Christmas Dreams – Matthew 2

The premiere of “White Christmas” in 1954 delighted American audiences as Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye were making people laugh, and the songs of Irving Berlin were making them sing… including the now popular song “White Christmas”. The movie was a comedic love story of Crosby and Kay with two sister – set in the drama of saving of the Columbia Inn in Pine Tree, Vermont that belonged to the retired Brigadier General of the 151st Division of the Army. Crosby and Kaye became a great act after the war, and discovered that their former general was losing his life’s savings, because an Inn was vacant due to lack of snow. The entertainers invited a variety show to bring all the men of the 151stDivision and honor the general that now felt forgotten. Packed with back in uniform “retired” soldiers, the General enters the hall of his Inn only to discover he was to be honored by his former men. At the end of the movie, the background of the set is removed to show the new snow falling in Pine Tree. All the guest a glass, toasting, “May your days be merry and bright; and may all your Christmases be white” – and the White Christmas song embedded itself in American Christmas culture. Since then, we have all been dreaming of White Christmases – except for Florida’s citrus growers!

Everyone has their own Christmas dream.

  • In Hollywood, it is to make the blockbuster film that will pull the Holiday crowds into the theatre and get the critics buzzing.
  • In Cupertino, California, your Christmas is already full to overflowing with news of the high tech purchases that make your devices named after your favorite fruit a smash hit.
  • If you are working on Madison Avenue in New York, you are laboring night and day to bring in the best revenue you have seen in 2011 – trying to get the advertising dollars for your client’s product to “hit” in the consumer marketplace.
  • If you are the American shopping Mall, you are hoping to make enough in profits to pay months of rent and facility costs, and break into the black between November 26th and December 31st.
  • If you are the mom and dad of a young family, you are trying to figure out how you can pay the mortgage and insurance, and still eek out enough for the ever more expensive toys for your kids that will light up their faces on Christmas morning.
  • If you are a single mom or dad, you are trying to figure out how you can make the best “family feel” out of an otherwise hurtful and broken time. Most of the time you deal with the family breakup just fine – but this is Christmas, and feelings come to the surface as the smell of the pine tree enters the front door.

In our study in the opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, we looked at five women deeply woven into the fabric of the Messiah’s story, and in fact, His DNA. In the second chapter, Matthew’s account shifted to the MEN involved in the Christmas scene. Biblically, the men had no genetic role in Jesus’ formation – for the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary (for the male seed carried in some special way the sin curse passed from generation to generation). The story of the men was not “in His genes”, but in His reception on the earth– and it is a fascinating story worth recalling this Christmas season. This text offers us a window into the answer to an important question

Have you ever come out of Christmas and felt like the whole thing was pretty empty?

Have you looked forward to time with family and friends – only to have the reality of that not measure up to the anticipation? Have the hassles of Christmas ever replaced any JOY of Christmas? If any of that is true, this passage is for YOU. This passage offers its own special Christmas gift… the answer to a question: To whom is the joy of Christmas given? What kind of person can PLAN to have a great Christmas and truly see it come to pass?

Key Principle: Power was threatened by Messiah’s coming, and the working man just tried to do what he could to meet his responsibility but it was the hungry seekers who really knew the JOY of the season – and it still is.

When you read the text of Matthew 2, you quickly notice individual men and groups of men are featured as the story unfolds:

  • Herod the King (and later Archelaus his son): men of power and prestige – the Herodian line had one clear desire – to remove any threat the baby born in Bethlehem posed to their most treasured asset – the throne.
  • Joseph the Builder: a working man with grave concerns about his family’s safety and well being, he passed through the most difficult experiences of his life in public embarrassment and private turmoil – just to keep the family going.
  • Chief priests and Scribes: studious and diligent men – who knew great facts about God but were not yielded to God. They could dissect the theological debate about a God they did not truly serve.
  • Magi from the East: anxious men who had pledged obedience and worship from afar, and had borne the cost of their commitment. These were men sensitive to the Lord’s leading and dedicated to the Lord’s honor.

Let’s take a moment, and read Matthew 2:

Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” 7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; 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. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. 13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” 14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” 16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.” 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

In a way – three dreams collided in the early days of Jesus’ life in Bethlehem.

  • The first, was a dream of increased power and prestige – led by a successful King of the Jews.
  • The second was a dream of safety and provision – exemplified in a blue collar hard working man – a simple builder named Joseph.
  • The third was the dream of seekers of truth – seen in two kinds of students of the promises of God.

