S.U.M. It Up! 12-29-21

   

12-26-21 Kenwood Church Live Stream

“THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI: Your gift for the King” 12-26-21

 “THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI: Your gift for the King”  12-26-21

INTRODUCTION

Giving

Carl Menninger of the Menninger institute published a report stating that generous people are happy people.  He also said that giving is a criteria for mental health!

Mike listened to a lecture on the importance of showing appreciation to the important people in his life. Mike decided to start with his wife, so after work that night, he went to the shopping mall where he bought a dozen long-stemmed roses, a box of chocolates, and a pair of earrings. He smiled with self-satisfaction as he contemplated surprising his wife and showing her how much he appreciated her.

He stood at the front door with the roses in his right hand, the brightly wrapped box of candy under his arm, an open jewelry box displaying the earrings in his left hand. With an elbow he rang the doorbell. His wife came to the door, opened it, and stared at him for a long minute. Suddenly she burst into tears. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” asked the bewildered husband.

“It’s been the worst day of my life,” she answered. “First, Johnny tried to flush his diaper down the toilet. Then Kevin melted his plastic airplane in the oven. Then the dishwasher clogged and overflowed all over the kitchen floor. Then Jessica came home from school with a note from the teacher saying that she beat up a boy in her class. And now you came home drunk!”

Giving should be a normal activity for us Christians.  As the magi came bearing gifts for the new born king, we need to bring our gifts to Jesus.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 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.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 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. “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.’ ” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 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.” 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. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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 2:1-11 NIV

Such extravagant gifts for a small child.

Four brothers left home for college and became successful doctors and lawyers. Some years later, they chatted after having dinner together. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother who lived far away in another city.

The first said, “I had a big house built for Mama.” The second said, “I had a hundred thousand dollar theater built in the house.” The third said, “I had my Mercedes dealer deliver an SL600 to her.” The fourth said, “You know how Mama loved reading the Bible and you know she can’t read anymore because she can’t see very well. I met this preacher who told me about a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 preachers 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for 20 years to the church, but it was worth it. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it.” The other brothers were impressed.

Shortly afterwards, their mother sent out her thank you notes. She wrote: “Milton, the house you built is so huge I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house. Thanks anyway.”

“Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home, I have my groceries delivered, so I never use the Mercedes. The thought was good, though. Thanks.”

“Michael, you gave me an expensive theater with Dolby sound, it could hold 50 people but all of my friends are dead, I’ve lost my hearing and I’m nearly blind. I’ll never use it. Thank you for the gesture just the same.”

“Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken was delicious. Thank you.”

“. . . remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Acts 20:35b

I.  SEEK THE CHRIST CHILD

A.  The magi sought the newborn king.

1.  A star rose

2.  A prophesy fulfilled

B.  We must seek the Christ child.

1.  Seeking Jesus

“The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel

2.  Finding God

a.  Seeking God

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

‭‭ 1 Chronicles‬ ‭16:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

‭‭ Isaiah‬ ‭55:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

b.  Trusting God

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭9:10‬ ‭NIV

c.   The benefits of seeking God

“This is what the Lord says to Israel: “Seek me and live;”

‭‭Amos‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

II.  WORSHIP THE CHRIST CHILD

A.  The Christ child would be worshipped by the angels

“And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.””

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

B.  The Christ child should be worshipped by all of humanity

“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 ‭2:9-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

III.  GIVE YOUR GIFTS TO THE CHRIST CHILD

When a young woman’s mother’s office got a fax machine, the daughter suggested sending their correspondence by fax instead of using the post office. Although she told her many times that it was a faster and less expensive way to communicate, her mother continued to send her mail by weekly letters. At Christmas, however, her mother showed that she now had a full grasp of the technology. She faxed a $100 bill with the note: “Merry Christmas, Darling. You’re right—it is cheaper to fax than to mail. Love, Mom.”

A.  Giving is a natural response to the God we have found and worshipped

“But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“He is the richest man in the esteem of the world who has gotten the most. He is the richest man in the esteem of Heaven who has given the most.”

F.B. Meyer

B.  God has created us to give.‬

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64:8‬ ‭NIV‬

When 67-year-old carpenter Russell Herman died in 1994, his will included a staggering set of bequests. Included in his plan for distribution was more than two billion dollars for the City of East St. Louis, another billion and a half for the State of Illinois, two and a half billion for the national forest system, and to top off the list, Herman left six trillion dollars to the government to help pay off the national debt. That sounds amazingly generous, but there was a small problem—Herman’s only asset when he died was a 1983 Oldsmobile. He made grand pronouncements, but there was no real generosity involved. His promises were meaningless because there was nothing to back them up.

