A0352_Come Let Us Adore Him
Date: 23rd December 2007 (Sunday AM) Ref: A0352
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: Come Let Us Adore Him
Text: & Matthew 2:1-12
Illust: Tiny fragments of bone believed to be remains of the three wise men who visited the newborn Jesus will be on display in Tucson for two days this week. The Catholic relics tour, titled "Come Let Us Adore Him," will be at the Northwest Side's St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church today, and at Downtown's St. Augustine Cathedral on Tuesday. "This is the closest I'm going to get to God in my physical lifetime," said John Garcia the spokesman for a Catholic men's group, the Arizona Knights of Columbus. "And since this is a time of Christmas, it puts us closer in touch with the birth of Christ."
I. War on Christmas
A. Happy Holidays
i. We need to understand that there is a continuing war on “Christmas” we are not seeing much of it yet but in America & England it is political correctness run amuck and Christmas is being constantly attacked:
At Southwestern Oklahoma State University the director of human resources recently visited various departments and said that decorations featuring the word 'Christmas' in any areas of the university must be immediately removed," "He also instructed the employees not to say 'Christmas' while on the job. As a result the employees cannot respond 'Merry Christmas' to other employees or visitors to the University."
ii. Only one example of the global assault on Christmas, the world trying to remove “Christ” from Christmas. – Go to Woden the Nativity is discreetly hidden away behind Santa
B. Material Assault
i. What does the world replace the real meaning of Christmas with?
ii. Rampant materialism; From 8:00am this morning Chadstone Shopping centre opened & will not close until 6:00pm tomorrow night (Christmas Eve). They are expecting up to 7000 people per hour to pass through the centre ... between 2am & 3am.
Don’t forget the Boxing Day sales – they start at 7:00am
The Australian Retailers Association is expecting a fruitful Christmas season with sales of more than $35 billion nationally.
iii. Family & Friends –Christmas season run around to see the different sets of parents/grandparents – Especially difficult time if you consider blended & single parent families.
iv. Let’s not forget the eating & drinking that comes with Christmas. – Alcohol consumption over this period and including New Years Eve will skyrocket. – So will the DUI drivers, the domestic violence, the club fights – spare a thought for the police and ambulance officers that are rostered on at this time.
II. The Condescension
A. Jesus The Reason
i. We need to refresh our minds & hearts – It’s about Jesus!!!! – He is the reason of season. At this time we celebrate the birth of Jesus, born in that cave & laid in an animal feed trough in Bethlehem. – A fact attested to by the early Church fathers.
Justin Martyr – 100-165AD - "Joseph took up his quarters in a certain cave near the village; and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed Him in a manger, and here the Magi who came from Arabia found Him."( Dialogue with Trypho chapter LXXVIII).
ii. Bethlehem a small village outside and eclipsed by the capital Jerusalem. – It is only just over 8km. – Same distance as here to Lanyon (aprox) – Nothing special about Bethlehem except of course that this is where God had ordained that the Messiah, the saviour of the world would be born.
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
iii. It was here that & Luke 2:7
B. He Left the Glory
i. Think about this, Jesus was a baby. – No really think about this... This is the creator of the Universe, the Son of God: The Westminster confession states:
The Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof; yet without sin: being conceived by he power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man. (Ch VIII Sec. II.)
ii. Does this not astound you – Jesus the creator, the Great I AM.
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (NKJV)
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (NKJV)
iii. The condescension of Jesus. – That He agreed to this, to leave the glory that He shared with His Father and the Holy Spirit, and humbled Himself to be born in a backward village, in a cave & placed in a food trough for the stock. – That is amazing, astounding, awesome, sobering, frightening – Why????
III. Come Unto Me
A. Draw Near
i. One Word – Love! ~ & Jn 3:16 – Jesus loves you that much that He willingly gave up His glory – Lived as a man, ministered for aprox 3 short years and then fulfilled His ultimate purpose when He died on the Cross to pay the price for your sins.
ii. Tragic that John Garcia thinks the closest that he is going to get to God in his lifetime is to go & see some tiny fragments of bone that “may” be of the 3 wise men. - The cynic in me says that those bones have nothing to do with the magi. – And John is going to feel close to God. – Pitiful – What sort of Christianity is that?
iii. Not from “this” Bible! ~ Jesus bid us come to Him.
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (NKJV)
iv. You & I are called to draw near to Jesus.
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (NKJV)
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (NKJV)
v. More than that He is always close by
Hebrews 13:5 For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (NKJV)
B. Come Let Us Adore Him
i. It’s Christmas let’s draw near, O come let us adore Him. Come to worship Him. – The Shepherds, / wise men, / angels worshipped Him as a new born baby lying in a manger.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (NKJV)
ii. Today He is no longer in that manger as a baby. No, He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. He is the Lamb that was slain. – & Rev 1:12-18
iii. All power to meet every need / wisdom to counsel in every situation / strength to lift you up & to comfort / Glory to be worshipped. – Don’t hang back draw near – Worship Him.