Where are You Searching for Jesus?

This is the last Christmas post of the year.  I hope you enjoyed many of Christmas posts this year.  Stay tuned to next November where once again we'll be churning out more Christmas posts following Thanksgiving in 2011.  Yesterday I posted some YouTube videos of the Christmas Sweater, which was produced by Glenn Beck in 2008.  I posted the first four video clips yesterday.  Following the conclusion of the thought I have for this post, I will post the remaining of the YouTube clips of the Christmas Sweater in its entirety.  Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from December 26 until New Year's Day. 

(Matthew 2:1-11) "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.  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, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.  Then Herod, when he had privily 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.  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.  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."

The book of Matthew mentions about the wise men coming from the East to Jerusalem looking for the Christ child that was born.  They were inquiring where the Christ child was located.  They had seen his star in the East and they had come to worship Him.  It is speculated that these wise men were learned men.  Later Christian writings have identified these wise men as kings, which is linked to Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 60:3 which describe the Messiah being worshipped by kings.  The Gospel of Matthew is the only Gospel which covers the wise men in the Bible.  The wise men are also referred to as Magi, which is a Greek term meaning "a priest of Zoroaster."   Magi refers to the priestly caste of Zoroastrianism.  As part of their religion, these priests paid particular attention to the stars and they gained an international reputation for astrology, which was a highly regarded science at the time. 

According to the narrative in Matthew, the wise men found Jesus by following his star, which became known as the Star of Bethlehem.  When they found Christ, they fell down and worshipped him.  They also presented him with three gifts which were gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Last year's Christmas post discussed the nature of the three gifts that the wise men presented to Jesus on their journey to Jerusalem.  Matthew 2:12 mentions that they were warned of God in a dream that they shouldn't return to Herod because Herod was seeking to kill the Christ child.  So they departed into their own country another way.  In verse 3 we read where King Herod heard about the wise men searching for Jesus.  Herod had called the wise men and enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.  He instructed them to go and search for the young child and when they found him, Herod said to bring him word that he supposedly may worship the Christ child.  However, Herod had intended to kill the Christ child.  An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told Joseph to flee Egypt.  Joseph and his family stayed in Egypt until the death of Herod.  Then in Matthew 2:16 we read that Herod was wroth because he was mocked of the wise men.  Herod ordered for all the children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof to be slain.  They were to be slain two years and younger.  When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and told him to take the young child and Mary to the land of Israel becuase Herod was dead.  (Matthew 2:19-21). 

I praise God we serve a risen Savior.  I like reading about the birth of Christ during the Christmas season.  Luke 2:7 states that Mary brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him with swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for him in the inn.  Jesus was born in very humble surroundings.  Just take a moment to consider the fact Jesus paid a huge price to come down to this earth to reside among lowly men.  Jesus was part of the Godhead.  He enjoyed fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  He lived in the portals of glory.  Why would he desire to come to this sinful old world to become man and dwell in a mortal body to experience the temptations of mankind so he could one day die on a rugged cross to redeem mankind?  It's a mystery.  Yet Jesus was chosen before the foundation of the world was laid to be the lamb slain for the sins of mankind (Ephesians 1:4).  Jesus humbled himself and became God in flesh.  He was born in a manger or a barn stable because there was no room for him in the inn.  He was born in a place we wouldn't consider desirable for the birth of our own children.  Yet he was willing to come to this world so he could die for the sins of mankind. 

