Good Morning World!
This will be the last segment of our Christmas series, and hopefully it will the most thought provoking of all.
We have been studying about many things so that we can prepare our hearts and minds for a proper spiritual celebration of the Birth of the Messiah - Jesus Christ. We have talked about the value and necessity of “Trust & Obey”, and “Faith, Love & Giving” now we are going to talk about the importance of the Birth and our reaction to it.
Let us look specifically at the wisemen again. I don’t know if they were working in their labs altogether or if they lived in different villages or countries, but one thing for sure brought them together - a new star. This new star brought an emotional and physical response. They must follow that star! No matter what perils lay ahead. No matter the consequence or cost they were going to follow that star to the ends of the earth!
In Matthew 2:10 The Bible tells us that when they say the star they were exceedingly joyful!
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
We must try to imagine in our small way the beauty and immensity of this desire. They have just travelled approximately two years of their lives chasing something that seems to be always just over the next hill, and now they are on their last legs and the end is really in sight! They’ve heard prophecy of this new King’s birth and His birth place! They know that they are on the right track - finally their faith and endurance is paying off! They find the star again and continue their journey!
A. How does this story and response apply to us today.
It can attract attention in many areas of our lives, however, I am just going to draw your attention to one area with a couple thoughts.
Luke 19
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Romans 1
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
I am going to talk about the purpose of Jesus Chirst; the reason for His birth. John the writer of the Gospel according to John tells us the He is the light and the darkness cannot overcome it. So let us look at ourselves as lost flies. We are nothing and our lives are many times meaningless, but all of a sudden we see a light glimmer in the distance, and like the wisemen we must follow that star of light! So we turn our eyes into the light and we fly without ever knowing what will befall us, but we are following the light.
Many times like a fly we end up at the end of someone elses prank, or a trap which tries to do away with us, but there is something else to this light; it is different somehow. We follow it inspite of the emotions that are crying us down.
B. Let me pause here for a thought provoking siesta.
Recently I have had the opportunity to have conversation with a few people who have chosen to set their faith aside and no longer believe. Life has taken its toll on these people, and because of it they have made this very important choice. Not to diminish their life story or experience, but it is like they fly who is looking for the sunlight, but keeps getting fooled by the light of the fly zapper. They keep getting bounced from one false light to another, and when life brings you down and you have no one to turn to for guidance in truth and righteousness it can very easily turn you aside and bring you to the point of laying aside a once precious thing. We must be careful that we don’t trap ourselves in something that is shallow and will not really bring us any spiritual relief when we need it most. There are so many false lights out their and at this time of year it can be so easy to get trapped by them, please don’t follow any light. However, I encourage you to follow The Light - Jesus Christ.
Following men will lead you to disaster and devastation of mind, soul and spirit, but when we follow Jesus we find rest and peace in the midst of the storm.
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C. Back to our parable of light
When we hear the Gospel in Truth for the first time the light of it wells up in us and can overwhelm us, but I encourage you, as it takes a moment to adjust to the light first thing in the morning when you open your eyes so, it can take a moment to adjust to the saving light of Jesus Christ the first time you meet Him.
As the Bible indicates Jesus did come to seek and save that which was lost. Not just people, but relationships, and not just any relationship, but a relationship with you personally! Each one of us must find the light of the Star of Bethlehem to lead us to truth and a relationship with our Saviour Jesus Christ.
This Christmas I encourage you to look beyond the wrapping paper and food, and view the nativity in a new light. Find a quiet place in your life and contemplate the creator and saviour, who came to find you! The lighthouse light is bright, and the rocks of life are sharp, which one will you find yourself in. Will your follow the life saving light, or will you ignore it because of past bad experiences and end up in the rocks of life? Will you find new life this Christmas, or will you participate in reminiscing about the old life, which leads to death and destruction?
The choice this Christmas is up to you. Follow the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to salvation and freedom, or disregard it as another fraud and end up broken on the rocky shore of life....
