R1615 Wonderful Joy

This is a season of wonderful joy, and that's today's topic from Dr. Don Wilton on this edition of The Encouraging Word. In just a moment, Dr. Don will take us to Matthew Chapter 2 as we talk about the wonderful joy that we know in Jesus Christ.

It's a life-changing understanding of how God takes us, and even in the most unique situations where we may not find ourselves happy, we can discover joy in Jesus. As we open God's Word, know that we're open to speak with you and pray with you right now. If you'd like to give us a call, our number is 866-899-WORD. Jot the number down, store it in your cell, that's 866-899-9673. You'll find that number and more ways to connect on our website as well, www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Now, today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. As we prepare for Christmas during these days, we've been looking at what the Bible has to say about this wonderful Christmas.

Today, I'm very delighted. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew Chapter 2. And as you turn there, I want to just pause for a moment and ask God's blessings on this moment. Father, as people everywhere, open the Word of God. We come into your presence today because we are about to read that which was written, which came to pass.

This happened. Lord, what we're about to read is amazing. The wonderful joy of Christmas. Father, right now in this moment, we pray that you would take hold of the hearts of every person who reads the Word, who hears the Word, that by your Spirit, all people might become convinced in their hearts that this is indeed Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Speak to us, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let me read this wonderful account to you. Matthew Chapter 2. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. Now when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet, And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah.

For from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly, and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem saying, Go, search diligently for the child, and when you found him bring me word, so that I too may come and worship him. After listening to the king they went on their way, and behold the star they had seen when it rose went before them, until it came to rest right over the place where the child was. When they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy, and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and they worshipped him.

Then opening their treasures they offered him gifts gold and frankincense and myrrh, and being warned in a dream not to return to Herod they departed to their own country by another way. This is the word of the Lord. May he write his word upon our hearts.

Well I want to just share a couple of things with you before I share with you this most wonderful joy before we unpack and try to understand what it is that the Lord would say to us. Really there are four groups, one phenomena and there are three groups of people. First is the man on top, and I refer to nobody in our world in particular. His name was Herod the king. Historians record him as Herod the Great. He was the original Herod, and he was a mean dude if I can say it like that. Herod was not called the great for no reason. By the way his title the great came through recorded history because he was given over to opulence. He loved his position and his wealth.

He just reveled in it. Well there was a second group of people that were here in this story and that's the wise men. A lot has been said about these wise men. We have them, these men and women.

I'm looking at you. They were not kings. They were not rulers. They had done very well in life.

They were astrologers. Now I just draw to your attention today as we consider the wonderful joy of Christmas that when the wise men went to Herod and said where is this Jesus? We've seen the star. Herod didn't answer the question. Herod was just a rank pagan.

He didn't have a clue. Well of course into all of this comes the star which is the supernatural part of this. The star which moved and then settled over one place which according to the scriptures gives to us an indication of the supernatural reality of God very similar to the Shekinah glory of God that guided the Israelites under Moses through the wilderness.

You can read all about it in Exodus chapter 13 verse 21 for example the star. These guys knew the stuff not only that they were very blessed people in life they were they were wealthy well situated people. Not only that they were highly respected but boy did their faith drive their joy. So let's just ask this question.

Their joy, the joy of the Magi, the joy of Christmas was seen in at least five or six ways in this passage. Number one it was seen in the question that they asked. The Bible tells us right there in verse 2 they asked a question.

You know it's really just the loveliest question isn't it? Where is he? Where is Jesus? Can you help me find him? You're asking that. Where is he? He's been born King of the Jews.

We saw the star. They weren't asking if he was. They were asking where he was. It was just a beautiful question. Speaking to someone a week or so ago and they just said the most beautiful thing to me.

They were talking about all the should we's and shouldn't we's of church and all the things that go on and this lady said to me she said ah pastor she said I just I just want to be in church to worship Jesus. Their joy was seen in the question they asked. Their joy was seen in the answer they gave. Yeah the answer came from the temple hierarchy but there was joy in that answer because the Magi believed it. The people that gave it didn't.

Listen I'll guarantee you you can drive across America today and most people will tell you everything you want to know about Christmas but not everybody believes in the Christ of Christmas. Their joy was in the answer that they gave. I mean what did they say? I mean the Bible was just so very clear in verse 5. They told King Herod in Bethlehem of Judea. They knew exactly.

They didn't believe but they knew. The Bible says to us we need to give our hearts to Jesus. We need to invite him in not just look at him out. And when we do, when we invite him in, everything changes.

