CHRISTMAS ON DISPLAY

Introduction

I want to welcome you again this morning.First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.I also want to welcome those who may be joining us in person for the first time today. I hope your time with us is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.

I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

And for the last couple of years we have been doing that through the NT book of Acts. However, through the month of December we are going to take a break from our study of Acts as we focus in on the Christmas season.

If you missed last week, we kicked off our Christmas series with Mary and Joseph as they each faced the abnormal and unexpected events of the first Christmas.

For Mary, the abnormal and unexpected involved a visit from an Angel, and the news that she was supernaturally pregnant with the Son of God.

For Joseph, the abnormal and unexpected involved the pregnancy of his virgin wife, along with a dream where an Angel verified to Joseph that Mary was telling him the truth. And then a mandated trip to Bethlehem with a very pregnant Mary.

And what we learned is that despite the abnormal and unexpected events of that year, Mary and Joseph didn’t let it get the best of them.

Instead, in the midst of the abnormal and unexpected, they trusted God, they were obedient, and they maintained their faith. Which resulted in them experiencing the hope and joy of Christmas.

And what was true for Mary and Joseph can be true for us as well. Because as we discussed last week, 2020 has been a year of the abnormal and unexpected. A year that has left many of us discouraged. A year that has brought loss. And a year that has caused many to lose their hope and joy.

And that’s what makes Christmas 2020 more important than ever. Because as we look back at 2020, and as Christmas approaches, Christmas reminds us of where true hope and joy are found.

That it isn’t found in the normal we’ve lost, but in the abnormal event of Christmas.

That it’s through our faith in Christmas and what Jesus did for us that we can find true hope and lasting joy. A hope and joy that can rise above the unexpected circumstances of our life, including Covid.

So, if you missed last week, and you’re looking for some hope and joy, I would encourage you to go to mcf.life and watch last weeks message.

Today however, we are picking back up in the Christmas story as we continue on our journey towards Christmas.

As I said last week, there are a variety of reasons I love the Christmas season. But if I had to narrow it down to one of my favorite aspects of Christmas, it would be the presence of Christmas.

And what I mean by presence, is that when the the Christmas season rolls around, it’s like Christmas can be seen and felt everywhere you go. Have you noticed that?

For example, the first place it shows up is in Walmart. Right? It happens around the end of October as Halloween comes down and Christmas items go up. Happens almost over night.

It then begins to pick up momentum in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving as overly zealous holiday cheer misters begin putting Christmas decorations and lights up.

At the same time Hulu, Netflix, and Facebook get involved as Christmas programs and Christmas ads start popping up all over the place.

And then once Thanksgiving is over, it’s no holds bar as Christmas trees and lights go up and Christmas music fills the airwaves.

But it doesn’t stop there. Because even after Christmas, to some degree Christmas still has presence.

For example you feel it as February roles around and you notice the holiday cheer mister next door still has their Christmas lights up. That’s true, right?

You feel it every once in while during the year when you run into that person who is looking forward to the next Christmas. They can even tell you how many days away it is.

Or the person who is still watching Christmas Hallmark movies as they celebrate Christmas in July. You know, that weirdo.

And again, that’s what I love about Christmas. Because regardless of the time of the year, to some degree, Christmas always seems to have an ongoing presence.

And believe it or not, from the beginning, that’s the way it was intended to be.

In fact, the first Christmas set the table for the ongoing presence of Christmas. An event that wasn’t just meant to be celebrated once a year, but throughout the year.

An event that just wasn’t meant for a certain group of people, but for all people.

An event that is meant to serve as a continual and constant reminder of the gift of salvation that Jesus offers mankind.

A reminder, that as we learned last week, is our source of true hope and continual joy.

The question then is, “If Christmas is meant to have an ongoing presence, then how do we continue it when its over?” In other words, how do we keep Christmas going beyond Christmas? How do we maintain and communicate its constant source of hope and joy?

Because as we said last week, more than ever we need the hope and joy Christmas provides.

