Christmas: From Those Who Were There

Go through this series with your small groups or mentors to take a look at the Christmas story from a new perspective: through the eyes of the people who were actually there.

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Shownotes

Intro

Today, we’re diving into the Christmas story from the people who lived it. Before we get into the details, let’s take a moment to ask ourselves a question: are you making room for Jesus in your life?

This question isn’t just for Christmas; it’s relevant anytime. But during the holidays, it can be especially challenging. We’ve got work deadlines, school projects, family plans, and more. Life can get so busy, especially in December.

But here’s the thing: this isn’t just a modern-day problem. The Christmas story itself shows us that this struggle is universal. Let’s take a look at Luke chapter two, starting with verse one. It says, ‘At that time, the Roman Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire.’

In verse four, Joseph, being a descendant of King David, had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancestral home. He traveled there from Nazareth and Galilee, accompanied by his fiancée, Mary, who was expecting a child. Now, I want you to think about this. If you can’t relate to this, then I think you haven’t had a very normal Christmas experience. When I read this, it reminds me of the times when Tracy and I, you know, we’re missionaries in Utah. We moved there 25 years ago to plant a church and reach out to Mormons. And when our kids were little, we’d go home every Christmas. It was a lot of work. We’d travel 1400 miles away to spend time with our family. There were times when Tracy was pregnant, and there were times when we had small kids with us.

The point is, most of us can relate to Joseph and Mary making this trip to Bethlehem and Judea. Now, I’m being honest, how excited could they have been to be forced by the government to make this trip? So, at least for some of us during Christmas time, we get excited when we travel home. I know that’s not true for everyone. I think there’s a mix of emotions, but I can’t even imagine that Joseph and Mary were thrilled about this trip.

It was more of a duty than anything else. So, there they were, traveling to Bethlehem from Nazareth and Galilee, and Mary was feeling uncomfortable and pregnant.

Now, I want to ask you, moms and dads, a fun little family question. Who was more stressed during Christmas travel, just traveling in general, or was it more stressful during Christmas? Did mom or dad get stressed out more? I think we’ve had this conversation with our family over the years, and I think Tracy and I both get stressed, but I think she might win the prize.

She might feel a bit more stressed than I would, but I know some of you moms listening might be thinking, ‘Well, she had to plan more, organize more, and take on a lot more.’ And that might be true in our situation, but all I know is that both of us would get pretty stressed traveling during Christmas time.

Now, let’s think about this for Joseph and Mary. She was very pregnant, the worst time to travel, and they had to both be pretty stressed out. And then, in verse six, while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.

She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them. And here we go. Because there was no lodging available for them. Now, the NLT says this, but let me read it in the ESV. The ESV says this, because there was no place for them in the inn. And this probably brings back memories.

When we think about the Christmas story, we usually imagine this innkeeper who’s uncaring, busy, and inattentive. He’s cranky because of the flood of people in Bethlehem because of this stupid census. I mean, it just makes me think of traveling during the holiday season. The first Christmas had all those same elements.

So, we all have this picture in our minds. I don’t know, maybe it was like on the felt board in kids’ church when I was a kid, or maybe I saw it in some movie somewhere that’s on some meme somewhere. You’ve got this innkeeper saying, ‘There’s no room here, shoo them away.’ But the truth is, the innkeeper isn’t even in the story.

Luke is the only gospel that even mentions this. So, all we really have here is that there was no room for them in the inn. It’s like this innkeeper totally missed out on this blessing.

Now, let me read something from the Pillar New Testament Commentary so we have the right idea. As I started studying this for today’s episode, this really opened my eyes. It’s a bit different from what I thought when I imagined Jesus being born in a manger.

The commentary says that because there was no room for him in the inn, which is how the King James reads it, it’s become a common idea in Christianity, but it’s actually misleading. The commentary goes on to say that the Greek word ‘catalima’ doesn’t mean an inn or hotel.

That’s actually a different Greek word. For example, in the parable of the good Samaritan, Luke 10:34, the word in Greek there is the right word for inn or hotel. It’s a different word that we see here in Luke chapter 2.

Anyway, the commentary goes on to say that archaeology has helped define this word ‘catalima’ properly as a guest room. That’s what the NIV reads. It’s a guest room. So, the footprint of a typical first-century Palestine dwelling was a rectangle divided into three spaces. Imagine this: Joseph and Mary would have approached this room, this dwelling, this house when they got to Bethlehem. You know, today we have all sorts of different types and styles of houses, but most homes back then would have been just one big rectangle divided into three spaces. So, get that in your mind.

So, picture this: a spacious room in the center, with a stable for animals on one end and a guest room, called Catalima, on the other. These rooms had separate entrances, making it easy for the family to feed the animals without venturing outdoors. Catalima was an attached guest room, separated from the central room by a solid wall. The stable, on the other hand, was separated from the central room by a half wall. This arrangement allowed the family to enjoy the comfort of their home while still being close to their animals.

Now, here’s the interesting part: when Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, the guest rooms in the homes were already occupied. So, the newborn Jesus was swaddled and placed in a manger, right in the stable, which was located on the opposite side of the central living space.

I’m not sure when I first read this description, but it sounds a bit like an attached garage or even an RV parked in the driveway. If you’ve ever seen the movie ‘Christmas Vacation,’ you might get the idea.

If this is indeed the correct meaning of the word ‘catalima’ in Luke 2, then the innkeeper might have been a relative of Joseph. Remember, Joseph and Mary were traveling to Bethlehem to visit Joseph’s ancestors. That’s why he was going there during the census.

But the relative probably had other people he was hosting because of the census. So, he told them, ‘There’s no room in the Catalima. There’s no room in the guest room for you. You know, the furnished and comfortable part of the home, but there’s room over here in the stable, which was still connected to the whole facility.’

And you’re going to have to go there and hang out with the animals.

Now, I don’t know if this changes your picture of this whole nativity scene, but it does for me.

In today’s lesson, I want to take a few moments to think about this and see if it makes any sense.

Let me tell you a story about an innkeeper. Now, this guy was a bit of a grump, but here’s the thing: he had a chance to let in the savior of the world, but he didn’t realize what he was missing out on.

