Three Reactions to Interruptions
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Three Reactions to Interruptions
Three Reactions to Interruptions
Text: ,
Book Passage: Chapters 7-9
Topics: Being Interruptible, Truth, Status
Big Idea of the Message: Look for God’s unique opportunities when your routine gets interrupted.
Look for opportunities when change is forced upon you
A Christians we must allow our routines to be interrupted and reject routine for the sake of routine.
Status quo is the killer of evangelism. It’s the death nail for churches and the fruit of complacency.
The status quo thou may be the best is often times accepted as spiritual and memorialized as the only way.
Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
The Shephards - left their flocks
The Magi - were as far as could to find a God they did not know. They took risks to find him
Herod - did not accept change to his power and he responds with treachery and, ultimately, mass infanticide.
What is God trying to change in your life this Christmas?
Why haven't you moved?
Does the status quo seem acceptable?
How is you walk with God?
Do you have assurance your sins are forgiven?
Will you move from your comfortable spot to seek the king?
Will you go to a strange place God is directing you too?
Will you just stay put and take everybody out that threatens your comfort?
Introduction:
Introduction:
Over the last two weeks, we examined the events leading up to the birth of Jesus.
Now, we get to see the aftermath.
There are three sets of characters, in fact, that we get to see responding to the news of a newborn king.
The first set were the shepherds who were likely working in a field nearby.
The second set were the Magi—mysterious priests from an outside religion who found Jesus announced in the stars.
Then finally, we see King Herod who had to grapple with the idea of a new king being born, ultimately threatening his position as the current ruler.
Some of these characters found the opportunities presented to them and acted on them.
They discovered amazing truths through Jesus’ birth.
But one didn’t respond correctly. In fact, he missed out on a huge opportunity to be a part of something much bigger than he could ever imagine.
Let’s dive into the story and see what we can learn from these three sets of characters.
I Leaving the Routine ()
I Leaving the Routine ()
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
luke
vs 8 - just doing their job being obedient
Explanation: The shepherds had a job: to watch sheep. Yet, when the angels appeared to them, announcing the good news of Jesus’ birth, they left their sheep to go meet him
vs 9-15 - read and exegete - opportunity to leave routine
vs 9-15 - read and exegete - opportunity to leave routine
vs 15-18 - they told others were witnesses to one of the greatest events in human history!
vs 20 - look at their state of mind
Explanation: The shepherds had a job: to watch sheep. Yet, when the angels appeared to them, announcing the good news of Jesus’ birth, they left their sheep to go meet him. For many of us, that might seem irresponsible. Yet, it was the best thing they could do because they understood the significance of the moment. They were willing to drop what they were doing to be part of history.
Are you leading change for God?
Illustration: Do you remember what peer pressure was like in high school?
Millennial Force at Cedar Point....
They were all waiting for a majority to agree with the decision to move forward because they felt safe as long as the entire group did it.
They were all waiting for a majority to agree with the decision to move forward because they felt safe as long as the entire group did it.
Do you suppose the response of the shepherds was somewhat like that?
Could they have heard the news from the angel, but were still a bit worried about making the first move?
I’d even imagine there were some who were refusing to go. They had been entrusted with something important. We know even from the life of King David that there were lions and bears in the area that would sometimes attack the sheep.
They risked losing their family’s or their owner’s livelihood. We don’t know how the decision was made to leave, but they did. And that’s when they met Jesus.
Application: There will be times in life when God sends us opportunities . It might interrupt our day.
It might make us late for an important appointment.
Or, it might even mean not doing something we were supposed to do in order to step in and minister in a particular moment.
But we see from the shepherds’ story that they were willing to do take this rise. Their story is recorded in eternity, because they chose to be a part of something bigger than their momentary responsibility.
III Taking Risks ()
III Taking Risks ()
1 Now when Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
exegete above
The beloved Magi from the Christmas story were actually priests from a Persian astrological religion.
You could say they were as far from the Jewish religion as possible.
Yet, when the star appeared in the sky, they decided it was worth checking out. They made a months-long journey to find this new King of the Jews. If the stars they followed announced his birth, he was surely worth seeing for themselves.
8 And he sent them to Beth-lehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
matt 2.
Key when we are obedient and willing to step out ----- God leads
they found jesus and God warned them
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
matt 2.10
They found jesus and God warned them
Explanation: The beloved Magi from the Christmas story were actually priests from a Persian astrological religion. You could say they were as far from the Jewish religion as possible. Yet, when the star appeared in the sky, they decided it was worth checking out. They made a months-long journey to find this new King of the Jews. If the stars they followed announced his birth, he was surely worth seeing for themselves. And they found Him. They sought the truth, even if it meant getting out of their comfort zone and stepping outside of what they believed to be true.