So, how do we keep it going?

Do we keep it going by keeping the Christmas tree and lights up all year? Would that do it?

Do we keep it going by constantly listen to Christmas music?

Do we keep it going by watching Christmas Hallmark movies in July? Boy, I sure hope not.

So, how do we keep the hope and joy of Christmas going beyond Christmas? How do we maintain its ongoing presence and the hope and joy it provides?

This morning that is what I hope we can discover. Because the fact is, if Christmas ends on the 25th. Or if Christmas ends when the lights and trees come down. Or if Christmas ends when the Christmas music stops. Then the the truth is, it’s going to be difficult to maintain and communicate the ongoing hope and joy that Christmas offers.

And more than ever, I think Christmas needs to be more than a seasonal holiday, don’t you?

Because I don’t know about you, but when the trees and lights come down in January, I don’t want to lose my Christmas cheer. I don’t want to go back to gloom and doom. I want the hope and joy of Christmas to continue. And I don’t just want it to continue for me, but I want it to continue for you and others as well.

So, in order to help us discover how to maintain the ongoing presence of Christmas in our lives, I have two goals this morning.

First, we are going to look at how God displayed the first Christmas. In other words, what did God’s Christmas decor and celebration look like? You say, “Why is that important?”

Its important because if we want to learn how to maintain Christmas’s ongoing presence, maybe we need to learn how God displays and decorates for Christmas. Because I’m going to say the way He does it is probably the way we should do it.

Second, we’re going to look at how those who witnessed the first Christmas responded to Christmas, and how they continued to celebrate beyond Christmas.

In other words, how did they carry Christmas beyond that seasonal moment?

And my hope is after looking at the first Christmas celebration, we can answer this question:

Question - How do we display the ongoing presence and hope of Christmas beyond Christmas?

And so with that as our basis, let’s get started as we begin with how God displayed Christmas.

And in doing so we are going to look at two different groups of people and how they responded to Christmas.

The first group is found in Luke 2. Luke introduces us to them like this:

Luke 2:8 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Luke says following the birth of Jesus, and on that first Christmas eve, there were a group of Shepherds not far from where Jesus was born who were keeping watch over their sheep.

So, a great question to start with might be, “Who were these Shepherds and why does Luke mention them?”

Honestly, we don’t know who they were specifically. But we do know something about first century Shepherds. And what we know is that for the most part they were not societies favorite people. In fact, Shepherds in that day were typically seen as dishonest, religiously unclean, and sinners. And as a result, they were social outcasts.

So, why does Luke mention them? He mentions them because of what happens next. Because Luke writes:

Luke 2:9–14 ESV

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke says as these shepherds were tending their flocks, an angel suddenly appeared to them and proclaimed the good news of Jesus’s birth.

But not only that, the angel tells them where they can find the newborn Jesus.

And then the Angel concludes the visitation as a multitude of angels show up in the night sky and begin to worship and praise God.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I think that would have been something to see. Talk about a Christmas light show!

So, what is exactly going on here? Why the Shepherds? Why this angelic display?

What’s going on is that God is putting Christmas on display. And in doing so he’s teaching us a few things about Christmas.

First, He’s showing us that Christmas is for a certain type of person. How do we know that? We know because of who God displays it too first. Which are the shepherds. You know, the outcasts of society. The ones deemed unclean. The ones who have been classified as sinners. The ones who have been deemed hopeless.

What that tells us then, is that Christmas, first and foremost, is for the person who is in need of salvation. The person who is separated from God. The person who is in a hopeless spiritual situation.

For that person, Christmas has appeared.

Which means, Christmas is for you and me. Because according to Romans 3:

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Second, He’s showing us who Christmas is about. And what God wants to show us is that Christmas isn’t about lights, trees, or decor. And it’s not even about a season or a certain time of the year. So, what’s it about? It’s about His Son. It’s about Jesus. That’s why the angel makes the point of saying:

Luke 2:11 ESV

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

I this moment God announces Christmas by saying, “Christmas is about my Son. And His name is Jesus”.

