00:00:00.000 - 00:00:25.500

[ Silence ] [MUSIC] ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, ♪ ♪ Hear the earth respond ♪

00:00:25.500 - 00:00:40.000

♪ Oh, star of God, ♪ ♪ Hey, star of man, ♪ ♪ God in high, ♪ ♪ On high you divine, ♪

00:00:40.000 - 00:01:04.820

♪ As the meeting still proceeds ♪ ♪ I assume my perfect life ♪ ♪ Oh, star of wonder, star of light ♪ ♪ Star, you know you're building right ♪

00:01:05.160 - 00:01:21.120

♪ Bless my feet ♪ ♪ Because He is my God ♪ ♪ My Word and Life ♪ - Amen, amen.

00:01:21.120 - 00:02:06.520

Now, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the east saying, where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him. The subject the message Star Wars, Star Wars. Star Wars is a topic that commands our

00:02:06.520 - 00:02:47.000

attention because it's the subject of a popular movie as well as the name used by President Reagan to describe his proposed nuclear defense program. Vast sums of money contemplated for continued research, exploration, and construction of weapons with which to wage war in the heavens. In fact we've

00:02:47.000 - 00:03:30.460

been told that negotiations went as well as they did in Geneva because of the fear the Russians had related to Star Wars. As we celebrate the meaning of the Christmas season, we do well to remember that the nativity story recorded in the gospel of Matthew is concerning a star.

00:03:30.460 - 00:03:56.940

It concerns that which is high above us. The Christmas message is about star gazers. It is about the star that is over Bethlehem and the pilgrimage that was made because there were those who followed that star.

00:03:56.940 - 00:04:43.780

There is an awesomeness, a sense of wonder that we have about stars. It's expressed I think in that familiar nursery rhyme, "Twinkle, twinkle little star, how wonder what you are up above the world so high like a diamond in the sky. Underneath the starlit sky away in a manger asleep in the hay is the Bethlehem

00:04:43.780 - 00:05:21.060

The cattle are lowing, the shepherds are reverent, the world seems at peace. This is the biblical account of the birth of Jesus. Yet the star illumines our battle for life. As we think of Star Wars, Herod and his court are overcome with anxiety because of the appearance

00:05:21.060 - 00:05:43.460

of this star. There is unrest in the king's family. There is confusion in the councils of government. There is consternation expressed by the royal decree to massacre innocent little children.

00:05:43.460 - 00:06:04.940

It happens because of the appearance of what Matthew calls his star, Star Wars. It's the presence of conflict. A star rises in Bethlehem and there is conflict. During our Christmas celebration,

00:06:04.940 - 00:06:34.700

Star Wars is a subject at the top of our nation's agenda. As we sing carols, decorate trees, and give gifts, an atmosphere of conflict and strife surrounds us. We are troubled by star wars.

00:06:34.700 - 00:07:06.500

Star wars have a profound effect on the course of human history. You see heaven and earth are related just as the spirit is related to the flesh. Stars have a way of ordering our lives. Stars have a way of determining what we think, what we say, and what we do.

00:07:06.500 - 00:07:32.760

In fact, many believe that stars have a way of determining our destiny, so much so that many people are deeply concerned about the star under which they are born. What does my horoscope say for me to do today? We're involved, you see, in star wars.

00:07:32.760 - 00:07:50.980

That's a part of the battle of life. The star war is a contest for our hearts, minds, and most of all, our ambitions. It is a contest that pits our natural instincts

00:07:50.980 - 00:08:10.460

for preservation in direct conflict with the kingdom of heaven. It's a war between our control and God's control. It's a conflict in which the first shot was fired

00:08:10.460 - 00:08:34.840

in the Garden of Eden when Adam fell. It's a conflict we find expressed at Bethlehem in connection with the nativity. that Bethlehem Star that sort of announces the continuation of that conflict.

00:08:34.840 - 00:09:04.800

Herod's Court illustrates the character of the conflict. You see, it's a kind of madness, a kind of rage that's manifested in the murder of innocent children. It's the madness about which the Bible speaks in the murder of Cain, murder of Abel by Cain.

00:09:04.800 - 00:09:33.380

It's the kind of madness that was shown in the crucifixion at Calvary. It's the madness that history records in the persecution of Christians in the first century. It's the kind of madness that is seen in the imperialistic desires of nations. We see it in the wars of Europe.

00:09:33.380 - 00:09:57.660

We see it in the treatment of Jews who were placed in ghettos in the smoking ashes of Hiroshima. It's the kind of madness we see today manifested in South Africa in the unchecked greed and violence inflicted upon the majority by the well-armed minority.

00:09:57.660 - 00:10:36.680

wars continues the madness that causes us to fight against one another. It causes us to fight against ourselves. It's this conflict, it's this madness that is in us. Well you might well say that we know the enemy, the enemy is us. We are the culprit. Herod the King is remembered as Herod the Great. Isn't that

00:10:36.680 - 00:10:59.000

interesting that he's called Herod the Great? Why would he be called Herod the Great you ask? Well judged by the standards of the world he was a successful ruler. He maintained stability and that's what's expected of every ruler to maintain stability as far as your government is concerned. He pleased

00:10:59.000 - 00:11:26.140

his superiors. Rome added territory to his region because he had done such a good job. You see Herod was taught how to be a good power broker by his father and Herod had learned his lesson well. He knew how to deal with the oppressed and And he also knew how to deal with the oppressor.

