Stargazing 3 (What's in the way?)

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Wednesday night we finished up our Christmas series entitled Stargazing. To listen & be directed to our podcast page click here. We looked again at the wise men from Matthew chapter two, focusing on one comment that King Herod made. Many read it and over look it. As the stargazing wise men sought after the new born King, they came to Jerusalem talking about it, asking where the Savior was born. Herod got word of it and inquired of the wise men saying this to them:

"And he sent them to Bethlehem & said,

“Go and search carefully for the

Child; and when you have found Him,

report to me, so that I too may come &

worship Him.' ” - Matthew 2:8 (nas)

What a bold faced lie!?! Herod didn't want to worship Jesus, he wanted him wiped out! Herod heard that there may be a threat to his throne with a new king in town. He wanted to make sure that didn't happen so he ordered all babies two years and younger to be put to death. Herod set himself up on the throne of his heart & it prevented him from seeing Jesus, God in the flesh.

Tonight we set up an 8ft live Christmas in the middle of the room. I taught from behind it. At any given time I could see 80% of the students. The other 20% the tree blocked. (From a communicator's perspective, I'm not so sure that was a great idea.) Hold on a minute, it was done that way to prove a point. Many times things creep into our life that blocks our view of God. It's talked about many places in the bible. Matthew 5:8 is one of them...

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for

they shall see God." Matthew 5:8 (nas)

Through the life of King Herod we were challenged to look into our heart and see what we've allowed to plant itself there, what's taking up so much space it edging Jesus out. "What's the harm?" If we ignore the idols in our life, they grow. Soon, we will find ourselves looking hard for Jesus but can't see through the sin. We parked on this statement for a while, "Sin (or idols) in the life of a believer will make it difficult to see God." Again - Matthew 5:8 comes to mind, those with a heart not cluttered with sin will be able to see God! Idols in our life prevent us from seeing...

• An opportunity to lead a friend or family member to Christ


• Dangers in the future God wants to warn us of


• Right decisions that God wants us to make


• What God is (& has been) trying to show me


• What God's will is for my life


• What God's will is for my family


• God's work in your life

Most of the time we are blind to that which is giving us a blind spot. We can't see God, and we think He's just not moving in our life. In the words of The Grinch, "Wrong-O!" God is always at work around us, we just have to look. The problem with that is the sin or the idols we have in our heart - It all hinders our perception of God.

Is there anything that you've allowed to set itself up in your heart that's preventing you from seeing God. Herod couldn't see King Jesus for King Herod. Whatever it is that is blocking your view of God, confess it to God & cast it at His feet. He not only promises forgiveness, but he also promises to cast that sin as far as the east is from the west!