THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

PART 1: A MIRACULOUS AND A PROMISED STAR

PREFACE

At this year’s “Christian Resources Exhibition” I was looking for inspiration for our Advent series and came across a little book called the “Star of Bethlehem” written by Professor Stuart Burgess (who has held academic positions at Bristol and Cambridge Universities in the UK and Liberty University in the USA). In his introduction he writes words that inspired me to look at this wonderful topic afresh:

“The stars have always been an important witness to mankind by declaring the glory of God and giving signs. The most important sign there has ever been in the stars is the Star of Bethlehem. That star shows us that God loves the world so much that He dramatically intervened by sending a Saviour into the world…Today’s society seeks a sign in the heavens by looking for extra-terrestrial life. But our society needs to consider the star sign that was given two thousand years ago over Bethlehem, and to seek the King of kings. The Star of Bethlehem has a vital message for today.”

So, let us begin by reading carefully the famous passage in the Gospel (or “Good News”) of Matthew and chapter 2 which tells us the story of what is known as “The Star of Bethlehem”…

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 when it rose 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 Messiah 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 Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.”’

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Today, when a baby is born we hang balloons and banners outside the door to announce the happy arrival…no comparison, really, with the appearance of a star in the heavens to announce the birth of Jesus – the greatest announcement ever made!

A MIRACULOUS STAR

Were those “wise men” (that’s a basic translation of the word “magi”) looking for that star already when it appeared? Or was it that they saw the star and wondered what it was and then searched through their books and their records to find out what it meant?

Who knows?…but the message for us today is clear. We are wise if we are looking for the reason we are here; what the meaning of life is; what “the point of it all” is; whether this is really “all that there is”; and if there is a Saviour of the world who is going to make sense of it all and give us “hope for the future”. Maybe if we are actually looking we shall see that He has come. And we are wise if we make a diligent search for the meaning behind the signs that we see on the earth and in the heavens today – the wonder and majesty and vastness of all creation; the miraculous; the good – and the evil that is all around us. Maybe if we search we will find that He has come.

Over the millennia – but particularly in recent years – man has wondered about this star. Was it a natural or a supernatural phenomenon?

Some people have argued that the star was a natural phenomenon. Maybe an alignment of planets such as Jupiter and Venus – which do make a bright spectacle when this happens. Maybe a bright comet – such as Halley’s comet. Maybe a Supernova (the explosion of a massive star) that appears briefly and can be very bright. The problem with these views is that astronomers and magi knew the paths that stars and planets took and comets such as Halley’s were not new either and supernovas…well, they just don’t move!

Professor Stuart Burgess believes it was a supernatural phenomenon placed in the heavens by an almighty God for the purpose of announcing a supernatural event that would change the world forever. His reasoning…

  • Its movement was not natural. It directly guided the Wise Men from the East to Jerusalem and seemed to have stopped there. It then moved on to Bethlehem before stopping again to signify where the child would be found. “Such movement and positioning”, he writes, “is possible only with a supernatural star that is under the direct guidance of God”.
  • Stars, planets, and comets follow fixed paths across the night sky that can be predicted. Supernovas do not move at all…so this MUST have been a special “star”.

Professor Burgess adds:

“Secular scholars and sceptics often try to argue that miracles have naturalistic explanations…such as the Red Sea crossing and Noah’s flood. They have even tried explain Jesus’ miracles by natural means. So it is not surprising that people suggest natural explanations for the Star of Bethlehem”

Does it REALLY matter??? Maybe not. The important thing is that this WAS a supernatural move of God to herald the birth of the Saviour of the world. Today, God wants to continue to announce to the world that Jesus has come.

And why? Because “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). That’s why! He loves you and me.

But, if He wanted the world to know, then HOW COME it was down to Persian Magi, rather than His own people, to respond to this miraculous sign?…

A PROMISED STAR

Shall we begin with the star itself – as an announcement of the coming of the Messiah?

