And Then The Gentiles

How many of you are people?

God uses people to reach people. - Greg Laurie

How many other ways could He have done it, ways that to me would have been more effective and permanent?

Remember, Jesus isn’t God’s Plan B. God decided to use a people to represent Him, that includes Jesus.

Path from Adam to Noah, to Abraham, Jacob/Israel, Judah, David, Jesus.

God chose the Hebrews, Israelites, Jews, as His special people, a special treasure, to be a light and an example to the world, and as a way of restoring relationship with Him. Salvation was never meant to be for the Jews only, but through them.

The pattern was, as Paul puts it, “to the Jew first, then to the Gentiles.” This pattern turns up around Jesus arrival on earth as a baby. The first witnesses to Jesus, apart from His parents, were the shepherds. 8 days later He encounters Simeon and Hannah at the temple.

Do you know what the sheep raised at Bethlehem were used for? Temple sacrifice. What did John the Baptist later call Jesus? “The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus is both Sheep and Shepherd, just as He is both servant and King, human and God.

This Sunday we mark the Magi encountering Jesus.

Who were the Magi?

Go back at least to the 500s BC. The Prophet Daniel was appointed Chief of the Magi after the incident with the fiery furnace. No doubt he had some influence over their beliefs over time.

Rome, Isreal, Parthian Empire. Magi were part of a branch of the government. They were involved in appointing who the king would be

King-makers, from a rival empire, follow a star.

I think it was an angel because of the route they would have taken and the fact that it stopped over the house where Jesus was. Normal stars don’t do that.

These rival King-makers would have had a massive enterouge. We don’t know how many there were, just that there were three gifts. This wasn’t three guys on camels. The stop in Jerusalem as ask the Rome-appointed ruler “where is He who was born King of the Jews?” Slap in the face, major political interaction.

They are eventually directed to Bethlehem which is south of Jerusalem. They came from the East, the start turned at some point. Angel.

When did they arrive? I was happy not to see the three kings in our nativity up until now. Could have been up to two years after Jesus’ birth we don’t know. The family stayed in Bethlehem for a while.

These kings-makers then leave by a different route and take the message that the Messiah had been born. No doubt Daniel left them with teachings and prophecy that led them look for this in the first place.

Jesus came to the chosen people first, then to the rest of the world.

This should not have been news!

Walk through Ephesians 3.

Jesus is found by those looking for him, ignored by those who aren’t, hated by those who see him as a threat. Pray for and invest in those who are “leaning forward” and don’t waste your energy trying to batter someone into the kingdom. Share with all, expect a few.

The Gospel is a light to those who know that are in darkness. That’s why we share it with all. It is also a light to those who have drifted, been distracted, and brings refreshment and strength (Superman in the sunlight). Don’t be afraid to share it because they might not receive it. God is bigger than any way in which you think you will mess it up.

The world, those who disagree with you (or you disagree with), are not your enemy. They are your mission. They need Jesus, or at the very least a breadcrumb trail to follow when they realize that they need him.

Will you isolate yourselves and your faith from them, or will you be the star that those who are looking for something will follow?