Psalm 119:12 Blessed are You, O Lord!Teach me Your statutes.
Psalm 119:15 I will meditate in Your precepts, and have respect unto Your ways.
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.
Psalm 119:91 They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are
Your servants.
Psalm 119:98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
Psalm 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies
are my meditation.
Psalm 119:102 I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have
taught me.
Rule #1: Unless we’ve been born again we cannot know Christ and understand
the Word of God
Rule #2: All the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, Prayer, and Worship go through
Meditation that honors God.
Rule #3: We must read our Bible prayerfully
Through His Word, God talks to us, through prayer we talk to God,
The psalmist in Psalm 119 uses at least nine different terms to describe God’s Word
Statues(22), precepts(21), ways(5), law(25), ordinances(1),commandments(21),
testimonies(22),word(38), judgments(22)
I. THE LISTENER: THROUGH HIS WORD, GOD TALKS TO US.
Luke 11:28 “…Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Hebrews 3:15 “… Today, if you will hear His voice,
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to
the fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews 1:2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,
1 Kings 19:11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.”
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains
and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind;
and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
1 Kings 19:12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and
after the fire a still small voice.
Deuteronomy 32:1 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the
words of my mouth.
Deuteronomy 32:2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew,
As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass.
Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not
return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give
seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return
to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for
which I sent it.
Lyrics “Word of God Speak”
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak
Psalm 119:12 Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes.
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.
Psalm 119:130 The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the
simple.
Psalm 119:27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
Psalm 119:73 “… Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Psalm 119:125 “… Give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies
Psalm 119:144 “… Give me understanding, and I shall live.
Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart
I want to seeyou
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say?
When we close our Bibles God closes His mouth and when we open our Bibles
God opens His mouth.
II. THE SPEAKER: THROUGH PRAYER, WE TALK TO GOD
Psalm 5:1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation.
Psalm 5:2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.
Philippians 4:8 “… think on these things.
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, …”
Psalm 5:3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will
direct it to You, and I will look up.
When we lose the morning we lose the day.
When we lose the day, we forget to pray.
When we forget to pray, we lose the way.
Psalm 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He
shall hear my voice.
III. THE CONVERSATION: BETWEEN TWO RELATIVES WHO LOVE EACH
OTHER.
Psalm 91:15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
Isaiah 58:9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will
say, ‘Here I am.’
Prayer is a two-way conversation between God and one of His children.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Psalm 119:26 I have declared my ways, and You answered me; Teach me Your statutes.
Isaiah 65:24 “It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; And while they
are still speaking, I will hear.
Psalm 116:1 (LB) I love the Lord because he hears my prayers and answers them.
Psalm 116:2 Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!
Matthew 6:9 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to
you.
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the
cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the
Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because
I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Genesis 3:11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten
from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”
Genesis 3:12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she
gave me of the tree, and I ate.”
Genesis 3:13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Psalm 119:81 My soul faints for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word.
Psalm 119:94 I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul …
Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me
the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your
progress may be evident to all.
Genesis 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening;
Psalm 119:97 Oh how I love your law! it is my meditation all the day.
Rule #1: Unless we’ve been born again we cannot know Christ and understand
the Word of God
Rule #2: All the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, Prayer, and Worship go through
Meditation that honors God.
Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
Meditation: Let us get in the Word, so the Word can get in us.
I. GENUINE BIBLE STUDY COMES FROM MEDITATION.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your
progress may be evident to all.
Meditation is the practice of turning each truth we learn from God into matter for
contemplation and reflection before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line,
line upon line, here a little, there a little.
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of
righteousness, for he is a babe.
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who
by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the
still waters.
Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His
name’s sake.
Someone once said that 1 in 100 Christians read Scripture regularly; 1 in 1000
memorize Scripture; but only 1 in 10,000 meditate on Scripture!
Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me
the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Charles Spurgeon said, “It is one thing to hear the Word. It is another thing to taste it.
Hearing the Word is often blessed, but tasting it is a more inward and spiritual thing—
it is the enjoyment of the Truth in the innermost parts of our being!”
Read the Bible carefully, and then meditate and meditate and meditate …For lack
of meditation, the Truth of God runs by us and we miss and lose it.”
The word “meditation” Is mentioned about 25 times in the Bible
Genesis 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening;
Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is
written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have
good success.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day
and night.
Meditation is like taking a wet towel and trying to squeeze it as dry as you can.
II. GENIUNE PRAYER COMES FROM MEDITATION.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything
praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
The Amplified Bible translation of the first and last part of this verse says:
“Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect,
whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word …think continually on these things
[center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].
Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand
I shall not be moved.
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You.
Because He trusts in You.
Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut
your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees
in secret will reward you openly.
Praise song lyrics “In the secret,”
In the secret,
In the quiet place
In the stillness you are there.
