People who missed Christmas

It is exam time. Everyone come into the classroom with fear and trepidation. Then come the professor and he starts to distribute the paper. Everyone is wondering what questions are there and if they are going to do well in the exam. The professor said “Do not turn the paper yet. You are not to start the exam until I tell you so.” That adds on to the suspense and everyone is anxious. When he said start, everyone quickly turn the paper. Suddenly they was a long silence and everyone look at each other in puzzle. They realize that the paper is full of answers. The professor had filled up the questions in his own hand writing. Everyone look at each other wondering what is going on. After awhile, the professor announced that the examination is over. All the answers in the script are correct. All of you got an A+. Everyone is in a shock. The professor then went around and asked, “Did your study get you an A+?”. No. “Did all your attendance get you an A+? “No. The reason all of you get an A+ is because the creator of this exam has decided to take it on your behalf.

All of us also have to sit for this exam given by our creator, God. We are all sinner by God’s standard. We would have failed miserably except that more than two thousand years ago, the Creator himself decided to take the exam on our behalf. On that cross Jesus provided all the answers to all the questions and passed with flying colors. Jesus died on that cross to take away our sins. Because of what He did, today all of us are A+ student in God’s eyes. That’s what he has done. Not by the work we have done but by the grace of God. This is the story of Christmas, What a Savior!

But we can only be an A+ student in the eyes of God if we allow God to sit the exam on our behalf. Bible teacher, John MacArthur had preached a wonderful sermon on people who missed Christmas. This morning I want to share with you four of his characters from the bible who missed this opportunity. Let’s see if you can identify with them

Christmas is notably one of the most important occasion in a yearly calendar. It is the most important and wonderful time of the year in many part of the world, including our country, which is pre-dominantly Muslim. And through out the world, especially in the commercial sphere, its importance cannot be undermined because it is the most profitable time. From shopping centers to airline to hotel and to entertainment outlets, this is business opportunities. But even with all these media attention, advertisement and public relation, there are still many people who missed Christmas. Unfortunately the simplicity of the birth of Christ is buried in the sea of business, busyness and paganism. This happened today, but it also happened during the time recorded in the Bible.

Let me read from Luke 2 to tell you about the first Christmas.

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Hotel overbooked is nothing new to me. Years after years, in Kota Kinabalu, in particular, it is difficult to get rooms in the hotel. While it is unpleasant to deal with this problem, I remind myself that this problem is not new. Now, Who do you think missed the first Christmas? The first person who missed Christmas was the innkeeper. It was right in front of him but he missed it. He had to deal with Joseph and Mary and he had no room for them.

The innkeeper missed Christmas because to him, it was just another birth. Not only that, he was indifferent in that he didn’t even call for help because verse 7 said that it was a lonely birth. You see, the innkeeper was pre-occupied because the city was bursting with people. He was busy caring for his business. He was not hostile or uncaring. For him, it was all about business. He was just real busy.

A lot of people are like that. All they care about is filling their empty soul with stuff that really does not matter and so they missed the Christ of God. Look at your own life, did you spend more time shopping then you did adoring Christ? Did you spend more money on stuff then you invest in His kingdom? Then may be you are trapped like the innkeeper too.

Let’s meet another man who missed the first Christmas. This man really missed it. He was not like the innkeeper who was ignorant. In fact, he was very well informed. He was Herod. Turn to Matthew chapter 2:1. 1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and 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."

Did Herod really want to worship the child Jesus? Verse 1 and verse 3 address Herod as king and why would him be disturbed as we read in verse 3. That’s because verse 2 says there is another king coming. Herod felt threatened and insecure. He was afraid of another king. Go on and read verse 16.

16When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

When Herod realized that the wise men did not get back to him, he was furious and he gave order to get rid of all children who were two years old and under in order to wipe out the child who is going to be the king of the Jews. Herod missed Christmas because of fear and jealousy. There are many people who missed Christmas because of the same basic kind of fear that Herod had. Herod fear was that somebody else would take his throne. A lot of people are like that. Herod was not going to let this little child interfere with his career, with his position, with his power, with his ambition, with his plan and with his life style. He was not about to let someone else be the king. Are you like Herod who missed Christmas because you don’t want Jesus to occupy the throne in your life? You want to be the Lord of your own life, master of your fate and afraid to crown Him Lord. That’s tragic because his kingdom is so much more glorious.


There is a third group of people who missed Christmas.
Matt 2:4When 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. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6" '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.

The Chief priests and the teachers of the laws knew about the coming of Christ. But nowhere do we read about them flocking and responding to him. They are the knowledgeable one. They are the theologians, the brainy one. They are the Sanhedrin who ruled the Jewish courts. They can even quote scripture, ie. Micah where the Messiah will be born. Yet they did not even bother to go find out about the birth of the Messiah. They were in Jerusalem, only 2 miles north of Bethlehem. Why did they missed Christmas? They are indifference and they are complacent. They are so proud in their position that they did not even realize the state that they are in. There are many people in the world today ignore Christ because they don’t know they are sinful. They don’t care about the saviour because they don’t know they have to be saved.

The innkeeper missed Christmas because of ignorant preoccupation. Herod missed Christmas because of jealous fear. The chief priests and Sanhedrin missed Christmas because of indifferent pride. But there is another group of people who missed Christmas.

Turn with me to Luke 4.
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.
24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

This is probably the saddest part of all. Nazareth Missed Christmas. Jesus was their own son and they rejected Him. They even wanted to killed him as we read in verse 29. Why do you think Nazareth missed Christmas. Familiarity. They know Jesus so well that He was not special to them. Are you one of them? The getting used to attending church, raise in a Christian home. You know Him so well that you took Him for granted. You have heard so many Christmas stories, heard so many sermons, attended so many Sunday school and bible lessons that your convictions waned. As John MacArthur said, Familiarity breeds contempt and the deadly familiarity with Christmas truth breed a stony heart. You better respond while your heart is still soft or your heart will become hard and you will not have the opportunity to respond.

There are many reasons why people miss Christmas. They miss it because of ignorant preoccupation, they miss it because of jealous fear, they miss it because of prideful indifference, and they even miss it because of being so familiar with it. But behind all these reasons is one reason: unbelief. They will not believe. They refuse to believe. What ever the excuse, whatever the reasons you have been missing Christmas, if you receive Christ and believe in Him, Christmas will become a reality in your life. It can happen today. That’s between you and God. So Let Christ sit for you for the exam and be an A+ student in the eyes of God.