The One True King

The One True King

Matthew 2:1-12

This morning as we are celebrating Christmas, it is important to remember, the greatest Christmas gift ever given was the first. It was God’s gift to us, and it never gets old. It never loses its value. It is the same yesterday, today and forever and it is ours for all of eternity. It is the gift of our Savior.

As Christians we have this saying; we don’t worship the gifts we worship the Giver, but in this case, The Gift and the Giver are one and the same. It is Jesus and He is still the greatest gift ever given. He is the one true King, who is worthy of our worship. Matt. 2:1-12

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;

For out of you shall come forth a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (pray)

What we have in this story is the tale of two kings. I am talking about Herod the great, who was chosen by Rome to be King of the Jews, and Jesus Christ, who was chosen by God to be King of the world. Matthew purposely puts this story at the beginning of his gospel so everyone could see the contrast and recognize the one true King.

In Chapter one we have the preparation of the King. Matthew prepares us for Jesus by tracing His lineage back through David to Abraham. Abraham and David were two of the most important characters of the Old Testament.

God made a covenant with Abraham and promised him that through his people the whole world would be blessed. And God made a covenant with David and promised him through his people one would come to be the ruler of the world. Both covenant promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Now in chapter two we have the presentation of the King. Matthew brings Jesus Christ on to the scene and announces through several unique features the Savior is born. The long- awaited Messiah has arrived. All four gospel writers do this in their own unique way.

What is interesting to me is Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience. We know that because he uses hundreds of prophecies from the Old Testament to make his case. Yet he uses Gentile wise men as his first witnesses.

What is also interesting is how different the story we read in the bible is from our Christmas tradition. We have all seen the Christmas cards and the nativity scenes, with three wise men, riding on camels, coming to the manger, to present their gifts to baby Jesus. But that is clearly not what we see in this story.

No, what we see in this story is when the wise men arrive in Bethlehem, Jesus is in a house. He is in his mothers’ arms and some time has passed since His birth.

Also, we don’t have any idea how many wise men there are or how they got there. Maybe the idea of three wise men comes from the three gifts they brought Him, we don’t know. What we do know is this is a unique story, and it is meant to teach us; Jesus Christ is the one true King who is worthy of our worship.

We are going to look at this today under four headings. 1. We will see the witnesses in Jerusalem Vs. 1-2. 2. We will see the wickedness of Herod in Vs. 3-8. 3. We will see the worshippers in Bethlehem Vs. 9-11 and finally we will see the warning from God in Vs. 12.

The first way we see Jesus is the one true King through the Witnesses in Jerusalem, Vs. 1-2. Here we are given the setting of our story.

Notice Vs. 1 we are told these things take place “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.” We don’t know how long after Jesus was born these things take place. We can compare this with the gospel of Luke and know, it must have been at least two months.

In Luke 2:24 we learn 40 days after Mary gave birth to Jesus, she came to the temple to present Him and to offer a sacrifice for her cleansing. This was a requirement of the law. Her offering was either two-turtle doves or two young pigeons. That speaks to just how poor Mary and Joseph were, because they were required to bring a lamb but could not afford a lamb.

So, we must assume the visit of the wisemen came after the offering at the temple, because Mary and Joseph would now have gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They would have easily been able to afford the lamb required as a sacrifice.

Matthew also emphasizes Jesus was born “in Bethlehem of Judea.” Bethlehem is a little obscure town that sits 5 miles south of Jerusalem. There is nothing there, yet God chooses this place for the most important event in human history, the birth of His Son. The word “Bethlehem” means house of bread. So, the Bread of Life was born in the house of bread.

It is important for Matthew to emphasize Bethlehem because his readers knew Jesus was raised in Nazareth, and the prophecies all spoke of the Messiah coming from the city of David, Bethlehem.

