Sermon Title: Christmas in the World of Shepherds, Angels, and Magi: The key implication for Christmas in the Present.
Text: Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:8-10
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Between the shepherds, angels, and magi, the entire world was represented on that very first Christmas, and brought before the Gift of God – Christ Jesus, His Son.
Every being that had cognitive ability – the ability to be aware of one’s existence and to attain knowledge and understanding through thought, experience and the senses – was made aware that the Lord Jesus Christ, the promised Savior of all Mankind, was born on that day in Bethlehem.
The angels: who represented all non-human beings who exist in the spiritual realms;
The shepherds: who represented the Jews, but also the poor, outcasts and the ‘nobodies’ of society;
The magi – who represented the Gentiles, and also the rich, powerful and highly educated, purportedly practitioners of mysticism – the ruling caste of society.
In both the shepherds and the magi, all categories and conditions of the human race have been characterized, represented and found worthy to be made aware of the Saviour’s divine birth; people whom many might think are simply too far removed in their worldview to believe in Jesus; or perhaps, people whom you think are unworthy to receive God’s grace, because you believe them to be too worldly, too sinful, too stubborn, or too wicked.
Through God’s divine revelation of His Son, Jesus, to the shepherds and the magi, it is categorically revealed that Christ is the Messiah for all.
Our Lord Jesus speaks to this very reality in John 3:16-17:
”For 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.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
God does not only love the Church; He loves the entire world!
However, even in that love, only those whom believe in Jesus “shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Never confuse God’s love for every human being with His Salvation through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.
Never forget that God loves the world; for He created every human being in His image – “male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).
Never forget that God loves everyone – even if you do not, or cannot.
As God’s children, we must love that which He loves; and hate all that He hates.
With Christmas as the season for the advent of Christ; the revelation of God’s Gift of Eternal Life – the Christian task during a time such as this is to embody the heart of God to love the world as He does.
And so, in the world of angels, shepherds and magi - in a world where’s God’s Love and Salvation has been revealed in Christ Jesus – we
must come before Christ with a merciful and hopeful heart, and pray unceasingly for a spiritual harvest.
If you truly want to give someone a gift this Christmas, pray that the person would receive the gift of Salvation and Eternal Life – found only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Give that person the gift of HOPE – by being ever-hopeful and obedient to the reality that God loves the entire world; everyone in the world - even those you consider stubborn, unapproachable, unteachable, untenable, wretched, unlovable and outright wicked in His sight.
Do not ever judge who is worthy to receive Christ; for you are in absolutely no position to do so!
Simply know that everyone needs to receive Christ – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Remember that you were once sinful, and unrepentant – and yet, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
The Apostle Paul further reveals in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 -
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And that is what some of you were.
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (Emphasis mine)
Never ever judge who is ‘worthy’ to receive Jesus; lest you become unworthy yourself.
“… because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13 – emphasis mine)
Every form of apathy or reluctance to engage in the Christian task of intentionally and unceasingly praying for the unsaved in your life is rooted in the wickedness of being hopeless and merciless.
Be careful to never lack hope or mercy for the unsaved in your life, or for those who defy, oppress, or defile all that is holy.
Brethren, love as God loves - be hopeful, and merciful; and be ever-prayerful for the spiritual harvest – for the salvation – of those around you.
God will deal with all wickedness; including yours.
Through Christ, you have been saved; so may they.
How, then, should we pray?
Our Lord Jesus instructs us precisely in Matthew 9:35-38:
“35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Ask!
But wait!
Who is the Lord of the Harvest?
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ” (Matthew 9:36)
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
The Lord of the Harvest is our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
The Christian task over Christmas is not to be overwhelmed by the festivities (which, we certainly have neither reason nor excuse for – given the pandemic restrictions), it is to be merciful and hopeful in prayer for the salvation of souls.
This Christmas, commit and pray – by name - for every unbeliever known to you; and everyday following, fully embrace and live out His Call for you to pray for the harvest of souls!
Stop with the ‘general’, all-encompassing prayers; pray into the specifics, and as you do, open your heart to the Holy Spirit to lead you into the deepest contemplations, and most revealing discernments for that person in focus.
