Reactions to the Birth of Christ
Matthew 2:1-12
This morning I want to begin by reading a letter written to Santa; that may help you think about how we view Christmas. This letter vividly points out that we live in a part of the world that places more emphasis on receiving than giving, tinsel than time with family, and Santa than Jesus. In the midst of the "good" things about Christmas we miss the most important – the BEST thing about Christmas – the birth of the Savior of mankind that signaled in a concrete way the love God has for each one of us.
A letter to Santa:
”Dear Santa Claus: You’ll probably be surprised to receive this letter from an adult. You may be even more surprised as you read it to find that the writer is neither a maiden aunt nor a disgruntled bachelor. I’m a young mother.
It isn’t my intention, Santa, to hurt your feelings. You see, my family has paid tribute to you for many past Christmases: my husband and I, when we were in our childhood, and now our children who are 6, 4 and 1. They still care for you. How much they care has really proved a problem in recent years. It is threatening to happen again this holiday season. Our children worship you. They speak of you constantly. They watch diligently for your December 25 appearance. Can you tell us, Santa, what you have done to deserve this faithfulness from two generations? Can you promise any future consideration in exchange for past loyalties? During a family crisis, have you ever told us. "Lo, I am with you always?" Were you ever with us during sorrow to comfort us with these words: "But your sorrow will be turned into joy"? And, Santa, there have been doubtful times. Where were you? We didn’t hear from you the calming message, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." We have come to the conclusion that you have been even less than a friend should be. And we have been shortchanged. My three children have stood in a windy, cold Main Street just to get a glimpse of your jolly face. They have written heartfelt yearly letters. They have gone to department stores to whisper in your ear. They have worked hard at being good in anticipation of your Christmas Eve visit. Yes, they’ve done all this – as their father and I did before them.
But there’s going to be a change this Christmas. There isn’t going to be any Santa Claus worship in our home. We’ve decided to focus our attention and adoration on another Being – One who has stood by us the other 364 days this past year; One who has comforted us during the sorrowful and doubtful times – and, yes, the times of crisis also. It’s true that your name will probably be mentioned around our house, Santa. Old habits are hard to break abruptly. But Someone Else’s name will be mentioned much more often. The children will probably work just as hard at begin good, but I hope they will do it for another inducement – one that will last the whole year long – to bring glory to Another’s name. That other One has given us so much more – and not just on Christmas Eve! You may call our family fickle, Santa, but we won’t mind. On this December 25, and all through the coming year, we want a Comforter, a Healer, a strengthening King. We don’t want a myth any longer. You see, our Christmas thoughts will revolve around a manger and a tiny Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. We’ve talked it over. This year we’ve decided to give tribute, honor, and worship to Someone who really deserves them – to the True Giver – our God and Saviour. Farewell, A Young Mother.”
(by Ann Lamp, The Greenville News, Dec, 1972 – quoted in Autoillustrator.com, CHRISTMAS)
This morning for a few moments I want to attempt to view the experience of the first Christmas through the eyes of those who were there, seeing it as they saw it and feeling it as they felt it. In doing this, I want us to allow our perspective of the Christmas story to be reshaped – to understand that this is not just an event that happen 2,000 years ago. Christmas is an event that can take place anew in our hearts and lives as we allow Christ to be born into our hearts through faith and belief in Him.
In the Christmas story as it is told in Matthew 12, we will see three general reactions to the birth of Jesus.
1. Some When Confronted With The Birth of Christ Showed Hatred and Hostility. (vv. 1-3)
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, (2) saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." (3) When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”
Herod thought of himself as “the” king of the Jews. But he wasn’t really. He was a puppet ruler under the authority of the Roman governor. In reality he was neither a king nor a Jew and he knew it. Still he thought of himself as a king and he jealousy guarded his authority. When the Magi came asking, “Where is He that is born king of Jews,” his jealousy knew no bounds. In fact Herod had already killed everyone who might have a claim to the throne including his own wife and sons.
Do you know what is sad about that first Christmas 2,000 years ago? Herod could have gone to Bethlehem, he could have experienced first hand the greatest miracle of all, God coming to earth in human form, he could have seen Jesus and worshipped him, but he did not.
Like Herod, some still react with hostility to the birth of Jesus and all Christians proclaim it to mean. The ACLU works feverishly to remove any reminder of Christ’s birth from the state capitals of our country.
2. Some When Confronted With The Birth Of Christ Showed Complete Indifference. (vv. 4-6) Because of what the Magi had told him, King Herod called the chief priests and teachers of the law together in verse four. “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. (5) So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: (6) "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel."’
