THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

SERIES: CHRISTMAS

TEXT: MATTHEW 2:1-12

The true meaning of Christmas is the worship of Christ. Here is how people respond to the true meaning of Christmas.

Matthew 2:1-12 contains three (3) different attitudes towards the true meaning of christmas.

THOSE WHO ARE HOSTILE TOWARDS THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS-2:1-8.

King Herod.

• King Herod was the first in a long time of people to become hostile towards the true meaning of Christmas.

He starts by being disturbed-Vs. 3.

• When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him.
• He was greatly agitated.
• He became alarmed.

He moved from being disturbed to being deceitful-Vs. 7-8.

• He pretended to be a big fun of Christmas.
• “Find out what time your Christmas Eve service is so I can come and join you.”

He moved from being deceitful to being distractive-Vs. 16.

• Telling people the true meaning of Christmas is worship of Jesus Christ is going to disturb a lot of those same people.
• Those who are going to be disturbed about the true meaning of Christmas are those who believe.

1. Christmas is all about gifts.
2. Christmas is all about giving and going to parties.
3. Christmas is about singing Christmas songs (carols).

• These things are all good, but they are not the true meaning of Christmas.
• The true meaning of Christmas is worship. “We saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him”-Vs. 2.
• Not partying, not giving gifts, not singing, but “we have come to worship Him.”
• “Worship is when all that you are, all that you have, all that you will ever have falls down and adore the Lord for all that He is and for what He has done.”
• Herod was disturbed, He then became deceitful and then He became distractive-Vs. 8.
• It is not different today.
• During Christmas season you will find many people deceitful, pretending to be worshippers of Jesus-like Herod they pretend to worship. Herod sought the baby to kill it!!
• They want to destroy the true meaning of Christmas. They are offended by the true meaning of Christmas.

THE SECOND GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE THE INDIFFERENT TOWARDS THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS-Vs. 4-6

• Those who are indifferent are represented by the priests and the teachers of the law.
• The priests (pastors) and the teachers (theologians), scholars know the true meaning of Christmas.
• They know it is the WORSHIP of Jesus Christ.
• They know and can show you where it is written in the Bible, but they are indifferent to the truth.
• They are not like those who are hostile like Herod, to the true meaning of Christmas.
• They are not disturbed, they are not deceitful or distructive to the true meaning of Christmas.
• But this is how they are indifferent to the true meaning of Christmas, “They dismiss it.”
• They know why Jesus Christ was born, but they are not excited about the true meaning of Christmas.
• The true meaning of Christmas makes no difference to their lives.
• Why are they all indifferent to the true worship of Jesus Christ?
• Why do they dismiss themselves from the worship of Jesus Christ? “BECAUSE OF WORLDLINESS.”
• When King Herod ordered them to come, they came running!!
• When God ordered them to come to Bethlehem, they stayed away!!
• They obeyed Herod and disobeyed God!!
• They were Herod lovers but haters of God.
• They were obedient to the world, and disobedient to God!!
• None of the priests, theologians and teachers, elders and deacons, worship leaders in the temple and synagogues came to Bethlehem to worship Jesus!! What a pity!!!!

THIRD GROUP WERE NOT HOSTILE or INDIFFERENT TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS, BUT THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

• This group was represented by the wise men.
• The wise men were not disturbed, deceitful/distructive or dismissive to the true meaning of Christmas.
• Instead the wise men were drawn by the true meaning of Christmas-Vs. 2.

“We saw his star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

The wise men teaches us:-

1. When we are drawn by the true meaning of Christmas then no distance is too great or obstacle to overcome.
2. The wise men travelled thousands of miles took 2 years to come and worship Jesus Christ.
3. Today, Jesus Christ is not in Bethlehem. Today Jesus Christ is just beside you and me.

• He is here today to draw us to Himself-Rev. 3:20.

4. The wise men teaches us that when you are drawn by the true meaning of christmas then no sacrifice is too great for us to make.

• They brought to Christ some expensive gifts, but the main reason was not the gifts they carried, but WORSHIP.

5. The wise men teach us that when you are drawn by the true meaning of Christmas, then it will change your life for the better-Vs. 12.

• When you don’t obey the true meaning of Christmas, then after Christmas is over you will go back to Herod, hostile, indifferent to the things of God.
• When you obey the true meaning of Christmas you won’t go back to Herod, you will go the way of God.

CONCLUSION

• Which group of people and which attitude represents you?
• Are you the Herod type? Hostile to the true meaning of Christmas?
• Are you with the priests and the teachers of the law-indifferent?
• Are you the wise type? Excited about the true meaning of Christmas, a worshipper of Jesus Christ?
• Oh, come let us worship Him in Truth and in Spirit.