Wise People Still Seek Him 12-25-2022

This Advent season, we have been looking at the people and events involved with Jesus first coming and His birth.

Last week we got to visualize

what it might have been like for Joseph

to discover his fiance was pregnant.

He thought he knew what that meant.

But being a righteous man, he was going to divorce Mary quietly

until God sent an angel to Joseph clarifying why/how Mary was pregnant with the Son of God.

Today we are going to focus on the Magi,

the Wise men from the East,

probably from the area where Babylon had been,

where Daniel was made head over all the Babylonian sages - Wise Men (Dan 4:34-37)

many years before.

The wise men show up from the East, about 600 years after Daniel wrote his prophecies.

Like Melchizedek, they were not Jews but they knew something about God, or they knew God.

Balaam is another example of a worshiper of God, not associated with the Jews.

The Magi, likely were true worshipers of God.

They were looking for a sign of a new king, a special king to be born to the Jews.

Let’s read from Mathew chapter 2

Matthew 2:1–12 NIV

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Who was involved in the story & How did they respond to this good news?

Herod:

Yes, was appears alarmed, he investigates when the star first appeared and judging by the age of infants he had slaughtered, the start might have first appeared 2 years before the Magi got to Jerusalem.

Herod was famous for his great building campaigns, hence they call him Herod the Great and for his great fear of being replaced.

He had 3 of his sons killed, because he feared they would take his throne.

Augustus Caesar is quoted as saying “It is better to be Herods swine than his son.”

The Religious leaders -

They could tell Herod where the Messiah was born but they did not show interest in checking out if he was born.

Why?

Were they so sure that the Messiah wouldn’t come without a lot more fanfare, that they were sure this was nothing but a false alarm

Where they not interested in participating in anything that would change the status quo, which seems to be what we see in the religious leaders rejection of Jesus the man.

The City -

lt was disturbed at the news of a new king being born.

At times, every one of us has not liked change but, here is a major chance for change

change that God is behind

so what is wrong with the people that they are not excited and out partying

The Messiah has come.

Some people are disturbed by the message of the Gospel,

Oh maybe not disturb by salvation but Grace but

by the obligation to let God make changes in your life

once you have committed your life to him.

If you are really thankful for being forgiven your sins

you can’t just go on doing them, willy nilly all the time.

Some will object the church:

only wants your money

is a bunch of kill joys

and so on.

who else

The Wise Men:

What did the wise men give?

Time - Away from their families a long time

Worship - they bowed down and worshiped Him

Treasure -Pretty expensive gifts were given

What did the treasure represent

Gold Symbolizes Royalty A long time ago, it became tradition that you had to bring a present of gold, to visit a king. Jesus is the King of Kings.

Frankincense Priestly All over the world, Frankincense has been used in worship. Foreshadows Jesus becoming our High Priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:4 NIV

4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Myrrh Symbolizes Jesus Death. It was used in Embalming the Rich.

What is the Treasures Monetary value?

Gold value today $1,797 per once

What was it’s value in Jesus day?

I’m not sure but since a field was bought with Judases 30 pieces of silver

and gold is worth more. It would not take much weight to be worth a lot.

Frankincense -made from tree sap, today can cost as much as $6,000 per liter but

in Jesus day, more costly than Gold

Myrrh -was also made from a different rare tree sap of similar value and difficulty to produce.

in Jesus day, worth more than Gold.

What would the Messiah need of these things?

Declares

who He is

our rightful king

our high priest

our sacrifice for sin

our source of forgiveness

What else where those gifts good for?

Fast Ready Cash

Makes emergency relocation possible.

wrapping up

Christmas has become:

a very social time,

a very family oriented time,

and many don’t have time for church today,

so I see your making time for Jesus today,

as an act of worshiping Him.

My hope and prayer for you

and for me

is that we will worship Christ always, and in many ways,

That you will worship Christ Jesus with your time

That you will worship Christ Jesus with your talents

That you will worship Christ Jesus with your treasurers

but most of all

That you will worship Christ Jesus with Thankful hearts.

Let’s Pray

Moving and setting up home and business in Egypt

III The Best response