December 30, 2007

Facing Christmas

Strange Faces

Matthew 2:1-12

Opening words: During the season of Advent I preached a sermon series called Facing Christmas. We prepared for Jesus for the birth of Jesus by looking at various characters surrounding the nativity. To date we have looked at Zachariah, Joseph and Mary. On Christmas Eve we looked at Jesus, himself. In their stories we have found ourselves. While technology has changed our world, the human condition remains the same. Jesus speaks to all generations. Let us continue our journey beyond Christmas by looking at the Magi. I don’t want to upset your sanctified imagination but the Magi came two years after Jesus’ birth. We find their story in the second chapter of Matthew. Let me call this message this morning “Strange Faces.”

Matthew 2:1-12 ¹After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ²and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

³When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
⁶" '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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"

⁷Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹On 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 and of incense and of myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

I love the story of Sir Christopher Wren. The noted English architect was supervising the construction of a magnificent cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question, "What are you doing?" The first replied, "I'm cutting stone for 10 shillings a day." The next answered, "I'm putting in 10 hours a day on this job." But the third said, "I'm helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London's greatest cathedrals." Actress Patricia Neal once said, “A positive attitude will create more miracles then any wonder drug.” Concentration camp survivor Viktor Frankl once said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: To choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

If I were to ask the people in your life about your attitude what would they say? If I were to ask your co-workers about your attitude on the job what would they say? If I would go door to door through your neighborhood and asked about your attitude in the neighborhood what would they say? If I would ask your family members about your attitude what would they say? If I would wander through this church and ask people about your attitude what would they say? Your attitude affects the way that you experience the world around you. So do you have a good attitude or a bad attitude?

A good attitude is one of the most important assets you can have. Mental health experts tell us there are real benefits to have a good attitude. Let me give you five benefits of having a positive attitude:

1. Your relationships are fuller, more harmonious, and more beneficial. The better your attitude, the easier it is to resolve conflicts.

2. Your health is better. Research is underscoring this fact all the time.

3. You will make more money. People are hired and promoted as much for their attitudes as for their skill and knowledge.

4. You make better decisions. Studies show that people are more creative are better able to reason in a good mood than in a bad mood.

5. You will feel happier more often.

Our scripture lesson today is about people with a good attitude. Tradition calls them wise men but the Bible simply calls them the Magi, probably astrologers from Persia or southern Arabia. They were on a star trek. They had seen a star in the east, which signal to them that a new king had been born. They assumed the new king would be born in the capital city of Jerusalem. They assumed wrong. The new king, the long awaited Messiah, was born in Bethlehem. This little surprise did not bother them. They had an open mind and a positive attitude. They didn’t care. They just wanted to experience the new born king! In the end they experienced Jesus because their positive attitude permitted them to experience Jesus.

Can the same thing be said about us? We are on a star trek too of the next generation. All that really matters every Sunday morning is that you experience Jesus! I hope you came to church this morning to experience Jesus. The only thing that really matters is Jesus. Did you come to church this morning with an open mind? If so, you will experience Jesus! What is your attitude when you come to worship Jesus?

Today, ever so briefly I want to look at your mind. When you walked through our doors did you have an open mind? When you walked through our church doors did you have a narrow mind? When you walked through our church doors did you have a closed mind? (Does anyone one here not have a mind?) What is your attitude when you come to worship Jesus?

Closed Minds

When you walked through our church doors did you have a closed mind? There are many reasons that people come to church. You can come to church every week and miss Jesus completely. Verse eight tells us King Herod wanted to go and worship the new born king but he wasn’t going to really experience Jesus. He was going to eliminate Jesus so his place in history would be secure. Old King Herod had a closed mind. Do you know anyone who has a closed minded?

I have a wonderful friend in this church, whose name will go unspoken. For some reason we just click. I enjoy her friendship and respect her opinions. She is a faithful worshipper and rarely misses a Sunday. However, there are two weeks a year that she will miss. You will never see her here on Easter morning or Christmas Eve. Why? She told me she doesn’t come on Easter morning and Christmas Eve because of all the people. (Preachers and members of the Finance Committee love Easter morning and Christmas Eve.) She says, “They come for all the wrong reasons. They come to be seen. They come because they are expected to come.” I think there is a certain amount of truth to that statement. How many of that crowd really come to experience Jesus? Perhaps, some have closed minds? There are many reasons to come to church that have nothing to do with Jesus. If you know of some who has a closed mind, say, “Amen!”

Narrow Minds

When you walked through our church doors did you have a narrow mind? They are good people who want to experience Jesus but they only want to experience Jesus on their own terms. Can I be honest with you? Narrow minded worshippers are more concerned with their opinions and happiness then Jesus. Do you know anyone who is narrow minded?

Several years ago we were introduced to Tallmansville, West Virginia. You remember the story. It was in that community where the coal mine disaster took place. Twelve of their own died. We prayed for the individuals in that community. What made their story even darker was the false report that twelve of the miners had survived. When that misinformation was released they called it a miracle. Everyone ran to the local Baptist church. The church bell rang and the people sang, Amazing Grace. One gentleman said, “Everyone was praising God.” Then the true information was released, twelve miners had died! There was a rush of negative emotions. The church bells and the singing stopped. The same gentleman who reported the praising said, “People started cursing God!” Our hearts ache for those people but they illustrate the human condition. So many people want to experience God on their terms.

When you came to church this morning did you want to experience Jesus on your own terms? Narrow minds are the reason that every congregation is filled with negativity. Good people come to church to experience Jesus but they want to experience Jesus on their own terms. That is why we spent so much time talking about music selection, music volume, music quality, frequency of communion, method of communion, budgets, apportionments, storage, church cleaning, dirty windows and style of worship. If you have mentioned one of those topics lately then you have a narrow mind! Dale Carnegie once said, “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.” Narrow minded people are good people who want to experience Jesus but they want to experience Jesus on their own terms. If you know of some who has a narrow mind, say, “Amen!”

Open Minds

When you walked through our church doors did you have an open mind? The only thing that matters to open minded people is Jesus. The Magi were open minded people. They had a good attitude! They saw the star in the east and went to the palace. They knew that star was a signal. A new king was born and they didn’t want to miss it. They assumed the king would be born in the palace in the capital city of Jerusalem. They were wrong! The king wasn’t born in the capital city of Jerusalem. The king was born in Bethlehem. The king wasn’t born in the palace with the royalty. They king was born in a manger with the livestock. The scriptures do not record any finger pointing or arguing among the Magi. Verse nine simply says when they found out they were wrong they simple continued their star trek. Verse eleven says when they found the king they worship him. The only thing that matters to an open mind is experiencing Jesus! Do you know anyone who has an open mind? Do you have an open mind?

Let me end with a quick story. Deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, Italian poet Dante Alighieri failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante defended himself by saying, "If those who accuse me had had their eyes and minds on God, as I had, they too would have failed to notice events around them, and they most certainly would not have noticed what I was doing."

We are like the Magi. We are on a star trek of the next generation. We want to experience Jesus! Sadly, some of us are missing him! The reason is your attitude. What was your attitude like when you came to church this morning? Did anyone one here come this morning with a closed mind? Did anyone come here this morning with a narrow mind? Did anyone come here this morning with a open? If you came to church this morning then you better be ready to experience Jesus at any time. And all of God’s open minded people said, “Amen!”