Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ!
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.””Matthew 1:21 NIV“
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”Matthew 2:11 NIV
“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 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.”
Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11 NRSV
5 Ancient Uses of Myrrh
1. Beauty treatment
2. Perfume
3. Analgesic
4. Antiseptic
5. Embalming
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,”
Hebrews 10:19 NRSV
“Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity, and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases, yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with affliction. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the LORD shall prosper. Out of his anguish he shall see; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out himself to death and was numbered with the transgressors, yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:1-12 NRSV
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship.”
Romans 12:1 NRSV
https://www.bible.com/events/49532170
Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus
The Gifts Part 2
Frankincense
We are continuing our Advent teaching series called “The gifts”. Throughout this series we will study the story of the Magi and the gifts that they presented to Jesus. Frankincense, Myrrh, and Gold.
On their own these gifts were very valuable, but more than their value, they tell us a story about who Jesus is. That story is what we aim to unpack over the next few weeks.
Why did these men bring a small child yellow rocks, perfume, and spices What did they mean? What can we learn from the story they tell.
These are The Gifts.
Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
After Jesus is born, strange men from the East enter the story. The bible calls them Magi and we do not know much about them.
They were likely key figures in the eastern culture who prided themselves in being in the know about worldly wisdom and philosophy. They seem to have knowledge of the Jewish Messiah, so many scholars believe they came from Babylon where there were still populations of Jewish people living.
They have seen a star in the sky and they have concluded it must mean the King of the Jews has been born.
They begin to make what could have been a 1000-mile, camel back journey to Jerusalem to worship him. Likely this was a whole entourage- they brought 3 gifts, but it was almost certainly more than 3 of them traveling that distance.
Matthew 2:10-11
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
They bowed down, and worshipped Jesus. And when the text says they bowed down and worshiped. They didn’t just turn on K-love radio and sing along. These men of wealth, prestige, and power, got down on their knees, placed their forehead to the ground, in complete humility and reverence before Jesus.
After the wise men worship Jesus, the bible says they opened up their treasures and presented gifts to Jesus. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Today we are going to unpack the story, or the significance of the gift of Frankincense.
Frankincense is a sap or resin that comes from trees in the Boswellia family. Found often in the regions of Africa and Arabia.
To harvest Frankincense, these Boswellia trees are scratched or punctured so that they will emit sap. The sap from these wounds is allowed to dry and harden where it will be turned into powder or processed into an oil.
Dried frankincense is used in worship services today around the world.
Frankincense also boasts health benefits. Thought to reduce inflammation, help with arthritis, and even respiratory symptoms. Already, this helps us understand a little bit more why this gift might have been chosen for Jesus.
But the story gets even clearer when we consider frankincense in biblical times.
Frankincense shows up all the way back in the Old Testament book of Exodus 30:34-35 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred.”
The Lord actually instructed Moses, the leader of Israel at the time, to make this special blend to be used in the temple, in worship to the Lord. The aroma and the smoke were to be reminders to the people of their prayers ascending to heaven.
To Mary and Joseph, I would imagine, this was a lavish expression of generosity from the wise men. Frankincense was VERY expensive back then.
But when this gift is presented to Jesus, it comes alive with symbolism and meaning. This incense is now laid before the one that the bible calls our great high priest.
If you look at the Latin word for priest, it is literally translated “Bridge builder” That’s who Jesus is. The one who has come to build a bridge between a holy and righteous God, and human beings, lost and broken in sin.
Matthew 1:20-21
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus came to save us from our sin, to reunite us in relationship to God the Father. He is literally our bridge, our pathway to restoration and relationship with God.
The bible uses the language; Jesus is our great High priest.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
What this is telling us is that Jesus, this baby born at Christmas, crucified on the cross and ascended to the right hand of the father in glory, knows and understands what you are going through right now.
He’s been there and he made it through without sinning- and now, he’s here to help you.
Because of who Jesus is, because of what he has done for us in dying on the cross for our sins, being resurrected to life again by the Father.
In Jesus, we can come into relationship with God once again. Our sin, our failures, our guilt, no longer has to be a barrier.
In Christ Jesus, yes, our great high priest, we can experience the presence and life of God within us. We can come to him with our joys and sorrows, needs and pains, and we know that we will receive loving help from our heavenly father.
No religious ceremony, no burnt frankincense required, only by the blood of Christ.
Merry Christmas! This is what the gift of frankincense reminds us of today.
DRUMMER BOY
GIFTS
LONG DEDICATED CALENDAR INVESTMENT BY ALL
GIFT-WHATS A WORKING DEFINITION OF GIFT?
Gift :a thing given willingly to someone without EXPECTATION OF payment; OR ANYTHING IN RETURN
TAJ MAHAL
Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, – 800 MILLION DOLLARS
SO I ASK YOU- WHATS THE BEST GIFT YOU EVER GOT?
WHY WAS IT A GREAT GIFT?
ATARI GAMING SYSTEM
WHEN I WAS A KID EARLY 1980’S
NOLAN BUSHNELL INVENTS FIRST HOME GAME SYSTEM
THIS WAS THE GIFT OF ALL GIFTS AT TIME/ 199.00
FRIEND GOT THIS- COULDN’T WAIT TO GO PLAY
REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A KID- EXCITED?