When Balaam was filled with the Spirit of God and prophesied in Numbers 24, he spoke these words concerning what has almost-universally been accepted to refer to the coming of Jesus:

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24: 17)

Commentators point out that as well as stars representing great rulers and powers (just look at the flag of the European Union), the belief of the ancient world was that the birth and accession of great kings was announced by the appearance of stars. Genesis 1 verse 14 in the Amplified Version puts it like this:

Then God said, “Let there be light-bearers (sun, moon, stars) in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be useful for signs (tokens) [of God’s provident care], and for marking seasons, days, and years.

The Star of Bethlehem is a reminder and a sign that God’s Word is reliable. At a time of crisis in Israel, God promised that He would send a Saviour who would be born of a Virgin and even where He would be born –

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7: 14)

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel” (Micah 5: 2)

The Jews even knew His character and His calling – through Isaiah they were told:

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7)

How could it possibly be that the Jews failed to see the sign of the Star of Bethlehem? How could it possibly be that the Jews failed to see in Jesus the fulfilment of God’s promise to send the Messiah?

People want to see what they want to see –  the Jews wanted to see a great military king who would sweep the Romans away and establish Israel as the greatest kingdom in the world.

Let us learn from this! The Promise has been given to us. The Promise of eternal life for all those who give their lives now to Jesus. Let us not fail to see the great Promise that the Star of Bethlehem heralded because we know what WE want and we want it OUR way. Let us rejoice in the love and the mercy of our Father in Heaven who has sent to us the Saviour of the World with the Good News of Life Eternal for all who put their belief in Him.

THE CHALLENGE TO US OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

The Star heralded the miraculous intervention of God in the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the Saviour of the World. The Star fulfilled the Promises of God that He was not willing that any should perish but that all should find, through Him, eternal life.

The bright Star of Bethlehem brought a guiding light into the darkness. It announced that the Light of the World – Jesus – was coming. And it is this Jesus who brought light into the world.

But, knowing that His time on earth would be short, He turned to His disciples and declared to them that –

“You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5: 14)

We are called to be the “light of the world” now – to tell the good news that the saviour of the world has come. It is not the building that is important, it is not the services, it is not the church outreach – it is you and me – the people – we are the light…are we being the light this Christmas? With our families, with our friends, with our work colleagues and our next-door neighbours, with the people we meet in the street and at the shop counter? In the days of Jesus people saw a star of wonder – all saw it – even if they did not know what it meant. When they see us, they must see and wonder as they see, through us, that their saviour has come.

As the Star of Bethlehem announced the Saviour and brought light into the darkness, so we today are called to be the new Star of Bethlehem to all the world – beginning with those all around us. Let this be our Christ

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

PART 2: A HATED AND NEGLECTED STAR

HOW CAN THIS BE!?

Advent is our time of great joy! Advent is a precious season of looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus – the Saviour of the World. Advent is the time when we look anew at the Star of Bethlehem and rejoice in the Good News that it is announcing…

There are paradoxes in life that make no sense to me…like people’s treatment of NHS staff. On the one hand we applaud them with clapping and much banging of wooden spoons on pots and pans. On the other hand, there are those who attack the paramedics who arrive on the scene of an accident and who punch nurses as they are tended to in A&E. How can this be!?

So how can it possibly be that 2000 years ago the Star of Bethlehem was not just a supernatural and promised Star but was also a hated Star and a Star that was disastrously neglected?

Well…this is what we are going to be looking at in this session. The Star of Bethlehem was hated then – and it is hated now. The Star of Bethlehem was neglected then – and it is neglected now. Let us learn the lesson of this for our lives today.

Let us read again the story of the Star of Bethlehem as found in Matthew 2: 1-18

THE PARADOX OF A HATED STAR

The Star of Bethlehem was a Star of Hope, but to King Herod it was a “Hated Star”. How could this be!?

To Him it was the sign of a threat to his kingship and power. The Magi questioned him:

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2: 2)

No! This was NOT what he wanted to hear. His position of supremacy was instantly under threat, and he reacted to it according to who he really was – as the “Prince” (or leader) of Judea he was the human face of the “prince of this world” – the devil (eg John 14: 30) – who hated the very thought of the coming of the Messiah. And how did Herod react?

  • Herod was a liar: He responded to the Magi with –

“Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him” (Matthew 2: 8)

He had no intention of worshipping the Messiah – his intention was to destroy the Messiah.

