Responding to the King: The Call to Seek, Worship, and Obey King Jesus | Matthew 2:1-12

This morning we continue on our journey through the gospel according to Matthew....a journey that we have entitled The King and His Kingdom. Please grab your copy of God’s Word and turn with me to Matthew 2. When you are there and if you are able to, please stand for the reading of God’s inspired, authoritative, and inerrant Word.

Matthew 2:1–12 (CSB)

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.

5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:

6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah:

Because out of you will come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.”

7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”

9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

This is the Word of the Lord. You may be seated.

Now, my goal this morning is to help make sense of this very familiar text ...both practically and relationally....especially regarding how it is that you and I are to respond to the arrival of King Jesus. In fact, I have entitled this morning’s sermon, “Responding to the King: The Call to Seek, Worship, and Obey King Jesus.”

Before we begin would you join me in prayer?

Pray

To worship is to be human....in other words…everyone is a worshipper....we all worship something or someone. In fact, worship is the imagination station deep within the human psyche that incubates and nurtures whatever it is we love or long for. Inherent to the human condition is the internalization and cultivation of what we most desire.

Which means we all worship what we most long for and we bend our knees to that which we most love..we prioritize and devote ourselves to what we feel to be the most important.

I believe this is why Jesus asks two of His would be disciples in John 1:38, “What are you seeking?”.....In other words…Jesus wants us to make sure that our motives are pure in following Him....Are we seeking to follow Jesus because He is who we want?…or..... is the pursuit of wealth, honor, or greatness what our our hearts truly desire?

You see, the most fundamental question of Christian discipleship is, “What do you want?” And this question pierces the heart and cuts deep to the quick because we are ....or …we are becoming whatever it is that we want …whatever it is we are seeking. Our wants and our longings are at the core of who we are......and it’s from this wellspring of desire from which our actions, our priorities, and our behavior flows. We are becoming what we love.

This is why Jesus’s commands us to hunger and to thirst for righteousness.....you see…His command to follow Him is a command to align our hearts, our loves, our longings, and our desires with His.......to follow Jesus ....to worship Jesus…means that we want what He wants…we desire what He desires…we thirst after Him…we crave His presence.....and we long for the King and His Kingdom to come.

Brothers and Sisters .....you are becoming what you love and what you love…your passions....your core convictions…your allegiances..they are all being formed and shaped by your habits and practices. And the truth is…there is a contest of cultural practices that are competing for our hearts..... competing to control our longings, our desires, our loves, and our behavior. What we love is foundational to our spiritual identity and our growth in godliness.

As a result.... many of us…we find ourselves in a spiritual desert....we feel a disconnect with God and we dont know why.....we read and study and pray but the spiritual rut remains…why?…Well....perhaps this disconnect is a result of misguided worship....perhaps we have found ourselves longing and desiring things that are not God.....and as a result of our sinful hearts we have been attempting to find our ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction in the things of this world.....while neglecting the surpassing worth of knowing and worshipping King Jesus?

Well…Matthew 2 serves as heart recalibration tool that will lead us to repentance and faith wile also instructing us on what a right and worshipful response to Jesus looks like. Ultimately.....our text is going to show us that we can find fulfillment in knowing the surpassing worth of King Jesus as we seek Him, worship Him, and obey Him.

Our narrative this morning is usually reserved for Christmas....yet this story is not about the birth of Jesus but what happened after His birth. As a result of nativity scenes and Christmas carols ..we have developed an inaccurate understanding of these events.

We do not know how long after the birth of Jesus that the wise men came to visit.....but Jesus was at least a year old and the family had moved out of the manger and into a house. The only clarity on the timing of these events is that it took place when Herod was king.

Look at v.1

Matthew 2:1 (CSB)

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem,

Now .... legend and tradition tells us a lot about these wise men that cannot be verified in scripture. For example....our text does not say that there were only three of them. Matthew never tells us that this was a trio…no one knows how many there were…yes…they brought three gifts but there were probably dozens of leaders, soldiers, and servants in an entourage that traveled up to a thousand miles over rough terrain. And this group ....well it was large enough that the report of their arrival reached King Herod himself.