Chicago Tribune, June 13, 1995

C.  Giving is “true and proper worship”

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NIV

A hog and a hen sharing the same barnyard heard about a church’s program to feed the hungry. The hog and the hen discussed how they could help. The hen said, “I’ve got it! We'll provide bacon and eggs for the church to feed the hungry.” The hog thought about the suggestion and said, “There’s one problem with your bacon and eggs solution. For you, it only requires a contribution, but from me, it will mean total commitment!” That’s the cost of true discipleship.

“With Christ, it is not how much we give, but what we do not give that is the real test.”

Oswald Chambers

1.  Time

2.  Talent

3.  Treasure

4.  Testimony‬‬

Many people believe that they would be more generous if they had more money. According to Forbes there were 946 billionaires in 2007 and they gave an average of 1.2% of their income to charitable causes. Be generous with whatever God has entrusted to you.

“The person who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything.”

Samuel Johnson

A preacher asked farmer, “If you had 100 cows, would you give 50 of them to the Lord?”

“Yes.”

“If you had 1,000 chickens, would you give 500?”

“Yes.”

“If you had 2 hogs would you give one?”

“Not fair, Preacher, you know I have 2 hogs.”

This is not a hypothetical situation; it is real life we are talking about.

CONCLUSION

NO HANDS BUT YOURS

In the courtyard of a quaint little church in a French village was standing a beautiful marble statue of Jesus with his hands outstretched. One day during the war, a bomb struck close to the statue and severely damaged it. After the battle was over, the citizens of the village decided to find the pieces of their beloved statue and reconstruct it.

Patiently they gathered broken pieces and reassembled it. Even the scars on the body added to the beauty of the statue. But there was one problem. They were unable to find the hands of the statue. "A Christ without hands is no Christ at all," someone lamented. "Hands with scars, yes. But what’s a Lord without hands? We need a new statue."

Then someone else came up with another idea that appealed to the people. A brass plaque was attached at the base of the statue which read: "I HAVE NO HANDS BUT YOUR HANDS." A few years later someone saw that inscription and wrote these famous words, which we all should take seriously:

I have no hands but your hands to do my work today.

I have no feet but your feet to lead men on the way.

I have no tongue but your tongue to tell men how I died.

I have no help but your help to bring men to God’s side.

We must seek the Christ child, worship the Christ child, and give our gifts to the Christ child.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would give Him a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
Yet what can I give Him? I’ll give Him my heart.

Christina Rossetti

CHALLENGE

This Christmas let us endeavor to give more than we receive.  Give of yourself to the work of the Christ child.  Perform some act as the body of Christ this week.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.  

S.U.M. It Up! 12-22-21

  

12-19-21 Kenwood Church Live Stream

“THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI: Myrrh” 12-19-21

 “THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI: Myrrh” 12-19-21

INTRODUCTION

“The Three Kings” a Christmas poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Three Kings came riding from far away,

Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar;

Three Wise Men out of the East were they,

And they travelled by night and they slept by day,

For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.

The star was so beautiful, large and clear,

That all the other stars of the sky

Became a white mist in the atmosphere,

And by this they knew that the coming was near

Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.

Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows,

Three caskets of gold with golden keys;

Their robes were of crimson silk with rows

Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,

Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.

And so the Three Kings rode into the West,

Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell,

And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast,

And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,

With the people they met at some wayside well.

"Of the child that is born," said Baltasar,

"Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;

For we in the East have seen his star,

And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,

To find and worship the King of the Jews."

And the people answered, "You ask in vain;

We know of no King but Herod the Great!"

They thought the Wise Men were men insane,

As they spurred their horses across the plain,

Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,

Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,

Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;

And said, "Go down unto Bethlehem,

And bring me tidings of this new king."

So they rode away; and the star stood still,

The only one in the grey of morn;

Yes, it stopped --it stood still of its own free will,

Right over Bethlehem on the hill,

The city of David, where Christ was born.

And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard,

Through the silent street, till their horses turned

And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard;

But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred,

And only a light in the stable burned.

And cradled there in the scented hay,

In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,

The little child in the manger lay,

The child, that would be king one day

Of a kingdom not human, but divine.

His mother Mary of Nazareth

Sat watching beside his place of rest,

Watching the even flow of his breath,

For the joy of life and the terror of death

Were mingled together in her breast.

They laid their offerings at his feet:

The gold was their tribute to a King,

The frankincense, with its odor sweet,

Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,

The myrrh for the body's burying.

And the mother wondered and bowed her head,

And sat as still as a statue of stone,

Her heart was troubled yet comforted,

Remembering what the Angel had said

Of an endless reign and of David's throne.

Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,

With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;

But they went not back to Herod the Great,

For they knew his malice and feared his hate,

And returned to their homes by another way.

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 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.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 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. “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.’ ” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 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.” 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. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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 2:1-11 NIV

I.  MYRRH

I’ve heard it said that the wise man that brought myrrh thought they all agreed on a spending limit for the baby king’s gifts.