The truth is, in the hubbub and busyness of Christmas, it’s easy to forget that. It’s easy to get focused on all the other stuff Christmas offers. All the stuff the world says matters about Christmas.

And as a result, we focus on the lights. We focus on the trees. We focus on the Christmas parties. We focus on Santa Clause. We focus on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. We focus on the food. We focus on the seasonal excitement that the worlds version of Christmas offers.

And please hear me, I’m not saying it’s wrong to do any of that. Because those are some enjoyable and fun aspects of Christmas.

But what is wrong, is if in the midst of all that, Jesus gets lost. Because if Jesus gets left out of Christmas, then it really isn’t Christmas. Instead, it’s a hyped up holiday. A holiday that ends when the trees come down. A holiday that ends when the lights come off the house. A holiday that ends when the presents are unwrapped and December 26th rolls around. And let’s just be honest, if that’s all Christmas is, then it’s not something that can ever be ongoing.

But the good news is, Christmas is more than all of that. Christmas is about a savior named Jesus. A savior that isn’t just celebrated once a year, but a savior that is mean to be celebrated throughout the year.

And we see this in the Christmas display that God puts on. Because after announcing who Christmas is all about, God shows us how Christmas is to then be celebrated. Look again at what Luke says happened next:

Luke 2:13–14 ESV

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

What I want you to notice, is when God displays Christmas, instead of displaying it with Christmas lights, trees, and decor, He displays it with worship.

Because that’s what the angels do following the announcement of Jesus, as they begin to praise God and proclaim, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Which means, the best way to display Christmas isn’t through lights and decor, but through our worship. And that’s not something that ends on December 25th. That’s not something that comes down with the Christmas trees and Christmas lights. The worship of Jesus is something we can continue to do beyond Christmas.

And I think that’s what we miss sometimes. That if we want the hope and Joy of Christmas to be ongoing in our life, then we have to make worship a daily part of our life. As we daily bring glory to Jesus. As we daily give Him praise. As we daily put Christmas on display through the act of worship.

And when I say worship, I’m not just talking about singing. I’m talking about giving our lives compeltely to Jesus. I’m talking about making Jesus Lord of not just some of your life, but all of your life. To not just celebrate Jesus during a certain time of the year, but throughout the entire year.

Because that’s what keeps Christmas ongoing. That’s what keeps your hope and joy alive. As you daily give your worship to Jesus. The Psalmist puts it like this:

Psalm 71:14 ESV

14 But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.

Notice what the Psalmist says. He says he has continual hope. How does he have continual hope? Because with each praise, comes hope, and so he praises yet all the more.

Friends, if you want Christmas to last beyond Christmas, then it starts with making Christmas about Jesus and it continues as you make the worship of Jesus a daily activity in your life. And I can promise you if you do that, Christmas will continue beyond Christmas.

But it doesn’t stop there, because along with praise comes proclamation. Because look at what Luke says happened next:

Luke 2:15–18 ESV

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

Luke says following the angelic display of Christmas, the shepherds went to Bethlehem, found baby Jesus, and then they made what had happened known to everyone that would listen.

Which tells us, part of keeping Christmas going beyond Christmas comes as we continue to share the good news of His birth. Because that’s what keeps the Christmas cheer alive.

And I think that’s where many Christians at times drop the ball. Yes we are all excited for Christmas to come. So we put up the lights, we put of the tree, we set up nativity scenes, we sing Christmas carols, we drink hot chocolate, we watch Christmas movies, we go to Christmas Eve service, we light candles, we sing silent night, we open presents on Christmas day, and then December 26th comes around, and we take everything down and we put it away.

It’s almost as if we’re saying, “See you next year Jesus. Thanks for stopping by. Only 364 days before we’ll focus on you again.”

Do you see what I’m saying?

But what if we didn’t stop celebrating Jesus on December 25th? What if beyond December 25th we continued to praise and worship Him? What if we kept telling people about Christmas? What if we made Christmas a part of every day vocabulary. That everywhere we went we told people about what Jesus has done for us.

I can tell you if we did that, Christmas would continue, and so would your hope and joy, as each day not only would you be reminding others about Christmas, but you would be reminding yourself of the reason for your joy and hope.

The point is this. If we want the ongoing presence of Christmas in our lives. If we want the continual joy and hope that Christmas brings. Then Christmas can’t end on December 25th. And the only way it doesn’t end, is if we continue to tell people about what Christmas is really about. As beyond Christmas we continue to tell them about Jesus.

This now leads us to a second group of people in the Christmas story. We find them in Matthew 2. Matthew introduces them like this:

Matthew 2:1–2 ESV

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Matthew says following the birth of Jesus, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem.

So, what exactly is going on here and who are these guys?

To be honest, in order to explain what is happening and who these Wise Men are, I’m going to need us all to do something for a moment.

First, I need you to set aside what you think you know about the Wise men.

Forget the Christmas cards with them standing at the manger.

Forget the Christmas plays where they show up right after Jesus is born.

And forget a star over the manger the night Jesus is born.

For the next few moments I need you to set that all aside.

Second, I need you to take your religious blinders off.

And what I mean by that, is for the next few moments I’d like you to consider that maybe, just maybe, God works in some rather unique and supernatural ways in order to reach a lost and dying world.

That God has a way of displaying Christmas and reaching people that we would’t typically consider.

Can we all do that, at least for a few minutes. Ok? Great!

So, who are these guys and what’s going on? Well, based on what Matthew just told us, we know three things.

First, after Jesus is born Wise Men show up looking for Him.

Second, these Wise Men believe Jesus is a king.

Third, a star has revealed this to them.

So to get a feel for what is going on here, let’s ask a few questions

First Question – Who were these “Wise Men” and where did they come from?

Well, for us to determine that we actually need a better translation for “Wise men”.

So, let’s look at the Greek. The actual Greek word here is “magos” which is the root word of our English word “magician.”

So, what does that mean? Does that mean these guys are from Vegas?

No. What it means is that these guys are seers who predicted omens and dreams.

As a result, they were often known as “Wise men” and in ancient times were the esteemed advisors of Persian Kings.

However what the magi were really known for was their apparent ability to read the stars and predict events by using astrology. So, what does that tell us? It tells us that the “Wise Men” were astrologists.

Which means the Wise Men weren’t Christians on a pilgrimage to find baby Jesus.

They weren’t Jews looking for a Messiah.

They were pagan astrologers who believed the stars hold our fate and reveal our futures.

Today we’d call them “fortune tellers”.

Now let me say this up front. By pointing this out, in no way am I advocating for astrology or horoscopes. The Bible is very clear that we should stay away from such nonsense. In Deuteronomy 18 God puts it like this:

Deuteronomy 18:10 ESV

10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer

God is very clear on this kind of stuff throughout scripture. He says, “Stay away from it.”

In addition to that, based on what I’m about to show you about this passage, in no way am I saying that I believe the stars can predict our future. Because they don’t and they can’t.

So I don't want anybody leaving here today saying, “Pastor Brad believes in astrology.” Because I don't.

However, with that said, we can’t escape the fact that the Bible says a group of astrologers have been included in the Christmas story. And that somehow their craft has brought them too Bethlehem.

Now, you might say, “Ok pastor, if astrology isn’t real, and the starts can’t predict future events, then how did these guys find Jesus?”

We’ll get to that in a second, but to answer that, we need to answer another question first.

The question being, “When exactly did these guys show up?”

Was it later that night? Was it sometime the next day? Maybe a week perhaps?

Believe it or not, none of the above. The truth is they didn’t show up in Judah until about a year or so after Jesus had been born.

You might be thinking, “Pastor that’s not what the Christmas card say. Pastor that’s not what I saw in the Christmas play. How can you say that?”

