December 2024
Wise Men, 22 December 2024
23 12 24 Filed in: Sermons | The Glory of Christmas
Wise Men
The Glory of Christmas: The Skit Guys
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 22, 2024
Matthew 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: The Glory of Christmas is all about Jesus.
Big Idea: Wise men—and women—still seek Him…and bring gifts to the King.
The King of kings came first as a lowly servant.
How do you approach the manger? One of my favorite Christmas cliches is that “wise men still seek Him.” Wise women do, too.
Last week we saw how the birth of Jesus the Messiah was announced to Jewish shepherds by an angel. Today we see the birth of Jesus the Messiah was announced to possibly Gentile Magi—or wise men—by a star. This is a big deal because Jesus the Jewish Messiah is also the Gentile Messiah. Us Gentiles have been grafted into God’s plan for humanity, and for that I am so grateful.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1)
There’s more to this sentence, but there’s plenty to dissect here first. Our scene takes place after Jesus was born, likely one or two years later. If you have a nativity scene with men carrying gifts, they should be placed far from the manger. One or two years away!
The second thing we see is this is during the time of King Herod, a very insecure leader as we will see in a minute. He ruled from 36 or 37 BCE until 1 or 4 BCE, depending upon your source.
Magi from the east are mentioned next. How many? We don’t know. Were they wise? Certainly educated. Were they kings? Not necessarily, though “We Three Kings” is a fun song to sing (and the first widely popular Christmas carol written in the USA back in 1857!).
What are their names? The Bible doesn’t say, but legend says they were called Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar.
The east was likely Babylon or Persia, modern-day Iraq or Iran, though possibly as far away as India. We only know “from the east,” but their journey was between 500 and 1000 miles—by foot or camel—taking weeks or even months. These Magi are dedicated! Would you walk 500 miles…to meet Jesus?
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
The Magi are in Jerusalem inquiring about the birth of the king of the Jews, one who even had his own star (then again, Jesus created everything!). Remember, no GPS, no cable news, they didn’t have radios or a printing press to obtain information, but they were astrologers who paid attention to the stars. They thought the stars delivered messages from the gods.
Jews believed in one God who created the universe, but these were probably Gentile Magi. God used a star this one time to convey a most important message to these men.
Are any of you sky gazers? One of the things I love about Findlay versus larger cities where I’ve lived is on a clear night, you can see more stars. The sky is magnificent! I confess I don’t know all the constellations, but I can find the Big Dipper! I remember my first trip to South America, gazing above and seeing an entirely different set of stars.
The Star Prophecy comes from the book of Numbers.
“I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the people of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17)
Remember, Jewish shepherds were led by an angel’s words. Now Gentile Magi are led by a star.
We really don’t know much about these wise men, but many theories exist. Some have suggested a link with the prophet Daniel hundreds of years earlier.
Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. (Daniel 2:48)
There are countless articles and videos about the wise men, but little in the Bible itself.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matthew 2:3)
“A king is born? I’m the king,” Herod must’ve thought. It’s not like they had an election every four years! He’s not what we would call a nice guy, having murdered family members and eventually all baby boys two years and younger. Can you imagine?
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:4)
King Herod didn’t know the details, so he asked the Jewish leaders. What’s remarkable is how they apparently had no interest in traveling the six miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem! It’s not enough to know about God. We need to pursue and worship Jesus!
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“ ‘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 shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5-6)
This is a prophecy from Micah 5:2, one of hundreds that Jesus the Messiah fulfilled.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Nice try, Herod! You want to worship this boy? Right!!! Herod was lying. He only wanted to know where Jesus was so he could end any rival to his dynasty by killing the boy king.
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Matthew 2:9-10)
This is no ordinary star. It moves. It guides them. Then it stops. It reminds me of the way God led the people of Israel through the wilderness for forty years, a cloud by day and fire by night. There are many scientific theories about this star, but it is my belief that it’s simply one of the many miraculous components Jesus’ birth and early years.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)
The Magi came to the house, not the birthplace of Jesus. It’s interesting how Joseph’s not mentioned. Maybe he was out hunting for food or building a model spaceship for his son (maybe not!).