The term, “wise men” translates the greek term Magi…a word from which we get our english words magic and magician....which indicates that this group of Magi were astronomers who were experts in reading the stars. These Magi were wise men - not kings, but counselors to kings....they were extremely educated, noble, and wealthy men who were seeking the truth and trained to counsel and advise their king…similar to the cabinet of a president.

These Magi studied the stars in a time when the boundary between astronomy and astrology was vague. Now…the Bible not only forbids the practice of astrology but mocks it....the prophet Isaiah even made fun of stargazers who make predictions month by month but cannot save themselves (Isa. 47:13-15)

But God…he descended to the Magi’s level to communicate with them…the stars got their attention so God used a star. And in the same way that God spoke to these pagan astronomers…God still speaks in languages that gets the attention of His people.

For years I always wondered why God would want to speak to these pagan Magi who served a pagan king…but God spoke to these broken sinners because that’s what God does. In other words Jesus did not come for “good people” but He came for sinners who listen when God calls. These Magi remind us that God seeks sinners

Now.... These pagan dignitaries traveled a great distance to meet the prophesied King of the Jews. As wise men, they probably had some scriptures, the words of prophets such as Daniel, to guide them. If they knew of Daniel, they knew that he had predicted, with some specificity, the birth of a royal deliverer in Israel. Then they saw a mysterious star pointing toward Jerusalem and followed it there.

They arrived with an entourage …and so impressive was their caravan that they quickly garnered the attention of King Herod who gave them a royal audience…perhaps these men had come to establish a peace treaty or an alliance? But when He asked the purpose of their visit …look at how they replied in v.2

Matthew 2:2 (CSB)

2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

God supernaturally drew these wise men from the east to Jerusalem to worship King Jesus and in the same way God is calling you to worship King Jesus.

God’s Call to Worship

In v.2…these wise men came into Jerusalem and asked life’s most important question....A question that would have unsettled their royal audience…consider the fact that King Herod with the support of the Roman Empire....he took his throne by force…he was also paranoid and even murdered his wife and sons because he feared that they wanted his throne.....you see....Herod had a reputation for treachery, murder, and betrayal and these wise men came before this self proclaimed King of the Jews and they ask him, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” In other words.... “Where is the real king?” Which was …maybe not the wisest question for a bunch of wise men to ask....but the truth is…these Magi were not impressed with this puppet king and they were determined to find the the true King …their need to find Jesus silenced their fear of whatever Herod would do to them. They had to find Jesus.

Why? look back at v2

Matthew 2:2 (CSB)

2 ...For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

Life’s most important question, “Where is the King?” led to life’s most important mission.... which is...“We have come to worship the King.”

Tell me…where is Jesus in your life? Many professing Christians live their life as though Jesus comes along for the ride but in actuality they leave Jesus behind because the King of the universe is not an addition to your life....He is life. He is the point. Where is Jesus in your life today? Is he front and center? Is He the focus of your dreams and desires?

Friends......Every person is a worshipper…You see.....the issue is not "if” you will worship....it’s “who” or “what” are you worshipping?

What is front and center? What drives your emotions…your love…and your dreams? What is it that has your mind and heart captive…for that is who or what you are worshipping. We all worship and some of us worship work. Some of us worship money or the things money can buy. Some of us worship convenience or pleasure. Some of us worship family.. You see....we are all worshippers. The question is who or what are you bowing down to as your king?

In his book "Real Worship," Warren Wiersbe makes a striking statement:

"God and Satan have one thing in common - they both desire our worship. However, their intentions differ vastly. God wants us to worship Him because He is worthy, and He wants to transform us through His grace. On the other hand, Satan wants our worship so that he can destroy us, and he views worship as the easiest way to achieve his diabolical purpose." - Warren Wiersbe Real Worship

Who do you worship? God is calling you to seek the true King and to worship Him because He alone is worthy of your praise. Brothers and Sisters.... Two thousand years ago, the eternal God entered the womb of a virgin, where his human body grew for nine months. His mother gave birth to the Son of God, who took the flesh and blood of man, and frankly....... that demands a response. And in v3- 8 we see how Herod and the religious leaders respond…they resist.....which is still how the world responds to Jesus and His Kingship.

