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Before we began today's program, I wanted to say a word about the recent election. In 1 Timothy 2, Paul said we should pray that government would basically protect us and then leave us alone to practice our faith. And I think the election has ensured that's going to happen for the next four years. I've known President Trump for almost 10 years, and I know religious freedom is a very real priority with him. We need to remember that it is not government's responsibility to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's our responsibility and one we need to take advantage of while there's still time.
The only way we're going to change America is by changing the hearts of Americans, and that's only possible through the power of Jesus Christ. Thank you for supporting Pathway to Victory generously in this important time but limited time of religious liberty, so together we can pierce the darkness with the light of God's word. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory. Today I'm going to do the best I can to encourage you to spend a few unrushed moments as together we stop and smell the manger of Bethlehem. Today we're going to look in the nativity scene and learn some eternal lessons about what it means to love and obey God. Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress.
You know, as December 25th quickly approaches, you're likely to be in the throes of getting ready for Christmas, maybe wrapping presents or making trips to the grocery store, maybe making travel plans to visit family. Well, today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress takes time to pause and reflect on the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. Now here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.
Dr. Jeffress. Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. I'm pleased you decided to join us on what is likely a very distracting day for you.
It's the weekend prior to Christmas and all of us are in the throes of getting ready for the holiday. Even so, I can promise you that the next half hour will infuse excitement into your spiritual walk with Jesus. As we begin, I'll remind you that time is running short to request your Pathway to Victory daily devotional for 2025. This is a handsome and hefty leather-bound book with inspirational readings for every Monday through Friday in the coming new year, printed in a larger font so that it's easy to read. And it's my gift to you when you give a generous year-end gift to support the growing ministry of Pathway to Victory. This daily devotional gives us a way to connect every weekday in 2025. In addition to receiving this brand new edition, we have an enormous matching fund that's active right now, and we're focused on reaching the spectacular goal of $1.5 million by December 31st.
Now here's what that means to you. When you give a generous gift between now and December 31st, the amount you give will be automatically matched and doubled in size because of this matching challenge, shining the light of Jesus with twice the brightness. Look, Jesus' birth changed history forever. The arrival of Christ marked the moment when God's radiant hope entered our world, offering life and salvation to all who believe. And it's our privilege to shine this bright light of Christ through Pathway to Victory. Please be prepared to jot down our contact information later in the program so that you can respond today. But right now, let's get started with our study in God's Word.
I titled today's message, Stop and Smell the Manger. Today, we're going to look at the five major characters in the nativity scene. We're going to start with Mary. First of all, Mary was pure. When God is looking for somebody to use, he chooses those who not necessarily are the most gifted people in the world, the most talented, the most beautiful, but those who are pure. That was Mary. And the second character we're going to look at in this nativity scene is Joseph. You know what Joseph reminds us is, Joseph reminds us that God uses and honors those who are obedient. Here the angel comes and says, God is the one responsible.
You take her as your wife. There was no arguing with Joseph. He didn't understand how it happened.
He didn't understand how it would turn out. But in the darkness, he obeyed God. That's what it means to be obedient. When you see Joseph in these nativity scenes, ask yourself the question, am I being obedient to what I know God has told me to do, even though I can't see the outcome of my obedience to him? God uses those who are obedient. The next characters in the Christmas story, the shepherds. The reason I love these shepherds is, you know, the fact is God could have chosen anyone to announce the coming of the Savior of the world, the birth of Jesus.
But of all the people he chose, he didn't choose kings or princes or rulers or the rich. He chose the lowest rung of Jewish society, the shepherds. I mean, shepherds were absolutely despised in Jesus' day.
And the reason is obvious. The reason they didn't get invited to the A-list parties in Jerusalem was because of their work. They worked with sheep.
That means they smelled like sheep as well. Nobody wanted to be around the shepherds, and yet it was this group of all of the people God could have chosen that God chose to announce the coming of the Savior of the world. Listen to the words of Luke 2, 8 through 14.
I bet you can recite them by heart almost. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night, and an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened, understandably so. But the angel said to them, here it is again, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which shall be for all people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger, and suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased. Why did God choose to announce this news to the shepherds? Because the shepherds were humble. God chooses to bless and to save those who don't have any sense of pretense about them, those who are humble. And you see that in their response in verse 15 to the news.
Look at this. When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem then and see this thing which has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And so they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph and the baby as he lay in the manger. What was their response when they heard this news? Immediately, they dropped everything they were doing, and they walked and they ran to Bethlehem to see this child.
What is it that made them so anxious to see this child after hearing the news? I think it's one word the angel used. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, a Savior. Somebody has said if man's greatest need had been for money, God would have sent an economist.
