Pastor Cal Lord's Recent Sermons
A Gift of a Savior
Matthew 2:1-12 December 19, 2004
I love Christmas. It is a time of celebration. For some reason, at Christmas time, people suddenly
start thinking about family and friends and love and peace, about giving and sharing and helping
those in need. I’m not really sure why we wait until December to begin being this way. I wish
that people were like this all year round.
Now some people complain about this. They criticize the folks who never mention the name of
Jesus during the year, but go all out at Christmas. You know I don’t care. The truth is, that
Christmas gives you and me the opportunity to share the most wonderful gift of all.
I am reminded of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well. She and Jesus were talking
when the woman said to Him,
“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men
ought to worship.”
Jesus replied to the woman by pointing out that her worship was all wrong. He said,
“Woman…you don’t know what you worship. We know what we worship: for salvation is of
the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the
Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him.”
Listen, there are people all around us this Christmas season celebrating – and like that woman
they talk about the meaning of Christmas and think they know what it’s all about, but I think we
find ourselves in Jesus’ position – “Woman…you don’t know what you worship.”
A lot of people don’t have a clue what Christmas is all about – but there will be a day when they
will find out. God wants them to. I’ll add this too: if we really love people the way we ought to,
then we’ll not condemn them for their wrong ideas about Christmas – we’ll try to reach them in
love with the message of the birth of the Savior!
I got so mad the other day. I heard this television preacher condemning everything about the
modern practice of Christmas. He was putting down everything from Christmas trees, lights in
the windows, Santa Claus and Frosty. He was telling his audience how all these things stemmed
from pagan practices and the people who participated in them were going to hell!
Guess what? He was right about the hell part. But he was pretty confused about everything else.
You see, before Christ’s coming, all of us were condemned no matter what we did. But the
good news of the season is that Christ came bringing salvation.
What that preacher missed is the fact that with all these people celebrating the birth of Jesus, you
and I have a golden opportunity to tell them about the gift God has given, the gift of a savior.
And that gift wasn’t given just to Bible-toting Christians. It was given to everyone who wants it.
It was given to the politician who leads the tree lighting ceremony because he wants to be seen.
It was given for the employee at work who gets the boss something because she thinks it will
help her situation. It was given for the mother who bakes Christmas cookies for the school so
her child will be looked at favorably. It was given for the winner of the best Christmas lighting
display and the storekeeper who is excited over the profits he is making. The thing is that some
of them just don’t know it yet.
The truth laid out in our passage today is that God Will Lead Those Who Are Truly Seeking
Christ to Him. We see that so clearly in the wise men who traveled from the east.
The word in which we get wise men, is actually the word magi, the same root for the word
magician. Most people assume there were three of them, an idea that probably came from the
fact that there are only three gifts mentioned in the Bible. There could have been two, a dozen, or
several dozen. We just don’t know.
These magi had come from the east, from the area in or around Babylon, an area often
represented in the Bible as being lost or apart from God’s way of thinking. Geographically
speaking it is present day Iraq.
While we don’t really know where they got their information, some scholars speculate that they
had the writings of Daniel as a guide. Remember that Daniel had been in Babylonian captivity
most of his life, first as a servant of the king, but as the Lord blessed and prospered him, he
became one of the wise men of Babylon – one of the magi. As Daniel wrote and studied, he left
important information that would later, guide these magi to the King of the Jews! In fact, Daniel’
s prophecies practically told them when the Messiah would be born – it just didn’t tell them
where.
In fact, I want you to see something very interesting in Matthew 2:2. When the magi got to
Jerusalem, they started asking around about Him. They asked, “Where is he that is born King of
the Jews?” You know what, these words frame the new testament. These are the first recorded
words spoken by a person in the entire New Testament. Did you ever think about that?
In Matthew 1, you only have the words of the angel. The first words spoken by a human being
in the New Testament form the question, “Where is the Messiah?”
And it was the wise men, who asked the question. The truth is, wise men are still searching for
Christ. They are not the magi of Babylon, but men and women all around us who are looking at
their lives and the world around them and searching for answers.
The newspapers are filled with stories about people searching for deeper spirituality. The book
stores are filled with books that try to help people get to the meaning of life. At Christmas
everyone gets caught up in the search.
There is something in the air. The wise men followed a star. Today they follow the carol, or the
holly or the Santa Claus searching for the deeper meaning that will bring hope and joy into their
lives.
I think sometimes the people who are closest to the Savior have a hard time understanding this. It
was that way in Israel. When those wise men got to Jerusalem, they knew there was a King born
among them, and they were from Iraq!