The Magi bow down and worship the boy. They bring him treasured gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This is the only reference to “three” Magi, but there may have been two or twenty! Three looks nice on Christmas cards (again, this was one or two years after Jesus was born) and three is a common number in the Bible…but we don’t know!
We do know these three gifts were special and all connected to temple worship.
Gold is…gold (presently about $2500/ounce!) and the temple was covered in it.
Frankincense is resin from the Boswellia tree, used for cosmetic, medicinal, and religious purposes. It was burned in the temple twice a day for its aroma and was more valuable—by weight—than gold. The smoke of the burned frankincense represented the prayers of the saints ascending to God.
Myrrh is sap from the Commiphora tree, used for embalming, burial, medicinal, and cosmetic purposes.
These are extremely expensive gifts.
We don’t know for sure, but some have linked the Magi to a passage in the book of Isaiah that mentions kings, which is probably where the idea of “We Three Kings” originated.
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn…Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. (Isaiah 60:3, 6)
Again, we don’t know. What we do know is…
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:12)
God spoke to them in a dream…and they obeyed. Today, Epiphany or “Three Kings Day” is a Christian feast day commemorating the visit of the Magi to meet Jesus.
So What?
God orchestrated every detail of this story. Pagan Magi—seeking other gods—encountered the one true God. They delivered treasures that helped the holy family flee to Egypt while Herod massacred innocent boys.
Wise men—and women—still seek Him. These Magi traveled 1000+ miles round trip, proving their love for Jesus with their time, travel, and treasures.
What will you bring Jesus for His birthday?
The Glory of Christmas: The Skit Guys
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 22, 2024
Matthew 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: The Glory of Christmas is all about Jesus.
Big Idea: Wise men—and women—still seek Him…and bring gifts to the King.
The King of kings came first as a lowly servant.
How do you approach the manger? One of my favorite Christmas cliches is that “wise men still seek Him.” Wise women do, too.
Last week we saw how the birth of Jesus the Messiah was announced to Jewish shepherds by an angel. Today we see the birth of Jesus the Messiah was announced to possibly Gentile Magi—or wise men—by a star. This is a big deal because Jesus the Jewish Messiah is also the Gentile Messiah. Us Gentiles have been grafted into God’s plan for humanity, and for that I am so grateful.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1)
There’s more to this sentence, but there’s plenty to dissect here first. Our scene takes place after Jesus was born, likely one or two years later. If you have a nativity scene with men carrying gifts, they should be placed far from the manger. One or two years away!
The second thing we see is this is during the time of King Herod, a very insecure leader as we will see in a minute. He ruled from 36 or 37 BCE until 1 or 4 BCE, depending upon your source.
Magi from the east are mentioned next. How many? We don’t know. Were they wise? Certainly educated. Were they kings? Not necessarily, though “We Three Kings” is a fun song to sing (and the first widely popular Christmas carol written in the USA back in 1857!).
What are their names? The Bible doesn’t say, but legend says they were called Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar.
The east was likely Babylon or Persia, modern-day Iraq or Iran, though possibly as far away as India. We only know “from the east,” but their journey was between 500 and 1000 miles—by foot or camel—taking weeks or even months. These Magi are dedicated! Would you walk 500 miles…to meet Jesus?
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
The Magi are in Jerusalem inquiring about the birth of the king of the Jews, one who even had his own star (then again, Jesus created everything!). Remember, no GPS, no cable news, they didn’t have radios or a printing press to obtain information, but they were astrologers who paid attention to the stars. They thought the stars delivered messages from the gods.
Jews believed in one God who created the universe, but these were probably Gentile Magi. God used a star this one time to convey a most important message to these men.