2. The world's response to the King. vs.3-8

Matthew 2:3 (CSB)

3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Remember …Herod was considered the “king of the Jews.” He was a vicious, bloodthirsty tyrant. Whenever he suspected anyone of plotting to take over his rule, he had them killed. So when Herod hears that these Magi…these officials with power and influence have journeyed to Jerusalem to find a baby born “King of the Jews,” Matthew says that he is “deeply disturbed,” which is really quite an understatement. The word for “disturbed” literally means “in turmoil” or even “terrified.”

Herod is an interesting guy....and to be honest…how he reacts and responds confuses me. You see....If he believed that the prophecies about the Messiah were true.... then he would have known that there was nothing that he could do fight against God....any attempt would have been pointless. On the other hand....if he didn’t believe the prophecies top be true then whatever baby these Magi were seeking would have been an ordinary kid…why would he have felt threatened by a normal toddler? But…I think ultimately…the phrase… “King of the Jews” sounded like a threat to him…like the announcement of a potential rival and as we will see next week.....Herod was so determined to kill this rival and he orders the death of all infant boys under the age of two in Bethlehem.

But......Herod’s violent response just doesn't make sense....If these Magi are correct about the prophecy....does he really believe he can thwart Gods plan? If they are wrong then why is he scared of a toddler? And Herod’s irrational thinking and decision making reminds us that rebellion against God is foolishness....it is foolish to fight God....but the truth is …sin makes us foolish....irrational....blind…and spiritually dead.

So.....Herod is threatened by the announcement of One who would supposedly take over his reign as the King of the Jews. …and in Jerusalem.... if Herod…the cruel tyrant was disturbed…then out fear of how he would respond... everyone else was disturbed too. One disturbed man disturbed a whole city. ....and in his irrational fear... He calls in the religious experts to confirm the Magi’s claim....look at v.3

Matthew 2:3–4 (CSB)

3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.

Herod called in two groups of experts .....the chief priests and the scribes.And....these two groups stood at the opposite ends of Jewish leadership. The scribes were conservative teachers of Scripture..and their focus was to preserve traditional Jewish culture. On the other hand.....the chief priests were willing to accommodate Roman power and Greek culture to retain their wealth and power.

And Herod these opposing parties into the room because if they agree on something then it had to be true. And so Herod called these rivals together and asks them, “where the Christ was to be born.”

And both groups correctly replied by citing the Old Testament Prophet Micah 5:2…look at v.5

Matthew 2:5–8 (CSB)

5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:

6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah:

Because out of you will come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.”

These religious leaders rightfully reference the 700 year old prophecy of Micah which was directly fulfilled by Jesus…and the chief priests and the scribes…they new where the Messiah-King was to be born…yet after they give their answer…we dont hear anymore from them. They expect their deliverer and here are reports that fit the prophecy. Yet, Matthew implies, they do nothing. They do not rejoice; they do not join the Magi in their journey to Bethlehem to worship the long await the Messiah and King .....they dont even bother to go and investigate the report. They simply answer the Herod and they apathetically go home....indifferent to the potential that the Messiah had come.

Then Herod tries to manipulate the wise men…as though he plans to go worship Jesus but we know that Herod is too blinded by power and self love…to worship anyone else other than himself.

You see.....all of these men knew the truth…but they were not moved by the truth....which reminds me…Bible knowledge does not produce salvation....friend…you can know a great deal about the Bible and still be lost and dead in your sin. …and one of the signs that you may have a false presumption of your salvation is spiritual indifference. If you can hear or read or know the Word of God and it does not move you… if you are not moved to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ....then you need to pause and evaluate why it is you are indifferent to the gospel.

Consider what Matthew says in Matthew 7:21-23.