These Jews had been given more prophecy than anyone in the world, they were living right on
top of Bethlehem, but they didn’t have a clue! They hadn’t been looking at all – in fact, when the
magi showed up and started asking questions, the locals became very disturbed. Herod gathered
together the chief priests and the scribes and demanded some information. They were living right
in the middle of what God was doing and missed it all! They didn’t even know that they had a
gift to be shared.
You and I need to be aware of that. Christmas offers us all the gift of a Savior and it is our job to
share the good news with all who are seeking. Then together we can worship Him.
Look at verse 11 with me again. “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young
child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their
treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
If there is one thing that is clear in the writings of the New Testament, it is God’s desire that His
Son Christ receive our worship. In the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of all
heaven. The angels worship Him. The 24 elders worship Him. The saints worship Him, and one
day you and I will worship Him with all our being. The Bible says that He is worthy to receive
our worship, and that even those who refuse to come to Him in this life will bow to Him in the
judgment. God wants our worship!
Those wise men set out on that journey with little idea of what they would find, but when they
got there, they fell to their knees in worship! They bowed in humble adoration – not to a
powerful ruler or world dictator, but to a helpless little child – they didn’t need an explanation of
what lie before them. They didn’t have to wait and see what He would do for them. There were
no questions, no demands, nothing! They fell and worshipped!
You know that is how it is with new Christians. They are so excited. They get it. This Jesus
Christ is the Savior of the world.
It makes me wonder why so many of us in the church have such a difficult time worshipping? I
think it goes back to our searching. We live so much of our lives just going through the motions,
and like the chief priests and scribes of Jesus’ day, we get so caught up with everything else,
that we forget that God is at work in our world right under our noses! We need to hear about the
magi and be reminded that we have already received this precious gift and it is now ours to
share. People all around us are looking for Him. Let’s get excited about Christmas. Let’s tell the
world about our Savior, Christ, the Lord.
Benediction:
Where are you in your journey? Are you following the light of God in your search for the
Messiah? Are you wishing and searching for something like the magi? Maybe this morning all
you know is that there has been an emptiness stirring in your heart and you don’t know what it is
searching for. Whatever it is, I want to assure you that if you will diligently seek Him, God will
lead you to Jesus every time.
Come to Christ today in humble adoration, bowing yourself in His presence, giving Him
everything you have in worship, worship due to the One who was born to live a sinless life that
He might die to set you free. Whatever your need, whatever you’re searching for, you’ll find it
today in Jesus – Praise the Lord. Let’s go out and tell the world. Jesus Christ is born!
Matthew 2:1-12 December 19, 2004
I love Christmas. It is a time of celebration. For some reason, at Christmas time, people suddenly
start thinking about family and friends and love and peace, about giving and sharing and helping
those in need. I’m not really sure why we wait until December to begin being this way. I wish
that people were like this all year round.
Now some people complain about this. They criticize the folks who never mention the name of
Jesus during the year, but go all out at Christmas. You know I don’t care. The truth is, that
Christmas gives you and me the opportunity to share the most wonderful gift of all.
I am reminded of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well. She and Jesus were talking
when the woman said to Him,
“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men
ought to worship.”
Jesus replied to the woman by pointing out that her worship was all wrong. He said,
“Woman…you don’t know what you worship. We know what we worship: for salvation is of
the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the
Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him.”
Listen, there are people all around us this Christmas season celebrating – and like that woman
they talk about the meaning of Christmas and think they know what it’s all about, but I think we
find ourselves in Jesus’ position – “Woman…you don’t know what you worship.”
A lot of people don’t have a clue what Christmas is all about – but there will be a day when they
will find out. God wants them to. I’ll add this too: if we really love people the way we ought to,
then we’ll not condemn them for their wrong ideas about Christmas – we’ll try to reach them in
love with the message of the birth of the Savior!
I got so mad the other day. I heard this television preacher condemning everything about the
modern practice of Christmas. He was putting down everything from Christmas trees, lights in
the windows, Santa Claus and Frosty. He was telling his audience how all these things stemmed
from pagan practices and the people who participated in them were going to hell!
Guess what? He was right about the hell part. But he was pretty confused about everything else.
You see, before Christ’s coming, all of us were condemned no matter what we did. But the
good news of the season is that Christ came bringing salvation.
What that preacher missed is the fact that with all these people celebrating the birth of Jesus, you
and I have a golden opportunity to tell them about the gift God has given, the gift of a savior.
And that gift wasn’t given just to Bible-toting Christians. It was given to everyone who wants it.
It was given to the politician who leads the tree lighting ceremony because he wants to be seen.
It was given for the employee at work who gets the boss something because she thinks it will
help her situation. It was given for the mother who bakes Christmas cookies for the school so
her child will be looked at favorably. It was given for the winner of the best Christmas lighting
display and the storekeeper who is excited over the profits he is making. The thing is that some
of them just don’t know it yet.
