Midweek Advent 1 (2023)

Matthew 2:1-15; Isaiah 60:1-6

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, tonight we look at the Magi who came to visit Jesus, they were not of Israel, rather they came from the east to see Jesus. But they serve as a sign that points to the kingdom of God that Christ would establish. That it would be for Jew and Gentile, but that we find our King, Jesus, in the Word, and hold fast to what God has spoken.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that this happens after the birth of Jesus, and that these men set out because they saw a star rising. They were learned men, but they were also pagans, and so through the natural order of the world they sighted evidence of the work of God and the birth of the King of the Jews.

Now we don’t know exactly how they knew this, or how they had come to this conclusion, but the Jewish people had been enslaved over in the east. We also know from Romans 1:19–20 “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

The natural world reveals to man the existence of a creator, a designer and maker of all things. The fancy term for this is the general or natural revelation of God, and it can lead people to the point that they recognize that there is a being that has put into motion and place all of creation, but it doesn’t tell us who.

This is why they must stop in Jerusalem for the star they were following has departed and expecting to visit the King with these gifts from their land go to the palace. They visit with Herod. Herod is also a foreigner who was from the land south of Judea, and he is in power because He had impressed the Romans, and been made ruler.

All of Jerusalem was terrified because they knew that Herod was brutal. He had married one woman for her Jewish heritage to legitimize his reign in Jerusalem. She was known to have a temper, and had the constitution to speak her mind. She was Herod’s favorite wife out of the 10 he had. Herod had her parents executed, and due to her arguments, had her tried to executed as well. She was the favorite. He also suspected the sons he had with her of mutiny, and had them sent away and strangled.

So when they ask Hereod where the Christ was to be born. You can understand why the town is terrified, but by the Word of God, they are told Bethlehem. Here is where we see the necessity for the Word of God. The star was able to guide these men to Israel, but without the Word, they did not know where to go. Upon hearing the Word of God, they went to Bethlehem, and the star that they had seen before rose before them and guided them to the house, where they found Jesus, and Mary.

What doe these wise men do, these magi, fall down praising and worshiping God, and offering up to Him gifts from their homeland. For it was customary in that day to bring the best fruits of your land to kings and rulers to honor them.

But what does this all mean? It shows us that even Gentiles will bow down in Worship of God, and that faith in the Word points both Jew and Gentile to Jesus, the Son of God. For consider the faith of these men who brought these gifts to Jesus.

When they could no longer follow the star they went to Jerusalem, and the Palace of Herod, why there? Well where would you expect to find the King of Jews, but in the capital. They come to the city and no one is celebrating, in fact when they ask no one knows and it causes a panic. They traveled from Arabia through the desert following this star, because they saw this great sign, and brought with them the treasures of their homeland. The Jews weren’t celebrating the birth of their king, what was going on?

They are then told to go to the city of Bethlehem, and the star that they saw went ahead of them. Till it rested over a simple house. Now, Herod was not only know for his temper and murderous rages. He was also known as a builder, and accomplished great and mighty constructions. The Magi left the splendor of his palace on a mountain top, with his servants and riches and now stand at the door of a plain home, and where they find a young poor mother, and her child. They honor Jesus with the finest gifts from their country. Gifts they hadn’t given to Herod.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11.1) They left the majesty of the Holy City Jerusalem and worshiped this child that the King didn’t even realize had been born. This is the nature of faith, for when we think about how God came to this world. It wasn’t in glory and splendor, but Jesus humbled himself and took on the form of a servant and slave.

When compared with the splendor of the world what Christ offers up seems much smaller, but faith clings not to what we see, but what the Word of God says. This is the same for us today, we are foreigners, but Jesus has come as our King.

Nature still shows us that same evidence of a creator, but it is the Word that reveals who the true God is, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Word points to the babe that was born in a stable in Bethlehem. The world looks at Christianity and think that it is rather unimpressive. Why do we gather together to hear the Word on a Sunday morning? Why is it more important than time with family, friends, hunting, more maybe your only day to sleep in? Why is that bit of bread and the bit of wine that is received from the altar, the most cherished and treasured meal of a Christian in a week, and more important than any other meal you have this week?

To the world it is unimpressive, but faith clings to the Word of God. This is how Satan attacks our faith, and moves us away from the Word. It is good for us to be here together as the body of Christ, around the Word, for it is the word that became flesh and made his dwelling place among us. So we like these Magi, come to worship the Messiah who has descended from heaven and taken upon himself our frail flesh that He might be the Savior of Jew and Gentile.

My Brothers and SIsters in Christ do not let anyone dissuade you from the importance of what God has given us in Christ. We do not have to travel a great distance across deserts and plains following a star. We have the sure and certain Word. We should know the Word well enough to share with others that this babe that was born in Bethlehem is worthy of our worship, for Jesus is God in the flesh, and has established an everlasting Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.