This reaction was no more or less than what we expect from the agent of Satan who is the “father of lies” (John 8: 44)

  • Herod was a murderer: He responded to the Magi with this command to his soldiers –

“He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi” (Matthew 2: 16)

In committing this heinous act, he was acting in the same way as his father, the devil who “was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8: 44)

Satan was the ruler of the world. Satan had (and still has) just one passion – and that is to control and destroy mankind in his hatred of Father God in Heaven. Herod was his unwitting agent in this.

Be not lulled into foolishness! The hatred of the Star of Bethlehem by Herod is the evidence of the on-going and ever-present spiritual battle in which we are all involved. The Kingdom of Heaven had come and is now amongst us (Matthew 10: 7). The kingdom of Satan hates it and resists it. The devil has been trying to stop the Kingdom of Heaven since the temptation in the Garden of Eden, and he tried to stop it now by turning Herod against it.

The Good News as seen through the Magi is that HE HAS FAILED AND WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL! The Magi were not fooled; the Magi were not turned away; the Magi went and worshipped; Jesus WAS born, and Jesus has become the Saviour of the World!

Now us…now today…The devil continues to hate us…the living Stars of Bethlehem…disciples of Jesus who are announcing His coming and His presence through the lives we live. How we-are-not-surprised when we see the growing secularisation of Christmas – the banning of the religious aspects of this season, the replacing of the eternal wonder of Jesus with the temporary glitter of presents, materialism, parties, dinners, drinking, “fun”, TV programmes – none of which speak of the true meaning of this time. How we-are-not-surprised at the persecution and murder of Christians in the Persecuted Church around the world. How we-are-not-surprised that society is trying to silence us as we speak out the “good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2: 10).

Herod, the world, Satan, hates the Star of Bethlehem and all it stands for. But, take heart, the Magi shows us that He has overcome the world (John 16: 33).

THE PARADOX OF A NEGLECTED STAR

The Star of Bethlehem was a Star of Hope, but to the Jewish religious leaders it was a “Neglected Star”.

How could this be!? When Herod questioned them, they KNEW what the Star meant –

“[Herod] asked them where the Messiah 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 Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”’ (Matthew 2: 4-6)

…and…that is it…no more is said – or done.

Surely a verse is missing from Scripture here? Surely there is a verse 6a – “And then the chief priests and teachers of the Law left Herod and went to Bethlehem that they might find the child and worship Him”?

But no! This verse is not written here…because it never happened. The religious leaders of Judea made no move at all! They neglected all that they knew the Star of Bethlehem meant.

How could this be!?

  1. Disbelief: Jesus wasn’t what they expected at all! They expected a king, born in a palace, of clear royal stock; a child who would grow to be a military saviour from the rule and power of Rome. And so, they neglected the announcement of the Star of Bethlehem; they neglected the truth that was right in front of them.

And so people today will just not believe that Jesus is the Saviour of the world because He does not fit in to what THEY want a saviour to look like – someone who will sort out all their problems NOW and give them peace and plenty and pleasure NOW; someone who will fit into their lives rather than someone who they will have to fit into.

Don’t miss the Saviour of the World because He is not what your picture of Him is. Don’t allow the devil to deceive you so that you miss what is right in front of you!

  • Comfort: Bottom line…the Jewish religious leaders were happy with the status quo – with what they had already. They were important people, living prosperous lifestyles, honoured by all. The Messiah would “rock the boat” and would demand a different way of life. They were quite comfortable, thank you very much, with how things were.

In the spiritual battle that the world is in, the devil wants to persuade people that “all is well”, that their lives are just “fine as they are”. Satan does not want you to think about the bad times, and he certainly does not want you to think about your death, the judgement that follows and eternal life that lies ahead.

Don’t miss the Saviour of the World because you just want to be comfortable “now”. Don’t allow the devil to deceive you so that you miss what is right in front of you!

  • Fear: The religious leaders did nothing because they were afraid of Herod -they were afraid of what man would say and do; they were afraid that if they responded to the sign of the Star of Bethlehem that he would kill them as well as the babies.

Don’t allow fear of the ridicule of man to stop you rejoicing at the coming of the Saviour of the World. Don’t let fear of rejection and persecution by man stop you from rejoicing at the coming of the Saviour of the World. Don’t allow the devil to deceive you so that you miss what is right in front of you.