The truth laid out in our passage today is that God Will Lead Those Who Are Truly Seeking
Christ to Him. We see that so clearly in the wise men who traveled from the east.
The word in which we get wise men, is actually the word magi, the same root for the word
magician. Most people assume there were three of them, an idea that probably came from the
fact that there are only three gifts mentioned in the Bible. There could have been two, a dozen, or
several dozen. We just don’t know.
These magi had come from the east, from the area in or around Babylon, an area often
represented in the Bible as being lost or apart from God’s way of thinking. Geographically
speaking it is present day Iraq.
While we don’t really know where they got their information, some scholars speculate that they
had the writings of Daniel as a guide. Remember that Daniel had been in Babylonian captivity
most of his life, first as a servant of the king, but as the Lord blessed and prospered him, he
became one of the wise men of Babylon – one of the magi. As Daniel wrote and studied, he left
important information that would later, guide these magi to the King of the Jews! In fact, Daniel’
s prophecies practically told them when the Messiah would be born – it just didn’t tell them
where.
In fact, I want you to see something very interesting in Matthew 2:2. When the magi got to
Jerusalem, they started asking around about Him. They asked, “Where is he that is born King of
the Jews?” You know what, these words frame the new testament. These are the first recorded
words spoken by a person in the entire New Testament. Did you ever think about that?
In Matthew 1, you only have the words of the angel. The first words spoken by a human being
in the New Testament form the question, “Where is the Messiah?”
And it was the wise men, who asked the question. The truth is, wise men are still searching for
Christ. They are not the magi of Babylon, but men and women all around us who are looking at
their lives and the world around them and searching for answers.
The newspapers are filled with stories about people searching for deeper spirituality. The book
stores are filled with books that try to help people get to the meaning of life. At Christmas
everyone gets caught up in the search.
There is something in the air. The wise men followed a star. Today they follow the carol, or the
holly or the Santa Claus searching for the deeper meaning that will bring hope and joy into their
lives.
I think sometimes the people who are closest to the Savior have a hard time understanding this. It
was that way in Israel. When those wise men got to Jerusalem, they knew there was a King born
among them, and they were from Iraq!
These Jews had been given more prophecy than anyone in the world, they were living right on
top of Bethlehem, but they didn’t have a clue! They hadn’t been looking at all – in fact, when the
magi showed up and started asking questions, the locals became very disturbed. Herod gathered
together the chief priests and the scribes and demanded some information. They were living right
in the middle of what God was doing and missed it all! They didn’t even know that they had a
gift to be shared.
You and I need to be aware of that. Christmas offers us all the gift of a Savior and it is our job to
share the good news with all who are seeking. Then together we can worship Him.
Look at verse 11 with me again. “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young
child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their
treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
If there is one thing that is clear in the writings of the New Testament, it is God’s desire that His
Son Christ receive our worship. In the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of all
heaven. The angels worship Him. The 24 elders worship Him. The saints worship Him, and one
day you and I will worship Him with all our being. The Bible says that He is worthy to receive
our worship, and that even those who refuse to come to Him in this life will bow to Him in the
judgment. God wants our worship!
Those wise men set out on that journey with little idea of what they would find, but when they
got there, they fell to their knees in worship! They bowed in humble adoration – not to a
powerful ruler or world dictator, but to a helpless little child – they didn’t need an explanation of
what lie before them. They didn’t have to wait and see what He would do for them. There were
no questions, no demands, nothing! They fell and worshipped!
You know that is how it is with new Christians. They are so excited. They get it. This Jesus
Christ is the Savior of the world.
It makes me wonder why so many of us in the church have such a difficult time worshipping? I
think it goes back to our searching. We live so much of our lives just going through the motions,
and like the chief priests and scribes of Jesus’ day, we get so caught up with everything else,
that we forget that God is at work in our world right under our noses! We need to hear about the
magi and be reminded that we have already received this precious gift and it is now ours to
share. People all around us are looking for Him. Let’s get excited about Christmas. Let’s tell the
world about our Savior, Christ, the Lord.
Benediction:
Where are you in your journey? Are you following the light of God in your search for the
Messiah? Are you wishing and searching for something like the magi? Maybe this morning all
you know is that there has been an emptiness stirring in your heart and you don’t know what it is
searching for. Whatever it is, I want to assure you that if you will diligently seek Him, God will
lead you to Jesus every time.
Come to Christ today in humble adoration, bowing yourself in His presence, giving Him
everything you have in worship, worship due to the One who was born to live a sinless life that
He might die to set you free. Whatever your need, whatever you’re searching for, you’ll find it
today in Jesus – Praise the Lord. Let’s go out and tell the world. Jesus Christ is born!
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