Celebrate Christmas All Year Series

CHRISTMAS FROM THE GOSPELS, Part 4

Celebrate Christmas All Year

Matthew 2:1-11

INTRODUCTION:

A. Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

1. Three kings are often associated with Christ and Christmas, probably because of this passage and the Christmas carol we just sag a few minutes ago

2. But please note a few introductory things from this one verse.

a. The incident is brought about by Christ’s birth – otherwise there would be no reason for the long trip from the East.

b. Those who traveled were wise men: “Magos” is the Greek word meaning: scientists (to include astrologers), magicians, maybe even sorcerers – they were not kings – thought they were rich.

- Oh, by the way, we are never told there were only three – we assume that because there are three different types of gifts mentioned.

c. And finally, they arrived in Jerusalem (probably about two years after Jesus’ birth – derived from verse 16) in the reign of Herod the king, also known as Herod the Great.

B. So, some of you might be wondering what we are doing giving a “Christmas” message this first Sunday in January.

1. I believe this story makes it appropriate, but more than that, I believe we can find in this story the means to Celebrate Christmas All Year.

2. These wise men were anticipating, seeking, and worshipping the Christ for quite a while.

3. There are a number things mentioned that can help us Celebrate Christmas All Year if we will just remember to do them

a. Seek After God

b. Enquire Of God

c. Rejoice in God

d. Worship the God

e. And Give To God.

C. When we do these things with a godly and holy attitude we will, in effect, be celebrating Christmas.

1. It is all about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. So Lets Look and learn from our passage of Scripture today, how we can Celebrate Christmas All Year.

PRAY

We begin this morning by understanding that we are never finished learning about God ant therefore we must continue to

I. SEEK AFTER GOD, Matt 2:1 & 8

A. As we read the narrative we see two passages that speak to us about this seeking

1. Matt 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2. Matt 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child;….

B. Seeking is not an easy thing.

1. As we read verse one we need to know that the wise men had spent a considerable amount of time, money and personal sacrifice to get to Jerusalem.

2. Two of the most regarded views are that they were either, Babylonians, originating from present day Iraq or Medes or Persians from somewhere in present day Iran

3. The distance from Babylon is about 500 miles as the crow flies, but Answer.com said by caravan it would be about 1000 miles because of the twisty route it made. (at twenty miles a day it would be 25-50 day journey – more if it was from further away than Babylon)

4. I give you this to show that it was labor, time and cost intensive.

5. We must count the cost and be willing to do what it takes to seek Him

6. And for our purposes today when I say “seek Him,” I mean, getting to know the Lord better for who He is.

7. It started with the shepherds, is seen in the wise men and must continue in our present day through us

8. To Celebrate Christmas All Year we must continually seek Him.

The second thing I would like us to consider is we need to

II. ENQUIRE OF GOD, Matthew 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?

A. For many reasons, which we will not go into this morning, the wise men knew that there was a special birth, one of which they figured everyone in Jerusalem would know about.

1. Sadly so few did.

2. Obviously the people did not, the wise men ended up at the palace.

3. Herod did not know – He asks the chief priests

4. The priest knew the scripture but not the reality

5. And until the wise men arrived, no one was seeking or enquiring.

B. Here we see men asking men, but that does not need to happen today, we can go directly to God through Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1. Each of us can enquire of God through Christ.