I want you to think about that again. This innkeeper had a chance to make room for the savior of the world, but he didn’t realize what he was missing out on. If he knew who Jesus was, who this baby that Mary was carrying, I think he would have kicked out whoever was in the guest room and made room for Joseph and Mary. And baby Jesus.

I don’t think his problem was that he didn’t want to help. I really don’t. I think his problem was that he didn’t know who Jesus was.

And I think the same thing can be true for us today. I think so many more people would be willing to make room for Jesus in their lives if they really understood who he is, what he can do, and how he can change their lives.

I think there are so many people in the world today who just get too busy for Jesus, not just at Christmas time, but they get too busy for Jesus throughout their year and then throughout the decades. And pretty soon, they get to the end of their life and they haven’t made any room for Jesus in their life. And I think if they knew who Jesus really was and what Jesus can bring to the table,

I think there’s no question that they would make room for Jesus.

So, with that in mind, I want to ask you three questions today so that we can apply the lessons from the innkeeper to our own lives. And these questions are all about making room for Jesus. Number one, are you making room for Jesus in your schedule?

Take a moment to think about how you spend your time. Do you enjoy sports, entertainment, or binge-watching your favorite shows? Maybe you spend time with your kids or catch up with friends. There’s also time for reading, checking social media, and attending church events. This time of year, we have Christmas parties and other gatherings.

While all these activities are great, sometimes we get so busy that we forget to make time for Jesus. It’s like the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:39. Jesus visits their house, and Martha is busy preparing a big dinner because he’s a guest. But Mary, on the other hand, sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to what he teaches.

Martha, being the busy person she is, gets distracted by the dinner and asks Jesus to help her. But Jesus reminds her that she should prioritize spending time with him. He says, “Martha, you’re worried about many things, but few are important. One is important: fear God and love your neighbor.”

Martha, being the doer she is, probably loved serving others. But Mary, on the other hand, loved spending time with Jesus. And guess what? If Martha had sat like Mary, they wouldn’t have had to order takeout!

Hey everyone, let’s take a look at what Jesus said to Martha in verse 41. He said, my dear Martha, you’re worried and upset about all these little details. But there’s only one thing that really matters. Mary has found it, and it can’t be taken away from her.

Jesus is telling Martha this: don’t get so caught up in your busy schedule that you forget to make time for Jesus.

And this lesson is still relevant today. Some of you are like Martha, and some of you are like Mary. So, I want to speak to the Martha’s for a moment. Here’s a challenge for you: wake up 10 minutes early for the next 30 days, maybe even 31 days. Why? So you can make room for Jesus in your schedule.

Now, not everyone needs to do this, but some of you might never have done it before. Instead of telling you to do it for an hour, I’m just giving you a simple 10-minute challenge. Spend five minutes in the Bible, maybe read a proverb every day. There are 31 proverbs, so that’s just one proverb a day. Spend five minutes in prayer and Thanksgiving. Again, if this is something you’ve never done before, 10 minutes might seem like a lot, but I promise you, it’ll be easier than you think when you spend five minutes in prayer and Thanksgiving, thanking God for what he’s done in your life. Maybe this is a good time to start a journal if you’ve never done that before.

I think this 10-minute challenge that you can start right now in December can become a regular habit that you can carry into the new year.

And if you make room for Jesus in your schedule, it’ll change your life.

Great! That’s the first question. Here’s my second of three: Are you making room for Jesus in your traditions? Now, this might be a bit more of a family question. Think about the typical things we do during Christmas. You decorate, you probably drive around to see the lights. Maybe some of you do the elf on a shelf thing, where you hide the elf and the kids get to find it. Maybe you do Christmas stockings, we do that too. This year’s kind of fun for us because we added…

We added a, another stocking this year, our daughter got engaged. So, we added a stocking for Luke on the mantle. That was a fun addition for us. We look forward to adding one for our son, AJ, when he has that special woman in his life. That’s a fun little Christmas tradition for us as a family. Of course, most of us have the tradition of giving gifts. Some families do it on Christmas Eve, some do it on Christmas day. We have a special tradition in our family. We call it the present Hawk. If the gift is too big to wrap, we give a small gift that they unwrap and it has a note in it. And it usually has a rhyme in there. It says, ask the present Hawk to go get you your present. So, those are just some of the Christmas traditions we have. One of the big ones is to watch Christmas movies. I’ve got a list in the show notes if you want to check it out. I wonder which ones you’ve seen. Hopefully, you’ve seen most of these. They’re all great! Here are a few: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Elf, and Polar Express. There are lots of great Christmas stories out there. That’s a fun tradition for most families during Christmas time.

Family traditions are amazing, right? They’re a great way to pass down values and create memories that last a lifetime. But here’s an idea to take your family traditions to the next level: let’s bring Jesus into them!

You know, Moses gave a speech to the parents and grandparents before they entered the promised land. He reminded them of the important commands he had given them and encouraged them to commit themselves wholeheartedly to following them. He said, ‘Repeat these commands to your children and talk about them all the time. Make them a part of your daily life.’

So, here’s what I want you to do: make room for Jesus in your family traditions. Maybe it means starting a new tradition this year. Here are a few ideas that we’ve used in our family:

1. **Nativity Reenactment:** When our kids were little, we would put on a nativity scene. It was so much fun! We’d dress up the kids like Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. We even made some of the characters ourselves.

2. **Daily Bible Reading:** Make it a habit to read the Bible together as a family. You can start with a short passage each day and gradually increase the length.

3. **Prayer:** Pray together as a family. You can pray before meals, before bed, or whenever you need to.

I know some of you might be thinking, ‘I don’t know how to incorporate Jesus into our family traditions.’ But don’t worry, it’s not as hard as it seems. Just start small and be consistent. And most importantly, have fun!

In our family, we had a special Christmas tradition. Tracy’s mom would read the Christmas story, and the kids would act it out. We even have these videos of it! It was the cutest thing ever. But sadly, our kids are too grown up now to do it. So, we don’t do it anymore, but we’re excited to start this tradition with our grandkids someday.