Where is Christ today?  As much I enjoy reading about Christ's birth, Christ is no longer in the manger.  The question I have to ask is where are you searching for Christ?  Many people are searching for God in all sorts of places.  Places where God's not found.  I enjoy the Nativity scene that's displayed every Christmas out in public.  However, Christ no longer is lying in a manger.  I'll go a step further.  I'm thankful for the price Jesus paid for mankind's sins on Calvary.   But we don't serve a Christ that's still hanging on a cross.  If you were to go inside a Catholic church, you'll see a cross where Christ is hanging and bleeding for the sins of mankind.  I have one word to say:  Christ's no longer on that cross.  He was taken down from the cross and was wrapped in linen and laid in the tomb.   Thankfully, the story doesn't end there.  If it did, we wouldn't possess the hope that's within us right now.  For you see, Christ's death on the cross alone wasn't sufficient.  What do I mean?  As important as his death was on the cross, mankind could never be saved if he was still lying in the tomb.  All of the major religious figures we read about throughout history such as Buddha, Mohammad, and Confucious are all still in the grave.  The Apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 15:14 states that if Christ be not risen, then their preaching is in vain, and their faith is in vain.  Verse 17 says, "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."  Without the resurrection, mankind could never know Jesus as personal Lord and Savior.  It was the through the resurrection that death, hell, and the grave were defeated.  Christ's corpse no longer lies in the tomb.  He's risen from on high.  As the old song goes, "The tomb is empty now".  Praise the Lord.  We serve a risen savior that's seated on the right hand of the Father.  (Ephesians 1:20)  Jesus is the only person throughout human history that's ever died and risen from the grave.  No human being has ever risen from the grave once their corpse is laid six feet under.  Jesus did something no man could ever do humanly speaking.  One of these days the last enemy that will be destroyed is death (I Corinthians 15:26).  There shall be death no more when Jesus comes back to this world. 

We live in a world where many people are searching for Christ.  As mentioned earlier, you'll not find Christ in a stable, a manger, a cross, or a tomb.  They're all empty.  There are many places that people search for Christ but he's not there.  Some look for him at an organization such as the Lion's Club or the Freemasonry.  You won't find Christ there.  You also won't find Christ in major television ministries such as the 700 Club, the PTL Club, Benny Hinn, Jimmy Swaggart, Billy Graham and the list continues.  Jesus resides at the local church.  Jesus is at the head of the church. (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)   Ephesians 5:25-27 mentions that Christ is the head of the church and that he loves the church and has given himself for it.  If you want to find Jesus, you'll find him at a Spirit-filled, King James Bible preaching church that's serving the Lord.  You'll find Him at a church where the presence of God is real.  There are numerous religious institutions and cathedrals that label themselves as a "church" but aren't a true church.  Any church that doesn't preach God's word and doesn't possess the Holy Spirit isn't a church.  You won't find God in such religious institutions as the Catholic Church, the Mormon church, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and the list continues.  Any church that doesn't possess a copy of God's word isn't a church.  Any church that deviates from the Biblical doctrine of salvation by grace through faith isn't a church. 

One other place where you'll find Christ is in a believer.  Those that have been saved by God's grace has the Holy Spirit living inside of them.  There's no Christian that doesn't possess the Spirit of God.  If you don't possess the Spirit of God within you, you're not saved.  The Spirit of God dwells in a believer.  He takes His abode within our hearts.  When the Spirit abides within us, he'll perform a work in our hearts and lives.  He'll give us a desire for spiritual things.  A saved person will hate sin and the evil things of this world.  We'll desire to be holy like Jesus is.  We'll have a desire to serve Jesus if the Spirit indwells within us.

I thank God that Christ can be found.  However, you won't find him in the places most people look for him.  He no longer is lying in a manger, hanging on a cross, or lying in the grave.  He has risen and is sitting at the right hand of the Father.  You won't find him in a religious organization such as the 700 Club or anything short of the local church.  I'm not insinuating that ministries of the church are unscriptural.  However, a scriptural ministry will be backed by the local church.  If any ministry, regardless whether it's a radio ministry, Christian school, Bible college, or a printing ministry isn't supported by the local church, it's not scriptural.  God places much, much emphasis upon the local church.  God doesn't bypass the local church.  For you see Christ gave himself for the local church; not the PTL Club.  You will find Jesus in a true Spirit-filled, sin hating, King James Bible believing, local church that loves God.  And finally, you'll find Jesus that's residing in the heart of the believer.  I'm thankful that Jesus is real and His presence can be manifested.  I'm thankful that the sinner can find Jesus if the Holy Spirit deals with their heart.  Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays this coming week.