The Glory of Christmas--The Director

Introduction

happy new year! I don't know about you but I and our family still have our Christmas decorations up. Despite some of the restrictions of the coronavirus we still managed to keep ourselves busy enough to not be able to actually take down the Christmas decorations. So this morning our tree is still up and our lights are still on. Christmas continues for one more week.

But you know one of the biggest things that actually loves to remind me of each year is the wise man period now, I know we talked about the Wiseman last week and I'm not repeating a sermon. But Ashley is someone who loves to make sure the details are right. And she always makes sure I put the wise men quite a ways away from the baby Jesus in our nativity set. You see, the wise men came a couple years after Jesus was born. Remember, herod got so angry and so afraid at the wise men and of Jesus that he ordered all the babies two years old and under killed. So Jesus was nearly a toddler when the wise men showed up on the scene.

OK, what am I getting at here? The wise men followed a star that shown in the Sky pointing to Jesus. You and I who don't know astronomy and don't study the stars may not get how this is possible but throughout history we know that sailors and travelers have oriented and guided their travels by virtue of following the stars. And so God set up in the Sky some sort of light , some sort of star to point the way to Jesus . And so, even after the craziness of the birth , the wonder of the Angels, the journey of Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds ... even after all that there was more to go in the Christmas story.

I hope that you are looking at 2021 with hope. I hope that your faith in God gives you hope to see through your physical struggles. I hope that you have confidence to do the work laid out for you. I hope that you have encouragement to be the father, mother, husband, wife, brother, sister, worker , and whatever God calls you to be. I hope you're making great plans and setting great goals, not just good resolutions. But I want to remind you that there is one more important part in the Christmas story that you and I can and should carry forward into this new year.

You see, God wants you and I to be like the star he put in the Sky pointing the way to Jesus.

Let's go back and take a look at what this star did in the Christmas story here in this star pointed the way to the real star that is Jesus.

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.”

Did you notice in that passage ? It says this was his star. Is described as the star that belongs to Jesus. You know, there's a certain sense where this star in the biblical account is like the director of a Christmas play. A director gives direction and he points people too the main point of the story once the director has done his job all that's left is for God simply to do a God does. I love How Matthew quotes Jesus a few chapters later teaching us about what it means to be light

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.

you see, our director in the video did just what the Christmas star is meant to do. He did what he could to put everyone and everybody in their places in such a way that the focus shined on the savior.

Growing up I performed tons of skits with our family. My mom was the director almost always telling us what to do. In every skit the point is not just to make people laugh or to act like some crazy person . The point is to get the point of the skit across. You remove everything that serves as a distraction so that the message gets through. That's what the director does.

Jesus is the center of the glory of Christmas. And yet, surprisingly, wonderfully everyone can be his star. You see, playing the star means simply shining and guiding those seeking the savior until they find him . The star in this story didn't stop shining and guiding these wise men for years until they made their way to Jesus. Look at this passage:

Matthew 2:9–11 ESV

9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Think about it people seek Jesus at different places in their lives. People are ready to except the idea of faith at different places. So being a star that points the way to Jesus means you don't give up on guiding others until their paths cross Jesus. Until your friends and family members turn to Jesus.

Our love is motivated by the sacrifice Jesus gave. We had the opportunity to be a light in a Dark World. Our world is full of pain and we can point them to the forgiveness and love of Jesus. There is hope that is only found in him. We show this hope we show this gospel not by our words alone but by the lives we live. I love what Paul wrote

1 Thessalonians 2:8–12 ESV

8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

You might say the glory of Christmas is that you have the privilege of being his star illuminating a Dark World. We have the privilege of lighting up this world as long as it takes to allow others to meet Jesus. At least to meet Jesus in this world. The life we will live the words we say are the things that God uses to point others to him. God often does what he does when we make ourselves available to him. When we live lives worshipping Jesus we draw others to him.

I've got a prayer list with quite a few people who don't know Jesus. And for years I've prayed for them. The Bible holds out hope that if I am faithful I can continue to offer my family my friends who don't know Jesus the opportunities to see him in me.

If we are faithful in pointing others to Jesus we can be kind of like the Old Testament Prophet Daniel described

Daniel 12:3 ESV

3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

We have a powerful role of pointing others to Jesus . We need to be part of that grand story. We have the opportunity to be a light in a Dark World. The Bible is full of examples . The Bible is full of ways that it shows that we give hope.

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

John 8:12 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

1 Peter 1:19 ESV

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

As we leave the Christmas season beyond and charge into a new year we each have the opportunity to play a part in the story of Christmas. We have the opportunity to carry the hope of Christmas into a new year. We had the opportunity to bring hope and light and life to the friends and family we love. And many times all we have to do to bring that hope to bring that life to bring that love is to work on living well for God in our own lives. Other times it's speaking up and sharing our faith. We have the wonderful privilege of shining hope in a Dark World.

Questions

Will you live with excellence and love in your marriage this year so you can point others to Jesus? Will you live with character and integrity in the secret parts of your life so you can point others to Jesus? Will you work hard and be excellent at work so you can point others to Jesus ? Will you spend enough time every single day with Jesus so you can know the one that you are pointing people to? Will you be a star lighting the way to Jesus this year?