Christmas 2016 - Transformed by Christmas

Lord, Jesus, thank You for coming to this earth. Heavenly father, thank You for sending your Son so that we might have light. You allow us to see because You became a part of this creation – You made a home here with us. The people who needed You to live with us forever. Help us to focus our hearts and attention on You.

Matthew 2: 2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

A number of years ago, we did a series on “Advent through the Christmas Carols”. They are so rich – so worshipful – and many of them have incredible theology and can bring us before the Lord in unique ways when we understand what we are singing – but there are things in some of them that just aren’t accurate – but we have come to believe some of these things. The first is – Grandma NEVER got run over by a reindeer.

While We Three Kings is a great song – it is important to understand some things – first – they were not kings. Second – there were probably not three of them – and third – they are not from Orientare (Kinda what I used to think – like in the Romulan Nebula or something). They were part astrologers, part satraps, part shaman…

They would not have been permitted to enter into God’s temple. They were most likely from Persia/Iran/Iraq – these are the same race of people who opposed Daniel – and yet, they play a pivotal role in the Christmas story. Throughout Advent – we have been introduced to characters who we think should not be part of this story. And yet here they are.

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

Herod is kind of a counterfeit king. He is Roman. He is not a Caesar. He is impressed with the Magi – and he is disturbed. It brings a challenge to his throne and he is afraid – that the rightful king has been born and will take his throne.

There were Jewish people who were raising revolts against the Roman Empire – and Herod is responsible to see that it doesn’t happen. So Herod tries to ‘take out his rival’ – and you’ll see – kills the infants under the age of two.

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;

For out of you shall come forth a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.

There have been all types of attempts to explain this – how this star and that planet lined up – but I don’t think it was like that. I think it was a God-thing. I don’t think it is like the Nativity scenes where the star is pointing to the manger – but these pagans saw this – and it seems no one else did.

These things teach us about God and how He works. Why these people? Why the Magi? It was not an accident. It was a long journey for them. They saw the star rise; they knew a king was to be born- and they come.

God started with the Magi right where they were. He worked with them according to their understanding. They were astrologers. So how did God draw them to Himself? He used astrology – THAT THING THAT WOULD BE FORBIDDEN BY THE LAW – to draw them to Himself. It would be easy to say – God would never use astrology to bring someone to Himself. We might say that about things today – but God often does that.

There are so many stories today of people who are atheists – and mostly because of their ‘scientific minds’ they become atheists – and there are times where God uses science to bring them to Himself.

There was an investigative journalist – kinda like Carl Monday – named Lee Strobel – and he took his investigative skills to try to prove that Jesus could not have risen from the dead. And now he writes books trying to prove it is true.

C.S. Lewis – one of the greatest 20th century authors – was a man of great learning – and God used great learning to bring him to God.

My dad – though he was not a great scientist or investigative reporter or a great author – he was just my dad. When I came to Christ - he started to study to prove me wrong. And eventually, God won him!

Our problem – we think people can’t come to Jesus unless they stop thinking acting, or believing this way – but God says – NO – it is the thinking, acting, and believing that God will use!

Jesus the Messiah is king of the Jews and king of the Gentiles – When Abraham blessed Abraham – He indicated it was to bless the entire world – and now Jesus reaches the Gentilest of the Gentiles.

God is a God of transformation. These ‘priests’/magi – transformed to worship Jesus. Their entire world is rocked and changed when they see this baby. Everything they ever thought is flipped on its head.

The magi come to Bethlehem because of a star – where they were to where they never expected – and now Christmas should give us hope because it is God coming to change us.

We all know someone who is far from God.

It says they are from the East. In the Bible – East is symbolic of bad things. They come from a bad place – and we all know people like that – and it means that God can take people from any place and can take their situation to do His work. We think nothing will happen until they change – and it is where they are.

The apostle Paul was on the road to Damascus to persecute and imprison Christians – and it was there on the road that God grabbed him. It is true for all of us – no matter how young you were when you came to Christ – you were on your own road to Damascus – you were from the East – in a bad place – and God brought us from there.

This is also hope for those of us who have a relationship with God. He meets us right where we are. Everything He wants to do – he wants to do where we are. If it is a dysfunctional family or a bad marriage or personal problems – you don’t have to change before you can be transformed. God never blesses us somewhere else – He only blesses us where we are. That is where we need to look for them.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

There is a comparison of the false king to the real king – Herod/Jesus. We think of peace when we think of Christmas. But in reality – there was violence – no peace. All was not calm. Now, there was peace in the spiritual sense – no question – but not in reality.

There is no peace today. Another attack – another war. Jesus said – Peace I give you – I do not give it as the world does. The world promotes peace. The Roman world promoted peace. But that peace does not come that way – and it doesn’t last.

First aspect of peace – our own peace with God. Because of Christ – we can each find peace in our relationship with God. That is the beginning point. It doesn’t stop there – but it starts there. For those who have found peace must become a community of peace – a place where peace is the norm. The Church – God’s people – is where peace is lived out and revealed. Our purpose is to create a community of peace that acts as a witness to the world so we can say – this is peace.

Just think – with our racial issues – if the church globally had no racial barrier or boundary – think of what that would do! The world would say – what is going on?!

In the Roman world – after Jesus – the world was a divided place – those who had money and power and very good lives vs. those who had no money and were poverty stricken. When the church first formed – what did they do? They formed a community. For those who couldn’t afford a baby – they would throw it out. And the church would pick them up and bring them in.

About 150 years after Jesus rose – an Emperor saw what was going on and said – Everyone is becoming Christians! And he started social programs. we are called to peace.

Herod Slaughters Babies

16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,

Weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children;

And she refused to be comforted,

Because they were no more.”

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”