Proverbs 3:1-10

New Year Wisdom

Rev. Jerry Hoek

Introduction:

There is always something significant about the transition from an old year to a new year.  The old year is a time for reflecting on the past 12 months, remembering significant events in our lives. There used to be a time when the first few days of the New Year were spent trying to remember to write 2009 for the date instead of 2008.  It is also a time for new beginnings.  Perhaps it’s a time to try to make good on some previously un-kept resolutions.  It is a time to look at the coming year and try to change things that need to be changing.

However, how do we handle all the changes?  Sometimes we look at changes and we become afraid.  The current economy is unsettling if not downright frightening.  What do we do about a future that may be uncertain or perhaps even frightening?  What guidelines do we use?  Do we just do whatever seems best to us?

The proverbs we will read this morning contain some good advice for us as we enter a new year, perhaps a time of uncertainty.  How are we to cope?  Proverbs 3:1-10 gives 3 simply answers that we will look at this morning.  Let’s read Proverbs 3:1-10.

I. Learn                       

II. Trust           

III. Obey

I. First, we must Learn.

We see this advice in verses 1-4.  At first, this advice seems to be just some good fatherly advice being passed down from father to son.  Something like “Don’t take any wooden nickels.” “If you follow all the rules, then you will be wealthy and everyone will think well of you.”  But these teachings of the father are not just bits of human wisdom.  The father’s teaching is based firmly on God’s law.

The father’s teaching is his explanation of what God commands and what God has taught.  If the son does what God commands in His word, then these blessings will be his.  What is central to God’s teaching?  Verse 3 says, “love and faithfulness.”  God commands that man love God above all and his neighbor as himself.  God also commands that man be totally committed to God.  These two things should be central in the life of believer.

And the result of following this word of wisdom, is being richly blessed.  Notice the blessings that the father gives.  He will have long life and prosperity.  He will have a good reputation among men and good favor in the eyes of God.  These are beautiful things, but are they guaranteed to the one who is loving and faithful?  We will discuss these blessings a bit later.  But for now Solomon says, “Remember the lessons you have received and learn from them to live a life that is good and well-pleasing to God.”

It would be well for us as well at this time to reflect on this past year and remember and learn from the lessons of the past year.  Hopefully, you have learned some things this past year.  Perhaps a few things stand out in your mind.  Something you learned and remembered from a Sunday School class or small group Bible study.  Something you learned from your own devotional life.  Perhaps something you heard in a sermon or experienced in a worship service.

I hope that we all have learned a lot and benefitted from the opportunities for learning and growth this past year.  One tendency we all need to overcome is to hear something good and important, comment on it and then promptly fail to do anything about it.  Remember what you have learned and keep on applying it.

However, also keep learning more and more in this coming year.  Attend Sunday School classes, Small groups and worship services.  Learn so that you can continue to grow.

And let’s reflect on our experiences as well in this past year.  Some have made some important changes in their jobs or careers.  Some have barely managed to hang on.  We all have made all kinds of mistakes.  Learn from these as well and press on in our life of faithfulness.

Remember the lessons we have learned and learn from them using God’s word.  Rev. G. Hallock gives this example.  A ship was wrecked. As the sailors were making their escape in small boats, suddenly two of them sprang overboard, swam back and entered the ship. They soon reappeared with something in their hands, and swam at great risk to their boats.  They had forgotten to take their compass.  Without the compass, they would be lost as they were in the middle of the sea.

God has given us a compass, so to speak, in His Word, and has given us many opportunities to know His will, His leading.  Let’s not forget God’s Word that we’ve learned and what we will learn in the coming year.  That’s the first word of advice.

II. A second word of advice is to Trust as we see in verses 5-6.

First, notice in whom we are to trust.  We are to trust in the Lord.  And this is not a belief in just  some divine being or higher power.  This is a trust in the Lord God of Israel, the God of the Bible.  This is the Lord God who: created the entire universe and rules over it continually; who did marvelous, often unbelievable things, for his people Israel; who promised to save His people from their sin who then sent His Son into the world as a human being to bring those who believe in him eternal life and who is the One and only Ruler and King over all and who has all things firmly in His mighty hand.

This is the Lord Solomon urges us to place our trust in.  There is no one else who is worthy of complete trust and devotion.  And so Solomon says, “Trust in the Lord.”

But what does it mean specifically to trust?  Literally, it means to fall forward, face down before someone.  Now that may seem to be an odd definition at first.  But think about it:  you don’t do that with someone you don’t trust.  If you were in a room with a known hardened criminal, face down at his feet would not be a preferred position for you to be in.  He might hurt you, steal your money, or humiliate you.

One of the most humbling children’s messages I ever gave was on trust which was in this church.  I asked a very young girl if she trusted me.  She said she did.  I asked her if she trusted me enough to fall and trust that I would catch her.  She said she did.  I said if you really trust me, then you should fall and believe that I’ll catch you.  She said ok.  So I stood behind her with my arms out and said “fall!”  And she did!  Forwards and landed on her face!

That is trust!  Believing that someone is going to catch you when you fall and you won’t land on your face.  I don’t think she would do that again because I didn’t catch her.

But the beautiful thing is that we can do that with God.  We can trust him completely.  We can fall down on our faces before him and he will not only not harm us, He will care for us.  We can have that complete unreserved trust in the Lord knowing he will care for us.

Moreover, Solomon says that we must not lean on our own understanding.  We should not rely or depend on our own skills and intelligence.  One thing we like to do is get all involved in something and then if things get really messed up, we ask God to help out.  We wait until there is nothing else we can do and say, “Well, all we can do now is pray.”  That is not what Solomon means when he advises his readers to trust in the Lord with all your heart.

In verse 6, he says, “in all your ways acknowledge Him.”  To “acknowledge” God  is not simply to say, “Yes, God, I know you are there, always watching, I’ll call you when I need you.”

To “acknowledge” reflects an ongoing relationship between God and us.  The word actually is “to know” — a key word which describes the covenant relationship between God and us.  It reflects a close, caring relationship; one characterized by close communication and fellowship on a continual basis.  To acknowledge God is to walk with him daily, making God your conscious companion whom you rely on and walk with daily.  You trust in that ongoing relationship.

And the result of this close continual trust is even more blessings.  God will lead, guide and direct us.  And more than this, he will fulfill our lives.  He will fill our lives with purpose and meaning.  He will bring our lives to where they should be.  Finally, Solomon takes this advice one step further and spells out in even more concretely how we are to walk with God and acknowledge Him.

III. We must Obey the Lord, which is what we see in verses 7-10.

We must demonstrate our trusting relationship with the Lord by obeying God in every part of our lives.  “Fear the Lord and shun evil” is the way Solomon describes it.  If we are to walk in a trusting relationship with the Lord, then we must turn to Him and we must fear him, respect and worship Him.  And the way we can do this is to turn away from evil.  This describes a continual realignment to God.  We must renounce the old person and embrace the new person recreated to be like Christ.