Another fun thing we did when the kids were a bit older, around grade school, was an advent calendar. I didn’t grow up with advent calendars, but we thought it was a great idea. We bought one, and it gave us a little devotional to do every day. It was a wonderful way to bring Jesus into the Christmas season.

And here’s my favorite tradition: the Christmas prayer circle. We’ve been doing it for years, and it’s still one of the highlights of our year. We gather together, right before we open our presents, and take turns praying and thanking God for what he’s done in the past year. It’s a special time of prayer that helps us connect and make sure that Jesus is at the center of our Christmas celebration.

We do this before we open the gifts because we know that the greatest gift is Jesus. He’s the greatest gift, and the next greatest gift is the family we have and the love we share. And by looking back on the year and being grateful for what Jesus has done for us, we can truly make this Christmas one to remember.

Hey everyone, let me tell you about this Christmas prayer circle we have. It’s always a powerful time of prayer, except for last year. By the time it was my turn, I had used ChatGPT to write up a Christmas prayer for me. I thought it would be a fun surprise, but I ended up getting in trouble because I read the printed prayer out loud while everyone else had their eyes closed. And when it was my turn again, I read this super formal, cheesy AI prayer. I did it as a joke, but it didn’t go over well.

So, I don’t recommend using ChatGPT to write your own prayer. Instead, I suggest focusing on traditions that you can be intentional about including in your celebrations this year. That way, you’re not acting like the innkeeper who was just kind of unaware of what was going on.

Now, for a quick question: Are you making room for Jesus in your budget? I know it might seem like a small thing, but I think it’s important to be aware of how much we’re giving and how much we’re spending.

We’re at the end of the year, and it’s a great time to think about giving and generosity. Christmas is a time of giving, right? People are more generous during this time of year. In fact, in our church, about 25% of our giving for the whole year comes in December.

I think that’s great, but I want to bring some awareness to you, my listeners. I don’t know if you realize this, but in most churches, like mine, about 95% of the heavy lifting in terms of giving comes from just 20% of the people. There are some families who do a lot of the giving, and I want you to hear this: there are some families who give a lot more than their fair share.

So, let’s all be mindful of how we give and how we spend our money this Christmas season.

Have you ever noticed who really gives generously? It’s something they’re aware of and make a conscious effort to do. It’s like a family tradition to make room for Jesus in your budget. Many families give generously to their local church, organizations like Pursue God, and missionaries.

Now, I want you to think about this: 5%, 10%, or even 15% of your monthly income. That’s a lot of money, but it can make a big difference in the world. Unfortunately, the number of people who do this is slowly decreasing.

I bring this up because I want to challenge you, if you’re listening to this. Maybe you didn’t grow up in a family like that. Maybe you didn’t learn the importance of giving generously. But I think that’s a problem. Not making room for Jesus in your budget is a problem.

Jesus said, “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Think about that. What you invest in, you’ll fall in love with. And I think this is really important to think about. If you’re not paying attention, you’re going to end up falling in love with something that’s not worthy of your love and adoration. You’re going to fall in love with your house, your retirement, your car, or anything else that takes up your time and money.

So, vacations are great, but if they become our all, we’ve basically locked Jesus out of our lives in that area. And I don’t think it’s because we’re not generous. I think it’s more that we’re not aware of what can happen when we’re not generous. Wherever your treasure is, that’s where your heart will be too. So, invest in the kingdom of God.

Now, I want to challenge you today. This comes from 2 Corinthians 8:12. It says, whatever you give is acceptable. If you give it eagerly and give according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. So, I want to challenge two groups of people to step up their giving today. And I hope you keep listening all the way through this. Sometimes, it can be uncomfortable when you’re being challenged about your budget, but here’s my challenge for those with tight budgets. I really challenge you to establish the discipline of giving a small amount monthly.

Look, I get it. If there’s not a lot of room in your budget to give a lot, then just give a little. Be disciplined, give five or $10 a month. Even if money is tight right now, if you don’t have a discipline like this, it’s hard for you to grow in your giving and it’s easy for you to fall in love with the things that your money goes toward. It’s not just rich people who can idolize money and material wealth. Poor people have just as big a problem at that.

So, if your budget is tight, I just encourage you to step up your giving just a little bit. Now, here’s the second group of people I want to speak to. It’s for those who have been blessed.

Hey everyone, some of you are doing great, and I’m so happy for you! For those of you who have money, I want to encourage you to be generous. I want you to set aside a portion of your monthly income for giving. It doesn’t have to be a small amount, but I think you should consider giving hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars each month.

Giving is important because it frees us from the burden of our possessions and allows us to bless our church and other ministries. It’s a way of showing God how much we love and appreciate Him. I know some of you might be hesitant to give, but I want you to know that you’ll be glad you did. There are many things in life that we regret buying, but I’ve never regretted giving to my church or pursuing God’s mission.

Tracy and I are generous people, and we feel blessed to be able to give back to God. We don’t make more money than most people, but we’re happy to give what we can. We have an awareness of the need because we’re in ministry, we run a church, and we run pursuegod.org. We don’t just have the willingness to give; we have a sense of the blessing it brings to others.

I hope this message encourages you to be generous and to bless your church and other ministries. Remember, every little bit counts, and even a small gift can make a big difference.

I want to share with you about the incredible person Jesus is and the amazing blessings He can bring into your life. I hope you don’t make the same mistake as the innkeeper who turned Jesus away. He didn’t realize the significance of the moment, so he didn’t make room for Jesus in his guest room. Instead, he only made room in the stable.

I don’t want you to miss out on the incredible gift that Jesus offers. As Christmas approaches, I encourage you to make room for family, friends, and fun activities. But also, I urge you to open the door to Jesus and make room for Him in your schedule, traditions, and even your budget.

Because if you do that, you’ll be blessed beyond measure. I truly believe it.