Are any of you sky gazers? One of the things I love about Findlay versus larger cities where I’ve lived is on a clear night, you can see more stars. The sky is magnificent! I confess I don’t know all the constellations, but I can find the Big Dipper! I remember my first trip to South America, gazing above and seeing an entirely different set of stars.
The Star Prophecy comes from the book of Numbers.
“I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the people of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17)
Remember, Jewish shepherds were led by an angel’s words. Now Gentile Magi are led by a star.
We really don’t know much about these wise men, but many theories exist. Some have suggested a link with the prophet Daniel hundreds of years earlier.
Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. (Daniel 2:48)
There are countless articles and videos about the wise men, but little in the Bible itself.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matthew 2:3)
“A king is born? I’m the king,” Herod must’ve thought. It’s not like they had an election every four years! He’s not what we would call a nice guy, having murdered family members and eventually all baby boys two years and younger. Can you imagine?
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:4)
King Herod didn’t know the details, so he asked the Jewish leaders. What’s remarkable is how they apparently had no interest in traveling the six miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem! It’s not enough to know about God. We need to pursue and worship Jesus!
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“ ‘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 shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5-6)
This is a prophecy from Micah 5:2, one of hundreds that Jesus the Messiah fulfilled.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Nice try, Herod! You want to worship this boy? Right!!! Herod was lying. He only wanted to know where Jesus was so he could end any rival to his dynasty by killing the boy king.
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Matthew 2:9-10)
This is no ordinary star. It moves. It guides them. Then it stops. It reminds me of the way God led the people of Israel through the wilderness for forty years, a cloud by day and fire by night. There are many scientific theories about this star, but it is my belief that it’s simply one of the many miraculous components Jesus’ birth and early years.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)
The Magi came to the house, not the birthplace of Jesus. It’s interesting how Joseph’s not mentioned. Maybe he was out hunting for food or building a model spaceship for his son (maybe not!).
The Magi bow down and worship the boy. They bring him treasured gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This is the only reference to “three” Magi, but there may have been two or twenty! Three looks nice on Christmas cards (again, this was one or two years after Jesus was born) and three is a common number in the Bible…but we don’t know!
We do know these three gifts were special and all connected to temple worship.
Gold is…gold (presently about $2500/ounce!) and the temple was covered in it.
Frankincense is resin from the Boswellia tree, used for cosmetic, medicinal, and religious purposes. It was burned in the temple twice a day for its aroma and was more valuable—by weight—than gold. The smoke of the burned frankincense represented the prayers of the saints ascending to God.
Myrrh is sap from the Commiphora tree, used for embalming, burial, medicinal, and cosmetic purposes.
These are extremely expensive gifts.
We don’t know for sure, but some have linked the Magi to a passage in the book of Isaiah that mentions kings, which is probably where the idea of “We Three Kings” originated.
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn…Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. (Isaiah 60:3, 6)
Again, we don’t know. What we do know is…
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:12)
God spoke to them in a dream…and they obeyed. Today, Epiphany or “Three Kings Day” is a Christian feast day commemorating the visit of the Magi to meet Jesus.
So What?
God orchestrated every detail of this story. Pagan Magi—seeking other gods—encountered the one true God. They delivered treasures that helped the holy family flee to Egypt while Herod massacred innocent boys.
Wise men—and women—still seek Him. These Magi traveled 1000+ miles round trip, proving their love for Jesus with their time, travel, and treasures.
What will you bring Jesus for His birthday?
Shepherds, 15 December 2024
15 12 24 Filed in: Sermons | The Glory of Christmas
Shepherd: Jesus is for Everyone
The Glory of Christmas: The Skit Guys
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 15, 2024
Luke 2:8-15
Series Big Idea: The Glory of Christmas is all about Jesus.
Big Idea: God chose society’s misfits—the least of these—to be given the highest honor…and He continues to do so today because Jesus is for everyone.
