Christmas day came and went so quickly, and as usual, I felt a little bit sad that it was all over. I love the lights, the colors, the warm glow in our hearts and our homes, the food (a little too much) and most of all the Christmas story of my Savior's birth. And so it is that this year I've decided to extend the Holy-day. I'm going to celebrate the real Christmas season, the real 12 days of Christmas. I'm hanging on until Epiphany, and then I'm going to give my best gifts to Messiah! How's that for keeping Christmas?
Yesterday, I asked my Sunday School class members, “How many times do you suppose you’ve heard the Nativity story, the Christmas story, over the course of your lifetime?” I guessed at least 153 times, figuring I’ve heard it at least 3 times each Christmas season I’ve lived, and I’m 51 years old. Some estimated 300 times, and we all agreed we should know the story pretty well. And we did according to a short online quiz we completed. We did pretty much know the events of that wonderful night, but we all had to admit we stumbled a little on the prophecies and who said what, as well the happenings after Jesus was born. We finished the story, reading from Matthew 2, including the visit by the Magi, the flight to Egypt and the return to Nazareth, all of which were ordained by God to set salvation's story in motion.
You see, that story just began with the birth of Jesus. My question is: What will we do with the story? What will we do with Christmas? How will we honor the One who left heaven's throne to be born in the lowliest estate? Will we live in a way that brings glory to the one and only Way who could have saved us from heaven but instead came to earth, walked among men, showed us the way, so that we would know how to live, how to become more like Him? What will we do with His sacrificial birth and death, and praise God, His resurrection?
Think back to the shepherds. How did they respond? (Luke 2:9--they were sore afraid; Luke 2:15—yet they went straight to Bethlehem—they didn’t dilly dally; Luke 2:16—they came in a hurry—they didn't wait, they couldn’t wait; Luke 2:17—they made what they had been told and seen known to others—they had church right there—they worshiped Him right there in the stable—right there in Bethlehem; Luke 2:20—they went home glorifying and praising God;they were still worshiping—they were still praising God for what they had seen and heard—they took the Good News with them!)
And what about the Magi, the Wise Men? Think about their reaction to the news that Messiah had been born and the fact that they came. Think about it—non-Jews, perhaps not even religious men, probably not kings, but intelligent men of science and probably financial means. We don’t know much about them, other than they studied the stars and they came from the east, maybe Persia or Arabia. They knew when they saw the star as it rose that this was no ordinary star; it had to have been a supernatural act of God, and they followed it. They followed it! Don't let that fact be lost on you--they followed a star for heaven's sake! They traveled a great distance to Jerusalem, the logical place to find the King of the Jews. After talking with King Herod, the star appeared again to them and they rejoiced exceedingly Matthew 2:10 tells us. They fell to the ground and worshiped Him right there in the house. Maybe that was the first house church! And they came bearing gifts, expensive gifts, or perhaps more importantly, their very best gifts.
What about King Herod? This was an evil, evil man. We know from history that Herod the Great cared only about power and his throne. He was a non-Jew appointed by the Roman senate to be king of Judea. He was ruthless. He murdered his wife, his three sons, his mother-in-law, his brother-in law, his uncles, so it was no skin off his back to murder the children in Bethlehem who were two years old and under! He was troubled and verse 3 tells us, "and all Jerusalem with him." All Jerusalem, folks! These were Jews. These included the high priests, the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers of the law. These were the very people who had waited so long for the Messiah, and now that He was here, they were troubled! Why would Jews play a part in Herod’s plot to kill the baby Jesus? What mattered to Herod was that he remove the threat to his throne by making sure the long-awaited Messiah, the King of the Jews did not live. What mattered to these Jews was that Herod not be upset, that a commotion not arise for which they would surely suffer. And so they pacified their evil king to protect their personal interests. How sad, that's what they did with Christmas.
