Matthew 2:1-12: A Tale of Two Seekers (2)

Introduction

This morning we are continuing our study in the Gospel of Matthew. If you have your Bibles turn to Matthew Chapter 2.

A few weeks ago when we started, we spent time looking at the genealogy that opens the book and how it points to some really crucial themes in Matthew’s Gospel:

God is sovereign

Jesus is the promised Messiah

Jesus is the King, not just of the Jews, but of the whole world

Last week, as we worked through the second half of chapter 1, we saw those themes continued to be expanded upon by showing us that not even a good man like Joseph could change the course that God had set forth for history. When Joseph looked to end his betrothal to Mary, God gave him instructions in a dream to keep Joseph engaged to marry her and to become the adoptive father of God’s own Son. We also see God’s hand in the supernatural events that occur to lead to the birth of Christ. Both Joseph and Mary respond honorably to their instruction from the LORD. This week, we turn to see how others respond to the news that the Messiah, the Christ, is here. And we will be doing that by looking at a story that is incredible and often celebrated at Christmastime, but we miss the actual point of the story in most of our retellings.

Let’s now turn to the Scriptures.

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.

Let’s Pray and then let’s feast on the word of God.

Teaching the text

Let’s start at the beginning of the text.

Matthew 2:1–2 (ESV)

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, 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.”

Who is this king Herod?

Herod the Great, son of an Arab-Idumean, named Antipater, who was the head of the police force who kept order for Rome

Herod took over for his father but was also named king of Judea by Rome in 37 BC.

He was known for his paranoia and jealousy, killing his wife and two of his own sons because he thought they were conspiring against him.

Who are the Wise Men (Magi)?

We Three Kings… not a very accurate song.

Likely considered magicians or astrologers, and counselors to a king (similar to Daniel), not kings themselves

Most likely from Babylon or Persia, which begs the question “How did they know about Jewish messianic prophecies?”

How do the Magi know that the King of the Jews has been born? Why do they know about the star? What is their response?

If you recall the first week of Matthew, the Israelites had been conquered by one empire after another. They were taken into exile by the Babylonians (this would be the time of Daniel), then conquered by the Persian Empire, then the Greek Empire, and then finally the Roman Empire.

Because of this, there were Jewish peoples spread throughout the known world. As we see in the story of Daniel, pagan kings had no qualms listening to Jews so long as it was shown that they were being given supernatural knowledge by their God. They wanted to consolidate knowledge and power under their empire. Should it surprise us if these conquering kings had their new captives tell their magi all the prophecies that had been revealed by their gods?

So these pagan magic-workers, trusting in the knowledge revealed by YHWH to his own people (not to the pagans!), made a journey that took nearly two years from the time of them first seeing the star to finally making it to the land of the Israelites where the promised king will be born. And they came, not for acts of espionage to kill a potential rival to their own king, but to worship Him.

Matthew 2:3–6 (ESV)

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

“ ‘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.’ ”

(Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” )

“Herod… was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him...”

Where does that prophecy come from? Micah 5:2

Matthew 2:7–9 (ESV)

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 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.” After listening to the king, they went on their way.

Why does Herod need to know what time the star appeared? So that he would know the approximate age of his rival king. We already know how Herod treated those who he thought of as rivals.

Herod, with his mouth, claims to be interested in worshiping the Messiah, but we see that isn’t true in our text for next week.

Matthew 2:9–11 (ESV)

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

(Ps 72:10-11 “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!”,

Is 60:6 “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.”)

Upon encountering Christ, these pagan astrologers did what they said they would do: worship Him. And they worshipped Him not only in their words, but also in giving Him lavish gifts.

Gold - a gift for a king

Frankincense - A gift for a priest, or more specifically a gift that a priest offers to their god

Myrrh - A gift for a death

Matthew 2:12 (ESV)

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

Application

This story has been celebrated for many many years based on a presumption that is untrue: namely that these were kings who came to worship Jesus. If I haven’t made it clear enough, these men were royal astrologers who looked to the stars instead of looking to YHWH for their knowledge. And yet, that makes this story all the more amazing. That the WORLD, not just the Israelites the people of God, is coming to worship the Christ-child! That the God of the Jews would work in such a way that even the pagans can know that the Messiah has been born is astounding! This God is not just the God of the Jews!

