WEBVTT 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:07.376 Glad you're here this morning and love it that we get to hang out and 00:00:07.376 --> 00:00:08.104 worship together. 00:00:08.192 --> 00:00:10.744 It's been a good and busy week. 00:00:10.912 --> 00:00:12.080 Just so you know. 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:13.940 Everybody always asks about, 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:14.800 you know, 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:15.688 me being a grandpa. 00:00:15.688 --> 00:00:18.328 So I did get to babysit Friday night. 00:00:18.288 --> 00:00:19.700 Angie helped me. 00:00:21.840 --> 00:00:23.048 It was necessary. 00:00:23.144 --> 00:00:23.944 But anyway, 00:00:23.992 --> 00:00:25.736 yeah, it's a cool thing and. 00:00:25.736 --> 00:00:28.494 And God's doing some cool things there and we're enjoying it. 00:00:28.494 --> 00:00:31.918 So thank you all for your prayers and all that kind of thing. 00:00:31.918 --> 00:00:32.574 And no, 00:00:32.574 --> 00:00:35.850 I don't know when the baby will be premiered. 00:00:37.470 --> 00:00:40.110 I'm not privy to some of those things. 00:00:40.590 --> 00:00:46.438 Today we continue our celebration of expectation and Advent as we look 00:00:46.494 --> 00:00:51.478 forward to the celebration of the birth of Jesus and what we call 00:00:51.534 --> 00:00:52.272 Christmas and. 00:00:52.326 --> 00:00:53.860 And that kind of thing. 00:00:53.860 --> 00:00:56.460 And so today we light the fourth candle of the Advent. 00:00:56.460 --> 00:00:58.020 We'll do that in a little bit. 00:00:57.732 --> 00:01:00.372 But this candle is the candle of worship. 00:01:00.980 --> 00:01:02.764 It's the Wise Men's candle. 00:01:02.812 --> 00:01:08.364 It's the candle that gives sort of us the opportunity to examine God's 00:01:08.412 --> 00:01:14.460 announcement, not just in Bethlehem or in the surrounding fields of 00:01:14.500 --> 00:01:19.394 Bethlehem, or through the prophetic messages to God's people from the 00:01:19.482 --> 00:01:23.170 written prophets and the spoken prophets throughout the Old Testament, 00:01:23.250 --> 00:01:24.240 but quite actually, 00:01:24.282 --> 00:01:28.730 this is the candle we get to look at where God announced the birth of 00:01:28.730 --> 00:01:30.562 Jesus in the heavens. 00:01:30.706 --> 00:01:31.366 All right. 00:01:31.418 --> 00:01:33.186 And so we're going to read from Matthew, 00:01:33.186 --> 00:01:33.922 chapter 2, 00:01:34.026 --> 00:01:35.630 verses 1 to 12, 00:01:36.010 --> 00:01:38.826 and you can follow along up on the TV. 00:01:38.626 --> 00:01:39.618 It says this. 00:01:39.754 --> 00:01:43.322 Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the 00:01:43.322 --> 00:01:44.350 King, behold, 00:01:44.530 --> 00:01:47.830 Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem saying, 00:01:47.870 --> 00:01:50.742 where is he who has been born King of the Jews? 00:01:50.742 --> 00:01:55.382 For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. 00:01:55.486 --> 00:01:57.342 And when Herod the King heard it, 00:01:57.342 --> 00:01:58.332 he was troubled, 00:01:58.342 --> 00:02:00.454 and all Jerusalem with him. 00:02:00.622 --> 00:02:04.334 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, 00:02:04.334 --> 00:02:08.624 he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. 00:02:08.566 --> 00:02:09.566 And they said to him, 00:02:09.566 --> 00:02:11.062 in Bethlehem of Judea. 00:02:11.126 --> 00:02:12.776 For so it is written, 00:02:13.250 --> 00:02:15.242 so it has been written by the prophet. 00:02:15.242 --> 00:02:15.714 And you, 00:02:15.714 --> 00:02:17.274 Bethlehem, land of Judah, 00:02:17.322 --> 00:02:20.442 are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. 00:02:20.442 --> 00:02:24.834 For out of you shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people 00:02:24.834 --> 00:02:29.738 Israel. Then Herod secretly called the Magi and ascertained from them the 00:02:29.794 --> 00:02:31.482 time the star appeared. 00:02:31.626 --> 00:02:33.490 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, 00:02:33.490 --> 00:02:35.570 go and make careful search for the child. 00:02:35.570 --> 00:02:37.154 And when you have found him, 00:02:37.154 --> 00:02:37.970 report to me, 00:02:37.970 --> 00:02:39.602 and I too may come, 00:02:39.602 --> 00:02:41.918 that I too may come and worship him. 00:02:41.918 --> 00:02:43.206 Having heard the king, 00:02:43.206 --> 00:02:44.126 they went on their way, 00:02:44.126 --> 00:02:49.406 and lo the star which they had seen in the east went on before them until 00:02:49.454 --> 00:02:52.438 it came and stood over where the child was. 00:02:52.494 --> 00:02:54.474 And when they saw the star, 00:02:54.526 --> 00:02:57.174 they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 00:02:57.302 --> 00:02:58.422 Kind of like the shepherds, 00:02:58.422 --> 00:02:59.010 right? 