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December
22-23, 2001 HOPE FOR THE WORLD! Matthew 2:1-12 HOPE IS YOUR CHOICE! ! THE WAY YOU CHOOSE THIS CHRISTMAS WILL DETERMINE
IF YOU HAVE A HOPEFUL HEART OR A HOPELESS HEART! *** Matthew 2:1-12 “Jesus was born in the town
of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some
wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the
newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come
to worship him." Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all
of Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of
religious law. "Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be
born?" he asked them. "In
Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote…. Then Herod sent a private message to the
wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact
time when they first saw the star. Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and
search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so
that I can go and worship him, too!"
After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star
appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped
over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled
with joy! They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were,
and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their
treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when
it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them
in a dream not to return to Herod.”
[New Living Translation] HOPE
IS OUR CHOICE: 1.
HEROD CHOSE POORLY! A. BECAUSE HE LOOKED FOR JESUS
WITH PREJUDICE! *** Matthew 2:4-7 “Herod brought together the
chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, "Where
will the Messiah be born?" They told him, "He will be born in
Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote…. Herod secretly called in the wise men
and asked them when they had first seen the star.” [Contemporary English Version] *** 2 Tim. 3:7 “…always learning but never
able to acknowledge the truth.”
[NIV] ! DON’T CONFUSE ME WITH THE FACTS; I’VE
ALREADY MADE UP MY MIND! B. BECAUSE HE LOOKED FOR JESUS WITH
ANGER! *** Matthew 2:3 “When King Herod heard about
this, he was very upset, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem.” [Today’s English Version] ! HE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP HIS: u THRONE! w POWER! v CONTROL! x HEART! ! YOU WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH JESUS
BECAUSE YOU
WANT JESUS TO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU! C.
BECAUSE HE LOOKED FOR JESUS WITH DECEPTION! *** Matthew 2:8 “He told them, "Go to
Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me
know. I want to go and worship him too." ! CELEBRATION WITHOUT CONSECREATION! 2. THE
WISEMEN CHOSE PROPERLY! A. BECAUSE THEY LOOKED FOR JESUS
WITH SINCERITY! *** Matthew 2:2 “Where is the newborn king of
the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him." [NLT] ! WORSHIP
LITERALLY MEANS – TO KISS TOWARD! *** Matthew 2:11 “When the men went into the
house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped
him.” [CEV] ! TO PROPERLY CHOOSE JESUS WE
MUST SURRENDER TO HIM! B. BECAUSE THEY LOOKED FOR JESUS
WITH EXCITEMENT! *** Matthew 2:9-10 “The wise men went their
way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went
ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the
star, they were filled with joy!” [NLT] *** John 16:23 “Your joy will be a river
overflowing its banks!” [The
Message] ! TO PROPERLY CHOOSE JESUS OUR
HEARTS MUST BE FILLED WITH JOY! C. BECAUSE THEY LOOKED FOR JESUS
WITH GENEROSITY! *** Matthew 2:11 “Then they opened their
treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” [NLT] ·
GOLD IS THE GIFT
FOR A KING! o
FRANKINCENSE IS
THE GIFT FOR A PRIEST! § MYRRH IS THE GIFT FOR DEATH! ! WHEN YOU COME TO JESUS YOU
CAN’T COME EMPTYHANDED! ! TO PROPERLY CHOOSE JESUS WE
MUST GIVE HIM OUR HEARTS! D. BECAUSE THE LOOKED FOR JESUS
FOR LIFE-CHANGE! *** Matthew 2:12 “But when it was time to
leave, they went home
another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to
Herod.” [NLT] ! TO PROPERLY CHOOSE JESUS OUR
LIVES MUST BE CHANGED! 3. WE
MUST CHOOSE PROMPTLY! “This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for
our souls.” Hebrews 6:19 [CEV] |