In fact, we see that down in Vs. 6 when Herod inquires where the Messiah was to be born. The chief priests and the scribes immediately quote Micah 5:2, “And you Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a ruler, who will shepherd My people Israel.” So, it is important here that Matthew makes it known Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Also, we are told this takes place in “the days of Herod the king.” This is the original Herod; Herod the great as Josephus called him. He was given power by Caesar Augustus of Rome. But what is important is this tells us a little about when this took place. Because Herod the great died somewhere in the middle of 4 BC, shortly after Jesus was born. We will learn a little more about Herod in a moment.

Then we are introduced to the “Magi from the East.” We are not sure how far from the East they came, but there is internal evidence in the Bible that suggests they came from Babylon. In the days of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, there were Magi who were put under Daniel’s authority.

Daniel was a prophet, and we know he shared the prophecy of the coming King who would rule the world. He interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and told him of a stone that would be cut out of a mountain without hands, that would crush the kingdoms of the world. So, we believe these wisemen came from Babylon and they learned from the prophecies of Daniel passed down 400 years earlier.

In Vs. 2 we are told why they came. They ask, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His Star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

They arrive in Jerusalem, and they begin asking questions. They ask everyone they meet about the birth of the King. Imagine their surprise when God’s own people are unaware of what has taken place. These are Gentile’s who have come from a faraway land, and they are more aware of what God is doing than God’s own people.

I can’t help but think to myself, “we can’t allow this to become the church today.” We can’t allow the feel-good philosophies taught in the church today put us to sleep and cause us to miss what God is doing in the world.

We need to know the scripture for ourselves, and we need to focus on the truth God has revealed to us. His Son is going to return, and He is going to establish the Kingdom of God.

So, what we see taking place in this story is Matthew uses these Gentile wisemen as witnesses, who come to Jerusalem to confirm the birth of Christ. But there is another witness here. There is a witness from the heavens.

God has provided a star to lead the wisemen on their journey. We don’t know how they knew to follow the star but notice what they call it in Vs. 2, They call it, “His Star.”

This is where the idea comes from that the Magi were astrologers. We have no idea but what we do know is they were watching the heavens. There was something about this star that compelled them to follow it.

Also, they were fully aware this star was leading them to the Messiah. What is important for Matthew and for us is the law in Israel was established by two witnesses. That is what we see here; the witness of the Gentiles from the East and a star from heaven proclaiming the birth of Christ the King.

The 2nd way we see Jesus as the one true King is through the Wickedness of Herod, Vs. 3-8. Herod the Great was a wicked king who would do anything to maintain power.

Notice Vs. 3 “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.” The word “this” here is referring to the question of the Magi in Vs. 2; “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews?” This was troubling to Herod because this is what He called himself. He called himself the king of the Jews. So, he is troubled by this and anything that troubled Herod meant trouble for everyone.

He was a paranoid tyrant. Tradition has it, he murdered one of his wives and two of his sons because he didn’t want them to come into power. According to Josephus, He was so protective of his favorite wife, Mariamne, that he instructed his soldiers to kill her if anything were to happen to him while traveling abroad.

Just before he passed away, knowing that no one would mourn his death, he arrested one hundred Jewish elders and ordered they be executed when he died, so there would be mourning in Jerusalem. He also ordered that his son Antipater be executed after he died, so he would not become king. None of those orders were carried out and when Herod died his land was divided among three of his sons.

But what we see in this story is the contrast Matthew is making between these two Kings. the question is; which of these rulers do you want to be your king ? The King that represents the world or the King of heaven.

God had brought His king into the world to turn the hearts of the people back to Him. He wanted to be their God and He wanted them to be His people. So, He sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world but that through Him the world might be saved. That promise is still true today, we don’t have to bow down to the world, we have a king from heaven who has come to saves us.

Then I want you to notice the evil plot in Vs. 7. Herod is a diabolical psychopath, but he is also very cunning and shrewd. Look at what he does in Vs. 7, “Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.”

After he learns where the Messiah was to be born, he wants to know when He was born, because he needs to know what age group of children he must destroy. I mean how evil, how sinister he is? He is planning the murder of the children of Bethlehem. We know from the story that immediately follows our passage, that is exactly what Herod did.