Talking Points:
  • Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem for a census and were faced with the inn having no “room” for Jesus. Like the innkeeper, we often miss Jesus not because we’re unwilling, but because we’re unaware. Luke 2:1-7
  • Mary prioritized time at Jesus’ feet while Martha was distracted by details. The problem isn’t that we don’t have room for Jesus; it’s that we don’t make room. Luke 10:39-42
  • While normal Christmas traditions are nice, it’s important to pass on our faith in everyday moments. We must make room for Jesus in our daily lives. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
  • It’s important to make room for Jesus in our budget. We are called to give from the heart, regardless of the physical amount. 2 Corinthians 8:12
  • The innkeeper missed welcoming the Savior because he was unaware, but we don’t have to. Jesus is knocking—will you let Him in? Revelation 3:20
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. What are some ways you have been the “innkeeper” in your own life? Are you making room for him?
  3. Name a few practical ways you can make room for Jesus in your schedule?
  4. What new Christ-centered Christmas tradition could you start with your family this year?
  5. How might you reflect Jesus’ generosity in your giving this season?

Click for Shownotes

Today we’re answering this question: Q. Does God Care about Nobodies?

  • But I want to start with a different question…
  • When you’ve got great news, who’s the first person you tell?
  • Our parents
  • Our siblings
  • Our closest friends
  • Back then it was pretty simple, low-key
  • Today it’s a whole thing…
  • Make fun of gender reveal
  • Today we’re going to see how God answered that question
  • Who was the first person he told about the birth of Jesus?
  • You’d expect priests or prophets or kings
  • But that’s not at all who he shared with first
  • He went to a bunch of nobodies!?

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NLT) 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

  • This is a shocking theme throughout scripture.
  • Abraham – a childless, a nomadic herdsman from a pagan family
  • Moses – a fugitive, living as a shepherd in the wilderness after killing an Egyptian
  • David – the youngest of eight brothers and a shepherd boy, overlooked even by his father
  • And now we’ll see the theme again in the Christmas story…

Luke 2:8 (NLT) 8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.

  • You know, shepherds are all over the place in the Bible. And so I think we maybe, when we read this, I think we might get the wrong idea about this. Because after all, Abraham was a shepherd. Psalm 23, the most famous Psalm in the Bible says, the Lord is my shepherd. Jesus is called the great shepherd. Pastors are called shepherds. And so I think when we think of the word shepherd, we think of a good thing, right? We think of a positive thing, but the reality is that shepherds were the lowliest people in society.
  • In fact, even in Genesis chapter 46, this is Abraham saying, every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
  • Here’s the truth about shepherds 2000 years ago:

Shepherds:

  • Responsibilities:
  • Tended sheep, guided them to food and water, and protected them from predators.
  • Dealt with the grime, smells, and dangers of working with livestock.
  • Worked tirelessly in mundane and often thankless tasks.
  • Social Status:
  • Considered lowly and marginalized in society, often distrusted due to their nomadic lifestyle.
  • Worked in isolation, on the fringes of towns and villages.
  • Held one of the humblest and least glamorous jobs in ancient society.
  • Shepherds couldn’t even testify in court 2,000 years ago. They weren’t even considered worthy to testify in court. That’s how lowly they were.
  • Put it this way: if a shepherd came to your door to take your daughter out on a date, you’d slam the door in his face!

Keep this in mind when we read the next verse:

Luke 2:9 (NLT) 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified…

Angels (vs Shepherds):

  • Responsibilities:
  • Worshiped God continually, proclaiming His holiness (e.g., Isaiah 6:3).
  • Served as divine messengers to humanity, entered human spaces briefly, delivering life-changing and history-shaping messages.
  • Operated in a realm of perfection and worship.
  • Social Status:
  • Heavenly beings of the highest rank, dwelling in the presence of God.
  • Messengers of divine glory, entrusted with God’s most important announcements.
  • Respected as powerful and pure, inspiring awe and reverence.

This is why the shepherds were terrified. There couldn’t be a greater contrast between heavenly angels and lowly shepherds. Read on…

Luke 2:10-11 (NLT) 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”

  • I want you to know that this was one of the first times that God had spoken to his people in 400 years. Scholars understand this, that God spoke to the prophets in Abraham’s time, in Moses’ time, in David’s time. God spoke to them. He spoke to the prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Isaiah. He spoke to Malachi and Hosea and Joel. God spoke to the prophets, and then he didn’t anymore.
  • At the close of the Old Testament, God stopped speaking to the prophets. 400 years. And could you imagine that the only revelation of God that you had as a Jewish person is what you read in the Torah, what you read in the Old Testament? You heard the stories, you read about it, but you’d never, no one in your time, no one in your generation, by this time in the opening of the New Testament, like God had gone silent for 400 years.
  • Some of you in your marriage, you get in a fight. I’ve read about these things, I’ve heard about these things, but I hear some marriages have fights. And you know what it’s like when your wife is mad at you and she doesn’t talk to you, right? And you know what it feels like when it’s like, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and a couple of hours. And at first, it’s kind of nice. But then you’re like, well wait, this might be serious here.
  • Could you imagine 400 years of silence? Could you imagine being a Jew and saying like, what is wrong, is God mad with me? Is he mad? What did we do wrong? 400 years!
  • And when he breaks the silence, he comes to… shepherds?! Could you just let that sink in for a minute? When God breaks 400 years of silence, he doesn’t come to Moses, he doesn’t come to David. He doesn’t come to a professional prophet like Jeremiah or Isaiah. He comes to a lowly shepherd.
  • Here’s the point: The Good News of God is a message for ordinary people. Let’s break it down:
  • Don’t be afraid
  • God is for you, not against you
  • The message of Jesus dissolves fear
  • I bring good news
  • Nobody ever brought shepherds good news, nobody.
  • But to God they are as important as a king or a president.
  • …for all people, not just somebodies
  • Answer: God does care about nobodies.
  • Again, to come back to the passage I opened with in First Corinthians, he says this, not many of you were mighty, not many of you were noble, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and he’s chosen the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
  • And that’s why he came to the shepherds. He didn’t come to the Pharisees, he didn’t come to the kings. He came to the lowliest. God lovingly decides to share the good news with the nobodies of this world. You should be happy for that.
  • And here’s the news: the Savior is here!