If we are to live in a trust relationship with God, then we must seek out the things in our lives that are causing us problems living with God.  Our tendency is to be selfish, greedy and focused on our own comforts and needs.  We all have our own hidden secrets and sins.  We must shun these things and turn to fear the Lord.

And we must seek to be obedient in absolutely every part of our lives.  A small son and his father were taking a walk through a field in the country.  In the far corner of the field they found a small patch of beautiful and fragrant flowers.  The flowers were in the middle of weeds, almost completely hidden and unnoticed, yet these flowers were in full bloom and filled the air with their fresh fragrance.  All of us have met persons unnoticed by many, but who in the middle of struggle and unlikely surroundings far from the center of attention live lives of beauty and fragrance.  And living lives which seemed obscure they faithfully fulfilled God’s calling for them.

God’s question on the last day will not be, “How much were you noticed?” or even “How much did you do?”  Rather, His question will be, “Were you faithful in fulfilling your calling where I placed you?”   The words in verse 8 assure us that God will bless us for turning to Him.

But Solomon goes on to say that we must obey the Lord in the use of our material possessions as well.  To trust in the Lord with all your hearts means that you trust him enough to take care of you that you are willing to give Him your first fruits.  This refers to the ten percent tithe mentioned in the Bible.  If you are going to live and walk with God in a truly trusting relationship, you must give first to God.  This is not a call to give what you think you won’t need anyway for there is rarely any left over.

We give back to God from the first we receive.  That includes gifts of money, time and our talents.  We have a challenge in front of us this year financially.  Remember to give of your first fruits to the Lord for the work of this church as well.  I know it may be challenging but God promises to bless those who are faithful in giving as well.

Solomon’s point is that trust in the Lord is not just for spiritual things.  It includes every part of life.  The result, according to verse 10 is full barns and overflowing wine.

Now we should take just a minute to look at these blessings.  It sounds like if we truly trust in the Lord, then according to verses 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10, our lives will be free from trouble and trial.  We will have long healthy, happy lives, filled with material riches.  We will never have to worry about things.

But this is simply not always true.  Sometimes a young Christian’s life is tragically cut short.  Many Christians today are living in absolute poverty.  Many Christians are being oppressed and persecuted for their faith, not respected and admired by their fellow citizens.  Christians too are often riddled with sickness and disease.  The blessings in these verses are not always there for believers.              However, let’s remember that these are not promises in the sense that they will be true for every single believer.  These are general poetic descriptions of God’s blessings upon the ones who trust him.  They are not individual promises, specific in detail and we must be careful not to view them as such.  God must never be viewed merely as a sound investment:  “If I tithe now, I will get more than what I had in the first place!”

God does promise, however, that if you trust in Him, obey him, He will bless you and keep you.  It may not always be the way we want, but God will bless us if we trust in Him with all our hearts.

And so as we begin 2009, will we trust the Lord?  As individuals, I challenge us to keep on learning, to keep on growing in your trusting, obedient relationship with God.  There comes no promise that you will find earthly peace and prosperity.  But we do have God’s promise that He will be with us, no matter what we go through.  And he will direct everything to our ultimate good.  Trust in that and trust in the Lord.

To ourselves as a church, I challenge us to trust the Lord this year.  Let us be eager to be used by God in this year.  Let us trust in Him that God will provide for us what we need.  May we remember this word and follow it as we being this year of continued service to our God.

Matthew 2:11

Exchanging Gifts with Jesus

Rev. Jerry Hoek

Introduction:

This morning I would like us to reflect on the aspect of gift-giving at Christmas for a few minutes.  Some of you have no doubt been rushing around buying gifts for others for some time already.  Some may have a long way to go.  So much of our celebration of Christmas focuses on this gift-giving aspect.  I would like to look at what many believe to be the origins of this gift-giving this morning.  We find it in the story of the Wise Men or Magi in Matthew 2.  We looked the whole story two weeks ago, but this morning I want to focus on verse 11, specifically the gifts the Magi gave to Jesus.  Let’s read Matthew 2:1-12.

I. The Gifts of the Magi

II. Jesus’ Gifts to Us                       

III. Our Gift for Jesus

I. First, What kinds of Gifts did the Magi bring to Jesus?

To us today, these gifts seem to be rather peculiar to us.  Think about the gifts that you usually give to a baby at a baby shower.  You may give blankets or clothes, rattles or other baby toys.  I doubt seriously if anyone here has ever given gold, incense and myrrh to a new born child.  These are strange sounding gifts to us and especially to children.

Brenda Roberts, a day care instructor in Stone Mountain, Georgia, was reading the story of Jesus’ birth to her children one morning.  She stopped to see if they understood.  “What do we call the three wise men?” she asked. “The three maggots,” replied a bright 5_year_old.    “What gift did the Magi bring baby Jesus?” she corrected.  “Gold, Frankensteins and smurfs!” the same 5_year_old replied.  To a child’s ears these are most peculiar gifts indeed.

What kind of gifts were these that the Magi gave to Jesus?  Gold is obviously a precious metal, but it seems a bit odd for a baby.  Maybe it would help offset future expenses for him and it certainly it was very valuable.

Incense or frankincense was a dried powder made from the sap of a particular tree.  It had a very pleasant aroma and was burned as incense and this gift too was very valuable.

Myrrh too was a dried powder made from a different tree.  It was used as a perfume for clothing or for homes.  It also was frequently used to embalm dead bodies for burial.  What kind of gifts are these for a common baby?

But, you see, the Magi knew that Jesus was no common baby.  These were all gifts which were suitable for a king.  They came expecting to find royalty, a newborn king.  They brought gifts that would be fit for a king.

Imagine how surprised they were to find the newborn king in such humble and common surroundings!  He wasn’t in a palace or fancy house, but a simple home in Bethlehem.  Yet they still believed that Jesus was a King and gave him the gifts appropriate for a king.  There is something else about these gifts that is significant for us today.

II. You see, these gifts given to Jesus also represent some of Jesus’ Gifts to Us.            These gifts remind us of some specific things that God has given us through Jesus.  Gold points to the fact that as King, Jesus came to beautifully enrich our lives.  Without Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior, a person lives in a desolate land of spiritual poverty.  Without God in their lives, many end up asking, “What’s the point of life anyway?”

Jesus brings enrichment in the form of meaning and a great sense of worth to our lives.  Jesus promises us that if we live for him, we will have a full and abundant life.  Those who believe in Jesus know that they are serving the only true and great King over all.  If you know that you are on the side of the one who is ultimately going to be victorious, it gives you a great sense of worth.

The incense symbolizes the fact that Jesus comes into this world to bring us closer to God.  In the Old Testament, incense was used to symbolize the prayers of man rising up to God.  The incense would often be sprinkled on the hot coals on the altar.  This steam would then rise up as a wonderful fragrance symbolizing the prayers of the people.