If our greatest need had been education, God would have sent a teacher. But man's greatest need is for forgiveness, and that's why God sent a Savior. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. These shepherds, they understood their sin, their need for forgiveness, and that's why they resonated with that word Savior and they ran to see the one who had been born. The only way to really understand and appreciate the humility of the shepherds is to contrast their reaction to another group of people in Jerusalem that night, and that is the religious leaders. There were thousands of religious leaders in Jerusalem, and when they heard the news that the Messiah that they supposedly had been waiting for for hundreds of years, when they heard the news that the Savior was here, what did they do?
Nothing. They stayed right where they were in Jerusalem. They wouldn't even walk the couple of miles to Bethlehem to see the Savior.
Why is that? They didn't think they needed a Savior. A Savior? I may not be good enough, but I'm a religious leader. I know the Torah backwards and forwards.
I've been circumcised. I'm from the lineage of Abraham. I'm okay with God. I don't need a Savior. The shepherds understood in their humility that their need for God was total, and that's why God chose to deliver the good news to them first of all. Every time you see these shepherds in a tativity scene, ask yourself the question, have I, like the shepherds, admitted to God that my need for him is total and not partial, that I have no hope of heaven apart from faith in Jesus Christ? God blesses.
He saves those who are humble. The other group, a more mysterious group in this tativity scene, are what we call the wise men, the magi. They apparently were astrologers, astronomers of some sort. They came from the east. Most scholars think they came from Persia, which is Iran today.
Why did they travel such a long distance? They came probably several years after Christ's birth, because by the time they arrived, Mary and Jesus are in a home by this point in time. We find their account in Matthew chapter 2, beginning with verse 1. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and we have come to worship him. People wonder, how could astronomers in Persia have known about the Jewish Messiah who was coming?
Where did they get that news? Why would they have been looking for a Messiah to come? I think as I've studied it, the answer is that area of the world 700 years earlier had been introduced to the idea of a Messiah by a man named Daniel.
Daniel operated in that part of the world. He was taking captivity, remember, to Babylon. And through his teaching, he influenced those in the king's court that included the magi.
They served in the king's court. And I believe it was through that influence of Daniel 700 years earlier that there was a knowledge in that part of the world of a Messiah who would come not just for the Jewish people, but for the entire world. And so they followed a star trying to search out for the Messiah.
You know, the wise men remind us that God directs those who are sincere in their search for him. Again, the only way to appreciate the response of the wise men is to contrast it to the response of King Herod and his reaction when he heard the news that the Messiah had come. Verse 3 says that when Herod the king heard about this new king, he was deeply troubled.
That word translated troubled in Greek means to be agitated, to be stirred up. When Herod heard that someone claiming to be the king of the Jews had arrived on the scene, he was agitated on the inside. You see, Herod suffered from paranoia. You remember from history that when his two sons were alleged to have cooked up an assassination plot against their father to take over the throne, he had both of his sons executed. Later on, when he heard about the baby being born, the Messiah, he didn't think anything about ordering the mass murder of every baby male two years of age and under to extinguish the possibility of a king of the Jews. It underscores why it was that Herod was agitated.
He didn't want to give up his rule to anyone. And by the way, that is a great explanation why today people turn away from God, why there are atheists in the world. You know why people turn away from God or try to deny God? It's not because they have come across some special information in science or archaeology that disproves the existence of God. It's not because of their towering intellect that they cannot admit that there is a God. It is because of their pride they don't admit there is a God. Because instinctively, every human being knows that if there is a God who created us, we have an obligation to fall down and to worship that God and obey that God, and the unbeliever is unwilling to do that. Somebody has said the reason an atheist can't find God is the same way a thief can't find a policeman.
Neither is really looking for somebody else like that. People don't want to worship a God that they have to serve and submit their lives to, and that was Herod. And that's why look in verse 8 of Matthew chapter 2, when Herod sent them, the Magi to Bethlehem, he said to them, now go and search carefully for the child, and when you have found him, report to me so that I may too come and worship him. Sure, he didn't want to worship the Messiah. That's why he never found him.
He wanted to kill him. But notice how God supernaturally protected the Christ child. Verse 9 and 10, after hearing the king, they went their way, the Magi, and the star which they had seen in the east went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the child was.
And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Herod died in the darkness without ever finding Christ. But these Magi who came all the way from Persia were led to Jesus.
Why was that? It's so simple. God gives direction to those who sincerely want to know him.
Think about your own experience. Not all of you are Christians yet who are listening to this message, but many of you are. Think about how God led you out of spiritual darkness into the light of his son. God probably sent his own star, his own light to you that led you to Christ. It might have been your mate. It might have been a godly parent or grandparent.
Perhaps it was a pastor or a Sunday school teacher. But God, when he saw a heart that wanted to know him, he sent the light into your life to lead you to Christ. When you see these Magi, these wise men, ask yourself the question, am I sincerely seeking to know God so that I may worship him? If so, he'll give you light. He'll give you direction. Remember his words through Jeremiah the prophet, Jeremiah 29, 13.
