Are You Among The Magi

Are You among the Magi?

Meeting Creek Christmas Banquet

Dec. 1/00

Objective: To tear down the barriers to worshipping Jesus.

Read Matthew 2: 1-12

Are you among the Magi?

- this Christmas will you worship Jesus?

- worship it is a simple attitude of willing service

five obstacles the Magi had to overcome in order to worshipping Jesus;

1. They were not among those who were expected to respond. (Rich enemies of backward Jews)

- You have a reputation to maintain.

- sure you believe but you couldn’t actually change the way you live to find out what it means to serve Jesus. What would people think?

- or you might have to admit that all these years your worship has been a scam

Will you be among the Magi? Worship even though no one expects you to

2. They had to go against established wisdom of their pers (went to Herod as per/left him out)

- to really worship Jesus you would risk the alienation of your pers too

- if you stopped using his name and started living as though He is your King what would your friends think?

- if your priorities changed so that instead of thanking Jesus for giving you enough money to have fun with your friends you started asking Him how to use all of the money He has given you to serve Him better would your friends still want to hang around?

Will you be among the Magi? Worship even though you may lose friends?

3. They were willing to listen to the signs (star, dream)

- Jesus does not communicate with cell phones and e-mail but with visions, intuitions, inner voice

- most people would think you’ve gone crazy if you started listening to communication that is spiritual rather then audible or visual.

- even those who go to church, what would your spouse say if you started making some big decisionns based on inaudible, invisible communication from Jesus rather then cold hard reason?

Will you be among the Magi? Worship and follow one you can’t see or hear?

4. Worshipping Jesus cost them a lot (presents, travel) (?status, loyalty, beliefs)

- What would it cost you? Some of your favourite things (you fill in the blank)

- if you were to worship Jesus, make Him king of your life, what would you need to give to Him and what would you have to give up?

(Dirty jokes, your beloved anger, pornography,?)

- some of you already claim to worship Jesus but what have you been resisting because the cost is too high? Can you really claim to worship Him if you refuse His direction?

Will you be among the Magi? Worship Jesus no matter the cost

5. They had to head into the unknown. The unpredictable star, take a chance

- we like to put God in a box so we know exactly what to expect but the truth we all know is that God can not be controlled or predicted.

- we do not truly worship Jesus because we like to plan our life

- to worship Jesus, bow in submission to His will, we give up control and enter a life with an unpredictable future.

Though He has promised to lead us into what is best we can’t take the idea of not knowing what that might be so we do not worship Him.

Will you be among the Magi? Worship though it might take you to unexpected places in life

We remember them as wise men

They overcame all these obstacles and were among the first to know the son of God.

Can you do the same?