Start with this prayer:
Lord of the harvest, send out workers into Your harvest field. (ref: Matthew 9:38)
Send out workers into Your harvest field – send someone to my family member;
Send out workers into Your harvest field - send someone to my relative;
Send out workers into Your harvest field –send someone to my friend;
Know that by your intentional act of praying for the unsaved, you have been sent - in prayer - into God’s harvest field.
In Hope – believe that your family, relatives, friends belong to His harvest Field!
Pray for them – by name; and believe that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you how you must pray.
To be prayer-specific in this harvest endeavor is not only to be specific in name, but to be specific in the person’s circumstance as revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
1. For the lost and undiscerning; Pray that they would return to Jesus and be saved.
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:25)
Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)
2. For the stubborn and rebellious: Pray that God will give them a new heart and put a new spirit in them; remove their heart of stone; and replacing it with a heart of flesh.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.(Ezekiel 36:26)
3. For those in bondage; Pray that God will grant them repentance before Christ; and that they will come to their senses and escape the devil..
“24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
4. For the persecutors and ‘haters’ of Christians; Pray that God would “open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God”, and if He so chooses, send you to fulfill this sacred task.
“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.
17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.
”I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:15-18)
In this passage, Paul testifies to his conversion and transformation.
Believe me when I tell you that there were prayers for Paul (who was then, Saul); perhaps more like prayers against him. God heard those prayers and answered them in the most unbelievable and unexpected way.
The antagonist becomes an apostle; the persecutor becomes the persecuted; the murderer becomes a missionary; the destroyer of churches becomes a disciple of Christ.
Someone had Saul in their prayers; and today, 7 epistles in the New Testament is directly authenticated to him (Paul), and 6-7 more are traditionally attributed to him. For an enemy of Christ, that’s pretty miraculous by any metric.
That Paul was saved reveals that everyone deserves hope and mercy from us.
Radical conversion and transformation is miraculous, yet possible.
Ananias heard the Lord in a vision; whilst in the state of prayer – and was sent to Saul. (Ref : Acts 9:10-18)
Saul heard the Lord in a vision; whilst in the state of murderous intent – but because he was covered in prayer, Jesus rescued him from the certain and meaningless death that befalls all radicals, and sent him to be His apostle to both the Jews and the Gentiles; that he may live fully for Him, and gain eternity in death.
We must be prepared to be sent to His harvest field in person; just as we have been called to prayer for their souls.
As instituted in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), and exemplified by every true disciple of Jesus Christ, all prayers for salvation must be followed by our embodiment of the Gospel – as Holy Spirit-empowered Christian witnesses, sent out – in the Name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit - to fulfill the task of making “disciples of all nations”.
To which, our every prayer in His harvest field must be concluded with:
Lord of the Harvest,
Send out workers into Your Harvest field; and if it so pleases You – O, Lord of the Harvest - Send Me!
This Christmas, and every day following - till you meet our Lord – may you be sent to His harvest field, with divine hope and mercy, in prayer and in person; “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ.”
Remember. Your role is not to save; but to pray and be sent to share the Good News.
In prayer and in person, with hope and mercy, you have been called, and you have been sent to His harvest field – to reveal the Christ of Christmas, that the unbelievers in your life be saved and sanctified.
And only when you do, would you truly know the meaning of a blessed Christmas.
To that, may you have a truly, blessed Christmas.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord of the harvest, send out workers into Your harvest field. (Ref: Matthew 9:38)
I acknowledge that You love the world; and that the world belongs to You.
Forgive my wickedness when I am merciless and judge the worthiness of the unbelieving.
Forgive my wickedness when I am hopeless and lose the passion to witness as You have commanded me.
Grant me hope, and mercy; teach to me love as You love.
Send me to Your Harvest field – in prayer; and in person.
For every person in my life – family, relatives and friends, may I be deliberate, disciplined and discerning in praying unceasingly that:
- They return to Jesus and be saved;
- You will give them a new heart and put a new spirit in them; removing their heart of stone; and replacing it with a heart of flesh;
- You will grant them repentance before Christ; and that they will come to their senses and escape the devil; and
- You would send me “to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God”.
May I speak words that You would give me – that I would “fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” and ask that “I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for drawing me into the love and worship of the Father – through Your atoning sacrifice in my place.
Thank You, Holy Spirit, for giving me the passion to truly live out Christmas every day of the year – and drawing all people to the saving grace and mercy of God.
Thank You, Father, for revealing to me, and to the world, the reality of Christmas.
