Christmas…Came & Went
Select Scriptures
I. Introduction
The other night we were at home and Kari & I were busy around the house getting things picked up and ready for the next day…the girls were in the living room and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was on. I had just walked into the office to finish up a couple of things when Caitlyn yelled out to me, “Dad, you’ve got to come here, this is the greatest story ever.” (I thought she was enjoying the show and the scrawny little Christmas tree Charlie had). But as I walked back into the living room, I heard and saw Linus quoting from Luke 2.
[Read: Luke 2:1-14]
Caitlyn, was right. This is the greatest story ever. The true story of God’s love for us and what He did to bridge the gap between us and Him.
This morning, I’d like for us to look at some of the characters surrounding the Christmas story and be reminded, encouraged, and challenged by their encounters with Christ. Christmases come and go, but what matters most is how we come to the Christ of Christmas and how we leave after encountering Him.
II. Body – How They Came…
A. The Shepherds
1. Let’s pick up where we left off in verse 15 of Luke 2.
[Read: Luke 2:15-16]
2. There are many things about the shepherds that we love to recall at Christmas time and reflect upon.
a. The fact that God’s announcement of a Savior came first to normal everyday people.
b. That interestingly enough, these shepherds, who were probably hired to watch over the lambs that would be used during the Passover Feast, were the first ones to meet the Lamb of God.
3. I love what verse 16 says. It says, “…they came with haste…”
a. They didn’t stop and worry about other things…
• the sheep
• what are people going to think?
• “Wow, I really need to stop off and grab a shower”
They came just as they were. And they came in a hurry.
b. Illustration – The way Camryn runs at me when she comes home – Why don’t we run to Christ the same way? Excited and unfettered! Filled with joy and wonder.
4. The shepherds came just as they were, believing the message they had heard, and responding to the invitation to meet Him.
B. The Wise Men
1. [Read: Matthew 2:1-11]
a. Brother Clark walked us through these Scriptures last week as he helped us uncover what made the wise men so wise. *Wise – asked for directions-didn’t try wrapping gifts
2. I want to remind you of a couple of ways in which the wise men came to Christ. Verse 2 really captures how they came.
“For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
a. They came with an attitude of worship.
b. They came diligently seeking Him. (Up to 2 years journey)
1) Contrast the chief priests and scribes (vv. 3-6)
Christmas…Came & Went
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2) It’s interesting to me to note that the ones who had been given more prophecy than anyone else about the coming Messiah – didn’t have a clue! They hadn’t been looking at all.
• They were living right in the middle of all that God was doing and they missed it.
c. Do you know who I’ve found searches the least for Christ? His own people.
1) The greatest single thing you can give your life to is the pursuit of God: knowing and experiencing Him through the person of Jesus Christ!
2) Hebrews 11:6 tell us that “God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him!”
a) The Bible doesn’t say anywhere that God will reveal Himself to those who casually look.
d. Where are life’s journeys taking you? Are you seeking Christ? Does He have your attention? Do you give your time in search of Him and His truths?
1) Wise men, wise women will give their lives to seeking Him – and here’s the beauty of it – if you will be diligent in your seeking – God will lead you right where you need to go.
3. The wise men came diligently seeking and with an attitude of worship.
C. Simeon
1. [Read: Luke 2:25-26]
2. Simeon is sometimes overlooked in the story surrounding Jesus’ birth. But this “just and devout” man encountered Christ with great anticipation.
a. I love the original Greek word here, the phrase “waiting for” is the Greek word prosdechomai (pros-dekh-om-ahee) – and it means “to wait with confident patience.”
3. I wonder how often we come to Christ with such great confidence?
a. I think we often come to Him with the thought that nothing is going to change.
We may come to Christ with our hopes, but do we come confident that He’ll bring those things to reality?
We may come to Him with our hurts, but do we come confident that He’ll ease our pain?
We may come to Him confused, but do we come confident that He’ll supply us with the direction we need?
b. Child of God, we need to be reminded of the words the author of the book of Hebrews would be inspired of God to write to us… Hebrews 4:16 (NLT) So let us come confidently to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.
4. Simeon encountered Christ with confident anticipation of all that God would do.
Christmas…Came & Went
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We’ve touched on and been reminded and challenged by the way these would come to Christ…I’d like for us to be challenged even greater by how they left.
D. The Shepherds
1. After encountering Christ, Luke 2:17-20 tells us how the shepherds left. [Read: Luke 2:17-20]
2. Verse 20 says that [they] “returned”.
a. These shepherds returned to their occupations…they returned to their friends and their families…but they returned…changed! They returned, glorifying and praising God!
• They weren’t called to quit their jobs, pack up and become a missionary in some foreign land…but their field of ministry became the very ones they returned to.
• This is good for us to remember…God has a purpose for you in the positions He places you.
• Stay at home moms…corporate executives…assembly line workers…school teachers…students…salesmen
Wherever God has placed you…you have a message that you should gladly share!
E. The Wise Men
1. After encountering Christ, Matthew 2:12 tells us how the Wise Men left. Then being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country a different way.
2. After encountering Christ, the wise men were different. Their “way” became different. We find that they were certainly sensitive to God’s direction and instruction for them.
F. Simeon
1. After encountering Christ, Simeon tells us with his own words how he planned on leaving… [Read: Luke 2:29-32]
2. After coming to Christ with all of his hopes and anticipation, Simeon says he can depart this in peace.
III. Conclusion
How about us, this morning? How do we come to Christ? What is the attitude with which we approach Him?
- Have you, like the shepherds, come to Him just as you are, believing His message, and responding to His invitation to meet Him? OR do we put other things first?
- Do we come to Christ like the Wise Men? Do we seek Him diligently with hearts of worship, bearing the gifts we have for His use…and His glory?
- Do we come to Christ like Simeon, confident, hope-filled, and with eager anticipation of all that God wants to do for us, in us, and through us?
I’ll make you a guarantee based on the Word of God…if we’ll just honestly come to Jesus…we won’t leave the same.
- we’ll leave changed, and with a greater desire to share the good news with others. Maybe we need to do that…come to Him and be stirred! Priorities.
- we’ll leave with a new perspective on the “way” we should live and with a new sensitivity to God’s direction and instruction for us.
- we’ll leave with a peace that passes all understanding…a soul-peace beyond anything we could ever imagine.
