Services | Searching for Jesus

Bulletin

FBCWest
February 10, 2019

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”

“Majesty”
PRAISE AND WORSHIP
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 103:1 - 5
“Strong Enough to Save”
“Living Hope”
“Wonder”
it Again”


GIVING OF SELVES AND OUR OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY PRAYER

SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
MESSAGE Pastor Joe

“THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS THE MESSIAH”
“Searching for Jesus”

Time of Reflection
PRAYER TIME –

“Good, Good Father”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Benediction “Only Jesus”

SERMON NOTES

Luke 2:41 & 42 Consistent Passover Observance


Luke 2:43 – 45 The search for Jesus


Luke 2:46 & 47 Jesus amazes by His understanding


Luke 2:48 – 50 Jesus clarifies who His father is


Luke 2:51 & 52 He submits to Joseph and Mary
Continues to increase in many areas

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

Good morning.

We are looking.

At the life and Ministry of Jesus the Messiah.

And we're going to do it in a imperfect chronological order. We've taken a look at.

The fact that he existed before he was born that he was God he came to Earth as a human and fully God, we took a look last time at his birth in today. We're going to take a look at what's usually called a part of the Christmas store?

I've separated out because there is a.

Passing of time, the sad thing in this quote Unquote Christmas story is that people are more familiar with the tradition.

Then the scriptures.

I'll give you some examples.

In the native iti seen we always see what we call the wise men, there at the stable.

We're going to see in this passage. That's not the case. We've there isn't even a ham called we 3. Kings of Orient are and we've always assumed it. There are 3 people who show up to present Jesus.

Worship and gifts and never tells us how many people are there. It tells us that there were 3 types of gifts gold frankincense and myrrh but doesn't tell us how many you showed up.

We do know that these more than one because the plural form. Is there so it's gotta be at least 2 it could be too could be 77 we don't know.

And so, but we get this idea of tradition and those types of things and it's it's typical but kind of sad that we gravitate oftentimes more through their tradition.

Then to the story.

We're going to take a look at the beginning again of this story.

And it's going to be interesting that there's going to be a top couple of references if you will to what's kind of the presumed end of the story and I'll let you know when we see that and so in Matthew Chapter 2, it's going to talk about a couple major there's 3 responses.

We're going to concentrate on 2 of the responses of the Messiah's birth.

As we're going through these responses.

The unasked questions, I'm going to ask now.

What's your response?

And so in Matthew Chapter 2, it says this now. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea and the days of her. The King Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem, now my translation says Magi your translation may say wise men. Magi is kind of the actual.

Word the translation is wise men in the sense of these magi were people who were a part of a kind of like a caste system that were educated men they were educated and astronomy and Astrology and natural Sciences and usually if you needed to know something.

Like we would if you when we looked at the book of Daniel. The Chaldeans would be those wise men that the King would say I have a problem give your advice and that's kind of where these magi wise men come from the American, the English version of Magi, we get our word magic.

So they kind of had these.

Special deceptive powers.

I'm reluctant to call them Wiseman they were educated people.

And oftentimes educated people aren't that wise they just know a lot. However, in this instance, they seem to be wise because they put a few things together some astrological aspects to probably what was written by Daniel about a Messiah coming and.

Is together and decided not only did they have education but wisdom and we'll see? Why would then call them wise and so they came arrived and drew some saying where is he who is born King of the Jews but we saw his star in the East and have come to worship him now, you can kind of understand.

They would go to Jerusalem because Jerusalem was the capital city of Israel or Judea and so you're going to assume if a King is born that he's going to be in the capital city so they show up in Jerusalem and want to know where this Messiah. This King of the Jews is now I want to.

We've come to worship the King of the Jews.

Beginning of the story the presumed end of the story.

This same child.

While crucified has a sign above is said that says King of the Jews.

Beginning of the story.

Presumed end of the story for a sauce. We saw a store in the East and have come to worship him and inherited came heard this he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.

You would think this would be a time of rejoicing.