Matthew 7:21–23 (CSB)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

The apathy of the teachers and priests in our text is pathetic but unfortunately it’s typical....and something that plagues the modern American Church....and I am reminded how it was the “Religious” people who were often the last to receive Jesus. If the pagans had seen Jesus’ signs, if they had heard his preaching, Jesus says they would have repented (11:20–24; 12:41–42). But the religious people saw no need of repentance. It was true then and it’s still true today. Sometimes those who most know the faith in the mind know it least in the heart.

Friends.....Jesus will always be a threat to those who are in power and he will always be a stumbling block to those who trust in themselves. As a result, the world in which we live is either disturbed by the name of Jesus…or they are indifferent. But like the Magi....we should not be ashamed of our King........we should not be ashamed to worship Him boldly, publicly, and defiantly!

Consider Philippians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9–11 (CSB)

9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Friends....every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth...... will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus isLord....that Jesus is the King... The question is, “Will you bend you bend your knee to His Lordship today or when it’s too late?”

Some will confess Jesus to be their King and Lord with great joy and humility....and others …like Herod....will confess Him as Lord with despair and anguish.....but one thing you can take to the bank is that everyone .....from every age will do the same. Sadly, it will be too late for some....for.... If you don’t acknowledge and confess that Jesus is Lord in this life, it will be too late after death. So, bow now! Receive Him as Savior....Confess Him as Lord…and worship Him as King…today!

The wise men searched for Jesus to worship Him. Herod was threatened by Jesus and plotted against Him. The religious establishment ignored Jesus and were indifferent to Him. And these ancient responses are no different today…they have not changed....and they confront us and force us to examine our own hearts...... Ask yourself…What is my response to the name, the person, the authority, the work, and the message of the Lord Jesus Christ? Are my affections stirring for Him? Am I longing for Him? Isw He the center and the point of my life?

This leads us to #3

3. The Believer’s response to the King is Worship vs. 9-12

vs. 9-12 are going to reveal to us what a worshipful response looks like in the life of a believer......beginning with the truth that....

A. The believer worships Jesus joyfully

Matthew 2:9–10 (CSB)

Notice that the Magi did not rejoice when they met King Herod…in all of his royal splendor they were not impressed.....but when they found Jesus.....v.10 says that they were overwhelmed with joy! And to be honest …our English translation does not do the intensity of the original language justice. A more accurate translation could be....

v.10 When they saw the star, they were so overwhelmed with joy that they rejoiced at the top of their voices!

In other words there were so overwhelmed with happiness....they were so full of delight that the only appropriate response was to shout joyfully! “Thank you Jesus! We worship you Jesus! May you be glorified Jesus!” You see.....Their joy was not passive....it was not reserved…or nonchalant.......Finding Jesus made these men shout! They could care less about the power, possessions, prestige, or opinion of Herod.....it was finding Jesus that made them shout.

Tell me…what makes you shout for Joy? I pray that we would be convicted of our passive …nonchalant worship of King Jesus …we claim know, love, and trust Jesus…but if were honest…we get excited about everything but Jesus. Friends.....exuberant and joyful worship is not reserved for specific denominations......but joyful and uninhibited worship of Jesus should be the posture of every believer.

Psalm 100:1–2 (CSB)

1 Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord!

2 Serve the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Mission Church … you have permission to sing loudly....you have permission to lift your hands in the air…you have permission to joyfully and exuberantly worship Jesus…for worship should be both formative and expressive!!! We have the formative part down....we need to work on the expressive part! Friends.... we have been set free from sin and death....we now stand before God not as a mess but as righteous because of Jesus.... we were once dead but we are now alive …and we did nothing to earn this new standing…Jesus did it all!!!! The only response is to shout triumphantly to the Lord with gladness and sing loudly our songs of praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords…Jesus!

Now…not only are we to worship Jesus joyfully…but we are also to worship Him reverently.

