Title: The Breakthrough
Date: 12/18/16
Place: BLCC
Text: Matthew 2.1-12; John 1.9-12
CT: The wise recognize and receive God’s breakthrough into our world.
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FAS: A 2016 episode on NPR's "StoryCorps" interviewed Francois Clemmons, who played the role of friendly Officer Clemmons on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood for over 25 years. Clemmons was the first black actor to have a recurring role on a children's television series. This was a breakthrough moment in dealing with racial concerns for our country at that time. Surprisingly, Fred Rogers was clearly going out on a limb to cast Clemmons as a police officer. Clemmons knew this and expressed his reservations:
"I grew up in the ghetto. I did not have a positive opinion of police officers. And I really had a hard time putting myself in that role. So I was not excited about being Officer Clemmons at all." Still, Clemmons eventually agreed to take on the role.
Over the decades he spent on the show, [Screen 2] there's one scene in particular that Clemmons remembers with great emotion. It was from an episode that aired in 1969, in which Rogers had been resting his feet in a plastic pool on a hot day.
"He invited me to come over and to rest my feet in the water with him," Clemmons recalls. "The icon Fred Rogers not only was showing my brown skin in the tub with his white skin as two friends, but as I was getting out of that tub, he was helping me dry my feet."
He says he'll never forget the day Rogers wrapped up the program, as he always did, by hanging up his sweater and saying, "You make every day a special day just by being you, and I like you just the way you are." This time in particular, Rogers had been looking right at Clemmons, and after they wrapped he walked over. Clemmons asked him, "Fred, were you talking to me?"
"Yes, I have been talking to you for years," Rogers said, as Clemmons recalls. "But you heard me today."
"It was like telling me I'm OK as a human being," Clemmons says. "That was one of the most meaningful experiences I'd ever had."
: Of course remember that Mr. Rogers was an ordained minister. As such, there's every reason to believe that he was coming from a place of conviction here regarding what being a follower of Jesus says about human identity. Namely, that you are who God sees you to be, which is a forgiven sinner, a child of God, a child in whom he is well pleased. (1)
(1) Adapted from David Zahl, "Week in Review," Mockingbird blog (3-11-16) [Screen 3]
Just as Mr. Rogers had spent years trying to convince Clemmons he was regarded as his equal, God has been from the beginning trying to convince us that we are His children. That breakthrough moment came on a hillside in a stable full of cattle and sheep. A breakthrough moment, that had been foreseen by some of the brightest and best minds of that time, some 2000 years ago. Yet they missed it when it came.
[Screen 4] Matthew 2.1-12. 1 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 when it rose 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 Messiah 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 shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another way.
Matthew gave more space in the text to the Magi than he gave the to birth of Jesus. He never mentions the shepherds or the manger. He emphasizes the seekers and the star they sought. He most likely had a good reason. Matthew wants to demonstrate that their story is also our story. We are all travelers through this world. We are all searching for something to bring purpose and completion to our life. [Screen 5]
I had a strange and yet interesting encounter last Sunday night. Seems to be where all my sermons come from. A young man had got lost on his way home to Taylorsville. He was about one hundred miles off track. He made a really bad turn in the rain and storm and ended up in a creek.
It was 12 o’clock, I had been to Harrison Memorial. There were no houses for miles on this stretch of road where he was. Yet for some reason I was coming down that road at 12 Midnight to find a young man, soaking wet, with no coat, flashing me down with a small light. He was nearly hypothermic. I took him home and short story, after he had warmed up, is I took him back to Paris Ky where he was to get a room till morning. In our two hours together we talked about many things. He opened up that he was seeking a way out of the mess his life was in. But he made it clear that he was Agnostic. He believed in God but didn’t really believe God had a part in his life. I of course gave him the reason I have for the hope I have as I preached about last week and I listened to him and was respectful and gentle as the Apostle Peter tells us to do.
The problem is many of us are seeking, but we don’t want to see what’s in front of us. This young man depended on his intellect to find his way when in reality he was missing the way God was steering him.
I did challenge him as he left my vehicle to leave by saying, “You might want to reconsider the idea that God is not involved in your life. I believe He was watching out for you a whole lot tonight.”
Coincidence, I don’t know, but it sure seems to happen to me a lot.
God uses the natural world to get our attention. The earth and stars form the first revelation of God for us. [Screen 6]
Ps. 19.1, The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
The wise men said, “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
God led the Wise men to Jerusalem by use of a star, but He used something else to get them to Jesus in Bethlehem. [Screen 7] Matthew 2.3
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 [Screen 8] When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. {they knew}[Screen9] 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
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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 shepherd my people Israel.
You see the star was enough to lead the Magi to Jerusalem. But it required Scripture to lead them further to the child.
We all see signs of God every day. The face of a newborn child. Rainbows that reveal God’s beauty and Majesty. A towering oak tree.
Many are satisfied to see all this wonder and beauty and never realize it is God’s way of bringing us toward Him. God seeks us.
The wise men understood the sign God gave them. They followed it to Jerusalem and then heard God’s Word in the scripture and obeyed His word. [Screen 11] Matt.2.9
9 The star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
Once they had heard the scripture, God’s Word, the star reappeared for the Wise Men. God works through His creation and His Word.
The goal of all God’s messages both miraculous and written is to point the light of heaven upon Jesus. That is to be the goal of every sermon you hear or at least it should be. The gospel must be heard. [Screen 12] Jesus must shine.
The light of God has broken into our world! [Screen 13]
John 1.9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 [Screen 14] He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 [Screen 15] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [Screen 16] 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
---How are we as followers of Jesus to react to this breakthrough?
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1) We are to give our selves to Him. Matthew teaches us in the story of the Magi that we are to give ourselves to Him.
The magi worshiped Him as a king, but also as the One who provides the hope of salvation for the entire world. The Magi got it. They named Jesus the King of the Jews.
Yet the religious leaders of Israel missed it. They reacted to the birth of Jesus with only treachery and hatred. They became pawns of Herod’s scheme to kill the baby child to protect his claim to the throne.
Are we ready as followers of Jesus to acknowledge Jesus’ presence in all the details of our lives or do we pick and choose what parts we will give Him and what parts we want to keep for ourselves. Are we that much different from Herod when we try to hold on to the throne of our heart our self. Jesus came to save us, but to do so he must be Lord of the throne of your heart.
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2) We are react by giving ourselves to one another sacrificially. Just as Jesus did.
There is a story I remember from when I was a child. It is called the Gift of the Magi.
It was first published in 1905, but its message is just as relevant today in 2016.
The story opens with $1.87. That's all Della Dillingham Young has to buy a present for her beloved husband, Jim. And the next day is Christmas. Faced with such a situation, Della promptly bursts into tears on the couch, which gives the narrator the opportunity to tell us a bit more about the situation of Jim and Della. The short of it is they live in a shabby flat and they're poor. But they love each other.
Once Della recovers herself, she goes to a mirror to let down her hair and examines it. Della's beautiful, brown, knee-length hair is one of the two great treasures of the poor couple. The other is Jim's gold watch. Her hair examined, Della puts it back up, sheds a tear, and bundles up to head out into the cold. She leaves the flat and walks to Madame Sofronie's hair goods shop, where she sells her hair for twenty bucks. Now she has $21.87 cents.
With her new funds, Della is able to find Jim the perfect present: an elegant platinum watch chain for his watch. It's $21, and she buys it. Excited by her gift, Della returns home and tries to make her now-short hair presentable (with a curling iron). She's not convinced Jim will approve, but she did what she had to do to get him a good present. When she finishes with her hair, she gets to work preparing coffee and dinner.
Jim arrives at 7pm to find Della waiting by the door and stares fixedly at her, not able to understand that Della's hair is gone. Della can't understand quite what his reaction means.
After a little while, Jim snaps out of it and gives Della her present, explaining that his reaction will make sense when she opens it. Della opens it and cries out in joy, only to burst into tears immediately afterward. Jim has given her the set of fancy combs she's wanted for ages, only now she has no hair for them. Jim nurses Della out of her sobs. Once she's recovered she gives Jim his present, holding out the watch chain. Jim smiles, falling back on the couch. He sold his watch to buy Della's combs, he explains. He recommends they put away their presents and have dinner. As they do so, the narrator brings the story to a close by pronouncing that Della and Jim are the wisest of everyone who gives gifts. They are the magi.
Jesus’ breakthrough into our world should be the pattern for our own lives. The mutual self-sacrificing love of Jim and Della is a profound example for us to emulate for our own lives. We are to love one another as Jesus loved us.
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3) We are to react with Worship. After the wise men met the Christ Child they were never again the same. Matthew 2.10
[Screen 20] 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
{our worship should be filled with JOY!}
[Screen 21] 11.On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
{Our worship is our gift to our Lord. Even the gift of our self and our treasure}
[Screen 22] 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another way.
Their hearts were opened to the gift God had given. Matthew says they returned by another way.
The Magi had a change in the way they would live.
We too when we come to know the risen savior Jesus will be compelled to change our direction to a new way.
Jesus spoke of the narrow way.
He also spoke of a righteous way.
Or as I would like to say, God’s ideal way.
The magi were called by a sign.
Are you receiving a sign from God? Is Jesus calling to you to follow Him?
The magi were instructed by the scripture.
Are you being lead by God’s Word? Are you letting Jesus lead all areas of your life?
God will make a way for you to get to Him.
The thing is, that He has already come to you as the gift, the magi found as a child who would shine the gift of Light into a dark and lonely world.
They recognized and received this child as their Lord. [Screen 23]
CT: The wise, still today, recognize and receive God’s breakthrough into our world.
Seek the Light this year. Follow the Star. Follow Jesus.
Make Jesus the King of all your life.
Know the true Prince of Peace this Christmas.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Wilkins, Michael J. Matthew The NIV Application Commentary . Grand Rapids, MI : Zondervan, 2004. Print. pp.106-108
Lucado, Max. Because of Bethlehem: Love Is Born, Hope Is Here. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016. Print. Chapter 7
O Henry, The Gift of The Magi; Newspaper Article 1905, Book April 10,1906
