Grab your Bibles tonight, and we're going to look at the Christmas story a little bit. Nothing too deep tonight, but I just kind of want to help set a tone as we enter into what we call the Christmas season. And we looked at Luke 24 this morning. Well, let's jump over to John chapter 1 tonight. Just kind of set the stage. John 1, if you would, stand together out of respect for the reading of God's Word. The Bible says this, John 1, beginning in verse number 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Tonight for a few minutes as we look at the Christmas story I want to think of this simple thought. Don't miss Christmas. Father, we love you. Lord, I thank you for the song the choir just sang. And Lord, what a reminder that is about how everything changed that night. And God, I thank you for your great and glorious plan of redemption. Lord, how when we as humanity made that decision to turn away from you, that you did not leave us hopeless, to a deserved destruction. But God, you crafted a perfect plan to redeem those who would put their faith in you. And Lord, as we consider the greatest gift that's ever been given, help us, I pray, to not miss Christmas this season. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. It's pretty evident that the Christmas season is upon us. The signs are everywhere. There are trees, and there are lights, and there are gifts, and there is glitter. I don't know, like, I think the glitter has been worse the last couple of years than it has ever been before. I'm not terribly sure what the draw is when it comes to glitter, But it's there, and it seems to be there a lot. Or maybe that's just me getting old and not appreciating the finer things. I'm not sure. Christmas is here. I enjoy it. The food's fantastic, is it not? Oh, cookies and cakes and all sorts of various carbohydrates that are just fantastic. Like if you're on keto or the carnivore diet, like I am sorry for your soul. What a miserable, miserable existence to live, especially this month. Brother, God has given us all things richly to enjoy. Lighten up and eat a cookie, amen? We celebrate. We rejoice. Man, we talked about it, didn't we, at the announcement times. There are programs and parties and parades and carolings and kindness to go around. But it's sad to think that so many will miss Christmas this year. Now, by that, I do not mean that December 25th will come and go and they not realize it. I simply mean this, that many will get caught up in a season and miss the Savior. Tonight as we look back over the Christmas story, we're going to look at a couple of groups who were so close. but missed that first Christmas miracle. So to find the first group, let's turn back to the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2. The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, probably the most familiar rendition of the Christmas story, as we call it. And we're going to look at, beginning here at Luke 2, we're going to look at verses 1 through 7. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. It all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea under the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. Read it with me. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because... Hmm. Some people that may have missed that first Christmas, number one, perhaps the innkeeper missed that first Christmas miracle because he was preoccupied. You know, to be fair, the innkeeper, and really the whole town, was consumed with trying to manage the travelers arriving for the census. All of David's descendants were packing into this tiny village of Bethlehem. Now, to give you a little bit of a scope, scholars estimate that maybe Bethlehem had 300 or 400 residents that lived there on a regular basis. It was back roads, boondocks. It was nowhere. And they estimate that for this census it could have been a thousand people or more who came to this city tripling or quadrupling the population all at once. Now imagine that in Clyde, Ohio. Imagine that in Fremont, in Greensprings, in Bellevue. I dare say there would be a little bit of chaos, there would be a little bit of inconvenience, there would be a little bit of struggle over the right way to manage resources and room. And you know, this innkeeper, he catches a lot of flack around Christmas, doesn't he? That poor, poor innkeeper. And I've heard people say, well, you know what the innkeeper could have done? The innkeeper could have given Jesus his room. Come on, guys. Like, really? You've got 700 people banging on your door. You ain't going to think about it either. The innkeeper gets a lot of flack. But the innkeeper had all sorts of things he was trying to deal with. And I'm sure if you ask that innkeeper, I'm sure that they felt that they did the best that they could. They were not hostile or unsympathetic. But they were busy with the season. And they were burdened by a lot of stuff. You know, church, I'm reminded tonight that the Christmas season can be intense. You know, I read the church schedule, the opportunities to be a part of different things over really the next three weeks, two