THE CHALLENGE TO US OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

This famous quote, attributed to Edmund Burke (though probably incorrectly so), must challenge us today in the light of the Star of Bethlehem – the “neglected star” by those who should, of all men, have followed it. It is time for the church to stand up and be counted and neglect the Star no longer, but rather shine like the Star of Bethlehem in our land and our society.

On April the 9th, 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the pastor and theologian, was hanged in Flossenburg concentration camp. His crime? He had stood up against the Nazi regime in support of the Truth of the Bible. When Hitler rose to power after 1933, the Nazi party set about pressuring the German church to come into line with its beliefs. The so-called “German Christians” set up the “Reich Church” where Hitler and his beliefs were exalted, and Jewish Christians were banished. Bonhoeffer was a leader of the new “Confessing Church” which was set up by the evangelical wing of the church in Germany to promote Biblical views. Through fear and coercion (threats and imprisonment) even the Confessing Church compromised and failed to take a stand. But Bonhoeffer did – even joining the conspiracy to overthrow Hitler. Good men in Germany failed to stand firm. Bonhoeffer was arrested, imprisoned, and executed – because he did!

What about you, and what about me? As our society rejects Christian, Biblical values, am I, and are you, willing to finally take a stand and say, “thus far and no further”? The story of Bonhoeffer teaches us that we will be hated for doing so.

But let us learn the lesson of the Star of Bethlehem. While Herod planned and plotted, the star just kept on shining. When the religious leaders failed to stand up for what they believed, the star just kept on shining. The Star did not speak out against Herod; the Star did not condemn the religious leaders; the Star simply carried on announcing the Truth – “The Saviour has been born”. In the same way, out stand does not have to be one of condemnation of societal values – of saying “you are wrong, you are bad, you stand condemned!” Our stand, rather, is to simply declare – over-and-over again – the good news: The Saviour of the world has come – follow Him.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

PART 3: A GUIDING STAR

OK…I ADMIT IT…I’M JUST HOPELESS!

I hope this does not sound too irreverent…but I often say with laughter and tears…

When I was on the “conveyor belt of creation” God sneezed as I went past as he was putting into the heads of all His loved people a “sense of direction”. And so…He missed me out! When it comes to knowing which way to “go” I am absolutely HOPELESS. Turn me round and push me in the way that I should go, and I guarantee that I will quickly get hopelessly lost!

And there I am – perhaps my favourite activity of relaxation is…walking alone through the wastes and wildernesses of (for me) unknown territory! Yes…you’ve guessed it… I am an adept of being out in the middle of nowhere and looking around and gazing at the Ordnance Survey map that I’m supposed to be pretty good at reading and thinking “I have no idea where I am or where I should be heading to get where I want to be going!” THANK GOD for the new “Ordnance Survey App”! It knows where I am (through the miracle of GPS) and it shows me with an arrow where I am going and a clearly marked line shows me where I am going. Now, you might say that this takes all the “fun” out of my trekking…NOT ME…it takes all the disaster out of my journey!

How like life this is! Who amongst us does not want to know:

  • Where we are now
  • Where we want to be going
  • (And) How to get there

Life is a journey. It has a beginning – birth; it has an end – death; but best of all, it has a destination – eternal life in Heaven.

And there is something inbuilt into all of us that wants to know how to get to Heaven, Paradise, Glory, Everlasting Life.

And this is where the Star of Bethlehem comes in…

THE CHALLENGE TO US OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

Remember the bumper sticker that said:

“Don’t follow me, I’m lost too!”

Mankind is desperate to know the reason why they are alive; desperate to know that there is more to life than “this”; desperate to know if there is a Saviour of the World.

Follow the guiding Star of Bethlehem. If there is one wonderful thing of the message of the Star of Bethlehem it is this…whatever was going on in the world, God wanted to guide the Wise Men to the place where the Saviour of the World was born. All they had to do was to fix their eyes on the Star and it would take them there. And God is crying out today “fix your eyes upon Me and I will guide you to the Good News of Eternal Life”. It’s as simple as this…don’t look to the right or to the left; don’t get distracted by the troubles and problems, allures and lusts of this world; just keep looking at His guiding Star. Do this, and you too shall find that you are guided to the Saviour of the World.