Please forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the rest of Dr. Don's message in just a moment but as we take a pause know that we're here for you. We'd love to pray with you and for you at any time day or night at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 or we can connect on our website as well at www.tewonline.org. Here in the middle of December you may have noticed on our website www.tewonline.org that there is a wonderful opportunity to share this Bible-based teaching with even more people because of a special challenge gift.

Here's Dr. Don with all the details. Wow! God has done incredible things again this year through the encouraging Word broadcast ministry. Do you know that over 135,000 people have called us telling us what this ministry means to them in their spiritual life and so many are coming to know Jesus. A friend has just given a $200,000 challenge gift to this ministry and we are asking as he is asking that our listeners will give an additional $300,000 to this ministry by December 31st so that God's Word could continue to go out across the world.

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Again you can discover more and give online as well at www.tewonline.org or call 866-899-WORD. And now the conclusion of today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton called Wonderful Joy. They gave the answer. Their joy was just in this answer.

Their joy was in the fact that in their answer they just put it out there. They knew exactly where, Bethlehem. They knew exactly who said it, the prophets. They knew exactly how it was said. It was written down.

That's what they say there, for it is written by the prophet. So their joy, the Magi's joy which we get to, this unsurpassed joy that caused them to just open their hearts up and say, everything, we just can't give enough. They just gave the very best. What caused, only joy can do that. Only joy can cause three people like this with the knowledge they have after a journey they've driven to be able to just open up and say, man we just can't, gold, frankincense, myrrh, bow down, worship, Lord you are God. Only joy can produce that.

Only joy does that. Their joy was seen in the understanding they showed. You know these temple people, the scribes and the Pharisees and Sadducees, they referred back to Micah chapter 5 and verse 2, we know that, written in the 8th century BC. Think about how long that was before 37 BC. Written in the 8th century BC.

Think of how long that is before 4 BC AD. And what did Micah write about? Micah, what Micah said was literally a declaration of the deity of Israel's Messiah. And by the way, when he quotes Micah, to boot, listen, written in the 5th century BC before Christ.

This is God's servant breathed on by the Holy Spirit. What did he say about the coming Jesus? Two things.

It's right there. Really three things. Number one, he's going to be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Number two, he's going to be a ruler. And number three, he's going to be a shepherd of my people. Bethlehem, the place, ruler, sovereign God.

Oh, by the way, what did the Bible say? The government will be where? On his shoulders. There it is.

Look at it. This is the 5th century BC that the prophet said, and from you shall come a ruler, because the government will be upon his shoulders. So there you have God King, Christ the Messiah, Lord of Lords, King of Kings, sovereign over all. But he very quickly adds, for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people.

God wants us to know that this king, unlike Herod, will be ruler over all, will have all power, all authority, but will love us with the shepherd's heart. He's not into killing people. He's into bringing people to life. He's not into destroying. He's into building up. He's not into breaking down.

He's not into using and abusing. God so loved the world. He will be shepherd to my people.

Jesus will rule. The word there is rain with tender care. Isn't that beautiful? With tender care. This is amazing. How do you unpack this joy? Seen in the question, the major, or seen in the answer they gave it, seen in the understanding they showed, but then forth it's their joy is seen in the journey they made. Now listen, they were in Jerusalem and they had to get going.

We know Bethlehem is in the south of Jerusalem. It's not for us. I mean, come on, you know, get into my motorcar. I'm there in two ticks. Not a problem. A few barriers you got to go through today.

Go there for afternoon tea and be back in the hotel in time for dinner. They set out. These Magi, they had such joy. They were willing to do whatever it takes. You know, I often think about the fact they came from Persia, so let's not forget the pre-journey journey before they got to ask the question of Herod the Great.

To put it in this way, they had traveled a long way. On a camel? Have you ever ridden a camel?

It's very interesting. By the way, let me give you a tip. If a camel smiles at you and wants to give you a kiss, don't do it. Turn it down. Just turn it down. Those lips will give you the biggest kiss you've ever had in your life. You will live with it for the next five years.

No brushing of your teeth will ever help. These guys rode a camel all the way from Persia right there to Jerusalem. By the way, do you know just the journey from down in the valley of Persia and up into Jerusalem was arduous enough? It was a massive undertaking, coming across those Golan Heights.

Just amazing stuff. Coming up from the south from Sinai. Just amazing journeys to get to Jerusalem because Jerusalem is high up.