Luke 2:13-14 (NLT) 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

  • What a picture! The armies of heaven!? What are they doing? Singing!?
  • The first Christmas carol: sung to the shepherd boys by the biggest choir the world had ever heard
  • Here are the loners and the losers
  • being treated to a personal concert led by God’s angels.
  • The theme: Not shock and awe, blood and destruction…
  • Glory to God
  • peace on earth
  • The message of Christmas really can be summed up in this: that Jesus dumpster dives to give us peace. Emmanuel means God with us. A bunch of nobodies.
  • Jesus entered into the brokenness of humanity, and the reason he did it is to bring us peace. The reason he did it is because he wanted us to be reconciled to him.

How the story ends:

Luke 2:15-17 (NLT) 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

  • I don’t think we can properly understand the humor of this moment. Can we just zoom out for a second and understand? God is breaking into the world. He’s breaking a 400 year silence. And this expectation, the messianic expectation is that this grand, strong leader is gonna storm onto the scene with swords blazing, and he’s gonna take back the nation of Israel. And he is gonna exert his power and his strength in the world. I mean, this is what they expected. This is what they were looking for. This is what they thought the Old Testament was pointing to. And here, God breaks the silence and he breaks into the world and he speaks first to a bunch of shepherds who couldn’t even testify in court.

Luke 2:17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.

  • Became the first evangelists, spreading the news of Jesus’ birth to others (Luke 2:17–20).
  • Even before the fishermen, shepherds were the first people in history to tell people about Jesus. And so the people who couldn’t even testify in court, God employed them to testify to the world that the Savior was born in the world.

Close: 

Maybe you’re here today and you would say, I can’t even imagine that God would want to bring me peace. I can’t even imagine that God would want a relationship with me. Because somehow you have in your mind that you’re like a shepherd. Somehow you have in your mind that, well, no, God relates to these kinds of people over here. I know these people, they’re church people. They’re all throughout my neighborhood. This is who God is interested in. This is who he goes for.

I want you to see it differently today through this story. Every time you hear about shepherds this Christmas, I want you to think about losers. I want you to think about broken people. I want you to think about despised people. I want you to think about weak and foolish people. I want you to think about the down and outers. Nobodies.

  • And I want you to think about you, if that’s how you feel. If you feel like, no, there’s something, maybe nobody else even knows it about me, but there’s something in my past. There’s something in my story that I know disqualifies me from God. I want you to know that’s exactly how the shepherds felt. Something in my story. I’m just a lowly shepherd. There’s no way God would come to me, yet God came to them first.

Jesus has come for you. Jesus has been looking for you.

  • He has come to love you, forgive you, and heal you, restore.
  • Jesus has come to rescue you and bring you peace.

Run to Him, bow down to Him, receive Him. I bring you good news, Jesus has come for you!

Talking Points:
  • Shepherds were considered lowly, untrustworthy, and isolated. They couldn’t even testify in court because of their poor social status, yet God chose them first to receive and share the good news.
  • Throughout the Bible, God works through “nobodies”: Abraham (a childless nomad), Moses (a fugitive shepherd), David (a young, overlooked boy). In the Christmas story, God continues this pattern by reaching out to shepherds. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
  • The angel said to the shepherds, who were likely used to bad news: “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all people.” This was not just for “important” people but for everyone. Luke 2:10-14
  • Once they heard this, the shepherds immediately went to find Jesus. After seeing Him, they became the first evangelists, spreading the news to others. Luke 2:15-17
  • This Christmas, if you feel unworthy or insignificant, reflect on the shepherds’ story and remember that Jesus’ message of peace is for you, too.
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. When you have great news, who do you tell first?
  3. Have you ever felt insignificant? How might it change your view of God to know He values those whom society overlooks?
  4. Why do you think God so often works through ordinary, flawed people rather than the powerful and popular ones?
  5. What does the shepherd’s response say? How can we follow the example of the shepherds in sharing the good news?
  6. Challenge: Share the good news of Jesus with someone this week, just like the shepherds did.

Click for Shownotes

I think there are 2 kinds of ppl who come to church around Christmas

  • Ppl who are very familiar w/all Christmas stories in Bible
  • Ppl whose experience of Christmas has been a lot more secular
  • The kind of thing you get in stores / at school
  • In the popular Christmas movies that we rewatch every year
  • This series is for everyone, but especially for those who feel far from God
  • Because the people who were actually there on the first Christmas
  • Were not the people anyone would have expected
  • Last week we saw the surprising inclusion of the shepherds in the Christmas story
  • They were loners and losers, on the outside of society
  • Yet God broke his 400-year silence and declared the Good New first to them!
  • Today: another shocker
  • The story of the “wise men” or “magi”
  • Maybe you thought it was normal, natural
  • They’ve always been a part of the Christmas story
  • But actually, it makes no sense in its worldly context
  • Today we’ll answer two questions:
  • Who were the magi, and why are they in the Christmas story? What were their three famous gifts all about?

