12-5-21 Sermon Notes “When Christmas Isn’t Christmas”

The heart of the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the TRUE meaning of Christmas. Isn’t that where we are headed in the season of Advent…towards Christmas – the REAL Christmas? Along the way, though, we will prepare. We will start with ourselves, understanding that there is a little bit of “Grinch” in most all of us. We have all had times the last couple of years when everything felt wrong. We felt grumpy during “the most wonderful time of the year.”

And sometimes we have false memories of the Christmas story. We think we know the story – but is the Christmas story we remember really the Christmas story? The Scripture for this Sunday is a great example. It is the story of Magi… And of King Herod (who was worse than the Grinch at his grinchiest).

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men[e]and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” (Matt. 2: 1-8 NRSV)

Remember how I said we think we know the story? Here’s a quiz: How many Magi are there? “Three,” you say. Could be. But the Bible gives no number. The number three comes from legends and maybe from the three gifts. What were their names? “Gasper, Melchior, and Balthasar (who was a black man),” you say. Could be. But the Bible gives no names. That’s all legend. What were the Magi’s occupations? “Kings,” you say…humming “We three kings of Orient are…” Actually…the Magi were many things, but they were not kings.

Will the real Christmas story please stand up? We will talk about that this Sunday, the Second Sunday of Advent. Join us!

See you Sunday,
Pastor Sam