Now Jesus has come into the world and we no longer need to have incense, for Jesus brings ourselves and our prayers to God the Father.  Jesus came to be the only way to God and He brings our prayers to God and intercedes for us.  Now we no longer need to be afraid of God for Jesus out of his love, brings us to him, and we can now be at peace with God.  There once was a wise Shah in Persia who cared for his people and desired only what was best for them.  One day he disguised himself as a poor man and went to visit the public baths.  The water for the baths was heated by a furnace in the cellar, so the Shah made his way to the dark place to sit with the man who tended the fire.

The two men shared the simple food, and the Shah befriended him in his loneliness. Day after day the ruler went to visit the man.  The worker became attached to this stranger because he “came where he was”.  One day the Shah revealed his true identity, and he expected the man to ask him for a gift.  Instead, he looked long into his leader’s face and with love and wonder in his voice said, “You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dark place, to eat my simple food, and to care about what happens to me. On others you may bestow rich gifts, but to me you have given yourself!”

Jesus, the Son of God, came to dwell with us in human form so that we could be brought to God and have peace with God.

Myrrh points then to how Jesus did all these things.  Myrrh was used to make an oil which was used to anoint things, specifically bodies for burial.  This gift of myrrh represents Jesus’ gift of His crucifixion and death which he would suffer later.  Some thirty years later He would die so that we might enjoy the spiritual riches from God our Father.  He gave this gift so that we could have life, and life eternal.  The gift of myrrh by the Magi points to the main part of Jesus’ mission on earth.

But let’s not forget that Jesus is the King.  And he isn’t a dead king, but one who is very much alive today.  Jesus did die and was buried, but he rose after three days and ascended to heaven to reign as king.  As the ascended King, Jesus certainly has given great gifts to us.

III. What gifts should we give Jesus in return?

Many people try to give Jesus many different things.  Some try to live a decent, moral life, hoping that such a life might please God.  They try very intentionally to keep their sins to a minimum.  They think of themselves standing before God and saying, “I’ve done pretty well, don’t you think?”

Especially at this time of year, they go out of their way to offer Christmas cheer and good will to all.  After all, God would like that too.  Some may give some money to a church or some charity thinking God would certainly like that.

There are many things people try to do to try to please God but whatever we bring ends up being tainted.  Terrence Johnson tells of a Christmas play in which an 8 year old girl named Anne, played the wise men.  She stalked across the room as if she were riding a camel, bowed to Mary, to Joseph, to the angel, and then announced:  “I am all three wise men.  I bring precious gifts: gold, circumstance and mud.”

Terrence Johnson concludes: “Gold, circumstance and mud.  That pretty well describes our condition, doesn’t it?  Enmeshed in a materialism, which all but chokes to death the breath of the spirit; victimized by circumstances which so often are far different from what we might wish; and with mud of divisions, injustices, war, loneliness and despair splattered all over the good intentions of our better selves.  Gold, circumstance and mud.”  We must give God something far better.

What is the best gift we can to give to Jesus in return for all his gifts to us?  The answer comes from the Magi in Matthew 2.  The first thing they did when they saw Jesus was to bow down and worship Him.  Bowing down means that they are saying that Jesus is greater than they are.  Worshiping Him meant that they believed Jesus to be God and King.

We must bow down and worship Jesus, the Christ, our Lord.  We must gladly yield all authority and place to Jesus alone.  We must say to Him that in all things, Jesus is my King.  I nor my family is my king; my happiness or money is not my king.  Bowing down and worshiping means Jesus is my Lord and King.

And then we can give our gifts to Him to express our gratitude for all He has done for us.  And the best gift we can give him is not stuff or actions, but simply this:  myself!  Jesus wants us to give our very lives to Him and allow Him to take full control over our lives.  He wants us to love, serve, and obey Him so that He can make us to be truly free.  In fact, the most important gift we can give that will be pleasing to Jesus is to believe and accept Jesus Christ fully as the one who forgives all our sins and who is control of our lives.

Today, we celebrate Jesus’ birth.  Today, our risen King stands ready and willing to give His gifts to us.  He is ready to give your life meaning and direction and purpose.  He is ready to give you  true peace with God and contentment.  He is ready to offer you salvation and forgiveness of your sins.

All we need to do is give our gift to him.  If you believe in Him, offer him your life even more completely than what you have before.  If you don’t believe in Him, give yourselves to Him by believing in Him, believing that He can and did forgive all your sins.  What gift will you bring to Jesus this year?

Matthew 2:19-23   

Rev. Jerry Hoek

Introduction:

Before we read these verses this morning, I would like you to think about your hometown.  Where is your hometown?  Where did you grow up?  Where we come from often says something about us.  For example, I’ve told you before that the first 7 years of my life was spent on a farm near Pipestone, Minnesota.  From that I have learned to appreciate rural life and farming as a way of life.  I also grew up having with an interest in Native American issues because of the history of the Pipestone rock with which the plains Indians made their pipes.

More often, however, other people will think something about us based on where we come from.  Sometimes when I tell people that I also grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they think, “Oh yeah, that’s where all the ‘big-shots’ in the denomination are.”  Many times, people make judgments about us based on our hometown.

Hometowns in Jesus’ day were especially important for they said a great deal about who the person was.  The same thing is true for Jesus.  People had certain attitudes toward Jesus based on the town he grew up in.  However, Matthew’s point in describing the home of Jesus is more than just to teach us some history about Jesus.  Rather it is to say something about who Jesus is and, more importantly, who Jesus has come for.  This morning we continue our study of the early years of Jesus’ life as described in Matthew 2 so that we can better understand who Jesus really is.  Jesus is the Son of God who has come to save all people, Jew and Gentile, insider and outcast.  Let’s read Matthew 2:19-23.

I. The Next Scene Begins             

II. The Journey to Israel

III. The Journey to Galilee

IV. The Journey to Nazareth

I. The Next Scene Begins when Herod’s death is announced in verses 19-20.

As we saw last week, Herod was a brutal man who tried to kill Jesus.  In fact, Herod’s life and rule was marked by brutal killings.  Members of his own family made various attempts to wrest control from him.  He ended up killing his mother-in-law, some of his own sons and wives to consolidate his rule.  Thus it comes as no surprise that he would want to kill some new young threat to his throne.  However, now that Herod is gone, the danger is reduced considerably.

At Herod’s death, the kingdom was parceled out to Herod’s three sons.  Archelaus got the area where Bethlehem was located.  Herod Antipas got Galilee where Nazareth was located.  The other brother Philip got the area east of the Jordan River.  Archelaus began his reign with the massacre of 3,000 people.

So while the immediate threat is reduced, the threat of sin continues.  As we saw last week, the birth of Jesus alone does not stop the pain of sin from inflicting its damage on the earth.  War in Iraq and Afghanistan and terrorists attacks in India underscore the amount of sin and evil in the world.  Again today, we remember that Jesus came to bring the victory over such awful effects of sin.  God’s will will endure and He will become fully victorious.

But again the point here is that Matthew wants to say something about Jesus and he does this by looking at Jesus’ journeys to His hometowns.

