Missing the Point

Missing The Point

Saturday, December 15, 2018

12:29 PM

Have you ever known someone who "Just don't get it?" They completely miss the obvious. They miss the point.

Kind of like the man who called 911 and frantically yelled into the phone - "Help, we were hunting and my gun went off on accident. I think my buddy's dead!" The dispatch says, "I need to know whether you need an ambulance; there's been another terrible accident. Can you be sure your friend is dead?" "Well all right," The hunter said. Then there was a "BANG! BANG!" and the hunter comes back on the line, "Now what?"

PAUSE PAUSE

Or like the story of the blonde woman (no offence to blondes) who was flying in a two-seater aircraft when the pilot had a fatal heart attack. She radios the tower which assures her that they are experienced and will be able to help her get to the ground. They ask for her height and position. After a brief pause she responds - "I'm 5'4" and in the front seat!"

Pause Pause

Sometimes people just completely miss the point -

There are some passages in the Bible I want to read to you this morning of people who just completely missed the point. Now these are not the only ones - but I want to share these because they are part of the Christmas story.

First: Luke 2:8-20 (KJV)

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

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

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

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.

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 Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

This passage isn't as bad as the next one, but I sometimes scratch my head and say - "What were people thinking? What were they looking for?"

Shepherds not just one, but plural - comes running and panting - out of breath - I assume leaving their sheep with someone else or to fend for themselves maybe brought them with them -

And found Mary, and Joseph, and there was the Baby lying in a manger.

They looked on they stopped and took it all in - no doubt even worshipped.

Then they went out and "Made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child."

Mary may have been the first one to carry the Gospel according to the Gaither's song but the Shepherds were the first humans to publish the good tidings.

But the people only "Wondered" at these things"

I know, I know people are and should be skeptical of new ideas and strange happenings - but wasn't this what they were looking for? Weren't they waiting for their Messiah?

Weren't they looking for what Isaiah said would be called, "Wonderful"

Just completely missed the point

While this was bad, the next one is even worse:

Second: Matthew 2:1-12 (KJV)

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem 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.

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, 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.

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.

In this story you have Wise Men coming from afar - coming from the East - who saw the star in the heavens and from their knowledge of the sky and literature, knew, "The King of the Jews is born."

I don't know how long it took them to travel, I don't know how much it cost them to travel - but they did it.

They took off - possibly taking almost two years to travel to find this child. That is a lot of money and time.

This is quite a pursuit. These where not men given to following fictional stories. These were men of science, men of knowledge, men of facts and figures. Men of the stars - yes they may have been more mystical than our scientists today - but they would not have undertaken such a journey had they not been convinced something big has happened.

When they get to Jerusalem and meet with Herod and the Chief Priests and scribes they asked, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews."

These men have staked their careers and livelihood upon finding this child. They have put their families and other duties on hold possibly for two years on account of this "King of the Jews."

Can you imagine their shock and perhaps confusion when Herod and the priests say, "King? What king? There has been no King of the Jews born."

They had to go on and explain, "for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

So the Priests and Scribes go to digging in their scrolls and finally find where the "King of the Jews" was to be born. They brought out their scrolls, "He will be born in Bethlehem they say" then

they began to read from the Scroll of Micah

Micah 5:2 (KJV)

2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

And what did they do - look at verse 8 - Herod sends them to Bethlehem.

The Chief priests and scribes go on about their regular duties forgetting all about these wise men who came from the East following the star shining so bright in the sky - risking everything they had, just for a few moments of worship.

I'm afraid so many of do this same thing this time of year.

We get lost in the whirl of activity and events and think it’s the Christmas Spirit.

We miss the point in giving - we think it's the purchase value

We miss the point in getting - It's not really what I wanted

We miss the point of Holiday - a time to reflect on the reason for the season and spending time with friends and family.

Unfortunately we are a lot like those people - We completely miss the point - we miss the obvious.

A customs officer observes a truck pulling up at the border. Suspicious, he orders the driver out and searches the vehicle. He pulls off panels, bumpers, and wheel cases but finds not a single scrap of contraband, whereupon, still suspicious but at a loss to know where else to search, he waves the driver through. The next week, the same driver arrives. Again the official searches, and again finds nothing illicit. Over the years, the official tries full-body searches, X rays and sonar, anything he can think of, and each week the same man drives up, but no mysterious cargo ever appears, and each time, reluctantly, the customs man waves the driver on.

Finally, after many years, the officer is about to retire. The driver pulls up.

"I know you’re a smuggler," the customs officer says, "Don't bother denying it. But I cannot figure out what you've been smuggling all these years. I'm retiring now and can't do anything to you. Won't you please tell me what you've been smuggling?"

"Trucks." the driver says.

Gitlin, Todd, (2007) Media unlimited: How the torrent of images and sounds overwhelms our lives. New York, NY. Holt Paperbacks. Henry Holt and Company, LLC

Have you been missing the "Trucks" looking for hidden contraband?

Have you been missing The Real Reason for the Season by looking for the Spirit of Christmas?

Have you been missing the manger by looking for the throne?

God help us not to miss the point. Miss the reason - the purpose we set this time aside -

It's not that He is not there - it's that we do not see - that we miss it

At a reception honoring musician Sir Robert Mayer on his 100th birthday, elderly British socialite Lady Diana Cooper fell into conversation with a friendly woman who seemed to know her well. Lady Diana’s failing eyesight prevented her from recognizing her fellow guest until she peered more closely at the magnificent diamonds and realized she was talking to Queen Elizabeth!

Overcome with embarrassment, Lady Diana curtsied and stammered, “Ma’am, oh, ma’am, I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t recognize you without your crown!”

Today in the Word, November 16, 1995, p. 23.

Do you see it? Do you see Him, do you know Him?

Have you found Him? Do you know Him? Have you seen Him? Or are you still missing the point?