Thursday 12/26/13 The Magi

Dear Father in Heaven.  Thanks for a really great Christmas, and thanks for forgiving we who asked and have faith in You.  Thanks for walking with us each and every day, and please, dear Lord, help us to not slip and to walk each day with You.  Thanks for the great news about Patsy and that she does not have cancer.  Father, how wonderful You are, all honor and glory to You.  Please help me now with the message and then help me to dispatch it.  Lord, please also touch Dolores and heal her.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Brothers and sisters, I pray you all had a wonderful Christmas and are heading for great, happy, and wonderful New Year.  Our Christmas went well and would have been perfect if we had heard from Matthew.  Please pray for the family of Sally Snyder.  She was called  home to be with Jesus on Christmas Day.  Sally was a school bus driver and worked under me at Central Dauphin School District.  We were blessed with another rescue Yorkshire Terrier the day before Christmas.  He is 12 and cannot hear a thing.

Please remember this Sunday evening, the original Couriers, Dave, Duane, and Neil, are having their final concert.  It will be held at Christian Life Assembly of God, just outside of Camp Hill, PA.  Starting time is 6:00 PM.  Admission is by bringing food for the hungry.  Carry The Light Ministry food pantry is being blessed along with Christian Life Assembly food pantry.  Our trailer will be on the side nearest the prison.  Please, if you pass our trailer, be sure to LOOK AT THE FRONT OF IT.  Neil's song "Statue of Liberty" is set on the trailer!!  Now let me get to the message:

Thursday, December 26, 2013, The Magi (We Three Kings) Day One.

Matthew 2:1 - 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."  3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him.  4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where The Christ was to be born.  5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:  6 'But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judea; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the Shepherd of my people Israel.'"  (NIV)

King Herod was king of Judea at the time of Jesus' birth. The Bible tells us the Magi came from the EAST and they came to Jerusalem and there they asked, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?"  The Bible tells us that "they saw His star in the EAST.  So why am I pointing out this today to you?  I mean so what if they came from the east and they saw his star in the east?  They were following the star, and the Bible tells us in Revelation 22:16 it was very bright, and it was referred to as "The Bright Morning Star."  This was also talked about in Numbers 24:17.  Now think about it, brothers and sisters, how bright was this star?  Bright enough to be seen for miles and miles and also for that distance in the daytime.  Please remember these magi, or kings, were more than likely walking.

When King Herod and the others from Jerusalem heard about this, finding out that these Magi were looking for this Child, and please notice that no one was happy about it ...  Now the Magi wanted to worship this Child, and that upset people.  That sounds like today, right?  Hey, same Child, our Lord Jesus.  Let me remind you of that scripture that tells us that Jesus is the same.

Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  (NIV)

The Magi, who are called kings in the song, "We Three Kings," were more than likely not kings at all.  They were also referred to as "Wise Men."

I want you to also note that The Baby is still being called "The Child" and although we know today that it was Jesus in this manger or food trough in the stable, He was not given that name until later.  Now let's look again, the Magi came to worship this Child, and it upset others.  That is what is going on today.  We see it year-round but most often at Christmas and Easter when we who are "Born Again" Christians, and you must be "Born Again" to be a Christian, come under attack.  Then it seems we roll over and play dead.  Our leader, our Jesus, our King of kings, has been put out of places, out of schools, out of public squares, out of public buildings, and watch, they will soon want Him put out of voting places that are in churches.  Christians have been killed for spreading the Word, they have had to go "underground," so to speak, to carry forth His Word, and if not for our military, more than likely we would not even have churches in our United States.

Anyway, come back tomorrow and find out what gifts were brought to "this Child."  So I ask you today in advance.  How many Kings were at the stable?  What were the gifts?  When did they arrive?

Time now for me to get to bed.  I just had another really long day and tomorrow is going to be the same.  Go forth and share your blessings.  Love ya.  Please pass that love along.  Pastor Dan