The Unknown Prophets
The Stories of Christmas • Sermon • Submitted
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We are full swing in the holiday season. The traffic is a nightmare no matter where you go.
We are full swing in the holiday season. The traffic is a nightmare no matter where you go.
People buying presents and trying to catch all the good deals. And how do you find all the good deals at Christmas ?
You have to be on the lookout.
You’re looking at all the ads coming in the mail.
You’re looking on line and comparing prices.
You’re check your email in case some sent you a coupon.
Once we find the good deals the race is on because you have to beat everyone else that is looking for the good deals and the rat race begins.
When Jesus was born he was born into a world that was moving at a very fast pace.
September of 04 B.C. was a busy time of the year.
Luke 2:1-
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
Luke 2:
You got everybody out on the road. Everyone is make a trip back to their home town to be registered and taxed.
When you have that many people traveling around it would be like the superbowl here in Atlanta.
The hotel prices are going up. People needing places to stay on the road. Restaurants popping up everywhere.
It would be insane. And Joseph and Mary are no different.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
Luke 2:4-5
In the midst of all this stuff going on Mary’s pregnant. It’s one thing to journey but it’s a whole different level when your about to pop. And she’s like basketball big.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:6-7
This is not the way one would plan this out. You would want to have your baby at home with your midwife and the baby’s room that you worked so hard on.
And in the midst of all that was going on in the world. God was doing a miraculous thing.
Jesus the Savior of the world was born. The long awaited Messiah had come and almost nobody noticed.
People weren’t looking for a Messiah. They were trying to get registered in the home town. There was a lot going on in there lives.
When you see a nativity scene you have basically the same players.
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus
The Shepherds from the field
And the Wise men from afar
Do you know why? Because they are the only ones to stop and take notice of the biggest event in human history.
Everyone was too busy focusing on other things.
They were to concerned with what the government was requiring them to do.
They were caught up in the requirements of the temple.
They were more concerned about their jobs.
It’s not that God didn’t tell them. Many prophecies had been given.
Many time markers were given.
They knew the place.
They knew the time.
But almost no one was paying attention.
They missed it. The greatest work of God happening right under their noses and they missed it.
I wonder what mighty things God is doing all around us, but because of all the hustle and bustle of life we just miss it.
We are so focused on
what our job is asking of us,
or what the country is asking of us,
or what our friends are asking of us,
or what the church needs us to do,
or getting the latest gadgets to make our life easier
or the next deal for Christmas,
that God just gets lost in all of it.
It’s easy to miss what God is doing around you if you are focused on everything else.
It’s easy to miss what God is doing around you if you are focused on everything else.
Not everyone missed what God was doing. There were some that were looking for the messiah. They were focused on the work of the Lord.
And because they had eyes to see, They didn’t miss the coming of the Son of God.
Let’s pick up the story right after Jesus’ birth in .
Joseph and Mary as devout Jews did everything the law would require them to do.
Luke 2:22
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
Luke 2:25
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
In the midst of all that was going on Simeon was focused on the things of God.
He was righteous meaning he walked with the Lord.
He was devout meaning he cared more about the things of God than anything else.
He was waiting for the promises of God in faith knowing that God was at work.
He was filled with the Holy Spirit meaning he was in communication with God and walking in His power.
26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
What was revealed to him was not revealed to everyone.
God works off of a simple principle. “If you seek me, you will find me.”
God is seeking after those who are seeking after Him.
The burning Bush. God wanted to see if Moses would stop to see why the bush was not burned. It wasn’t until Moses stoped what he was doing and focused on God that God spoke to him out of the burning bush.
Simeon was this kind of person. He was focused on the things of God and therefore had eyes to see.
Luke 2:27
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:29-32
The Lord was faithful to let Simeon see the Son of God, The Salvation of the world.
He had eyes to see
You will never see God at work around you if you don’t open your eyes and look for Him.
You will never see God at work around you if you don’t open your eyes and look for Him.
So many had missed it. Even Joseph and Mary didn’t understand it fully. They didn’t have eyes to see.
Even many devout Jews didn’t have eyes to see. Jesus was constantly telling people to open and their eyes and see what was standing right in front of them, but they could see it.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Matt 13:13
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
They had let too many things cloud their hearts and minds.
Their hearts had grown dull and they couldn’t hear the Spirit of God anymore.
Their hearts had gown dull and they could see with their eyes the work of God anymore.
I see this all the time as I’m speaking to people today. I try to talk with them about spiritual things but their heart is grown dull.
They can’t hear what the Holy Spirit is saying.
Their eyes are glazed over with the care of this life and they must be let around by someone else because they just can’t see it.
But to the disciples Jesus had a blessing:
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Matthew 13:
So how do we get eyes to see?
Be intentional about building your relationship with God and draw close to him. (Righteous)
Seek the Lord with all your heart and you will find Him. (Devout)
Be looking for the promises of God know He is faithful who has promised. Focus your mind on the coming of the Lord.
Be led by the Holy Spirit of God and he will reveal the plans of heaven to you allowing you to join Him in his work.
For many this is a new concept. You need to pray to the Lord as Jesus commands to the Churches in
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Next month we will be continuing our Discipleship path. Many of you have now completed 180 and are ready for the next step.
Experiencing God was written just for this purpose, to teach you how to see God at work around you and for you to join him in his work.
You can sign up today by clicking the link below.
https://reliant.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/7/responses/new
