R1095 After Jesus Was Born

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message about after Jesus was born. Today Dr. Don Wilton, well-known author, evangelist, and pastor is taking us to Matthew chapter 2 about this topic after Jesus was born. As we open God's Word, know that we're open to you not only on our website at www.tewonline.org, but also open to connect with you on the phone. We're praying with friends already today and would love to pray for you as well. 866-899-WORD will connect you with us. That's 866-899-9673. Many are asking about the loneliness, how to be alone but not lonely resource. You can take a peek at that on our website right now as well at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Now today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. Now you're going to need your Bibles today, so I hope you have a copy of God's Word. I want you to turn to an incredible passage, Matthew chapter 2, Matthew chapter 2. And while you're turning there, I want you to think for those of you that are able to do so about the day that your baby was born.

I do. I think about when our three were born. It's been a long time ago now, but then I have four grandsons visiting me at the moment. And so it's not too far stretched for me to think about the birth of precious little ones that mean a great deal to me personally. You think about the birth of a baby. It's just a wonderful time, isn't it? And what excitement.

All the preparation that goes into it and getting that nursery ready. Just the right things in the right place and all the conversation and then some people want to know, is it going to be a boy? Is it going to be a girl? And all the visits to the doctor and everything that goes on in that nine-month period, which is just wonderful.

Very exciting times. When's the baby Jew? When's the baby Jew?

That's incredible. One of my nieces, my youngest niece, we discovered last night is expecting a baby, Bridget, and we just love her. And I went up to her and I said, when's the baby Jew? And then the day comes and all the palaver that goes into it. I remember well and I remember all the things. I remember how my wife woke me up at the worst possible hour. And I remember going charging off to the hospital in New Orleans. All three of our children were born in the great city of New Orleans, the home of the world champion New Orleans Saints. And that's where my boys were born and my daughter was born. And then the baby comes and you talk about everybody crowds into the waiting rooms, you know. And then finally the baby gets taken out and put into this little basin net and put there behind a window. And then the whole family, you know, all 75 crowd around one little window and everybody's looking and taking pictures. And so, oh, he looks just like her.

Oh, she looks just like her. And she just looks and everybody's so excited. And then comes the day when you take that baby home. The question that I have today, my friends, that God is going to challenge your heart is found in Matthew chapter two. And it's the first few words after Jesus was born. So I want you to all look at me again just for one minute and then I'm going to read this passage.

What now? What do you suppose happened after the Lord Jesus was born? What happens when all the lights go out?

What happens when you dismantle your Christmas tree? What are you going to look like three weeks from now? What's going to go on in your heart and in your life? What we're going to do today is we're going to study God's word. And I want you to know that I'm praying for you because Jesus Christ has an encouraging word just for you today. I'm going to invite you to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus.

Because my friend, I want you to know that what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for me, he'll do exactly the same thing for you. Now I want to just read this to you so you can follow along in your Bibles in Matthew chapter two. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?

We saw his star in the east and we have come to worship him. Now when King Herod heard this, he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him. When 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. In Bethlehem, in Judea, they replied, for this is what the prophet has written. 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. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and he 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. After 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 very place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and they worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. After Jesus was born, I'm going to show you some wonderful truths right out of God's word today. There were six things that happened immediately after Jesus was born.

And if you think about them, I believe they mirror exactly what happens in our own world today. So what happened after Jesus was born? Number one, questions were asked.

Look at verse two, the Magi said, where is the one who's been born king of the Jews? Questions were asked. You know, there is never a time greater in the world than the time that Jesus was born for questions to be asked concerning the birth of the Lord Jesus. And I know that you have a question today.

Who is this? Why did he come? I just want to tell you today, I just want to share with you today from my heart. I want you to know that Jesus came and he was born just for you.

Just for me. Here's what the Bible says. The Bible says that God so loved the world that he gave. Who did he give? He gave his only begotten son.

