Christmas...the season just happens...but to find the meaning, one must seek!

There was a rich American visiting a small English town, that was in the depth of poverty. The American lost his dog. He asked to have a notice printed in the local evening paper offering £1000 for its return. Evening came, but no paper appeared. The American waited for some time. Then he went to the newspaper office. There he found no one but the night watchman. “Isn’t the newspaper coming out?” he asked. “I doubt it, sir,” the watchman said.  “The whole staff’s out hunting for a lost dog.” ^[1]

When the reward seems worth it our heart will seek for the prize! We have considered what happens when our heart is unwilling to accept the truth. Our heart will fear, manipulate, deceive and over react.

However, there were others that night that were open to the Truth. When confronted with it, their heart began to seek for that Truth.

Matthew 2:1–12 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

There are two Key Characteristics of a Seeking Heart:

The Seeking Heart - understands priorities.

If we are not careful we can allow life to just happen, and before we know it things just get balled up. Too much to consider and too much to process. We either ignore or try to control what we do not even understand. However, when you are actively seeking answers about life, you will have a priority list.

Matthew 2:1-2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi 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 in the east and have come to worship him."

David was said in the scriptures to be a man after God’s heart. Notice how that impacted his heart.

2 Samuel 7:1–3 Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

We know that God had David collect the materials for the Temple, which his son built. Still, notice his heart...he had his house, his kingdom and peace from all enemies...but David’s heart kept seeking what was important in life. Because of that hunger, he realized that God should be honored.

Jesus made the same point in Luke 15 with three different stories. The lost sheep, the coins and the sons; in each case individuals refused to just “move on” with life. They stopped and evaluated what was important and then took the action needed. Notice the woman that lost one of ten coins. She could have said “well I still have nine, I will find the other another time.” She did not!

Luke 15:8  “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

The Seeking Heart - initiates action

Matthew 2:1-2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi 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 in the east and have come to worship him."

This includes taking action even when it is difficult or uncomfortable. Remember these Magi were talking to King Herod in his kingdom about “the one Who is King of the Jews”!  However, circumstances do not control the seeking heart...a hunger for Truth does.

This Christmas, what drives your heart?  What questions are you asking yourself about your life, your eternity? Questions about how you handle time, money or what kind of child, parent or spouse you are? Are you seeking answers that will lead to a result or just hoping everything works out in the                                     end?

Next we will look at the confidence of the 

seeking heart and the result!

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^[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.

Christmas...when you try to kill it…you really kill yourself.

Legislation proposed in England in the 1700’s: “All women of whatever age, rank, profession, or degree, whether virgin, maid or widow, that shall impose upon, seduce and betray into matrimony any of His Majesty’s subjects, by scents, paints, cosmetic washes, artificial teeth, false hair, Spanish wool, iron stays, hoops, high-heeled shoes or bolstered hips shall incur the penalty of the law now in force against witchcraft and the like misdemeanors and that marriage, upon conviction, shall stand null and void.” ^[1]

This piece of history is comical, yet provides a point concerning deception. The men in this day did not want women to look one way when they were courting…and a different way AFTER the vows had been spoken! This kind of deception is silly because if your getting married based solely on what your eyes see…you deserve what you get. However, the principle is the thing I want you to get…appearing to be one thing…but in reality you are really something completely different.

When our heart is unwilling to accept Truth and we begin to manipulate…two more desperate steps will take place.

First – Deceitful Heart

Matthew 2:8–13 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

Unwilling to deal with reality, King Herod uses deception to try to achieve his agenda. We must be honest with ourselves and make sure we are not playing the same game. True, we will not be planning such an evil thing as what Herod does…but if we are not vigilant to test the motives of our own heart we can fall into deceit. Just consider religiosity: 

Matthew 15:8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.

Appearing to be something can be far different than what the reality is! Remember what Christ warned:

Matthew 7:21–23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

When we have manipulated the Truth, and deceived ourselves into thinking we can control it, the last and most tragic step is that our heart over reacts to maintain control.

