On the night that Christ was born, there are a number of people who missed the greatest birth of all time because they were either too busy or refused to acknowledge it. Well, in order to help prevent you from making the same mistake, Tony Evans takes a look at each of those people on that fateful night as he reminds you not to overlook the reason for the season. Don’t Miss Christ this Christmas – Sermon by Tony Evans #sermon #prayer #TonyEvans

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative and author of over 100 books, booklets and Bible studies. The first African American to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he has been named one of the 12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-Speaking World by Baylor University. Dr. Evans holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full-Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on over 1,400 radio outlets daily and in more than 130 countries. Dr. Evans’ sermons are also streamed and downloaded over 20,000,000 times annually.

do you know your answer could be sitting

right next to you but you’ll never know

it

until god is ready to reveal it

god says if you come back home you’ll

see

i haven’t gone anywhere

so you draw near to him and he will draw

near to you because he’s the one who’s

never left if you walk in the spirit or

walk by means of the spirit he will open

up the hole for you to get through it

the snake is going to try to stir stuff

up the snake is gonna try to get you

away from god there is a serpent in the

garden and your job keep him out

sometimes he brings a little something

that’s a little cute to let you know

keep on going keep on trusting because i

hear you

[Music]

hello friends

this is dr tony evans with the urban

alternative

on behalf of myself

and our whole tua family

we want to wish you and yours a very

very very

merry christmas

and anticipate with you

a glorious new year

you know this season is

unlike any other

god entered into human history

in the person of jesus christ

in order to not only give us the free

gift of eternal life

through faith in him

but also transform our earthly existence

as we follow him

that’s why i’m so excited in spite of

all the trouble that we all see around

us

even during this holiday season

to say hope is not lost because hope is

confident expectation about the future

if we place faith in christ we have a

glorious future to look forward to but

we also have help for right now

and my prayer our prayer

is that god would meet you in whatever

place or circumstance you’re in

and give you calm and comfort

that he will strengthen you and give you

and yours as you gather together during

this season a fresh view of himself

you know i’m so excited that we just did

the film journey with jesus and i hope

you got a chance to see it if not you’ll

hear soon how you can get a hold of the

of the documentary

but it was a powerful expression as i

led this tour through the holy land of

what jesus really really does mean

to you and me currently

coming out of that historical location

but regardless right now

as you enjoy

the lights and the sounds of this

holiday season

don’t miss the reason for the season

that in that cradle in bethlehem

was the god man

very god very man

who came to earth

to save sinners from their sin

and to give us hope for time and

eternity

so again on behalf of myself and our

whole tua

family

please

have a merry christmas

please have a time of prayer and praise

and celebration and thanksgiving

for the glorious son of god who came to

earth

and who lives right now on the right

hand side of the father to intercede for

you and for me

as we continue trusting him

god bless you

know we love you no we’re grateful for

you

glorious holidays

[Music]