High up. Their joy was seen in the journey they had. But you know, their joy, finally, not conclusively, was seen in the response they had. Boy, did they have a response. Their response was a phenomenal response. They bowed down. They saw. They gave.

So you have the response. You have the faith of these people. Their joy was seen in their faith.

It's an amazing story here. I ask myself the question, where did all this joy came from? They had such joy when they saw the Christ child. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. The question they asked, the answer they gave, the understanding they showed, the journey they made, the response they had and the faith they had.

Everywhere you turn, you just see joy. By the way, what was their ultimate joy? Their ultimate joy was after they saw Jesus.

And what was that? The Spirit of God told them everything they needed. The Bible says in a dream, God the Spirit, this is Emmanuel, God with us, in us, said to them, don't go back the same way. You see, the joy of knowing Christ is the ever present presence of Christ by his Holy Spirit. He raises flags and he points the way and he encourages our hearts. He alters our direction. He prevents us from stepping into. He gives us wisdom beyond ourselves.

He just fills our heart with unspeakable joy. Would you bow with me today? Bow your heads today. However it is that you're worshipping the Lord. Yep, this Jesus. You know, maybe the question today is of these three groups of people, Herod the Great, the temple hierarchy, the Magi, which one do you suppose you would fall into? Are you in the camp with Herod? You just don't believe? Are you in the camp with the temple hierarchy? You know all about it, but you've never trusted, you've never accepted, you have no faith.

Essentially, you don't believe in Christ. You know about it. He's in your head, but he's never come into your heart. Or are you able to say today, you know, I'm in the group with the Magi. I know Jesus was born. I know why he came. I see him as ruler, as shepherd, king.

I know that he loves me. Give your life to Christ today. Would you pray this prayer with me today? Dear God, I see Jesus today. Today I repent of my sin by faith. I receive you into my heart. I pray this prayer today. And I pray it in Jesus name. I cannot see everybody today.

God can. You've given your heart to Jesus. Every week we have people coming to know Christ.

Would you just raise a hand right where you are in the presence of the Lord today? God bless you, my friend, for those that I can see. Lord Jesus, people today, God bless you, my friend. People today who've given their lives to Christ. This Jesus.

Wow. What wonderful joy. Lord Jesus, bless these friends. They are part of our family, my family. They are my brother, my sister in Christ, just as the Magi.

Because we believe in Jesus together. Lord, we pray today. We pray for our lost world. We pray, Lord, for our religious world, that they would come to know Christ. That we pray most of all that this Christmas, Lord Jesus, the light of Jesus would shine so brightly. The name of Jesus would be lifted so high.

Jesus, the reason for the season. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. What wonderful joy. We pray together in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. If the Lord has touched you or perhaps you were praying along with Dr. Wilton moments ago to give your life to Jesus Christ, or rededicate your life to Jesus, Dr. Don has wonderful resources he wants you to have. Why don't you give us a call? 866-899-WORD is the phone number. That is 866-899-9673.

Or you could meet us online as well. www.tewonline.org. That's our website. www.tewonline.org.

Also where you'll find great resources like this. Many people have endured a lot of changes, loss, and hardships over the past two years. As you reflect upon your life this season, think about giving a gift of hope and encouragement to your friends and family this Christmas. This season, Dr. Wilton wants to encourage you to make a commitment to meet Jesus every day.

So you can not only learn more about him, but be able to live a life of absolute trust and not fear in anticipation of his return. With your gift of $25 or more support to the encouraging word this month, you will receive Heaven, Life, and the Resurrection. A beautiful 52-week leather-bound devotional written by 52 trusted pastors and church leaders, including Dr. Wilton. You will find blessings upon blessings as you read uplifting scripture verses, daily devotions, and prayers. Call us today at 866-899-WORD to request the new devotional.

That's 866-899-9673. This will make great Christmas gifts of hope and encouragement to those who need it so desperately right now. Thank you for your continued partnership. Merry Christmas to you from all of us here at The Encouraging Word. That's just one of the many great resources on our website at www.tewonline.org. Grab one of those for a gift would be perfect. Another great Christmas gift is Dr. Wilton's book called Saturdays with Billy about the 20 plus years he spent as the pastor of Dr. Billy Graham. You'll find that resource as well online at www.tewonline.org.

And as Dr. Don mentioned earlier, we're in the middle of a remarkable opportunity. If you're led to give, now's the time to do so. Call us at 866-899-WORD or visit us for more information and ways to give online at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org