Scriptures have been prophesying than a Messiah would come a savior was prophesied as far back as the garden. A Messiah aching that would be on the throne of David Forever and ever was given to David and Solomon into others. And so you think there would be this expectation and.

That the Messiah was coming, but instead their troubled.

And when Herod the King heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him now harid.

Was called Herod the great and he did a lot of great things?

He revitalize the temple made it beautiful. He built aquaducks and buildings and did a lot of building programs that made the temple, the temple. Andrew some in the surrounding areas.

Beautiful and an and usable.

Her it was at Eddie men that probably means nothing to you who he was was. He was a descendant of Edam Esau, but his father and others in that area, even though they were Edomites.

Converted to Judaism so in essence hair in, not being a natural born Jew adopted the religious practices and thoughts of the choose however.

He was more interested in power and he would go in and pick. The side in Rome. Whoever was winning and beyond. That side, so that the room was the one who appointed him King over Judea.

And Rome generally like the fact because he was a good.

Lapdog of Rome.

But he was always interested in his power. Harrow was so much more interested in this power that tore his last days.

He killed even some of his own children.

'cause he was concerned that they might take his power.

Gathering together all the chief priests and describes other people, he inquired of them. Where are the Messiah was to be born and they said that him in Bethlehem of Judea for this is what it has been written by the prophet and you Betta Lemme Land of Judah are by no means least among the leaders of Judah.

Are out of you shall come forth a ruler? Who will Shepherd my people Israel so they search the scriptures interesting?

That, they search the Scriptures.

Again, so many people will search the scriptures for information.

But they're not the change of heart.

So he they search and they find out that it is in Bethlehem that the Messiah will be born. Then, her written verse 7 secretly called the magi or the Wiseman and determined from them. The exact time. This star appeared and he sent them to Bethlehem, and said go and search carefully for the child.

And in reports of Maine, so the time to make a man worship him. Now we're going to see later that he just ball face lying.

He had no intention of worshipping this Messiah.

But if he were truly going to worship the Messiah.

Why wait?

Because her it is not unlike most of us.

When we come to understand that the Messiah has come and that we have a need for a savior.

Often times our response is not today later.

Let me live my life today and I'll come to the savior later.

'cause he's going to interrupt my life and what I want to do with my life so I will come and worship him later.

And after hearing the King they went their way, and the star which they had seen in the East went on before them until they came and stood over the place where the child was now.

I've read and I've seen programs and I think it's always interesting people are trying to describe this star and some will say this star can be a star because scars don't move it. So it had to be a comment.

I'll go OK.

I'll play your game it's a comet, but comments don't stop and rest comments keep moving.

So it.

It can't be a star and it can be a comet.

Let me again, let you in on a little secret.

The Scripture says it was star it was a star.

Because the God who placed that star in the universe can move that star to any place. He wants it to be. And stop it any place that he wants it to be the question is how big is your God?

My God, is big enough to tell it stars what to do.

And that's what he did to help these wise men. These majib to find a Christ.

And it stood over where the child was and when they saw this star. They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy and after coming into the stable.

Now, what it says after coming into the house, so you see the Nativity scene isn't accurate, so you can do with your nativity scene. We know we didn't do one this year, but usually what I do and it kind of irritates my family, we put the Nativity set up.

Wise men and I put him somewhere else.

'cause they weren't there that night, the shepherds were.

The Magi, the Wiseman come later into the house in Bethlehem.

And they saw the child with Mary's mother and they fell to the ground and worshipped him now. This is why I would say there Wise 'cause. He's not just the King of the Jews. If you were just a King. Yeah, you might fall to the ground and pay respects in homage to a King.

Worship him.

But they worship the child.

Again, a child, who has done nothing for them.

Incense and myrrh.

3 types of gifts gold, which even today has great value. People want to make necklaces and chains and rings and all kinds of stuff we find goals to be even of great value today. You can use it to buy things you can use it to trade for things goals has always had.

Some reason this.

View of value.

