The Voices of Christmas Part III
The Religious Leaders – the Voice of Apathy
The greatest event in human history has taken place. The Messiah has been born in the City of David. The King of kings has made a very humble entry into the world.
He was not born in Jerusalem, neither was His birth announced to the king of Judea nor to the Sanhedrin (the ruling council). No, this greatest of events foretold by the prophets for millennia has occurred in virtual obscurity. Among the last to know of it were the religious elite in Jerusalem and they were informed by way of some Gentile Magi seeking direction. There is no effort on the part of the religious leaders to find the Messiah for themselves.
Their apathy is proved by their actions – or lack thereof.
Luke 2:36-38
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; … 37 She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Matthew 2:1-6
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.’"
1. Hearing but not Listening –
Luke 2:38
Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
There is little doubt that this old woman created quite a buzz in the temple courts once she had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
She … spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Whether or not she spoke directly to the chief priests and/or the ruling council would be conjecture on our part.
However, we do know that she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
There is little doubt that they do not find it necessary to listen to the mindless ranting of an old woman who claims to have seen the Lord’s Messiah.
JEREMIAH 5:23-25
THESE PEOPLE HAVE STUBBORN AND REBELLIOUS HEARTS;
THEY HAVE TURNED ASIDE AND GONE AWAY.
24 THEY DO NOT SAY TO THEMSELVES,
’LET US FEAR THE LORD OUR GOD,
WHO GIVES AUTUMN AND SPRING RAINS IN SEASON,
WHO ASSURES US OF THE REGULAR WEEKS OF HARVEST.’
25 YOUR WRONGDOINGS HAVE KEPT THESE AWAY;
YOUR SINS HAVE DEPRIVED YOU OF GOOD.
26 "AMONG MY PEOPLE ARE WICKED MEN
WHO LIE IN WAIT LIKE MEN WHO SNARE BIRDS
AND LIKE THOSE WHO SET TRAPS TO CATCH MEN.
27 LIKE CAGES FULL OF BIRDS,
THEIR HOUSES ARE FULL OF DECEIT;
THEY HAVE BECOME RICH AND POWERFUL
28 AND HAVE GROWN FAT AND SLEEK.
THERE ARE NO UNINTERESTING THINGS, THERE ARE ONLY UNINTERESTED PEOPLE.
—CHESTERTON
Of the religious leaders this scripture was true. They had grown rich and powerful, fat and sleek because many of them were the sycophants of Rome. They possessed power and position.
This was very powerful in draining them of whatever spiritual interest they had.
There is so much that can bring about spiritual apathy in our lives – it is an ever present danger that God’s people must guard against.
Proverbs 20:12
Ears that hear and eyes that see--
the LORD has made them both.
He made them for us to use them – to hear and to see.
The religious leaders failed to acknowledge the Lord’s Messiah because they failed to heed the message.
Romans 10:16-18
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."
21 But concerning Israel he says,
"All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people."
The religious leaders led the people in this disobedience – let us be sure we have ears to hear – and that we listen.
Hearing but not Listening –
2. Seeing but not Perceiving –
Matthew 2:1b-4
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.
The religious leadership has firsthand knowledge of the star that has risen in the east in fulfillment of scripture.
Numbers 24:17
"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob…
Here before them is a group of men on their way to worship the Messiah and they respond with apparent disinterest.
They do not rush to find Him for themselves – there is no indication that they have been looking for him or that they will be.
Matthew 13:11-17
He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
"’You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
There is a reason that they see but do not perceive – their hearts are calloused and their eyes closed (v.15).
Jesus even warns His disciples about the same danger for themselves…
Mark 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 "Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." 16 They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread." 17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" "Twelve," they replied. 20 "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
They answered, "Seven." 21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
Jesus reminds His disciples of what they had seen and experienced themselves and He warns them against the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.
This week was the 56th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
PEARL HARBOR! THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 7, 1941, FOUND 353 JAPANESE AIRPLANES SWARMING ALL AROUND THE HARBOR SITE. WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS, AMERICA LOST 8 BIG BATTLESHIPS, 6 MAJOR AIRFIELDS, ALMOST ALL PLANES, AND 2,400 MEN. THAT HAPPENED AT 7:50 AM IN WHAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY A SURPRISED ATTACK. BUT THESE ARE THE STARTLING FACTS:
THAT MORNING AT 7 AM, WHILE THE JAPANESE WARPLANES WERE 137 MILES (50 MINUTES) AWAY, TWO US SOLDIERS ON A SMALL RADAR STATION IN THE PACIFIC SCANNED THE SCREEN AND SAW DOTS AND DOTS APPEARING, UNTIL THE WHOLE SCREEN WAS FILLED. THESE SOLDIERS NOTIFIED THEIR YOUTHFUL SUPERVISOR, A LIEUTENANT. NO OTHER OFFICER WAS AROUND, THAT BEING A SUNDAY.
THE LIEUTENANT THOUGHT THESE MUST BE PLANES FROM CALIFORNIA, AND WITHOUT ANOTHER THOUGHT, SAID THESE CRUCIAL WORDS: “DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.” THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN TIME TO SCRAMBLE THE PLANES AT PEARL HARBOR, PREPARE THE BATTLESHIPS AND SHELTER THE MEN, BUT THIS LIEUTENANT, AT THE MOST RESPONSIBLE MOMENT OF HIS CAREER, FAILED THE NATION.
—SELECTED
This soldier’s apathy contributed to the success of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He failed to acknowledge what he has seen and heard. His apathy was disastrous.
So it is with us – the Messiah has risen in our lives. We have seen and heard – will we perceive and listen?
Hearing but not Listening
Seeing but not Perceiving