In the secret, in the quiet hour
I wait, only for you
Because I want to know you more.
I want to know you
I want to hear your voice
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God,
Psalm 92:5 – “Your thoughts are very deep.”
Psalm 42:7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and
billows have gone over me.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
III. GENUINE WORSHIP COMES FROM MEDITATION.
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Jeremiah 33:11 “… Praise the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His mercy
endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the
house of the Lord.
Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Jeremiah 33:11 “… Praise the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His mercy
endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the
house of the Lord.
Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you;
Psalm 119:97 Oh how I love your law! it is my meditation all the day.
Stanza #3
And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,
Charles Spurgeon said, ” Everything is wonderful until you get used to it ”
Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
Psalm 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with
thanksgiving.
Luke 1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
How great thou art, how great thou art!
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Psalm 77:13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God?
Revelation 10:8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.” Revelation 10:9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Revelation 10:10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby: 1 Corinthians 3:2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ “
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Don’t just read the cookbook; eat the meal.
I THE DIRECTIONS OF THIS BOOK. Revelation 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it … “
Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Ezekiel 2: 8 But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Ezekiel 2:9 Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. Ezekiel 2:10 Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.
John 21:16 … He(Jesus) said to him (Peter), Feed my sheep …
II. THE DIGESTION OF THIS BOOK. Revelation 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up;
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.
In order to “Eat this Book” we must not only get in the Word but let the Word get in us and by eating this book, we are feeding upon Jesus.
John 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
John 6:35 And Jesus said to them,”I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
III. THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS BOOK. Revelation 10:9 “…Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Revelation 10:10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
Acts 20:26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
IV. THE DECLARATION OF THIS BOOK. Revelation 10:11 And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
R. G. Lee once said ” As to being cruel, is it cruel to tell a man the truth? Is a man to be called cruel who declares the whole gospel of God and points out to men their danger? Is it cruel to arouse sleeping people to the fact that the house is on fire? It is cruel to jerk a blind man away from the rattlesnake in the coil? Is it cruel to declare to people the deadliness of disease and tell them which medicine to take? I had rather be called cruel for being kind than to be called kind for being cruel.”
Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
1 Peter 2:3 (NIV) Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Rule #1: Unless we’re born again we cannot understand the Word of God.
V. THE DISCERNMENT OF THIS BOOK. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled
I can only prepare the meal but I can’t create the appetite I can only try to rightly divide the word of truth by following the correct recipe but I can’t make people come to the table. I can fill the pulpit but I can’t fill the pews I can preach truth but only the Holy Spirit can impart truth.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Psalm 18:28 For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. Psalm 18:28 (GNT) O Lord, you give me light; You dispel my darkness. Psalm 18:28 (TLB) You have turned on my light! The Lord my God has made my darkness turn to light.
Ecclesiastes 6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: Ecclesiastes 6:2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction. Ecclesiastes 6:3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he– Ecclesiastes 6:4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. Ecclesiastes 6:5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything this has more rest than that man, Ecclesiastes 6:6 even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place? Ecclesiastes 6:7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied.
Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house . . . nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
I) THE SHORTAGE OF SATISFACTION IS EVERYWHERE. Ecclesiastes 6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: Ecclesiastes 6:2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. this also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:8 … The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.
1 Kings 10:23 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
Song lyrics I can’t get no satisfaction though I’ve tried and I’ve tried
Frederic Seaman book “The Last Days Of John Lennon” (quote) John and Yoko appeared to be compulsive shoppers, like kleptomanics who paid. Most of what they bought was neither needed nor ever used. Clothes, antiques, art, stereo equipment, eletronic gadgets, pieces of furniture — all were delivered, stored away, and promptly forgotten. It never ceased to amaze me that the man who had penned the classic verse, “Imagine no possessions” had become a slave to them. The only real value of many of these items was the mere fact they were owned by John Lennon.”
II) THE SEARCH FOR SATISFACTION IS A VAIN PURSUIT. Ecclesiates 6:3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he— Ecclesiates 6:6 Even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness.
The Law of the Itch: No one ever made an itch go away by getting really good at scratching. The law of satisfaction: No one has ever made the satisfaction itch go away by getting really good at scratching.
Fate of Man lyrics He’s worked all his life to get things the way he wants them. He comes here against his will and he goes away disappointed.
III) THE SOURCE OF SATISFACTION IS GOD HIMSELF. Ecclesiastes 6:2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it,..”
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Ecclesiastes 6:2 … yet God does not give him power to eat of it, …
Ecclesiastes 6:7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied.
Ecclesiastes 6:9 (NLT) Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have.
IV) THE SECRET OF SATISFACTION IS CONTENTMENT. Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: Philippians 4:12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1) THE CONTENTMENT OF THE GODLY. 1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
Psalm 23:1 (NLT) The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1 (MSG) God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. Psalm 23:1 (GW) The Lord is my shepherd.I am never in need.
