| | December 15, 2002 | Pastor Brian Shimer |
"THE INVASION"
Matthew 2: 1-18
I. Last week we began looking at our theology of Christmas using Dr Suess' great little work: "On Beyond Zebra" -- And we noted how essential through all the ages of faith has been the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin, and how as we walk beyond that fact into relationship with Jesus, all sorts of things open up in our lives for we have moved on beyond zebra, we have moved beyond what is the normal experiential limits of our lives into God's awesome kingdom. As Dr Suess said, "You'll be sort of surprised what there is to be found when you go beyond Z and start poking around."
And we noted that when we are dwelling in God's realm, surprising things do happen. But we return to this idea today, for in chapter 2 of Matthew we notice that Jesus not only brings surprises, but warfare.
II. When an evil, vicious king rules a kingdom and another good king invades
his territory to make a claim, to take back what has been taken, that invasion is a declaration of war.
This time the evil, vicious king, had already declared war, eons before: "You shall surely not die," the great serpent of old said to the woman, declaring he had authority greater than the word of God.
"I will make myself like the Most High" said lucifer (Is 14:14), knowing that by deceit and control through fear of death, people would begin to view satan as equal in power to the Almighty, Everlasting God.
Many cult movements around us declare Lucifer and Jesus as coequals, brothers even in Mormon theology; some pagan religions and Hinduism teach there are two equally powerful gods one good, one evil. This is similar to the theology of the good guy, bad guy kind of movie scenarios -- where there is a sense of equal powers in battle-- this is true in the Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Star Trek, and good usually triumphs.
But Truth is not so led astray. Truth says: "(this king) was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44)
So, prior to the coming of Jesus, this earth was under a despotic and foreign rule.
The "prince of the power of the air" (Eph 2:2) was that great dragon that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan. It is he who "leads the whole world astray" (Rev 12:9). He is acting as if he is still the prince of the air.
But he has been overthrown: "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8). And Jesus "finished his work" (John 19:30), therefore, the devil's works have been destroyed. In Jesus we have been given authority over the enemy. In Christ, Satan is under our feet.
Although Christmas Crèche scenes are beautiful pastoral depictions in
soft and warm hues, the event of Christ coming, the Son of God, the great King, the "son of the great emperor across the sea" (as CS Lewis describes Him), was a declaration of war. In Revelations chapter 12 there is a heavenly glimpse of Christ's first coming, and the line in v 7 after his coming says: "And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back" (Rev 12:7). It says too that this satan was not strong enough and Michael wins. If satan is defeated by the hosts of heaven with Michael, satan is no match for God.
The warfare on earth reflected that which was happening in heaven on that first Christmas.
After Jesus was born, and the wise men, magi-- those scientists of the stars and creation from persia -- came looking for him. They had been looking for and seen His Star as they said in the east. They naturally looked in the place where the King of the Jews had a palace, thinking this king would be born there.
In Matthew 2:1-2 -- these wise men come into Jerusalem and ask about Jesus.
In v 3 we see the question brought disturbance to King Herod and all of the city of Jerusalem. "Disturbed or troubled" as the word in Greek is translated, is a word used of boiling water, of the stirring up of a mob such as the mobs stirred by the pharisees against Paul and Silas; of people in fear and perplexity.
In fear and perplexity King Herod believes the report that such a king has been born. He takes immediate action! Had he heard about the shepherds account? Had the report of angelic visions been told to him? That had happened now perhaps months even one or two years before.
The king believed -- he says to the priests and rabbis: "Where is the Christ to be born?"
Then in character with satan, whom Herod served (we cannot serve two masters, and Herod definitely did not have godly character), he lied to the Magi: "Go find him, so I too can come and worship him."
There is conflict, intrigue, lying, deceit and then both the Magi and Joseph and Mary are warned to leave, and do so, before war breaks out against little children aged 2 and under. "And there was war in heavens."
III. Christian theology over the millennia has resolutely declared with Scripture that Jesus was not just a baby, but God in flesh, and therefore His coming meant a total change in all of human history.
