Matthew 2
1 “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi, or wisemen, 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 in the sky, and we have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2
3 When King Herod heard this he was ***disturbed, and all of 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 supposed to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
Matthew 2
“‘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
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.” 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. and on coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2
12 And having been warned by God in a dream NOT to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
1) Joy
the journey and Joy
the journey
2) Joy Requires Some
Hebrews 11
1 “Now Faith is confidence in what we hope for, and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11
32 “And what more shall I say? I do not even have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who THROUGH FAITH conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
Hebrews 11
35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 And these are the kinds of people who are commended for their faith, yet none of them had yet received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For because of the JOY set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you too will not grow weary and lose heart.
Worldly expectation leads to disappointment, but spiritual expectation leads to JOY.
3) Exceedingly great joy requires exceedingly
True and proper worship is honoring God for WHO he is, and being willing to give him what is valuable to you.
Romans 12
1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”