A Lesson from the Find

1. They found a baby.

Why shepherds? Mt. 2:3-6

To shepherds in the fields came the first word that a shepherd had come from God.

Ps. 23

World outlook good: pax romana. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus said, “While the emperor may give peace from war on land and sea, he is unable to give peace from passion, grief, and envy. He cannot give peace of heart for which man yearns more than even for outward peace.”

The peace on earth that this Baby came to bring was not world peace. Peace of tranquil waters.

The verb found in Luke 2:16 means “found after a search.” The shepherds knew what to look for: a newborn Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Announcement was clear; finding required a search.

Becoming increasingly difficult to find the baby at Christmas

heard about a mother who was running furiously from store to store on Christmas Eve … trying to get those last-minute gifts. Suddenly she realized she’d lost track of her little 3-year-old son. In a panic, she retraced her steps and found him standing with his little nose pressed flatly against a frosty window. He was gazing at a Manger Scene.
When he heard his mother call his name, he turned and shouted in innocent glee: “Look Mommy! It’s JESUS! Baby Jesus is in the hay !”
The harried mom grabbed his arm and jerked him away, snapping, “We don’t have time for all that! Can’t you see that Mommy’s trying to get ready for Christmas!?!”

Shepherds found him. Doesn’t report their immediate reation to the baby. Subsequent reaction: v. 2:20

Then they humbly returned to their duties, new men going back to the same old job.

2. They found a child.

Story of the Maji – Matthew 2

Key verse: 8. When you find him….

Announcement was unclear; required a search…but the finding was completely guided.

See the star… hmmm, interesting phenomenon that….

No, begin the research necessary to understand the phenomenon..

These days, people have an announcement but don’t care to investigate….

Every December there is a flight attendent who wears a little golden pin on her United Airlines uniform. It’s a beautiful pin depicting the three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem. In her work as a flight attendant, people will sometimes comment on the beauty of the pin. She uses those situations as opportunities to be a witness for Christ.

She wore that little pin on her flight to Los Angeles one week. She came to one seat, where there were two young girls, seven and ten years old. The seven year old said, "That’s a pretty pin." Diane, the attendant responded, "Do you know what the pin means?" They both looked carefully at the three men on camels following a star. . . . .and then said, "No." They didn’t know what it signified. Then Diane explained, "It’s the three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus." "Do you know that story?" They both said, "No". They had never heard it before.

Over the next few hours as they flew across the Pacific, many people commented on the beautiful pin; but to Diane’s amazement, not a single one seemed to understand or at least did not acknowledge that they understood what it symbolized. She came to one lady with a six year old boy. The woman commented, "Oh, what a beautiful pin!" Diane said to her little son, "Do know the story of the Three Wise men following the star to find the baby Jesus?" But the mother interrupted and said, "No, he doesn’t . . . .and we don’t teach him about that." Not only did that little boy not know the story, his mother did not even want him to hear it, and intentionally kept him ignorant of it! She seemed to be offended that Diane would try to tell her son the story.

Throughout the flight, people were attracted to the glitter of the pin---but in every case, the people Diane met were either indifferent to its meaning, or did not understand its meaning, or in one case a mother did not want her little six year old son to even hear the story of the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the coming of the Wise Men.

3. They found a Messiah.

John 1:43-51

Love Philips description. V. we have found the One…but who had done the finding?

It’s like that when you meet Jesus. First step has already been taken. Rev. 3:20.

Philip finds the Messiah. Tells Nathaniel. Comes and finds the Messiah…who had already known him.

Need for every person. To find the Messiah.

People find him in strange places and at strange times. Lives that seem together fall apart. Lives that are total messes come together.