Sermons on Matthew 1:18-2:23:

Epiphany—ambient Scent And Music.

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 23, 2017

And I am not talking about retail atmospherics of pumping in scented candles and evergreen, with Christmas carols.

Epiphany—Ambient scent and music. In the beginning, Christmas was connected to music and scent. And I am not talking about retail atmospherics of pumping in scented candles and evergreen, with Christmas carols. In Heralding the birth of Jesus, angels sang and wise men provided fragrant gifts to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72:1-13, Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Herod, Dead Babies, And Hope Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 23, 2017

There was a time in the seventies of the last century when Catholics seemed to stand alone among the Christian churches in their condemnation of abortion. Now they often stand with us outside the abortion mills and pro-choice lectures, praying.

Feast of the Holy Innocents 2017 Reformation/Revolution I don’t think it is possible to read or hear the account of the flight into Egypt and the intentional murder of an unknown number of children by Herod dispassionately. St. Matthew, writing at least forty years after these events, is probably ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-18

Denomination: Catholic

Led By The Star Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 24, 2017

What was the star that led the Wisemen to Jesus and what difference does that make to us today?

OPEN: Years ago I wrote a song about the Wise Men. The first verse went this way “Out in the fields, watching the sky. Looking to heaven, searching on high. Troubled by things I’d seen on this earth, I knew that my answer lay with a child’s birth. For the prophecy said that a star in the sky, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Christmas Spiritual Contrasts

Contributed by Jay Bunting on Dec 25, 2017

A look at the spiritual reactions to the birth of the Christ.

Luke 2:1-20 Christmas contrasts It is a time of great rejoicing in the palace, for a prince has just been born. Near the throne there is a lively discussion going on as the king’s advisers are making their suggestions concerning the best way to announce to the wonderful news. They have suggested ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Anglican

Born To Die, Born To Give Life

Contributed by Jonathan Meyer on Dec 27, 2017

Most nativity scenes portray a cute scene of a happy little family, & friendly visitors. That's the way we like to think of it, but it's hardly realistic. When we pause at the manger with this image, we maybe forget that this infant was born to die.

Every year, at about this time, my dad has this tradition of getting out old home movies. A lot of families have a tradition of watching their favorite Christmas movie: “Home Alone,” or “Elf,” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” or what have you. But for my dad, he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 1:18-25, 1 John 4:9-10

Denomination: Lutheran

Christmas Gifts

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 27, 2017

Tomorrow's the big day! We'll be diving into the mountain of presents and experiencing our moments of glee. The idea of giving gifts on Christmas originated with the wise men presenting gifts to Jesus. Today we'll look at what those gifts represented.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS Tomorrow's the big day! We'll be diving into the mountain of presents and ripping and tearing and experiencing our moments of glee. The idea of giving gifts on Christmas originated with the wise men presenting gifts to Jesus. Today we'll look at what those gifts were and what they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:9-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Epfania

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 28, 2017

Ambiente Espirtual

Epifanía — Ambiente de fragancias y de música. En el principio, la Navidad se conectaba con música y con fragancias. En el salón de la parroquia, ya huele a tamales, a pan y a chocolate! Y, en realidad, el oro tiene un ligero olor metálico. El oro representa honor y obediencia a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

If Only I Had Known!

Contributed by Lanny Carpenter on Dec 30, 2017

A Christmas sermon told in the first-person from the perspective of a Bethlehem citizen.

If Only I Had Known! Matthew 2:1-14 "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, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?" "Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-14

Denomination: Methodist

Epiphany O Godhead Hid

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Jan 1, 2018

The Wise Men seek the child Jesus and travel a long way from the East following a star, they even have to seek advice from King Herod to find Him. Its a little like a children's game of Hide and Seek.

O GODHEAD HID. MATT. 2:1-12. One of the most popular games among children has to be hide-and-seek - the rules are very simple. One child closes their eyes and counts to a hundred, while all the others hide - "Are you ready? Here I come." And one by one they are sought out from their hiding places ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

God For All

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Jan 1, 2018

Jesus was born into a Jewish family as God's chosen Messiah for the Jews. The feast of the Epiphany when we celebrate to revealing of Jesus to the gentiles clearly shows that Jesus was born for everyone and is reaching out to YOU.

God for ALL Matt 2:1-12 Today we have the readings for the feast of the Epiphany and from the early days of the Church, this feast has been considered in some ways more important than Christmas. Epiphany recalls the arrival of the magi to Bethlehem in search of the King of the Jews and 'epiphany' ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

We Three Kings

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Jan 1, 2018

We all know the hymn, 'We three kings of orient are..' but do we know the gospel facts underpinning this hymn and the significance of that visit to the child Jesus?

We 3 kings Matt 2:1-12 When you think of Christmas carols that are appropriate with Epiphany I’m sure you will come up with: “We Three Kings of Orient are. ...” But ironically in just that 1st line of 5 words there are 3 very slight errors but that does NOT subtract from the importance of this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Reflections Of A Saviour

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Jan 2, 2018

This message looks at what was meant when Joseph was told that Jesus would save his people from their sins.

Reflections of a Saviour If I was to ask you to name a story that began on Christmas Eve (without the obvious spiritual answer), some people would answer with “A Visit from Saint Nick”, and that would be a good answer. “T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: Wesleyan

Christmas Eve 2017

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Jan 2, 2018

This is not so much a sermon as it is a narrative and Scripture reading of the Birth of Jesus as found in the Gospels with video and Christmas Hymns mixed in. Requires several readers.

Christmas Eve 2017 Opening Video – Messiah.wmv Prayer – Pastor #1 (Points of the prayer) - The fabulous account which we retell each year - How precious it is to those who believe - Help us to set aside the worldly distractions from the story - Make it real to those who do not yet believe - Be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-24, Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20, Matthew 2:1-12  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

The Herodian Conundrum

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Mar 8, 2016

To facilitate better understanding of "one Herod too many" conundrum especially to the new readers of the New Testament!!!

THE HERODIAN CONUNDRUM!!! Hmmm...some Cricket here please... Sharma caught Sharma bowled Sharma... One can well imagine plight of a Cricket aficionado going through a batting Score-card (of say a West Zone Vs North Zone- Deodhar Trophy match- in the Sports page of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18

Denomination: *other

Flight To Egypt

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Mar 10, 2016

How do you respond to Christ the King Who is the fulfillment of the ages? Like Herod, and all Jerusalem with him, do you hate Him and fear Him? Or, like the shepherds and magi’s, do you bow down before Him and worship Him?

Opening illustration: A young boy desperately wanted a bicycle for Christmas, so he asked his parents for the bike; His parents wanted to teach him the importance of prayer, so they suggested the young boy should write a letter to Jesus and pray for one instead." Not pleased with the response of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational