Christmas Shopping November 30, 2014 Sermon #659

November 30, 2014 Sermon #659

Christmas Shopping

Introduction:Two men decided to go boating while their wives went Christmas shopping. While they were out in the boat, a terrible storm arose. The sea became very choppy and they had a difficult time keeping the boat under control. As they steered toward land, they hit a sandbar and the boat grounded. They both jumped out of the boat and began to push and shove with all their might to get the boat back into the water. As the waves bounced him against the side of the boat, and his hair was blowing wildly in the wind, one of the men said with a smile on his face, “It sure beats Christmas shopping, doesn’t it?”

There is the strange story in the Bible of men who went Christmas shopping two years before Christmas.

Matthew 2:1-16(NKJV) – 1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

7Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. 13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

16Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

I. They Arrive After Christmas

Matthew 2:1-2(NKJV) – 1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:16(NKJV) – 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Are received by Herod

Who were these wise men? They were the professors and philosophers of their day, originating from the country we now call Iraq. These professionals were brilliant and highly educated scholars who were trained in medicine, history, religion, prophecy and astronomy. Our modern word “magistrate” is a direct descendant of the word magi. Since these men thought deeply about life, it certainly makes sense to call them “wise men.”

They were also trained in what we would call astrology. Back then, astrology was connected with people’s search for God. The ancients studied the skies in order to find answers to the great questions of life - Questions like: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going?

The important fact for us to know about these Christmas characters is that they were highly influential men who served as advisors to the king. While they were not kings themselves, it would not be far from the truth to call them kingmakers.

What possibly could have motivated them to make a treacherous 1,000-mile journey across the desert? There’s only one answer to that question -- they have come to see a baby King. This is fascinating. They knew a baby had been born but they didn’t know where. They knew he was a King but didn’t know His name. So they come to Jerusalem--the capital city--seeking help. It actually makes sense that they went to Jerusalem because they wanted to welcome the “King of the Jews.” They guessed that this newborn king was the son of Herod the Great. They assume that everyone must know about this baby. But a

great surprise awaits them.

Most of our pictures of the Magi show three guys riding three camels across the desert. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no way that these men traveled 1,000 miles across the desert by themselves. That just doesn’t make sense. In those days, the only way you could travel in the desert was in a large caravan. The Magi would have swept into Jerusalem with pomp and circumstance and all covered with dust. At a minimum they would have brought with them a full military escort along with their servants. The total party could have amounted to more than 300 people.

No wonder all of Jerusalem was buzzing. By the way, it’s interesting that the Magi had no trouble gaining an audience with King Herod. That fact alone shows us how important and distinguished they were. When he finds out that they have come to worship a new King, he then wants to know where this threat to his throne was located.

So he turns to the scribes and religious leaders for advice. He has only one question in verse 4: Where is this child to be born? The scribes don’t have to look it up. They already know the answer. 700 years earlier the prophet Micah in Micah 5:2 had predicted the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. That was common knowledge in Israel. Little children learned that in Sabbath School before they were six years old. It’s hard to believe that Herod didn’t know it. If you add what the scribes knew to what the wise men figured out, you can conclude that the signs of Jesus’ coming were clear enough for anyone to see. Remember this – God always speaks loud enough for a willing ear to hear. The wise men heard and did something; the religious scholars knew and did nothing. As the Magi set out for Bethlehem, which was only five miles south of Jerusalem, the star they saw in the east suddenly reappears. Verse 9 is very specific. It says the star went on before them until it came and stood over the very home where the baby Jesus was.

II. The Star

ILL: When I was a boy my class visited the observatory. One astronomer from Rutgers University argues that it was an alignment of stars and planets that ancient astrologers would have recognized as significant. Jupiter was considered the planet of kings, and a lunar eclipse of Jupiter in the constellation which was an ancient symbol of Judea, would have excited expectations of a divine birth in the Jerusalem area. According to sophisticated calculations, this would have appeared in the year of Christ’s birth.

A British Astrophysicist argues that the Bethlehem star was indeed a real star that can still be seen by telescope today. Back when Jesus was born, it was a bright nova. In fact ancient Chinese astronomers report that an unusually bright star appeared in the exact year that Jesus was born. Like the astronomer from Rutgers, he argues that ancient astrologers would have found the nova significant because of where and when it appeared during a triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces. According to this researcher, the conjunctions would have told the Magi “to await news from Judea and, possibly, to expect the imminent birth of the Messiah.”

III. The Gifts

A. TheMagistartedshoppingearly-twoyearsbeforeChristmas

B. Gold-thegiftforaKing

Genesis 41:42-43(NKJV) – 42Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.

C. Frankincense-thegiftofworship

Leviticus 2:1-2(NKJV) – 1‘When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. 2He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

ILL: The gifts were probably not wrapped. Mary would have saved the paper and bows and Jesus would have played with the wrapper instead of the frankincense!

D. Myrrh - for one who was born to die

Genesis 37:25(NKJV) – 25And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt.

IV. What to Put on Your Christmas List

A. A Personal gift "God so gave you His Son."

B. APracticalgift.

Romans 12:6-8(NKJV) – 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

C. A Pleasing Gift.

Acts 10:44-46(NKJV) – 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered...

D. A Permanent gift.

Romans 11:29(NKJV) – 29the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

ILL:The man who bought his wife a diamond ring...his friend says, "I thought she

wanted a four-wheel drive car?" "Yes" he replied, "but where am I going to find a fake

car?"

E. A Purchased gift

Romans 5:15-17(NKJV) – 15But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

ILL: The fruit Eve gave to Adam was not hers - it belonged to God.

Conclusion:

Romans 8:31-32(NKJV) – 31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?