II. The Journey to Israel says that Jesus is the Savior of the people of Israel.

God comes to Joseph in a dream and tells him to go back to the land of Israel.  Once again, notice that Joseph immediately obeyed the Lord.  There is something quite remarkable about Joseph in all this.  He is told by God to do something and he does it without question.

Now Joseph’s first inclination was likely to bring Jesus back to Bethlehem since he likely had established a home there before.  However, Joseph was afraid to go back into that area.  As we saw before, Herod’s son Archelaus was just as brutal as Herod was and Joseph had good reason to be afraid that he might try to kill Jesus as well.  So God warns Joseph in another dream about this and Joseph goes to Galilee.

Now an interesting question comes up here:  since God knew that there was danger in Judea, why not send Joseph directly to Galilee?  Why did Matthew even mention going to Bethlehem?  Or more to the point, why did God tell Joseph to go to the land of Israel?

Matthew’s point once again is for the Jewish people to see that salvation for God’s people will come from Jesus.  These small details would again remind the people of the Israelites journey from Egypt to the promised land of Canaan.  This is the only time the phrase “the land of Israel” is used in the New Testament.  God is making it clear that Jesus will be the one who will lead the new people of Israel out of slavery to sin to freedom and eternal life.

Moreover, when God speaks to Joseph, He uses the phrase, “Go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”  This is almost identical to the phrase in Exodus 4:19 when God spoke to Moses when God called Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.   Moses had been hiding in Midian after he had killed an Egyptian.  “Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.”   Once again, the similarity would be seen by Matthew’s readers and the connection would be made once again between the Exodus and Jesus.  Matthew’s point is that Jesus will be the one who will bring the people out of slavery into freedom and life.  Jesus is the Messiah the Jews have been looking for.

The point for us is that Jesus is the one and the only one we must look to for our salvation.  The Jews were eagerly seeking the One who would bring them life.  Their whole lives were focused on that expectation.  We should be eagerly seeking Jesus in our lives as well.  There is no one else who will give us life and hope in our lives.

The time of Christmas has become so busy that it has become easy for us to forget about what Jesus’ coming means for us.  There is shopping to be done, end of year busyness at work.  And at the time when we should be filled with joyful anticipation that Christ has indeed come to us, we almost begin to yearn for the time when the holidays will be over and life will return to normal.

I like the perspective that a woman by the name of Kari Myers has when she writes:

“Thanksgiving has come and gone, and once again many of us find ourselves racing against time to put together the perfect Christmas. Between holiday parties and trips to the mall there are cookies to be baked, lights to be hung, guest rooms to be cleaned, holiday meals to be planned, cards to be addressed, and the perfect gift to be found. Though I hate to admit it, I have lost sleep over what to give my nieces this year. [BLANK]  And so it begins. The joy and wonder of the season quickly become overshadowed if not completely lost by the exhausting quest to make every detail just right.”

“How foolish to think that the joy of Christmas is found only when every last thing meets our grand expectations. If that were the criterion, then the first Christmas surely would have been considered a disaster. [BLANK]  Mary probably hadn’t planned on going into labor during her trip to Bethlehem. Far from the comfort of her home and family, she no doubt was distraught to learn there was no room for them in the inn. Delivering her precious baby in a smelly stable and laying him in an animal’s feeding trough was certainly not the way in which the Son of God should enter the world. Or was it?”

“The joy of Christmas is not found in buying the perfect gift or preparing the perfect meal. It is found in receiving the perfect gift of Immanuel — God with us.  So no matter how our plans turn out this year the important thing is that our Savior was born!”

The busyness of Christmas is something that can often leave a bitter taste in our mouths.  Martin Marty is thankful for one experience that he had on Christmas when he was 6 years old which taught him to look beyond the material stuff of Christmas.

On the night of the Christmas program, he was looking around at the other kids and trying to decide how they would do on Christmas day as far as the presents they would receive were concerned.  The farmer kids would not do as well.  The daughter of the department store owner would do well of course because the store was at her father’s disposal.  But what his mind was obsessed with was the gift he knew he would get:  a windup toy ferris wheel that he had spotted earlier.  He did get the ferris wheel for Christmas but he notes, “The spring in it broke on Christmas morning.”

That is a picture of how our Christmases often end up if have not adequately prepared;  we end up with broken hopes and dreams.  Let’s hear a reminder once again this morning that we remember and joyfully anticipate celebrating Jesus’ coming to this earth.

III. The Journey to Galilee shows that Jesus is the Savior of the Gentiles.

In Jesus’ journey to Galilee, Matthew is saying that Jesus is also the one who would go to the Gentiles.  Nazareth was already referred to with some derision as a place for Gentiles in Isaiah 9:1.  Jesus is certainly for the Jewish people, for Israel, and that is why Matthew says Jesus went there first; but Jesus also came for the Gentiles.  The Gentiles were those whom the Jews considered to be outsiders.  They weren’t after all the chosen people.

Matthew says that Jesus went even to those who were on the outside.  Even though they were thought to have no place in the Kingdom of God, Jesus, by going there, makes it very clear that the Gentiles too belong in God’s kingdom if they accept Jesus.  God’s people would have to learn that Jesus has come for all people, not just whom they felt were the chosen ones.

That is an important point for us to remember as well this Christmas in the busyness of the season.  It is easy to sit back, enjoy our salvation, and not share it with others.  If we do manage to remember the real meaning of Christmas as being the birth of our King, that is pretty good.  But now to think of this as a time to reach out to others as well?  There just isn’t time for that!

The message to Matthew’s readers, and also to us, is that we must share the message of Jesus with those whom we think would not or should not hear it.  That neighbor who lives near you that you know wouldn’t be caught dead in a church.  That co-worker who you know is involved in all kinds of personal problems, but they obviously aren’t church material.

Jesus’ going to Galilee shows that He came to earth for those kinds of people.  We must go to those who on the fringe, seek them out and invite them to hear the good news of Jesus in one way or another.  Now we have to be careful how we do this.

One pastor relates one incident which illustrates this.  One Christmas Eve their young children were preparing to go to church for the candlelight service. On the way their son asked his father, “Dad, are you going to let us enjoy this Christmas or are you going to try to explain it to everybody?”

Let’s not rob the joy from Christmas by making it a theological lecture.  However, we can in many ways share with others the hopeful joy that Christ’s birth brings to us.  That is what Jesus came to do and that is what we must do as well.

IV. Finally, the Journey to Nazareth shows that Jesus is the Savior of the Outcast.

When Joseph went to Galilee, he returns once again to Nazareth.  Matthew highlights the significance by saying, “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’”  There is not one particular Old Testament text that says this.  Rather, Matthew is saying that Jesus is the despised and rejected One set aside by God whom the whole Old Testament points to.

It may also be that the word “Nazarene” is similar to the word in Hebrew for “branch.”  Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be the “Branch” from the line of David.  This would then say that Jesus is the “Messiah branch” that Isaiah had foretold.

The point Matthew is making is that the promised Messiah was one who was always described as a kind of messiah that people wouldn’t normally expect.  He is one who will seem weak and insignificant.