And learn too the lesson of the Magi…the prince of this world, Satan, will seek to distract you as you live your life. But, the promise of God through is that He will guide you through the day-to-day troubles and temptations – keep listening to God (through His Word and His Spirit) like the Magi continued to listen to Him and so were warned by Him of Herod’s plans and so returned home a different way.

Yet I fear that many are going to cry out when they stand before the Judgement throne of Christ after their death “why didn’t you make the way to You clearer!?”

It is like the old story:

A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.

Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.”

The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.”

So the rowboat went on.

Then a motorboat came by. “The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.”

To this the stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the motorboat went on.

Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.”

To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, “I had faith in you but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”

To this God replied, “I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?”

God so loves the world that He sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (that’s the thrust of John 3: 16).

And because God is not willing (it’s not what He wants) that ANYONE should perish, He sent the Star of Bethlehem to announce Jesus’ coming. He sent a host of angels to proclaim His birth. He sent Wise Men from the East to declare that the King of the Jews had been born. He gave us Jesus and all His teaching to show us that He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. He fulfilled prophecy after prophecy while alive on earth. He died for us as foretold. He rose from the dead as promised. He left us His Word – the Bible – to teach us; and His Spirit to fill us….WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR!

And…last of all…and perhaps most amazing of all…He chose us – you and me – to be His living Stars of Bethlehem so that when people look at us they might be amazed and say “Will you show us the way?” and we will reply with “Follow me and I will guide you to peace now, hope for the future, and the promise of Eternal Life – which is through Jesus Christ the Light of the World”.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

PART 4: THE ONLY TRUE STAR

THE ONLY TRUE STAR

One last time this year we will listen to the wonderful words of Matthew 2 and verses 1 and 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 when it rose and have come to worship him.’

They saw His “star”! 2000 years ago the sky was full of stars! No artificial lighting meant that a clear, moonless, night sky was a blaze of lights. But there was only one Star of Bethlehem that shone brightly at that time; only one Star of Bethlehem that pointed the way to the Saviour of the World; only one Star of Bethlehem that could guide Wise Men to the cradle in Bethlehem. All the other stars were hopeless distractions.

And so it is today. Our world is full of “stars” promising to give us hope and purpose for our lives.

There are people who are saying “be like me, look how great I am, worship me, follow me” – pop stars, film stars, blog stars. But none of them can offer forgiveness of sins, none of them can bring us reconciliation and relationship with God, none of them can promise us eternal life. Only the one true Star can do this – Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

There are things that are saying “buy me, enjoy me, be sucked-in by me, I will bring you pleasure and take your mind off the really important things of life” – music, films, online gaming, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll, possessions, houses, cars, hobbies. But none of them can offer forgiveness of sins, none of them can bring us reconciliation and relationship with God, none of them can promise us eternal life. Only the one true Star can do this – Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

The world is excited…in the morning they shall be opening presents, at noon they shall be feasting, in the afternoon they shall be playing games (and sleeping-off too much wine and roast turkey), in the evening they shall be watching the “Blockbuster Christmas Film”. None of this is wrong…but there is only one true Star – there is no other way to peace, purpose, prosperity and a place in Heaven – only through our following and worship of Jesus…the only true Star.

In Revelation 22: 16 Jesus declares this about Himself –

“I am the bright Morning Star”

There is no other Star or Light that will lead us to God and to His eternal home. There is no other person, no other thing and no other religion that will do this. He is truly “The way and the Truth and the Life” – there is no other way to the Father but through Him. Our enemy, the devil, has always sought to deceive mankind by getting them to worship the stars in the heavens – you may say that this is not relevant today – but how many in this world still put their trust in the star signs of the Zodiac? Make no mistake and do not neglect this one and only Star. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by any other person, thing or god. Follow Him.

