TOPIC:"Don't Miss the Christmas Star"
"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" (Matthew 2:2)
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the well known American poet of the 19th century, once stated: "Hitch your wagon to a star." This was his advice to people on how to become successful in life. Just follow your star. To this I say, it all depends on the star you desire to follow. For it must be confessed that some stars are too dangerous and too destructive to follow for any length of time. Think of those stars that are harmful and hurtful to each one of us. The star of pleasure. The star of fame. The star of convenience. The star of personal gain. The star of selfish ambition. The star of passion. These temporary stars shine brightly at first, but if followed over a period of time they burn into ashes and leave one in the night of spiritual darkness and despair. If you don't believe me, ask any Hollywood celebrity who has followed the star of fame and pleasure only to find that it did not satisfy.
But make no mistake about it, stars are beautiful things to watch, let alone try to follow. If you don't believe me, make your way out tonight to some hill and there behold the brilliant stars in the sky. Astronomers tell us that there are some six thousand stars visible to the human eye, of which no more than two thousand are ever visible at the same time. And yet, the total number of stars in the Galaxy is between forty and one hundred billion. The nearest star is twenty million miles from the earth, thus taking four years and three months for the light of that star to travel to the earth.
So much for ordinary stars. But I wonder at this Christmas season if you have ever seen the great star of Bethlehem that haunted those wise men of long ago? It was the highest and brightest star ever to shine. For only this star is high enough to put real distance into your life, and only this star is bright enough to lead you out of the darkness of death and despair of defeat, into the reality of the living Christ. No star, whether it's the star of pleasure, the star of selfish ambition, or the star of popularity, if it leaves you short of Bethlehem where this Child of Destiny was born is worth your loyal devotion and lasting dedication. We read these words in verse 9 of this chapter: "When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo, the star, which . . .