Let’s zoom in and look carefully at each person featured in the passage as our men and their dreams are introduced:

Dream #1: Men Hungry for Power and Prestige – Herod the King (and Archelaus):

Some people USE Christmas. There is no way to be delicate about it. In fact, they barely try to hide it… They put up the lights and tinsel before Thanksgiving, and – if the truth were told – they’d start about December 26th to push for the next year. They have shamelessly commercialized Christmas for their own objectives. One famous advertiser remarked: “If we didn’t have Christmas, the American economy would need to create one!” Many hijack the idea of Christmas… perhaps to make a killing financially, and grow their prestige and market share. Christmas is a sentimental and quaint idea they cash in on – that is their objective. Perhaps they do it to gain some other advantage… that IS as it ALWAYS WAS – all the way back in the first century.

Go back and look. Herod wasn’t trying to worship, sing or even meet the Messiah. He wanted to USE Him. The text offers an insider view of:

His time: Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king…”  Herod the Great (born 74-73 BCE, died 4 BCE in Jericho), was a Roman client king of Judea who is most known for his colossal building projects in expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the massive construction of the port at Caesarea Maritima. He amassed a fortune, and held the reigns of his realm tightly – leaving behind many monuments to both his paranoia and his splendor. Among them are palaces at the Herodion (named “in all humility after himself” according to Josephus Flavius), Masada –the fortress near the Dead Sea and the Huge construction above the tombs of the Patriarchs – the Cave of Machpelah. These were days of frenetic activity. These were days of economic prosperity. These were days of the rising notation of the Roman world – as Herod established famous Olympic style games and built world class cities. These were days of relative political stability – these were the days of the Pax Romana or Augustus fleshed out in the reign of Herod the Great, his long time friend.

His guests: Matthew 2:1b “…magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” Connection to the Jewish community was strong since the captivity in Babylon. The three waves of return over a 100 year period under Zerubbabel, then Ezra and finally Nehemiah didn’t bring home all of the Jews. In fact, it didn’t even bring home MOST of the Jews. Many of them remained in the east, and many of them continued studying the Law of Moses as well as the signs of the heavens. A few dropped by to visit the reigning King – on their way to the new born promised King.

His reactions: Herod’s reactions take up the rest of Matthew’s account concerning his part in the birth story. Herod was a calculating man, so his reactions were played out in three stages:

First Herod got the facts, so he could see how this might offer him an opportunity. He got advice on the possibility, place and timing of the birth: Matthew 2:3 “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” 7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

Herod had the same opportunity as any Jew of his day to celebrate the coming of the Promised Onebut he was not interested in any other ruler than himself. That is not an uncommon reaction to the message of Messiah. One Pastor wrote: “Herod’s response is paranoia and intimidation. He was afraid of a new king… afraid that he would lose the power and authority which he had come to cherish.” The truth is that many a man or woman has feared losing the throne of their own heart to the King of Kings. They have played with God – learned to use “God words” – rather than surrender to Him.

Finally, Herod co-opted the event to use it for his own purposes. He USED the people who cared deeply about the event, and got them into a different cause – to do HIS bidding: Matthew 2:8 “And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; 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.” Herod became the prototype for the Hallmark Card company and the Macy’s department store… He grabbed the hearts of people who were longing for the meaning of the event and co-opted its meaning. He did the ancient version of substituting the original purpose of the story – bringing God’s long awaited Redeemer to the earth under the protection of a shield of angelic host –and converted the story into something else. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” has now been sung: “It’s the most wonderful SALE of the year” (in a current Nissan ad). For Herod, the story was converted to “I am going to worship” (but you should read the word KILL the baby). To our modern marketing firms it is substituting a God who “sees you when you are sleeping and knows when you are awake” to a fat and ever-friendly man in a red suit. The co-opting of Christmas is an OLD phenomenon.

Don’t forget what happened when co-opting the event didn’t get him what he wanted – he simply attempted to destroy the event! Matthew 2:16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”  Without being cynical, am I wrong for assuming that our public rights to have and hold Christmas dear are being supported as much or more by the commercial gain community than by those who really care about Jesus as the reason for the season? In just a few years, if America finds a way to celebrate this event without ANY JESUS at all – they will kill the original message and replace it with the innocuous “peace on earth, goodwill to men” message taken up by Hallmark.

His lesson: Herod was hungry to use the event to erect greater power for himself – but it didn’t ultimately work. God’s work advanced in spite of the rulers of the Roman Empire that were largely evil men. Herod slaughtered babies. Emperor Caligula (37-41) was a ruler of the brought great wrath against God’s infant church movement – but we are still here. Emperor Claudius didn’t know Paul was doing mission journeys – but we are still learning from them. Emperor Nero saw Christians as a nuisance and then a scapegoat – but he ruled as the great writings of the Pastoral Epistles were penned and the church advanced. It didn’t matter who was ruling, and in the final analysis to the big plan of God – it didn’t matter how they ruled. A Sovereign God kept telling His story right over top of their earthly power!

