Members Worship the Messiah

ME: Intro - We Three Kings

Last week, we celebrated Christmas in April.

This morning, we are looking at different human responses to the birth of Jesus,

In Matthew 2:1-12.

Some responses were not so good.

But one response,

Comes from a group called the wise men,

Or magi.

They follow a star all the way to the Messiah.

And worship the Messiah.

Demonstrating how Members respond to Jesus,

Members Worship the Messiah.

I have to confess,

I feel like a bit of a scrooge,

After celebrating Christmas,

This morning,

I am taking some of our traditional pictures of Christmas,

And am poking holes in them,

To better align with what is in the Bible.

Central to this,

Are the magi.

For example,

The classic carol,

We Three Kings,

Is beautiful poetry,

And a wonderful melody.

It paints this classic picture,

Of three guys,

Dressed up in their royal garbs,

Riding their camels across the desert at night,

Following the star to the stable where they worship baby Jesus in the manger,

Offering Him their gifts.

But there are a few problems with this.

First, how many are there?

We don’t know!

We know they brought three gifts,

And we know there is more than one,

Because they are referred to in the plural form.

There could have been 10,

There could have been 30,

We do not know,

A specific number is simply not given.

So, the idea behind We Three Kings,

Is well meaning,

But presumptuous.

Second, depending on exactly where they came from,

It would have taken them several weeks to get from their home to Jerusalem,

Where they go first.

Then, the star guides them for the last leg of their journey,

From Jerusalem to Bethlehem.

And third,

By the time they get to Jesus,

He is not an infant,

But a child,

And He is no longer in the manger,

But in a house.

My purpose in highlighting some of our mistaken Christmas notions,

Is not to be a Grinch and steal Christmas joy.

But I do want our false understandings,

And watered-down traditions of Christmas to be rightly corrected by what Scripture says.

Because most importantly,

When we understand what Scripture says,

Worship, praise, surrender, and the sacrificial offering of our lives are the only proper responses to our Messiah.

Slide

The outline for our passage highlights competing responses.

First, in vs. 1-4, we see Worship or Trouble.

Then, in vs. 5-6, we see the Words of Truth.

Lastly, in vs. 7-12, we see either Wiles or Treasures.

And the takeaway from this passage is:

As we worship the Messiah with our lives, we live as His witnesses.

WE: Worship or Trouble (vs. 1-4)

Slide

Ch. 2 begins after Jesus was born.

We are not given an exact date,

But vs. 16 says,

King Herod had all the children in Bethlehem 2 years and under killed,

In his hunt for Jesus.

So, it would be safe to assume it was about one to two years after Jesus was born.

The other time stamp Matthew gives is that it was in the days of Herod the king.

So, this is during the reign of Rome.

Earlier in his life,

Herod the Great was very loyal to Rome,

Which helped him to first become a governor in Galilee at the ripe age of 25,

Before eventually being crowned the king of Judea,

As he is here.

A little background on Herod:

He was a shrewd politician,

A great soldier,

A gifted speaker,

And a visionary builder.

He was actually a pretty talented and vigorous ruler.

He built the port at Caesarea,

The Herodium,

The fortress palace, Masada,

And even renovated the temple in Jerusalem.

But he was also a stern, brutish, vicious, cruel, and bloodthirsty tyrant.

And perhaps worst of all,

He was constantly paranoid.

As a king in Rome,

He was very fond of his splendor, and his lavish lifestyle.

So, he was often afraid of losing his kingdom.

If he ever heard of someone plotting to take over his rule,

He would have him killed.

He even killed two of his own sons,

And his favorite wife for this reason.

But historical records indicate that he died in 4 BC.

So, if this was during the days of Herod the king,

It has to be prior to 4 BC.

After these two time stamps,

The narrative begins with the introduction to the magi from the east,

Coming to Jerusalem.

Slide

These are relatively mysterious characters.

They weren’t just wise men,

And they weren’t kings,

They were more like advisors or royal counselors.