00:02:59.310 --> 00:03:02.262 And they came into the house and saw the child with Mary, 00:03:02.262 --> 00:03:02.758 his mother, 00:03:02.758 --> 00:03:04.206 and they fell down and worshipped him. 00:03:04.206 --> 00:03:05.670 And opening their treasures, 00:03:05.830 --> 00:03:09.610 they presented to him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. 00:03:09.950 --> 00:03:13.558 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, 00:03:13.558 --> 00:03:16.530 they departed for their own country by another way. 00:03:16.830 --> 00:03:17.542 All right, 00:03:17.646 --> 00:03:18.494 let's pray together. 00:03:18.494 --> 00:03:23.390 God, we give you thanks and praise again that we get to gather and to 00:03:23.390 --> 00:03:27.710 worship and to sing and to celebrate and to greet one another and to love 00:03:27.710 --> 00:03:28.174 each other, 00:03:28.174 --> 00:03:30.206 God, because indeed you first loved us. 00:03:30.046 --> 00:03:34.988 And we celebrate in this season that incredible expression of your love, 00:03:35.044 --> 00:03:37.420 which is our Savior, 00:03:37.580 --> 00:03:39.340 our salvation, 00:03:39.420 --> 00:03:40.124 our redemption. 00:03:40.172 --> 00:03:40.964 God, we thank youk. 00:03:40.964 --> 00:03:42.614 God. Help us to understand, 00:03:42.980 --> 00:03:48.508 God, what yout desire of us and in us, 00:03:48.564 --> 00:03:56.348 God, what yout expect as we study youy Word and this account of Magi and 00:03:56.404 --> 00:03:56.972 pray, God, 00:03:56.972 --> 00:04:01.600 that we would have an understanding of how we leave this place this 00:04:01.640 --> 00:04:04.672 morning to follow after you and to serve you. 00:04:04.696 --> 00:04:07.006 And we pray it in Jesus name. 00:04:05.944 --> 00:04:07.568 Amen. All right, 00:04:07.624 --> 00:04:10.500 so this is supernatural, 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:14.544 okay? This whole account is just a supernatural event. 00:04:14.632 --> 00:04:16.224 And quite, 00:04:16.352 --> 00:04:16.840 you know, 00:04:16.840 --> 00:04:19.104 accurately, we as believers and Christians, 00:04:19.152 --> 00:04:21.216 we call it miraculous. 00:04:21.408 --> 00:04:22.112 You know, 00:04:22.216 --> 00:04:29.792 this account of the star and Herod and Jerusalem and Magi and Bethlehem 00:04:29.856 --> 00:04:33.628 and the star going before them, 00:04:33.764 --> 00:04:35.964 this is all a miraculous event. 00:04:36.132 --> 00:04:40.422 And so the best way to describe this is this is just God. 00:04:40.740 --> 00:04:43.220 This is the kind of stuff God does. 00:04:43.220 --> 00:04:44.012 You see, 00:04:44.116 --> 00:04:45.388 this is the way God works. 00:04:45.388 --> 00:04:46.572 This is the way God behaves. 00:04:46.572 --> 00:04:48.244 This is the way God acts. 00:04:47.884 --> 00:04:49.204 This is just God. 00:04:49.244 --> 00:04:55.520 So what do you do when you are confronted by or with God? 00:04:55.940 --> 00:04:57.548 What's the response? 00:04:57.724 --> 00:05:00.900 What is it that God longs to see in us? 00:05:00.900 --> 00:05:02.900 What is it that should be our, 00:05:02.900 --> 00:05:04.120 not just response, 00:05:04.200 --> 00:05:09.592 but our behavior when confronted by God and with God. 00:05:09.656 --> 00:05:10.456 You see, 00:05:10.608 --> 00:05:13.640 because there's a little book that I acquired. 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:15.056 I don't know how I acquired it. 00:05:15.056 --> 00:05:20.840 I think some old preacher gave it to me because it's a really old book we 00:05:20.880 --> 00:05:24.060 studied. Paul Mayer is a historian. 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:27.620 He was a professor at Western Michigan University. 00:05:28.250 --> 00:05:31.778 He studied ancient history and the Reformation, 00:05:31.874 --> 00:05:34.738 and he's written a few books like this. 00:05:34.794 --> 00:05:36.706 He wrote this one called First Christmas. 00:05:36.706 --> 00:05:37.770 It's out of print now, 00:05:37.770 --> 00:05:41.450 so don't go looking for it unless you want to find it on digital or at 00:05:41.450 --> 00:05:43.474 Goodreads or whatever those places. 00:05:43.522 --> 00:05:44.610 Are. But anyway, 00:05:44.770 --> 00:05:49.522 this book kind of gives a breakdown of the first Christmas, 00:05:49.586 --> 00:05:52.510 the true and unfamiliar story. 00:05:53.290 --> 00:05:58.738 So it goes in to explain a lot of the things that we just simply accept 00:05:58.874 --> 00:06:03.702 and. And take from Scripture and from the Bible. 00:06:03.846 --> 00:06:06.366 And we believe these things and we understand these things, 00:06:06.366 --> 00:06:06.782 and we're like, 00:06:06.782 --> 00:06:07.254 okay, yeah, 00:06:07.254 --> 00:06:08.294 that's how it happened. 00:06:08.294 --> 00:06:12.290 And yet he goes into explaining different cultural things and different 00:06:13.390 --> 00:06:17.350 the time and the era in which all these things took place. 