Being from Nazareth also says something about how Jesus would be received.  Nazareth was so obscure that the detailed history of Josephus doesn’t even list it as a town in Galilee.  Frederick Bruner says simply that “Nazareth was ‘Nowheresville’.”  Later on, when Jesus was calling His disciples, even Nathaniel, the brother of the disciple Philip, wondered and doubted aloud by saying, “Can anything good come from there?”  A person from Nazareth was despised and ridiculed.

This describes how Jesus would be received.  For while Jesus is born a king and worshiped as a king by the Magi, He will also be despised and rejected by men.  In fact, Jesus would grow up to suffer and die and even be completely rejected by God in order to bring salvation to us.

However, Matthew is also saying that Jesus has come to the outcasts.  Jesus doesn’t come to the cream of society, but comes to those whom Jews and Gentiles alike thought were the refuse of the world.  He came for people who had little value at all in the world’s eyes: the homeless, the refugee, the immigrant and the like.  That means that regardless of who we may be, what we have done, the sins or problems we struggle with, Jesus has come for us.

The question for us is: “How are we treating Jesus this Christmas?”  Is “every heart preparing him room” as we sing the Christmas carol?  Or are we just barely squeezing in some stuff about Jesus into our Christmas?  Are we ignoring Jesus because we are so involved in so many other things?

In his portrayal of the nativity scene, Rembrandt focused attention entirely on the Babe in the manger by painting a shaft of light so that it falls exclusively on the Christ child.  While he included other figures, they are shrouded in shadows.  Rembrandt wanted nothing to detract from the significance of that baby __ who was God in the flesh.  He wanted Christ to be the sole object of adoration.  We must have nothing get in the way of worshiping and adoring our Lord Jesus this Christmas.

But again, let’s remember that a good celebration of Christmas is more than just remembering the birth of Jesus.  We need to look to make sure that we have invited Jesus into every part of our lives throughout the year.  Today, let’s ask ourselves:  “How much is Jesus in your Christmas and in your life?”

Matthew 2:13-18  

Rev. Jerry Hoek

Introduction:

Christmas is a time of joy and happiness.  There is the happiness of family and friends gathering together and the joy of celebrating the birth of Jesus.  Yet, there is often also sadness at Christmas.  A seventeen year-old girl from our son’s old high school died this past week from a one in a million type of auto-immune disease.  She was otherwise apparently a picture of health.  Loved ones do die at Christmas time.

Marriages also fall apart and people lose their jobs, even at Christmas.  I recall several years ago in Iowa, a couple was killed in a house fire.  On a news report, a neighbor, commenting on the tragedy of these deaths, said, “And it had to happen in this time of year, at Christmas.”  Now I can understand her thinking because it is unfortunate when bad things happen when we want good things to happen.  Moreover deaths at holidays will always cast a pall over the subsequent holidays.

However, sad and tragic things still occur even if it is Christmas.  How do we view these things?  Do we wish that the bad things would just hold off until after Christmas?  Would that make them any better?  What place do tragedy and pain have at Christmas?

Matthew 2:13-18 helps us to understand that pain and tragedy are a part of the Christmas story as well.  Even though Jesus Christ is born, the ugly fact of sin remains.  But the point that Matthew makes is that such sin and painful tragedy is not just an unfortunate diversion to the wonderful Christmas story.  Rather, these events point very graphically to the very reason Christ was born.  Christ’s birth helps us to gain the right perspective on the pain and tragedy of sin in our lives.  Let’s read Matthew 2:13-18.

I. The King Escapes            

II. The Prince of Peace?         

III. The Crises of Christmas

I. Let’s look first at how The King Escapes.

As soon as the Magi leave from their worship of King Jesus, the harsh reality of sin comes sweeping in.  Herod had planned all along to get rid of this new king of the Jews.  So God sends an angel to Joseph to warn him to take Jesus into Egypt.  God tells Joseph that the child is in great danger because Herod is intent on killing him.

There have been many legends that have arisen with respect to this trip and stay in Egypt.  Things like the family being protected from dragons.  Lions and leopards wagged their tails in homage to the king as they passed by on their way.  Palm trees bowed down to provide food to the family.  It does make me wonder what this little 2 year old child thought as he stayed in Egypt and perhaps saw the pyramids and the Nile River.  However, the trip and the surrounding details are not important to Matthew because in verses 14-15 he reports the story in the barest details.

Why did God send Joseph to Egypt?  First, for many Jews who opposed Herod, Egypt was a well-established haven since Herod’s authority did not reach there.  But more importantly for Matthew is that Jesus must go to Egypt in order to fulfill Old Testament prophecy.

The prophecy from Hosea 11:1 states:  “When Israel was a child, I loved him and out of Egypt I called my son.”  In Hosea’s prophecy, God has been describing all that He has done for His people Israel to show His great love for them.  God says to Israel:  “I brought you out of Egypt!  I rescued you from slavery and led you to the promised land of Canaan!”  Matthew’s readers would immediately recognize this prophecy as speaking of God saving His people from the bondage of slavery.

Matthew’s point is that now Jesus will bring the people salvation.  God will use Jesus to bring His people out from their bondage to sin and lead them to a new and even better life.  Jesus’ coming out of Egypt is a reminder of God’s saving actions in the past and points to how God would now bring eternal life and salvation to His people in the future through Jesus.  Matthew’s point is this:  Jesus is the new source of hope for salvation for God’s people.

Jesus has come to us as well to lead us out of our own slavery to sin.  We can look forward to a day when we will be free from all sin because of what Jesus has done.

Journalist Christopher Morley thought one day about the telephone and how it affects people’s lives.  He began to think of all the people who at that moment were waiting to hear a piece of good news on the telephone.  He thought of parents who might be anxiously hoping to hear the voice of an estranged son or daughter.  He thought of all the relatives and friends who might be hoping to hear a doctor’s voice say, “The patient will live.”  He thought of young lovers who might be anxiously hoping to hear the telephone ring and that special someone say, “I love you.”

And suddenly Morley wished that he could call all the people in the world who were waiting by their telephones to tell them the good news they wanted to hear.   This is the season when we can do precisely that.

All the good news of the world is embodied in the words, “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  God has sent us the good news that we are longing to hear.  We have salvation, eternal life!  Yet, we still must continue to live now in this sinful world and this is no easy thing as we see in what happens next.

II. Somehow, Jesus’ name, “The Prince of Peace,” almost seems inappropriate here.

Herod now carries out his gruesome plan for eliminating the new king.  He had hoped the Magi would come back to him after they had worshiped Jesus to tell him where and who Jesus was.  God, however, warned the Magi not to go back to Herod.  And so Herod gives orders to kill all the boys, two-years old and younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area.  This gives just a glimpse of the kind of person that Herod was.

For example, just prior to his death, Herod summoned all the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem to him and then took them captive.  He gave orders that at the precise moment of his death, they were to kill all of them.  Herod knew that he was so hated by the Jews that when he died, the streets would be filled with shouts of joy at his death.  By killing the Jewish leaders, the streets would be filled with sounds of mourning and crying for the killed Jews.  Thus, the people would end up mourning at his death.  This plan, by the way, was never carried out.