I worship You, I love You, and I live for You alone!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Text: Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:8-10
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Between the shepherds, angels, and magi, the entire world was represented on that very first Christmas, and brought before the Gift of God – Christ Jesus, His Son.
Every being that had cognitive ability – the ability to be aware of one’s existence and to attain knowledge and understanding through thought, experience and the senses – was made aware that the Lord Jesus Christ, the promised Savior of all Mankind, was born on that day in Bethlehem.
The angels: who represented all non-human beings who exist in the spiritual realms;
The shepherds: who represented the Jews, but also the poor, outcasts and the ‘nobodies’ of society;
The magi – who represented the Gentiles, and also the rich, powerful and highly educated, purportedly practitioners of mysticism – the ruling caste of society.
In both the shepherds and the magi, all categories and conditions of the human race have been characterized, represented and found worthy to be made aware of the Saviour’s divine birth; people whom many might think are simply too far removed in their worldview to believe in Jesus; or perhaps, people whom you think are unworthy to receive God’s grace, because you believe them to be too worldly, too sinful, too stubborn, or too wicked.
Through God’s divine revelation of His Son, Jesus, to the shepherds and the magi, it is categorically revealed that Christ is the Messiah for all.
Our Lord Jesus speaks to this very reality in John 3:16-17:
”For 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.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
God does not only love the Church; He loves the entire world!
However, even in that love, only those whom believe in Jesus “shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Never confuse God’s love for every human being with His Salvation through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.
Never forget that God loves the world; for He created every human being in His image – “male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).
Never forget that God loves everyone – even if you do not, or cannot.
As God’s children, we must love that which He loves; and hate all that He hates.
With Christmas as the season for the advent of Christ; the revelation of God’s Gift of Eternal Life – the Christian task during a time such as this is to embody the heart of God to love the world as He does.
And so, in the world of angels, shepherds and magi - in a world where’s God’s Love and Salvation has been revealed in Christ Jesus – we
must come before Christ with a merciful and hopeful heart, and pray unceasingly for a spiritual harvest.
If you truly want to give someone a gift this Christmas, pray that the person would receive the gift of Salvation and Eternal Life – found only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Give that person the gift of HOPE – by being ever-hopeful and obedient to the reality that God loves the entire world; everyone in the world - even those you consider stubborn, unapproachable, unteachable, untenable, wretched, unlovable and outright wicked in His sight.
Do not ever judge who is worthy to receive Christ; for you are in absolutely no position to do so!
Simply know that everyone needs to receive Christ – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Remember that you were once sinful, and unrepentant – and yet, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
The Apostle Paul further reveals in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 -
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And that is what some of you were.
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (Emphasis mine)
Never ever judge who is ‘worthy’ to receive Jesus; lest you become unworthy yourself.
“… because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13 – emphasis mine)
Every form of apathy or reluctance to engage in the Christian task of intentionally and unceasingly praying for the unsaved in your life is rooted in the wickedness of being hopeless and merciless.
Be careful to never lack hope or mercy for the unsaved in your life, or for those who defy, oppress, or defile all that is holy.
Brethren, love as God loves - be hopeful, and merciful; and be ever-prayerful for the spiritual harvest – for the salvation – of those around you.
God will deal with all wickedness; including yours.
Through Christ, you have been saved; so may they.
How, then, should we pray?
Our Lord Jesus instructs us precisely in Matthew 9:35-38:
“35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Ask!
But wait!
Who is the Lord of the Harvest?
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ” (Matthew 9:36)
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
The Lord of the Harvest is our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
The Christian task over Christmas is not to be overwhelmed by the festivities (which, we certainly have neither reason nor excuse for – given the pandemic restrictions), it is to be merciful and hopeful in prayer for the salvation of souls.
This Christmas, commit and pray – by name - for every unbeliever known to you; and everyday following, fully embrace and live out His Call for you to pray for the harvest of souls!
Stop with the ‘general’, all-encompassing prayers; pray into the specifics, and as you do, open your heart to the Holy Spirit to lead you into the deepest contemplations, and most revealing discernments for that person in focus.
Start with this prayer:
Lord of the harvest, send out workers into Your harvest field. (ref: Matthew 9:38)
Send out workers into Your harvest field – send someone to my family member;
Send out workers into Your harvest field - send someone to my relative;
Send out workers into Your harvest field –send someone to my friend;
Know that by your intentional act of praying for the unsaved, you have been sent - in prayer - into God’s harvest field.