Dream #2: Men just trying to Get By – Joseph the builder:

Herod may enrage us with his “adoption of Christmas”, but few of us identify with him Joseph the Builder is more our speed. Joe was an average guy – a working man with grave concerns about his family’s safety and well being. He was trying hard to get the bills paid and keep the government off his back. The first few Christmases for him were the most difficult experiences of his life. There was private family conflict and public embarrassment. His goals, like many of us today, were to GET THROUGH CHRISTMAS. In fact, the struggle of the trip to Bethlehem and the uprooting of the work that he was doing put a strain on him. He had serious private turmoil – and his closest companion was a woman about to give birth, whose pregnancy story was… well… impossible for his family to accept!  Too bad his whole family didn’t have the same dream of the angel that assured him of her fidelity. Step back into the scene when the baby was a toddler. The magi came and offered the baby gifts… and that put a bit of cash in the bank and took the pressure off the struggling family. They were finally going to be ok for awhile. Then God broke in again…

His problem: Matthew 2:13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

Has that ever happened to you? No, I don’t mean the angel of the Lord comes to tell you to move – although that could be the case. I mean, have you ever gotten the bills finally managed and it looks like there will be a time of relative calm, and the Lord throws a curve ball into your plan? All of the sudden the new money Joe got was portioned off to a caravan camel ticket. He KNEW that his family was in danger. He knew that God called him to protect the child and His mother. He knew that, just as things got settled, God pushed him out of his comfort zone. Another move, and this time FARTHER from the Nazareth village where he was when the whole thing started. Don’t you wonder if on his weaker moments Joe wondered if his life wouldn’t have been better if he never met Mary? Maybe… but ours wouldn’t be.

His protector: Matthew 2:14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” … 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Joe moved from Nazareth to Bethlehem, from Bethlehem to Egypt, from Egypt back to Nazareth. Every time, he needed to develop a new network to sell his abilities and make a living… not fun! The bouncing baby boy left Joe and his family bouncing from place to place for years. It wasn’t easy – it was the time of life many of you can identify with – the time of PROVIDING for your growing and changing family. Maybe your kids are small and you are struggling. Daycare isn’t cheap. Health care is ridiculous. Work hours compete for a few fragments of healthy family time. Bills climb and pay hasn’t. You get the picture… I want to offer a word of encouragement to you from Joseph’s life.

You are not simply getting by. You are raising our mutual future. Your child will help or hinder the future of our neighborhood – and even our country. You are constructing a HUMAN BEING.

It is a task of enormous pain at times – but incredible importance always. I would be personally remiss if I didn’t tell you a very personal lesson God taught me the hard way – they need your time, energy and assistance in very important ways VERY EARLY in life. Much of their character and personality will be shaped by the time they can speak. Cherish the days – don’t drag your way through them. They will be long days and hard days – and few will be the times you will feel like you are really succeeding – but do not look at this as anything less than a call of God. God gave you your children. God CALLED you to do this. Joy surrounds the busy believer who recognizes a greater purpose for their life’s journey than simply getting by… God has plans for you and your family.

Dream #3: Men who dreamed of finding truth – seen in two kinds of students of the promises of God.

One kind of student group found the TRUTH – but not the Savior! The Chief priests and Scribes were certainly studious and diligent men – who knew great facts about God but were not yielded to God. They could dissect the theological debate about a God they did not truly serve.

Matthew 2:4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”

These guys knew the prophet Micah. They knew that four times in the book that bore his name he promised Messiah. In the first prophetic mention of Messiah in the book, He was called both King and Lord. In the second, He was coming from a small village of Judah named Bethlehem. If they truly hungered for God’s will – why weren’t they walking behind the magi to check out the baby? Because they were satisfied with KNOWING ABOUT GOD. How tragic, that so many people are willing to sacrifice a walk with God for an education about God. They want to be able to answer the Bible questions, and they may even think that knowing about God is enough – but they didn’t have any JOY in His coming – because they weren’t HUNGRY TO KNOW HIM!

A SECOND GROUP found the JOY of Christmas. That group gave up ease and comfort, and put it all on the line to discover the Messiah. THEY hungered and thirsted to see Jesus. They sought to have Him in their lives. They sacrificed time and treasure to honor Him! They alone got the blessing of JOY from Christmas. They were the WINNERS! These anxious men who had pledged obedience and worship from afar, and had borne the cost of their commitment found the greatest experience kneeling before the KING. These were men sensitive to the Lord’s leading and dedicated to the Lord’s honor.

Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”(after Herod told them Bethlehem was the place prophesied) …8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; 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. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Do you see it? “Christmas is a time for GOD’S love to TUG hearts back to HIM with the powerful grip of a tiny hand reaching out from a bed of straw.” Have you ever placed your finger inside the hand of a little baby and felt its grip reach all the way to your heart? Let it happen. You will have the real JOY Christmas can bring! Remember, it was the hungry seekers who really found the JOY of the season – and it still is.