Wisdom to Hold Onto
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Our troubled world:
COVID-19
Fear
Tension and distrust between people
Government overreach
Businesses being destroyed
Fiscal fallout will be catastrophic
Sickness/death
Political turmoil & the potential for much more
Social turmoil, often fanned by the MSM, with clear political and fiscal motivations
Growing lack of trust in our institutions
Terrorism
Just to name a few!
What can we hold onto in troubling times like these, especially as we enter into a new year?
What can a wise person hold onto in troubling times?
What can a wise person hold onto in troubling times?
Read Matthew 2:1-12
God still reveals Himself and His purposes to mankind despite our lostness.
God still reveals Himself and His purposes to mankind despite our lostness.
Read Matthew 2:1-2
Who were the “wise men”?
Interestingly enough, Matthew doesn’t spend any time focusing on who they are , instead focusing on what they did.
We can gather just a few things here:
They were likely stargazers, as Babylonian and Persian stargazers were often called “magi” which is the Latin equivalent of the term used here. The same Greek word is used in Acts 13:6-8 in reference to magicians (a person who used or claimed to use magical spells to harness the spirits in order to produce unnatural effects in the world).
They were likely well versed in astrology, believing the stars were a way that the gods would reveal important events that were coming to mankind.
Tradition states that there were three, but this is a result of the three gifts not because the text says there were three.
There is no indication they were kings. This tradition stems from the fact the gifts were royal, expensive gifts.
Melchior, Balthasar and Gaspar were names given to them in the 6th century A.D.
Why is it significant that these men would seek Jesus?
They were Gentiles.
People rejected by the Jewish religious establishment seek Jesus, while those who should be seeking Him do not.
From the very start of Jesus earthy ministry there is a foreshadowing of the Good News going out to the Gentiles.
They were pagans.
This is not an endorsement of astrology. What it tells us is that sometimes God will use the language of a people to get them to a place where they can meet Jesus.
They understood the prophecies of the OT better than some of the religious leaders of the day.
They were likely familiar with Numbers 24:17: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.”
Look at Matthew 2:3-6. The religious leaders knew where the Messiah was to be born, now they have reason to believe that the Messiah was actually alive. But, they don’t even bother going to investigate it themselves.
Their religion had become about tradition and political power, not about an intimate relationship to God.
Knowledge about God is never enough. We must have a right heart.
Timeless Truth: God still reveals Himself and His purposes to mankind despite our lostness.
God hasn’t stopped revealing Himself to people today!
He does it through His Word, the Bible.
He does it through the person and work of Jesus.
He does it through His church.
God still fulfills His promises made throughout history.
God still fulfills His promises made throughout history.
Read Matthew 2:3-6
One of the most often repeated phrases in Matthew’s Gospel is “so it is written...” This is because it was vital for his predominately Jewish audience to understand that Jesus fulfilled all the OT prophecies pertaining to the Messiah.
In this passage the promise comes from Micah 5:2
It’s yet another reminder that God fulfills every promise made in Scripture. And, Jesus fulfills every Messianic prophecy.
Timeless Truth: God still fulfills His promises made throughout history.
The least trusted institutions today are the United States Congress and the mainstream media.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to know who we should believe when it comes to our news coverage, especially at the end of 2020. While the slide towards propagandizing for political parties has been happening for a long time, since the start of the Trump administration, and especially this year, the media stopped pretending like they weren’t biased and decided to go all-in when it comes to their political propaganda.
In fact, one organization has been polling adults about how credible they believe the news outlets in America are since 2016. In Dec. 2016 an average of nearly 61% of adults believed the media was credible, but in 2020 the average is 51% believe they are credible.
65% of Democrats believe they are credible, while 40% of Republicans believe they are credible. (And that was in April 2020. I’m guessing the numbers are much lower today!)
The issue is that for many consumers of the news, the media has done such irreparable damage to their institution that we will never trust them again. Therefore, their institution will likely experience major changes in the coming years.
My point is, it is hard to know who to trust in our society today. But, as believers we know One who we can trust, because His credibly rating when it comes to fulfilled promises is 100%!
God still provides a Savior for His people.
God still provides a Savior for His people.
Read Matthew 2:3-6
The term “shepherd” here is a fascinating one.
A shepherd is one who lovingly takes care of his sheep. Putting himself in harms way to care for his flock.
There are few better images of our Good Shepherd, Jesus, than this!
Something particularly interesting about what the wise men say in verse 2 should be noted here: in their study of the stars, they don’t speak of someone who would someday be king. They speak of someone who was born king!
Thus, He wasn’t just the shepherd of His people, but He was also the One born king!
Thus, the Savior that God provided was both a shepherd and a ruler.
Timeless Truth: God still provides a Savior for His people.
That Savior is still available to all who would put their faith in Him. (Gospel presentation).
God still protects His people from wicked people so they can fulfill His purposes.
God still protects His people from wicked people so they can fulfill His purposes.
Read Matthew 2:7-8, 12
What do we need to know about Herod the Great?
Client king, serving under the direction of Rome.
Wasn’t a Jew. His father was an Edomite and his mother an Arabian.
Undertook many building projects, including a major remodeling of the temple in Jerusalem.
During the final nine years of his reign he became increasingly tyrannical, killing anyone he perceived as a threat to his throne, including his brother-in-law, mother-in-law, first wife, and two of his sons.
In fact, Caesar Augustus once quipped, “It’s better to be a pig in Herod’s house than a member of his family.”
How is God’s protection seen here?
In verse 3 we see that not only was Herod troubled (or greatly agitated) by this news, but all Jerusalem was with him. Why?
Because people in Jerusalem knew that when Herod was agitated, people died.
Herod’s scheme to trick the wise men into telling him where the child is fails when God warns the wise men in a dream.
How do we know that Herod was lying? (He was a politician, so his lips were moving.)
Actually, not only does verse 12 tell us that, but read the next passage!
Timeless Truth: God still protects His people from wicked people so they can fulfill His purposes.
This doesn’t mean that we will never face harm. It doesn’t mean that Christians will never be killed for their faith.
What it means is, in God’s sovereign purposes, we will fulfill the purposes He has for us before our time is up.
It was once asked of Stonewall Jackson how he kept calm while bullets were flying all around him (earning him the nickname “Stonewall”). He said, “My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time of my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready…That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.”
How can we foster that kind of faith in our own lives?
God still welcomes people to worship Him.
God still welcomes people to worship Him.
Read Matthew 2:9-11
Notice who makes this worship possible: God Himself.
What aspects of worship do we see here?
Praise
Giving
Revelation
Timeless Truth: God still welcomes people to worship Him.
We can praise God, individually and corporately.
We can give sacrificially.
We can spend time studying our Lord in His Word.
What can a wise person hold onto in troubling times?
What can a wise person hold onto in troubling times?
God is still revealing Himself to people, fulfilling His promises, provides a Savior, protecting His people and purposes, and welcoming people to worship Him.
God is still revealing Himself to people, fulfilling His promises, provides a Savior, protecting His people and purposes, and welcoming people to worship Him.
In short, we can hold onto God this year, because He alone is always faithful.