Wise Men Still Seek Him

December 25, 2005

Read Matthew 2:1-11

• As we look at what Christmas should be, in retrospect of what it is, one cannot help but ask what happened? It’s simple - people stopped exalting the Lord and began to exalt man. Think about what Christmas is all about today: family, gifts, food, entertainment, time off from work. In and of itself, nothing is wrong with any of these things except when you see them as the number one priority above the Lord.
• Here’s an example: “Family is coming in, I don’t want to offend them so I’ll stay home and drop all activities. In fact, I’ll shop till I drop to find the right gift for that special someone; I’ll even make that favorite dish and put up with sports all day, because this is family time.” Again, nothing is wrong with this picture unless that day happens to fall on a Sunday - the day singled out by God for us to come and worship Him together.
• What do we do? Should we put off what scripture has said, rationalizing that “Hey, it’s only for one week,” or should we, knowing that the world, our children, friends, coworkers, even family members who may not know the Lord are watching, set the example by obeying Hebrews 10:25 and worshipping the Lord; even going as far as to invite them.
• This story puts everything back into its proper perspective. We begin when Jesus was born in Luke 2:4-7. Swaddling clothes were often used for the dead in burial, and here Jesus comes into the world wrapped in the same cloth. It’s a sure sign that He was born to die.
• According to Luke 2:8-20, the first of those who sought Him were the Shepherds. They were the lowest on the social pecking order, good for only one thing - to lay out in the fields with the dirty sheep. These are who the Lord chose to introduce His son to first--the lowest on the social ladder. This goes in line with James 4:6 and what 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 says about us.
• Here are 5 points about these Shepherds:
  1. They refused to let fear control their actions, as they still went (v10,15)
  2. They looked at this event with spiritual eyes and not natural wisdom, saying the Lord has made known to us (v15)
  3. They moved with haste, having a godly expectation and not a worldly procrastination (v16)
  4. Just as they were given good news they went out and spread the good news (v17)
  5. Spiritual revelation should always lead to Christ glorification (v20)
• The second person to come looking for the Lord was a man named Simeon (Luke 2:25-32). Notice he is called “just” and “devout.” The word “just” can be translated righteous or upright, meaning he wasn’t sinless but he was in a right place with God. This is evident because he is waiting on God for the Messiah. And not only is he waiting but believing also. Many wait because they have to, not because they trust the Lord. There is a big difference between the two.
• The third person is Anna in Luke 2:36-38. She’s a widow who is either 104 or 84 years old. Either way, we see that she is not really concerned with her status in life, she’s only concerned with her place in glory, as she serves her Lord day and night in the temple--she must have had living quarters there.
• The fourth member our group searching for the Messiah is found in Matthew 2:1-11. Verse 1 indicates that these men were not Jews but Gentiles. We see that in verse 4, those who should have been seeking were not, even though they knew where to find the Messiah. Here’s a nugget of truth: When you truly meet the Lord, regardless of why you came, you will leave worshipping (v11).
• In closing, we have seen 4 sets of people, all with a unique set of circumstances, that relate to Christmas:
  1. The lowly Shepherds - an ostracized group--nobody wanted to be around them yet God chose to let them be the first of society’s social order to hear the good news. If Christmas was really about Christ and His life based on this example, then who should we share our time with during this season? Those who are the most fortunate or less fortunate? Those on the higher end of society or lower end? Those who are prideful or humble?
  2. Simeon - instead of looking to be entertained, he is looking for the Savior. In a time in which Jesus should be glorified, He’s minimized by all sorts of parades that have nothing to do with Him; floats with Santa Claus and reindeer, and we think it’s all innocent fun, but at whose expense? Our Lord is the Gift-Giver not some figment of our imagination. We fall for this because unlike Simeon we are not waiting on the Lord or watching for the Lord.
  3. Anna - a widow who has been serving God for a long time, when Jesus is brought in she recognized Him instantly! You may ask, how? The natural cravings of this world didn’t mean much to her; she has put down her plate (in fasting) and sacrificed her time (in prayer). Satan has really done a number on us for Christmas, as most herald a façade that says it is more blessed to give than to receive. But what happens when that child doesn’t get that X box or designer jacket? Here’s the problem. In fact, did you know that it’s during this time of the year when suicide rates triple. And it’s not because they didn’t get to give but rather because they feel they didn’t receive enough of something.
  4. The Wise Men - wise because they seek to worship Jesus not because they followed the signs. We are wise not because we have a head knowledge of Christ, like most do for Christmas, but because we have a heart acceptance that propels us to live a life geared to glorify and exalt Christ.