
PURSUING SPIRITUAL GROWTH, IT IS BEST TO (START) WITH THE END IN (MIND) AND
WORK (BACKWARDS) – IN OTHER WORDS, (KNOW) WHO YOU ARE IN (CHRIST) AND DEVELOP A
SPIRITUAL GROWTH PLAN THAT WILL (REMIND) YOU OF THAT TRUTH ON A (DAILY) BASIS.
·
IF YOU ENTER YOUR
DAILY QUIET TIME WITH THE GOAL OF (TRYING) TO BECOME SPIRITUALLY WHOLE YOUR
EFFORTS WILL BE IN (VAIN) AND FRUITLESS BECAUSE JESUS ALREADY MADE YOU WHOLE.
·
THE PURPOSE OF A
DAILY QUIET TIME IS NOT TO MAKE YOU WHOLE – IT IS TO (REMIND) YOU OF YOUR (WHOLENESS)
IN CHRIST.
·
IF A CHRISTIAN
PERCEIVES SPIRITUAL LACK IN THEIR LIFE, THEY HAVE BOUGHT INTO AN (ILLUSION)
THAT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
Jude 24 says:
24”To him who is able to keep
you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault
and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and
authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!
Amen.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says:
23”May God himself, the God of
peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body
be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
Summary:
1. THE STAR – GOD PROVIDES A
(TRAVEL GUIDE) FOR (SEEKERS).
Matthew 7:7-12 says:
7"Ask and it will be given to
you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For
everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door
will be opened.
9"Which of you, if his
son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will
give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good
gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others
what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
2. THE STABLE – GOD SENT JESUS TO
(LIVE) IN THE (REAL) WORLD.
John
16"For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.
3. THE MANGER
SYMBOLIZES THAT THE (ORDINARY) BECOMES (EXTRAORDINARY).
Philippians
3I can do everything through him who
gives me strength.