00:06:17.454 --> 00:06:23.142 And he spends a couple of chapters just kind of explaining magi and the 00:06:23.166 --> 00:06:23.730 star. 00:06:24.110 --> 00:06:26.930 And it's really interesting to read that. 00:06:27.230 --> 00:06:28.610 Throughout history, 00:06:29.200 --> 00:06:31.024 for the last couple thousand years, 00:06:31.024 --> 00:06:36.920 people have been trying to explain the scriptural text of this star and 00:06:36.960 --> 00:06:42.016 what this star was and how it went before them and how it came to rest 00:06:42.016 --> 00:06:44.824 over where the baby was in the house. 00:06:44.912 --> 00:06:46.020 And it's like, 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:50.704 okay. And I remember when I first got this book and I read through it, 00:06:50.704 --> 00:06:52.496 it was really cool to read. 00:06:52.496 --> 00:06:53.352 You know, 00:06:53.536 --> 00:07:00.510 a professor and a scholar and an intellectual trying to explain God, 00:07:01.810 --> 00:07:02.266 right? 00:07:02.338 --> 00:07:04.318 Because when I read the Bible, 00:07:04.394 --> 00:07:06.442 I don't need an explanation. 00:07:06.586 --> 00:07:07.906 I just simply go, 00:07:07.906 --> 00:07:09.310 okay, that's God. 00:07:09.970 --> 00:07:11.914 Okay, God did that. 00:07:12.082 --> 00:07:12.738 You know, 00:07:12.738 --> 00:07:13.434 quite honestly, 00:07:13.482 --> 00:07:14.218 I told somebody, 00:07:14.218 --> 00:07:14.546 I said, 00:07:14.546 --> 00:07:14.866 you know, 00:07:14.866 --> 00:07:20.586 what if God decided the Magi leaving Jerusalem needed a light right 00:07:20.658 --> 00:07:23.906 there? God could put a light right there and go, 00:07:23.906 --> 00:07:25.226 here, follow the light. 00:07:25.460 --> 00:07:26.708 They could follow it. 00:07:26.708 --> 00:07:27.868 Now it says, 00:07:27.924 --> 00:07:32.748 lo, the star appeared and went ahead of them or went before them. 00:07:32.804 --> 00:07:34.356 And so I'm looking at this thing, 00:07:34.356 --> 00:07:38.756 and my response and going back over this text and reading back over these 00:07:38.756 --> 00:07:39.396 things was like, 00:07:39.396 --> 00:07:40.172 that's just God, 00:07:40.172 --> 00:07:45.420 y'all. There's some things that we are never going to be able to explain 00:07:45.500 --> 00:07:49.852 naturally because this is super beyond natural. 00:07:49.996 --> 00:07:51.740 This is miraculous. 00:07:51.820 --> 00:07:53.532 This is the way God works. 00:07:53.532 --> 00:07:58.760 This is the way God has drawn our attention to him, 00:07:59.380 --> 00:08:02.760 is by doing what only God can do, 00:08:03.540 --> 00:08:06.916 right? And so when people come to me and they want to explain God and I 00:08:06.916 --> 00:08:09.460 go, I'm glad you got him figured out. 00:08:09.460 --> 00:08:11.880 I've been studying him all my life, 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:15.484 and I can't explain God. 00:08:15.612 --> 00:08:18.996 Now I can tell you what I believe God's revealed to us. 00:08:18.772 --> 00:08:22.310 I can tell you what I believe the Bible kind of presents as the 00:08:22.310 --> 00:08:24.382 revelation of who God is. 00:08:24.566 --> 00:08:28.758 And I can try to understand what it is that the Bible is saying to us. 00:08:28.758 --> 00:08:31.198 But. But once we start to. 00:08:31.254 --> 00:08:37.070 To understand the revelation of who God is and what God wants us to know 00:08:37.110 --> 00:08:38.250 about him, 00:08:38.630 --> 00:08:42.086 we've got to decide what we're going to do with it. 00:08:41.750 --> 00:08:42.790 How are you going to act? 00:08:42.790 --> 00:08:44.574 What you going to do how are you going to behave? 00:08:44.574 --> 00:08:45.758 Right. Well, 00:08:45.814 --> 00:08:50.706 I believe that this candle of the Advent and this story of the magi and 00:08:50.706 --> 00:08:56.730 this account of the star and this confrontation between God and these 00:08:56.770 --> 00:08:57.870 wise guys, 00:08:59.730 --> 00:09:04.270 right? The response is worship. 00:09:05.250 --> 00:09:08.910 We're supposed to bow before God, 00:09:09.410 --> 00:09:11.390 we're supposed to fall before him, 00:09:11.394 --> 00:09:13.922 and that's what we see in this account. 00:09:13.922 --> 00:09:15.650 So what's the point of all this thing? 00:09:15.650 --> 00:09:19.300 The point of all this thing is Christmas about Jesus. 00:09:20.280 --> 00:09:26.220 Yeah. We can do presents and we can do family and we can do Chinese food. 00:09:26.920 --> 00:09:28.592 Isn't that in some movie somewhere? 00:09:28.592 --> 00:09:29.912 Somebody told me that, 00:09:29.992 --> 00:09:30.720 you know, 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:31.384 you see, 00:09:31.384 --> 00:09:35.320 you can do anything you want to around the celebration as long as you 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:40.512 don't miss the point or lose the point of what God intended Christmas to 00:09:40.536 --> 00:09:41.260 be about. 00:09:41.640 --> 00:09:43.560 Now, I'm going to say something that some of you, 00:09:43.560 --> 00:09:46.580 being from a former tradition, 00:09:47.160 --> 00:09:52.300 the idea of Christ Mass is actually right. 