Sunday
Morning Bible Study
December
22, 2013
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted?
Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Regular: 2900 words
Communion: 2500 words
For the next two Thursday nights we are going to
have a night at the movies. We will be
showing the first movie from the Chronicles of Narnia series, “The Lion, the
Witch, and the Wardrobe”.
Play Narnia clip.
The need for wisdom
We live in a world filled with knowledge, filled with facts. With my iphone, I can
ask Siri obscure bits of information like, “What’s Terry Bradshaw’s birthday?”
(Sept. 2, 1948).
Wisdom is different from knowledge.
Wisdom isn’t about knowing facts, but knowing what
to do with facts.
While we live in a world filled with knowledge, we live in a world that doesn’t have too much wisdom…
Play Epic Fail clip.
I want to look at an old, familiar Christmas story about the “wise men”,
and see if there really is “wisdom” in the story.
This last month we’ve been reading through the
book of Proverbs, a book of wisdom. I’ve been impressed over and over with how much I have to
learn. It’s this
reading that has led to this message.
In fact, my message originally started with lessons in Proverbs, until I
realized they were found in the Christmas story as
well.
James has a lot to say about wisdom, about practical living. He contrasts the wisdom that this world
exalts against the wisdom that comes from God.
(Jas 3:13–17 NKJV) —13 Who is
wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his
works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you
have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against
the truth. 15 This
wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every
evil thing are there. 17 But the
wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to
yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
I hope that today we will pick up a few tidbits about the wisdom from above
as we think about Christmas and look at the story of the wise men.
Mat. 2:1-15 A Wise Christmas
:1 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,
:1 wise men – magos – a magus; the name given by the
Babylonians and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians,
astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, sorcerers etc.
A “magus” could be a good guy (like these guys),
or a bad guy. Last Thursday we met a
“sorcerer” named Elymas who also was a “magus” and a
“false prophet”. He was a bad guy.
Our wise men are not just guys who “know stuff”. They are also the “good guys”.
:2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of
the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
:2 we have seen His star
These men were pagan astrologers.
They had seen something in the stars that had caught their attention to the
point that they wanted to find out what was happening.
They knew that a king of the Jews had been born.
And they were intent on finding him.
:2 and have come to worship Him
They weren’t just seeking to find this “king”,
they were coming to worship Him. They
had a sense of His divinity.
Lesson
Wisdom seeks God
In the Bible, the opposite of a wise person is a “fool”.
(Ps 14:1 NKJV) The fool has said in his heart,“There is no God.”
In our world, we have tried very hard to remove any
rational concept of God from society.
Perhaps that is why our world has become so foolish.
In contrast, having a correct relationship with God
is where wisdom starts.
(Pr 9:10 NKJV) “The fear
of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding.
Like these pagan wise men, God can speak to all kinds of people right where
they are at, using things they will pay attention to.
For the “magi”, God spoke through the stars. But God didn’t leave
them with the stars, God would lead them to His Son.
There’s a fellow who’s been in the news a lot
lately. If you’re
not careful, you might think he’s not too smart. He went to Louisiana Tech University on a
football scholarship where he was the starting quarterback. Future Hall of Famer quarterback Terry
Bradshaw was his backup quarterback. While
Bradshaw would go on to pro football and broadcasting, Phil Robertson preferred
to hunt, fish, and lived a bit of a wild life…
Phil was wise enough to follow God.
Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs and was known
at the time as the wisest man on earth.
He wrote,
(Pr 3:5–7 NKJV) —5 Trust in
the Lord with all your heart, And lean not
on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be
wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and
depart from evil.
Seeking God, finding God, and trusting God are the smartest things you can
do with your life.
:3 Herod … was troubled
Herod was a paranoid man.
He wasn’t Jewish himself, but was an Edomite. He had been
married to a Jewish wife, but he became suspicious of her and he eventually had
her and her two sons killed. He was
afraid they were trying to kill him.
Emperor Augustus reportedly said it was safer to be Herod’s pig than his son.
If paranoid Herod is troubled over the whispers of another “king”, then all
of Jerusalem is troubled as well. Who
knows what Herod might do?
:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests
and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to
be born.
:5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it is written by the prophet:
:6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the
least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who
will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
Play Jerusalem to Bethlehem map clip
The priests and scribes correctly pointed Herod to the prophecy in Micah
5:2, to the little town of Bethlehem, only five miles south of Jerusalem.
:7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the
wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the
young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I
may come and worship Him also.”
:7 what time the star appeared
Herod wants to find out how old this “king” is. We believe it’s been about two years since
the star has appeared, since Herod will later tell his soldiers to kill all
babies born in or around Bethlehem who were two years old and under (Mat.
2:16).
(Mt 2:16 NKJV) —16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise
men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male
children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and
under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
:8 that I may come and worship Him also
Not really.
