Christmas 2023

The Birth of the Savior

Sermon Guide/Runway

Introduction

-It’s wonderful when we can gather on Christmas Eve here in church. I believe the last time it was on a Sunday was in 2017.

It’s no surprise that we are discussing the Birth of our Savior and what that means.

What are the things that take up the most of our attention around Christmas?

a. Gift ideas (Will my child play with the gift more or the box it came in more).

b. Many of you are saying you don’t have 2024 resolution goals, but you do. It may be how am I going to pay off my credit card debt from this Christmas next year?

Tension

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good thing to give gifts to friends and family. However, The attention to those thoughts could be taking away the true meaning of how we all should be approaching Christmas and how we should feel about it.

Ask yourself this question. Are you thinking more of this (A Bright Colored Present) than you are the greatest gift ever offered mankind?

Matthew 2:1–12 (NASB95)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;

For out of you shall come forth a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel [Micah 5:2].’ ”

Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Let’s talk Wisdom

Matthew 11:19 NASB95

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

During the ministry of Christ, He made this statement to the spiritually prideful around Him. They were hostile not only to His message but to the message of John the Baptist as well.

When Jesus challenged His listeners that wisdom is justified by her children, He was saying that the soundness of wisdom can be judged by the fruit of that wisdom. Jesus challenged their wisdom by looking at the “children” of their wisdom—what did their “wisdom” produce? Their deeds were woeful, in that they failed to recognize both the forerunner of the Messiah and the Messiah Himself.

Proverbs 1:5 NASB95

A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

Why are they called “Wise Men”? What makes them wise?

That’s what we will be talking about this morning.

Truth

I. Wise in the path of worship.

Matthew 2:11 NASB95

After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Their journey was not in a station wagon with air conditioning to keep them comfortable. Their journey was long and required effort, dedication, perseverance, and time.

Reasons Why People Don’t Go To Church

1. Relational reasons

a. Lack of social skills. They feel awkward at church.

b. They are single and don’t want to go alone.

c. There was a disagreement with a leader in the church which led to lasting tension, anger, and shame.

2. Logistical Reasons

a. Live too far away (By the way, don’t go to a church for the simple reason that it’s close to your house. Go to a church that is close to the Bible).

b. For many moms, it’s just too difficult. You have to wake up early enough to get yourself ready, then the kids who mumble things under their breath that they don’t know you hear. Or are just downright disrespectful? They say mean things and throw tantrums in fits of rage. They don’t need an alarm clock, they need a high-pressure hose that the fire department uses. The morning drive to church for them is chaotic and exhausting.

3. Preferential reasons

a. They don’t like the leadership team.

b. They don’t like the worship music.

c. They don’t like the way people dress.

d. They don’t like the size and layout of the building.

e. They don’t like the kind of coffee that’s brewed there.

4. Cultural reasons

a. Racial minority issues.

b. Language barrier.

c. You're a white-collar guy that doesn’t want to go to a blue-collar church.

5. Recreational reasons

a. Weekends are for hobbies.

b. Traveling.

c. Tournaments.

d. Kid’s sports programs

Listen, I’m not the fourth person of the Trinity. I am not here to judge you. All I am saying is what is taking your focus off of meeting with the Lord every day with His people on Sunday mornings?

Hebrews 10:23–25 NASB95

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

II. Wise in the place of worship.

Matthew 2:1 NASB95

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

III. Wise in the person of worship.

-They worshipped for who He is. He is God. Churches that deny this do not truly worship Him.

Make no mistake, we will all bow before Christ one day. Whether willingly or as the soldiers did in the garden of Gethsemane when they fell becasue Jesus said a few words.

- What we do with the deity of Christ matters. To deny the deity of Christ is to deny the salvation that He brings.

1 John 5:20 (NASB95)

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

-Who do they bow down to? The text says they bowed down to the Child. Why is this so important? The reason is that we bow to no one accept Christ. The text doesn’t say they bow down to Mary. They bow down to Christ. I mean this in love. but if you’re a Roman Catholic who follows the traditions of the Roman Church, you NEED to hear this.

IV. Wise in the prostration of worship.

Matthew 2:11 NASB95

After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

How do you approach God? What you believe about God dictates how we approach Him.

Application

The greatest gift offered to mankind wasn’t in bright, shining, wrapping paper with a bow on it. The greatest gift was wrapped in swaddling cloths. He wasn’t found underneath a Christmas tree. Although He would be crucified to a tree to die for those whom He came to save.

John 3:16 (NASB95)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

May I ask if there are any wise persons here this morning?

What gift would you bring the King if you were one of the wise men?

“The Father’s Gift to the Son” article R.C Sproul; Ligioneer ministries.

The motif of the gift of the elect to the Son is expressed by Jesus on various occasions, particularly in the Gospel of John:

John 6:39–40 NASB95

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

In this prayer, it is clear that believers are the Father's gift to the Son, a gift that is not to be lost or destroyed. Jesus prays that these gifts may be kept and not discarded. He thanks the Father that all have been kept except the son of perdition, who is elsewhere described as having been a devil from the beginning. The son of perdition refers here to Judas.

The concept of our adoption in Christ as the Father's gift to the Son is also declared by the author of Hebrews:

Hebrews 2:10–13 NASB95

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” And again, “I will put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.”

This text confirms that the elect are given to Christ as His adopted brothers and the Father's adopted children. This is the astonishing love that would provoke John to utter later, "Behold, what manner of love is this?"

Conclusion

This morning, I’m not asking you to become a Baptist, Anglican, Pentecostal, or non-denominational person.

I’m asking you to become a follower of the Way/A follower of Jesus Christ.

I’m asking you to choose to be wise and hand your life over to the Lord.