Even though it's probably not that great of a metal as far as when it comes to do that 'cause it's very soften but it had great value. And so their treasures. They open and give him gold. They also give him frankincense. Frankincense is used in a number of areas frankincense was used to.

So without a mixture of murder and other things to create the smoke that would fill the temple in the prayers of the Saints in those subs and so was used in religious offerings in today used by many traditional Orthodox types of religion.

Use frankincense Uber. It also has medicinal value. Those of you ladies, especially, were all involved into the essential oils and all that you can use frankincense for medicinal purposes. You can rub it on your feet and do different things and it has different health benefits.

Same way with myrrh Merle is used to create incense in worship and religious services. It also is used for medicinal purposes.

This also appears.

In earlier story.

An in the presume end of this story for you see when Joseph was going to be killed by his brothers. They decided instead of killing him that what profit was there in that let's sell him and they saw a bunch of Ishmaelite Traders.

Egypt to trade.

They were trading mer.

And they took Joseph with them and sold him into bondage in Egypt when they were trading for mer. Mer is also used towards the end of the presumed end of this story.

For when they buried Jesus temporarily because they were didn't have enough time to properly bury the body.

Joseph Rivera Mystere, who's going to you, let them use his tomb and Nick a demas.

Brought about 100 pounds of aloes and myrrh and other items.

To place upon the party because?

They didn't embalm the way we do.

And bodies when they decompose stink so you put all of this.

Fragrant aroma items, so that they come back properly dressed the body. But frankincense and myrrh was used also by the wealthy not just in religious and not just in medicinal purposes, they would take the bark.

From the tree that they got the reson from frankincense and burn it to ash.

And they would use it as eyeliner and eye.

Highlighter.

So it had great economic value so they brought things of great value to present to the Messiah.

Having determined

That Jesus is the Messiah.

What do we bring to him?

And having been warned by God in a dream, not to return to her it. The Magi left for their own country by another way.

Now, when they had gone beholden Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said get up and take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and remained there until I tell you for her. It is going to search for the child to destroy him.

Parage response is not going to be to come to worship. The trial, but to get rid of a political adversary. He's going to seek to destroy the car so the Angel tell Joseph Pick Marian and Jesus and head on to Egypt.

So Joseph got up and took the child and his mother while it was still night and left for Egypt notice. Joseph is soon as these worn takes action. It's not like her it. I'll get up in the morning when it's better 9 time travel is difficult, but he takes the.

Seriously.

And after all, he has been appointed by God to care for Mary Ann for Jesus.

So it takes the warning seriously and gets up and goes immediately.

So we left for Egypt and remained there until the death of her. This was to fulfill what was spoken up by the Lord through the profit out of Egypt. I called my son.

The inherit saw that he had been tricked by the Magi and he became very enraged and sentence Lou all the male children who are in Bethlehem. All in this vicinity from 2 years old, and under a coordinated the time, which had been determined from the Magi.

And then I'll continue reading.

Then, what had been spoken up through Jeremiah, the prophet was the filled a voice was heard immrama weeping in great morning. Rachel weeping for her children and she refused to be comforted because they were no more.

When I read this, it disturbs me.

It's consistent with her. It her to kill his own children. So why would he care about some other babies and toddlers to get rid of a potential adversary.

But he had been converted to Judaism. You would think number one that he would take seriously. The Scriptures and the coming of the Messiah but his efforts was to stop in.

Why it disturbs me as I go Lord? Why did you just take out her it?

Makes sense to me why would you just kill arid in to save the children?

We're going to see later taking out her it wouldn't necessarily have solved the problem.

I don't blame God for the death of the children. I blame her it and the people who followed his orders.

Member of way back in exodus, Pharaoh gave orders to kill all the male children to the.

Maidservants and they refused.

They came up with it as well. You know the The Women of the Hebrews are so strong they just give birth before we're able to get there, but they refused to follow the orders. These men followed her IDs orders.

And I blame them inherited not God.

But it does tell me one thing.

