Christmas 2022

announcement: thank church for the Christmas gifts

From the Crib to the Cross (Matthew 2:1–12)

Matthew 2:1–12 (NIV)

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem

2and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose 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, frankincense and myrrh.

12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

INTRO

Christmas cards are not always Scriptural! They often show three kings; the Bible tells us they were Wise Men or astrologers. we are only told they presented three kinds of gifts.

Usually the setting is the manger, whereas Scripture tells us that the end of their search was the “house” where “the young child was.”Their guiding sign is truthfully portrayed on our Christmas cards. they followed a star.

In those days men had no compasses or radar. they had God’s special star to guide them, a new star that magnified the birth of a icon.

Scientists now believe that such a star appeared in the heavens at the very time indicated by Scripture.

The goal of their search is also indicated on our cards and other Christmas decorations—the Lord Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God-with-us.

They came not to worship Mary.

These wise men came, saw in wonder, worshiped, and found the way. They were given and then gave the good news.

There are two important sets of questions to ask ourselves regarding the story of the Wise Men. One set has to do with the Wise Men themselves; the other is concerned with the Savior whom they sought.

1. THE WONDER—vv. 1–8

God’s meaning of Christmas can never be understood until Christ is given priority in our hearts and lives.

When the transcending importance of Christ’s coming into the world breaks through by the Glory of his Spirit, Christmas is no longer just a holiday; it becomes a holy day.

The Incarnation is a mystery too deep for the human mind to comprehend; but we can believe.

And when we believe, the enormity of sin and its consequences become the background for the awareness of something of God’s redeeming love and mercy.

Christmas can never be rightly understood apart from the blood and death on Calvary; or from the joy of the empty tomb and the wondering gaze of disciples as they looked at his retreating form in the clouds of heaven; or from the promise, “This same Jesus … shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

and I believe these wise men in our text today realized just that.

I. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WISE MEN

A. Who Were They?

Some call them “Magi.” The term is confusing, in that it makes us think of magicians!

They were astrologers. (In the modern sense they were astronomers—students of the heavenly bodies, rather than sooth-sayers, fortune-tellers, writers of horoscopes.)

They were philosophers and tellers of dreams. They had a respectable profession.

B. Where Did They Come From?

The Bible tells us that they came from the “east.” The Old Testament speaks of “wise men of Babylon.” The nature of their gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh—perhaps as much as anything indicates their home.

C. When Did They Come?

Some commentators say the Wise men arrived when Jesus was in a “house” and nearly two years old (the age at which the king decreed infant males should be slaughtered).

That is why the Wise Men asked, “Where is he that was born” …, that is, “has been born some time ago,” not “born this very day,” as the shepherds acknowledged.

they came from Babylon their journey was approximately six hundred miles and would have taken at least six weeks.

If they had arrived one or even two days earlier, the forty days of “purification” would not have been up, and Joseph and Mary could not have fled to escape the massacre.

If they had arrived one or two days later, the family would have already left for Jerusalem and then Nazareth.

God’s timetable was as exact at Jesus’ birth as it was at His death, when Simon arrived on the scene at the right moment to carry the cross.

2. THE WORSHIP—vv. 9–11

A. What Presents Did They Bring?

1. They brought gold to acknowledge that He was king;

2. frankincense to acknowledge His priesthood (used in the tabernacle and temple as incense);

and...

3. myrrh, which was used in embalming bodies, to acknowledge His humanity—a prophet, a preacher and teacher.

They brought three gifts to emphasize that he had a three-fold office: King, priest and prophet. They brought them in an act of worship.

Worship isn’t just a singular event though. Worship is a lifestyle.

Sometimes worship looks like...

Believing after disappointment

Not allowing the people who hurt you and stop you loving others

forgiving when it’s hard

singing through the pain despite how you feel

The prophet Isaiah says…worship is like when you put on a coat. Its cold outside, it’s snowing, raining, or muddy.

Does the coat change the weather of the day though?

It doesnt change anything about the weather, does it? It changes you!

Worship is the way you clothe yourself for a discouraging world. Worship is changing our perspective and getting our focus on Christ.

The very same things that were crushing us yesterday can be the same things that we thrive in tomorrow!

3. THE WAY—vv. 12–15

II. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAVIOR

A. Where Can We Find Him Today?

This is the most important of the questions. We have no star in the heavens, but we have the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, and the love shown to us by saints of God.

B. How Can We Find Him Today?

We can find Him by following our “sign” which is called conviction. and looking within at our own hearts, realizing our need of Him.

The Wise Men admitted their ignorance by asking along the route. No longer do we go to a crib but to a cross. The baby of Bethlehem grew to be the man of Calvary.

C. When Can We Find Him Today?

The Wise Men found Him as soon as they could! They did not linger on the way. They did not wait until He had grown up and become a man. The sooner the better is the correct time, for to delay may be too late.

Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation. The Holy Spirit “will not always strive with man.” So find Him while you feel the influence of the Holy Spirit at work in your life.

One day He who came to earth the first time at Christmas is to come a second time, and then it will be too late to find Him as Savior, for He will come as Judge.

D. What Do We Do When We Find Him Today?

The Wise Men fell down, probably awestruck at His beauty. They also fell down in the sense of humility in worship. For us, too, He is “the altogether lovely One.”

So he deserves our worship, having died to save us. The Wise Men presented their gifts. We, too, must give Him a gift: first ourselves, and then all that we are and have. Nothing less than total surrender will do for the King of kings and Lord of lords.

APPLICATION

This Christmas and the coming weeks let us marvel at the wonder of all that God is.

Let the worship of God become a lifestyle and the cry of our hearts!

Let us continue to seek him daily and continue on this journey of Grace!

Let us remember him from the Crib to the Cross!

SERVE HOLY COMMUNION

READ Luke 22:14–20 (NIV)

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Distribute elements of the bread and the wine

Eat the Bread

Drink the Wine

Concluding Prayer