00:09:53.880 --> 00:09:54.536 You know that. 00:09:54.536 --> 00:09:54.840 I mean, 00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:57.376 Christmas comes from the phrase Christ Mass. 00:09:57.448 --> 00:09:58.536 What's it talking about? 00:09:58.536 --> 00:10:05.840 It is the gathering celebration that we recognize and acknowledge and 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:10.020 really sort of prioritize the birth of Jesus. 00:10:10.590 --> 00:10:11.810 Okay, so. 00:10:12.270 --> 00:10:13.254 And folks, 00:10:13.302 --> 00:10:14.030 just so you know, 00:10:14.030 --> 00:10:15.630 you know what mass means, 00:10:15.630 --> 00:10:19.810 gathering. Just let me define it for you. 00:10:20.110 --> 00:10:23.370 So Christ Mass is a Jesus gathering. 00:10:24.430 --> 00:10:28.486 Okay, so what you gonna do Tuesday night, 00:10:28.638 --> 00:10:29.890 Wednesday morning, 00:10:30.350 --> 00:10:32.662 you're gonna have a Jesus gathering somewhere. 00:10:32.726 --> 00:10:34.706 You might be all by yourself, 00:10:34.710 --> 00:10:36.766 but just like there was a song years ago says, 00:10:36.766 --> 00:10:37.006 you know, 00:10:37.006 --> 00:10:38.174 me and Jesus make four. 00:10:38.174 --> 00:10:40.154 Or me and God make four. 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:41.340 Right. 00:10:42.280 --> 00:10:43.720 That's a gathering right there, 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:47.020 y'all. So I started looking back over this this morning, 00:10:47.064 --> 00:10:49.200 particularly as I get up at 4:30. 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:50.584 I was awake at 3:30, 00:10:50.584 --> 00:10:51.208 but I was. 00:10:51.208 --> 00:10:51.896 I was laying there, 00:10:51.896 --> 00:10:52.680 I was like. 00:10:52.680 --> 00:10:54.224 And quite honestly, 00:10:54.352 --> 00:10:58.056 and I'm gonna be very forthright with you this morning just to tell you, 00:10:58.056 --> 00:10:59.256 at 3:30 when I woke up, 00:10:59.256 --> 00:10:59.656 I was like, 00:10:59.656 --> 00:11:00.136 where are you, 00:11:00.136 --> 00:11:00.740 God? 00:11:01.640 --> 00:11:02.780 Where are you? 00:11:04.680 --> 00:11:05.480 And I'll be. 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:06.600 And I told Angie this morning, 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:06.856 I said, 00:11:06.856 --> 00:11:08.096 here's what I realized. 00:11:08.096 --> 00:11:10.744 If I'm struggling with a question on Sunday morning, 00:11:10.744 --> 00:11:14.044 it generally has to do with whatever I'm preaching on. 00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:15.496 You know, 00:11:15.496 --> 00:11:18.664 if I wake up with a question on my mind on a Sunday morning, 00:11:18.664 --> 00:11:24.880 it's because God is challenging me before I have to get up in front of 00:11:24.920 --> 00:11:25.500 you. 00:11:26.040 --> 00:11:27.560 And so when I woke up this morning, 00:11:27.560 --> 00:11:27.832 I was like, 00:11:27.832 --> 00:11:28.360 where are you, 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:35.290 God? And the first point of the message of the fourth Advent candle, 00:11:35.450 --> 00:11:38.826 that this outline was written down months ago. 00:11:38.898 --> 00:11:40.210 Just so y'all know, 00:11:40.210 --> 00:11:43.990 the first point was come and seek him. 00:11:44.770 --> 00:11:47.778 And so I woke up this morning at 3:30 with the question, 00:11:47.778 --> 00:11:48.450 where are you, 00:11:48.450 --> 00:11:51.090 God? And it was like he reminded me. 00:11:51.010 --> 00:11:52.000 He was like, 00:11:52.050 --> 00:11:53.430 come and seek me. 00:11:54.610 --> 00:11:55.990 Come and find me. 00:11:57.170 --> 00:11:59.190 I'm where I've always been. 00:11:59.580 --> 00:12:00.724 I've not left, 00:12:00.812 --> 00:12:02.276 I've not moved, 00:12:02.468 --> 00:12:06.758 right? And then I started working into the idea of the wise men. 00:12:06.684 --> 00:12:08.334 And think about these magi. 00:12:08.372 --> 00:12:10.140 Now, most scholars will tell you, 00:12:10.140 --> 00:12:12.236 and Paul Mayer even comes to it, 00:12:12.236 --> 00:12:20.600 is that more than likely these magi were some combination of astrologer, 00:12:21.260 --> 00:12:24.200 astronomer, magic. 00:12:24.780 --> 00:12:25.356 Hang on, 00:12:25.356 --> 00:12:26.556 I'll read you what it says here. 00:12:26.556 --> 00:12:27.350 It says, 00:12:27.540 --> 00:12:28.670 because he says, 00:12:30.010 --> 00:12:31.106 it's kind of, 00:12:31.258 --> 00:12:32.338 I can't find anyone. 00:12:32.338 --> 00:12:32.666 You know, 00:12:32.666 --> 00:12:33.370 when I turn to it, 00:12:33.370 --> 00:12:34.690 I even underlined it. 00:12:34.426 --> 00:12:41.762 Y'all says they were some combination of medicine, 00:12:41.826 --> 00:12:43.170 religion, astronomy, 00:12:43.250 --> 00:12:44.626 astrology, divination, 00:12:44.738 --> 00:12:45.810 and magic. 