1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest You.”
The testing ground is simply this: Is God enough? Because when this life is over, He is all we will have. If God is not enough then nothing will ever be enough.
Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Christmas is God becoming a man, God coming to man, Heaven coming to earth.
A “chronicle” is defined as a factual written account of important or historical events in the order of their occurrence.
In the Christmas Chronicles, we find: I) THE PERSON AT HIS INCEPTION. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Jesus Christ is God’s “Word” to reveal His heart and mind to us.
In the Christmas Chronicles, we have: II) THE PLAN OF HIS INCARNATION. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
O Come, All Ye Faithful Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.” contains: Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.”
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
God became something He had never been a man without ceasing to be what He had always been God.
Hebrews 10:5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.
In the Christmas Chronicles, we know: III) THE PURPOSE OF HIS HUMILIATION. Philippians 2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, Philippians 2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
We have a Christmas hymn that includes these words: Thou didst leave Thy throne and thy kingly crown, When Thou camest to earth for me;
Hebrews 2:7 You have made him a little lower than the angels;
Luke 20:36 Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for for the suffering of death … that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”
Nehemiah 1:11 “… For I was the king’s cupbearer. Nehemiah 2:1 And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that I took the wine and gave it to the king …”
Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Luke 22:43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. He drank the cup.
Hebrews 2:9 “… for the suffering of death …” Philippians 2:8 “… He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
He became like us so He could die for us.
In the Christmas Chronicles, we see: IV) THE PLACE OF HIS IDENTIFICATION. Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
The doctor became the patient at the same time he was still the doctor.
He became like us so He could live like us.
In the Christmas Chronicles, we know: V) THE PERFECTION OF HIS MOTIVATION. Hebrews 10:7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me–To do Your will, O God.’ “
Jesus spent all of his life doing two simple things, obeying God and serving others.
In the Christmas Chronicles, we recognize: VI) THE POSITION OF HIS GLORIFICATION. Hebrews 2:7 “… You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. Philippians 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, Philippians 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Psalm 110:1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies Your footstool.”
He became like us so He could live like us He became like us in order to show us how to live He became like us so He could save us. He became like us so He could die for us He became like us so we could live with Him He became like us so we could become like Him
Hebrews 2:8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.
Matthew 2:1 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,
Matthew 2:2 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.”
Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem
with him.
Matthew 2:4 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.
Matthew 2:5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by
the prophet:
Matthew 2:6 ‘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.’ ”
Matthew 2:7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from
them what time the star appeared.
Matthew 2:8 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.”
Matthew 2:9 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.
Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
Matthew 2:11 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.
I. WISE MEN WERE SEEKING THE KING.
Matthew 2:1 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,
Matthew 2:2 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.”
Romans 3:11 There is none that seeks after God.
Hebrews 1:6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
Luke 2:20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things
that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
These wise men have come a great distance, about 300 miles to worship the King
of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all
your heart.
II. RELIGIOUS MEN WERE IGNORING THE KING.
Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem
with him.
Matthew 2:4 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.
Matthew 2:5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by
the prophet:
Matthew 2:6 ‘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.’ ”
These Jewish scholars knew all the prophecies about the Messiah:
1.He will be a Jew.
2. He will come from the tribe of Judah.
3. He will be a descendant of David.
4. He will be born in Bethlehem.
5. He will be born of a virgin.
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
These religious men who knew the Word of God wouldn’t even get on their feet
to see what was happening a mere five miles away in Bethlehem.
III. EVIL MEN WERE OPPOSING THE KING.
Matthew 2:8 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 world is full of people who will not kneel before Jesus Christ, so they miss
Christmas just like Herod did.
Revelation 12:4 ” … And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give
birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men,
was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem,
and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time
which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
The birth of Jesus Christ brought to Bethlehem a godless leader, who murdered
babies of weeping mothers, and that is the forgotten message of Christmas.
IV. WISE MEN WERE WORSHIPING THE KING.
Matthew 2:9 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.
Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
Matthew 2:11 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.
Acts 10:25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and
worshiped him.
Acts 10:26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.”
Revelation 22:8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when
I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed
them to me.
Revelation 22:9 But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like
you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this
book. Worship only God!”
Matthew 2:2 “… For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:8 “… when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come
and worship Him also.”
Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child
with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.
Philippians 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
which is above every name,
Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
Philippians 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.
O Come All Ye Faithful
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord
Angels, from the Realms of Glory
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn KIng!
Angels We Have Heard on HIgh
Come adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
O Holy Night!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah
And He shall reign for ever and ever
King of kings (Forever and ever Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
And Lord of lords (Forever and ever Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
Matthew 2:11 “… they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
The Christmas song “We Three Kings of Orient Are” includes the lines:
O star of wonder, star of night
Guide us to thy perfect light
Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament,
and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
