Christmas: Worshipping, Welcoming and weighing the meaning of the messiah

Mt. 2:1-12, Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:22-38

 

The facts of Christmas, rhymed in carols, recited by children in church plays, illustrated on cards, have become so familiar that it is easy to miss the message behind the facts.

 

Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew,

 

Text

 

Part 1:  Worshiping the King: Mt. 2:1-12, Read by Gerry Coller

Part 2: Welcoming the Savior: Luke 2:8-20, Read by Sue Coller

Part 3: Weighing the Meaning of Christmas: Luke 2:22-38, Read by Moe Bergeron

 

1.      Part 1:  Worshiping the King: Mt. 2:1-12, Read by Gerry Coller

Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV)

 

1.1.                  Tale of two kings.

 

1.1.1.Herod

  • ““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.”

"And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: 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. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!”" (Numbers 24:15-19, ESV)

  • King David’s reaction?
  • “He was troubled.” (and all Jerusalem with him….”)
  • Why troubled about the “King of the Jews”?
  • Is this not the Messiah?  The deliverer?
  • Should not he have rejoiced?

King George II story – standing for the Hallelujah chorus.

 

HEROD. Some facts.

  • Title of “King of the Jews” by the Romans
  • Connived, killed and coveted to be the undisputed King.
  • Worldly government, dirty politics.
  • Killed his wife because of dispute
  • His own sons
  • He attempted to kill the Son of God.-
  • How pitiful.
  • Trading passing glory for something of eternal weight.
  • All the treasure of the earth is not worth the King’s glory!
  • The pearl of great price.
  • Knowing Jesus!

Philippians 3:8-11 (ESV)

 

Philippians 4:12-14 (ESV)

 

Keeper of the dump.

  • Is there something you are treasuring more than just pure worship of the king expressed by laying all of your treasure down?

 

1.2.                  Jesus

“ ‘And you, O Bethlehem,

in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

 for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7

 

  • Look at this king.

1.2.1.He is a ruler.

 

Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)

 

"The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:9-13, ESV)

 

 

Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV)

 

Revelation 5:1-14 (ESV)

 

1.2.2.He is to be a shepherd.

 

  • Jesus as a shepherd.

John 10:2-18 (ESV)

 

  • The good shepherd.
  • Laying his life down for his sheep.
  • Knowing his sheep.
  • Caring for his sheep.
  • Abiding with HIM!
  • Compared to Herod!

 

1.3.                  Tale of two responses.

 

  • Two responses to the news of a King.
  • Rejection and enmity.
  • Costly worship!
  • Their treasures – gold, frankincense and myrhh.
  • Worship must cost us something.
  • No cheap worship.

1 Chronicles 21:24 (ESV)
24 But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

  • He is the king!
  • He is worthy!
  • Are you offering him your treasure?
  • Are you bowing down to him?
  • Or are you protecting your domain?
  • Surrender all to Jesus –
  • All your dreams, all your ambitions, all your goods, all your life.
  • Worship the King!
  • Are we a keeper of the dump or are we laying all our treasures at His feet?

 

2.      Part 2: Welcoming the Savior: Luke 2:8-20, Read by Sue Coller

Luke 2:1-20 (ESV)

 

2.1.                  A Lowly Savior of Lowly Birth

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

  • Condescension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

2.2.                  Why not born a Roman!  Conquering in power?

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

  • Roman Governement – the most important and grandest nation on earth.  Emporers and generals.
  • No thought of obscure Nazareth or Bethlehem.
  • In the world greatness is measured by power and control or domination
  • In God’s eyes the obscure can be great.
  • Greatness in his kingdom is measured in lowliness and service to others.
  • Take heart o KGC!!

 

"Before Jesus, almost no pagan author had used "humble" as a compliment. Yet the events of Christmas point inescapably to what seems like an oxymoron: a humble God

 (The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey, p.36)

 

2.3.                  Born in a lowly place, a stable, placed in a feeding trough!

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

  • Homeless shelter!
  • A stable – the back of the inn or underneath in a cave.
  • “How Quaint” – NOT.
  • Ever been in a stable?  What is it like? It Stinks!  Manure, stinky animals –
  • HUMILIATING!

Grocery boy job!

  • God humbled himself – subjecting himself to a humiliating birth! 
  • To be the servant of all,
  • to demonstrate his incredible love in identifying with us and serving us!  None too low! 
  • God most high Became most lowly!

Queen Elizabeth II recently visited the United States, and reporters delighted in spelling out the logistics involved: her four THOUSAND pounds of luggage included two suits for every occasion, a mourning outfit in case someone died, forty pints of plasma, and white kid leather toilet seat covers. She brought along her own hairdresser, two valets, and a host of other attendants. A brief visit of royalty to a foreign country can easily cost twenty MILLION dollars. In meek contrast, God's visit to earth took place in an animal shelter with no attendants present and nowhere to lay the newborn King but a feed trough."

