BETHLEHEM STAR
When you think of the Manger scene – What is pictured in your mind?
How do you portray the events of the Christ child in the Manger and the visitors that came to see the Son of God?
Are our pictures Fact or just tradition?
Did the star really shine over the manger?
What’s the significant of the birth of Christ?
What’s our responsibility to remember this day?
Is December 25 really Christmas?
When did the Christmas season start?
Who started the Christmas celebration season?
Should we religiously celebrate this season of time?
BEFORE I START, THOSE THAT MAY BE VISITORS DON’T THINK ME AS A HERITIC OR SOMEONE WHO HATES CHRISTMAS.
The word “Christmas” is really not in the Bible – Just like the word Easter.
Both these words are man made and can not be found in the pages of Bible.
Then where did the celebration of Christmas start?
First began by the Roman Catholic church as “The Mass of Christ” as the Catholic church has many different “Mass’s” which they celebrate.
I remember my years living in Los Banos – Many Catholic Masses.
As years passed the “Protestant” churches began celebrating the occasion as “Christmas” or “Christ-Mass”
Many years later the commercial world picked up on this and took advantage of the generosity of people which lead to the commercialization
Of what we now have as the “Christmas Season”.
But of interest in the 21 century it appears that many are trying to take “Christmas” out of the holiday – or as Edd said last week – actually they are wanting to take “Jesus” out of “Christmas” .
Christmas, therefore is a religious day begun by the Catholic church as a special “Mass” in the 4th century.
WHOLLY WITHOUT BIBLICAL AUTHORITY
But isn’t Christ’s birth an important event? YES – BUT
Is it the event we as Christians are to remember? Obviously Not.
First Christ most likely was not born in December, but probably during the spring time of the year.
Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
The shepherds would not have their flock in the field during the winter.
Remember why Joseph and Mary were making their journey to Bethlehem?
Luke 2:1-3 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.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Joseph and Mary are from the linage of David, thus they needed to go back to the town of Bethlehem were David was from to register for taxes and this would have been about the middle of April when the days were longer and given way to more travel time.
Interestingly : We have to pay our taxes on April 15. Nothing has changed
Furthermore, for Jesus to be in a manager in the dead of winter and for Joseph and Mary to be traveling in the winter is just not correct.
The lack of any scripture on this subject should be proof enough.
Why do we not have any scripture tell us when Jesus was born?
I think it should be obvious – God did not want us to set aside this day !
What event is really the one we should be remembering ?
The Bible is plain about that question. His resurrection is where our hope is.
1 Cor. 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Christ concurred death by his resurrection not his birth.
So we can concure death by his resurrection also.
1 Cor. 15:12-20 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Yet the world also sets aside a special Sunday called “Easter” to celebrate Christ’s resurrection wholly without any biblical authority.
“Easter” is not found in the Bible. The word “Easter” which is found only one time in the bible means “Passover” and has nothing to do with Easter.
Back to our discussion about Christmas.
Question is: When should we celebrate Christmas? Or perhaps: Should we?
In reality we celebrate the Lord’s day every first day of the week.
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread,
Yet we are aware that without his birth there would be no resurrection.
But the Bible is specific that we should remember his resurrection not birth.
No inspired writer ever mention any special celebration of Christ except to remember his death, burial and resurrection on the first day of the week.
1 Cor. 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.
We must remind ourselves not to “add to or take away” from God’s word.
Rev. 22:18 For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Thus we conclude that we are not authorized in god’s word to set aside any special day to celebrate his birth.
What about the scene we always picture of the birth of Christ?
Joseph & Mary in a stable with Jesus in a manager with shepherds around and the 3 wise men bringing their gifts and the star of Bethlehem, as well as others perhaps surrounding the Christ child.
Is this really biblical? Was this scene ever a reality? Was it like that?
Mathew 2 and Luke 2 record the events of the birth of Jesus.
Only Mathew records the events of the Bethlehem star.
Did this star shine over the Manger? Lets observe some biblical facts.
The star was seen by the wise men and led them to Jerusalem first, not Bethlehem and no one else saw the star.
Matthew 2:1-3 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 his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Herod did not see the star because he asked where was the Christ born?
Matthew 2:4-5 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,
Herod inquired privately to the Wisemen when the star appeared.
Matthew 2:7-8 Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Two points at this time might be in order. First: The star is not still shining as Herod could have just gone outside to see the star. Second: Herod had no intentions of worshiping Jesus. This was just to find out where Jesus was.
The Wisemen were sent by Herod to Bethlehem rather than by the star first.
Matthew 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Why did Herod send the Wisemen to Bethlehem to find Jesus?
Remember Mat 2:4-5 Matthew 2:4-5 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,
Herod was not interested in what the “prophets” had spoken. Hw wanted to get rid of anyone who might become ruler other than himself.
But the star re-appeared to the Wisemen
Matthew 2:9-10 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
The word “lo” means “behold – suddenly” Its re-appeared.
This time the Star changed directions: Previously it appeared in the East and led the Wisemen to the West , This time it led the Wisemen directly to where Jesus was born. It was a moving star, not one that shown over the manger for the Wisemen to go where it was shining.
The Star was guided by God. The word “Till” in verse 9 is an adverb of time and the word “stood” expresses the suddenness of the action.
Not high in the sky over one place as depicted by our manger scenes.
Only the Wisemen saw the Star. If others saw it, Herod could have inquired and sent soldiers to the precise spot. But he did not.
The Wisemen did not go back to Jerusalem to tell Herod.
Matthew 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
This made Herod angry
Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Notice the time frame for the slaughter of the infants. 2 Years ! That’s an important point in this story. Why 2 Years old and under?
Matthew 2:11-12 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
There was a period of about 2 years when all this took place. Not in one night. Herod wanted to be sure he got Jesus in this span of 2 years.
Notice carefully where the Wisemen found Jesus. “In the house” Not in a manger. The Wisemen never visited Jesus at the manger scene.
Also we always say there was “three” Wisemen. Why ? Because they brought Gold-Frankincense-Myrrh.
That does not mean there was three Wisemen. Maybe they all brought the same thing or any combination of the three gifts. We need to be carefull that we paint accurate pictures of biblical scenes.
If we follow the travels of the Wisemen – there would be a great time lapse between the first sighting of the Star and the arrival of the Wisemen to Bethlehem, the trip to Jerusalem and Herod not hearing from the Wisemen.
What’s so important about all this to us today ?
Christians must be extremely careful not to except as religious truth – facts that are not really biblical.
Most important – To make part of our worship to God a tradition of men.
Yes Christ’s birth was important, there is no question about that.
But his death – burial – resurrection is where our hope is.
But again we need to be careful and not set “one” special day out of the year to celebrate his resurrection, such as is done on “Easter”. We celebrate his death-burial-resurrection on the first day of every week.
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Many say this is almost sacrilegious to take Christ out of Christmas.
Well – the Bible never put him there – man did !
The plea of the “churches of Christ” is to Speak where the bible speaks.
And be Silent where the bible is silent.
Christmas as well as Easter just are not in our bible as a religious holiday. Thus they are man made and traditions of men.
We must be very careful we do not teach children wrong ideas.
Christmas just has no place in our worship to God.
If we care to celebrate this time of year as a family time that’s OK.