Is The Grinch Going To Steal My Christmas? Series

Is the Grinch going to steal my Christmas?

“A Reel Look at Christmas”

Matthew 2:1-11

Intro:

Video…“Heart two sizes too small”

What does it feel like when my heart is too small?

• My life is a mess.

• I am not happy.

• I am isolated.

• I don’t really enjoy it when others are happy.

Herod is the Grinch!

How do I heal my heart?

Matt 2:1-12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:

6 "’But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’"

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

NIV

How do I heal my heart?

1) I look for God’s directions.

a) The directions always point to Jesus.

2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

Dionysius Exiguus – 6th century Roman monk who made a 5 year mistake in starting the calendar; Star-Magi; Comet = Williams 52 in 5BC; Saturn and Jupiter line up every 805 years happened in 7BC; Saturn = defender of Palestine; Jupiter = kings planet; They were a part

b) God has been working on the directions for a long time.

Ephesians 1:11 It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living…

Slide showing prophecy handout

c) The directions are a sign of the Father’s love.

…for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. (6)

d) I discover I am not here on accident.

How else do I heal my heart?

2) I discover Jesus is in fact who I’ve been looking for.

a) I surrender my heart.

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.

“Authentic Worship…true worship…is always a matter of the heart.”

b) I give him all that I am.

Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (11)

Ps 51:16-17 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. NIV

c) I realize that I am a part of his story now.

12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. NIV

d) God touches my heart and brings his healing!

Ezek 11:18-19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. NIV

DVD Scene-16

Ending- Invitation to Christ

(Example lead in)…. Maybe you suffer from Grinch’s disease and God is showing you- is giving you directions …