00:11:26.140 - 00:11:39.860

Herod knew how to walk a tight rope and maintain a delicate balance. He was a shrewd person. He built up his defenses.

00:11:39.860 - 00:11:57.080

He constructed a wall around the city, made a strong fortress, beautiful buildings, And then he crowned it all off by building a new temple. That was the crowning jewel of his work.

00:11:57.080 - 00:12:16.660

Herod the Great. Herod was hated, yet he was well respected. Hated and well respected. You see, Herod was willing to tolerate a powerful

00:12:18.840 - 00:12:48.320

manifestation of a lot of things, but not if they would be a threat to his government. And of course there had been signs and prognostications in Jerusalem about the star which was to appear between 6 and 4 BC, which might be the sign of the birth of a new political Messiah. A new political Messiah, a threat

00:12:48.320 - 00:13:21.920

Herod? He couldn't tolerate that. One who would come to serve as a savior and a new deliverer for the oppressed? No, no, no shrewd leader ignores that. So Herod acts rather quickly and swiftly. He was determined to preserve his power. What does he do? Well he kills a generation of innocent children. That's the way to

00:13:21.920 - 00:13:54.280

destroy the promise. That's the way to nip it in the bud, put out the spark before there will be a chance of having a big fire. Let everybody know that you are the master of the situation, that you're in charge. Herod had to preserve his power and he did it by bloodshed. Star Wars occur because of human greed

00:13:54.280 - 00:14:20.000

and the lust of power. It means many times letting others go hungry. We still have our heritage. It means slashing our national budget and reducing those programs, those social programs that really meet the needs of people. If it serves my interests, what difference does it make? We still have our heritage.

00:14:20.000 - 00:14:56.880

Heritage is still with us. And yet there is the star over Bethlehem which is a symbol of hope, of holy hope, of life-giving power, that life-giving power of God, that which energizes and inspires us for life's conflicts. Star Wars. You You see, Herod expresses the human idea of the proper order of things.

00:14:56.880 - 00:15:04.960

And we say, "Me first. Me first." That's the human idea. "Look out for number one."

00:15:04.960 - 00:15:19.200

That's it. "See that I'm taken care of." Self-preservation is the first law of nature. You see manifests that in a very clear way.

00:15:19.200 - 00:15:52.320

That's the human idea, but God has a different idea. We said me first, and yet God says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, and its righteousness and all these other things will be added to you." You see, Herod is a consummate conserva, conservator rather. He wants to keep things just as they are.

00:15:52.320 - 00:16:27.160

Herod wants to preserve the status quo, even though many times status quo may be in the devil of a fix. But Herod wants to keep things just as they are and the star is in conflict with the Herods of our day. It's in conflict with those who would be architects of the status quo, preserving the status quo.

00:16:27.160 - 00:17:01.440

It's in conflict with the heralds of protection, of anxiety, and resistance to change. When the Bethlehem Star rises we find ourselves at war. We are at war because of the things we hold personally dear, the things we want to hang on to. You know there's so many things we want to hang on to and really that star over Bethlehem gets in our way.

00:17:01.440 - 00:17:33.640

A man came out of a discount store waiting on a curb nearby. He was engaged in a conversation by a boy. The boy said to him, "You know, I know what I'm going to get for Christmas. I'm going to get a stereo, a 10-speed bike, and a basketball, and all of that just from my grandmother."

00:17:33.640 - 00:17:47.960

He said, "What are you going to get for Christmas?" The man said, "Well, I really don't need anything, and I probably won't get anything for Christmas." He said, "What? You gotta be joking.

00:17:47.960 - 00:18:03.880

Nothing for Christmas. He said Christmas isn't Christmas unless you get something. Well, that boy didn't have the right idea about Christmas being just a stereo

00:18:03.880 - 00:18:25.080

and a 10-speed bike and a basketball. That's not Christmas, but he was right about this, that Christmas isn't Christmas unless you get something. what do you get for Christmas? That's really the heart of it all. There are some

00:18:25.080 - 00:18:52.560

things about Christmas we don't want. We don't want its gift to be life eternal if it calls in question our lives for the present moment. In other words, we want to alter the eternal gift if it means that I've got to alter what I've got to do right here and now. We don't want the Christmas spirit of gentleness

00:18:52.560 - 00:19:21.480

to catch us off guard. You know, we really don't want the spirit of Christmas to dilute our resources on behalf of others. You know, in other words, we just can't stand Christmas but once a year. You know, it's too hard on our budgets, we think. It's not just our budgets.

00:19:21.480 - 00:19:42.880

It's too hard on our nature to be so compassionate, so generous, so thoughtful of others every day of the year. No, no, that gets in our way. We can stand it for December 25th, a day or so after that, but not every day.