00:12:45.970 --> 00:12:50.230 Their caste eventually spread across much of the east. 00:12:50.650 --> 00:12:52.522 And by the time they were later, 00:12:52.522 --> 00:12:54.970 and they could have been Babylonian by the time they were later, 00:12:54.970 --> 00:12:57.070 they had kind of become a joke, 00:12:57.070 --> 00:12:58.170 the culture. 00:12:58.590 --> 00:13:04.598 But the Medo Persian magi were the respected cast of educated 00:13:04.694 --> 00:13:08.582 intellectuals. So most scholars will say, 00:13:08.606 --> 00:13:15.510 well, these were most likely Persian astronomers who just watched the 00:13:15.550 --> 00:13:15.974 stars. 00:13:16.022 --> 00:13:19.070 And then he goes into the fact that the star. 00:13:19.070 --> 00:13:21.494 And they've tracked this back historically, 00:13:21.622 --> 00:13:24.262 the star may or might have been this. 00:13:24.342 --> 00:13:25.460 This sort of. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:29.736 Sort of gathering in the heavens of Jupiter, 00:13:29.848 --> 00:13:31.340 Saturn and Mars. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:36.560 And that it happens every so many years at such and such a time. 00:13:35.968 --> 00:13:39.288 And that it happens over a period of several months. 00:13:39.424 --> 00:13:40.744 And that and that. 00:13:40.768 --> 00:13:46.152 And that because of the different zodiac signs that were assigned at the 00:13:46.176 --> 00:13:49.376 time, that these magi from Persia are looking up there and they're going, 00:13:49.376 --> 00:13:50.544 okay, that's. 00:13:50.712 --> 00:13:52.448 That's the Middle East. 00:13:52.624 --> 00:13:54.368 That's west of us, 00:13:54.424 --> 00:13:55.336 but in the east. 00:13:55.152 --> 00:13:56.020 And that's. 00:13:56.680 --> 00:14:01.408 And that Jupiter is the king planet and Saturn. 00:14:01.504 --> 00:14:06.260 And something's happening in Palestine. 00:14:07.400 --> 00:14:10.060 Something's happening among the Jewish people, 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:12.090 and we got to go. 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:14.304 And so, 00:14:14.472 --> 00:14:14.856 you know, 00:14:14.856 --> 00:14:15.896 he even says in there, 00:14:15.896 --> 00:14:19.856 the song we three kings of Orient are gets it all wrong. 00:14:19.930 --> 00:14:21.290 We don't know that there are three. 00:14:21.290 --> 00:14:22.322 They brought three gifts. 00:14:22.322 --> 00:14:24.322 Yay. Supposedly, 00:14:24.386 --> 00:14:27.762 three gifts represent something of Jesus birth. 00:14:27.826 --> 00:14:32.746 And that more than likely there were a dozen magi and it was a caravan. 00:14:32.546 --> 00:14:35.090 And they all come cruising into Jerusalem, 00:14:35.170 --> 00:14:37.794 creating a firestorm of activity and interest. 00:14:37.882 --> 00:14:40.270 And then they announced to Herod that, 00:14:40.810 --> 00:14:41.370 you know, 00:14:41.370 --> 00:14:43.234 where is he that is born king of the Jews? 00:14:43.234 --> 00:14:44.408 And Herod's like, 00:14:44.594 --> 00:14:45.164 wait a minute, 00:14:45.164 --> 00:14:46.044 I'm king of the Jews, 00:14:46.044 --> 00:14:48.354 and I hadn't had any baby lately, 00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:52.260 right? And so he calls the scribes and the chief priests together, 00:14:52.260 --> 00:14:52.868 and they go, 00:14:52.868 --> 00:14:53.858 well, you know, 00:14:53.940 --> 00:14:57.716 the prophets do Say that down there in Bethlehem there's going to be a 00:14:57.716 --> 00:14:59.516 birth, and, 00:14:59.588 --> 00:15:00.020 you know, 00:15:00.020 --> 00:15:03.236 the stars are kind of lining up the right way and that kind of thing. 00:15:03.236 --> 00:15:03.620 He says, 00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:03.812 all right, 00:15:03.812 --> 00:15:08.324 well, y'all go find him and let me know so I can come worship him. 00:15:07.860 --> 00:15:10.840 So the Magi from Persia are. 00:15:11.560 --> 00:15:16.340 Are watching what only God controls, 00:15:16.760 --> 00:15:18.500 right? The heavens. 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:20.780 Only God controls that. 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:23.328 And the Magi are watching the heavens, 00:15:23.328 --> 00:15:25.984 and they notice something in the heavens, 00:15:26.112 --> 00:15:28.224 this alignment of planets. 00:15:28.272 --> 00:15:29.560 And whether or not, 00:15:29.560 --> 00:15:32.096 by their understanding it's that alignment, 00:15:32.208 --> 00:15:36.660 God intended for them to see the announcement of the birth of Jesus, 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:38.300 the heavens, 00:15:39.280 --> 00:15:41.860 right? So what did it do? 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:47.900 It motivated and prompted them to go find Jesus. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:53.632 Okay, now you can read some of what we refer to as church history. 00:15:53.632 --> 00:15:58.424 And they came up with names for three of these Magi. 00:15:58.472 --> 00:16:00.380 One of them is Balthazar. 