The Magi and Herod
Notes
Transcript
ENGAGE
Hello everyone! Most of you know me, but for those of you who don't, I am Shawn Kasten, Associate Pastor of Discipleship here at Elk River.
So Christmas is over, we have all taken our trees down and put away all the wrapping paper and ornaments, but when we think about the first Christmas, there were still things going on.
The 8.6 pound baby boy that was visited by angels and shepherds, would keep growing, and would return to his own house with Mary and Joseph. About two years later, they would get some visitors.
TENSION
The problem is, that sometimes we don't quite accurately portray the biblical account. Sometimes we mix the two together, and have shepherds and wise men and everyone all in a barn together, and sometimes people really don't understand and get pretty far from the Bible's account of what happened.
Nativity Photos
Sometimes we just think we know the stories and go with it. The truth is, we don't always remember all the details, and we don't always understand why we do the things we do, especially around Christmas.
Tonight, we are going to take a look at the visit of the magi, or wise men as we have come to call them.
TRUTH
Turn with me in your bibles to Matthew Chapter 2, verse 1.
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.
Magi or Wise men - were men from the East, they were men of learning and were skilled in the sciences of their day, they knew philosophy, science, medicine, and astronomy.
1. Their surprising knowledge: Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod(v.1).
No other gospel reports the visit of the magi who came to see the king of the Jews.
A. These wise men somehow knew the king had been born. They mention that they had seen a special star or other light in the sky in verse 2. Perhaps God spoke to them like he did the Shepherds earlier in Luke 2:8-14.
B. The were intentional about seeking the new king and made the long, exhausting and expensive trip to see him.
2. Their unexpected question: Where is the newborn King? (v.2).
This is what had lead them to Jerusalem and why they had come.
A. They had an unusual journey. They were guided by a star. Verse 9 says its some sort of astronomical light. Whatever it was, it was miraculous. Appearing to these gentile wise men from far away at the very time of Jesus’ birth and lead them to where Jesus was.
B. Their purpose was to worship the king. They may have expected the newborn son of the current king - that would make sense, but it was not. It was Jesus. And this made Harold, the current king, very upset. He decided that someone was trying to take his throne.
3. Their unexpected impact (2:3-6)
The wisemen coming into Jerusalem seeking the newborn king would cause quite a stir,
especially since there wasn't a child born to the current king. Imagine the surprise on the magi when no one in Jerusalem even knows what is going on.
They didn't know about Jesus’ birth.
A. Herod was disturbed because he misconceived a threat (3).
The government did not want a king coming who might threaten the present ruler.
B. The people of Jerusalem were disturbed because they had anticipated their king’s coming, but he didn't come as they expected.
Others just did not believe, or just really didn't care. Still others didn't want to know about a king who might disrupt their lives.
C. Herod gathered the Jewish religious leaders together and asked about the rumor of a newborn king of the Jews.
These people who should have known about the newborn messiah, should have known the scripture and the prophecy.
They reported what they knew from Micah 5:2, that the king would be born in Bethlehem and the king would govern and lead God’s people.
Herod the great was a bloody tyrant.
Secular history records that he had his family murdered, as well as the whole Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish government.
Just think- he wouldn't even be around when the child king would come into power, but he Felt threatened by him.
4 Their unexpected commission: Having to search for the newborn King (vv.7-8).
So when Herod gathered the religious leaders together, we see something amazing happen, the pagan king believed scripture more than the religious leaders. After consulting with the leaders, he calls the magi in again.
A. He hears their testimony - they had seen a star in the east (v7) and they reported that it was supernatural.
Harod found out more about when the star appeared.
B. Herod told them to go search and find the child. (V8), he deceived them into thinking that he wanted to worship him as well.
I’m sure the magi never expected that they would have to search for the baby,
I’m sure they thought all of Israel would know about the birth of their king,
but his own people were not even aware of his coming.
5. Their unexpected sign: The star guided them again (vv.9-10).
The magi had gotten within 6 miles of the newborn king just by following the star. They were looking for the king in the place he would be expected to be, the current kings house, but he was not there.
A. They continued to follow the star (v9)
When the star appeared again, the followed it to the exact spot Jesus was.
B. They rejoiced for the guidance of the star (v10)
They were thrilled that they were lead the last little bit to the king they came to worship.