The truth is, there’s a lot of evidence that supports a much later visitation by the Wise Men, with one of the main evidences coming from the actions of a man named Herod.

You say, “Who’s Herod?” Well, Herod is the Grinch in the Christmas Story. And next week we’re going to focus more on him, but for now, all you need to know is that at the time of Jesus’s birth, He’s the king overseeing the land of Israel, and the one the Wise Men first encounter when they arrive in Jerusalem. Matthew explains it like this:

Matthew 2:3–8 ESV

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

Matthew says after the Wise Men arrive, they seek an audience with King Herod so they can ascertain where the new King has been born. And for Herod, that’s a troubling question, because last he checked, he was king.

And so in order to find out what’s going on he begins to question the Wise Men. And in questioning them he realizes they are searching for the promised Messiah.

So, he calls for the religious scribes of Israel, and he asks them where the scripture say the Messiah will be born. And they tell him in Bethlehem.

And so with that information in hand, Herod sends the Wise Men to Bethlehem and asks them to inform him when they find him. Why? Well, he says its so he can worship him. But that was a lie. Because hi intent is to kill Jesus. And we know that’s his intent, because when the Wise Men fail to return, Herod sends a squad of soldiers to Bethlehem and tells them to kill every male child 2 years and under. We read about it in Matthew 2:16

Matthew 2:16 ESV

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

Now, let me ask you this, “Have you ever wondered why Herod killed only male child under 2?”

Well, it’s right there in the scripture. Matthew says it’s because it was the time frame he had ascertained from the Wise Men.

Which means, the star the Wise Men saw appeared at least a year before that since it took them at least a year to travel from Persia to Judah. Everybody with me?

And so in order to ensure he takes this would be king out, Herod rounds up, and says, “Kill any male child 2 or under”. Because thanks to the Wise Men, he has a time frame to work with.

Now, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, this is all very intersting, but where are you going with this and why is it important?”

Here’s where I’m going. Based on what history tells us, King Herod died in 4 B.C. Which means that Jesus was probably born somewhere between 6-8 B.C.

And that’s important because it gives us a time frame for when the Wise Men saw the star. It tell us that sometime between 6-8 B.C., somewhere in Persia, there were a group of pagan Astrologers studying the sky, and they saw something in the sky, in the stars, that told them a King had been born.

So what did they see in the sky? What did they see that led them to believe a king had been born, a king important enough that they embarked on a 12-month journey to a foreign land in order to find him?

Well, many theologians believe they saw what scientists call a “conjunction of planets”.

You may have heard this term recently, because something like this is about to happen again on December 21. A once in a life time event that will take place as Jupiter and Saturn align in the night sky. An alignment where it will appear that they are only .1 degrees apart, which to the naked eye will give the appearance of an enlongated star. Some have even started calling it the “Christmas Star”.

Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor, that’s cool. You said this is a once in a life time event. So, has this conjunction of planets ever taken place before?”

Yes it has. It happened in 1623 and 1226. How do we know it happened then? It’s called astronomy, which is the scientific study of the universe.

And what’s cool about astronomy, is using math and science, Astronomers can mathematically predict the movement of planets, comets, solar eclipses and the like.

Which is how they are able to predict the conjunction that’s going to take place on December 21st.

And what’s really cool, is using those same formulas, they can also look backward and determine events from the past. Which is how they know about 1623 and 1226.

So, why would that be of any interest to us? It’s of interest because if we knew what the night sky looked like at the time of Jesus’s birth, then maybe we would be able to determine what the wise men saw. To determine what they saw in the sky that led them to Jesus?

And guess what, scientists have reproduced those charts, and here’s what they’ve discovered.

On April 17th, 6 B.C. and event known as a conjunction of planets took place as Jupiter and Saturn had the appearance of coming within close proximity of one another in the night sky, with Jupiter being the brightest of the two planets. It would have looked something like this.

Now that’s pretty cool, right? And so more than likely, this is the star that the Wise Men saw.

The question then is, “How did this conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn then lead the Wise Men to Jesus?”