and a half weeks, really. That's a lot of stuff to cram into two and a half weeks. And you know what I'm reminded? I'm reminded of the fact that that is just church. That is not school. That is not work. That is not family. That is not the personal things that you need to do, decorating, sending cards, cookies, and cleaning. I mean, some of you had like six Thanksgivings you had to go to. Some of you just got done with Thanksgiving, and now it's on to Christmas. You know, there is often a burden to the busyness of this season. You know, it is said, and I'm not seeing statistics, but it has been said that more nervous breakdowns happen at Christmas than any other time of the year. You say, well, preacher, is there an answer for this? I got a lot on me, I'm busy, I'm managing problems and I'm also trying to help other people and I'm trying to do these things and go and be a part of these events. How can I keep from being so preoccupied that I miss what Christmas is really about? You say, preacher, is there an answer for this? Yes, there is. I love what the psalmist said in Psalm 46 in verse number 10. He said, what did he say? Say it with me. He said, be still. Be still and know that I am God. You know, the thing about being still is I have found more and more that it must be an intentional thing. Because if I am not intentionally still, if I am not intentionally meditated, if I am not intentionally dwelling on the things of God and centering my heart and life on Him, I'm going to tell you it doesn't happen, because life will run you ragged. You know, I tell people from time to time, a bit of counsel, and that is simply this, you either choose to intentionally live your life or your life will live you. Friend, I love you, but you don't have to be a victim of your own life. But it requires us grabbing the bull by the horns and intentionally making the most important things the most important things. I love the example of Mary. Can we all agree? that for probably anybody in the Christmas account, Mary had probably one of the most chaotic, unsettling, earth, life-altering scenarios that she had to go through. I mean, yeah, it was crazy for the shepherds, and it was crazy for the innkeeper, and it was crazy for Joseph, and it was crazy for... But I'm going to tell you, it was uniquely crazy for Mary. And if anybody could be given a pass for being a little bit preoccupied with all of the things happening, I think we would give that pass to Mary. And yet look at Mary's example. Luke chapter 2 verse 19. But Mary kept. That word kept, it means she treasured. She guarded. She treasured, valued all these things and pondered them. in her heart. The innkeeper probably missed that miracle of the first Christmas because he was just a little preoccupied with all the stuff he had to do. Friend, I remind us tonight that Emmanuel means God with us. And call me crazy, but since he came to us, doesn't it make sense that we just stop running around and spend some time with him this season? This is not about a season. It's about the Savior. Don't miss Christmas. The innkeeper, we can call him preoccupied. We don't see any indication in the Scripture that he really had room to appreciate what Christmas was all about. But you know the innkeeper wasn't the only one who missed the true meaning of Christmas. Turn back to Matthew chapter 2. Matthew chapter 2. Looking at all sorts of accounts of the Christmas story this evening. Matthew chapter 2. We're going to begin by reading verses 1 through 3. There, the Holy Spirit writes, now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen a star in the east, and have come to worship him. Read verse 3 with me. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Herod didn't get it. Herod missed Christmas. We can say the innkeeper missed it because he was preoccupied. May I suggest tonight that Herod missed it because he was prideful. He was prideful. You see, Herod was the Roman appointed ruler of Israel at the time of Jesus' birth. Now, to give you a little background here, Herod was a family name. So as you read through the scriptures, you're going to see several Herods referenced. And then if you're not sure what's going on, you're going to be like, wait a minute, that guy died. How'd that guy come back? But Herod, there were a number of different Herods that we find throughout the scriptures. So if one guy dies and there's another Herod, it is another Herod, okay? And so it's just kind of a family name, and they were ruling Israel at the time of Jesus' birth. This Herod that we see in Matthew chapter 2 is known as Herod the Great. The problem is that Herod the Great was anything but great. He was a paranoid and evil man. His family had schmoozed into favor with Rome to gain the position they had. He had murdered prominent Jewish families, including the Hasmonean family, to consolidate his power. He drowned his own brother-in-law, killed multiple wives and multiple of his own children, Caesar Augustus said of Herod, that I would rather be Herod's swine than Herod's son. This was the same Herod we see at the end of Matthew chapter 2 