Divine Providence at Work

The Star for the Magi

The prophecy in Micah

The Dream and Herod’s attempt to usurp the rightful king

Jesus is King of the Whole World, Not Just the Jews

As in Chapter 1, the universal mission of Christ is emphasized here. God has seen to it that the Gentiles will recognize the importance and the blessing of the life of Jesus, even while the majority of His own people, the Israelites, ignore it or even hate it.

Worship fills this story and cannot be ignored. The Magi represent the whole world, coming to worship at the feet of the child, Jesus.

This is a true fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham, to bless all the world through Abraham’s offspring.

While the main body of the gospel of Matthew has an emphasis on the mission to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (10:5-6, 15:24), that is framed in the global mission to the Gentiles. The book begins and ends with the mission to the Gentiles. The last verses of Matthew are what we call “The Great Commission”, Jesus’ final command to his followers, and He tells them to go and make disciples of every nation.

Matthew makes it clear to the discerning reader that God has a mission for them in all the world.

God’s Victory over Evil will Not Come Without a Fight

The conflict between the false-king Herod and the Messiah-King Jesus is the heart of this entire chapter and is a typifies good vs. evil.

Herod schemes to usurp the true King by killing Him before He can grow up and make His claim to the throne. And in this scheming, Herod represents the world’s reaction to Christ. In sin, those who are of the world look to eliminate the threat to their own throne.

There is a poem called “Invictus” written by William Ernest Henley that has become quite popular among graduating students and I think it makes this point clear. The final stanza, in speaking on the thought of facing death and the consequences of his actions in life, reads as follows:

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

d. Do you see how we are no different from Herod? Use whatever title you want - master, captain, or king - when we are looking to rule our own lives, or finances, or time, or investments, or relationships - We are saying with this poem (and with Herod!) “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul!”, and by implication saying “Not Jesus!”

e. Don’t you see that you’re siding with evil when you do this?

4. Obedience for those Seeking Christ

a. About 30 years ago, in his book “The Purpose-Driven Church”, Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church in California, (a Southern Baptist megachurch), introduced the world to “Saddleback Sam”, though Sam has existed in some form for closer to 50 years.

Who is Saddleback Sam? - Go into the history

created by marketing concepts

looks to view potential church members, or as consumers

“what does the consumer I’m targeting want? How can I get them to buy in?”

It elevated the idea of “seekers” and helped launch a massive movement of churches marketing themselves as being “seeker-sensitive” and changing some of the core purposes of the church by making it about those who are not Christians, instead of making it about Christ and those who are in Christ!

What does this look like practically? Well let’s ask the question “What does my target audience want?” and try to accommodate them.

They want shorter sermons? Cool! I can get it down to a 17 minutes! Funnier sermons? I’ll start studying comedians. More sermons about them? I’ll study self-help coaches.

A music experience that feels more like a concert and less like a Christmas Carol sing-along? We can do that! Let’s dim the lights on the audience (I mean congregation), and bring up the lights on the performers (I mean worship leaders) on the stage. Maybe we can add fog machines and laser lights!

They don’t like feeling judged? Then I’ll stop saying their ways of sinning are sin.

They don’t like me saying that Jesus is the only way to God? Then I’ll start being more inclusive and won’t call out false teachings and religions.

After all, the customer is always right.

b. Here in this church and in this region, we’re actually not that affected by this seeker-sensitive version of trying to accommodate to those whom Christ has not converted. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t affected by the mindset that we need to change things in order to get more people in the doors of the church. What we’re affected by more so in this region is REVIVALISM

Let’s dip our toes in American Church History for just a minute

Second Great Awakening (1800s)

Charles Finney’s New Measures

Reverse Engineering Revival

Anxious bench, altar calls, and music that is designed to elicit a response

It was a manufacturing of the experience of being converted through psychological and spiritual manipulation

Why would we call something a revival before it even happens and before we get a chance to see what spiritual effects it has? Because we are confident that our methods that are based on Finney’s New Measures will bring “decisions for Christ”, baptisms, and other numbers that we can report for success stories. We then bring these supposed converts into the membership roles of our churches and allow them to vote and direct the paths of the church, but even worse, we give them a false assurance that they have been saved!