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:02.024 You know, 00:16:02.112 --> 00:16:03.272 you can find these names, 00:16:03.272 --> 00:16:05.656 but they say those names appeared in the 6th century. 00:16:05.656 --> 00:16:06.928 So they're not really, 00:16:06.928 --> 00:16:07.376 you know, 00:16:07.376 --> 00:16:08.864 you don't know whether they're real or not. 00:16:08.864 --> 00:16:09.216 You know, 00:16:09.216 --> 00:16:10.480 whether that's really who they were, 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:11.424 we don't know. 00:16:11.424 --> 00:16:18.040 And then there's the story of their later baptism that comes down through 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:18.740 church history. 00:16:18.688 --> 00:16:20.080 Somebody went out and found them, 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:20.776 Thomas maybe, 00:16:20.808 --> 00:16:25.580 and found them in Persia and baptized the wise guys, 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.980 right? You see what I mean? 00:16:29.520 --> 00:16:35.412 But the biblical story is as they were watching what God does and 00:16:35.436 --> 00:16:38.440 announces, and they went looking for Jesus, 00:16:39.020 --> 00:16:40.640 went looking for him. 00:16:40.940 --> 00:16:42.700 What did they do when they found him? 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:43.244 And lo, 00:16:43.244 --> 00:16:46.556 the star which they had seen in the east went on before them till it came 00:16:46.556 --> 00:16:48.866 and stood over where the child was. 00:16:48.636 --> 00:16:49.852 Folks, I'm just telling you, 00:16:49.852 --> 00:16:52.676 that was some alignment and movement as they were moving. 00:16:52.676 --> 00:16:53.660 And, you know, 00:16:53.660 --> 00:16:55.310 as you move on Earth, 00:16:55.364 --> 00:16:57.084 the stars kind of move around, 00:16:57.084 --> 00:16:58.452 however they interpreted, 00:16:58.516 --> 00:17:00.476 or if God put a light right in front of them and said, 00:17:00.476 --> 00:17:01.796 here, follow the light. 00:17:02.390 --> 00:17:03.510 When they saw the star, 00:17:03.510 --> 00:17:05.246 they rejoiced exceedingly, 00:17:05.278 --> 00:17:05.902 with great joy. 00:17:05.902 --> 00:17:09.118 And they came into the house and saw the child with Mary, 00:17:09.118 --> 00:17:09.854 his mother, 00:17:09.902 --> 00:17:11.910 and they fell down and worshiped him. 00:17:11.910 --> 00:17:16.942 What's the response when you are confronted by or you encounter God? 00:17:17.006 --> 00:17:18.930 You fall down and worship, 00:17:19.830 --> 00:17:21.374 right? I mean, 00:17:21.462 --> 00:17:25.422 that's the thing that God not only expects, 00:17:25.486 --> 00:17:27.326 but commands us to do. 00:17:27.398 --> 00:17:28.318 So this morning, 00:17:28.318 --> 00:17:29.448 and it's an old song, 00:17:29.448 --> 00:17:35.912 and I was really tempted to ask Scott and Jared and them to change up the 00:17:35.936 --> 00:17:37.460 worship order this morning, 00:17:37.760 --> 00:17:39.480 because I've never done that, 00:17:39.600 --> 00:17:40.688 but I almost did. 00:17:40.688 --> 00:17:43.824 This is the song when I woke up and asked, 00:17:43.824 --> 00:17:44.800 God, where are you, 00:17:44.800 --> 00:17:48.536 God? These are the lyrics. 00:17:48.648 --> 00:17:54.984 Draw me close to you and never let me go I lay it all down again. 00:17:55.072 --> 00:17:57.712 To hear you say that I'm your friend. 00:17:57.790 --> 00:17:58.838 Y'all know this song? 00:17:58.838 --> 00:18:00.334 It's called Draw Me Close. 00:18:00.334 --> 00:18:00.998 Michael W. 00:18:01.054 --> 00:18:03.330 Smith wrote it probably 30 years ago. 00:18:04.350 --> 00:18:05.798 You are my desire. 00:18:05.894 --> 00:18:07.198 No one else will do. 00:18:07.198 --> 00:18:09.570 Because nothing else can take your place. 00:18:10.030 --> 00:18:12.340 To feel the warmth of your embrace. 00:18:12.230 --> 00:18:13.518 Help me find the way. 00:18:13.518 --> 00:18:15.168 Bring me back to you. 00:18:15.310 --> 00:18:16.690 You're all I want. 00:18:17.310 --> 00:18:18.662 You're all I needed. 00:18:18.726 --> 00:18:20.150 All I've ever needed. 00:18:20.310 --> 00:18:21.650 You're all I want. 00:18:21.950 --> 00:18:29.130 Help me know you are near 3:30 this morning I was singing that song, 00:18:30.030 --> 00:18:31.410 God, where are you? 00:18:32.990 --> 00:18:34.640 Draw me close to you, 00:18:34.702 --> 00:18:36.210 never let me go. 00:18:36.830 --> 00:18:38.750 I lay it all down again. 00:18:38.750 --> 00:18:42.130 Just to hear you say that I'm your friend. 00:18:42.990 --> 00:18:44.970 When you're encountered by God, 00:18:46.030 --> 00:18:47.934 what does God want us to do? 00:18:47.934 --> 00:18:49.250 To draw close, 00:18:49.670 --> 00:18:52.490 to fall down and worship him. 00:18:53.670 --> 00:18:54.230 You know, 00:18:54.230 --> 00:18:59.342 everything around us is going to go crazy in the next couple of days. 00:18:59.446 --> 00:19:00.630 I've already heard people saying, 00:19:00.630 --> 00:19:02.374 well, we're going here or we're going there. 