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-15
The Kingdom of God is upside down! For two thousand years, we have been following a God who said,
“…the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:16)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." (Mark 10:43)
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." (Matthew 6:19-20)
So, it should be no surprise that God chose society’s misfits, the least of these, common shepherds to be given the highest honor, a cosmic multi-media extravaganza followed by a front-row seat at the birthplace of the King of kings…because Jesus is for everyone!
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9)
Three weeks into this series. Three appearances by angels. This time the LORD’s radiance surrounded them. I can’t imagine such an experience ever, but especially at night, piercing the darkness. I would be terrified, too!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
Angels are always saying, “Fear not!” It’s actually the most common command in the entire Bible, not only spoken by angels, but by the LORD. Obviously, the celestial creature appearing at night was terrifying, but the startling surprise was a good one…a great one!
Good news. Who could use a little good news today?
Great joy. Our world desperately needs it.
For all the people. Male and female. Jew and Gentile. Young and old. Buckeye and Wolverine! Jesus is for everyone!
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)
The long-awaited Messiah has arrived! I’m quite sure Jesus was the only baby that night in a feeding trough, but how exactly were they supposed to find child? I’m sure this wasn’t the only manger in Bethlehem! The manger itself was nothing special, merely a signpost for the shepherds.
Just when they thought this experience couldn’t get any bigger…
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
If one angel was scary, imagine this multi-media extravaganza! What did they announce? Glory to God. Peace—shalom, wholeness, well-being, completeness—on earth.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
Good idea! Can you imagine?
Most of us don’t know much about shepherds. Are there any in Findlay? They were outcasts in Israel. They couldn’t testify in court. They were ceremonially unclean from their work…which kept them out of the temple for weeks so they could not be made clean. We don’t think much about these things today, but for Jews then, it was a big deal.
These were likely Levitical shepherds who raised the sheep used in temple sacrifices. Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity…
…the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29b)
Sacrificial lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloth to keep them from becoming injured or bruised. Did you catch that?! Only perfect lambs were suitable for a sacrifice at the temple.
These lowly shepherds receive the birth announcement of the Messiah. They get a free show in the sky, better than any fireworks or drone performance. They go to see this baby, the perfect sacrifice…the Good Shepherd himself!
We noted last week how Mary and Joseph were poor, bringing birds to the temple dedication of Jesus because they couldn’t afford a lamb (Luke 2:24).
The shepherds get a little more time in the biblical spotlight.
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:16)
They wasted no time. They hurried off. Things were just as the angel declared. God always keeps His promises.
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:17-18)
They were the first evangelists of the Messiah’s birth, sharing good news. The people were amazed at what the shepherds said. What an honor to proclaim the birth of the King of kings. Today, we are all called to share the gospel, “good news,” with others. What a privilege! What a joy!
Unless you’re a history buff, you might not know Augustus Caesar, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, turned Rome into an empire, with himself at the head (of course!). He announced that he had brought peace and justice to the entire world and proclaimed himself as ‘son of god.’ We often think of words like savior and lord in the context of Jesus, but these were words associated with Caesar. The contrast between Caesar and Jesus could not be greater!
The shepherds understood the significance of this birth not only from a prophetic, Messianic perspective but also a power and authority sense.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
We talked about Mary two weeks ago, but her character was so unique. Nobody in human history has ever experienced many of the things she experienced, including this unusual birth and birth announcement.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
God always keeps His promises.
So What?
God could’ve announced the birth of Jesus to kings. After all, Jesus is the King of kings.
God could’ve announced the birth of Jesus to the rich. After all, everything we have belongs to God.
God could’ve announced the birth of Jesus to the famous. After all, Jesus is the greatest figure in human history.
But in God’s upside-down Kingdom, God chose society’s misfits—the least of these—to be given the highest honor…and He continues to do so today.
He sent the greatest gift ever to a poor family. The lowest in the land was given the highest honor.
That gives me hope. I’m nothing special. I don’t have royal blood, a silver spoon, a genius mind, or powerful friends.