today i want to talk to you about the

first half

next week we’ll do the second half

and we simply want to ask you

don’t miss christ this christmas

we are facing a time when

for christmas christ is missing

amidst all the frivolity and fanfare

food fellowship family and fun

it’s easy to miss christ at christmas

but that’s not unique to us that was

true in the first century as well

because i want to show you some folks

who miss christ at christmas

the way we miss him today

because each of these misses

are relevant to us

the first one

who missed christ at christmas was the

innkeeper

because luke chapter

2 verse 7

says

and she gave birth to her firstborn son

and she wrapped him in claws and laid

him in a manger because there was no

room

for them

in the end

if the innkeeper only knew

that this baby born in his hotel

the son of the living god trust me they

would have found the room

if the innkeeper only knew

that the king of kings and lord of lords

was just trying to find a place to be

born and to lay his head

they would have built the room if they

had to

we’re told that bethlehem was crowded

that’s because verse 1 tells us that in

those days the decree went out from

caesar augustus that a census be taken

of all the inhabitants of the earth

and everybody was sent back to their

city of birth

to be registered

so joseph

from bethlehem

went back with his family

and registered them in this crowded

town called

bethlehem people that come from all over

the crowds were everywhere

and money was on the table

because it related to the taxing season

wherever you go this christmas you’re

going to run into crowds

there’s going to be plenty of folk

who will crowd jesus out

i mean

the only reason they were in bethlehem

is because caesar said

this is the time you go back

the reason for many of the crowds you

face is because

your job said you don’t have to come to

work

and so people are going to be out and

they’re going to be busy if this

innkeeper only knew

that the baby that there was no room for

was the long-awaited messiah things

would have changed

listen do you know how much traffic this

innkeeper would have had if he said the

son of god stayed here

in fact the son of god was born here

no the innkeeper had no room

and the question is do you have any room

is there any space

to give jesus christ

his due

so the first one who missed jesus was

the innkeeper

business was good

the economics were working

but with good business

a crowded place

a packed hotel

jesus was missing

don’t you lose jesus this christmas

after all

how can you have a birthday party

for somebody

and lose the person who the birthday was

for

either you gonna treat him like it’s his

party

or call it something else

don’t miss christ this christmas

now the second person who missed christ

on christmas

was king herod

in matthew chapter

2 verse 3.

we read these words

when herod the king heard this

he was troubled and all jerusalem with

him

when he heard what

when he heard about the wise men but

they said where is the king of the jews

herod said say what

herod said i’m the king of the jews

what you mean you’re looking for the

king of the jews

you see

herod like many of us don’t have room

for two kings

because we’ve decided to be our own king

and the only king

we’ve decided to be masters of our own

faith captains of our own ship

we don’t mind jesus being in the

vicinity as long as he’s not the ruler

there’s not space for two kings and it

says had was troubled the greek word

trouble means agitated irritated

frustrated and exacerbated

what do you mean there’s another king i

am in charge here

one of the ways you miss jesus is trying

to be your own king

one of the ways you miss jesus is trying

to rule your own life

one of the way you miss jesus

is to be troubled by the fact that he

wants to be the only king

and that you have to submit to him

herod did not want anybody competing for

his throne when jesus came to set up his

own kingdom

to declare supremacy

people do not want jesus to interfere

with their lives their careers their

money their power their personality

their ambition their plans

in fact

not only was herod messed up about all

this it says in all jerusalem with him

you see we have uh sanitized christmas

christmas has really sanitized the day

it’s it’s nice it’s sweet it’s cute it’s

melodious no

kids were being killed at christmas

infanticide every child two years and

under every boy was to be slaughtered by

herod because jesus showed up

you see

when jesus shows up and demands to be

king

and is rejected

it’s going to be trouble

the reason why we have a lot of the

trouble we have in our world and our

lives and our homes today is because the

king has been rejected

so as a result

there’s chaos and confusion and weeping

and mourning and pain and division

because jesus can be in the vicinity he

just can’t be on the throne

he can’t be telling me what to do

he can’t be my point of reference he

can’t overrule me

let me explain

if jesus can’t overrule you

you’re not celebrating christmas

if jesus can’t

silence you when he speaks you’re not

celebrating christmas

if jesus can’t tell you no when you

think yes

you’re not celebrating christmas

if jesus can’t boss you around you’re

not celebrating christmas you’re

celebrating you

like it’s your birthday

you see harry didn’t want competition

he didn’t want anybody else claiming a

throne next to him

the bible says that jesus christ is king

of kings and is lord of lords

and he’s in charge

so if you really want to celebrate

christmas

tell jesus

he’s your king

he’s your ruler

well

there’s another group that missed

christmas

the religious folk

the folk who went to church

how can you go to church and miss

christmas

because we’re told

that

king herod

when he heard about this king

called together verse 4 of matthew 2

all the chief priests and scribes

of the people

he inquired of them where messiah was to

be born now let’s let’s just stop there

he goes to all the religious folk the

preachers

the leaders

and he says

where’s messiah

to be born

the first thing he did is he called him

messiah

that means

he knew enough bible

to reference who this king would be

because he calls him the messiah and the

messiah would be the anointed one

prophesied in the old testament

he went to the preachers because they

had been the seminary

they’ve been a bible college

and they knew the bible

so

there everybody talk about this king

herod says

so clergy tell me where this king is

going to be born

the religious folk said

verse 5

in bethlehem of judea

for this is what the prophet

wrote

and you bethlehem land of judah

are by no means least among the leaders

of judah

for out of you shall come forth a ruler

who will be who will shepherd my people

israel

they quoted

micah 5 2.