He wants the child dead. He’s planning on killing all the babies…
:9 When they heard the king, they departed; and
behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came
and stood over where the young Child was.
:9 the star … went before them
The star wasn’t a stationary star in the heavens, but
something that actually moved and led them to where the baby was.
:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
exceedingly great joy.
:11 And when they had come into the house, they
saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented
gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
:11 they had come into the house
Joseph and Mary didn’t live in a stable very
long. They eventually were living in a
house by the time the wise men arrived.
Remember the baby is about two years old.
:11 they presented gifts
Lesson
Wisdom gives
A wise person gives to the poor.
(Pr 14:21 NKJV) He who
despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
(Pr 19:17 NKJV) He who has
pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will
pay back what he has given.
(Pr 21:13 NKJV) Whoever
shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be
heard.
(Pr 28:27 NKJV) He who
gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have
many curses.
Wise people know the importance of giving.
We often make Christmas to be about the gifts we “get”. It ought to be about how we “give”.
Martin Luther wrote, “There are three conversions
necessary: the conversion of the heart, mind and the purse.”
It’s not that your “purse” or “wallet” need to get
saved, but if God has truly touched your life, you will handle your finances
differently.
The Bible doesn’t
say that God so loved the world that He took up an offering. The Bible says that God so loved the world
that He GAVE His Son.
I have to tell you that I am so proud of you as a
church and how you give to the poor.
Thanksgiving – donations for the Thanksgiving boxes
Operation Christmas Child – you brought shoeboxes filled with toys, and
many of you helped man the collection center, shipping off thousands of boxes
through our little church.
The monthly food outreach – especially yesterday’s outreach – dozens of you
show up each month to help serve those in need in our community. On top of it, yesterday we helped 150 families,
and gave out toys to over 150 children.
Church, you are awesome.
:11 gold, frankincense, and myrrh
We don’t really know how many wise men there were,
but there were three different gifts.
Gold is what heaven’s streets are made of.
Frankincense is a type of incense, a picture of prayer.
Myrrh was used in the embalming of the dead, a
prophetic hint at Jesus’ reason for coming to earth.
:12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that
they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another
way.
:12 they departed for their own country
Lesson
Wisdom’s words
These were truly wise men.
They came to worship Jesus, not betray Him.
Herod wanted them to come back and report to him, but they knew when to
shut up and just walk away.
How did they show wisdom here? Because they kept quiet.
Wisdom does more listening, less talking
(Pr 10:19 NKJV) In the
multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who
restrains his lips is wise.
Illustration
Fred received a parrot for his birthday. This parrot was
fully grown with a bad attitude and worse vocabulary. It was after all a
Pirate Parrot. Every other word was an
expletive. Those that weren’t expletives were, to say
the least, rude. Fred tried hard to change the bird’s attitude and was
constantly saying polite words, playing soft music, anything he could think of.
Nothing. He yelled at the bird and it got worse. He
shook the bird; it got madder and ruder. Finally, in a moment of desperation, Fred
put the parrot in the freezer. For a few moments he
heard the bird squawking and kicking and screaming expletives, then suddenly
there was quiet. Frightened that he might have actually hurt the bird, he
quickly opened the freezer door. The parrot calmly stepped out onto Fred’s extended arm and said, “I’m sorry that I might have
offended you with my language and actions and ask for your forgiveness. I will
endeavor to correct my behavior.” Astounded at the bird’s change, Fred was
about to ask what had brought this about when the parrot continued, “May I ask
what the chicken did?”
Sometimes we could all learn to speak a little less and be
a little more careful about what we talk about.
(Pr 17:27 NKJV) He who has
knowledge spares his words, And a man of
understanding is of a calm spirit.
James wrote,
(Jas 1:19 NKJV) So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
I’ve heard it said that God gave
us two ears and only one mouth so we would spend twice as much time listening
than we do speaking.
:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel
of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child
and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod
will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
:14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His
mother by night and departed for Egypt,
:15 and was there until the death of Herod, that
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
:14 departed for Egypt
Lesson
Wise Priorities - Family
Wisdom places a high value on family.
We like to laugh about these things, but to be honest, if
Mr. Gaffigan didn’t put
family as a priority, I’m not sure he’d have the family he has.
Joseph and Mary took steps to protect their family.
Wisdom builds up the family, not tear it down.
(Pr 14:1 NKJV) The wise
woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with
her hands.
(Col 3:21 NKJV) Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Wisdom knows that sometimes it’s important to put
your foot down, hold to what’s right, and discipline your children instead of
always giving in.
(Pr 19:18 NKJV) Chasten
your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
Wisdom places a high value on family, even over money.
(Pr 15:27 NKJV) He who is
greedy for gain troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live.
If you think about it, your family is the greatest
treasure you have.
Are you a “wise” person?
Are you wise enough to know that you need God?