Jesus is for everyone.
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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18)
God so loved the world. All nations. All peoples. Jesus is for everyone. He’s the greatest gift, yours for the taking. He is Savior to those who receive him as LORD? Have you received Him?
The Glory of Christmas: The Skit Guys
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 15, 2024
Luke 2:8-15
Series Big Idea: The Glory of Christmas is all about Jesus.
Big Idea: God chose society’s misfits—the least of these—to be given the highest honor…and He continues to do so today because Jesus is for everyone.
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-15
The Kingdom of God is upside down! For two thousand years, we have been following a God who said,
“…the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:16)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." (Mark 10:43)
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." (Matthew 6:19-20)
So, it should be no surprise that God chose society’s misfits, the least of these, common shepherds to be given the highest honor, a cosmic multi-media extravaganza followed by a front-row seat at the birthplace of the King of kings…because Jesus is for everyone!
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9)
Three weeks into this series. Three appearances by angels. This time the LORD’s radiance surrounded them. I can’t imagine such an experience ever, but especially at night, piercing the darkness. I would be terrified, too!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
Angels are always saying, “Fear not!” It’s actually the most common command in the entire Bible, not only spoken by angels, but by the LORD. Obviously, the celestial creature appearing at night was terrifying, but the startling surprise was a good one…a great one!
Good news. Who could use a little good news today?
Great joy. Our world desperately needs it.
For all the people. Male and female. Jew and Gentile. Young and old. Buckeye and Wolverine! Jesus is for everyone!
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)
The long-awaited Messiah has arrived! I’m quite sure Jesus was the only baby that night in a feeding trough, but how exactly were they supposed to find child? I’m sure this wasn’t the only manger in Bethlehem! The manger itself was nothing special, merely a signpost for the shepherds.
Just when they thought this experience couldn’t get any bigger…
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
If one angel was scary, imagine this multi-media extravaganza! What did they announce? Glory to God. Peace—shalom, wholeness, well-being, completeness—on earth.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
Good idea! Can you imagine?
Most of us don’t know much about shepherds. Are there any in Findlay? They were outcasts in Israel. They couldn’t testify in court. They were ceremonially unclean from their work…which kept them out of the temple for weeks so they could not be made clean. We don’t think much about these things today, but for Jews then, it was a big deal.
These were likely Levitical shepherds who raised the sheep used in temple sacrifices. Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity…
…the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29b)
Sacrificial lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloth to keep them from becoming injured or bruised. Did you catch that?! Only perfect lambs were suitable for a sacrifice at the temple.
These lowly shepherds receive the birth announcement of the Messiah. They get a free show in the sky, better than any fireworks or drone performance. They go to see this baby, the perfect sacrifice…the Good Shepherd himself!
We noted last week how Mary and Joseph were poor, bringing birds to the temple dedication of Jesus because they couldn’t afford a lamb (Luke 2:24).
The shepherds get a little more time in the biblical spotlight.
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:16)
They wasted no time. They hurried off. Things were just as the angel declared. God always keeps His promises.
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:17-18)
They were the first evangelists of the Messiah’s birth, sharing good news. The people were amazed at what the shepherds said. What an honor to proclaim the birth of the King of kings. Today, we are all called to share the gospel, “good news,” with others. What a privilege! What a joy!
Unless you’re a history buff, you might not know Augustus Caesar, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, turned Rome into an empire, with himself at the head (of course!). He announced that he had brought peace and justice to the entire world and proclaimed himself as ‘son of god.’ We often think of words like savior and lord in the context of Jesus, but these were words associated with Caesar. The contrast between Caesar and Jesus could not be greater!
The shepherds understood the significance of this birth not only from a prophetic, Messianic perspective but also a power and authority sense.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
We talked about Mary two weeks ago, but her character was so unique. Nobody in human history has ever experienced many of the things she experienced, including this unusual birth and birth announcement.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
God always keeps His promises.
So What?