Matthew 2:1-2 (NLT) 1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

  • First of all, a few trivial facts:
  • Only mentioned in Matthew
  • Never says there were three of them (We three Kings…)
  • Most likely not kings (astrologers is a better translation, as we’ll see)
  • In Jerusalem because that’s where they would have expected to find a king
  • (IVP Bible Background Commentary: NT, Second Edition) The Magi had come to Jerusalem because that was where they expected to find any Judean king—but Herod had apparently not had any new sons lately.
  • Probably alludes to Nu 24:17: “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”
  • Bigger question: who were the Magi?
  • Likely pagan Zoroastrian priests or scholars from Persia, skilled in astrology and prophecy.
  • Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest continuously practiced religions, originating in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) around 1200–1000 BCE.
  • One of the world’s first monotheistic or dualistic religions.
  • Dualism: A cosmic battle between good and evil, with human beings playing a central role.
  • Moral principles: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds as the path to righteousness.
  • Today primarily found in Iran, India (Parsis), and the global diaspora.
  • Estimated at 100,000–200,000 adherents worldwide.
  • (Here’s where it gets really interesting)
  • Zoroastrianism became a state religion under Cyrus the Great (550 BC)
  • Cyrus’ rule is remembered not only for his military conquests but also for his policies of tolerance and governance, which earned him respect in the ancient world and a unique place in biblical history.
  • Cyrus is the guy named as God’s “anointed” (Messiah or chosen one) over 150 years before his rise to power:
  • Isaiah 45: (NLT) 1 This is what the LORD says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower.
  • Isaiah 44:28 (NLT) 28 When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say, ‘Restore the Temple.’”
  • This prophecy highlights Cyrus as an instrument of God’s plan, even though he was a pagan king.
  • Zoroastrianism, like Judaism, awaited a great savior figure and paid close attention to celestial signs.
  • Cyrus wasn’t the Messiah; maybe this baby will be…
  • (but there’s something even crazier about the Magi)
  • The OT explicitly forbids their kind of astrology:
  • Isaiah 47:13-14 (NLT) Where are all your astrologers, those stargazers who make Qi predictions each month? Let them stand up and save you from what the future holds. 14 But they are like straw burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from the flame. You will get no help from them at all; their hearth is no place to sit for warmth.
  • So why the heck are they featured in the Christmas story?
  • And why would God use the stars to speak to them?
  • Answer: Because he’s God, and he wants everyone to find him.
  • And so the Magi came to worship Jesus.
  • Shockingly, God revealed himself to these pagans
  • Who can relate?
  • Some people feel so far from God, so unworthy
  • Yet time and again in the Bible we see this theme
  • Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
  • Doesn’t the question of who Jesus is deserve some effort?
  • To figure out what he’s all about
  • To see if you can find him / meet him face to face?
  • I encourage you: God won’t leave you in the dark
  • If you are genuinely searching for him

Back to the text:

Matthew 2:3-4 (NLT) 3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

  • Herod was threatened by another’s rule
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) He was not a Jew…. but the Romans made him King of Judea in 40 B.C.
  • We’ll save this for next week…

Matthew 2:5-6 (NLT) 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

  • Notice how much the leading priests and teachers of religious law knew
  • And where they got it from (Scripture)
  • (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Matthew’s main purpose in this story is to contrast the eagerness of the Magi to worship Jesus, despite their limited knowledge, with the apathy of the Jewish leaders and the hostility of Herod’s court–all of whom had the Scriptures to inform them. Formal knowledge of the Scriptures, Matthew implies, does not in itself lead to knowing who Jesus is.
  • This is setting up a theme in the gospels:
  • Those who seem close to God (religious insiders) often aren’t
  • God reveals himself to outsiders
  • The pagan Magi!!
  • Their willingness to travel hundreds of miles reflects a hunger for truth and a readiness to worship.
  • (IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Gentiles come to honor Israel’s true king; meanwhile, the religious teachers who knew the most (2:5) failed to act on the truth, even already at Jesus’ birth.
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) “In this chapter, Matthew introduces the major theme of his Gospel: the Jews have rejected the offer of salvation, but the Gentiles will accept it. . . . The Gentiles will be brought into the place which the Jews had forfeited by their unbelief, and the Church will be the Israel of the last days, destined to share in the joys of the age to come” (Fenton).

Matthew 2:9-11 (NLT) the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

  • “Bowed down and worshiped”
  • Illustrate: guy gets down on knee to propose
  • Humbling himself
  • Recognizing value / worth of the woman he’s proposing to
  • Think of all the movies you’ve ever seen that have a king in them
  • The invariable response to majesty / honor of king…
  • Act of bowing down / prostrating oneself
  • They recognized who Jesus was as “king of the Jews”. His authority. His anointing by God. The right response to him: acknowledgment, praise, humility. Just knowing about Jesus isn’t enough. Once you realize who he is, recognize that he deserves to be honored and valued by you.
  • “Gave him gifts”:
  •  Gold:
  • Symbol of kingship and honor.
  • Points to Jesus as the King of Kings
  • Revelation 19:16 (NLT) 16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
  • Frankincense:
  • Used in temple worship to symbolize prayer and the presence of God (Exodus 30:34).
  • Exodus 30:34 (NLT) 34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather fragrant spices… and mix these fragrant spices with pure frankincense….
  • Points to Jesus as the High Priest who mediates between God and humanity (Hebrews 4:14-16).
  • Myrrh:
  • An embalming spice, symbolizing suffering and death.
  • Points to Jesus’ role as the Savior who would die for the sins of the world (John 19:39-40)..
  • John 19:39 (NLT) 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.
  • They opened their treasure chests
  • Gave Jesus what was valuable to them
  • What cost them some sacrifice to bring
  • Not only sacrifice of its expense
  • But also of their time / effort / risk in the journey
  • This is where the tables get turned a bit
  • Bc the myrrh represents HIS gift to US
  • He gave his life so we could have a new life
  • He died to pay for our sins
  • His death means → we can live forever
  • He offers this gift freely, without conditions → just by grace
  • To anyone / everyone who will take it
  • This shows how much he values YOU!
  • He offers you a gift of infinite sacrifice and worth

Matthew 2:12 (NLT) 12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

  • They returned home “by another way,” symbolizing a transformation after meeting Christ.
  • They travelled a great distance, at great effort, to find this child. What about YOU? Are you willing to undertake your own search for Jesus?

Talking Points:
  • The Magi were likely Zoroastrian priests or scholars skilled in astrology and prophecy, yet traveled great distances to worship Jesus. Their inclusion in the Christmas story shows God’s heart for outsiders. Matthew 2:1-12
  • They brought Jesus three gifts which symbolized his unique roles—Gold (his kingship), Frankincense (his priesthood and mediation between God and humanity), and Myrrh (his suffering and sacrifice for humanity’s sins).  Revelation 19:16, Exodus 30:34; Hebrews 4:14-16, John 19:39-40.
  • The Magi gave gifts of great value, reflecting their recognition of Jesus’ worth. Their sacrifices in time, effort, and risk mirror the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us.
  • After worshiping Jesus, the Magi returned home by another route, symbolizing the transformation that comes from encountering Christ. Are you willing to seek Jesus with the same dedication as the Magi? Jeremiah 29:13
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?

