Week #2 | Advent Conspiracy @ the Naz

Four Words That Could Change Your Christmas: Rebel

Matthew 2:1-15

NOTE: If you would like to read the manuscript of Pastor Ken’s sermon you can find it here.

¹After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ²and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

³When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.⁴When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ⁶“‘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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” ⁷Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹On 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 and of incense and of myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

¹³When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

¹⁴So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

In Pastor Ken’s sermon last Sunday (December 4) he suggested that the Christmas story has always had an element of “push back” or “holy rebellion” against the idols of the day. Anything that competes for a Christian’s loyalty becomes a potential idol. Similarly, anything we pursue in order to find fulfillment and meaning is idolatrous; whether it be a 1^st century Caesar or a modern day gadget. Today’s hyper-consumerism seeks to influence everyone’s values, behavior, and objects of devotion. It feeds us the lie that we cannot be satisfied until we have “it.” It encourages us to chase material objects in order to find fulfillment.

With this in mind, think about the following questions. We encourage you to leave responses and engage in the conversation.

• What influences or items in our culture do you feel are competing for your affection?

• How are they telling you they can provide you with the meaning and satisfaction you desire?

• Read the following four passages of Scripture and share how these help you combat the voices and temptations that vie for your devotion.

s Isaiah 55:1-3a “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.”

s Romans 12:2a “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

s I John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

s Mark 12:29-31 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

• In what way (s) is the Holy Spirit challenging you to push back against the expectations our culture places on you this Christmas season?