Baby On Your Doorstep

Christmas quiz:

In what town was Jesus born?

Baby Jesus in the manger was visited by the shepherds and . . .?

How many wise men were there?

How old was Jesus when the wise men saw him?

What would you do if you found a baby on your doorstep?

Babies change things.

Christmas is about a baby who changed things.

3 responses to the arrival of the baby Jesus Mat 2:1-18

give answers to the quiz

real course of events:

Jesus born

Star appears – from East, magi see it and set off on a long journey

Angel appears to shepherds

Shepherds visit Jesus

Mary and Joseph find better accommodation

About a year later the magi arrive.

1) Herod

a) Opposed Jesus

b) Jewish Mafia. Bought his position from the Romans

c) Killed members of his own family in order to keep his throne

His own wife and her two brothers

d) Killed the babies because he wanted to be king of the Jews

e) Killed 20 babies

f) People still oppose Jesus because they want to run their own life.

2) magi

a) Magi is the root of magician. Simon the sorcerer was described in the same way

b) Originally they were a class of priests among the Persians and Medes, who formed the king’s privy council, and cultivated astrology, medicine, and occult natural science. They are frequently referred to by ancient authors. Afterward the term was applied to all eastern philosophers.”—Schaff’s Popular Commentary.

c) Reasons why they followed the star

i) These wise men from Persia were the most like the Jews, in religion, of all nations in the world. They believed in one God, they had no idols, they worshipped light as the best symbol of God.

ii) They were expecting a king. Everywhere throughout the East men were looking for the coming of a great king who was to rise from among the Jews. It had fermented in the minds of men, heathen as well as Jews, and would have led them to welcome Jesus as the Christ had he come in accordance with their expectation.” Virgil, who lived a little before this, says that a child from heaven was looked for, who should restore the golden age and take away sin.

iii) This expectation arose largely from the dispersion of the Jews among all nations, carrying with them the hope and the promise of a divine Redeemer. Isa. 9, 11; Dan. 7.

iv) Daniel himself was a prince and chief among this very class of wise men. His prophecies were made known to them; and the calculations by which he pointed to the very time when Christ should be born became, through the book of Daniel, a part of their ancient literature.

d) Point is that they were gentiles. From birth, Jesus is shown to be the saviour of gentiles and Jews

3) Priests

a) Didn’t have to search the scriptures first, they knew the prophecies

b) Knowing the scriptures is a completely different thing from allowing the scriptures to change your life.

c) Their life was too comfortable to change

d) They were 8 / 9 kilometers from the son of God and they didn’t bother to visit.

e) They had their religion, they did the sacrifice thing, they prayed to God. They were his chosen people. They tithed, they kept the law – they even made up their own laws

and if they were alive today, they would attend church, tithe, pray, do all the right things. Read the Bible – even memorise it – but it had no impact on their life.

They still would not worship God.

f) It is far easier to be a religious person than to be a Jesus follower.

i) A religious person follows a set of regulations and is more than less in control of his life.

ii) A true Jesus follower gives everything to Jesus.

g) If a religious person found a baby at their door they would go out of their way to avoid getting personally involved.

Different responses to the arrival of baby Jesus.

Herod opposed him because he wanted to remain in control.

Wise men expectantly sought and then worshipped him

Religious people knew all about him, but remained indifferent.

Like it or not, there’s a baby at your doorstep, what you do next shows what category you fit into.

Behold I stand at the door and knock.