After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2asking, “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.” – Matthew 2:1-15
Introduction
Many Christmas songs serve as reminders that the season is meant to be joyful. Songs such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” all convey the idea that Christmas is supposed to be a joyful, trouble-free season.
But let me ask you directly: Is that what you’re going through this season? Most likely not. Personal issues are preventing some of you from fully experiencing the joy of the season. Others may feel as if one crisis after another has run them over. With so many problems, it’s difficult to have a happy Christmas.
Some of you are so busy and working so hard that you don’t have time to roast chestnuts around a fire. Or, perhaps there is nothing seriously wrong, but you are simply not enjoying Christmas for some reason. It isn’t giving you the emotional lift you were hoping for. In fact, it is almost depressing. The world does not look like a winter wonderland. It appears to be winter.
Disillusionment at Christmas is not uncommon. We get so excited about what Christmas is supposed to be that the real thing often falls short, and we are disappointed.
What can you do this Christmas to avoid being disappointed? How can you increase your level of happiness this holiday season? The answer can be found in Matthew 2’s story of the wise men. The wise men of the East, the Wise men, saw a star that predicted the birth of a new king in Israel. They set out on a journey to find this newborn King in order to honor Him with gifts. We can learn from the attitudes of these wise men and the events surrounding their journey how to increase our level of joy at Christmas.
This story teaches us three important lessons.
- What are you looking for?
Your level of joy at Christmas is related directly to what it is you seek.
Ask yourself, “What do I want to get out of Christmas?” What would make your Christmas wonderful and fulfilling? Snow? Is the entire family happy and together? What do you consider to be the holiday spirit? Looking for the perfect gift to give? Are you getting the present you wanted? The problem with all of this is that it can lead to disappointment.
Have you ever had the experience of being disappointed by Christmas because it did not deliver what you expected? The issue is not Christmas. It is in our expectations. We are looking for the wrong thing.
The wise men show us how to increase our Christmas joy by looking for the right thing. What exactly were they looking for? Verse 2 informs us. They came to Jerusalem and said, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? We have come to worship Him because we saw His star in the East.” They were on the lookout for Jesus. Christmas was an opportunity for them to worship Jesus.
That is what we should be looking for and expecting this Christmas: a worship experience, a new glimpse of the newborn King. It is our goal this Christmas to worship Jesus the king of kings and the lord of lords.
- Where do you look?
Your level of joy at Christmas is directly related to where you look.
We learn from the wise men that there are wrong and right places to look for Christmas. They began by looking in the wrong direction. They looked in the direction that their human reasoning told them to look. The birth of a new king in Israel was predicted by the star. The wise men went to the palace of Herod the Great in Jerusalem, where kings are supposed to be born. But what a blunder that was! When Herod learned of the birth of a new king, he became enraged and sought to destroy him.
We, too, are tempted to look for joy in the wrong places at Christmas. We believe that by receiving or giving the appropriate gift, we will be satisfied. We anticipate that spending time with family will be enjoyable. All of these things have the potential to disappoint us. You might not be able to afford the ideal present for a loved one. Your holiday celebration may be missing family members. If you rely on these things to bring you happiness, you may be disappointed.
When the wise men turned to God, they were looking in the right direction. The trip to Jerusalem was not entirely fruitless. They discovered where they should have looked in the first place while there: the Bible. According to the prophet Micah, the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, according to the scribes in Jerusalem. With this new information, they returned to the star and followed it until it stood over the house where the child Jesus lived in Bethlehem. When the wise men turned to God, they were looking in the right direction. The trip to Jerusalem was not entirely fruitless. They discovered where they should have looked in the first place while there: the Bible. According to the prophet Micah, the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, according to the scribes in Jerusalem. With this new information, they returned to the star and followed it until it stood over the house where the child Jesus lived in Bethlehem.
- What do you give?
Your level of happiness at Christmas is directly proportional to what you give.
The wise men arrived at Jesus’ home bearing gifts. Their gifts were entirely appropriate. They presented gold as a king’s gift. They acknowledged that Jesus was and is the King by giving it to him. They presented frankincense as a gift for a priest. This was the incense used by the priests in the Temple. They acknowledged that Jesus was a priest, the One who would bring us to God, by giving it to him. They presented myrrh as a gift for the dead. This was a fragrant ointment that was used to anoint the body before burial. They acknowledged Jesus’ coming to die for the sins of the world by giving it.
We ought to give appropriate gifts this Christmas as well. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not referring to monetary gifts. I’m talking about more important subjects. We should give our friends and family the gift of our love and kindness. We should give the gift of our assistance to those who are in need. We owe it to those who have wronged us to extend the gift of forgiveness. Giving these types of gifts ensures a joyful and meaningful Christmas.
Conclusion
What are you giving this year for Christmas? Why not consider giving yourself? Spend time with your family. Show compassion to those in need. Give your forgiveness to those who are isolated. And give your heart to Jesus? I promise you, when you look for the right thing, look in the right places, and give the right gift, you will have a joyfully Christmas.