They were appointed by a king to advise him on matters of the kingdom,

And often would teach the culture and values of the land where the king may be unfamiliar.

They were educated in astronomy,

Which is the study of the stars, planets, and space.

But their actual practice was more like astrology,

Which is a superstitious form of stargazing.

We still have astrology today,

You know,

Daily horoscopes,

What’s your sign?

Today you will be faced with making a decision.

That kind of stuff.

Because of this,

Magi is where we get the word magic from.

But these magi were not like our modern day magicians.

These people were knowledgeable,

And well respected.

Although they studied the dark arts,

They were not just a little star-gazing club or a cult.

They held a high position,

And had relative wealth because of it.

They were essentially royal advisors that practiced astrology.

Slide

We first learn about men like this in the OT.

In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar,

The King of Babylon,

Had a dream that troubled him.

So, he assembled the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the magicians,

The magi.

Nebuchadnezzar was hoping they would be able to interpret his dream.

But he wasn’t sure of them,

So, he wanted them to tell him his dream first,

That way he knew he could trust their interpretation.

When they all said no one would be able to do that,

Daniel 2:12 says,

Daniel 2:12 (ESV)

Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men [that is, all the magi,] of Babylon be destroyed.

Slide

These are not exactly the same as the magi in Matthew,

But the magi in Matthew stem from these OT magi.

Being from the east,

As Matthew says,

Means they are from the general area of ancient Babylon.

Places like Persia or Arabia or Mesopotamia,

Or possibly even Egypt.

Either way, these magi are Gentiles.

It seems,

By being from the general area of Babylon,

These magi have been in contact with Jewish exiles,

And the Scriptures,

Especially OT prophecy.

So, as astrologers,

They were watching the skies for the movements of planets and stars,

When they made an astounding discovery,

That they believed indicated the birth of the Messiah,

The King of the Jews.

Slide

This is incredible to think about.

God spoke to these stargazers in a language they understood.

He used their superstition,

To save them from their futile beliefs,

Calling these Gentiles to Jesus.

So, even as a young child,

We see how Christ was overthrowing Satan’s kingdom,

And setting captives free.

God’s mission to the Gentiles is clearly on display,

By Him drawing these Gentile magi to Jesus,

So, they could worship the one born King of the Jews.

Slide

So, vs. 2 says,

The magi came to Jerusalem because they saw the star of the King of the Jews.

There have been many theories as to what this star was and what it looked like.

Some have suggested,

It could have been planets lining up closely with one another,

Called a planetary conjunction,

Or a supernova,

Or a comet or meteor.

Or one possibility that I think could be cool,

Was that it was the light from the angel who visited the shepherds in Luke 2.

At the end of the day,

We don’t exactly what this star was.

But it was definitely something supernatural.

Because later,

The star moves through the sky,

Like a heavenly GPS,

Pointing the magi in the right direction,

Stopping at Christ’s precise location.

So, this was clearly no ordinary star.

Not just because of the way it looked,

But also because of its OT significance.

The book of Numbers tells the story of the journey of God’s people from Mount Sinai,

To the edge of the promised land.

As the people journeyed toward the promised land,

They grew in power and might.

By the time you get to ch. 22,

Balak, the king of Moab,

Is frightened of them.

So, he calls for Balaam,

A Gentile magician, or seer,

From the eastern mountains,

To curse the house of Jacob and the people of Israel.

But God makes it clear to Balaam,

He is not to curse the Israelites,

But he is to bless them.

And Balaam obeys God.

He blesses Israel three times.

Slide

With the final one in Numbers 24:17, saying,

Numbers 24:17 ESV

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.

The scepter rising out from God’s people,

Refers to one who shall rule.

And He is also the star of Jacob.

So, a Gentile from the east,

Prophesying about a King of the Jews who is associated with a star,

Whom will deliver the people of God from their enemies.

This “him” Balaam prophesies about,

Is the Messiah.

