In Plain View

Sermon Outline for January 6th, 2008

Sermon Title:  Dealing With Unfamiliar People

Scripture:  Matthew 2:1-12 (NRSV)

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
Mt 2:6 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.' "
Mt 2:7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

I. Background
A. Several months, perhaps two years, after the birth of Christ.
B. Magi were learned men from Persian, and Syria who studied the stars.
C. Thy were not Jews and they were not Christians.
D. We do not know their names, how many there were, nor whether they were really kings.

II. The Magi were strange, unfamiliar people who were seeking Christ.
A. Gentile – the nations outside of Israel.  ie: outsiders
B. Strange and unfamiliar dress, language, beliefs.
C. Unfamiliar with the customs and the politics of the region.
D. Seen by many as a threat or a sign of a coming threat.
E. Unfamiliar people seeking Christ in familiar ways.

III. God sought to reveal Christ to the world, including unfamiliar people.
A. Jews are the chosen people yet they broke their covenant with God and rejected His son as savior.
B. Jesus took his message first to the Jews but always was willing to minister to the needs of Gentiles.
C. The apostle Paul focused his life and ministry on taking the gospel to the Gentile world.
D. We are here today because God chose to reveal Christ to unfamiliar people.
E. The Magi were protected and guided at every step.  They could not fail as long as they kept seeking.

IV. Unfamiliar people require us to make adjustments.
A. Consider the faith and courage (adjustments) required for unfamiliar people to enter into worship with others.
B. Consider the humility (adjustments) required for Saul to become Paul.
C. Consider the love (adjustments) required for Jesus to leave his heavenly home and dwell among us and then die for us.

V. We should embrace unfamiliar people who are willing to embrace God.

A. We are God’s people by the same grace that He extends to others.
B. As God’s people, He expects us to have the heart of Christ, which is to love those whom he loves (God and others).
C. Our mission is to follow Christ and make him known to a world filled with unfamiliar people.

Week One Focus: Choosing a time and place for contemplative prayer.

Is it possible to experience contemplative prayer at any time and in any place?  Yes!  In fact, we should adopt contemplative prayer as a mindset throughout each day.  However, the reality is that it is difficult for most of us, especially beginners, to focus deeply enough without taking some steps to eliminate distractions.  Even the experts need to set aside a special time and place in addition to the practice of contemplative prayer throughout the day.  The act of scheduling a time and place for contemplative prayer makes it a central part of the plans for your entire day and assist us in having our minds and hearts prepared when the anticipated time arrives.  A mind that is harassed and fragmented by external affairs is hardly prepared for contemplative prayer.
Choose a time that will likely be free of interruptions and when your mind is clear.  The best time is when the children are asleep, or the family is out of the house.  For most people, early morning is the best time, but others do well with contemplative prayer at night or even as a break during the day.  The key is quietness, a clear mind, and keeping your scheduled appointment with God.
The choice of a place is equally important.  It should be a place of peace and quite without any distractions.  A tranquil outdoor setting is good, but comfort should be considered.  If you choose a place inside your home or office, be sure to turn off all phones and other devices.  If you cannot completely disconnect from the world, it is a good practice to involve a trusted friend or spouse in guarding your quite time.  They can handle distractions by simply saying, “he/she is in prayer now, can I take a message.”
This week, set aside a time and place and begin by reading your Bible, say your normal prayers and then sit quietly for a few minutes and listen for the voice of God.  Next week we will focus on the process of contemplative prayer.

Adapted from Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster

January Focus: Contemplative Prayer

Perhaps nothing robs us of the fullness of life more effectively than the distractions of noise, hurry and crowds.  These prevent us from perusing anything more than the superficial elements of life.  Many of us have become so accustomed to the distractions that we become anxious if we are alone without some kind of noise like a television or radio playing in the background.  If we are going to have fullness of life as God intends we must make a conscience effort to return to the type of quite contemplative prayer practiced in the Bible by the prophets, by the apostles and by Jesus himself.
Contemplative prayer is not related to mysticism and even differs from the more well-known traditional Christian prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication.  Contemplative prayer is the ability to hear God’s voice and obey his word.  It involves creating a physical, emotional and spiritual place which welcomes Christ to come and creating an inner sanctuary in our hearts where we meet with Him, listen to Him and learn from Him.

Focus on the Spirit

I believe that God means for every Christian to enjoy fullness of life.  Though all of humanity is seeking fullness of life in their own way, few ever find it and most of those who do, find it impossible to keep. Our greatest need today is not for more or better elements of life but for the deeper elements.  It is the deep spiritual elements that are most needed and that are usually missing in our lives.  By focusing on the lost practices of true discipleship and spiritual disciplines, we can rediscover the fullness of life God means for us to have.  These are not new thoughts.  As a pastor I have been concerned about the destructive elements that are having increased influence in the lives of God's people.  After reading Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster I wanted to find some way to help share some practical suggestions that may be helpful to counter these destructive elements.  As time allows, I will try to include some thoughts on the topic of spiritual disciplines.  As time goes along, feel free to comment or ask a question.