God could’ve announced the birth of Jesus to kings. After all, Jesus is the King of kings.
God could’ve announced the birth of Jesus to the rich. After all, everything we have belongs to God.
God could’ve announced the birth of Jesus to the famous. After all, Jesus is the greatest figure in human history.
But in God’s upside-down Kingdom, God chose society’s misfits—the least of these—to be given the highest honor…and He continues to do so today.
He sent the greatest gift ever to a poor family. The lowest in the land was given the highest honor.
That gives me hope. I’m nothing special. I don’t have royal blood, a silver spoon, a genius mind, or powerful friends.
Jesus is for everyone.
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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18)
God so loved the world. All nations. All peoples. Jesus is for everyone. He’s the greatest gift, yours for the taking. He is Savior to those who receive him as LORD? Have you received Him?
Joseph, 8 December 2024
09 12 24 Filed in: Sermons | The Glory of Christmas
Joseph
The Glory of Christmas: The Skit Guys
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 8, 2024
Matthew 1:18-25
Series Big Idea: The Glory of Christmas is all about Jesus.
Big Idea: God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
The Bible is not a book, but rather a library. Some books contain poetry like Psalms. Others are filled with theology and descriptions of God such as Romans. There are apocalyptic writings like Revelation. One of my favorite types of literature is story. There’s nothing like a good story, and there is no greater story than that of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Every Nativity or creche in some way tells the story of the incarnation, Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus the Messiah entering the world as a baby. There are three characters in every creche…Jesus, Mary, and our character for today, Joseph.
There are few characters in the Bible more shrouded in mystery than Joseph, the step-dad, the earthly father of Jesus. We probably know more about him before the birth of Jesus than after. The book of Matthew tells us…
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19)
Joseph was engaged to Mary.
Joseph was a righteous man, faithful to the law.
Joseph was willing to protect Mary and her reputation, even if that meant losing his bride. That sounds like selfless love to me.
As we said last Sunday, unwed pregnancies were not as common or acceptable as they are today. In fact, about 40% of all births in the USA fit that criterion. In the days of Mary and Joseph, it was one of the most shameful things imaginable. Joseph knew this was not his baby. He could’ve disgraced Mary, accusing her of premarital relations with another man. Under Jewish law, she could’ve been put to death by stoning, yet he was willing to quietly part ways with her.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)
Another angel. I think it’s fascinating how the angel appeared in a dream.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
Jesus comes from the Hebrew name Yeshua which is short for Yehoshua (Joshua) which means “God saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.” His very name announced his mission, to seek and save the lost.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
This is one of the 300 or 400 Old Testament prophecies uniquely fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah. Matthew mentions Old Testament fulfillment twelve times. This quotation from Isaiah 7:14 is the first of at least 47 quotes from the Old Testament, written around 700 BCE.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
There are many names for Jesus in the Bible: Bread of life, King of kings, LORD of lords, prince of peace, Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Light of the World, Redeemer, Son of God, Son of Man, Alpha and Omega, …but one of my favorites is Immanuel, God with us. Family, God is with us. We can’t physically see and touch Jesus today, but we will someday! His presence is here in the Person of the Holy Spirit, living inside every believer. He was here in the flesh, and soon he will return. But God is with us, and that’s a great comfort to me.
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24)
He did what the angel of the LORD commanded. I believe obedience is God’s love language. Last week we noted how Mary’s role as mom was not easy. Joseph’s path was not picnic, either. The humiliation, the rumors, the whispers.
“It’s not your kid? Right! Immaculate conception? Give me a break!”
But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:25)
Clearly, Joseph was a man of character, righteousness, obedience, integrity, …and self-control. Marrying a woman carrying a child that’s not yours is challenging in any context.
