Christmas Is Not What It Should Be

Christmas, not like it should be

Matthew 2:1-12

If you will turn in your Bibles with me to Matthew 2:1-12, as we read some of the Christmas story this morning.

Many times we ponder what things would be like if we only had done it this way or we thought about it a little longer than what we did before we jumped to a conclusion. And while the Christmas story is set in stone, written by God our Creator, and cannot and will not be changed. Praise God it came all together as it did for all of us. But what happens when our Christmas or any Christmas is not all that it should be or just plain outright different?

What would the first Christmas had been like if the wise men were wise women? They probably would have asked for directions at the local camel filling station, they would have probably made it to Bethlehem on time to actually see the baby as an infant and not a toddler, most likely they would have made them a great dinner, and hey come on they probably would have gone to Pier One and got some more decent and practical gifts right?

Wow that would have been a lot different. But, it did not happen that way. And when we look at the Scripture set before us in Matthew Chapter 2, the truth unfolds, and think about this for a moment. It could have been a quite bit different had the Magi not found Baby Jesus a year or two after He was born. It could have led to a whole host of issues with King Herod getting his hands on Jesus, Mary and Joseph could have been harmed. But, the star that led the Magi or Wise Men to Baby Jesus was sent by God and God planned it to take them as long as it did to locate Baby Jesus, not by accident, not by happenchance but by Divine intervention, and An Inspired time chosen only by God.

We can think of all kinds of possibilities and different outcomes to most anything and Christmas being no different. But, if Christmas does not seem like what it should to you then lets work on that this morning and see how we can have a better Christmas with each other.

First, don’t chase after all those things of Christmas that seem magical or out of this world as they will only disappoint you in the end. But seek the right things in Christmas this year.

Let me ask you this question and I want you to think about it for a moment.

What do you want to get out of Christmas this year?

What would make this Christmas extra special and awesome to you?

Now some of us probably had certain things snap right into our head, like a white snowy Christmas, the best most expensive Christmas present ever to be had, a new car, a new home, a perfect marriage, a perfect church, Holiday spirit that never fades away, or whatever came to your mind just now.

To not disappoint you this Christmas most of us will not get what we asked for. Some may not get anything. But, we will never receive anything we really want and then blame it all upon the commercialism of Christmas. But family, even though we all have let Christmas get so commercial it is not Christmas that is the problem in our disappointment over what we receive. The problem is our expectations are to high and should not be, don’t set your expectations so high this year, sure its great to receive gifts and to give gifts but bring your expectations into level with the Wise Men in the Bible. See we as humans as Christians as non-believers, whomever, we are looking for and expecting the wrong things!

The Wise Men give us a glimpse as to how to make this Christmas better then ever and they do so by showing us what to look for and at. Look back over verses 1 and 2 with me.

The Wise Men came to Jerusalem looking for an opportunity to worship Jesus. They had heard that a King had been born, quite possibly from the prophecies of the Old Testament that they had probably already read. But regardless of how they heard God moved them to come and worship the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, the Almighty Savior, Jesus Christ, not only Savior to the chosen people of Israel but to the entire human race. And what points me to say that not only did the Wise Men come to seek the right thing, they sought be looking in the right place. Look at verses 4 – 6 with me again.

Right here it tells is that they sought most likely the Old Testament for their knowledge of the Christ Child, the Savior. The Wise Men sought to find satisfaction in Christ, but if we are looking for satisfaction in gifts from family and friends, or snow, and a Christmas ham, one or all will give you disappointment this year and years to come. But seek the right thing Jesus not only during Christmas but throughout all the seasons.