Tradition has given the number of children killed in Bethlehem at anywhere from 3,000 to 64,000.  However, a small village like Bethlehem would not have had more than 20-30 children of this age.  Thus, there were likely no more than 30 boys who were killed.  That does not diminish the horror of that awful act.

But it is important to see that Matthew’s point is not to create an emotional reaction of horror or revulsion or even pity for the children.  Certainly Matthew was terribly pained by these tragic deaths.  But Matthew’s goal is to make an important point about Jesus, which he does through the use of another Old Testament prophecy.

Verse 18 quotes an Old Testament prophecy found in Jeremiah 31:15.   “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”  These words were written by Jeremiah when the people of Israel were being taken away into captivity into Babylon some 600 years before.  Ramah was the town near Jerusalem where all the captives would be gathered for the mass deportation to Babylon.  Thus, it was known as a place of sorrow and mourning.

Rachel is not a mother of Bethlehem, but the wife of Jacob, the grandson of the patriarch Abraham and thus the mother of all the people of Israel.  The picture then is of Rachel as the great, grand-ancestor of the people of Israel, standing by the roadside at Ramah, weeping as all of her descendants are being taken away as captives.  Matthew uses this prophecy to describe the awful scene in Bethlehem.

But the reason Matthew also quotes this prophecy is because it is a prophecy of hope.  For in the next two verses in Jeremiah 31, God gives Jeremiah hope in spite of Rachel’s weeping.  Look at Jeremiah 31:16-17 – “This is what the LORD says: ‘Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,’ declares the LORD. ‘They will return from the land of the enemy.  So there is hope for your future,’ declares the LORD. ‘Your children will return to their own land.’”  God says He will restore the people to the land.  There may be sorrow now, but soon there will be rejoicing and life.            Matthew’s point is that Jesus is the one to bring this hope to God’s people.  There is death in Bethlehem now, but because of Jesus, there will be hope for new life.  Eventually, Jesus will give Himself and bring life to God’s people.

In a real sense, what we see in this terrible massacre in Bethlehem is a foretaste of what we will see with Jesus on Calvary.  Both events are gruesome and terrible.  Babies being brutally killed by soldiers is a terrible, horrifying thought.  Jesus being brutally crucified is also a horrifying thought.

Both brutal killings reinforce to us the awful reality of sin in the world.  The massacre in Bethlehem remind us that Satan and forces of evil will stop at nothing to resist God and cause all kinds of pain and destruction on earth.  The crucifixion reminds us of the great extent that God was willing to go and did go to save us from the ravages of sin and death.

And so let’s not lose sight of the main message of Matthew.  Yes, sin is there and it causes real pain and heart-ache.  But it is sin that will be ultimately and thoroughly defeated.  Jesus’ birth makes all the difference in a dark and dismal world.

Sometimes during this time of year, we try to maintain a sense of peace that is forced or self-made.  “Let’s be cheerful and optimistic because it is Christmas and let’s do the best we can.”

During the football season, the college bookstore at Iowa State puts a big sign in the window saying “Kill Kansas” or “Whip Washington” or something like that, depending on the name of the upcoming foe.  In 1983, just before Iowa State was devastated 72_29 by Nebraska, the nation’s top ranked team, the wording was altered a bit.  The sign read:  “Maintain Dignity Against Nebraska.”

Sometimes in the face of all the sin and evil in the world, we may feel that the most we can do is maintain our dignity.  However, Jesus’ birth transforms our lives and this world into something completely different.

A reporter once asked the late president Herbert Hoover, “Mr. President, how do you handle criticism?  Do you ever get agitated or tense?”  “No,” President Hoover said, seemingly surprised at the question, “of course not.”  “But,” the reporter went on, “when I was a boy you were one of the most popular men in the world.  Then, for a while you became one of the most unpopular, with nearly everyone against you. Didn’t any of this meanness and criticism every get under your skin?”  “No, I knew when I went into politics what I might expect, so when it came I wasn’t disappointed or upset,” he said.  He lowered his eyebrows and looked directly into the reporter’s eyes.  “Besides, I have ‘peace at the center,’ you know.”

Jesus’ birth and his subsequent death and resurrection means we can have peace at the center of our lives as well.  That peace, on which we rest our lives fully, makes all the difference.

III. That’s important to remember as we too face The Crises of Christmas.

We face harsh realities at Christmas-time and at other times as well.  Serious illness, disease, or death may even occur.  People face great problems financially or stresses or cutbacks in their jobs.  Marriages may break down or some must deal with broken relationships.  Individuals may struggle with serious depression.  For some facing holidays without a loved one who has died make Christmas very difficult.  The wish of “Merry Christmas” cannot simply brush these things aside.

But the point that I hope we can see from this passage is that there is indeed real hope.  We may cringe at sin’s effects on us and those around us, but the good news of Christmas is that because Jesus has been born, He has won the victory!  I pray that we can see the hope and comfort in that thought.  In the dark and dismal landscape that our life can sometimes be, there is that hope which Jesus’ coming brings.

Pastor Gardner Taylor recounted a story from his early days as a minister in Louisiana.  In that Depression-ravaged era, he was in the midst of a sermon one Sunday evening when suddenly the electricity in his small church flickered out.  Enveloped in the darkness, the young Taylor stood motionless, not knowing what to do.  Finally, an elder deacon yelled out from the congregation, “Preach on, preacher, we can still see Jesus in the dark!”

Jesus has come into this sin-darkened world to give us life both now and in eternity.  I pray that this may help all of us to press on knowing that because of Jesus we are securely held.

Many years ago, in the days of the pioneers, a man was traveling one winter night and came to the banks of a wide river.  He had to get across but there was no bridge.  The river was coated with a sheet of ice but he didn’t know how safe the ice was.  After much hesitation, he gingerly tested it with one foot and it held.  Night was coming and he had to get across.  With many fears and with care he crept out on his hands and knees, hoping to distribute his weight on the uncertain ice.  When he had gone some distance painfully and slowly, he heard the sound of horse’s hoofs and joyful singing.  There in the dusk was a man driving a team of horses and a load of coal across the ice and happily singing as he went.  He then knew the ice was safe.

The point is that Jesus has come and gone before us in this sinful world and so we are safe if we belong to Him.  There are times when we feel like we are going through life on our hands and knees, just inching along, filled with fear and racked with anxiety.  God says to us this morning:  “PRESS ON!  Even if you are in the darkness, even though you may fall at times, press on!”  Jesus has gone before you and so our lives are safe.

Do you have that certainty and comfort in your life?  If you do, then the joy of Christmas will not only last a few days out of a year.  If you believe in Jesus, the joy of Christmas will last you your whole life and on into eternity.  Jesus has come to defeat the ugly power of sin.  Is that reality a part of your Christmas preparation?