B. The believer worships Jesus reverently and sacrificially.

Matthew 2:11 (CSB)

11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When these men saw Jesus....they immediately fell down before him in worship. When I thought about this i thought, “How awkward and uncomfortable must this have been…especially for Mary and Joseph! And I think the reason why my mind immediately thought....that’s awkward…is because many of us struggle to worship if we are not comfortable. We need the music to be the right style or the songs to be just right…we need the lights to be a certain way so that people can’t see us.......we need the sound at the right level.....and the unfortunate truth is.....Biblical worship actually invites us out of our comfort zone. My favorite preacher once said, “You cannot seek His face and save your face at the same time. It must be all about the Lord Jesus Christ!”

Now…after these wise men bowed reverently before the King they gave Him valuable gifts. You see…worship and giving go together…that’s why in our service.....offering is a continuation of our worship.

Now....there are some theologians who explore the symbolic meaning of each gift…they want to link each gift to tan Old Testament verse so they can further declare the deity of Christ. But we should remember...... these guys were Magi …they were wise men from the east. I dont believe they chose their gifts with prophecies in mind....rather they knew that when a man meets a king, he brings gifts....and their gifts were grand and expensive…they were gifts perfectly fit for a king.

Gold was considered the metal of kings…Gold was beautiful, rare, and expensive. Frankincense was a glittering, fragrant gum which was laboriously extracted from the bark of rare trees. Myrrh was another valuable spice and perfume. As a perfume, a bottle of myrrh could cost as much as $10,000 in today’s terms. You see…the Magi simply brought Jesus the best gifts they could find....and you may not have anything that compares to gold, frankincense or Myrrh....but everything we have has been given to us by our King and He invites us to give from what He has so graciously given us…and we are do so worshipfully and obediently.

C. The believer worships Jesus obediently.

Matthew 2:12 (CSB)

12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Remember back before theses wise men left Jerusalem…King Herod didn’t just ask but he commanded them to return and report back to him Jesus’s location. But as we know ....Herod had no intention of worshipping Jesus....however the wise men didn't know that Herod’s true intention was to murder Jesus....so God warns them in a dream....don’t go back to Herod… go home another way.

And the truth is....it would have been much more sensible to go back the way they had come…they knew the terrain and their camels created the path......but still....despite the difficulty that would come with blazing a new trail …the wise men obeyed God’s warning.

You see....... true worship always leads to radical obedience.....in other words....when you come to worship the King …he changes you and you are no longer permitted to go back the way you came.

I love what Richard J. Foster says,

If worship does not change us, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change. Worship begins in holy expectancy; it ends in holy obedience.

Richard J. Foster

Friends…our text this morning is a beautiful invitation that God has given us to Come and see the King! God invited the MAgi with a star and He invites us this morning with His Word…He is inviting you to see His Son…to bow before Him as your King and joyfully offer your life to Him as a worshipper.

Brothers and sisters.....regardless of your personality....you are being invited to smile..to lift your hands... and to sing joyfully. and affectionately to the King. We should be excited for the King has come.....like the Wise Men we should be overwhelmed....bowing humbly and reverently. We are to give Jesus the sacrificial offering of our lives…giving Him everything we have and everything we are.

Brothers and Sisters …Jesus is the King…as we see His royalty…as we see His deity....as we see His humanity....we are compelled to shout and sing of His great worth. …this is why we exist…as believers …this is our purpose....we are to joyfully offer our lives as worshippers of the King and we are to passionately spend our lives as witnesses to the King.

Lets Pray

Sermon Outline

Responding to the King: The Call to Seek, Worship, and Obey King Jesus.

I. God’s Call to Worship. vs.1-2

a. Life's most Important question: "Where is Jesus?"

b. Life's most important purpose: " Who/What do you worship?"

II. The world's response to the King: Resistance. vs.3-8

a. Many people feel threatened by Jesus.

b. Many people are indifferent toward Jesus.

III. The Believer’s response to the King: Worship. vs. 9-12

a. Worship joyfully vs. 9-10

b. Worship reverently v. 11a

c. Worship sacrificially v. 11b

d. Worship obediently v.12

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