00:19:02.374 --> 00:19:05.046 We're getting together with this and we're getting together to do that 00:19:05.046 --> 00:19:06.246 and all that sort of thing. 00:19:06.070 --> 00:19:07.390 But here's the point. 00:19:07.526 --> 00:19:09.490 Will it be about Jesus? 00:19:11.590 --> 00:19:16.838 See, because I think what God's calling us as believers to do is to make 00:19:16.894 --> 00:19:19.930 Jesus the point of our Christmas, 00:19:20.990 --> 00:19:24.166 okay? Come and seek him, 00:19:24.318 --> 00:19:26.370 fall down and worship him, 00:19:26.990 --> 00:19:28.770 and go and obey him. 00:19:29.550 --> 00:19:31.758 So what God's called us to do. 00:19:31.758 --> 00:19:32.690 You see, 00:19:34.190 --> 00:19:36.158 I look at these things and I. 00:19:36.158 --> 00:19:37.310 This morning I woke up, 00:19:37.310 --> 00:19:38.300 I was like, 00:19:39.150 --> 00:19:40.814 pretty typically when I wake up, 00:19:40.814 --> 00:19:42.794 I look forward to Sunday mornings. 00:19:42.902 --> 00:19:45.486 And I love getting together here on Sunday mornings. 00:19:45.486 --> 00:19:46.806 I think it's great. 00:19:48.070 --> 00:19:54.830 I think we have this incredible opportunity to turn down the noise of the 00:19:54.870 --> 00:19:58.446 world and to focus our hearts and our minds, 00:19:58.478 --> 00:20:01.170 our attention on God. 00:20:02.390 --> 00:20:07.294 To set aside those things that draw us away. 00:20:07.382 --> 00:20:08.646 Draw me close to you. 00:20:08.454 --> 00:20:09.510 Never let me go. 00:20:09.510 --> 00:20:11.318 I lay it all down again. 00:20:11.318 --> 00:20:11.782 What is it? 00:20:11.782 --> 00:20:12.794 I'm laying down. 00:20:12.902 --> 00:20:14.722 I'm laying down distractions. 00:20:14.786 --> 00:20:17.346 I'm laying down my wants and desires. 00:20:17.378 --> 00:20:20.466 I'm laying down what I would consider to be my priorities. 00:20:20.466 --> 00:20:26.674 I'm laying down the things that distract me from the revelation of God 00:20:26.722 --> 00:20:28.898 himself, right? 00:20:29.034 --> 00:20:29.466 I mean, 00:20:29.466 --> 00:20:34.950 I can imagine sitting in my little study cubicle at the Persian library, 00:20:35.770 --> 00:20:39.702 right? And I'm looking out the skylight and I'm going, 00:20:39.866 --> 00:20:41.186 oh, wait a minute. 00:20:42.630 --> 00:20:44.610 What are those bright lights doing? 00:20:44.662 --> 00:20:45.574 Guys, come here. 00:20:45.574 --> 00:20:46.622 Everybody gather around. 00:20:46.726 --> 00:20:49.406 Look, something's going on. 00:20:49.478 --> 00:20:50.526 Well, hang on a minute, 00:20:50.526 --> 00:20:52.118 let me get the scroll. 00:20:51.710 --> 00:20:53.286 They start unrolling the scrolling go. 00:20:53.286 --> 00:20:54.010 Oh, look, 00:20:54.630 --> 00:20:56.894 that's that King planet, 00:20:56.942 --> 00:20:58.270 that Saturn over there. 00:20:58.310 --> 00:20:58.854 That's that. 00:20:58.854 --> 00:21:01.150 And they're in this constellation. 00:21:01.230 --> 00:21:02.530 And, guys, 00:21:03.110 --> 00:21:07.500 something's going on among the Jews. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:11.224 And one of them goes, 00:21:11.224 --> 00:21:12.420 well, let's go. 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:16.520 Let's go over there. 00:21:16.576 --> 00:21:20.736 Let's pack up our donkeys and our camels and let's get over there. 00:21:20.736 --> 00:21:24.848 And it probably took months for them to travel up the rivers and down 00:21:24.848 --> 00:21:30.152 into Canaan and Palestine and get to Jerusalem and find Herod and get an 00:21:30.176 --> 00:21:32.016 audience with Herod and come in there and go, 00:21:32.016 --> 00:21:32.576 hey, look, 00:21:32.576 --> 00:21:35.546 we were sitting there just studying stars and planets, 00:21:35.572 --> 00:21:37.908 and something's going on here. 00:21:37.964 --> 00:21:39.880 Where is the king born? 00:21:40.380 --> 00:21:41.760 And Herod's going, 00:21:42.620 --> 00:21:43.800 wait a minute. 00:21:44.460 --> 00:21:47.440 So he shoos out the wise men, 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:50.708 brings in the chief priests and the scribes and goes, 00:21:50.708 --> 00:21:52.452 hey, something's going on. 00:21:52.476 --> 00:21:54.786 Have y'all not told me about it? 00:21:55.820 --> 00:22:00.170 See what's going on in your life today? 00:22:01.510 --> 00:22:03.490 What you got planned this week, 00:22:04.390 --> 00:22:05.582 right? I mean, 00:22:05.606 --> 00:22:06.266 I've already, 00:22:06.374 --> 00:22:06.886 like I said, 00:22:06.886 --> 00:22:08.038 I've already heard people say, 00:22:08.038 --> 00:22:08.566 okay, well, 00:22:08.566 --> 00:22:11.536 we're doing this because we got to do that. 00:22:11.430 --> 00:22:14.400 We're going here because we got to go there, 00:22:14.550 --> 00:22:15.582 you see? 00:22:15.766 --> 00:22:17.118 And I'm not saying that's wrong. 00:22:17.118 --> 00:22:18.902 I'm not saying agendas are bad things. 00:22:18.902 --> 00:22:22.086 I'm not saying to do lists are not the way we live our lives. 