 Second - Over reacting Heart

Matthew 2:16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.

           

It is amazing and shocking to witness what the human heart is capable of when it is unwilling to accept the Truth and demands to try and remain in control. The carnage that took place here is unthinkable. Today the world is still stunned by the senseless killings of children at a school in the USA…words cannot convey the sorrow for those that lost their loved ones. On this night 2000 years ago, an entire generation was wiped out…because one man had an unwilling heart and refused to humble himself to the reality of God.

The unwilling heart will always lead you to actions that will never make sense, because it is driven by appetite…not Truth. Years after this tragedy, men that were unwilling to recognize Who Christ was, were still behaving in the same manner. When confronted with the Truth of the empty tomb…they became friends with their enemy just to perpetuate a lie. 

Matthew 28:11–15 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

Let’s do a heart check this Christmas. Our issues may not be as major as these…but anytime we are unwilling to face the Truth…the path will lead to trouble. It could be as important as our destination for eternity, our investment for eternity…or it can be as simple as a habit that is breaking our fellowship with God. Ask the Holy Spirit, during this time when we rethink our life as a new year approaches, to open your heart to embrace Truth…all of it.  

Next we will consider the Seeking Heart. 

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^[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.

Christmas...you can accept it...you can reject it...manipulating it won’t change the Truth!

I once read an article by a Jewish Scholar that said he believed in the resurrection of Jesus for the Gentile religion. That is a great example of what an unwilling heart will do. There is plenty of evidence for the resurrection and this historian sees that, yet, because it would mean that he would have to accept the “whole” truth, he manipulates the facts and custom fits his argument to make it satisfactory for himself. Understand what he is saying in reality, Jesus was a good man and even a miracle worker, but He also was a LIAR! Jesus claimed to be God, not one of the gods, or a god for a particular people.

When we are unwilling to face and deal with “Truth” we will begin to manipulate it. That is exactly what King Herod did.

Matthew 2:4–7 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

Manipulation...the Truth may take away my crown...I must stay in control...so I’ll...

We all know where this leads and will examine that in following days, but consider why this takes place. Whenever the Truth is going to cost you something you do not want it to, and you are unwilling to yield...you will become manipulative.

The Pharisees did:

John 11:45–48 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done. Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. “If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Mark 3:6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

The tragic fact is that if our heart has decided to refuse Truth, no amount of it will change our mind. We will amass a lot of information, yet we still miss the point.

Matthew 22:15-46 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?" Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead--have you not read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching. [34] Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "The son of David," they replied. He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says," 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." ' If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

 This is a terrible game we play and in the end we lose. We decide what the “truth” is and then make the facts line up to match our “truth”.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Proverbs 21:2 All a man's ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Over 2000 years later it still happens: Today in New York City a group that deny God exists are so desperate that they have gone so far as to deny historical truth. They have a sign on Times Square with Santa Clause and the statement "Keep the Merry!" Underneath is a picture of Christ being Crucified and the statement "Dump the Myth!" Pathetic! If you want to deny Christ is God...I understand your argument, even though I disagree, but to call Jesus a myth exposes either the highest form of arrogance or a total ignorance of history. No historian worth anything, no matter his or her faith or lack thereof, would deny that a historical person named Jesus lived, died and even had claims that he arose from the dead, though they would say his body was stolen. There is more evidence for Jesus walking the earth than there is of Caesar. Maybe the folks believe in Santa and that’s why they cannot accept history as true!

 

Seriously though, I am sad for those folks. They have every right to deny God, their Creator gave them that right. But to be so obsessed with making sure everyone agree with them they even deny what history has testified to as far as Jesus walking the earth. To believe He is God, history will not do that...that requires faith. 

AHHH you say...you believe in something you cannot prove...YES...prove to me your stand... “Big Bang?” “Monkey Man?” “Cosmic Gas?” If you refuse to manipulate you will have to admit that it takes faith...Even to NOT believe in someone you cannot prove, takes faith!