God protected them
And they found Him. They sought the truth, even if it meant getting out of their comfort zone and stepping outside of what they believed to be true.
You could say they were as far from the Jewish religion as possible.
Yet, when the star appeared in the sky, they decided it was worth checking out. They made a months-long journey to find this new King of the Jews. If the stars they followed announced his birth, he was surely worth seeing for themselves.
And they found Him. They sought the truth, even if it meant getting out of their comfort zone and stepping outside of what they believed to be true.
What are you willing to do to get out of your comfort zone.......
Illustration: Imagine a fortune-teller in full costume walking into church this morning. Would we embrace them? Would we find them weird? Would we be a bit nervous?
I’d hope we would be welcoming to them, but I also know it would be a bit outside the norm.
We are a group need to welcome them ..... we need to get out of our comfort zone.
Muslims yesterday ....
But imagine if they were really trying to look into the truth of this “Jesus thing.” That’s a lot like what we see with the story of the Magi. For all intents and purposes, they didn’t belong in the birth of a new Jewish King. But they decided to risk feeling out of place and went to find him.
Application: In , God told the Israelites, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
jer
The beauty of the Christmas story is that we see this promise acted out, even for those who people might assume God would reject.
Francis Chan - Homeless in Ca at subway station in the Mission District ....
God has made himself available to everyone who seeks Him. We have no say in who God accepts. His grace is available to all. It might take a step outside of your comfort zone and your preconceived notions of truth, but you will find God if you look for him.
God has made himself available to everyone who seeks Him. We have no say in who God accepts. His grace is available to all. It might take a step outside of your comfort zone and your preconceived notions of truth, but you will find God if you look for him.
III Staying Entrenched ()
III Staying Entrenched ()
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Beth-lehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Explanation: The Magi approached King Herod to learn about the birth of this new Jewish King they saw announced in the skies. Herod was blindsided by the idea.
He felt threatened.
Explanation: The Magi approached King Herod to learn about the birth of this new Jewish King they saw announced in the skies. Herod was blindsided by the idea. He felt threatened. That’s a common place a lot of us find ourselves from time to time.
That’s a common place a lot of us find ourselves from time to time.
When we are inconvenienced or asked to step out by faith we feel threatened.
· If you work in the tech industry, one day you won’t be the go-to individual for certain technologies.
· If you work in the tech industry, one day you won’t be the go-to individual for certain technologies.
· If you work in the tech industry, one day you won’t be the go-to individual for certain technologies.
· If you’re a parent, there will come a time when your children no longer see you as an ultimate authority.
Transition and power changes are normal. We shouldn’t feel threatened by them.
But that’s what we see King Herod experiencing when he hears the news from the Magi.
And he responds with treachery and, ultimately, mass infanticide.
Imagine if, instead, he had recognized the change that was coming and leaned into it.
He could have been part of the legacy of Jesus’ story.
He could have been more than just a dark spot in the story of Jesus’ birth.
Are you so entrenched in you religious views that you will not accept Christ for forgiveness of sins.
You tradition and comfort are more important than accepting Christ
You just dont understand all this born again stuff
That’s ok - jusdt step out
Illustration: Tell a story of a time when you unintentionally stole the spotlight from someone in your career or life. Did they decide to accept you, then come alongside you and mentor you? Or did they fight against the threat you posed to them? What was the end result of that situation? Bruce Mundoreff - asbestos
Application:
God is more concerned with who we are than the position we hold.
He’s concerned with our heart and our ability to love and give to others.
When we choose to embrace and help those who threaten our position or power, we have the opportunity to become part of their accomplishments. We join someone else’s story and get to be part of something bigger than our own single narrative. That’s legacy. And that’s the opportunity we see in the story of King Herod and Jesus.
Conclusion: Interruptions to our routines are uncomfortable.
They don’t feel good in the moment. But that’s where our greatest opportunities often lie.
We see in the story of Jesus’ birth that three sets of people got to be part of the greatest story ever told. Some were allies, but one was an enemy. Ultimately, the enemy died in relative historical obscurity (even though he was a king), while the other two sets now live on in countless Christmas cards and nativity sets. Let’s be the ones that become allies to other people’s stories by seeking God and acting on opportunities for ministry.
What Risks are you being called to take?