And now, it is no coincidence,

That these Gentile magi from the east,

Follow a star to the newborn King of the Jews.

Slide

Isaiah 60:1-3 also prophesies,

Isaiah 60:1–3 ESV

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah prophesied that nations will come to the light of God’s people.

In Matthew, the magi,

Who are from the nations,

Are drawn to the light from the star over God’s Son.

Matthew is a Gospel written primarily to Jews,

And the first people we see worshipping the Messiah are magi from the nations.

This is clearly a picture of God drawing the nations to the Messiah.

Because the promised Messiah is not just the King of the Jews,

He is the King of kings,

The King of all peoples!

This is such a profound display of God’s grace.

Because God used the magi’s superstition to draw them to Christ.

They saw the star,

And it stirred excitement in them.

Enough excitement to mount an expedition that has been estimated to be hundreds,

If not thousands,

Of miles long.

But not knowing where the child might be,

The natural place for them to go was Jerusalem.

So, they went,

Expecting to find the child,

The future king in a palace.

So, they begin asking about the One born King of the Jews.

And their innocent question,

Set the stage for their encounter with King Herod.

Slide

Because Herod has no newborn son.

So, vs. 3 says,

When word reaches him about the arrival of these magi,

And their reason for coming,

He takes their announcement as a threat,

And the opposition to Jesus officially begins.

This Roman ruler is intimidated by a child.

And if he was willing to kill his own children for threatening his rule,

When he hears these officials from the east,

Travel all the way to Jerusalem,

To find the newborn King of the Jews,

To say he is troubled,

Is quite the understatement.

He is deeply distressed!

He is terrified,

That this child is going to end his reign!

Because Herod was not a Jew,

He was not a descendent of David.

He was genuinely unqualified to reign as king.

Meanwhile, this child has a legitimate claim to the throne.

So, yea, he is troubled,

And understandably,

His trouble spreads throughout all the people of Jerusalem.

Because they feared his paranoia,

And the rage that comes with it.

Slide

So, what does Herod do?

Vs. 4 says,

He assembled all the chief priests and scribes,

The experts of the OT.

A group that has been awaiting their Messiah.

We’ve got the chief priests who represent Jewish worship.

In the OT, God appointed priests,

Who were tasked with mediating worship of God.

But by the time of the NT,

They have become a corrupt group of religiously oriented politicians.

Second, the scribes kinda represent Jewish law.

These guys were kinda like ancient lawyers.

The knew the law best,

They taught the law,

And they were the authorities to interpret Jewish law.

Not just the OT law,

But also their traditions that they developed around the law.

So, these are the two groups who know God’s Word the best,

And yet, their response is a sobering reminder,

That knowledge of God’s Word is not enough.

You can know what the Bible says,

But still miss the point.

These religious leaders end up being deceived by their knowledge,

And eventually rebel against Jesus.

So, pray that God would keep us from this deceptive rebellion in our own lives,

And in the life of our body.

GOD: Words of Truth (vs.5-6)

Slide

But these religious leaders knew where to find the Messiah,

So, in vs. 5-6,

They speak Words of Truth to the king.

But then, do nothing.

They tell Herod that the prophet says,

Bethlehem is the birthplace of the Messiah.

And they are correct!

Again, they know the Word,

But fail to respond.

They are indifferent to their own Messiah.

And throughout Matthew,

This indifference grows into outright opposition.

And by the end of the Gospel,

This group pressures the Romans to have Jesus killed.

So, really,

It is not surprising that,

Even though it is only a 5-6 mile journey,

That these religious experts have no interest in going to see their Messiah.

Clearly, they teach us,

How knowledge of God’s Word does not guarantee that our heart is right with God.

If you know the gospel and are indifferent toward Christ,

Then you oppose Christ.

The religious leaders demonstrate this.

Though they are indifferent now,

Their indifference manifests into outright opposition.

So, you cannot be indifferent toward Christ.

Slide

Vs. 6 paraphrases the prophecy these experts cite,

Micah 5:2.