Well, what we have to remember is that the Wise Men aren’t Astronomers, they’re astrologers. Which means, when they witnessed this event, they didn’t see it as an astronomical event, but as an astrological. In other words, they believed the universe was trying to communicate something to them.

So, what was it telling them? Well, to explain it thoroughly I would need to give you a bunch of astrology mumbo jumbo, so in order to spare you I’m going to give you the nutshell version of what a trained astrologer of that day might have seen.

Because along with the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on that day, the Sun was located in the astrological position known as Aries.

In addition to that, on that day, Astronomically, Jupiter presented itself as a morning star. Meaning, Jupiter peaked the horizon before the sun did.

Now by themselves and to the average person, these are not knock you out of your seat occurrences. But when combined and viewed by the trained astrologer of Jesus’s day, this is a big deal. Here’s why.

First, in the pagan beliefs of Astrology of that day, Aires represented the region of Judea.

Second, in astrology, the conjunction of two planets, specifically Jupiter, represented what is called a “regal” or “royal” birth.

Third, the rising of Jupiter ahead of the sun as a morning star meant the “regal” birth was of an immortal nature with this king having the power over life and death.

So here’s how many astrological experts believe the Wise Men could have translated this, “A Judean King has been born, who is immortal, and who has the power over life and death.”

Could it be that this is what caused a group of pagan astrologers to get excited? Excited enough to get on their camels, and make a 12 month trek to a distant land? I think it’s possible.

So what’s this saying to us?

Is this suggesting Jesus was born on April 17th, 6 B.C.?

Is this suggesting that astrology has legitimacy?

No, I don’t think it’s saying any of that.

Honestly, we don’t know exactly when Jesus was born, but it was probably late Spring or early Fall, and based on this evidence, I’d say late Spring.

And by no means is it saying that astrology is something to take serious.

So what is this saying and why does Matthew make mention of these astrologers?

Here’s what I’d like to suggest to you:

First, I think it’s saying that God can reveal and display Christmas to who He wants and in whatever way He wants. That God doesn’t limit himself on how He reaches people. And I think we need to settle that in our minds.

Second, I think it’s saying that God reveals Himself to people in a way they can understand and comprehend, even if it means revealing Himself through their false beliefs or thinking.

Think of it like this, if you’re a Christian today, you’re a Christian because in some way at some point God infiltrated your world and revealed His son to you, and He revealed Jesus to you in a way you would recognize, understand, and accept.

I think that’s the mistake many Christians and churches make today in their desire to lead people to Jesus. We want to lead people to Jesus on our terms and with our methods. The problem with that though is a really lost person isn’t typically open to our methods. As a result, sometimes we have to meet them in a way they can understand.

The Apostle Paul did this frequently. We saw this in our Acts study as Paul was in Athens. Remember, he had a conversation about Jesus with a group of philosophers.

Do you remember how he approached the conversation? He approached it by not the Bible, but quoting some of their own philosophical writings. Which means, using their own philosophical writings, Paul revealed Jesus to them.

You see the key to reaching some people for Jesus is to use their own worldview to show them Jesus. And that doesn’t mean we agree with their worldview, it just means we are using their way of thinking to lead them to a savior who desires to have a relationship with them.

Third, this shows us that nobody is beyond God’s reach.

Let me ask you something, “Have you ever met someone that is just totally spiritually lost. I mean they are out there. Their belief system, their view about God and life are just out of wack.” Do you know somebody like that?

I think we probably all do. Now let’s just be honest, when we meet somebody like that, sometimes we think, “I’m not sure that person could ever be reached for Jesus.”

You know what this story of the “Wise Men” shows us. It shows us God can reach anybody.

Even a group of Pagan astrologers from Persia, who thought the stars predicted the future, who used horoscopes to direct their lives, but despite that, it didn’t stop God from revealing His Son to them. What that means is, nobody is beyond God’s ability to reach them. Nobody is so lost that they can’t find Jesus.