that’s a quote from micah 5 2. now watch

this

michael was written 700 years

before

this event in matthew the birth of jesus

so 700 years

before jesus was born

micah prophesied

that messiah the ruler would be born in

bethlehem

now you have to understand bethlehem is

a

two-bit town

in other words it’s a tiny village if

you were going guest you wouldn’t guess

bethlehem

it’s too insignificant

but 700 years see some people want to

know

why you so why are you so having stuck

on the bible

i’m stuck on the bible because

if you can predict 700 years

before an event happens

not only that the event’s going to

happen

who’s going to be involved in the event

when it happens

but the specific location of a two-bit

town

where it’s gonna happen or i’m gonna

take that book serious

that’s why we believe in the inerrancy

of scripture

that means it is without error

it is without error every word

is uh inspired it’s called plenary

verbal inspiration every word comes from

the mouth of god

and it is perfect

so guess what

these religious leaders knew the

scripture

because when herod asked them where he

was going to be born they quoted michael

5 2 on the spot

but wait a minute

they knew the scripture but never made

the trip

they knew the verse but they didn’t go

to bethlehem women

the guys who didn’t go to seminary

didn’t go to bible college the wise men

the folks who didn’t have formal

biblical training

went to bethlehem

the folk who were in the bible church

didn’t go to bethlehem

they knew the bible but they didn’t make

the trip

what i’m trying to say is

if you know the bible

but don’t go and meet the savior

you miss christmas

you see if the written word

doesn’t lead you to the living word

it just becomes another word

unless your knowledge of the bible

leads you to a deeper walk with the

savior

then the bible will be of no value to

you

they knew the bible but they never went

to bethlehem

it’s better to know less

and go to jesus

than to know more and stay away from

jesus

because the purpose

of the written word

is to lead you

to the living word

and so these bible-toten quoting folk

never made it to an intimate

relationship with jesus christ

as john chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says

jesus says you do search the scriptures

but you don’t have life because you

don’t come to me

unless you are drawn to him because of

what you read don’t don’t misunderstand

me you need what is written

but the purpose of what is written is to

cultivate a deeper relationship

so you can study the bible till you blew

in the face and be as carnal

or

unsaved

because these folk were unsaved but they

knew their bible

on their way to hell but they could

quote scripture

no they missed christmas

because

the written word didn’t lead them to the

living word even when jesus became a

grown man in luke chapter 4 verse 22 it

proved he was the messiah all they could

say was isn’t this joseph’s son

i mean the blind of sin and the the lame

are walking and the death of hearing and

he’s proclaiming to be messiah because

messiah was supposed to do all this and

all they could come was in that joseph’s

son

by now you should know this is more than

a cop in the sun

but they hadn’t graduated

in their intimacy

they only graduated with their

information

that’s why the bible says the letter

killeth you can become a worse christian

by studying the bible

because you’re not led to the person

that the bible is about you’re not drawn

to the savior you’re not drawn to jesus

christ now why

why weren’t these religious people drawn

to the savior i mean bethlehem from

jerusalem i mean it’s not that far

it was not like a long trip you ain’t

need an airplane

you could walk it

but here’s the problem

the reason that they didn’t go see jesus

is they didn’t think they had a problem

that jesus needed to solve

in other words

they didn’t understand why jesus came

and you know why people miss christmas

because we don’t know why jesus came

either

he came because there was a sin problem

that needed to be resolved

and the sin problem that needed to be

resolved only he could resolve it god

had to come as a man in order to resolve

the sin problem but because the

religious leaders didn’t think they had

a problem

they didn’t need a savior

because they didn’t know they had the

disease they weren’t looking for the

remedy

and the reason why people will use

jesus’s name but not take jesus

seriously is they don’t understand why

they ain’t why he came

he didn’t come just so you could feel

better he didn’t come just so you could