This paraphrase emphasizes certain aspects of the prophecy that help us to understand the significance of the coming of Jesus.

So, lets compare vs. 6,

Against Micah.

First, instead of saying Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Matthew says Bethlehem in the land of Judah.

Going back to the genealogy,

Matthew has been intentional to weave in the importance of that Jesus is in the line of Judah and the line of David.

So, by mentioning Judah here,

Matthew is highlighting Jesus’ kingly line.

He is reminding us that the place where King David was born,

Is where King Jesus is born.

So, Matthew is tying Jesus to David.

Because a member of the tribe of Judah is who qualifies for the throne of David.

As the place where David was born and raised,

Bethlehem had some relative significance in the OT.

But by this time,

It is just a small town in Judea,

Which was ancient Judah.

Slide

The second difference seems to be a direct contradiction.

Micah says Bethlehem is too little to be among the clans of Judah.

But Matthew says it is by no means the least among Judah.

The point is to communicate how Bethlehem appears to be an insignificant, small, unimportant village.

But in reality,

Becomes extremely important in God’s plan.

Yes, Bethlehem is a small village,

But this small village is extremely important in the context of redemptive history.

Why?

Slide

Because, Matthew says,

A ruler will come out of Bethlehem,

Just as Micah says.

But Matthew adds that this ruler will shepherd God’s people Israel.

This alludes to when God said to David in 2 Sam. 5:2,

2 Samuel 5:2 (ESV)

‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’ ”

King David,

And his line,

Are continuously pictured as shepherding kings throughout the OT.

But as we talked about a few weeks ago,

Several kings failed at this.

Even David himself failed.

But this line of shepherding kings all pointed to the day,

When a good shepherd,

A perfect shepherd,

Would come,

And as King,

Would lead God’s people back to God.

And this is what we see with Jesus.

He is the One who reigns as King,

And rules as a shepherd.

These are the Words of Truth taught by the religious experts.

YOU: Wiles or Treasures (vs. 7-12)

Slide

Now that Herod has learned where the child is,

Starting in vs. 7,

We see how he attempts to use his wiles against the Messiah,

Instead of giving his treasures in worship of the king.

Herod meets with the magi in secret,

Because he is scheming how to murder the child.

First, he wants to know exactly when the star appeared.

He needs this information to know how old the child is.

Tragically, he later uses this information to commit a mass genocide of all boys 2 and under in Bethlehem.

But here,

Herod seems to gain the confidence of the magi.

So, he commands them to leave for Bethlehem to search for the child,

And tells them to report back to him when they find the child.

Why?

He says,

So, that he too can worship the child.

And despite this being a bold-faced lie,

They believe him!

Herod had no intention of worshipping any other king of the Jews.

He wanted Jesus killed.

But though Herod was able to hide his true intentions from the magi,

God knows Herod’s heart,

And He is not about to be caught of guard by Herod.

God’s plan will come to fruition.

It is irrational to try and fight it.

And that is what Herod demonstrates here.

Think about it,

If the magi were right,

And this child is indeed God’s ruler of Israel,

Then Herod believed he was powerful enough to stop God.

If the magi were wrong, however,

Herod is obsessively paranoid about killing a harmless innocent child.

So, although, Herod has proven to be a rather cunning king,

His sin here makes him act foolish and irrational.

Slide

Nonetheless,

The magi leave the king,

And begin to make their way to Bethlehem in vs. 9,

When, boom!

There it was!

The star is back!

Leading them,

Until it came and stopped above the place where the child was.

Clearly this is no ordinary star.

It literally and supernaturally led them,

Not just to Bethlehem,

But to the exact house where the Messiah could be found.

The leading of the star echoes the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night,

That led God’s people through the wilderness in Exodus.

I love Matthew’s comment here in vs. 10.

When the magi saw the star,

They were overwhelmed with joy!

We don’t have to imagine how exciting this supernatural experience was for them.

