The Chance of A Lifetime! 11/26/22

Matthew 2: 1-12 4:4-7 nkjv                                                                   1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”  3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;  For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’”  7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

❓ What encounter with Christ changed your life ❓ What real God experience do you have to share with others ❓

⭐   Jesus came to be encountered, to be experienced, to be found by those who seek Him.“His name SHALL be called Emmanuel.  

Matthew 1:23) 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”God “WITH” US.

➤  💥 It’s the encounters with God that really touch people and change their lives forever.   In the song, “Mary Did You Know”, I love the verse that says, “Did you know when you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God?”

•  It’s the encounters with Christ that God made possible through the birth of Jesus for humanity to experience.

(The Story:)

💥     The chance of a lifetime dropped in Herod’s lap!  --  He received a personal invitation to go and see God, but he didn’t!  

• Can you imagine the blessings and change that might have happened to Herod had he gone?

⭐As a result:  He changed for the worse!  He had babies killed out of his rage!  v16)

 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 

We shouldn’t be surprised or shocked by the behavior of those who have not encountered Christ or those who have refused to seek, find and worship Him.

⭐     It’s the same here in the USA; during the Christmas season,

CRIMES INCREASE!

 All manner of crimes increase.  Drunk driving, robberies, burglaries, suicides, domestic violence... ALL INCREASE!

* How strange because the message Christ brings to the world is “PEACE ON EARTH GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN!”

 ➤  What caused Herod to miss his encounter with God?

I.     HE DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME. V8) 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

👉 ****)The more we let God take us over the more truly ourselves we become.  CS Lewis (****👈 ⭐ 

Life changes when we encounter God!Jeremiah 29:13) “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”Those who seek to find and encounter God do find Him when they seek Him with all their heart.

⭐ The best Christmas gift ever!!!

➤      2 Corinthians 5:17  17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

➤     Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”

•    Great rewards from God come to those who seek Him--  our faith grows and we please God.

Matthew 7:7;  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:     

👉 ****)  It is only by taking our time to be with God that we find our best strength.(****👈 

II.     HE WASN’T WILLING TO CHANGE. V8  bring me word……..  Herod liked where he was and was unwilling to let go of his present in order to find his future.

• Herod wasn’t in a bad place, a palace in charge of a people.  He just didn’t want to leave what he had to find anything new God had to offer.   He was going nowhere!
• We must be willing to change, to keep moving forward, to let go of the present in order to find our future.

III.  NOT SHARE HIS KINGDOM! V16   16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.   

• Sometimes the only way God can show us He is in control is to put us in situations we can’t control.

⭐    We all have our own personal world and kingdom we rule. 

• Herod would serve God as long as he got to do things his way.  When Christ threatened it, he tried to kill Christ!  
• We may not try to kill Christ, but we run away; we avoid God; we never give Him control.

⭐  What does the encounter with Christ look like for the believer?  

John 10:1-5)   1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

1.   He goes before us, where we can see Him! v4) 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them,    He reveals Himself to us.

• We are to keep our eyes on Jesus.  Regardless of who others are following or where others are going.

2.  He speaks to us! v4b)  and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

• Regardless of who others are listening to and following.

They will flee from the voice of strangers.   

3.  He shows us the right way!   Regardless of what others believe or tell us we should believe.  v5) a stranger they will NOT follow!    CHANCE OF A LIFETIME!