That's the Lord Jesus, that whoever believes in him, watch this, shall not die, but shall have eternal life. A lot of questions. My friend, I know that you've got questions. Some of you have got serious questions.

Some of you have got questions that are born out of hurting hearts. Maybe someone said something in a church many years ago and you pulled back. Maybe you haven't been to church in a long time. Maybe you've just gotten stuck today.

You're heading from one place to the other and you cannot travel. And so you're in that motel room and you've just switched on the television. And all of a sudden you're listening, aren't you? You know, you're not listening by mistake. I think the Lord Jesus has got your attention right now because you need him. I want to invite you to give your heart to Jesus. You know, so many of us believe that when questions are asked about Jesus, that we've got to go into some kind of major theological discussion. Or perhaps we've got to get into some deep defense of why God would have done something like this.

I don't want to do. I just want you to know something, my friend, that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Do you know that the Bible tells us that because of the sin of Adam, all of us are destined to go to an eternal separation from the Lord Jesus Christ, God, our Heavenly Father. And because Jesus was born, you can repent of your sin and confess that sin to him. And by faith, trust him as your personal Savior and Lord and give your life to him. I'm going to invite you to give your heart to him today.

Do you see that number on the television screen? I put it there just for you. I want you to pick up the phone right now because some of my friends are waiting to speak to you, to invite you to give your life to Christ. We'll help you in any way, I promise you. Go ahead.

Call that number right now. That's why we're here. That's why you are where you are. And you've got questions. Did you note that after Jesus was born, questions were asked? But I want you to note in the second place, not only were questions asked, but pretenders were identified.

Pretenders were identified. Do you know what the Bible tells us in verse three and following? The Bible tells us that King Herod, who was the ruler of his time, went to the wise men and said to them, listen, gentlemen, let's gather around the Christmas tree together. I want you to, I heard there's a baby king has been born. Isn't that wonderful? I want you to go and find him and then I want you to come and tell me where he is so that I can go and worship him.

Do you know what happened the day after Jesus was born? Pretenders were identified. You might say to me, pastor, what do you mean by that? Lord speaking to your heart, isn't he? Do you know there is no greater time in America for you and for me to masquerade as a pretender than at Christmas time? Please hear me, my friend, because I love you today, but you know, don't you? He doesn't live in your heart. Celebrate the Christ of Christmas without ever having him live in your heart.

Do you know that you can know about him in your head, but never trust him as your savior in your heart? Pretenders were identified. Herod was a pretender.

Just think about Herod, the most powerful man in that region, and he was just full of pretense. Go and find the baby. Oh, wow. Just tell me where the baby is so that I can go and worship him. That's not what he had in mind.

All he wanted to do was to get rid of this one who would call himself king. Pretenders were identified. Friend, there is no better time after Jesus was born than to make certain that you know that you know that you know that the Lord Jesus Christ is your savior and Lord. Can I just say this to you, folks? I pretended for many years I lived a life of pretense. See, my dad's a great preacher. I'm a preacher's kid. It was easy for me to pretend because I grew up going to church. You know, in our world today, folks, in America, we're so blessed, aren't we?

It's so easy to look like the real thing. But to not know the Lord Jesus, there is no more wonderful feeling in the world than when you turn to God, our Heavenly Father, and you say to him, my Heavenly Father, thank you for letting Jesus come and be born in order to die and then raising him up from the grave. I know that he came and was born to die for me. And I no longer want to live a life of pretense. I want to trust him as my savior. Do that today.

Do that today. You see, after Jesus was born in this passage, questions were asked, pretenders were identified. But note in the third place, prophecies were fulfilled. In fact, the Bible tells us, quoting Micah chapter five and verse two, that you Bethlehem and the land of Judah are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah. For out of you will come a ruler who be the shepherd of my people Israel.

I've got great news. After Jesus was born, this Bible came alive. This word, this word doesn't contain the word of God. It is the word of God.