It tells us right here!

And it sets the stage for their joyful worship when they see Jesus.

Slide

Vs.11 is the culmination of their journey.

Some time after Jesus was born,

The magi enter a house,

Not a manger,

And see a child,

Not a baby.

But they are still filled with exceeding gladness!

So, in their joy,

They respond to the Messiah in the only appropriate way.

These prominent astrologers from the east,

Fall down on their knees,

And openly worship a young child.

Do they fully understand who Jesus is?

Do they understand that this child is God in the flesh?

I don’t know.

The term for worship here is describing a display of respect.

And worship of Jesus in its truest sense,

Transcends mere respect.

So, not every act of bowing or kneeling before Jesus expresses this truest worship.

Therefore, some commentators say the magi weren’t worshipping Jesus in this way.

But I don’t know if we can say that.

They may have been,

They may not have been.

If they aren’t

They are, at the very least, heading in the right direction.

Because bowing down like this,

Acknowledges that you are in the presence of someone superior to you.

And that is what these magi are saying.

Not only by their posture,

But also by offering their treasures as extravagant gifts of worship,

Which was an essential part of their eastern culture.

But not only are these gifts valuable,

They are also symbolic.

Now, the magi likely didn’t realize the symbolism behind their gifts.

But it does not remove their symbolic nature.

First, Gold emphasizes Jesus’ royalty.

Gold is associated with kings.

This is seen with the description of Solomon’s wealth in 1 Kings 10,

As well as several other OT references.

This also continues to fit the theme of Jesus’ kingship in Matthew.

Jesus deserves royal honor,

And he receives it here from the magi.

Second, frankincense emphasizes that Jesus is God.

Throughout the OT,

Frankincense was used in a variety of offerings to God.

It was stored in the chamber of the sanctuary,

And when it is used in the OT,

It is used in relation to the worship of,

Or service to God.

Third, myrrh emphasizes Jesus’ humanity.

Myrrh was basically a perfume.

But it was associated with anointing a person.

It is fascinating,

Here myrrh is presented to Jesus as a newborn King.

But when Jesus gets hoisted on the cross,

Mark 15:23 says that Jesus is offered wine mixed with myrrh.

So, myrrh is also presented to Jesus as a sacrificial King.

Then, after Jesus dies on the cross,

John 19 says that Nicodemus and Joseph or Arimathea used myrrh to prepare Jesus’ body for burial.

Slide

But Matthew also lists these gifts here to show the fulfillment of the OT,

Where Gentiles would bring their wealth as a gift for Israel’s king.

There are several passages that prophesy this,

For example, Psalm 72:10-11 says,

Psalm 72:10–11 ESV

May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!

Also, we already talked about the nations coming to the light of God’s people in Isaiah 60:1-3.

Slide

That prophecy continues in vs. 6 saying,

Isaiah 60:6 ESV

A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.

So, Isaiah prophesied that not only would the nations be drawn to the light of God’s Son,

But that they would bring riches and gifts to worship God’s Son.

And that is exactly what happens with the magi here in Matthew.

Slide

Then, this section ends quickly with a revelatory dream,

Where the wise men are warned not to go back to Herod.

So, instead of heading home through Jerusalem,

They returned back to their own country by another way.

Once Herod realizes his wiles have failed,

Instead of giving treasures like the magi,

He seeks to kill Jesus in a much more tragic way,

Which, Lord willing, we will look at next week.

WE: Application

Slide

But going back to the gift of myrrh.

This gift foreshadows Christ’s impending death.

It reminds us that Jesus ultimately came for a reason.

He was born to die.

He came to take the payment and penalty for our sins upon Himself.

This is what the angel announced at His birth,

Jesus came to save His people from our sins.

So, in the birth of Jesus,

We also see the significance of His death.

The Bible says,

God loves us so much,

That He sent His Son to live a life of perfect obedience,

A life you and I could never live,

And then die the death that we deserve.

But He did not stay dead,

Jesus rose from the grave in victory!