And you will find me when you search for me with your whole heart. God directs those who are sincere. And of course, that leads us to the central figure in this entire Christmas story. The baby in the manger, Jesus Christ.
C.S. Lewis said one time, the greatest miracle of all is not the atonement. It's not even the resurrection. The greatest miracle of all is the incarnation. That God, the great majestic creator of this universe, poured all of himself into this tiny baby, Jesus.
That goes beyond our comprehension. Not only how could God do such a thing, but why would he do such a thing? Why would the Son of God leave the throne of heaven and come and be born in an animal feeding trough, live a humiliating life and suffer an excruciating death? Why did he do it all? He didn't come to this earth to teach us great truth.
He didn't come to set a great example. This baby came for one reason, to die for our sins, to provide not just one way, but the only way to God the Father. That's why Jesus came.
Jesus came to die for you and me. You see that even in his name, Jesus. You shall call his name Jesus. That's the Old Testament name Joshua, the Lord saves. Remember what the angel said? She shall bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will what?
He will save his people from their sins. You know, the wise men even had an understanding of that. There's no reason to think that there were just three wise men. There probably was a whole group of magi who came, but they did bring three gifts.
Gold, that's what you bring a king. They brought frankincense, which was a sign of purity. But the third gift they brought was myrrh.
You know what myrrh was? One of its most common uses in New Testament times was it was used for the preservation of a dead body to prevent premature decomposition of that body. Remember later when Jesus died on the cross and they took him down before they placed him in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea? They wrapped his body in substances including myrrh to prevent the decomposition.
They didn't realize they were wasting their time, but they did that anyway to try to prevent that decomposition. They brought to this baby as a baby gift myrrh. I mean, that would be like today going to a baby shower and bringing a tiny coffin for a baby to the shower. Can you imagine the reaction?
You'd get thrown out of the party for doing such a thing. But you see, the magi understood that this baby was a baby who was born to die. To die for the sins of the world. There are not many ways to God. Not all roads lead to heaven. If there had been any other way for us to have a right relationship with God, the Christmas story would have been unnecessary. But the reason the God of the universe was willing to humiliate himself, take the form of a bondservant and become obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, was Jesus was the only way for the forgiveness of sins.
And whenever you look at this manger, this feeding trough, ask yourself, have I trusted in God's only provision for my sins? You see, Jesus reminds us that God saves those who believe in him for eternal life. Jesus said it this way.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him, trusts in him, clings to him, shall not perish, but shall have eternal life. Someone has said there is majesty in the name God. There is personality in the name Jehovah. There is power in the name Lord.
There is intercession in the name mediator. But there is salvation in no other name except the name Jesus. You shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. I hope today's message has encouraged you.
Stopping to smell the manger has been good for your radio pastor as well. I never tire of reliving the moment when Jesus broke onto the world stage and changed our lives forever. So let me suggest your next step down the Pathway to Victory. While you have a little extra time this weekend, I'm asking you to go online to our website at ptv.org and check out the 2025 Pathway to Victory Daily Devotional. In this brand new edition for 2025, I've written a devotional for every single weekday in the coming new year. This leather-bound volume will help you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus every weekday in 2025. And I'm prepared to ship this book to your home when you give a generous year-end gift to support the growing ministry of Pathway to Victory in the coming new year. In addition to receiving the daily devotional, your gift today will automatically be doubled in size because of the Light the Darkness matching challenge. I don't need to describe the darkness that has blanketed our nation and world in 2024.
It's appalling to see the blatant expressions of sin. Well, Pathway to Victory is uniquely postured to shine the bright light of hope in 2025. And that light, of course, is Jesus Christ. Would you join us in this worthy effort to broadcast the good news about the light of the world? This is a perfect time for you to invest your giving in Pathway to Victory because every dollar you give between now and December 31st will be matched and therefore multiplied by two because of the Light the Darkness matching challenge. Thank you for your generous support.
David? Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. When you give a generous year-end gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, we'll say thanks by sending you the brand-new 2025 Pathway to Victory daily devotional. To request this exclusive resource, call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org. And when your gift is $100 or more, we'll also send you Reigniting Your Passion for Christ.
That's this month's study in Luke on DVD video and MP3 format audio discs. Remember, because of our Light the Darkness matching challenge, your gift will be doubled in size and impact. So be sure to get in touch right away. One more time, call 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org. You could also send your donation by mail. Write to P.O. Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222.
That's P.O. Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J. Mullins. Wishing you a great weekend, then join us again Monday for another Christmas message called, A Gift Too Wonderful for Words, right here on Pathway to Victory. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. And right now, your special year-end gift will be matched and therefore doubled in impact thanks to the Light the Darkness Matching Challenge. Take advantage of this opportunity to double your impact before the deadline on December 31st. To give toward the matching challenge, go to ptv.org slash donate or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.