that ordered the slaughter of all the babies two years and younger. This man was so evil, so prideful, so paranoid, that at his death, he ordered many prominent citizens of Jerusalem to be arrested and executed. Here was his reasoning. Herod said, the people will not weep when I die, but I want them weeping, even if they are weeping over someone else. And so Herod hears tale of these wise men, these magi who have come to celebrate the birth of the newborn king. The problem is Herod could not imagine any king of the Jews but himself. He couldn't see past his own perception, his own plans, his own desires, and Herod's pride and selfishness blinded him from considering the greatness of God's gift to the world. Herod missed it because of his pride. Hopefully none of us in here would identify with the insanity of so-called Herod the Great. I do pray that there are no serial killers among us tonight. And all God's people said, Amen. And while there may not be serial killers among us tonight, his root problem of selfishness and pride is still something that far too easily infects our own hearts. You see, what was Herod's worry? Herod's worry was that Jesus was coming for his throne. But the fact was, and the fact is, that Jesus already has his own throne, and it's a whole lot higher than Herod's ever was. Psalm 100 and verse 3 celebrates the fact that know ye that the Lord, He is God. It is He that has made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 95 in verse number 3, For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods. Speaking of Jesus and Philippians 2 beginning in verse number 9, Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name that is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. Of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth. Read 11 with me. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Boy. You know it's easy at Christmas. to rejoice and celebrate the baby in a manger. But I wonder sometimes, while we are so willing to sing and celebrate the baby in a manger, do we, like Herod, in our pride, fearfully or skeptically look at the king on his throne? That so often when it comes to the idea of King Jesus and me yielding my life and my heart and my marriage and my kids and my emotions and my hurts and my finances and everything I am to King Jesus, Boy, our flesh within us wants to echo what Jesus said of those who rejected him in Luke 19, in that parable, when they said of the master, they sent him a message saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. I think the crux is this, when I look at the baby in a manger, I know that baby in a manger is here for me. But for some reason, when I look at the king on his throne, my flesh fears that he will require something of me. And very often, even in the Christmas season, we can't see past our own self. And so we build our own little kingdoms, not realizing that they don't hold a candle to the high king of heaven and his kingdom. You say, preacher, is there an answer for this? Is there a way that I don't have to miss Christmas for my pride? Yes, there is. I love the example. We looked at these wise men, these magi, Matthew 2, verses 1 and 2. The Bible says, When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came three wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that was born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we have come to worship him. Let me paint a picture here for you tonight. These men may have been men of royalty, but they were at least men of renown. They were educated men. They were respected men. They were great men in their culture. They were probably men that others served and waited on, perhaps even bowed down to. And yet what happened when they finally came face to face with the Christ child? In verse number 11, we see this testimony. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. And they had opened their treasures. They presented unto him gifts of gold, of frankincense, and of myrrh. These great men were not concerned about their greatness. were not concerned about their wealth, their possessions. No, when they came to the Christ Child, they worshipped and adored Him. They brought and laid their very best at His feet. Friend, don't miss Christmas for your own plans and perspectives and desires. Don't miss the Savior for yourself. Yield yourself to Him this season. It's not about you. It's not about a season. It's about the Savior. So some people who missed that Christmas miracle so many years ago, the innkeeper, he was a little preoccupied. Herod, he was quite a bit prideful. But there's one other group we have to see tonight, and boy, I'm afraid perhaps this group might pose the greatest issue for us of all. Go back to Matthew 2, and we'll pick back up in verse 3. The Bible says, When Herod the king heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea, For thus it is written by the prophet, And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. So we see the innkeeper. He was preoccupied. Herod, he was prideful. But then we get a glimpse at the religious. We find these people were absolutely