PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: Sermon Outline for December 15, 2019 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 29, 2019)

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: The Presents - Matthew 2:11-23 - December 29, 2019

Prayers

INTRODUCTION

“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. 

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. 

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” 

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2:11-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I.  THE GIFTS

Jokes - There was a 4th wiseman but he was sent away because he brought  fruitcake.

Theologians have come to the conclusion that Jesus rejected the gifts and  just played with the boxes.

A.  Gold

B.  Frankincense

C.  Myrrh

II.  THE ESCAPE

A.  Part of the plan

B.  Providence of God

C.  Pain of human decision

III.  THE RETURN

A.  Home

B.  Ministry home

CHALLENGE

God's hand is on you.  You cannot see it.  You may not know it is there.  But God is with you.  Emmanuel - "God is with us."

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: The Presents - Matthew 2:11-23 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 29, 2019)

“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.

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”
‭.           ‭Matthew‬ ‭2:11-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: The Shining Star - Sermon Outline for December 22, 2019 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 22, 2019)

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: The Shining Star - Matthew 2:1-10 - December 22, 2019

Prayers

INTRODUCTION

Did the star misdirect the wise men?

Did they take a wrong turn at Jericho?

Did the star go out?  (Why would they need to ask for directions if the guiding star was there?)

Did they go to Bethlehem without their Godly GPS?

Matthew 2:1-10 New International Version (NIV)

The Magi Visit the Messiah

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] 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.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 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. 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 shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”

7 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.”

9 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.

Footnotes:

• Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
• Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

I.  A STAR, A STAR

A.  Magi from the East

B.  Came to worship the new born King

C.  Stopped in the most likely place to find a new king

II.  A STAR IS BORN

A.  A king and his city are "disturbed"

1.  3 occurrences

a.  Matthew 2:3 - Herod and all Jerusalem (

b.  Luke 1:12 - Zacharias and the Angel ("gripped with fear")

c.  John 13:21 - Jesus and his betrayer ("troubled in his spirit")

2.  Expectation and Reality

B.  A king's fear

1.  Not an ordinary child

2.  The Messiah

3.  The Place

a.  Bethlehem in Judea

4.  The real issue - "a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel"

III.  SEARCHING FOR THE CHILD THEY FOUND A STAR

A.  Herod's plot - "Herod called the magi secretly"

1.  "Secretly" - used 4 times in NT, twice in this story (Joseph and Mary, here)

2.  His request - “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.”  Mt 2:8

B.  The Magi's Journey

1.  "On their way" to Bethlehem

2.  The star showed the way to the place where the child was.

3.  "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed."

CHALLENGE

There have always been people searching for the King.  Many know approximately where to find him.  Most need help finding Him.  

Who do you need to point toward Bethlehem?  What Wise Person do you need to point down the road?  

Herod by way of his chief priests and teachers of the law pointed them toward Bethlehem, but God showed them the star.

If we just point people to Jesus, God will do His part to get them there.  Point!

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: Sermon Outline for December 15, 2019 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 15, 2019)

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: A Shepherd's Staff - December 15, 2019

Prayers

INTRODUCTION

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 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.” 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.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 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 ‭2:8-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I.  ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS

A.  Shepherds doing shepherd things
B.  A terrifying angel
1.  Don't be afraid
2.  Good news
a.  Savior
b.  Messiah
c.  Lord
3.  A sign
a.  Baby wrapped in cloths
b.  Baby lying in a manger
C.  An army of angels
1.  Praising God
2.  Saying
a.  “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
b.  and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
D.  The angels
1.  Leave
2.  Go into heaven

II.  SHEPHERDS AS EVANGELISTS

A.  The council of shepherds
1.  Let's go to Bethlehem
2.  Let's see this thing that has happened
3.  Let's see this string that the Lord has told us about
B.  They hurried off
1.  What about the sheep?
2.  How do you hurry when you have a flock of sheep?
C.  They found
1.  Mary and Joseph
2.  The baby who was lying in the manger
D.  They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child
1.  When they had seen him
2.  All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them
E.  "But" Mary
1.  Treasured these things
2.  And pondered them in her heart

III.  SHEPHERDS WENT BACK TO WORK

A.  Returned to their flocks
B.  Returned to their flocks changed
1.  Glorifying God
2.  Praising God for all the things
a.  They had heard
b.  They had seen
C.  Returned to their flocks with eye witness knowledge
1.  Things were just as they had been told

CHALLENGE

Willingness is again at the heart of this story.  Just as Mary and Joesoph.  Just like Christ, Himself.  The shepherds are willing to take on their role in this, the greatest story ever told.

Are you willing to take on your role?  We are observers like the shepherds.  When you are told something by God, and you find that to be true, how can you not go and tell everyone about what you have discovered?

The shepherds were never told to go tell others "that Jesus Christ was born."  They naturally just did it.  We have been told so we have even more reason to go and tell them "that Jesus Christ is born."

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: The Shepherds (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 15, 2019)

The most unlikely people to give witness to the birth of a king might have been shepherds.

Shepherds were not well thought of in ancient Israel.  Meandering sheep herders were not the cream of the crop, top of society, apex of education, or anything really.  They just took care of sheep.  There job was important, but it was just watching sheep after all.

This story sounds so unusual for many reasons - a virgin birth, angels, visitors from far away nations.  To me the entire idea of God sending His son into the world and using angels as messengers makes sense.  The work of the shepherds in this narrative seems completely unnecessary.  Utilize the angel army and communicate in a powerful way with a world in which "seeing is believing."  Angels or shepherds?  Doesn't seem like much of a choice to me.

Why did God employ lowly shepherds to announce the birth of His son?  Perhaps because I have more in common with a shepherd than an angel. 

Just a thought.

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: Luke 2:18-20 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 15, 2019)

Luke 2:8-20 New International Version (NIV)

8 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. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 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.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 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.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 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. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: Sermon Outline for December 8, 2019 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 8, 2019)

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: Away in a Manger - December 8, 2019

Prayers

INTRODUCTION

A strange way for a King to enter the world

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:1-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I.   GOING FROM NAZARETH TO BETHLEHEM

A.  Nazareth
1.  About 400 people
2.  1 public bath
3.  Not mentioned in the Old Testament or ancient rabbinic writings
4.  Contextual contempt

“The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote— Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.”
‭‭ John‬ ‭1:43-46‬ ‭NIV‬‬
B.  Bethlehem
1.  City of David, home of Jesse (his father)
2.  A hill that protects the fertile valleys around it
3.  Resting place of Rachel, David, Ezekiel, Asaph, Job, Jesse, and Solomon
4.  Place of David's anointing by Samuel
5.  The valley east of Bethlehem is where Ruth gleaned in the field and returned home with Naomi

II.  GIVING BIRTH IN A STRANGE PLACE

A.  The Romans
B.  The Journey
1.  Home
2.  100 mile trip (8-10 days)
3.  Day 9 or 10 they would have seen Jerusalem
a.  City on a hill
b.  Mount Moriah (the Temple)
4.  A few more hours to Bethlehem

III.  A MANGER FOR A CRIB

A.  No room for them in the Inn
B.  Wrapped him in cloths
C.  Placed him in a manger
D.  No place for a new born, the perfect place for the King

CHALLENGE

“ . . . have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 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! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:5-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

SERVE!!!!!!  Demonstrate the Christ at Christmas by serving your neighbor.

PROPS FROM A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: Away in a Manger - Luke 2:1-7 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on December 8, 2019)

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:1-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