KIDS GETTING GIFTS
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:1-2
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:2
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:3
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
WORD HERE IS AGITATED- LIKE IN A WASHER
HIS COUNTRY JUDAH IS BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN
ROME (ALL LEFT- AND PARTHEAN EMPIRE)
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:4
4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:5
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:6
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:6
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:7
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:8
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child.
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:8
As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:9
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:10
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:11
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
SCRIPTURE MATHEW 2:11
Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 2:12
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
HERODS TEMPLE PICTURE
TEMPLE DIAGRAM
BOSWALIA TREE
FRANKINCENSE
LEVITICUS SCRIPTURE 2:2
SCRIPTURE LEVITIVUS 2:2
SCRIPTURE LEVITICUS 2:2
2. AND BURN THIS AS A MEMORIAL PORTION ON THE ALTAR, A FOOD OFFERING, AN AROMA PLEASING TO THE LORD.
VIDEO FRANKINCENSE
SCRIPTURE HEBREWS 4:14
14. “THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE A GREAT HGH PRIEST WHO HAS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, LET US HOLD FIRMLY TO THE FAITH WE PROFESS.
SCRIPTURE HEBREWS 4:15
15. FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO IS UNABLE TO EMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT WE HAVE ONE WHO HAS BEEN TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY, JUST AS WE ARE- YET HE DID NOT SIN.
SCRIPTURE HEBREWS 4:16
16. “LET US THEN APPROACH GODS THRONE OF GRACE WITH CONFIDENCE, SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND GRACE TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED.”
STORY HEADLINE
MAN GRASPS BROKEN WIRES TO COMPLETE CIRCUIT SO RADIO AUDIENCE MAY HEAR KINGS SPEECH
Harold Vivian, chief control operator of the Columbia Broadcasting Company, formed part of the circuit which enabled the radio audiences of fifty-nine stations in the United States and Canada to hear the speech of King George V yesterday morning at the opening of the Naval Conference in London.
A few minutes before the King was to speak a member of the control room staff of the Columbia company tripped over a wire leading to the generator which energizes the Columbia network. Vivian examined the breakage. It would take at least twenty minutes, he realized, to make repairs. Meanwhile the King’s speech would be over and thousands of radio listeners who had sat up late or arisen early to hear him would be disappointed.
Vivian grasped the ends of the broken wires, one in either hand, to restore the circuit. The shocks of the 250-volt charge and the leakage of current through his body to the floor shook his arms with spasms. But he held on until new wires could be connected. By that time his hands had been slightly burned and he was feeling the effects of the ordeal. As soon as the broadcast was finished he was sent home to bed. But officials of the company said last night that he was not seriously hurt. The King’s speech lasted six minutes. It was not preceded by any announcement. His voice was heard clearly by the audience here. But none of the thousands of the Columbia’s listeners was aware that save for Vivian’s presence of mind and his pluck in clinging to the frayed ends of the broken wires their wait to hear the King would have been in vain.
PONTIFEX– LATIN
GOD INSTEAD OF SENDING A RULE BOOK –
A KIT A BLUE PRINT OR A PILL- SENDS HIMSELF INTO THE CHAOS AND INTO OUR WEARINESS
HE DOESN’T SEND IDEAS AND CONCEPTS- HE SENDS HIMSELF- SHOULD MAKE MY CHRISTMAS DIFFERENT?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A PLEASING AROMA TO GOD? WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT JESUS IS PRAYING/INTERCEDING?
KIPPA
5 SENSES- SMELL- STRONGEST REMINDER
TODAY MAYBE YOU WANT A REMINDER- WHAT A GIFT-
THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT
“Jesus was born in a town called Bethlehem, in Judea. King Herod ruled Judea at that time. After Jesus was born, some wise men came to Jerusalem from a country in the east. When they arrived there, they asked people, ‘Where is the baby who has been born as the king of the Jews? We saw his special star when it first appeared in the sky. So now we have come here to worship him.’ When King Herod heard what the men said, he was very upset. All the people in Jerusalem were afraid too. Then Herod asked all the leaders of the priests and the teachers of God’s Law to meet with him. He asked them, ‘Where will God’s Messiah be born?’ They replied, ‘The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem in Judea. This is what the prophet wrote about it: “People who live in Bethlehem, your town is a very important town in Judea. A person born in your town will become a ruler of my people, Israel. He will lead my people like a shepherd who leads his sheep.” ’ Then Herod secretly told the wise men to come to meet with him. They told him the time that the star had appeared. Herod sent the men to Bethlehem. He said to them, ‘Go and look everywhere for this child. When you find him, come back here and tell me where he is. Then I can go and worship him too.’ After the men had heard the king, they left to go to Bethlehem. They could see the same star that they had seen before. They were very happy when they saw the star. It moved along in front of them. Then it stopped above the place where the child was staying. The men went into the house and they saw the child. He was with Mary, his mother. They went down on their knees in front of the child and they worshipped him. Then they opened their bags. They took out valuable gifts and they gave them to the child. The gifts were gold, incense called frankincense, and also myrrh. After that, God said to them in a dream, ‘Do not go back to see Herod again.’ So the men travelled on a different road to return to their own country.”Matthew 2:1-12 EASY