LUKE 2:1
1 ¶ And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

LUKE 2:2
2 ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

LUKE 2:3
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

LUKE 2:4
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

LUKE 2:5
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

LUKE 2:6
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

LUKE 2:7
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

LUKE 2:8
8 ¶ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

LUKE 2:9
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

LUKE 2:10
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

LUKE 2:11
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

LUKE 2:12
12 And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

LUKE 2:13
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

LUKE 2:14
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

LUKE 2:15
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

LUKE 2:16
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
 

MATTHEW 2:1
1 ¶ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

MATTHEW 2:2
2 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.

MATTHEW 2:3
3 When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

MATTHEW 2:4
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

MATTHEW 2:5
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

MATTHEW 2:6
6 And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

MATTHEW 2:7
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

MATTHEW 2:8
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found [him], bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

MATTHEW 2:9
9 ¶ When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

MATTHEW 2:10
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

MATTHEW 2:11
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
 

UNCONDITIONAL.COVENANT_ PHOENIX.AZ SATURDAY_ 54-0306
E-22 Now, God in the... After the antediluvian destruction, when He saved the household of Noah, Noah and his sons and their wives... Noah had three sons: Ham, Japheth, and--and Sham--Shem. And out of those sprung the generations of peoples that we have today.
We're taught in another phase that the three wise men that came to worship Jesus, consulting one another, found out one was from the--the lineage of Ham, one from Shem, and Japheth, those three.
And Jesus said when this Gospel's been preached to Ham, Shem, and Japheth's people, then the end shall come. The three ancient fathers coming to pay tribute as they followed the morning Star to Christ...

GOD'S.GIFTS.ALWAYS.FIND.PLACE_ JEFF.IN V-6 N-13 SUNDAY_ 63-1222
76 Now, look what--how beautiful those gifts fit into Jesus Christ; see, gold, speaking of His Deity. Now, they wasn't heathens. They were inspired by God. They wasn't imagining something. That proves right there, even the Magi, that they did see the supernatural. Because their own gift, that they offered, identified and spoke well of their testimony that they did see the supernatural lights. Because why? It speaks perfectly. They brought gold, Deity. They brought frankincense, service. And they brought myrrh, for His death when He was a baby (Amen.), showing that Deity would be put to death in the flesh (Amen.), that He may--the He that might redeem fallen man. How can people turn that down when you realize, "What are we doing here? Where did we come from? Or what business we got being here?" We wasn't put here just by chance; we were put here for a purpose; and we must serve that purpose. But still we're back on the basis of free moral agency where we can serve it or reject it, just like Adam did in the beginning.

GOD'S.GIFTS.ALWAYS.FIND.PLACE_ JEFF.IN V-6 N-13 SUNDAY_ 63-1222
51 And watch these people, these Magi, they brought Him... Watch the gifts they brought Him identified what they thought He was. They brought Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And now watch what these symbols, that I want to talk to you about now, is what these symbols mean. Now, I've got some Scripture wrote out here that we'll read just in a moment on it, the Lord willing.
Now: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Now: gold in the Bible... How fitting it fits to Christ, because gold speaks of Deity. Gold is Deity. We'll get to it just in a moment. Frankincense speaks of service. And myrrh is death. God, Deity, in service to die. And that's what He was. The very thing that they brought identified what they thought He was.

GOD'S.GIFTS.ALWAYS.FIND.PLACE_ JEFF.IN V-6 N-13 SUNDAY_ 63-1222
53 And I say that to us today, "The things that we bring to Him identifies what our thoughts is about Him." You understand what I mean? See? If you're a... If you believe It with all your heart, every Word of that, you'll identify it by giving all that you have to It. See? But if you believe it's a good place to associate with better people, around church and things like that, that's just about what you give (just a few social hours with some of the congregation or something). But if you--if you really believe It with all your heart, then you give everything that's in you to It. See? And it identifies you, that you truly believe the message, that you believe it to be the truth.
So many people say, "I can believe this much. I can believe so." The disciples... I believe the last time here, I spoke on that: Believers, Make-believers, and Unbelievers. Wasn't that it? I... Didn't I speak on that here? See? And each person, what's their category... See, it'll come to a place to where they can take so much of it, can't take the rest.