We don’t know much about what happened to Joseph. He was Jesus’ earthly father, but he doesn’t appear in scripture after Jesus is 12 years old. We’re told he was carpenter (Matthew 13:55) or skilled craftsman. The Greek word used for carpenter, tekton, indicates he probably worked with wood, stone, or other materials. As carpenter, he was likely Jesus’ mentor. It almost sounds funny to think Jesus had a mentor, but while fully God, he is fully human. Paul wrote,
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
By the way, it’s believed crosses were made of wood, perhaps crafted by a…carpenter.
Back to Joseph, we know from the book of Mark Joseph had other children.
“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:3)
Matthew’s parallel passage says,
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:55-56)
After Jesus was born, Joseph obeyed the angel and took Mary and Jesus to Egypt to avoid danger during social and political tensions that included Roman occupation and Herod’s massacre of baby boys (Matthew 2:13-18).
It seems obvious that God the Father not only chose Mary to be Jesus’ mother, but Joseph was carefully selected as a surrogate dad for His son. God the Father trusted Joseph because Joseph trusted God.
So What?
Although Joseph was a descendent of King David (Matthew 1:1-16), there’s nothing that suggests he was royalty, famous, or wealthy. In fact, the sacrifice of birds at Jesus’ presentation to the LORD in Luke 2 indicates they were unable to afford a lamb. He was a humble, righteous man who God used to raise the Messiah.
Going back to the video, you might say Joseph was unqualified. He was unlikely to play such an historic and important role, and yet God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Why? So He gets the glory. Consider this:
NOAH got drunk.
ABRAHAM was too old.
ISAAC was a daydreamer.
JACOB lied.
LEAH was ugly.
JOSEPH was abused.
MOSES was a murderer and couldn’t talk.
GIDEON was afraid.
SAMSON had long hair and was afraid.
RAHAB was a prostitute.
JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young.
DAVID was a murderer and adulterer.
ELIJAH was suicidal.
ISAIAH preached naked.
JONAH ran from God.
NAOMI was a widow.
JOB went bankrupt.
JOHN THE BAPTIST ate bugs.
PETER denied Christ.
The DISCIPLES fell asleep while praying.
MARTHA worried about everything.
MARY MAGDLENE was demon possessed.
The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced…more than once…
ZACCHEUS was too small.
PAUL was a murderer.
TIMOTHY had an ulcer.
and LAZARUS was dead!
Joseph was engaged to a pregnant virgin and said yes to the LORD despite the painful consequences. Following Jesus is never easy, but He’s worth it!
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
You are the kind of person God desires to use to bring Him great glory this Christmas.
What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Say yes!
The Glory of Christmas: The Skit Guys
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 8, 2024
Matthew 1:18-25
Series Big Idea: The Glory of Christmas is all about Jesus.
Big Idea: God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
The Bible is not a book, but rather a library. Some books contain poetry like Psalms. Others are filled with theology and descriptions of God such as Romans. There are apocalyptic writings like Revelation. One of my favorite types of literature is story. There’s nothing like a good story, and there is no greater story than that of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Every Nativity or creche in some way tells the story of the incarnation, Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus the Messiah entering the world as a baby. There are three characters in every creche…Jesus, Mary, and our character for today, Joseph.
There are few characters in the Bible more shrouded in mystery than Joseph, the step-dad, the earthly father of Jesus. We probably know more about him before the birth of Jesus than after. The book of Matthew tells us…
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19)
Joseph was engaged to Mary.
Joseph was a righteous man, faithful to the law.
Joseph was willing to protect Mary and her reputation, even if that meant losing his bride. That sounds like selfless love to me.
