Sermon 12/9/2001-Being Wise men (& women)
Pray
My affection for wise men-always one in church Christmas pagents
-a shepherd once, sneezed and blew out fire
But almost always a wiseman
This morn. Look at their place in the Xmas story.
Matt. 2:11-read
Look at the wisemen.
To understand them it is important to understand their journey, because it was not like that of the shepherds who went to the manger in one night. It was an incredible two year expedition.
Ever in our house during the holidays notice wisemen are not at the manger, starting their journey. Always in another part of the living room, why-vs. 11 they didn’t show up at the manger, they showed up at a house 2 yrs later. Reread vs.
Journeyed to find Christ and what did they do when they found Him, gave him gifts, not small trinkets, but they gave out of all that they were, out of their success, they gave Him their best, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
What about us, when we come to Christ what do we give Him?
Need to take our cue from the wisemen, and give out of all that we are, out of our success, give Him our best, we need to give Him our lives. But how can we do that? 2 things we can learn from the wisemen.
I. Heart of a worshiper
Now what did the wisemen do when they came face to face with Jesus? They bowed and they worshiped Him. How do we demonstrate what we worship?
Do you know what the word worship really means. Comes from the old English worthship.
That which you give the most credibility to , what you assign worth to...The thing that you give the greatest value to. That’s what you worship.
So how can you tell what has the greatest value in your life?
Jesus said “Where you treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
II. Heart of a giver
Why do we need to have the heart of a giver, because God is a giver. Think of all that He has given us. He created this incredible planet. But when He did He didn’t just stop, sit back and say “Wow, this is great. I think I’ll just sit back and take it all in.” No, He said I’ve got to give this to somone, and He created you and me.
And this world, with all it’s majesty and beauty isn’t even close to the greatest gift God has given us.
Jn. 3:16-God so loved that he GAVE His only Son…
What is Xmas all about, God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. That’s who God is, He is a giver. That is the heart of God. And as His creation, created in His image, we were created to be give.
World tells us here to get all you can, take it all, Be #1, Do your own thing. Empty and hopeless.
Ill. Winlock-Cemetery Rd.-6 yrs. Saw lots of funeral processions go by my house-never saw one hearse with a luggage rack on it. I don’t care if you have 100 billion dollars, we all get to take the same thing with us when we leave. But we don’t all leave the same thing.
This is the time of year we need to understand it’s not about getting its about giving, of our time, $, friendship, love, abilities, our lives
How do we give our lives? Look at X. Why did He come. What was his purpose in life? Not just come and die on the cross.
Jn. 17:4 “I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do.”
Hadn’t died yet, that couldn’t be it. What had he completed? Training the disciples. Purpose in life, same as the purpose that He gave to each of us who are His followers, make disciples.
So, How do we become givers, giving God all that we are?
We do it when we focus and direct our energies and resources on God’s purpose for our lives-Living out the great commission and the great commandment,
Great Commision-Mt. 28:19-20-as we are going through our lives be about making disciples,
Great Commandment– Mt. 22:26-40-Love God and Love Others
That’s why we’re here, that’s why we celebrate Xmas, not about how much we can get, how much we can give, so that when we die, we haven’t just existed, we have left something behind, a legacy of lives that God has touched through us. Isn’t that were you want to be? When you leave you want to know that your life counted, that you gave, and in your giving you helped others see the heart of God.
Heart of Worshiper
Heart of a giver
Show the world the heart of God, point them to Him.
O come let us Adore him