This will be the last segment of our Christmas series, and hopefully it will the most thought provoking of all.
We have been studying about many things so that we can prepare our hearts and minds for a proper spiritual celebration of the Birth of the Messiah - Jesus Christ. We have talked about the value and necessity of “Trust & Obey”, and “Faith, Love & Giving” now we are going to talk about the importance of the Birth and our reaction to it.
Let us look specifically at the wisemen again. I don’t know if they were working in their labs altogether or if they lived in different villages or countries, but one thing for sure brought them together - a new star. This new star brought an emotional and physical response. They must follow that star! No matter what perils lay ahead. No matter the consequence or cost they were going to follow that star to the ends of the earth!
In Matthew 2:10 The Bible tells us that when they say the star they were exceedingly joyful!
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
We must try to imagine in our small way the beauty and immensity of this desire. They have just travelled approximately two years of their lives chasing something that seems to be always just over the next hill, and now they are on their last legs and the end is really in sight! They’ve heard prophecy of this new King’s birth and His birth place! They know that they are on the right track - finally their faith and endurance is paying off! They find the star again and continue their journey!
A. How does this story and response apply to us today.
It can attract attention in many areas of our lives, however, I am just going to draw your attention to one area with a couple thoughts.
Luke 19
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Romans 1
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
I am going to talk about the purpose of Jesus Chirst; the reason for His birth. John the writer of the Gospel according to John tells us the He is the light and the darkness cannot overcome it. So let us look at ourselves as lost flies. We are nothing and our lives are many times meaningless, but all of a sudden we see a light glimmer in the distance, and like the wisemen we must follow that star of light! So we turn our eyes into the light and we fly without ever knowing what will befall us, but we are following the light.
Many times like a fly we end up at the end of someone elses prank, or a trap which tries to do away with us, but there is something else to this light; it is different somehow. We follow it inspite of the emotions that are crying us down.
B. Let me pause here for a thought provoking siesta.
Recently I have had the opportunity to have conversation with a few people who have chosen to set their faith aside and no longer believe. Life has taken its toll on these people, and because of it they have made this very important choice. Not to diminish their life story or experience, but it is like they fly who is looking for the sunlight, but keeps getting fooled by the light of the fly zapper. They keep getting bounced from one false light to another, and when life brings you down and you have no one to turn to for guidance in truth and righteousness it can very easily turn you aside and bring you to the point of laying aside a once precious thing. We must be careful that we don’t trap ourselves in something that is shallow and will not really bring us any spiritual relief when we need it most. There are so many false lights out their and at this time of year it can be so easy to get trapped by them, please don’t follow any light. However, I encourage you to follow The Light - Jesus Christ.
Following men will lead you to disaster and devastation of mind, soul and spirit, but when we follow Jesus we find rest and peace in the midst of the storm.
------------------------
C. Back to our parable of light
When we hear the Gospel in Truth for the first time the light of it wells up in us and can overwhelm us, but I encourage you, as it takes a moment to adjust to the light first thing in the morning when you open your eyes so, it can take a moment to adjust to the saving light of Jesus Christ the first time you meet Him.
As the Bible indicates Jesus did come to seek and save that which was lost. Not just people, but relationships, and not just any relationship, but a relationship with you personally! Each one of us must find the light of the Star of Bethlehem to lead us to truth and a relationship with our Saviour Jesus Christ.
This Christmas I encourage you to look beyond the wrapping paper and food, and view the nativity in a new light. Find a quiet place in your life and contemplate the creator and saviour, who came to find you! The lighthouse light is bright, and the rocks of life are sharp, which one will you find yourself in. Will your follow the life saving light, or will you ignore it because of past bad experiences and end up in the rocks of life? Will you find new life this Christmas, or will you participate in reminiscing about the old life, which leads to death and destruction?
The choice this Christmas is up to you. Follow the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to salvation and freedom, or disregard it as another fraud and end up broken on the rocky shore of life....