A. Leo, Bishop of Rome, writing in June 449, says of Jesus:
"Humility was assumed by majesty, weakness by strength, mortality by eternity; and to pay the debt that we had incurred, an inviolable nature was united to a nature that can suffer." (Documents of the Christian Church p 50)
B. Anthanasius, the 2nd Century Theologian wrote of Jesus; "Did anyone ever fight against the whole system of idol worship and the whole host of daemons and all magic and all the wisdom of the Greeks, at a time when all of these were strong and flourishing and taking everybody in, as did our Lord, the very Word of God? Yet He is even now invisibly exposing every man's error, and single-handed is carrying off all men from them all, so that those who used to worship idols now tread them under foot, reputed magicians burn their books and the wise prefer to all studies the interpretation of the Gospels. They are deserting those whom formerly they worshipped, they worship and confess as Christ and God Him whom they used to ridicule as crucified. Their so-called gods are routed by the sign of the cross, and the crucified Saviour is proclaimed in all the world as God and Son of God" (On the Incarnation, p 91-2).
IV. The early church did not set a date for the birth of Christ until into the 4th C.
It was set in December upon a date of what was already a pagan celebration. Jesus may have been born in this season around the festival of lights of the Jews. That would make sense the light of the World would then be manifest in flesh. He may have been born in the spring, when shepherds were out with their flocks. It matters little, really, exactly when Jesus was born.
What matters is that HE was born.
What matters to us is to remember that when Jesus came it was a time of conflict, of real warfare.
What matters is to call to mind that when we celebrate His birth, we will also encounter conflict. How hard the enemy battles to keep people from experiencing Jesus in this season.
On the natural level, it seems logical: You take any of our normally busy families and add in changing the decorations in the house, bringing in a tree, communicating significantly with sometimes over 100 people we haven't talked to all year; make special foods that we enjoy for the season and then we try to lose the weight gained in the New Year; try to buy presents for some 20 or more people and get them to them by a certain day; attend multiple special parties and gatherings (which generally crowd in on the same week) and then live under the idea that it all can fit into our lives without stress. Tears and conflict are there even without spiritual realities!
Our thinking, about the season and the cultural expectations alongside of it, needs to be clear.
I love this season. In it I find great joy. It is a time of great anticipation of Jesus' return and remembrance of His advent.
But it will not be a time of joy without some stress.
This is a season about an invasion, but the enemy still tries to hoodwink us by cultural expectations. If we expect some conflict and hardship, then when it happens it won't broadside us!
"Everybody is tense! Where is the Christmas spirit?" one daughter asked in tears. She was looking for the presence of the Spirit of Christ. Instead she was finding the spirit of conflict in her family which did not depict Christ -- but the warfare that surrounded His birth.
So, we are 1/2 way through the season. Can we ask, how did the Wise men get through it? Afterall they are WISE men! Why did they say they had come? They had come to "worship Him" Worship.
And that is what they did. They gave gifts to Jesus not to one another. They offered their hearts to him.
Singing Christmas Tree in Portland two weeks back, the Magi came in with great pomp and in richly decorated robes. As they place their gifts before the Savior, they stand and their robes are turned inside out. Gone is the splendor of purple and gold of their kingly offices, and now they are clothed in white. The color of righteousness and purity. And they bow before the manger removing their crowns and laying them upon their gifts.
The most important thing for us all in times of warfare is to take the action which achieves the most: worship. On our own we can do nothing, but when we worship all "heaven" breaks loose.
What did worship mean for these Wise guys?
1. They came from where they were to Jesus -- What would that mean in your life? How are you already turning toward Jesus in a day?
2.They had one purpose in their quest: to worship Jesus. Sometimes my life can get jumbled with many quests. But really only one thing is necessary. How have you learned to place worship during your week? Do you hear Jesus calling you to be a worshipper of Him above everything else? When have you experienced that very thing.
Worship then, thus far, is a coming and a direction or quest.
3. They rejoiced. Rejoicing is a choice in worship/in life
4. They brought gifts to Jesus -- gifts from their own lives, that spoke of the sacrifice made, but also spoke of what Jesus would do. When we worship, we can bring words to Jesus that speak of who He is as the magi brought these gifts: Gold -- King Frankencense -- our High priest who always prays for us, Myrrh -- used in burials -- Jesus died for you and me.
We bring gifts as the hymn says: "bring your heart" v 4 In the Bleak Midwinter.
5. They bowed down. In worship it helps us to be bowing within even if standing or sitting. As we worship at home we can join the Magi on our knees before such a God.
Don't imagine that this season or any season is possible without a Savior. For those who have never said Yes I need Jesus -- it is a simple request. "Jesus come, invade my heart as you did this world. Change me!" And he will.
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