00:19:42.880 - 00:20:15.620

Because you see, we say it will cause us to make foolish decisions. His star, yes, you see it's a battle between his star and Herod's concerns. star is in conflict and that battle goes on and on and on today. His star, the star Bethlehem however still shines. It's still in the sky. He's still there waging

00:20:15.620 - 00:20:43.600

battle for that which is true, that which is authentic, that which is eternal, that that which somehow expresses the heavenly concern for everything that is earthly, for God has not left us alone as offerings in this world. His star is there and shines in our sky. And the darkness is there, but you see that light

00:20:43.600 - 00:21:26.840

shines in the darkness because no darkness can put it out the star shines so we have our star wars they may go on and on we can give thanks to God for the Bethlehem star needs us on our journey. That was a song popular some years ago. Say you don't have to be a star to be in my show. Everybody is involved, everybody can be involved in the Christ event. Doesn't

00:21:26.840 - 00:21:59.280

matter who you are, what race, what may be your intellectual ability or what may be your economic circumstance. You don't have to be a star, you just have to be a person who is concerned about that which is eternal and concerned about the heavenly way. That's all you need so that you can participate in the Christ event. They came from afar, they

00:21:59.280 - 00:22:28.820

pilgrimage and they came and they worshiped at the Bethlehem manger because they followed a star. We're here today and many of us can testify that we are where we are along life's way because we followed a star. It's been dark but Somehow that star has led us through the darkness.

00:22:28.820 - 00:22:39.060

We've had our disappointments. There have been times when we've been discouraged, and there have been times, God knows there have been times when the burden has been heavy,

00:22:39.060 - 00:22:49.660

but somehow we've followed a star. Over the hills and through the valleys. And sometimes you get bogged down, you just keep following that star.

00:22:49.660 - 00:23:12.460

You know, I grew up in a neighborhood we had the real black mud and when it rains and you'd walk through it it just stick to your feet you'd have such a hard time getting it off. Cars that came that way would get stuck in the mud and so often life is like that but there's

00:23:12.460 - 00:23:39.900

always someone who pulls you out. There's always someone who looks down upon you and says yes, this is my child that someone lifts us up when we are somehow cast down in spirit and follow his star. For that star enables us to see ourselves as we really are. That star takes us where we need to go.

00:23:39.900 - 00:23:59.100

That star guides us through the darkness. That star is the light of faith that enables us to overcome our disappointments, our defeats. And that star is in the heart. That star is the faith of every believing disciple

00:23:59.100 - 00:24:15.460

of Jesus Christ. That star gives us hope in the midst of our despair. That star gives us strength in the midst of our weakness and fights, be to God, in the midst of all of the wars

00:24:15.460 - 00:25:03.100

and the battles of this life, that there is still the star. That's over all. That's good news. In our world of despair, that's good news. Sure, the night is dark, but there is a holy quietness for those who experience the Christ child at the Bethlehem manger. You can really sing with a certain understanding that the world doesn't have when you say silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright.

00:25:03.100 - 00:25:34.100

Things may be in a tumult all around you, but there is a holy quietness and a silence that only God gives you in the midst of the struggles of this night. Yes, yes. So as we have the hymn of invitation, Silent Night, Holy Night, we now call upon you to make a decision for Jesus Christ. Make a decision for your son, to live the life of Christ, to live as a person of God, as you do.

00:25:34.100 - 00:25:57.080

[ Inaudible ] I want to unite with the people of God. I want to stop. This is a way to celebrate the people of God.

00:25:57.080 - 00:26:29.040

This is a way to stop. This is a way to stop. [INAUDIBLE] [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:26:29.040 - 00:26:52.740

♪ Silent night ♪ ♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ All is bright ♪ ♪ All is calm ♪

00:26:52.740 - 00:27:27.480

♪ 'Round yon virgin ♪ mother and child holy infant so tender and mild sleep in heavenly peace

00:27:27.480 - 00:28:02.720

Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night. ♪ All is calm ♪ ♪ All is bright ♪

00:28:02.720 - 00:28:26.180

♪ 'Round yon virgin ♪ ♪ Mother and child ♪ ♪ Heavenly host ♪ ♪ Is thine, O God ♪

00:28:26.180 - 00:28:56.480

♪ Christ the Savior is born ♪ ♪ Christ the Savior is born ♪ ♪ Savior is born ♪ ♪ Silent night ♪

00:28:56.480 - 00:29:18.840

♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ Alleluia ♪ ♪ Love you all ♪ ♪ Greater is the power we feel ♪

00:29:18.840 - 00:30:07.020

♪ With our love redeemed in prayer ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lord, at thy birth ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lord, at thy birth ♪ ♪ Silent night ♪

00:30:07.520 - 00:30:29.580

♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ All is calm ♪ ♪ All is bright ♪ ♪ Round yon virgin ♪

00:30:29.580 - 00:30:58.500

♪ Mother and child ♪ ♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪ ♪ Sleep, sleep ♪

00:30:58.500 - 00:31:20.880

♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪ ♪ More than me ♪ (audience applauding) - Let's all say amen again.

00:31:20.880 - 00:31:31.720

Amen. [BLANK_AUDIO]