As we said last Sunday, unwed pregnancies were not as common or acceptable as they are today. In fact, about 40% of all births in the USA fit that criterion. In the days of Mary and Joseph, it was one of the most shameful things imaginable. Joseph knew this was not his baby. He could’ve disgraced Mary, accusing her of premarital relations with another man. Under Jewish law, she could’ve been put to death by stoning, yet he was willing to quietly part ways with her.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)
Another angel. I think it’s fascinating how the angel appeared in a dream.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
Jesus comes from the Hebrew name Yeshua which is short for Yehoshua (Joshua) which means “God saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.” His very name announced his mission, to seek and save the lost.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
This is one of the 300 or 400 Old Testament prophecies uniquely fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah. Matthew mentions Old Testament fulfillment twelve times. This quotation from Isaiah 7:14 is the first of at least 47 quotes from the Old Testament, written around 700 BCE.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
There are many names for Jesus in the Bible: Bread of life, King of kings, LORD of lords, prince of peace, Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Light of the World, Redeemer, Son of God, Son of Man, Alpha and Omega, …but one of my favorites is Immanuel, God with us. Family, God is with us. We can’t physically see and touch Jesus today, but we will someday! His presence is here in the Person of the Holy Spirit, living inside every believer. He was here in the flesh, and soon he will return. But God is with us, and that’s a great comfort to me.
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24)
He did what the angel of the LORD commanded. I believe obedience is God’s love language. Last week we noted how Mary’s role as mom was not easy. Joseph’s path was not picnic, either. The humiliation, the rumors, the whispers.
“It’s not your kid? Right! Immaculate conception? Give me a break!”
But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:25)
Clearly, Joseph was a man of character, righteousness, obedience, integrity, …and self-control. Marrying a woman carrying a child that’s not yours is challenging in any context.
We don’t know much about what happened to Joseph. He was Jesus’ earthly father, but he doesn’t appear in scripture after Jesus is 12 years old. We’re told he was carpenter (Matthew 13:55) or skilled craftsman. The Greek word used for carpenter, tekton, indicates he probably worked with wood, stone, or other materials. As carpenter, he was likely Jesus’ mentor. It almost sounds funny to think Jesus had a mentor, but while fully God, he is fully human. Paul wrote,
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
By the way, it’s believed crosses were made of wood, perhaps crafted by a…carpenter.
Back to Joseph, we know from the book of Mark Joseph had other children.
“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:3)
Matthew’s parallel passage says,
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:55-56)
After Jesus was born, Joseph obeyed the angel and took Mary and Jesus to Egypt to avoid danger during social and political tensions that included Roman occupation and Herod’s massacre of baby boys (Matthew 2:13-18).
It seems obvious that God the Father not only chose Mary to be Jesus’ mother, but Joseph was carefully selected as a surrogate dad for His son. God the Father trusted Joseph because Joseph trusted God.
So What?
Although Joseph was a descendent of King David (Matthew 1:1-16), there’s nothing that suggests he was royalty, famous, or wealthy. In fact, the sacrifice of birds at Jesus’ presentation to the LORD in Luke 2 indicates they were unable to afford a lamb. He was a humble, righteous man who God used to raise the Messiah.
Going back to the video, you might say Joseph was unqualified. He was unlikely to play such an historic and important role, and yet God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Why? So He gets the glory. Consider this:
NOAH got drunk.
ABRAHAM was too old.
ISAAC was a daydreamer.
JACOB lied.
LEAH was ugly.
JOSEPH was abused.
MOSES was a murderer and couldn’t talk.
GIDEON was afraid.
SAMSON had long hair and was afraid.
RAHAB was a prostitute.
JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young.
DAVID was a murderer and adulterer.
ELIJAH was suicidal.
ISAIAH preached naked.
JONAH ran from God.
NAOMI was a widow.
JOB went bankrupt.
JOHN THE BAPTIST ate bugs.
PETER denied Christ.
The DISCIPLES fell asleep while praying.
MARTHA worried about everything.
MARY MAGDLENE was demon possessed.
The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced…more than once…
ZACCHEUS was too small.
PAUL was a murderer.
TIMOTHY had an ulcer.
and LAZARUS was dead!
Joseph was engaged to a pregnant virgin and said yes to the LORD despite the painful consequences. Following Jesus is never easy, but He’s worth it!
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
You are the kind of person God desires to use to bring Him great glory this Christmas.
What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Say yes!