Victory over sin, Satan, and death!

And the Bible says,

Whoever believes in Him,

Will never perish,

But instead,

Will have eternal life!

How will you respond to Jesus?

In our passage this morning,

We see four different responses.

First, we have Herod’s anger and paranoia.

He is an enemy of God,

Being used as an agent of Satan.

He wants to save himself,

He wants to be the one to reigns supreme,

So, he wants to kill Jesus.

He is the epitome of selfish humankind,

And a reflection of Satan’s hatred for God.

So, Herod’s response is hostility toward Jesus.

Second, is the people of Jerusalem.

All we know about them is that they are troubled,

Just as Herod was troubled.

But they are troubled for different reasons.

They know Herod is a paranoid and violent tyrant.

But their response to the birth of their King is pathetic!

The only response they can muster is being troubled by Herod.

These people were awaiting their Messiah for hundreds of years!

They had every reason to heed the announcement of the magi,

But they didn’t.

So, their response is one of indifference toward God.

Third, are the priests and scribes.

They were more informed than the people of Jerusalem.

They searched the Scriptures,

Found the correct answer about where their Messiah would be born,

Then just disappear!

They did not rejoice,

They did not join the magi on their trip to Bethlehem.

Like the people,

They expected their Messiah,

They hear reports that match prophecies,

They verify the prophecies,

Then, they do nothing!

But unlike the people,

Later in Matthew,

The priests and scribes grow from apathetic to downright defiant.

But for now,

They are simply unmoved by the announcement of their long-awaited Savior.

So, their response is one of those who know the faith but refuse to trust Jesus.

Lastly, we have the magi.

The magi know way less than any of the people in Jerusalem.

But they still act on what they know.

That is what members do.

The magi sacrificed their time,

They sacrificed their treasures,

They even sacrificed their own safety,

To find this Messiah,

And offer Him the most valuable gifts they have to give.

So, they respond with faith,

And worship Jesus.

How will you respond to Jesus?

Let us respond like the magi!

Let’s set aside our pride,

Let’s set aside what we think we already know,

Let’s set aside our fear,

Let’s set aside our indifference,

And let’s worship the Messiah!

Slide

Our passage is a powerful picture of joyful and reverent worship!

The global purpose of God is the joyful worship of Christ from every tribe, tongue, and nation!

We see God accomplishing this in our passage this morning.

God led the magi to Jesus by directing nature!

John Piper says that God wields the universe to make His Son known and worshiped!

It is amazing to think about God arranging the stars in the sky to announce His Son!

He exercises His authority as Lord of the universe,

To make it clear that the Messiah has come!

He is worthy of our worship!

God uses the stars to shout the glory of Jesus Christ!

God drew the nations to Jesus!

Starting with these magi.

Then, after sending Christ into the world,

God says to the whole world,

Come and see the Messiah!

He is still inviting us today!

God invites you to worship the Messiah!

To respond to Jesus with joyful, affectionate, and uninhibited praise!

Just as we see with the magi,

Who were overwhelmed with joy,

Leading them to bow down and worship the Messiah!

Likewise, we must give to Christ the offering of our lives.

Everything we have,

Everything we are,

Overwhelmed with joy,

We lay it all down before Jesus!

He is our Messiah,

Our King,

Our God,

And He came to us as fully human.

Therefore, we shout and proclaim His great worth!

Not just when we are gathered on Sunday mornings,

But all throughout every tribe, tongue, and nation.

As we worship the Messiah with our lives,

We live as His witnesses.

The God,

Who, over 2000 years ago,

Arranged the stars in the sky to direct the magi to the Messiah,

Is the same God who is actively arranging every detail in your life,

Your family, your job, your school, and your relationships.

God wants to use your worship of Him,

To lead others to worship Him.

You are the light to your coworkers, cousins, and classmates.

So, worship Him!

Worship Him before the watching world!

And watch Him make more worshipers through you among the nations!

Pray.