A Reason to Truly Celebrate

            All right, I’m going to admit it.  The older I get the more I am able to sympathize with Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol.”  Well, that’s not accurate I suppose.  I don’t take advantage of others and try to make life miserable at Christmas or any other time for that matter.  I’m certainly not hoarding wealth which is stashed away in a vault.  Yet I must admit that as I look at many of the “Holiday” activities, there is something within me that wants to say, “Bah!  Humbug!”

            What makes me grumble about this time of year is all the extra “stuff” that seems to be required in order for a person to be happy or to have a happy holiday.  You are to buy as much stuff as you possibly can, cram as many activities as one possibly can into an already packed schedule and superimpose it with holiday cheer.

            I have no problem with being cheerful and happy during this time of year, but it seems to me that we have simply gotten things turned inside out.  We want Christmas joy, peace and comfort, but more and more our culture is telling us that the way to do this is through the external things we are to say and do.  If we shop, go to parties, exchange gifts and decorate, then we will have a merry Christmas.

            However, most often we find that such things don’t satisfy us at all.  Is it any wonder that we get to the second week of the new year and we are already feeling a bit down or depressed.  Our annual “fix” of holiday cheer fixed nothing at all.  We still have the same struggles and challenges as before, only now with more bills to pay and more cleaning up to do.

            Perhaps my mind set is being colored by the sermon I’m working on this week from Matthew 2.  After the Magi worship the newborn King, King Herod decides to wipe out this king and ends up massacring the little boys in the town of Bethlehem.  This is not the stuff of angels singing and shepherds worshiping.  This is hard and tragic stuff that we don’t like to think about.

            We want good news and happy things at Christmas, but the world seldom complies.  Terrorists still strike at Christmas, tsunamis and earthquakes strike as well, killing thousands.  Life, good and bad, doesn’t stop just because it is Christmas time.

            However, it is precisely that reason why the real meaning and message of Christmas must ring through amid all the clatter and noise of the superficial and sentimental celebrations.  We live in a sin-filled and sin-sick world.  There is evidence of that all around us.  However, Jesus was born as a child to become a king and savior who would once and for all defeat sin and all the effects of that sin.

            This is why I think it is vital that we truly celebrate Christmas and highlight the Advent season.  This is a time of year when we can intentionally focus on the amazing thing God has done for us.  God had every right to let us stay in our own sinful state, but instead He acted out of great compassion and love for His people.  He sent His one and only Son, who literally emptied Himself of all His glory in order to become one of us.

            The result is that no matter what we may face, no matter what challenges and stresses we may have to endure, we know our God loves us and sent His Son for us.  That gives us real hope, joy and peace.  That is something to celebrate, not only during Christmas but every day of the year!

Pastor Jerry                                                                                                      

December 2008

Matthew 2:1-12

Rev. Jerry Hoek

Introduction:

Preparation is often a key element in what we do. For example, let’s say that this past Thanksgiving Day you invited 30 people over for a Thanksgiving Day dinner complete with all the trimmings.  The key to surviving that day would be for you to be fully prepared for those 30 people who are going to have Thanksgiving dinner at your house.  If you don’t know what you will serve, or if you don’t have the food in the house by Thursday morning, if you are not prepared, things aren’t going to go very well for you or the dinner.

Today is the First Sunday of Advent, the first of the four Sundays before Christmas Day.  The church throughout history has viewed this time as a special time for Christians to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth.  Celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day is a very significant occasion and Christians have always felt that it is important for them to be prepared.  That is especially true today when the secular world begins gearing up for their celebration of Christmas at least three months or more before Christmas.  In this context, it is very important that we prepare to remember and celebrate what Christmas really means.

That is the reason for studying Matthew 2 over the next four Sundays.  The events describe what happens to Jesus immediately after His birth.  We look at these events to understand who Jesus is and to help us put the birth of Christ in the right perspective for our celebration of Christmas.  This morning, we will look at the story of the Magi or the Wise Men.  Let’s read Matthew 2:1-12.

I. The Story of the Magi                     

II. Who is the King For?                    

III. Jesus is the Shepherd King

IV. Preparing for The King’s Coming

I. The Story of the Magi is very familiar to us.

The wise men from a distant country, come to visit Jesus.  However, over time, many of the facts of this story have become distorted.  Our purpose this morning is two-fold.  First, we want to try to get the facts straight about this story.  Second, and more importantly, we want to understand the point that Matthew was trying to make in relating these events.

Let’s compare the traditional view with the facts to set the story straight.  The tradition is that there were three wise men since there are three gifts that are mentioned:  gold, frankincense and myrrh.  However, Matthew doesn’t say how many wise men there were.  In fact, some early Christian traditions put the number of wise men at anywhere from 2 to 14.

The tradition says that these persons were literally kings representing three different countries.  In fact, over the years these three have been given names:  Malchier, Gaspar and Balthasar.  Matthew says these people were “Magi” or “star-watchers.”  These men were experts at interpreting the stars as they related to historical events.  They were also very knowledgeable regarding other religions.  They were scholars studying other religions and stars, not kings.

Tradition says that they came from someplace in Asia, from the Orient.  Matthew simply says that they were someplace from the east.  Some scholars claim that the magi may have been from what is now modern day Iraq.

Then there is the distortion that is found in many nativity scenes.  And I’m not talking about the silly things that are part of so many nativity scenes.  I’ve seen snow covered pine trees surrounding the shed in which Jesus is laying.  The silliest or most irreverent was a manger scene where snowmen were the characters.  I want to be clear this is something that was given to our daughter and it is not displayed in our house.

Even traditional nativity scenes show Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds gathered around the baby Jesus and there are the wise men kneeling down offering their gifts to the Christ-child.  But the Magi came from a great distance and could not have arrived the same night as the shepherds.  Notice that Matthew says they went to the house where the child was because Jesus was no longer in the stable.

But what is far more important is to understand what Matthew wants to tell his readers about who Jesus is from the story of the Magi.  Matthew is saying something very important about who Jesus is.

II. First, he wants to make it clear precisely Who this King is For.

Matthew is writing this gospel to Jewish people in his day.  His purpose first is to convince them that Jesus is the promised Messiah who has come for them.  Jesus is the one that they have been longing for for years.  Jesus is the one who will save them from all their trouble.

But even more, Jesus is the one who has come for both Jews and Gentiles.  Jesus is not just the Jewish Messiah.  Jesus is the Messiah that is for all people all over the world.

In effect, Matthew is saying here, “look at who some of the first people were who came to worship Jesus!”  Some of the first ones to come were Gentiles from a pagan land.  The point is that Gentiles will come to worship Jesus and believe in Him just as the Jews will.  Now in Christ, all nations can be part of God’s special people.

However, Matthew also is saying that the Gentiles, to really understand who Jesus is, must first go to the Old Testament to learn about the Messiah.  Why do you suppose God didn’t just direct them straight to Bethlehem?  When the Magi first saw the star, they knew it meant a king was born in Israel, but nothing more.  They went to Jerusalem because that would be the logical place to find a new king.  However, Matthew’s point is that God led them to Jerusalem first to search the Old Testament.  They must understand the whole plan before they can truly and fully appreciate what God has done in Christ.

