What Is The Spirit Of Christmas?
Matthew 2:7-12NKJV
The Spirit of Christmas moves forward motive free. One purpose and one agenda, Worship the King!
From the very beginning of Matthew 2, we will read case and point, Herod had an agenda, “Find Jesus and destroy Him; Destroy a baby! (Satan recognized threat).
These wise men walked with purpose, their agenda was to worship this Christ child, this promised Messiah. -This world changer!
Matthew 2:7-12NKJV Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
Think, 400 years of silence, no prophet. No anointed prophecy. Spiritual silence, no voice heard.
About wise men: The wise men-seek Him,
the wiser men- find Him, the Wisest men- follow Him.
The Church, His body, is a people to find Him in. It’s were He lives. He camps in worship, He lives in agreement. P.H
This will be the voice that would change destiny. These wise men heard: His words of love, forgiveness, and His way of discussing greater truth. A deeper way, life changing approaches. Thought provoking. Jesus would speak freely of an upside down kingdom.
a. The first, last. The last, first.
b. Turn the other cheek.
c. Go the extra mile.
Jesus walked His Fathers will. He walked it out in word and deed. Jesus freely gave His word to men.
What does a person do when Herod comes with false ambition? Selfish agenda?
Matthew 2:7-8MSG Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, “Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I’ll join you at once in your worship.”
Herod’s motivations were wrong. A secret meeting? His mind was set, destroy all competition whatever cost.
I want to give you 3 ways to stop the spirit of Christmas. 4 ways to promote the spirit of Christmas.
1. To stop the spirit of Christmas, the voice of Herod was powerful. -He was a King, His voice carried weight.
These wisemen from the East jeopardized their lives for the expectations of the Coming One, the Messiah.
These wisemen knew scripture. Micah 5:2NLT But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, (Meaning, blessed place), are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.
These wisemen weren’t guessing the Messiah’s coming, They were studied men. Students of the Torah. They would declare, The ancient of days!
To these wisemen, Herod’s voice was mighty, but Jesus’ voice would produce eternal consequence. Without His voice man could not be saved!
Again, The voice of power, (Herod) tries to throw his weight around.
By obeying God, these wise men gave God a voice. Their voice of worship was backed by and reinforced by the Almighty!
2. To stop the spirit of Christmas, Herod’s voice wanted to shut worship down. Give worship no voice.
A few days before Jesus’ crucifixion, God’s people were shouting praise while laying their clothes on the ground, praising their Jesus.
The naysayers were saying, “Tell ‘them’ to be quite, Tell ‘them’ to stop shouting Hosanna!”
Luke 19:40AMP Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these [people] keep silent, the stones will cry out [in praise]!”
These early apostles, Peter, James, John etc. gave worship a voice. Through this one verse, we should never become complacent or fearful of God’s message, hoarding it to ourselves or remaining quiet for fear of judgment or condemnation.
Q&A: Will you give the message a voice?
“We should be Bold in our testimony and faithful in our witness, vocal in our praise and confident in our hope.” P.H
What is the Spirit of Christmas? It’s authentic worship of the spirit behind all goodness and compassion and giving comes worship.
Worship pushes God’s agenda forward. Worship welcomes the help of the Holy Spirit, to endue with power from on high! P.H
In Acts 2, 120 believers, tarried in an upper room in Jerusalem.
Luke 24:49AMP Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”
Hear this word, “Worship wins every battle. Worship conquers every foe.’ ‘Worship turns impossible to possible.” P.H
Q&A: What do you expect this Christmas? How about 2023?
Whose voice carries weight, what voice echos through you? Be honest.
Worry has a voice. Worry cheats you out of God’s best.
Negative confessions. (I can’t). -Negative confessions cheat us out of prophesying.
3. To stop the spirit of Christmas, Herod’s voice brought deception. He said, “Let me worship Him.”
Jesus said it in, Matthew 24:3-5NLT Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”
4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.
And then Jesus speaks of wars and rumors of wars, governments against other governments. Famines and earthquakes, when all this begins, it will be the beginning of birth pains.
Matthew 24:8NLT “But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.”
I believe that not every believer is a worshipper. Many believers believe in name only. However, A worshipper is a visionary, A worshipper sees, or has insight in the spirit, A worshiper intercedes, A worshiper believes, A worshipper expects, A worshipper isn’t moved by feelings. A worshiper gives, A worshipper listens, A worshipper leads.
A worshipper worships on Monday or Thursday, just like Sunday.
A true worshipper has one agenda- pleasing Jesus. -P.H
These wisemen understood the repercussions of doing what was good; they also understood the repercussions of doing what was wrong. There’s usually only two choices:
Bow to the god of this world. Bow to deception.
Bow to Jesus. Offer Him gifts. Give Him your best.
These wisemen were worshipers they chose God’s word, God’s prophecies, over the voice and authority of king Herod, which represents deception.
4. To promote the spirit of Christmas, These wise men worshiped like God’s word was alive!
Paul tells young Timothy, 2 Timothy 3:16-17KJV All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
These wise men were fully equipped. They held onto and believed scripture.
Jeremiah 23:29KJV “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
5. To promote the spirit of Christmas, These wisemen chose Prophecy, over kingly rule.
Ellicott's Commentary—The highest outward or charismatic manifestation of this inward fire was the gift of “prophecy” which was an inspired and inspiring preaching.
Paul warned the early church in, 1 Thessalonians 5:20KJV “Despise not prophesyings.”
Don’t give prophesy lite esteem; Give prophesy high esteem.
1 Corinthians 1:21NKJV For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
These wisemen knew, that Herod could kill them, but God could restore, God can resurrect. Their demeanor spoke, My hope is in Jesus Christ alone!
Again, These wise men chose Prophecy.
6. To promote the spirit of Christmas, These wisemen gave gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The giving of their livelihood spoke volumes. They didn’t just worship with words, but they gave.
7. To promote the spirit of Christmas, These wisemen gave their best.
They didn’t hold back, they gave. Their gifts became their worship.
Their worship, like their gifts, were well thought out.
Listen to Paul’s testimony about the churches of Macedonia. These cities were Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. -2 Corinthians 8:1-4AMP Now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [awakening in them a longing to contribute]; 2 for during an ordeal of severe distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty [together] overflowed in the wealth of their lavish generosity. 3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, 4 begging us insistently for the privilege of participating in the service for [the support of] the saints [in Jerusalem].
What is the Spirit of Christmas? It’s the spirit of worship. For in true worship everything can be found.
-Benediction.
