That One Thing I Love About Christmas is...

“The Build Up!”

What is that one thing you love about Christmas?

When Katie asked me to speak to you on the topic… “That One Thing I love About Christmas is...”

It was hard for me to wrap my head around the questions because… I love everything about Christmas!

The lights

The Christmas Tree

The amazing food

Family

Gifts

Etc.

There is so much to love about Christmas!

That One Thing I love about Christmas is… “The Build Up to Christmas.”

Is anyone else the same way?

Put up the Christmas tree, decorate cookies, look at the presents under the tree…

Imagine and dream what could be in the presents… hope and pray that the one gift youve always wanted is under the tree or maybe “Santa” will bring it.

Then on Christmas day… it just happens… it comes and goes way to quickly and it just kinda happens.

Has anyone expeirenced this before?

Its like the build up and the anticipation of Christmas distracts us and makes us forget what we are waiting for.

If you have a Bible go ahead and open it to

Matthew 2:1-8

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ 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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

Background:

Since the Fall of Man in Genesis to when the first king was put on the throne of Israel as a place holder, Israel had been waiting for the one true king.

This would be like the chosen one in Star Wars or The prophecy of the ring in Lord of The Rings.

Israel had known about the coming Messiah for years by the time we get to our story in Matthew.

Herod the Great was a half-Jew, half-Idumean, who, through accommodation to the Romans, ascended to power as client-ruler of Israel in 37 b.c. He was known as a great builder of public works and a shrewd diplomat in his dealings with both Romans and Jews, but he laid oppressive taxes on and conscripted labor from the Israelites. As he grew older, he became increasingly paranoid about threats against his person and throne. He had numerous sons, wives, and others close to him put to death because he feared plots to overthrow him.

Application:

A couple of things to note from what we read:

1- King Herod and all of Israel had been anticipating a King but when he came they rejected him.

Talk about build up… we only have a few weeks of Christmas build up before christmas day. Israel waited centuries.

2 - Israel and King Herod had waited so long for the messiah that they grew appethetic in their waiting. An outsider had to show them the way back.

- Love thy neighbor

Be the hope of Jesus during Covid

Show kindness

Etc.

3 - Christmas feels like a build up because thats what it is.

Christmas is building up to easter.

Pray