That is true for us as well.  Without the background of the Old Testament, Jesus could very easily become a very special historical and religious person.  But Jesus is the One who fulfills God’s plan through all of history.  We must understand the whole plan of God from the beginning.  Then we can understand better who Jesus is and what He’s done for us.

The Magi’s coming to worship Jesus should help us realize that we are preparing to celebrate the birth of One who is for all people.  Jesus comes for sinners, not only good church-going people.  Jesus came in His day to talk and walk with the prostitutes and sinners.  Jesus is for the people that our society would just as soon abandon and write off as well.

Jesus expects those who are in his church to help him reach those who are outside as well.  There is a modern day parable that illustrates the dangers of what happens to the church when we forget that Jesus came to save sinners.  A certain sea-side town was justly proud of its rescue squad.  They were able seamen with a concern for others. Whenever there was a shipwreck on the jagged rocks that protruded along the coast near the little town, the members of the rescue squad would quickly man their rescue boats and make their way out to render whatever aid they could even under the most dangerous conditions.  In order to show their appreciation for this crew, the town built a rescue station right on the edge of the sea. They held community events to raise funds to furnish it with the very latest in rescue equipment. They provided oppor­tunities for the latest training in rescue techniques.  Their faith in their rescue squad was not in vain. For several years this committed crew saved many lives through their tireless efforts.

However, as time went on, some new furnishings were added to the station. Thick carpeting, plush chairs, a television, a kitchen. Soon what had been a rescue station became more and more a social hall, a meeting place for the members.  Now when the alarm sounded, fewer members of the rescue squad responded. They found it difficult to leave the comfortable confines of the rescue station.

We need to reaching out to all especially those who are in need of our help and not become too comfortable in our comfortable church buildings.  We must never write anyone off but must rather seek them out to help them.  Who is one person that you are quite certain would have no interest in the church or that you may feel God has no interest in?  I challenge you to pray for that person and to consider what you can do to help that person to see that Jesus came for him or her too.

III. The second thing Matthew wants to teach is that Jesus is the Shepherd King.

Matthew wants his readers to fully understand that Jesus is truly the great King.  The Magi never doubted that Jesus was a king.  The star itself tells them that a king was born.  When they got to Jerusalem, they asked where the king was, not if there was a king born.  Then when they found Jesus in Bethlehem, they worshiped Him and gave Him gifts that were fit for a King.

Moreover, Matthew shows that Jesus is King through Herod’s response of being “disturbed.”  Herod too never doubts that a king has been born.  Jesus wasn’t the kind of king that Herod imagined.  But he still views Jesus as a king who is a threat to him and must be eliminated.

But verse 6 gives the clearest evidence that Jesus is king:  “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”  Matthew says that Jesus fulfills the prophecy regarding the origin of the greatest ruler that Israel would ever know.  Jesus is the promised Messiah King that they had been waiting for.

But Matthew also points out that Jesus is also the promised shepherd in verse 6.  Jesus is like David, who was the great shepherd ruler so long ago.  David was a strong ruler who established a struggling kingdom and made it into a great nation.  But the great King David was also a caring shepherd for the people.  Though the kingdom was great, the people knew David cared for them.

Jesus is the same kind of shepherd king.  Jesus will gently lead and care for all His people’s needs.  But He will also rule over and lead His people.

How can a great and powerful king also be a tender and gentle shepherd?  The prophet Isaiah shows how this can be in Isaiah 40:9-11.  First, Isaiah describes the great Messiah King:  “You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid.  See the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and his arm rules for him.”  But then Isaiah describes the Messiah shepherd:  “He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

Jesus is God who comes with great power and authority.  Jesus will also tend his flock like a gentle shepherd, gathering, carrying and leading the small lambs.  What a beautiful picture of our Savior and King, Jesus Christ.

Soren Kierkegaard tells the story of the King and the Maid to illustrate how the great king became one of us to show His love for us.  Once upon a time a king fell in love with a maid. It’s an old theme, on how love overcomes all barriers of class and of race and of nationality. But for all its beauty, the king didn’t see the matter easily resolved. Racking his mind and heart was the question: How to declare his love?  2) Unable to answer it, he summons to his palace all the wise people of his kingdom and put the question to them. As one, they responded: “Sire, nothing could be easier.  Your majesty has but to appear in all your glory before the humble abode of the maid and instantly she will fall at your feet and be yours.”

But it was precisely that thought which so troubled the king. In return for his love, he wanted hers, not fear that would lead to her submission. He wanted her glorification. Not his.  What a dilemma when to declare your love means the end of your beloved.  When not to declare your love means the end of love.

Night after night the king paced the floor of his palace pondering, until a last he saw love’s truth: Freedom for the beloved demands equality with the beloved. So late one night, long for his love, he wanted hers, not fear after his courtiers and counselors had returned to their chambers, the king stole out of a side door of the palace and appeared before the humble abode of the maid dressed in the garb of a servant.  Jesus comes to us as the great King who loves us and cares for us as a humble and tender Shepherd.

IV. How can we be Preparing for The King’s Coming in this advent season?

First, let’s realize that we are preparing to celebrate the birth of a king!  Today we prepare to celebrate the birth of a king who is still alive and ruling over all things.  The world in general may not see it or may refuse to acknowledge it.  The world may think of Christmas as a time for Black Fridays, Christmas shopping or sentimental stories.  But we know that it is the birth of Jesus who is alive and ruling!

Therefore, we should not only think of little baby Jesus, meek and mild.  This advent season, let’s think of our King who is also the risen Lord of lords and King of kings today.  Let’s bow down and worship King Jesus with the Magi this Advent season.  Let’s give the best we have to offer to Him and that is our lives.

The danger is that in our busyness this advent season, we will give Christ not nearly the attention and worship He deserves.  We must give ourselves completely to our Savior and Lord.

Utter commitment to Christ comes from a principle illust­rated in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.  In the play Portia asks each of her three suitors to select the cask containing her picture. One of the three casks is gold. Across the top are the words, “Who chooseth me will gain what many men desire.”  The second cask is silver and across the top of it is inscribed the phrase, “Who chooseth me shall get what he deserves.”

But Bassanio picks the lead cask with the formidable_ inscription, “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.” Here is both the greatest challenge and the greatest reward.

The lordship of Christ always comes beneath the inscription of the lead cask.  Jesus deserves the best praise and worship we can offer  Jesus deserves the best worship we can offer and that is ourselves in every part of our lives.

Second, realize that we are preparing to celebrate the birth of a shepherd king.  Even though Jesus is the great king who rules today, He is also the gentle shepherd who gently carries and leads us, His people.  He cares for us in our struggles.  He carries us when we feel that we cannot go on any longer.

Today hear Him invite you to come to him, to be nourished and cared for.  Hear Jesus say to you, “Come!  I will gather you in my arms and carry you close to my heart!”  No matter what your struggles are, the Lord is willing to carry you through them.  Will you respond to that invitation and prepare to welcome the great Shepherd King this Advent season?