passionless. You know, we see the religious leaders, the scribes, the chief priests, the Pharisees. We get a blip of them in verses 4, 5, and 6. I find it very interesting that the religious leaders of Israel knew the answer. In fact, they quote it from the Old Testament, Micah 5 in verse number 2. The religious leaders of Israel knew the answer. but they didn't seem to care. You realize Bethlehem and Jerusalem were only about five miles apart. That's a shorter walk than the one the guys went on this morning. I mean, they did seven, 14 miles round trip, seven miles each way this morning, and they hustled to do it. The chief priests, the religious leaders of Israel, they knew the answer. And the answer was five miles away. Five miles to go and to see the newborn King. Five miles to meet the long-awaited Messiah. Five miles to worship the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel. Five miles. But they didn't go. And I think from their perspective, why should they? You know, they had their religion. They had their rituals, their feasts, and their sacrifices, and they had been doing it year after year after year after year. Why get excited now? You know, the thing about religion and ritual is that they're kind of like a flu shot. It's a dead version that can tend to make you immune to the real thing. It is so easy if we're not careful in this season to let the ritual and the rote drain the wonder from what Christmas is really all about. I mean, we sing the same song. Go tell it on mountain over heart of Herod. Oh, it's got five verses. I wonder if we're going to do all five. You think it too, all right? Don't lie. Don't lie. Same songs, same gifts, same programs, and let's be honest, the same sermons. How many ways can you chop up three chapters of Scripture, right? I mean, you've been coming to church a little while, you've heard most of the Christmas sermons. And if you're not careful, you know what happens? This season can become so very blah. So very predictable. It's the same thing year after year after year after year. Why would I get excited this year? You say, preacher, is there an answer for this? Oh, yes, there is. Luke chapter 2. Beginning in verse 11, we see the angels addressing the shepherds on that Judean hillside. And they said to the shepherds, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth. peace, goodwill toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another, let us go now even to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And look what it says, and they came with? Haste. Came with haste. And found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. You see, very often the religious miss it because it's just so predictable and ritualistic and it just becomes passionless. How do I fix this? I love what the shepherds did. They came with haste. They came with haste to see the Christ child. Friend, I think we have to remember, especially in this Christmas season, religion is dead, but Jesus is alive. And I'm going to tell you, that's worth getting excited about. Hey, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and that's worth getting excited about. Amen? In the fullness of time, God sent His Son, and that's worth getting excited about. And as we looked at last Wednesday night, in the fullness of time, Jesus is coming again, and that's worth getting excited about. And when He came, He died on the old rugged cross, and He was buried in rose again, and that's worth getting excited about. He ascended up into heaven, and He put His Holy Spirit within us, and that's worth getting excited about. And He has promised that the work that He has begun in us He will be faithful to do until the day of Jesus Christ. And that's worth getting excited about. And I'm going to tell you, one day He's coming again, and He's bringing His rewards with Him, and that's worth getting excited about. And one day, He's going to make everything new, a new heaven and a new earth. And there's going to be no more sin, no more death, no more separation, no more crying, no more of any of that, for the former things will be passed away. And friend, that's worth getting excited about. I'm going to tell you, religion and ritual are dead and it's so easy to fall into that passionless trap. But I'm going to tell you, we just get excited about Jesus. It's not about a season. It's about the Savior. And it's crazy to me. To think that in a country that puts up over 35 million Christmas trees, uses over 28 million rolls of wrapping paper, uses 17 million packages of bows and tags, sends over 370 million Christmas cards, that most people, and if we're not careful, most Christians will miss truly celebrating Christmas. We'll miss it for our preoccupation. We'll miss it for our pride. We'll miss it for our passionlessness. So many people will miss it. But praise God, we don't have to be one of them. Church, here at Harvest, let's let the main thing be the main thing. In our homes, let's let the main thing be the main thing. In our individual hearts, let's let the main thing be the main thing. It's not about a season. It's about the Savior.