be inspired

he came to deal with sin and to provide

salvation

and if you don’t understand that’s why

he came then you’re missing the party

because jesus is not there

he came to deal with sin in our lives so

that we would be saved and sin in our

lives so that we would have fellowship

with him

they knew the bible

but they never made it to jesus

so the question i want to ask you is are

you missing christ this christmas

no you give you give him the honor do

his name because when you understand the

folks who discovered christmas

and what they did even with when mary

wrapped him in the cloth that was a deep

thing when she wrapped him in a car

that’s more than a diaper

but if you don’t understand that you

won’t understand christmas

one of the things that you need to know

when the wise men came

you see all these nativity scenes

where the wise men

are surrounding a baby in a manger

that’s not what the bible says

it says when the wise men came jesus was

a toddler in a house

not a baby in a manger

but if you don’t read the scripture

you’re going to be fooled by nativity

scenes

he was a toddler in the house

so if they saw the star when he was born

but they couldn’t get to him until he

was a toddler in a house

that meant they took many months to get

to him

because you’re getting close to two

years old if you’re a toddler

they figured jesus was worth the journey

we won’t even go down the street

to celebrate jesus

when they cross continents to get to him

because they knew who they were dealing

with

when you understand he’s the king of

kings and the lord of lords then you’re

willing to be convenience for that party

because you understand that he’s a king

on the throne and he’s worthy to be

praised

so don’t you leave christ out this

christmas

in fact make a big deal about him

make a big deal about him after all

it’s your birthday

in fact make such a big deal about him

that you hand him your throne

and you let him sit as ruler over your

life

calling the shot

you know when you go to the doctor they

are they take blood tests

and one of the tests they’re looking at

is your cholesterol level

because bad cholesterol produces plaque

when plaque fills up in the arteries it

blocks the flow of blood

when you block the flow of blood

enough

you’re gonna have a heart attack

because the blood can’t get through

and bring the oxygen and bring the

nutrients

and so

the lack of blood flow

due to the plaque buildup by the

cholesterol will lead to death

you and i have a plaque buildup in our

souls

bible calls it sin and the bible says

and the wages of sin is death

it leads to death

oh but you know they got this balloon

that they put in there now

when they put that balloon in there that

opens up so that the blood can flow

again

there is a fountain filled with blood

drawn from emmanuel’s veins

and sinners plunge

beneath the flood lose all their guilty

stain jesus christ has a balloon

and he wants to open up your soul so

that you can live

live in eternity and have his life in

history

so if i were you and if you and me make

a big deal about jesus this christmas

because that blood still has healing

power

that blood still has saving power that

blood still has delivering power that

blood still has victory power that blood

still has freedom power that blood can

overcome the worst thing you are facing

today so if i were you and you were me

i make a big deal about jesus

if god gets excited about the big deal

you make about jesus i’m telling god

right now

you’re gonna have a lot to be excited

about because it’s gonna be jesus in the

morning jesus at noon time and jesus

when the sun goes down i’m gonna make a

big deal about jesus so i can get all of

god that god wants to give me

because jesus is the reason for the

season

[Music]

there are a lot of people who missed

christ during the first christmas

they were too busy with government

affairs taxation jealousy

political conflict and chaos

sort of like today isn’t it

it’s easy to get so caught up in all the

sights and sounds of the

trouble and the struggles that

we miss

something taking place

right in our midst

and that that is that the king has

arrived

there is a king

and he has a kingdom

and he deserves our full undivided

attention

so don’t let all the realities that are

surrounding you

cause you to miss the reason for the

season

and that is the king has arrived jesus

is on the scene and he deserves your

undivided attention

jesus is here

give him

your heart your life and your focus

this christmas

[Music]

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you