These methods produce all of the outward expressions we have come to expect in a conversion, but has no power to create the inward change that is required for someone to become a Christian. These so-called revivals have produced millions of false converts over the past two hundred years, leaving the region where Finney worked to be known as the “burned over district” because the flames of religious fervor he stoked were impressive for their short lifetime, but they burned out just as quickly as they were lit. The region that once was filled with a religious fervor because of Revivalism, is fervently against Christianity to this day.

ONLY Christ can save anyone

Charles Spurgeon, the great English Baptist preacher from the 1800s, had this to say in response to such revivalistic efforts in his book “The Soul Winner”

I remember very well several young men, who were of good moral character, and religiously hopeful; but instead of searching their hearts, and aiming at their real conversion, the pastor never gave them any rest till he had persuaded them to make a profession. He thought that they would be under more bonds to holy things if they professed religion, and he felt quite safe in pressing them, for "they were so hopeful."

He imagined that to discourage them by vigilant examination might drive them away, and so, to secure them, he made them hypocrites. These young men are, at the present time, much further off from the Church of God than they would have been if they had been affronted by being kept in their proper places, and warned that they were not converted to God. It is a serious injury to a person to receive him into the number of the faithful unless there is good reason to believe that he is really regenerate.

Some of the most glaring sinners known to me were once members of a church; and were, as I believe, led to make a profession by undue pressure, well-meant but ill-judged. Do not, therefore, consider that soulwinning is or can be secured by the multiplication of baptisms, and the swelling of the size of your church...

I am weary of this public bragging, this counting of unhatched chickens, this exhibition of doubtful spoils. Lay aside such numberings of the people, such idle pretence of certifying in half a minute that which will need the testing of a lifetime. Hope for the best, but in your highest excitements be reasonable...

Nor is it soul-winning, dear friends, merely to create excitement. Excitement will accompany every great movement… [but] It very often happens that the converts that are born in excitement die when the excitement is over. They are like certain insects which are the product of an exceedingly warm day, and die when the sun goes down. Certain converts live like salamanders, in the fire; but they expire at a reasonable temperature. I delight not in the religion which needs or creates a hot head. Give me the godliness which flourishes upon Calvary rather than upon Vesuvius. The utmost zeal for Christ is consistent with common-sense and reason.

What’s the point of all this?

There are two “seekers” in this passage today: The Magi and Herod

The Magi represent the true seekers, the ones who are truly looking to worship Christ. When they are confronted with the reality of His birth and the life He will live, they act in obedience to that! They trust in the promises of God from centuries before and they go to worship the Messiah, even though it will be a long and difficult journey! They sacrificially bring Him gifts He deserves. Not only that, but they obey when they are given further instruction from the LORD.

Then we have Herod, who represents those who claim to be seekers, but truly are only looking to further their own kingdoms. Maybe that’s by wanting psychological peace so they look to religion without ever actually trusting in Christ. Maybe that’s by coming week after week for decades because their spouse wants them to, but they never get involved and they never trust in Christ.

So church, flee from being seeker-sensitive. Be seeker-challenging. Invite those who claim to be seekers to embrace truth and submit to Christ by unapologetically proclaiming the good news to them! GOSPEL!!!!!!!!

Introduce them to the teachings Christ gave to His followers and see how they respond. Do they respond with a long faith and obedience? Or do they respond with what looks to be a great fervor, but their supposed conversion only lasts until they return home from the revival?

To the individuals here, what type of seeker are you?

To the gathered church, I leave you with an instruction:

Don’t base how you shape the church on a target audience that doesn’t belong there!

Don’t say, “we want more members so let’s have another revival”.

Don’t say, “we see how other churches have grown in numbers by using these marketing techniques that make our members into consumers and we want to grow too”

Say, “We want Christ to be glorified so we will do everything in our power to bless Him as much as we can in everything we do in our church.”

Say, “We want Christians to be here so we will make our church attractive to those who are, or will be, in the family of God”

Reject false ways to grow the church. Instead, grow the church by doing what Matthew records Jesus instructing in Matthew 28 -

Go and make disciples… Not false converts or church consumers!