Christmas isn’t over. So what will we do? January 6 is Epiphany, the day that commemorates the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. Whether you leave your decorations up or not, I hope you’ll leave Christmas in your heart at least through this day. Decide how you will respond to his birth, his life, and his sacrificial death and resurrection. What will you do with Him in the new year? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). Like the Magi from the East, I plan to bring him my best gifts! Won't you, too?
Yesterday, I asked my Sunday School class members, “How many times do you suppose you’ve heard the Nativity story, the Christmas story, over the course of your lifetime?” I guessed at least 153 times, figuring I’ve heard it at least 3 times each Christmas season I’ve lived, and I’m 51 years old. Some estimated 300 times, and we all agreed we should know the story pretty well. And we did according to a short online quiz we completed. We did pretty much know the events of that wonderful night, but we all had to admit we stumbled a little on the prophecies and who said what, as well the happenings after Jesus was born. We finished the story, reading from Matthew 2, including the visit by the Magi, the flight to Egypt and the return to Nazareth, all of which were ordained by God to set salvation's story in motion.
You see, that story just began with the birth of Jesus. My question is: What will we do with the story? What will we do with Christmas? How will we honor the One who left heaven's throne to be born in the lowliest estate? Will we live in a way that brings glory to the one and only Way who could have saved us from heaven but instead came to earth, walked among men, showed us the way, so that we would know how to live, how to become more like Him? What will we do with His sacrificial birth and death, and praise God, His resurrection?
Think back to the shepherds. How did they respond? (Luke 2:9--they were sore afraid; Luke 2:15—yet they went straight to Bethlehem—they didn’t dilly dally; Luke 2:16—they came in a hurry—they didn't wait, they couldn’t wait; Luke 2:17—they made what they had been told and seen known to others—they had church right there—they worshiped Him right there in the stable—right there in Bethlehem; Luke 2:20—they went home glorifying and praising God;they were still worshiping—they were still praising God for what they had seen and heard—they took the Good News with them!)
And what about the Magi, the Wise Men? Think about their reaction to the news that Messiah had been born and the fact that they came. Think about it—non-Jews, perhaps not even religious men, probably not kings, but intelligent men of science and probably financial means. We don’t know much about them, other than they studied the stars and they came from the east, maybe Persia or Arabia. They knew when they saw the star as it rose that this was no ordinary star; it had to have been a supernatural act of God, and they followed it. They followed it! Don't let that fact be lost on you--they followed a star for heaven's sake! They traveled a great distance to Jerusalem, the logical place to find the King of the Jews. After talking with King Herod, the star appeared again to them and they rejoiced exceedingly Matthew 2:10 tells us. They fell to the ground and worshiped Him right there in the house. Maybe that was the first house church! And they came bearing gifts, expensive gifts, or perhaps more importantly, their very best gifts.
What about King Herod? This was an evil, evil man. We know from history that Herod the Great cared only about power and his throne. He was a non-Jew appointed by the Roman senate to be king of Judea. He was ruthless. He murdered his wife, his three sons, his mother-in-law, his brother-in law, his uncles, so it was no skin off his back to murder the children in Bethlehem who were two years old and under! He was troubled and verse 3 tells us, "and all Jerusalem with him." All Jerusalem, folks! These were Jews. These included the high priests, the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers of the law. These were the very people who had waited so long for the Messiah, and now that He was here, they were troubled! Why would Jews play a part in Herod’s plot to kill the baby Jesus? What mattered to Herod was that he remove the threat to his throne by making sure the long-awaited Messiah, the King of the Jews did not live. What mattered to these Jews was that Herod not be upset, that a commotion not arise for which they would surely suffer. And so they pacified their evil king to protect their personal interests. How sad, that's what they did with Christmas.
Christmas isn’t over. So what will we do? January 6 is Epiphany, the day that commemorates the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. Whether you leave your decorations up or not, I hope you’ll leave Christmas in your heart at least through this day. Decide how you will respond to his birth, his life, and his sacrificial death and resurrection. What will you do with Him in the new year? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). Like the Magi from the East, I plan to bring him my best gifts! Won't you, too?