This word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Every prophecy in this book is true. The Bible is God's word. That's why I want you to know Jesus Christ has an encouraging word for you today after Jesus was born.

Because prophecy is true. Everything that God tells us about Jesus Christ in his book is true. It's true that God loves you. It's true that Jesus came and was born for you. It's true that Jesus died and took his sin upon himself and was buried in the grave and left him in the pit of hell. It's true that God by his power raised Jesus from the dead. It's true.

This is true. I've got great news for you. This is God's encouraging word because it's absolute truth.

This is not about being a Baptist or a Methodist or a Presbyterian or a Lutheran or a Baptist or never want to be a Baptist. This is God's word. Forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the completion of today's message from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment. But it is all about God's truth, God's word.

We are the encouraging word and it's all rooted in the Bible itself. As we take this break, Dr. Wilton insists I remind you two very important things. One, we are here to pray with you 24 hours a day. And here's the phone number. Jot it down or store it in your cell. It's 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673. And it'll connect with one of us anytime, day or night, happy to talk and listen and pray with you and connect with resources that'll help you grow your faith. There's also some resources on our website at www.tewonline.org. Right now, the powerful resource, it's a collaboration from Dr. Don Wilton and June Hunt about loneliness, how to be alone but not lonely.

Oh, such great insight from God's word. You'll find all the details on our website, www.tewonline.org. Now, there's a myriad of resources there, some that there are involved in pricing, like that's a gift of $25 or more, but many free resources as well. You just need to know that even when you're investing in those resources, Dr. Wilton receives nothing. All of the 11 books that he has written, none of those resources go to him.

He doesn't take a dime. It all goes to invest in more time and more opportunities to lift up the name of Jesus and share the message of Christ literally around the globe. If you'd like to get involved, whether it's purchasing an investment like that, $25 or more for the loneliness series, or perhaps you just want to get involved like so many are doing, giving on a monthly basis, becoming what we call encouragers. We would ask you to prayerfully consider that and first and foremost pray for us. Dr. Don would ask you to pray for him most of all, that he would stay true to God's word, that you would pray for him and his strength and his joy and his passion, that it would continue, and oh my goodness, it is multiplying. After all the years I've been with him, I don't think I've ever seen him more excited to open God's word and preach the truth of God's word. If you'd like to invest in that, you can find out more about who we are on our website at www.tewonline.org. Discover what it's like to be an encourager. See our connectedness to things like the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability, our relationship with Dr. Billy Graham and others that we believe would just remind you that we are in this for one purpose and only, and that is to share Jesus Christ.

Again, details are on our website, www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. After Jesus was born, questions were asked and pretenders were identified and prophecies were fulfilled. And number four, lines were drawn. Lines were drawn.

Now folks, listen to this very, very carefully today. See, the Bible says in verse eight of chapter two, he sent them to Bethlehem. And what did he say? Herod said, go and make a careful search for the child.

And as soon as you find him, report to me that I too may go and worship him. A line was drawn. These Magi, the wise men, they knew better. They knew better. And folks, a line was drawn.

They had to choose between God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ the King, the Savior of the world, and God King Herod. Line was drawn. After Jesus was born, my friend, a line was drawn.

And a line is being drawn for you and for me today in America and all around the world. God's servant Joshua was confronted with that reality when Jehovah God said to him, choose you this day whom you will serve. How many of you today are willing to stand up and say, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

How many of us today in America are willing to stand up and say, you can count on me, God. I believe that God is exactly who he says he is. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God. And I believe that he alone paid the price for my sin. And I believe that he alone can save me from my sin. And I believe that he's going to take me to heaven to be with God the Father forever. I believe it.

You can count on me. The line is drawn. In America today, my friends, as we enter into a new year more and more across this nation, I believe that God is calling upon you and me to stand up and to be counted for the Lord Jesus Christ, all because he was born in Bethlehem's manger. The lines were drawn.