6. Their unexpected King: A humble child in humble surroundings
They found an unexpected king - a little child, in humble surroundings, not the kingly palace.
A. They found him in a house.
They expected a king known by all, with all the splendor, wealth, and royalty attached, but they found a common child with common parents in a common house.
B. But they worshiped him anyway.
They bowed down and worshiped the king of the Jews.
Nothing is mentioned about them bowing before Herod.
C. They gave him gifts. They presented him gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Some have said that the gold was the treasure of kings,
incense was used in worship of God
and myrrh was used to embalm the bodies of the dead,
This gifts have been thought to indicate Christs, kingship, his deity and his ultimate sacrificial death.
APPLICATION
The priests and scribes, the religious leaders, knew what the scriptures said. But they had not put it into practice.
We sometimes do this today. We take the words we read and forget them almost instantly. Instead of letting them influence us and change us.
The magi experienced great joy in worship the king of the Jews, but Herod experienced jealousy and fear.
How can two people experience two totally different emotions when presented with Jesus?
The magi- were gentiles, they were not even Jewish, but they were lead to this king through a star -
regardless of what it actually was- a comet, a planet, an angel, whatever, God had lead them to where they needed to be.
And they realized that when they got there, that they had to worship and continue to obey God. Guys…
they weren't even Jewish! They did not even know who God was and had never experienced him in their history or their daily life.
They just knew this was something big and supernatural and they followed it.
Herod, a half Jewish king, on the other hand, believed in the newborn king more than the Jewish religious leaders, who knew the scripture and should have been paying attention and been on the lookout for the messiah.
Herod believed but the way he believed was different. He felt threatened by the king.
Why did he feel this way?
I think we can all relate - Jesus shows up in our lives and tells us that we need to stop whatever our chosen sin is, or more than likely, Favorite sins are.
He tells us that we need to change our hearts and minds. He tells us that we have to obey him.
It's hard to change bosses. It's even harder to go from being your own boss, to suddenly taking orders.
INSPIRATION/REFLECTION
But the magi, they responded in the only way they could.
They knew this was significant. They knew that this was real.
They knew that this king of the Jews would change the world.
January 6th is the day that we set aside for the epiphany of our Lord.
Epiphany is a word we have adopted to mean something like “a brilliant idea that pops into our head”.
But when we apply it to Jesus, Epiphany is the revelation that Jesus is the king of the Jews, a fact that would be brought back when he is hung on the cross with a sign that lists his title on it above his head.
We remember the visit of the magi on epiphany every year, but cause it is the first time a gentile is shown as receiving the opportunity to worship the king of the Jews, when the Jews had not understood the message. This is the first time that a non-Jewish person would be shown the availability of having a relationship with Jesus.
This is extremely wonderful news for us, because we, like the magi, are now able to fall before Jesus and bow down and worship Him.
NEXT STEPS
We as Disciples of Christ, have a chance to worship the newborn baby, who would grow up to live a sinless life, be tortured, crucified, die, be buried, and then resurrected three days later - all for us And the forgiveness of our sins.
We need to make sure that we respond to Jesus like the magi- with joy and worship and not like Herod - with anger and fear.
Everyday we should live out Psalm 72.
Of Solomon.
1 God, give your justice to the king
and your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 He will judge your people with righteousness
and your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring well-being to the people
and the hills, righteousness.
4 May he vindicate the afflicted among the people,
help the poor,
and crush the oppressor.
5 May they fear you while the sun endures
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May the king be like rain that falls on the cut grass,
like spring showers that water the earth.
7 May the righteous flourish in his days
and well-being abound
until the moon is no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates
to the ends of the earth.
9 May desert tribes kneel before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish
and the coasts and islands bring tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
11 Let all kings bow in homage to him,
all nations serve him.
12 For he will rescue the poor who cry out
and the afflicted who have no helper.
13 He will have pity on the poor and helpless
and save the lives of the poor.
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
for their lives are precious in his sight.
15 May he live long!
May gold from Sheba be given to him.
May prayer be offered for him continually,
and may he be blessed all day long.
16 May there be plenty of grain in the land;
may it wave on the tops of the mountains.
May its crops be like Lebanon.
May people flourish in the cities
like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
as long as the sun shines,
may his fame increase.
May all nations be blessed by him
and call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonders.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
the whole earth is filled with his glory.
Amen and amen.
20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are concluded.