Christmas Treasure

I. Introduction

Men value different things in life....They say that one man’s junk is another man’s…what?

People value all kinds of things…some things are worth valuing and some things aren’t....people show what they value in the way that they pursue those things…the things they talk about....the way they spend their money…and the way they spend their time.

This morning I want to talk to you a little bit about treasure…and this is the type of treasure that is the most important treasure there has ever been....because THIS treasure, comes straight from God.

a. Scripture: Luke 2:15-20

I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

Luke 2:15–20 NASB95

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

This discourse is what immediately follows in Dr. Luke’s account of the birth of Christ. You all know the story....Mary and Joseph have traveled about 70 miles by foot from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for Caesar’s census. It was a long and uncomfortable journey....it was a dangerous journey. They likely traveled with a caravan of other people for safety reasons. They get all the way there, and evidently Mary had already gone into labor....and they cannot find a decent place to stay. So of course, they finally find an innkeeper that is willing to allow them to stay in his stable. A truly miserable situation…after the angels announce Jesus’s arrival to the shepherds nearby, they decide to come into town and worship him too.

Now here they are, and they find a simple Middle-Eastern couple in a stable with a newborn....

Imagine this: you’ve been told “the king has arrived!”....and you show up…and that’s what you see…a poor desert family and their newborn in a feeding through. Now I bet that was confusing, don’t you?

Then we see two groups of people emerge from this story…and if you rush through this story and don’t pay attention, you’re liable to miss it:

II. Major Points

Wonderers

Treasurers

III. Point #1: Wonderers

Explanation

Luke 2:18 NASB95

And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

So when the Shepherds saw what they saw, they celebrated....and they told everyone what they saw. Remember, people show what they value in what they talk about. If you truly value something, if you truly treasure it, you won’t be able to help talking about it. And Luke tells us that the shepherds went out and told folks about what they saw and how wonderful it was.

The shepherds, if you think about it, were the first evangelists. They went out spreading the Gospel that the Messiah had come. And after that, the people that heard it wondered....or they celebrated.

They wondered “is this true?”

“are these shepherds fools?”

“how could this possibly be true?”

“why would a KING be born in such an unworthy way?”

You see, they weren’t interested in the “what,” they were interested in the explanation....and how many of you know that God’s ways are above our ways? Sometimes we only know what God is doing, but we don’t understand why or how…and you know what? That’s OK. We aren’t always told how or why…many times we just know we have to trust Him and that’s going to have to be enough. But for these people....the wonderers....that wasn’t enough.

Illustration

There’s something to be said for people who ask too many questions....yes, questions are how learn…but as all of you who have kids know, many times questions serve as a vehicle for procrastination, isn't that true.

Latenight host Conan O’Brien once said “McDonald's released a new video showing how it makes their Chicken McNuggets. Apparently it turns out that McNuggets aren't made out of chicken. They're made out of people who ask too many questions.”

But sometimes we ask questions seeking answers that just are available yet....we wonder about things and details that, perhaps aren’t our business, or just aren’t available at all yet.

Take this for instance:

<Jeff Foxworthy clip>

See ladies…could’ve already been praying, but wanted all the details first, huh?

Too many questions....wonderers!

Application

Church: What happens today is that people hear the story of Jesus and they begin trying to think of all the reasons they shouldn’t believe it...

“How can a star move?”

“How can one man die for the entire world?”

“How can God become man?”

“How can God die?”

On and on and on....and the truth is: none of those questions matter, because God did it. It’s over…it happened. And rather than focusing on all the questions that, at best, in this life are NOTHING but guesses....we should focus on truth. And celebrate it...

Will you be one of those wonderers? You see a wonderer focuses so much on the side issue that they forget to celebrate what happened. They focus so much on the trees that they miss the forest. They focus so much on the negative that they miss the beautiful.

Don’t be a wonderer…instead....be a:

IV. Point #2: Treasurers

Explanation

Luke 2:19 NASB95

But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

Here it is…the wonderers wondered....they got caught up on side issues....side debates....petty arguments. You see they don’t want to be wrong....they are worried about their worldly reputations....their wealth....their intelligence....finite worldly things.

Nonesense....

But Mary....not Mary.

You see Mary knew two things:

Jesus....Immanuel was here

God sent Him

That’s it. She didn’t know how. She didn’t know why....but she knew He was here…and that was enough for her. It says that she treasured these things…she valued them within her heart. She knew what was most important and she held it close to her…and it started with that little baby in her arms.

Illustration

Now just because you are a Treasurer like Mary doesn’t mean you don’t have questions. You say “well Brother Vic, I thought you said that questions were bad,” No…no I didn’t say that. I said that too many questions are bad and the wrong questions are bad.

I often have students that come in and say “my Middle School teacher said there’s no such thing as a dumb question”....I say “well she lied.” Let me give you an example.

If I spend 10 minutes thoroughly giving instructions that usually answer any questions they should have before an assignment, and then when I say are there any questions and somebody says “wait, what are we doing again?” That’s a dumb question…you know why? Because they weren’t listening.

If I spend 10 minutes giving bad instructions or unclear instructions and then they want me to clarify something, that is a smart question....there is a difference.

The difference between a Wonderer and a Treasurer is that Wonderers ask dumb or unimportant questions and Treasurers as the right kinds of questions.

You see, verse 19 said:

Luke 2:19 NASB95

But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

It says she TREAUSURED them....and then she pondered them. But her questions, I imagine were somewhat different from that of the doubters that heard the Gospel.

While the Wonderers wondered “how can God die?” Treasurers like Mary pondered “how could God die…for me?”

While Wonderers wondered “how can one man die for everyone?” Treasurers pondered “WHY would God bother to die for everyone?”

While Wonderers wondered “how can God become just a man?” Treasurers pondered “Why would God, in all His glory, come down from Heaven and become just a man....for me and you?”

You see, Treasuring what is most important in life and at Christmas times is not going to alleviate all of your questions, but it will change your questions.

I don’t know how the star moved, what the star was, or what about it made it so special that the wise men wanted to follow it…sure it’d be cool to know....but the Bible doesn’t tell us....so you know what I have to deduce from that?....Ya’ll it probably ain’t all that important is it? I can ponder why God did all that for me and you?

V. Conclusion

a. Let me ask you this morning: What are you treasuring today? What is important to you? Where are you spending your time, money, effort, and words? You really want to know what matters to you, think about what your questions are like....are you a wonderer who gets all caught up on the details and misses the point....or a Treasurer who gets the point and knows what’s most important in life. Which one are you? A Wonderer aimlessly missing Christmas and its fun and meaning....or are you, like Mary, treasuring Jesus and, instead, pondering God’s love for you this year? Let’s get focused on the right stuff this year, amen?

b. Let’s Pray