Drawn to the King

Well, tonight we are going to look at some questions the wise men asked. God was working in their lives and drawing them to Himself. God does that with people. He draws them to Himself and saves them with the gospel.

Let’s take a look at Matthew 2 tonight as we see what God did and the questions these wise men asked.

Matthew 2:1–12 ESV

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Pray

On of my favorite movies growing up was Home Alone. I loved the slapstick comedy and I remember the scene where Kevin is running from the Wet Bandits the first time he recognizes them when he is walking home from the store and he goes and hides in the church manger scene outside as a shepherd.

Most manger scenes have all of the cast of Christmas characters from the Christmas story that the Scriptures give us. The wise men are a part of the birth story, and so they are put there in the nativity, but we often give them a hard time because they were most likely not there at the birth of Jesus since the Bible says that they went into the house that Mary and Joseph and Jesus were staying in, rather than the cave or stable that Jesus was born in.

I don’t want to give them a hard time tonight because they are an example to us that God was turning his work to the nations.

The gospel has always been for the whole world and not just for the Jewish people. They had been given the privilege of being caretakers of the old covenant that pointed to Jesus and were supposed to be Old Testament evangelist through their worship symbols that God gave them.

But we see in the New Testament that God takes the gospel to the Jew first, but it is often met with rejection. God then takes the gospel to the Gentiles and delights to save them, but He also uses the salvation of the Gentiles to make the Jews jealous to return to God.

Tonight, rather than focusing on the 3 gifts that the wise men brought and trying to figure out any symbolism, I want to look at what God was doing in drawing the wise men to the King.

1. God drew the wise men to Jesus (vv. 1-2)

Matthew 2:1–2 ESV

God draws us all to Jesus in order that we might be saved.

God used the Zoroastianism or the astrological worship of these wise men to show them a sign.

God could have used any sign, but he chose to show them in their way of seeing it.

God also allowed them to have contact with the Jews and therefore they were aware of the Jewish scriptures and knew the prophecy in them.

Numbers 24:17 ESV

17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.

2. God guided them to Jesus (vv. 3-11)

Most people go on a faith journey where God guides them to himself.

The star got them to Jerusalem, but the Scriptures had to get them to Jesus.

The Star then moves and seems to appear and reappear.

3. God protected them (v.12)

Matthew 2:12 ESV

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

They were protected from Herod, but we are protected from sin.

Conclusion:

If we will be drawn to God, drawn to salvation, we must be like the wise men. We cannot rest on human wisdom, but must rest on a wisdom that comes from above.

1 Corinthians 2:6–10 (ESV)

6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.

7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—