THEY WEREN’T LOOKING FOR HIM
Matthew 2:1-18
Introduction: When we consider the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, we quite often forget the obscurity in which the events took place. The appearance of the wise men and the reaction of their message reveal the depth of that obscurity. The King of Eternity came into this world and the world had no idea what had taken place. Politicians, Priests, and the Public missed one of the greatest miracles ever for they weren’t looking for Him. Are we any different?
I. The Atmosphere at the Time of Christ’s First Advent
A. The political atmosphere at the time of Christ
1. Roman rule permeated first century Jewish experience, and most of its influence was negative if not oppressive.
2. Herod was the ruling tetrarch of Jerusalem
3. Herod ingratiated himself with Rome when Cassius came to Syria following the assassination of Julius Caesar. Herod did not shy away at bringing Cassius the taxes Rome demanded from Judaea, although other areas resisted, for which reason he was commended and others punished.
4. The reaction to the demands of the Roman rulers by Jews was fear and appeasement. Joseph and Mary comply with the requirement to travel to Bethlehem for the census.
5. Luke 2:1-5 “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
6. Herod was ruthless, manipulative, deceptive and jealous of his power.
7. Matthew’s gospel points this fact out as he tells of the Flight into Egypt, made necessary by Herod’s killing of Jewish male babies.
8. Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
9. Summing up the political scene was power, greed, oppressive taxation, and cruelty.
10. Politicians were not concerned about religious or moral matters. There was no room for God in the political arena. They were not looking for the coming of the Son of God.
B. The religious atmosphere at the time of Christ’s birth.
1. There were the Scribes and the Pharisees on one hand and the Sadducees on the other in mutual antagonism striving for dominance of the national religion of Israel.
2. Another sect the Essenes, maintaining rigid austerity and inflexible as a quasi fundamentalism, stood in inflexible opposition to the other two groups. The state of religion for most had fallen into formalism, legalism, and externalization of piety.
3. The conservatives, the Pharisees and Scribes had made faith a list of dos and don’ts
4. Concerning them Christ said in:
• Mark 7: 8-9, 13 "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men – the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep your tradition... making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."
5. The liberals – the Sadducees had reject the possibility of the miraculous not believing in the resurrection.
6. Both groups stood firmly against the evangelists of their day and their message.
7. Like the politician the religious world was concerned with greed, power, and their own comforts. – They were not looking for the birth of the Messiah, the King of Kings, and the Savior of the world.
8. Israel was spiritually bankrupt. It was a time of external religiosity, pharisaic letterism and ritualism, and sadducian unbelief. Like much of America today, Israel was caught up with materialism, with human good deeds, and with ritual. There was a form of godliness, but they denied the power thereof. They were practical atheists—living as though God were dead or as though He were non-existent. - copied
C. The social atmosphere at time of Christ’s birth
1. Luke 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
2. The average person had heard the stories of the coming Messiah but after centuries of hearing these promises they had become dull and viewed much of it as a “myth” at worst or “not in my lifetime at best”.
3. The majority were so caught up with the details of life and their external religiosity that when the signs of Christ’s birth were given to the nation, such as the news of the shepherds and wise men—very few could be concerned.
4. If the Messiah were to come, He would come as a political, social, economic deliverer.
5. Life was hard and one had to be concerned with making ends meet.
6. They just weren’t looking for the gift of God, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
II. The Atmosphere of Our Time in Light of Christ’s Second Advent.
A. Today’s political atmosphere in light of Christ’s return.
1. Politicians today like the politicians of Christ’s time are caught up in the vices of greed and desire for absolute power.
2. Today’s politicians are concerned with and searching for means to deal with the economic crisis, the war on terror, global warming, liberalization of America’s moral code.
3. Governments are seeking to reverse standards that have been set based on biblical principles accepting tolerance for everyone and every view except those holding to a traditional moral standard.
4. Government has become not only A-theistic but Anti-theistic.
5. Our Government has become to many people the divine provider – not God.
6. In regards to our leaders Paul Henri-Spaak, one of the organizers of the European Common Market, summed it up when he said, “What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all people, and to lift us out of the economic morass in which we are sinking. Send us such a man and, be he god or the devil, we will receive him.” - copied
7. Today’s political world has no place for the coming King.
8. Today’s politicians are not looking for Him.
B. Today’s religious atmosphere in light of Christ’s return.
1. Again like ancient Israel, we live in a time where liberal and conservative camps stand aligned against each other.
2. We are more concerned with worship forms, traditions, and cookie cutter Christianity than we are about the truths of the Second Coming.
3. We are more worried about the Church’s premises than God’s promises.
4. Liberal theologians claim that miracles do not happen and so-called Bible believing Christians live like they don’t either.
5. We hear more messages on how to be successful, happy, and feel good than we do about preparing for Christ’s return.
6. Spiritually speaking, these days were really no different from the days of Christ’s nativity.
7. 2 Peter 3:3-7 “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation’.”
8. Today’s religious world not believing the promises or paying attention to the signs of the times is not looking for Him.
C. Today’s social atmosphere in light of Christ’s return.
1. In Christ’s time the average citizen was concerned with survival.
2. Today our society is becoming more and more one of a survival mode. The average Joe’s life consists of going to work, coming home, eating supper, watching a bit of TV, going to bed, getting up early, going to work…
3. Our culture has become a-theistic, living lives without any intimate relationship with God. Even believers live a-theistic. They pray for food, in the morning and at night, occasionally reading the Bible, and maybe making it to one church service a week. But rarely give God a second thought through the rest of the day.
4. There are many Scriptures that teach us that Jesus Christ is coming again and that we are to watch and be ready.
5. We are all tempted to let other things infringe upon the first place that Christ ought to have in our lives. So often we are not looking for His return or looking for His presence in our world; we are not concerned about His priorities.
6. Matthew 25:6, 13 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ’Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’... Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
7. Today as at His birth mankind is not looking for Him.
8. But are you looking for Him?
