Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Reflecting on the Reason for the Season!
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with love ones and friends, which has become the mother of all holidays called Christmas, which is the reason of the season, we must take time to think and reflect on our relationship with the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Since our conversion to a better life, better way of doing things, a better way of thinking, and a better way living, many things have happened in our life and during our lifetime that has impact our view of the world.
I want to simply say that Jesus is the greatest thing that has happened to me. And if where not for Jesus, where would we be. How could I endure the struggles of life if it was not for Jesus?
We want to be a true reflection of Christ!
Folks who want real change in their life, who witness you as you live your life, and believe me, people are watching, observing, and witnessing whether you are a fraud, or true to what you are espousing. In their mind they wonder if you really believe what you say you believe.
So we need to be the real McCoy, a statement we used to say growing up to indicate that “you’re the real deal”. Inquiring minds will begin to investigate, confirm, and ultimate proclaim that you are truly one of God’s disciples. That is if you are the real McCoy.
Digging into the text!
Let’s put a pin here for a minute to talk about whether you are the real McCoy and we will be back to pick up this subject. Let’s peek into our text for minute. In verses 1 -14 of our text, the angels showed up unannounced proclaiming that a babe of great significance had been born just a few minutes ago.
Now here is a question? Why did God tell the angels to inform the lowly shepherds, men who took care of dumb and smelly animals? Maybe, these men had a lot of time to think, maybe they saw the world from a simplistic perspective.
These were definitely men who were unafraid and courageous. They guarded and nurtured their assets, fending off would be attackers that walked on two and four feet.
Why the shepherds? Did they possess inquiring minds, were they critical thinkers, were they tireless, hard working men who followed a thing to it final conclusion? Just think, God could have chosen accomplished, people of great notoriety, folk as we say in the know. But he didn’t. I have a couple of conclusions and perhaps after this message you will too.
Today, very briefly we want to talk about skills of these shepherds and how their skills relate to us. We will combine seemingly divergent ideas, the title of this message “Enquiring Minds Want to know”, the thoughts of who we are and need be as Christians, and our text in Matthew 2: 17-18.
Hopefully to share how we should handle revelations from God, confirm those revelations and ultimately proclaim that we know and see.
Point 1 – Go Find It
The shepherds immediately investigated the angel’s story pertaining to the birth of the babe called Jesus. They took the clues, (clues being the following the unction of the Spirit of God) in other words, you got to get there. You will see a gas station on the corner and a Walmart across the street.
You must follow directions. (you shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manager), and they found the babe.
We imagine it was a short distance, less than an hour’s walk. They knew the town, even though it was dark and they did not get lost. They knew where all of the stables were located. So they knew the area that Angels had talked about. God never asks you to do something that you cannot do or handle.
What I like about the text is that it says in verse 16, and they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manager. Likewise, we who are the salt of the earth, should always be investigating with haste, God’s word, and what God’s Word says to us.
Acts 17:10-12 King James Version (KJV)
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also, of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
Just like the Berens we should be people of readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures. As the shepherds who without haste immediately came to investigate whether those things were so, we too should be a people who put God first, and expeditiously complete God’s missions and goals.
Continuing to explore God’s vast levels of attributes and growing closer to him on a daily basis.
Point 2 – The Truth Shall Set You Free
The shepherds confirmed what the Angels said. There wasn’t any second guessing, they didn’t wonder if it was true, they had confirmed that the babe, who the angels declared “This is Christ the Lord”. No doubt, this babe was the one.
Just like Berens confirmed the truth and believed, we too should daily confirm the love of Christ over our lives which become more and more evident to those we come in contact with us.
1 John 5:1-5 King James Version (KJV)
5 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Our actions make the difference, not our words. Folks hear words all the time, but the action must support our words. Thus once we confirm what we see and know, we should act on it. Our thought life should change. I am made for this, I am ordained for this, this is my purpose, I am what God knows I am.
God wants you to confirm that your faith in Him, God’s favor over you, your journey is ordained by God, and that his birth means greater for every believer no matter where and when you start. In the drug house, in jail house, in your house, in the church house. It doesn’t matter where or when you start, it is where you finish.
So let’s get to moving on we confirm, then, know, every day.
Point 3 – Now Run and Tell that!
The shepherds when they had seen it, they made known aboard the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Now this preaches by itself, the fact that we should be proclaimers where ever we go. The shepherds were a microcosm of the people. The people were looking for the Messiah, they had been told for generations that the Messiah was coming. Finally, the Messiah arrived.
The shepherds were overjoyed. All of the people were overjoyed. But a thought right here. In I Peter 2:7, it says that the Jews rejected him, because they were looking for a savior from royalty, from the upper class, they did not do their research.
They did not investigate, nor confirm. Hence, God used men that will believe and not doubt.
Thus, you my brother and sister, God is using you to proclaim. Not that you have to be from low estate, but that you believe. That you follow through, that you live a life that is pleasing unto our God.
Because we come in contact with Jesus, we should have much to say to others.
John 4:28-30 King James Version (KJV)
28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
Mark 5:18-20 King James Version (KJV)
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
During this Christmas season< let us proclaim the goodness of Jesus, and share the gospel that I once was lost but know I found, I was not a people, but now I am the people of God.
That because Christ is born in me, I am apart of a chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, a peculiar people. I am saved, and today my savior was born. Somebody shout halleluiah