Notice Herod’s plan in Vs. 8. He wants to incorporate the Magi in his plot. Vs. 8 says, “And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I to may come and worship Him.”

Now we have no reason to believe the Magi suspected anything at this point. Why wouldn’t he want to worship the king? They had no idea Herod was the manipulative monster he was.

The actions of Herod should be a warning to us today. We need to be careful of who we listen to. There are people who say one thing with their mouth and mean something altogether different in their heart. We need to have a Spirit of discernment, because without discernment, God’s people can be led astray.

So, the Magi begin their journey again. They set out as witnesses of the King, confirming to the world the Messiah has been born. The One who is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. And throughout this whole story we see the sovereign hand of God, not only confirming His Son but protecting Him from the enemy. And He does the same thing in the life of all His children. (Romans 8:28)

The 3rd way we see Jesus as the one true King is through the worshippers in Bethlehem Vs. 9-11. These Gentile believers are pursuing God with all their heart, and they have come to Bethlehem to worship the King.

It shouldn’t surprise us that these are Gentile believers because they represent us in the gospel story. It is no mystery Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience, but he is proclaiming Christ the King of the world.

Notice Vs. 10, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” How do you do that? How do you rejoice exceedingly with great joy? because I want to do that. It is as though Matthew is struggling to describe the joy and enthusiasm of the moment. Words just can’t put into context how excited they were.

And really this should be true in the life of all believers. We should be enthusiastic and full of joy at the opportunity to come seek God and worship Him. It is a privilege not everyone in the world shares and it is a privilege we should not take for granted. (Jeremiah 29:13) Are you seeking Him with all your heart, because wisemen still seek Him today.

Naturally, we learn in Vs. 11 they found the child in His mothers’ arms. There was never a doubt because God was guiding their journey, and the same thing is true in your life. The Bible says, “If you trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

The wisemen worshipped the Lord and we could go on to talk about what each one of these gifts represent, but I think it is appropriate we just acknowledge them as gifts fitting for a King.

Matthew leaves no doubt in our mind why the magi came. They came to worship. They did not come to Bethlehem to be spectators. They came because they grasped the value of Jesus. There are many people in the world today, even in the church who just don’t value Jesus. We put limits on his power and his prominence. But these magi recognized His worth. The question is do you? Is Jesus valuable in your life?

The final way we see Jesus as the one true King is through the Warning by God, Vs. 12 God in His sovereign power is not going to let anything happen to His Son. Vs. 12 says, “And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the Magi left for their own country by another way.”

Notice who is doing the warning here. This is a warning from heaven, from God Himself and He tells these Magi to go home a different way. But not only does God warn them not to return to Herod, but God is going to use the gifts they brought to allow Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to escape to Egypt. Because certainly they were too poor before this to flee.

Isn’t it interesting; in the Old Testament God delivered His people from the land of Egypt, and in the New Testament God is going to save His people by sending His Son to the land of Egypt.

Herod’s decree has already gone out and we know from the following passage he destroys the children of Bethlehem. Which by the way is another New Testament type found in the Old Testament. In the same way God protected Moses His deliverer, God protects His Son the Savior.

The lesson for us is God is there for you. He is sovereignly at work leading and guiding the steps of your life. He is protecting His children from the enemy. The Bible says, Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but we have a Savior who has been born, Christ the King.

Conclusion

What we learn from this story is Christ was confirmed by the world and protected from heaven. The question is, has been confirmed in your life? Do you worship Him as your King?

I heard a story this week about Satan who was standing outside a church building one Sunday morning. Inside, the people were singing, praying, and listening to Word. A passerby asked Satan if that bothered him. With a demonic, sneering laugh he said “no, it doesn’t bother me.” Then he added, “They get that way on Sunday, but they will be all right on Monday. It’s just a little habit they’ve acquired.”

I pray that God would save us from such a habit. I pray our worship would be sincere. That it would make a difference in our life. Because true orship is life transforming. It transforms our grief into gladness, our disappointments into victories, and our problems into praise.

It is through our worship we confirm to the world, Jesus Christ is the one true King.