Have you made your decision? But I want you to note in the fifth place that worshippers were seen. I love verse 11, the Bible says they bowed down and they worshipped him. They bowed down and they worshipped him.

Can you imagine that? After Jesus was born, unprecedented worship took place. Tell you, one of the commitments I want to make to the Lord this year after Jesus was born is that I too would worship him. Folks, worship is not an option.

Worship is not an option. But you know, there was something else that took place that is too beautiful for words. Number six. Did you get it? It's right there in verse 11. Gifts were given. Gifts were given.

Isn't that amazing? Do you know that the greatest gift that you can ever give back now that Jesus has been born is you? Do you know why Jesus gave himself?

So that you would give yourself back to him. Greatest gift. I want you to give your heart and life to Jesus Christ. I want you to trust him as your personal savior and Lord. Greatest gift ever given. As the gift of a heart and life when you repent of your sin and by faith you trust in Jesus Christ.

You know what he does? He comes and lives in your heart. And he dwells in your heart and in your life.

He writes your name in his book in heaven. Gifts were given, folks. Gift number one is the gift of your heart. Gift number two is the gift of your children.

Do you know the Bible gives such a beautiful picture of dedicating children to the Lord? God gave to us that gift and we parents give that gift back to him. And then you can give the gift of those gifts to others. We're going to have boys and girls today bring their gifts. We just want to open up our hearts and just give and just give and just give.

I want this year for us to just give like never before. Say to the Lord today, Lord Jesus, I give you my life. I give it back to you because of the greatest gift ever given to me. I give to you my children. I give to you my wife, my husband, my family, my home, my motor car. I give my bank balance. I give my work, my business. I just give everything to you. And then those multiple, multiple things that so many people do for others.

Folks, that's what this is all about. They brought their gifts to the Lord. It is a magnificent picture of God's grace. Indeed, a great picture of God's grace.

And the joy of that picture is it's not just for the few. It's for you. You've heard Dr. Wilton as he's been teaching and preaching now as he steps into the studio.

Open your heart to what he wants to share next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? I'm so happy to hear that. Why don't you pray this prayer with me today? Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much. And I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on a cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today, I repent of my sin.

I confess my sin to you. And I invite you to come into my heart and into my life by faith. In Jesus' name I pray. If you prayed that prayer, let me be the first one to welcome you to the family of God.

This is wonderful. And I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important this is for me. Call us so that we can talk to you and connect you in the right place so you can begin this wonderful journey. If you just prayed along with Dr. Wilton to give your life to Christ, maybe for the first time or to rededicate your life to Jesus, Dr. Don wants to pray for you.

We all will pray for you. And Dr. Don wants to make sure you have some free resources that will help you take the next steps and grow in your faith. Call us and let us know about your decision at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673. Or if you'd like to email Dr. Don, he loves reading letters about how God is moving in the ministry of the encouraging word, just write to him. His first name, Don, D-O-N at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. That's Don, D-O-N at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. Dr. Wilton, we'll pray for you and we all will gather together and make sure you get those free resources if you email or call today. The phone number again is 866-899-9673.

Or meet us online at T-E-W online dot O-R-G where you'll discover great resources like this. Have you ever felt lonely, isolated or abandoned? No one escapes the feelings of loneliness caused by separation, grief, loss or isolation.

It can strike anyone, but God has placed within each of us a basic need for relationship with him. This month, with your gift to the encouraging word, you will receive Dr. Don Wilton's powerful message, Fear Not, along with the bonus book, Loneliness, How to be Alone but Not Lonely. These powerful resources will help you overcome your loneliness and find comfort, security and companionship in God. Our time's gone for today, but oh, for the weekend, Dr. Don has some powerful messages planned. You can find him in a number of ways on television. Go to our website at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. You can watch some of the messages on demand right there, but also find places like Daystar and other networks where you can watch and participate with the encouraging word, God's encouraging word.