THE CHALLENGE TO US OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

We are called to be like the Star of Bethlehem from this time on – to be peace in the midst of a world of fear, hope in the midst of a world of despair, joy in the midst of a world of sadness. To shine like the Star of Bethlehem no matter what is going on. Not to shout and argue and judge and condemn, but just to shine brightly the love of God to all mankind.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

PART 5: THE STAR TO SEEK

BIBLE READING: ISAIAH 53: 1-3

Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

THE STAR TO SEEK

Wow! This is a weird reading to have on Christmas Day! But, you see, when the Star of Bethlehem shone over the land it took Wise Men to seek the Truth of what that Light proclaimed.

Jesus came as a baby. Nothing special…not a king, not a priest…just a normal little baby. He was humble and meek. From the very beginning He was hated, and He was misunderstood. The devil sought to kill Him, and religious leaders ignored Him. Yet Wise Men sought Him out. And Wise Men still seek Jesus. And here is good news:

“You will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deut 4: 29)

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29: 13)

“Those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8: 17)

But don’t leave it too late…do it now!

“Seek the Lord while he may be found” (Isaiah 55: 6)

The One whom we are called to seek is an enigma – not an “all-guns-blazing”, “earth-shattering” figure, and yet One who changed the whole of history, the whole of the world, the whole of time and eternity. Make sure YOU don’t miss Him. Make sure you seek Him. These two well-known stories put it so well:

“The Incomparable Christ”

More than nineteen hundred years ago, there was a Man born contrary to the laws of life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived; that was during His exile in childhood.

He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous and had neither training nor formal education.

In infancy He startled a king; in childhood He puzzled doctors; in manhood He ruled the course of nature, walked upon the waves as pavement, and hushed the sea to sleep.

He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His service.

He never wrote a book, and yet perhaps all the libraries of the world could not hold the books that have been written about Him.

He never wrote a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the songwriters combined.

He never founded a college, but all the schools put together cannot boast of having as many students.

He never marshalled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have, under His orders, made more rebels stack arms and surrender without a shot fired.

He never practiced psychiatry, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near.

Once each week multitudes congregate at worshiping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him.

The names of the past, proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone. The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come and gone. But the name of this Man multiplies more and more. Though time has spread nineteen hundred years between the people of this generation and the mockers at His crucifixion, He still lives. His enemies could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him.

He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints, and feared by devils, as the risen, personal Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

And…

One Solitary Life


He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant. He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30. Then, for three years, he was an itinerant preacher.

He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a home. He didn’t go to college. He never lived in a big city. He never travelled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself.

He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his garments, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave, through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. I am well within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned–put together–have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one, solitary life.*

*Attributed to James Allen Francis.

Jesus said: “Seek and you will find” (Matthew 7: 7). We seek so many things in life – love, wealth, purpose, peace, hope, joy – but none of these will satisfy unless we seek the One who is the only one who can satisfy our whole soul – Jesus. Seek Him in your thinking; seek Him in your praying; seek Him through reading His Word (the Bible); seek Him through talking to others about Him.

Seek Him wholeheartedly.

Seek Him when times get tough – 800 miles of hard, hot, cold, desert and mountain – but the Wise Men never gave up. And they found Him…and so will you if you never give up.

And when you find Him, like the Wise Men you will “bow down and worship” (Matthew 2: 11) Him.

And when you find Him, like the Wise Men you will give Him the gifts of your life (Matthew 2: 11) – your Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

And when you find Him, like the Wise Men you will be “overjoyed” (Matthew 2: 10)

And you will have found the One who rewards all who seek for Him with a spiritual, fulfilled life now and a place in Heaven forever and ever and ever!

THE CHALLENGE TO US OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

So, there we have it. Jesus HAS come and Jesus WILL come again. He came because He loves us. He came to be our Saviour. He came to die for our sins. He came to reconcile us to God the Father. Thank You Jesus.

And He came to call us to follow Him. He came that we might be like Him. He came that we might do even greater things than He did. He came that we might now be the light of the World.

As we go into this day and the coming days let us remember the call made to us in Daniel 12 verse 3:

Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever

We are called to be the living Star of Bethlehem to a world that is in darkness.

We are called to be like the Star of Bethlehem from this time on – to be peace in the midst of a world of fear, hope in the midst of a world of despair, joy in the midst of a world of sadness. To shine like the Star of Bethlehem no matter what is going on. Not to shout and argue and judge and condemn, but just to shine brightly the love of God to all mankind.