God's People oftentimes suffer.

They oftentimes suffer not because of any fault of their own.

So you'll hear people say if you just have enough faith. Everything will go well, you will have the abundant life.

We have the abundant life, even if the circumstances is terrible.

Circumstances do not determine our closeness or approval with God, sometimes we suffer.

Because of evil and sometimes we suffer to Glorify God.

By when Herod died beholden Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said get up and take the child and his mother and go into the land of Israel for those who sought the child's life are dead so Joseph got up took the child and his mother and came into the land of Israel.

Their place was raining over Judea in place of his father Harid. He was afraid to go there. You see that's why just taking out her it would not have solved the problem. 'cause they need to take out her and his son and everybody else who wanted power because the Messiah was here.

The sad thing is if they understood the Scriptures and just read more than he was going to be born in Bethlehem.

They would have understood that he came as Messiah, the first time as a suffering servant.

He was no threat to the economic and political powers of the day, they could have left him alone because he was not interested in politics.

Even said if it were fun will he could call myriads of Angels?

To his rescue.

But did not.

Then, after being warned by God in the dream, he left for the regions of Galilee if you notice.

God is consistent with Joseph.

An Angel actually appears to Mary if you'll see in other places like in Daniel and Angel actually appears to the Daniel into others and give them instruction. Every time an Angel appears to Joseph. It's always been a dream.

'cause God doesn't use the same method for all people.

But is consistent with Joseph.

To say entering the Angel appears and gives him instruction. Angel appears in a dream and gives him instruction and each and every time Joseph obeys, the instruction.

So we left for the regions of galley in Cayman live in a city called Nazareth.

Now, if you remember the beginning of the story that's where Joseph and Mary are originally from.

Nazareth.

So they're going to go back home.

Now Jesus in his adult ministry does not use Nazareth is his home. He has an adopted home of Capernaum.

I would think one of the last places, Joseph would rarely want to go back.

Who beat an acid?

Because I'm sure that there are still people talking.

By Hail Mary got pregnant and how they left.

And we're gone for a few years.

For talk still.

Is there?

But now this was a place that Joseph was familiar with, but also nazarus is a place that it says this was to fulfill will spoken through the prophet, he shall be called a Nazarene.

And so he's from Dads, Ruth, he should we call the Nazarene, which is in service thing. We kind of think of a Nazarene. We think of a person who doesn't cut their hair doesn't drink alcohol does all those types of things now in all the pictures again of tradition, you will see a picture of Jesus and he has long hair.

Maybe not.

But we see in the at least at the wedding in Cana. He changes water into wine. We see in the Passover. The least the last passover how he offers the Cup.

And so from the Nazarene position, you probably wasn't one, but it was from Nazareth, so they return home so after a number of years after.

Leaving Nazareth 'cause, they were ordered to go to Bethlehem.

For the census because Harry attempted to murder the child.

They go to Egypt and they go back home.

The Wise men the Magi.

Worship him.

Harid.

Attempted to murder him.

And Joseph through a dream protected him.

What's our response?

If Jesus is the Messiah.

And he is.

What is your response?

Now I will tell you.

I was in there.

So I would have known at that particular to moment whether the child was the Messiah.

But my responses.

He rose from the dead.

That proved he was the Messiah.

And since he did that.

My response.

Should be no less?

Then the wise men.

To fall on the ground and worship him.

Anne I may not be able to afford goals and frankincense and myrrh.

All the honest is I have a gold ring.

I don't like jewelry, but my wife has various items of jewelry.

She was involved in some of the essentials oils that I know she has frankincense, she may have murder. I don't know did look in her a little vials, so I guess I'm able to afford those things.

The least and let most valuable thing that I can think that I can offer to him.

Is me?

All that I am and all that I hope to be in all that he will make me to be.

And so my response and I pray your responses.

Here, I am to worship.

Not to oppose you not to delay and say later Lord when it's more convenient. I'll come and worship.

But as soon as I'm aware of who you are I worship.

And all God's people said.