A.  Origins

The origins of myrrh and frankincense are traced to the Arabian Peninsula. According to Herodotus (5th century BC): "Arabia is the only country which produces frankincense, myrrh, cassia and cinnamon...the trees bearing the frankincense are guarded by winged serpents of small size and various colors." Diodorus Siculus writes, in the second half of the first century BC, that "all of Arabia exudes a most delicate fragrance; even the sailors passing by Arabia can smell the strong fragrance that gives health and vigor." He also mentioned gold mines so pure that no smelting was necessary. The Magi, carrying myrrh, frankincense, and gold, came from the East. The frankincense trade route, with transport by donkeys and later by camel caravans, reached Jerusalem and Egypt from the Dhofar region of what is today Oman, through Yemen, turning north to follow the Red Sea coast. It is likely that the same or similar species of the resin-bearing plants grew across the Red Sea in the area that is now Somalia and Ethiopia, while the collection of the gum resins was initiated in Arabia.

B.  Uses

In these ancient times, myrrh had been used in Egypt for embalming the bodies of Pharaohs.  Myrrh, traded throughout the Middle East at least since 1500 B.C. eventually came to China.  There is mention of myrrh in a 4^th century AD Chinese book that is no longer existent but is quoted directly in a later text.  As in the Middle East, myrrh and frankincense were used in China for making incense and are so used even today, but, in characteristic Chinese fashion of finding a medicinal use for virtually everything, these herbs were soon employed as medicines.

II.  A STRANGE GIFT INDEED

You have to start with where the word, myrrh, comes from.  I has it’s roots in the Hebrew word, Mara, which means bitter.   You’ve heard that word before.  But where?  It’s in the story of Ruth.  Naomi has lost her husband and two sons, then returns home and tells her friends this: 

““Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.”

‭‭ Ruth‬ ‭1:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  Bitterness

In Hebrew societies, someone’s name often reflected who they were, so Naomi, bitter at what God had done, asked to change her name to “bitter” or Mara.

It didn’t just apply to people’s names either. Whenever something happened at a place, they might rename the place to represent what happened there, such as when Jacob had a dream from God, he renamed the place Bethel, which means ‘House of God.”

The Israelites found this out first hand while wandering in the desert.

“Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea into the Desert of Shur. They traveled for three days in the desert but found no water.  Then they came to Marah, where there was water, but they could not drink it because it was too bitter. (That is why the place was named Marah.)”

Exodus 15:22-23 NIV

B.  Pain

But that’s myrrh.  It is from pain.  It’s funny how too one of it’s many uses was to cure pain.  To stop suffering.

C.  Death

Back to Jesus. His life ended in pain, and just like at the beginning of His life, at the end myrrh was present. 

“They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him.”

‭‭ Mark‬ ‭15:22-24‬a ‭NIV‬‬

D.  Preparation for eternity 

III.  EXCEPTIONAL GIFT FOR A NEW BORN KING

A.  Jesus knew God's plan from the beginning  

“Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’” 

Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭5-7‬ NIV  

B.  God's plan

“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭9-18‬ NIV

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” is another poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, later set to music. It was written over the Christmas of either 1863 or 1864, in the middle of the bloodiest war in American history.

The carol’s first verse is familiar and peaceful:

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play;

In music sweet the tones repeat,

“There’s peace on earth, good will to men.”

But the carol is not cotton candy; it is a beating heart, laid bare. It’s a carol that still rings true today. 

By the third stanza we sing:

And in despair I bowed my head;

“There is no peace on earth,” I said;

“For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Longfellow wrote to his friend Henry Ingersoll Bowditch in 1866, “The death of the young men in the war . . . makes my heart bleed whenever I think of it. How much I have felt for you. Particularly on that cold December night when I came back with my son, and saw you at the station and knew that yours would come back to you no more.”

This is the landscape in which Longfellow wrote “Christmas Bells.” We aren’t currently entrenched in a literal civil war, but the cracks in our country’s foundation are splitting wider. People with power abuse it; people without it suffer. Day after day, the news cycles through horrors. Many days, it feels a little bit like the end of the world—like an apocalypse.

But then Longfellow brings the gospel to bear in the final triumphant stanza:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.’”

God is bringing his kingdom to us. The last thing we see in the Bible is an image of “a new heaven and a new earth,” with “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Rev. 21:1, 4). 

CONCLUSION

A strange gift indeed Jesus' life demonstrates that we can overcome bitterness.  In fact, perhaps bitterness is more a part of this life than we want to admit.  Maybe it is a part of God's plan? 

CHALLENGE

This Christmas let us endeavor to give more than we receive.  Give a gift that offers comfort to someone going through great bitterness right now.  Offer something tangible for their wounded heart.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.