Let Us Worship the King

Scripture

Matthew 2:1–12 KJV 1900

Now when Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Beth-lehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Beth-lehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Beth-lehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

What do you enjoy more, giving gifts or receiving? I know that I was very excited to give Alisha some of her Christmas gifts this year. There were at least a couple of BIG surprises for her! And maybe we enjoy giving because we know what it’s like to receive. Jesus himself said that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20: 35). And when we give, and someone really appreciates our gift, we ourselves are blessed. We receive more from giving than we do from receiving. Our story today is about some gift givers.

One of the things I love about Christmas is that it is traditionally a time of celebration. For some reason, at Christmas time, people suddenly start thinking about family and friends and love and peace, about giving and sharing and helping those in need. I’m not really sure why we wait until December to begin being this way, but that’s the way it is. When you go to the stores and restaurants, it seems that people in general are friendlier and more cheerful. When I think of all of it I can’t help but wish that people were like that all year round. However, we have to deal with things the way they are, not the way they ought to be. I for one am glad there is much celebration in the world this month – and of all people, we ought to be celebrating the most! After all, we know the real reason for the celebrating! I am reminded of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well. She and Jesus were talking when the woman said to Him,

“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

Jesus replied to the woman by pointing out that her worship was all wrong. He said,

“Woman…you don’t know what you worship. We do know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.”

Listen, there are people all around us this Christmas season celebrating – and like that woman they talk about the meaning of Christmas and think they know what it’s all about, but I think we find ourselves in Jesus’ position – “Woman…you don’t know what you worship.” They really don’t have a clue what Christmas is all about – but there is coming a day when they will find out. The Father wants them to. I’ll add this too: if we really love people the way we ought to, then we’ll not condemn them for their wrong ideas about Christmas – we’ll try to reach them in love with the message of the birth of the Savior!

The passage we’re going to read this morning is a passage of celebration – a passage of worship. We’re going to follow the journey of the wise men as they seek this newborn King of the Jews. As we follow them, there are some lessons I think we can learn from their experience, and the end result should be the same as theirs. Let’s read Matthew 1:1-12 now.

A far clearer picture of our journey to behold him comes in MATTHEW 2: 1-12; After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews! We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

What took place in this wonderful journey is a bit different than some of the images portrayed in popular traditions….often imagine 3 Kings coming to the stable setting where our Lord was first born, but actually…These were not Kings; Magi were a tribe of Medians from the Persian empire in the East, they had become something of a priestly tribe, much like the Levites were in Israel: teachers and instructors to the Persian Kings They were known as men of holiness and wisdom; skilled in philosophy, medicine, and natural sciences…and in the simplicity of their sciences…they looked to the stars because clearly there was God given order in their arrangement and movement. Also need not limit them to three; the traditional image of 3 was simply drawn from the fact that 3 types of gifts were offered. Perhaps most surprisingly, Scripture does not portray them coming to that first night in the stable setting…but rather sometime later, the text describes them coming to a house rather than a stable, and to a young child rather than a “baby.” (Eventually Herod is found ordering the death of all boys under the age of 2 which may indicate that their journey and pursuit of the child was as long as 2 years.)

…but we need not yank those figures out of our nativity scenes; they were indeed wise men, adorned in prestigious dress, and among those who first cane to find Jesus.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT TRUTHS GOD REVEALS TO US IN THIS JOURNEY OF THE WISE MEN; SEVERAL TRUTHS THAT WILL BE HELPFUL TO US IN OUR OWN JOURNEYS TO COME AND BEHOLD HIM.

First; the process by which they were to come reveals much about our own search for Jesus; The Magi’s search reminds us that; GOD PLACES A DESIRE IN OUR HEARTS TO FIND JESUS.

It may seem to us extraordinary that those men should set out from the East to find a king, but the strange thing is that, just about the time Jesus was born, there was in the world a strange feeling of expectation of the coming of a king. Even the Roman historians knew about this. Not so very much later than this Suetonius could write, “There had spread over all the Orient an old and established belief, that it was fated at that time for men coming from Judaea to rule the world.” Tacitus tells of the same belief that “there was a firm persuasion…that at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers coming from Judaea were to acquire universal empire.” The Jews had the belief that “about that time one from their country should become governor of the habitable earth.” So these wise men were filled with desire to find him.

Still today, beyond our pursuits of simply trying to be “spiritual,” even more deeply we long for God to come and break into our lives; to penetrate the silence and guide us. Still today, wise men and women seek him and don’t find rest in their journey until they find him.