Though they could tell Herod what he wanted to know, they showed no excitement at the announcement of the magi that they had seen a star signaling the birth of the Messiah. The king’s religious advisors knew the right answers, they knew the prophecies concerning the birth of the Savior, but when confronted with the news of his birth they were indifferent. They had the greatest opportunity in their lives and they set back and did nothing. They refused to go and check it out for themselves. These men did not accept Jesus as Messiah. They did not believe his teachings, and they did not accept his death as payment for sin. These were the enemies of Jesus. These who now ignored him in a few years would cry out for his crucifixion.
It is an ongoing tragedy even today. Many exchange cards and gifts, decorate their homes, go to Christmas parties, sing Christmas songs, even go to Christmas services at Church and still they never really experience the true meaning of Christmas.
Most of our world has no idea what Christmas is all about. A few years back around Christmas an episode of the TV show Rosanne aired. In the show, Rosanne is having a discussion with her mother about whether or not God exists. And her sister walks up in the middle of the conversation and whines, "come on it’s Christmas, let’s not be talking about God now". And you could hear the audience laugh.
It is sad but that is how the world feels. They want to celebrate Christmas without an obligation to the reason for the celebration.
While attending a university in London, Mahatma Gandhi, Hindu nationalist leader and socialist reformer, was almost convinced that the Christian religion was the one true supernatural religion of the world. After graduation while he was still seeking evidence that would make him a committed Christian, he was employed in East Africa. For seven months he lived in a home with people who were members of an evangelical Christian church. He thought he would surely find the evidence he sought here. As the months passed, he saw their casual attitude toward the cause of God, he heard them complain when called upon to make a sacrifice for the kingdom of God, and he sensed their general religious apathy. His interest in Christianity turned to disappointment. He said, ’ No, it is not the one true, super-natural religion I had hoped to find. A good religion, but just one more of the many religions in the world.’
Thankfully there is one more group in the Christmas story as it is told in Matthew 12.
3. Some When Confronted With The Birth Of Christ Fell Down And Worshipped. (vv. 7-12)
“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. (8) 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."(9) 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. (10) When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. (11) 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.”
The Magi left their homes, their families and at great expense traveled hundreds of miles to follow a star to search for the Christ child. And when they found Him they fell down and worshipped Him. And these Magi brought to Him great gifts, gifts fit for a king; gifts of Gold, Incense and Myrrh. These gifts represent great sacrifice. The Magi gave the best that they had. They came prepared to give. If we plan to experience Christ then we must be prepared to worship and to really worship demands sacrifice. We must be willing to sacrifice our time, our talents and our treasure. And we can’t worship the Lord just when it fits our schedule, when we have nothing more pressing or we just have do not have something else we would rather be doing. Worship must be a priority.
From the worship of the Magi came a submission to the leadership of the Lord. After the worshipping the Magi in verse twelve are “… divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”
They are commanded by the Lord to take another route home. Sometimes following the Lord demands that we take an unfamiliar, less convenient, more costly, or uncomfortable route. But it is the way that God wanted them to go; they submitted to His will and so must we. A test of our worship, that is whether we have indeed worshiped or not, just may be in our willingness to submit to God’s will.
Conclusion
Years ago Harry Reasoner wrote a piece about Christmas for the show “60 Minutes,” in it he said; “the basis for this tremendous burst of buying things and gift giving and parties and near hysteria, is a quiet event that happened a long time ago. You can say that in all societies there has always been a midwinter festival, and that many of the trappings of our Christmas are almost violently pagan, but you come back to the central fact of the day… the birth of God on earth. It leaves you only three ways of accepting Christmas. One is cynically, as a time to make money or endorse the making of it. One is graciously, the appropriate attitude for non-Christians, who wish their fellow citizens all the joys their beliefs entitle them. And the third, of course, is reverently. If this is the anniversary of the appearance of the Lord of the Universe as a helpless babe – it is a very important day. It’s a startling idea that a virgin was selected by God to bear His son as a way of showing his love and concern.
….This story has a magnificent appeal. Almost nobody has seen God, and almost nobody has any real idea of what He is like. But everyone has seen babies, and most people like them. If God wanted to be loved… if God wanted to be intimately a part of our life, he has moved correctly, for the experience of birth and family is our most intimate and precious experience. So if a Christian is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it. Maybe on some given Christmas, some final quiet morning the touch will take.”
[Harry Reasoner. 60 Minutes “What Christ Looked Like.” Christmas Eve. 1968”
Perhaps for someone here this morning this is the day. You may not see a perfect Christmas this year. But my wish for you is that you will see the heart of this wonderful event – to the God who is not looking for perfection but for love.