  2. What are some common misconceptions you have heard about the Magi?

  3. Does the inclusion of the Magi in the Christmas story surprise you? Explain your answer.

  4. How do the Magi’s actions challenge the way you approach worship and generosity?

  5. What are some ways you can seek Jesus with more dedication in your own life?

  6. Have you experienced a “transformation” after encountering Jesus? Explain.

Click for Shownotes

Intro

  • In our penultimate lesson of our Christmas series
  • The story of Christmas from people who were actually there
  • The inn keeper – making room for Jesus
  • The shepherds – loners and outcasts invited into the story
  • The magi – pagan astrologers used by God
  • Today: King Herod

But, as always, let’s start with a question:

Q. Whose Kingdom Are You Building?

  • Think about it: everyone’s building someone’s kingdom
  • A successful friend of mine wants to start his own business
  • He’s made a lot of money for the owner of his company
  • Dawned on him: why doesn’t he start his own!!
  • Today’s point isn’t to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs
  • It’s to call your attention to this fact:

Everyone’s working for someone’s kingdom

  • Either God’s or yours

Today as we meet King Herod we’ll find a ruler desperate to protect his kingdom at all costs, even opposing God’s eternal plan.

NOTE: The Bible mentions several rulers named Herod, each playing a distinct role in different contexts. The Herods were a dynasty of Edomite rulers under Roman control, and they feature prominently in the New Testament:

  • 1st Gen: Herod the Great: Ruler at Jesus’ birth. (Matthew 2:16-18)
  • 2nd Gen:
  • Herod Archelaus: Feared by Joseph. (Matthew 2:22)
  • Herod Antipas: Executed John the Baptist, mocked Jesus. (Mark 6:14-29, Luke 23:7-12)
  • Herod Philip I: First husband of Herodias. (Mark 6:17)
  • Herod Philip II: Tetrarch of northeastern territories. (Matthew 16:13)
  • 3rd Gen: Herod Agrippa I: Executed the apostle James and imprisoned Peter. (Acts 12:1-4)
  • 4th Gen: Herod Agrippa II: Heard Paul’s defense. (Acts 25:13–26:32)
  • Herod the Great = clear bad guy in the story

Driven by self-interest (building his own kingdom) made some terrible decisions

It’s easy to see sin in someone else’s life, isn’t it?

But when we look in the mirror, we’re often blind…

Truth is: We are Herod – we all tend to do this, act out of destructive self-interest:

  • Sinful Habits
  • Addiction that destroys you and your relationships
  • Or Even Good things:
  • Careers: pushing hard at any cost (often families)
  • Finances: building wealth without asking “what for?”
  • Relationships: burning bridges
  • Influence: Gaining followers but losing friends
  • Blinded by self-interest: Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos (see “The Dropout” podcast)
  • once celebrated as a groundbreaking entrepreneur who promised to revolutionize the medical industry with her blood-testing technology.
  • obsessed with maintaining her image as a visionary leader and controlling the narrative about her company’s success.
  • But Theranos’ technology didn’t work as claimed, and Holmes had built her empire on lies.
  • She lost her company, her reputation, and her freedom, as she was convicted of fraud and sentenced to prison.

Can you relate?

  • To Elizabeth
  • To Herod
  • Let’s find out…

Last week: Magi came asking about the “newborn king of the Jews”…

Matthew 2:3-4 (NLT) King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

  • Gk. Tarasso “stirred up” like the pool water in John 5. Herod got “fidgety” when he heard about the Messiah. His position suddenly didn’t seem so secure. He was uncomfortable.
  • Why? Because the Roman Senate appointed Herod as “King of the Jews” 40 yrs earlier!
  • More about Herod:
  • of Idumean descent, meaning he was not ethnically Jewish but came from a region south of Judea that had been forcibly converted to Judaism.
  • a brilliant and ambitious builder, responsible for many monumental projects, such as The Second Temple in Jerusalem (known as Herod’s Temple)
  • The First Temple: Built by King Solomon around 957 BC, destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar.
  • After the Persian Empire conquered Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree (538 BC) allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:1-4).
  • The Second Temple: completed in 516 BC, during the reign of Darius I, exactly 70 years after the First Temple’s destruction, fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy about the 70-year exile (Jeremiah 29:10).
  • Starting in 20 BC, King Herod massively renovated and expanded the Second Temple, making it a grand and majestic structure.
  • The Romans, under General Titus, destroyed the Second Temple during the Jewish-Roman War, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24:1-2.
  • Since then, no Jewish temple has been built on the Temple Mount, which is now home to the Islamic Dome of the Rock.
  • Many Christians, especially in dispensationalist theology, see the Third Temple as a key element in end-times prophecy.
  • Back to Herod: infamous for his paranoia and willingness to eliminate perceived threats.
  • Ex: he ordered the execution of several family members, including his wife and three of his sons, fearing they would usurp his throne.
  • Caesar Augustus said that it was better to be Herod’s pig than his son!
  • The point: this guy wanted to build his own kingdom, no matter the cost.

The religious leaders told him the birthplace would be Bethlehem, so…

Matthew 2:7-8 (NLT) 7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

  • Fake news

Wise men took another route home to avoid Herod. Then…

Matthew 2:13 (NLT) 13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

  • (IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Like Moses, Jesus escaped the fate of other male babies (Ex 1:22–2:10), and some Jews were expecting the coming of a prophet “like Moses” (Deut 18:15, 18).

Matthew 2:14-15 (NLT) 14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

  • First of three OT prophecies in this section, proving God’s sovereignty
  • (IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Matthew builds almost every paragraph from the genealogy to the Sermon on the Mount around at least one text in the *Old Testament, explaining some event of Jesus’ life from Scripture.
  • Out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1)
  • Massacre of the Innocents (Jer 31:15)
  • “Called a Nazarene” – not found in OT?!
  • To be “from Nazareth” was meant as an offense
  • Nathaniel: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46).
  • “He was despised and rejected by men…” (Isaiah 53:3).
  • (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Matthew is therefore not saying that a particular OT prophet foretold that the Messiah would live in Nazareth; he is saying that the OT prophets foretold that the Messiah would be despised (cf. Pss 22:6-8, 13; 69:8, 20-21; Isa 11:1; 49:7; 53:2-3, 8; Da 9:26).
  • The point: Jesus is King, and his will shall be done
  • Every knee will bow…

Close: 

Herod was not an atheist. He believed in the God of Israel, he listened to the magi, consulted the Jewish religious leaders, trusted their insight into the scripture… and then used this information to hunt Jesus.