00:22:22.086 --> 00:22:23.406 But here's the question. 00:22:23.350 --> 00:22:25.660 Does Christ sit atop all of it? 00:22:25.830 --> 00:22:28.730 Is Christmas about Jesus for you? 00:22:29.030 --> 00:22:30.014 You see, 00:22:30.182 --> 00:22:31.832 here's what I'm worried about. 00:22:32.150 --> 00:22:33.686 I'll go ahead and tell you. 00:22:33.686 --> 00:22:37.462 I'm worried that about 500 people are going to show up here 5:30 Tuesday 00:22:37.462 --> 00:22:41.210 night, and we got seats for 257. 00:22:42.550 --> 00:22:43.670 See what I mean? 00:22:43.670 --> 00:22:47.606 I love it that people are going to make worship on Christmas Eve a 00:22:47.606 --> 00:22:52.302 priority. I think it's great the 5:30 hours when families come with their 00:22:52.326 --> 00:22:55.456 kids. And that's all cool and great and we love it, 00:22:55.456 --> 00:22:56.648 but the place will be packed, 00:22:56.648 --> 00:22:57.638 and that's fine. 00:22:57.736 --> 00:22:59.776 We might even have to do floor seating. 00:22:59.576 --> 00:23:00.328 Just sit in the floor. 00:23:00.328 --> 00:23:00.988 Go ahead. 00:23:01.040 --> 00:23:02.160 It'll be all right. 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:03.856 It'd be hard to get the Lord's Supper out. 00:23:03.856 --> 00:23:07.500 Won't it nick people sitting in the aisles and stuff? 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:10.850 We'll throw it at you. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:19.336 See, if the challenge is to come and seek him and the response is to fall 00:23:19.408 --> 00:23:20.660 and worship him, 00:23:21.140 --> 00:23:24.280 then the command is to go and obey him. 00:23:25.860 --> 00:23:29.360 Okay? Merry Christmas. 00:23:31.620 --> 00:23:37.840 It's a joyful time to celebrate God's greatest gift. 00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:41.040 Don't miss the opportunity. 00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:47.240 Don't miss the opportunity to tell somebody why it's Mary, 00:23:48.780 --> 00:23:49.764 you see, 00:23:49.932 --> 00:23:52.780 because you're going to run into people that's not Mary for. 00:23:52.780 --> 00:23:54.760 And they need to know Jesus. 00:23:54.868 --> 00:23:58.240 Okay, so we light. 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.076 I hope. 00:24:01.228 --> 00:24:04.884 Okay. We lit the candle of the prophets, 00:24:04.932 --> 00:24:06.912 which was the candle of hope. 00:24:07.420 --> 00:24:10.164 We lit the candle of Bethlehem, 00:24:10.212 --> 00:24:12.192 which was the candle of peace. 00:24:13.110 --> 00:24:15.342 We lit the candle of the shepherds, 00:24:15.342 --> 00:24:17.322 which was the candle of joy. 00:24:18.150 --> 00:24:21.120 Today we light the candle of the wise men, 00:24:21.510 --> 00:24:23.490 which is the candle of worship. 00:24:26.630 --> 00:24:33.134 See? Looking forward to lighting the center candle of Christ on Christmas 00:24:33.182 --> 00:24:36.206 Eve. Okay. 00:24:36.398 --> 00:24:37.502 If you don't know Jesus, 00:24:37.502 --> 00:24:38.610 you need Jesus. 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:43.420 Christmas is all about Jesus. 00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:45.136 And if you don't know him, 00:24:45.136 --> 00:24:46.180 then guess what? 00:24:47.120 --> 00:24:49.416 For all the world that doesn't know Jesus, 00:24:49.416 --> 00:24:51.180 Christmas is not Christmas. 00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:53.820 It's not a Jesus gathering. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:57.700 It's just a day. 00:24:58.320 --> 00:24:59.672 We want you to know Jesus. 00:24:59.672 --> 00:25:01.832 This morning we're going to sing another song. 00:25:01.832 --> 00:25:04.048 Give you the opportunity to respond to him. 00:25:04.048 --> 00:25:06.624 Give you the opportunity to do what he's called you to do. 00:25:06.624 --> 00:25:08.740 He's calling to you to do. 00:25:09.330 --> 00:25:10.714 Don't miss the opportunity. 00:25:10.762 --> 00:25:17.850 Okay. Don't miss the movement of God in the heavens to get your attention 00:25:18.010 --> 00:25:19.970 so that you'll come to him. 00:25:19.970 --> 00:25:21.562 Alrighty. Pray with me. 00:25:21.586 --> 00:25:23.170 Father, thank you for today. 00:25:23.170 --> 00:25:23.746 Thank you. 00:25:23.746 --> 00:25:26.546 God, that you have loved us and cared for us. 00:25:26.546 --> 00:25:28.230 God, that you've called us. 00:25:28.770 --> 00:25:30.750 You've offered to us this gift, 00:25:30.762 --> 00:25:31.594 this redemption, 00:25:31.642 --> 00:25:32.538 this salvation. 00:25:32.634 --> 00:25:34.190 God, you've. 00:25:34.540 --> 00:25:38.116 You've done everything to make us yours. 00:25:38.228 --> 00:25:42.260 God, help us to receive Jesus. 00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:46.628 Help us to receive this gift of redemption and salvation that you've 00:25:46.644 --> 00:25:49.364 offered. We pray it in Jesus's name. 00:25:49.452 --> 00:25:49.700 Amen.