In Hope – believe that your family, relatives, friends belong to His harvest Field!
Pray for them – by name; and believe that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you how you must pray.
To be prayer-specific in this harvest endeavor is not only to be specific in name, but to be specific in the person’s circumstance as revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
1. For the lost and undiscerning; Pray that they would return to Jesus and be saved.
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:25)
Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)
2. For the stubborn and rebellious: Pray that God will give them a new heart and put a new spirit in them; remove their heart of stone; and replacing it with a heart of flesh.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.(Ezekiel 36:26)
3. For those in bondage; Pray that God will grant them repentance before Christ; and that they will come to their senses and escape the devil..
“24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
4. For the persecutors and ‘haters’ of Christians; Pray that God would “open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God”, and if He so chooses, send you to fulfill this sacred task.
“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.
17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.
”I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:15-18)
In this passage, Paul testifies to his conversion and transformation.
Believe me when I tell you that there were prayers for Paul (who was then, Saul); perhaps more like prayers against him. God heard those prayers and answered them in the most unbelievable and unexpected way.
The antagonist becomes an apostle; the persecutor becomes the persecuted; the murderer becomes a missionary; the destroyer of churches becomes a disciple of Christ.
Someone had Saul in their prayers; and today, 7 epistles in the New Testament is directly authenticated to him (Paul), and 6-7 more are traditionally attributed to him. For an enemy of Christ, that’s pretty miraculous by any metric.
That Paul was saved reveals that everyone deserves hope and mercy from us.
Radical conversion and transformation is miraculous, yet possible.
Ananias heard the Lord in a vision; whilst in the state of prayer – and was sent to Saul. (Ref : Acts 9:10-18)
Saul heard the Lord in a vision; whilst in the state of murderous intent – but because he was covered in prayer, Jesus rescued him from the certain and meaningless death that befalls all radicals, and sent him to be His apostle to both the Jews and the Gentiles; that he may live fully for Him, and gain eternity in death.
We must be prepared to be sent to His harvest field in person; just as we have been called to prayer for their souls.
As instituted in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), and exemplified by every true disciple of Jesus Christ, all prayers for salvation must be followed by our embodiment of the Gospel – as Holy Spirit-empowered Christian witnesses, sent out – in the Name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit - to fulfill the task of making “disciples of all nations”.
To which, our every prayer in His harvest field must be concluded with:
Lord of the Harvest,
Send out workers into Your Harvest field; and if it so pleases You – O, Lord of the Harvest - Send Me!
This Christmas, and every day following - till you meet our Lord – may you be sent to His harvest field, with divine hope and mercy, in prayer and in person; “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ.”
Remember. Your role is not to save; but to pray and be sent to share the Good News.
In prayer and in person, with hope and mercy, you have been called, and you have been sent to His harvest field – to reveal the Christ of Christmas, that the unbelievers in your life be saved and sanctified.
And only when you do, would you truly know the meaning of a blessed Christmas.
To that, may you have a truly, blessed Christmas.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord of the harvest, send out workers into Your harvest field. (Ref: Matthew 9:38)
I acknowledge that You love the world; and that the world belongs to You.
Forgive my wickedness when I am merciless and judge the worthiness of the unbelieving.
Forgive my wickedness when I am hopeless and lose the passion to witness as You have commanded me.
Grant me hope, and mercy; teach to me love as You love.
Send me to Your Harvest field – in prayer; and in person.
For every person in my life – family, relatives and friends, may I be deliberate, disciplined and discerning in praying unceasingly that:
- They return to Jesus and be saved;
- You will give them a new heart and put a new spirit in them; removing their heart of stone; and replacing it with a heart of flesh;
- You will grant them repentance before Christ; and that they will come to their senses and escape the devil; and
- You would send me “to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God”.
May I speak words that You would give me – that I would “fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” and ask that “I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for drawing me into the love and worship of the Father – through Your atoning sacrifice in my place.
Thank You, Holy Spirit, for giving me the passion to truly live out Christmas every day of the year – and drawing all people to the saving grace and mercy of God.
Thank You, Father, for revealing to me, and to the world, the reality of Christmas.
I worship You, I love You, and I live for You alone!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.