  • Herod believed Jesus was the Messiah, but he refused to submit to him as his Messiah.
  • Jesus must be your savior and lord.

Instead of trusting in ourselves and in our “little kingdoms,” we must trust in the true king who rules over the Kingdom of God. We must trust him with our finances and families, with our salvation and our spiritual growth. We must trust him and keep trusting in him.

  • Everyone’s working for someone’s kingdom
  • Either God’s or yours

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Talking Points:
  • Everyone is working for someone’s kingdom—either God’s or their own. Just like Herod worked to protect his own kingdom, we can fall into the trap of living for self-interest.
  • Herod was desperate to protect his power and was willing to go to extreme lengths to oppose God’s plan. Herod’s actions reminds us that simply believing in God isn’t enough—true faith requires submission to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Matthew 2:3-4
  • Herod’s story mirrors our own struggles with self-interest. Even good things, like career success or financial security, can become idols if we pursue them without submitting to God.
  • Trusting Jesus fully—with our salvation, families, finances, and spiritual growth—allows us to focus on His kingdom, which brings true peace and purpose.
  •  
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. What does it mean to build God’s kingdom instead of our own? Can you think of a time when you prioritized your kingdom over His?
  3. Think of some areas in your life where you may be resisting God’s authority. Explain why you think you are.
  4. Why do you think it’s so hard for us to surrender control of our “kingdoms” to God?
  5. What areas of your life do you find hardest to entrust to Jesus?
  6. What are some practical ways we can shift our focus from building our kingdom to building God’s kingdom?

Click for Shownotes

Intro: Kids and Christmas

I’m not sure if kids really write letters to Santa anymore. You can probably just tweet at him or send him your wishlist on Instagram. But I did come across a couple actual letters from kids to Santa that I wanted to share with you:

  • Dear Santa,
  • You did not bring me anything good last year.
  • You did not bring me anything good the year before that.
  • This is your last chance.
  • Signed, Madison
  • Dear Santa,
  • There are three little kids who live at our house.
  • There is Jeffrey; he is 2.
  • There is Ashley; she is 4.
  • And there is Norman; he is 7.
  • Jeffrey is good some of the time.
  • Ashley is good some of the time.
  • But Norman is good all of the time.
  • I am Norman.

Kids love Christmas. Do you know who was the first kid at Christmas?

  • Jesus! (Did you ever think about that?)

Tonight we’re finishing our Christmas series

  • The Story of Christmas from People Who Were Actually There
  • The innkeeper: make room
  • The shepherds:
  • The wise men:
  • King Herod:
  • Today: Baby Jesus

The most important person who was actually there is… Jesus.

  • We don’t have his viewpoint as a baby
  • Because he was fully baby, so he doesn’t remember
  • How many of you remember when you were a baby?
  • Some people claim to remember their birth, but that’s bogus:
  • We have “infantile amnesia,” the inability to recall events from the first few years of life.
  • Memory formation, particularly episodic memory (the ability to recall specific events), begins to function more reliably around the age of 3–4.
  • My earliest memory is about 5
  • Sunday morning, brother’s face bit by a German Shepherd
  • So, baby Jesus couldn’t tell us much about his birth
  • But grown-up Jesus can
  • At Christmas we tend to think of Jesus as a baby, but Jesus didn’t come to just be a baby, He came because He’s Immanuel, “God with us”
  • Today: three reasons Jesus came into the world (in his own words)

John 3:16 (NLT) 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son….”

  • Jesus came as the ultimate demonstration of God’s love
  • Principle: the gift you give is a demonstration of your love
  • Not everyone understands this (me, AJ)
  • “This is how _____ showed his love: he gave me ______”
  • God understands this principle, that’s why he gave his one and only son
  • Ultimate demonstration of his love
  • Not like giving Kenzie’s hand in marriage
  • That will be a blessing to her
  • He gets to provide and protect now
  • God gave his Son for a brutal purpose
  • That’s the second thing…

John 3:17 (NLT) 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

  • What a simple, powerful verse
  • So many people see God as judgmental
  • Christmas proves that he is not
  • He sent his son to save the world
  • To do that, he would have to die in our place
  • (Come back for Easter to learn more)
  • Come back on Sunday to learn about the difference between conviction (good) and condemnation (bad)
  • Jesus didn’t come to condemn us, but to set us free
  • But this doesn’t mean we’re free to live wreckless, sinful lives…
  • That’s what Jesus’ final quote is all about…

John 12:46 (NLT) 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

John 8: 12 (NLT) 12 Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

  • Light is a fun theme at Christmas time
  • Star of Bethlehem (the light above our drum cage)
  • Lights on houses, trees, etc.
  • But the real reason lights are connected to Christmas is this:
  • If we follow Jesus, He leads us out of the darkness of
  • Selfishness
  • Pride
  • Addiction
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Hopelessness
  • Fear
  • Grief
  • Purposelessness

Talking Points:
  • Jesus is often only thought of in the Christmas story as a baby, but he didn’t come to just be a baby; He came because he is Immanuel, “God with us”.
  • God’s love is demonstrated through the gift of Jesus, the ultimate expression of His love for humanity. John 3:16
  • Many people view God as judgmental or condemning, but Christmas proves otherwise. Jesus came to save us by taking our place on the cross. John 3:17
  • Jesus came to bring light into our lives, freeing us from darkness like selfishness, pride, fear, and hopelessness. John 12:46, John 8:12
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. What’s the most meaningful gift you’ve ever received? How does Jesus’ gift show God’s “meaning” for us?
  3. Which of the three reasons Jesus came resonates with you the most? Why?
  4. How should Jesus’ purpose as Immanuel, “God with us,” shape the way we celebrate Christmas?
  5. In what areas of your life do you need Jesus’ light right now? What practical steps can we take to share Jesus’ light and love with others this Christmas season?
  6. Challenge: As you celebrate Christmas, remember why Jesus came. Let His love, salvation, and light inspire how you live and interact with others.
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