And that’s good news for us this morning. Because all of us have friends and relatives that don’t know Jesus.

And for them right now, it’s not Merry Christmas, it’s Happy Holiday.

For them it’s not thank you Jesus, it’s here comes Santa Clause.

For them Christmas has no spiritual bearing on their life.

And let’s just be honest, that’s heart breaking isn’t it?

Here’s what I want you to hold on to this morning. If God can lead a group of pagan astrologers to His Son, he can lead your friends, your relatives, and the people you care most about to Jesus. They aren’t beyond His reach.

Finally, what this shows us is that God uses signs to direct people to Jesus.

In the days of Jesus, He used a conjunction of planets that converged to produce a bright light. A Christmas star. And I believe God still uses signs like that today.

Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor, are you talking about the event that’s going to take place on December 21st? Are you saying that’s going to be a way God points people to Jesus?”

No, that’s not the bright light I’m talking about. I’m talking about a light that Jesus refers to in Matthew 5, where Jesus says this to His followers:

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus says we are the light. We are the light that shines before others. The light that directs people to Jesus. We are the sign.

Which means, you and I are the ongoing presence of Christmas. You and I are the ones who keep Christmas going beyond Christmas. We are the ones that God puts on display. We are the ones who continue to shine the presence of Jesus in a dark and hopeless world.

Which means the only way they see the light is if Christmas is living in us. If our lives represent a relationship with Jesus. If our lives shine with the hope, joy, and life change that Jesus truly offers.

Here’s the the bottom line church. If we want the presence of Christmas to last beyond Christmas. If we want the hope and joy that Christmas offers to continue beyond December 25th, it starts with us. It starts with us asking a few key question. So, as we close, I’d ask you to consider the following when it comes to putting Christmas on display.

Question #1 - What is Christmas about for you?

Is it about lights? Is it about trees? Is it about gifts? Is it just a season? Or is it something more. Is it about a who. About a savior named Jesus.

My challenge to you today is to consider that maybe Christmas hasn’t been as much for you about a who as it should be. That maybe like many, you’ve gotten lost in the worlds version of Christmas. You’ve lost sight of what it’s really about.

A couple days ago I saw a story about a Home Owners Association in NC who fined a couple who had put Christmas decorations up that in their mind didn’t represent Christmas. Here’s a picture of what the couple put up.

The HOA said the cross represented a violation since the symbol had nothing to do with Christmas.

You see, the world doesn’t see Jesus in Christmas. The question then is, “Do you?”

Question #2 - Beyond Christmas, do you tell people about Jesus?

The fact is, if we want Christmas to go beyond Christmas, we have to be willing to tell people about Jesus more than once a year. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:

Romans 10:14 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Paul says the only way somebody finds out about Jesus is if somebody tells them. The question then is, “Beyond Christmas, are you willing to tell people about Jesus?”

Question #3 - Are you a sign that God uses to display Christmas?

In other words, are you a light on a hill that shines the presence of Jesus? Do your actions represent that? Does the way you treat people say that? Does the way you talk reflect that? Would people look to you as somebody who brings hope. Somebody that represents something they don’t have in their life. Are you somebody that shines in darkness and points people to a savior named Jesus?

I think that’s a great question for all of us to ask. Because on December 26th, the Christmas lights will come down, and with it the cheer of many will fade.

But what if the light continued? What if through our lives the light of hope continued to shine? What if Christmas continued through us as we shine the light of Jesus throughout the rest of the year.

But for that to happen, we have to be committed to our relationship with Jesus. We have to be committed to growing in our faith. We have to be committed to becoming less like the world and more like Jesus. We have to be committed to allowing the light of who Jesus is to shine through us.

And I promise you MCF, if we are committed to doing that. Christmas will continue to have a presence beyond December 25th. And right now, more than ever, people need Christmas. They need people like you and me pointing them to true hope. To a savior named Jesus.

Let’s Pray

God puts Christmas on display through Worship.

God puts Christmas on display for all to see.

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