The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey

 

The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding. 

Martin Luther, Table Talk.

 

3D vs. 2D,

The sum of our knowledge and experience – a drop in the bucket.

 

How Big is you God this Christmas??

The incarnate word!

How can it be! Infinitude and a man united!

 

2.4.                  A Lowly Savior for Lowly People

 

2.4.1.Shepherds worship

  • Shepherds – euangellizomai.
  • Mega delight!!
  • All people!!
  • Let us make haste!! Too!!
  • Glorifying and praising God!!
  • A Savior to us!!
  • WOW!!!!

2.5.                  Born to lowly people.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,  who was with child

 

  • Joseph and Mary – though of David – simple folks!
  • Not the beautiful people – nothing to get on Entertainment tonight! Never on People Magazine!
  • Simple folks.
  • No donkey image!  Walked!  Three days!
  • In poverty by todays standards.
  • Nobodies by Roman standards.
  • Yet – somebody in God’s eyes!

 

“This is the one whom I esteem, he who is lowly and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”                                                                                                                                             Is 66:2

  • This was their disposition – so they were great in God’s eyes! 
  • He esteemed them!!  - Born to lowly people - people he esteemed!

 

2.6.                  Revealed to lowly people.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  10 And the angel said to them,

 

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

 

  • Shepherds – the bottom of the social ladder – like garbage truck workers –
  • Low, simple, dirty, common
  • Not a job the religious elite would have.
  • Away from home for extended times, away from the temple for extended times.
  • Yet God showed himself to such as these!!!
  • God chooses the weak to shame the wise!

26 For consider your calling, brothers:  not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,  not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But  God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;  God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even  things that are not, to  bring to nothing things that are, 29 so  that no human being  might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our  wisdom and our  righteousness and  sanctification and  redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written,  “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Cor. 1:26:31

 

  • God is so awesome!  His ways so wise!!
  • HE LOVES HUMILITY!!
  • HE HIMSELF IS HUMBLE!!
  • Do you believe this or are you striving to be “somebody”
  • God esteems the lowly godward one.
  • Strive for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Mt. 11:25-30

 

"'God is great, the cry of the Moslems, is a truth which needed no supernatural to teach us. That God is little, that is the truth which Jesus taught humankind."                                  Father Neville Figgis

 

God most high Became most lowly, Will you worship Him?

 

2.7.                  Died a lowly death

21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

  • Jesus – God saves! – A Lowly mission before Him!
  • The humility of Jesus!

Philippians 2

  • The GOSPEL!!
  • HEAVEN à EMPTIED SELF à MANGER à SERVANT à DEATH à CRUCIFIXION

à      HIGHEST PLACE à NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME!  à ALL WILL BOW AND WORSHIP.

  • Call today to worship.
  • Repent and believe the good news – he came for the lowly!
  • Receive forgiveness!

Receive the great exchange!

21  For our sake he made him to be sin  who knew no sin, so that in him we might become  the righteousness of God.                     2 Cor 5:21

 

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

Will you welcome the Savior and worship with the Angels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

3.      Part 3: Weighing the Meaning of Christmas: Luke 2:22-38, Read by Moe Bergeron

Luke 2:22-38 (ESV)

 

·         A light for revelation to the Gentiles

·         Glory to your people Israel

 

·         This child is appointed for the falling and rising of many in Israel

·         A sign that is opposed.

 

·          Not all Merry Christmas!

·          Some a blessing

·          Some a curse.

 

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (ESV)
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

 

  • Herod didn’t think so.
  • Many others would not think so.
  • What makes the difference?
  • Multifaceted answer.
  • Matter of the heart.
  • Pride vs. humility.
  • Lowly vs. puffed up.
  • Do you need a Savior this Christmas?
  • Are you willing to forsake all to follow Him?
  • Will you lay down your life, your treasures, your everything for this King?
  • He offers himself freely
  • Will you receive, will you worship, will you follow, will you give your life for this King, this Savior, this Lord?
  • This is the call of Christmas.  This is the gift of Christmas.
  • Come and worship.  Come and enjoy, come and celebrate.

 

We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship ; for when the soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God’s glory, though it may not express itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as “the Wonderful.” That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction, should himself undertake to be man’s Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself. It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you . Let your soul lose itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving . It will cause within you godly watchfulness ; you will be afraid to sin against such a love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of his dear Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope . If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard, but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the throne, by wondering at what God has done.

 

Spurgeon, C. H. Morning and Evening : Daily Readings, January 26 PM. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995.

 

 

4.      Conclusion Applications