We can find encouragement in the coming of these Magi, these wise men from the east. God was immediately drawing those from the inhabited ends of the earth; for as had been spoken, this was “good news of great joy for all people.” It was to a waiting world that Jesus came, and when he came, the ends of the earth were already being led to Him; a symbolic reminder that he will not return until he is known in every nation and among all people. and those farthest removed from religious traditions are found to be the most persistent and perceptive of all (perhaps they would have a special appreciation for one who was also a long way from home. It is like those who go cross country to see a special point of interest that those living nearby often forget about; the same holds true for the spiritual journey (sinners and tax collectors and religious outcasts gave their lives for Jesus; Saul who persecuted Christ’s followers would later become the Apostle Paul proving even more zealous in serving Christ…)

Which naturally leads us to the 2nd major point on outline, that of

2) BEHOLDING HIM…recognizing and reckoning with Him. We find in vv. 3-8 a great contrast in those who sek to behold him and what it reveals of our own recognition of Him. We find that THERE IS NO NEUTRAL RESPONSE TO SEEING JESUS

Herod summoned the chief priests and the scribes. The scribes were the experts in scripture and the law. The high priesthood was confined to a very few families. They were the priestly aristocracy, and the members of the select families were called the chief priests. So Herod summoned the religious aristocracy and the theological scholars of his day, and asked them where according to the scriptures, the Anointed One of God should be born. They quoted the prophet Micah---Bethlehem. They knew what was to be at hand, but proved “actively indifferent.” So here we have two aggressive responses, the priests passively aggressive, a king actively hostile.

What we so easily forget today, IS THAT THEY HAD IT RIGHT, THIS CHILD BORN OF God had come to be King and Priest; a King and priest of heavens mercy who would mess up our false sense of power and prominence.

He had come to restore us from that foolish choice represented in the garden long ago, when as God’s children we first tried to take rulership over God our creator and heavenly father; and human existence was left in a state of sin and shame.

That is why Jesus came into the world; to forgive us our sins, free us from our shame, and restore the proper rulership of God.

That is why God did this strange and wonderful thing we celebrate…the incarnation of Himself as Son among us. Only as God sent among us could He provide a sacrifice for sins could He restore humanity from its shame could He impart the life of submission…To behold him is to reckon with our need for his life to reign upon our own; to accept him is to accept his forgiveness of sin, his freedom from shame, and to allow his life to lead us in submission. Even at his birth, God reveals to us in that THERE IS NO NEUTRAL RESPONSE TO SEEING JESUS. In a world that often tries to cover our sin and shame in progressiveness and pretense, we are wise to remember the priest in their active indifference; their passive aggressive response to Jesus. In a generation boasting of individual power, we do well to remember King Herod in his hostility to heaven’s merciful King.

For 2,000 years we’ve tried to neutralize the least neutral event of human history;

This event not only divides the dating of human history it divides and reveals every human heart.

AS WE BEHOLD HIM, IT IS HE WHO BEHOLDS US; revealing what is in our hearts….Challenging as He may be to our pride and pretense THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT HEAVENS MERCIFUL PRIEST, KING AND SAVIOR WELCOMES THE HUMBLE OF HEART…SO we see in conclusion the Wise Men’s Response; recognizing who He is, they honor Him..

There is the great response to Jesus, to Him whose birth we celebrate; WHEN THEY SAW HIM…THEY BOWED DOWN AND WORSHIPPED HIM.

In their gifts, they honored him more appropriately than they could have even understood.

For GOLD, WAS CONSIDERED BY CUSTOM TO BE THE MOST FITTING GIFT FOR A KING.

FRANKINCENSE was the sweet perfume used by PRIESTS in the Temple.

MYRRH was a precious spice used to anoint those who were to die, an appropriate gift for this child who would one day give His life for them.

EACH WAS OF GREAT VALUE, REMINDING US THAT WHEN WE FIND HIM, WE OFFER HIM OUR BEST. And finally, we are reminded that WHAT WE FIND WILL CHANGE OUR DIRECTION. As God instructed them, so they are led away from Herod’s trappings, and return by another route. And so it is that God reminds us today, what is at hand in COMING TO BEHOLD HIM. For we see hearts that were thankful, and hearts that were threatened hearts filled with adoration and hearts filled with a vision, hearts left heeding the Father, and hearts left hardened.

Closing

This lesson was illustrated for us by the Wise Men, or Magi, who visited Jesus when he was a child. The Magi arrived in Jerusalem after a long, expensive and difficult journey. What brought them to Jerusalem was not a wish but a certainty. They were certain that the king of the Jews had been born and they had come to worship him.

The Wise Men teach us that . . .

· God is the source of hope

· Jesus is the fulfillment of hope

· We gain hope when we follow Jesus

GOD IS THE SOURCE OF HOPE

THE MAGI WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMING OF

THE KING OF THE JEWS BECAUSE GOD TOLD THEM HE WAS COMING!

Here are some of the things God hopes for you:

God hopes you will believe in his Son Jesus so that He can give you everlasting life.

God hopes you will let him safely guide you each step of your journey through the coming years.

God hopes you will believe in Jesus’ second coming.

The Wise Men found Jesus. You can find Him and receive the gift of eternal life today!

I. THEY CAME DESIRING GENUINE WORSHIP.

II. THEY CAME PREPARED FOR WORSHIP.

III. THEY CAME WITH SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE.