Houston Congregational Christian Church

Pastor James Manuel
4883 Russia-Houston Road
Houston, OH  45333
Phone:  937-295-3591
Email:  click here

Message Title:                                                       The Light Still Shines

Call to Worship:                                    Matthew 2:1-2

Scripture Reading:                              Isaiah 60:1-5

Prayer:  May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable unto You O Lord on this Your day.

The Light Still Shines.   Tradition has it that there were 3 wisemen and their names were Balthazar,   Melchoir and  Gaspar,   but in the Bible it simply says that wisemen from the East came to Jerusalem saying,   Matt. 2:2,  ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?   For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’     

Today as our sign says on 66---Wise men still follow His star---just as these Magi did so long ago.        In Matt. 2:9 the Bible tells us that,  ‘After they had heard the king they went on their way and the Star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the Child was.’        When the Wise Men came to visit the Christ Child they probably didn’t come the very same day of the birth as the Shepherds did.        Some speculate that they may have even arrived several months or years later because Scripture tells us that the Wise Men found the Child in a house with His mother.   Matt. 2:11,  ‘On coming to the house they saw the Child with His mother Mary   and they bowed down and worshiped Him.’

The Magi traveled thousands of miles to see the king of the Jews.   When they finally found Him they responded with joy,  worship   and gifts.    This is so different from the approach people often take today.   We expect God to come looking for us,   to explain Himself,   prove who He is   and give us gifts.    But those who are wise   still seek and worship Jesus today,    not for what they can get   but for who His is.  

The Magi brought gifts and worshiped Jesus for who He was.   This is the essence of true worship---honoring Jesus for who He is    and being willing to give Him    what is valuable to you.         We worship God because Hs is the perfect,   just   and almighty Creator of the universe   worthy of the very best you have to give. 

I wonder if the wise Men were ever the same after they invested so much of themselves to find the Christ Child?      Was there something radically different in their attitude after they saw the Light?    May I say when wise men and women    encounter the power of the Living Christ their lives should be different because of the Light that has come into their life.    John 12:36 tells us to,  ‘Put your trust in the Light while you have it  so that you may become sons of Light.’

When you and I bow down and worship before the Christ this Christmas I hope that our live will not be the same again.    Christ challenges all of our old ways   and He directs us to a new way,  His way.   He opens to us more of the wonder and grace of God than we have ever seen before.   We then move forward into His new says of Love,  and service. 

The prophet Isaiah spoke words of hope in Isaiah 60:1,  ‘Arise,  shine for your Light has come   and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.’    Whatever your situation---as individuals,  as a family  or as a nation you can always count on one thing---The Love of God is constant and true. Psalm 89:28 God says,  ‘I will maintain my love to him forever.’

And may I say God never forgets us   or ignores us   or ceases to seek our welfare.       No matter how dark and hopeless our situation is   God’s love is constant and true.     God’s Love and Light is unfailing.  Psalm 27:1 says,  ‘The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear?’    Yes my friends    God’s Light is still shining.

Also God’s Love is unrelenting.   God never gives up on us.   No matter how full of doubt and blame and disbelief we have    we are still all God’s children   and God loves each of us.      God’s Love is light in the darkness as 1 John 1:5 tells us,  ‘God is Light in Him there is no darkness at all.’    God’s Love is hope where there is despair. 

The Light of God’s Love has broken into our human history in the person of Jesus Christ.      The wisemen came asking---Where is He?   My friends when in your life have you asked that question?    Where is Jesus?    Where is the God of Heaven.   And may I say most people ask that question at times in their life when things are going badly.    Where is He,  the God of Creation?        We ban Him from our schools,    our workplaces   our court houses.      We have no time for Him at home and then when hardships come    we want His safety and security.    We want His blessings and supply.

The Bible says that when the wisemen headed for Bethlehem,  Matt 2:9  ‘That the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the Child was.’        I believe that these wisemen are examples to all of us        that we are not to end our search for Jesus Christ until we have found Him.    Jesus tells us in Matt. 7:7,  ‘Seek and you will find.’

My friends God is saying to us that we are not to be content with just coming to church and seeing your friends.       Don’t convince yourself that it’s enough to love and live a good life.          The goal is not church membership   or good living----the goal is Jesus Christ---to know Him personally,   to love Him unconditionally.          But most of all as these wisemen teach us---to worship Him.          Matt. 2:2,  ‘We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’

My friends let us be like the wisemen because they know whom they are looking for---the King of Kings.         Because they don’t give up  whether the journey takes months or years,    whether the star is bright or temporally hidden   they persevere with a faith driven by a God given passion for Jesus Christ.                Because when they see the child they worshipped Him    not for anything He might do for them   but solely for the honor and glory they might render to God.                   

That day is sure to come for each of us,       IF   like the wisemen we too will see His star in the East     and come to worship Him.