MATTHEW 2:1-11 | THE COST OF THE JOURNEY

TEXT: MATTHEW 2:1-11 | THE COST OF THE JOURNEY

ME

INTRODUCTION: HOW DO I STRUGGLE WITH THIS?

God puts opposites together so many times.

And that is true for Tressa and I.

I am the spender in our family.

How many of you are like me and you enjoy life, and having fun, and buying things?

And I married a saver.

How many of you are like my wife, and you like to save money, and you don’t enjoy fun or happiness?

This is accentuated at Christmas time.

Tressa and I usually don’t buy very much for our kids at Christmas… they have grandparents that like to fill that role.

But this year, we decided we would save up a little throughout the year that we would use to buy a couple things for Christmas.

So the other night Tressa and I had the opportunity for the first time in our marriage, to join the rat race and go Christmas shopping.

And Tressa is great for me, because she balances me out… I would buy way to much…

As we were walking to the front with our cart, already I could sense the feelings of buyers remorse radiating from my wife.

The desire to put everything back was almost overpowering!

And as we stood at the cash register as a temporary employee at Walmart, and scanned my own things, I knew exactly what she was thinking…

This stuff cost too much!

WE

EXPLANATION: HOW DO WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH THIS?

We’ve all probably been at that place, and maybe here recently where you felt like things just cost too much.

For some, it was the Christmas gifts.

For others, it was the food for Christmas dinner.

And while it is certainly a feeling you have with regards to the costs of things in our economy… we also make that decision with regard to other important things in life.

You’ve weighed the cost to have a better marriage to your spouse.

You’ve weighed the cost to have a better relationship with your children

Maybe you’ve even weighed the cost to have a closer relationship with God.

And my fear is that for many… you’ve decided the cost is just too much.

GOD

EXPLANATION: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT THIS?

The account in Scripture that we find here in Matthew 2, is a familiar one to most.

It’s a little different from the Luke 2 account, as our attention isn’t focused on the lowly shepherds, but rather the journey of those wise men, who were most likely Persian astrologers.

We pull these men out of the Scriptures and have placed them in nativity scenes and have dedicated a great deal of time looking at their lives.

And there is certainly much that should be imitated.

We have even discussed some of those things over these past weeks.

They took a great journey over 500 miles through much struggle and cost in search of Christ.

They traveled for a time, without being able to see the star.

They searched diligently for Christ’s birth place in Jerusalem, asking anyone and everyone they could of where He had been born.

Their search even led them into the presence of the evil king Herod, whom God in His wisdom and absolute power used to point them to Bethlehem.

And while it was a long and difficult journey, it was certainly worth it!

As we examine our lives through those found in this account in Matthew 2, we often will place ourselves into the position of the heroes.

That’s only natural because we all like to think we would have been in their position as well if it had been us.

We would have been right there alongside Moses at the edge of the Red Sea crying out, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.”

We would have been standing next to David with our own sling in our hand staring down that giant Goliath.

We would have been by Daniel in that lions den witnessing the miracle of God’s deliverance.

We would have boldly declared like Peter, “Though all men will deny you, yet I will die for you”, only we would really mean it!

Yes we all love to see ourselves along with the heroes.

No one sees themselves in the place of the villain.

No one was fighting to dress up as King Herod in the Christmas story told in Matthew 2

No one wants to be the evil, paranoid king who gives the command for all children under 2 to be killed to preserve his throne.

And the reality is, most people here today aren’t the King Herod seeking to destroy the name of Christ in Christmas.

But most also aren’t in the position of the wise men who were willing to do whatever it took to seek Jesus, even though we like to think that is who we would be.

No, in truth, most would find themselves in the lives of another group of people mentioned in this Christmas story.

It isn’t a group that usually gets much notice.

In fact, I’ve never seen a Christmas play in which these individuals were included in.

And yet, they are the ones that so many, and probably many in this room would most identify with, if we are being truly honest.

And we find them in Matthew 2:4

Matthew 2:4 KJV 1900

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

You see this crowd that King Herod called to him were the church goers of the day.

They were faithful to the synagogue.

They were the religious crowd

They were the ones who seemed like they had it all together.

But their response to the birth of the Messiah may be the most stunning response of anyone in the story of the birth of Christ.

When Herod came to them and demanded of them where Christ was prophesied of to be born, they knew what the Bible said.

Matthew 2:5–6 KJV 1900

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.

These were people that not only read their Bible on occasion, they actually studied the Bible.

I’m pretty sure if I asked most in this room where the Bible prophesied of Jesus’ birth in the OT, very few would be able to give an answer.

These guys knew what the Bible said.

But they were afraid to share what the Bible says.

You may be thinking, “What are you talking about Kyle, these guys told Herod what the Bible says… they even quoted it to him.”

And you would be right… mostly.

Because they did quote the OT verse to him… mostly.

The verse they told him was from Micah 5:2, and while they did share most of the verse, the left out a little important part at the end.

Micah 5:2 KJV 1900

But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

“Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

You see that little part at the end makes clear that it wasn’t just a ruler being born… no it was God in flesh.

The everlasting one!

John 1:1–3 KJV 1900

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

And just to clarify who the One being given the name “the Word” was, he said in John 1:14

John 1:14 KJV 1900

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Galatians 4:4–5 KJV 1900

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

But they were afraid to tell Herod Who the Bible said was being born.

Maybe it was because they were afraid of what he might do to them if they recognized there was a true King being born.

It’s almost certain fear was a part of it.

Proverbs 29:25 KJV 1900

The fear of man bringeth a snare: But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

But I think there was another reason they didn’t share all of the verse.

I think they didn’t want to admit there was One being born Who should have been King of their lives.

You see when Herod sent the wise men to go find Jesus, none of the chief priests or scribes went with them.

One way or another, their decision was clear: Seeking Jesus would cost them too much.

YOU

APPLICATION: WHAT SHOULD YOU DO ABOUT THIS?

Friend, can you see yourself this morning in the place of the religious crowd in the account here in Matthew 2

Maybe you know a lot of the right stuff.

You know how to look the part here at church.

You know the words to say… and you say them with a smile on your face.

But if you were being honest this morning… you know deep down in your heart of hearts… you’ve decided seeking Jesus would just cost too much.

To truly live for God with your life would cost you!

You’ve built a reputation in your life, and you don’t want to be one of those “Jesus fanatics”

You’re comfortable just riding the fence line, with just enough religion to ease your conscience, but not too much to interrupt your life.

You are living the life of one of the forgotten pieces in the Christmas story.

One of the pieces that no one actually wants to identify with when it comes to the story in Matthew 2, but you are content to live it in your own life.

To just blend in with the crowd.

ILLUSTRATION: Every year at Christmastime, my mom would put out a little village on a table in our living room.

It was complete with buildings and people going about their merry way.

Well, my brother and I had some little figurings that were just the perfect size to fit into mom’s decorative town.

There was a little joker clown, a doctor, a guy with a diploma, a guy in a pink suit, and a few other little figurings.

And they fit just right in moms little town.

So we placed them all throughout, and mom had no idea.

It wasn’t until weeks had gone by that she finally noticed our little men scattered throughout her little town.

They had successfully blended in.

APPLICATION: And far too many Christians are content just to disappear and blend in.

God desires for those who have trusted Him as Savior to stand out… not because your weird… but because you are standing up for Him!

Over in Acts 4, Peter and John caught the attention of the crowd, but the reason is a powerful lesson for us today: Acts 4:13

Acts 4:13 KJV 1900

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Friend, don’t be content to just blend in to the world, we must choose to stand up and stand out for Jesus.

Not because there is something special about us… but because Jesus came to this earth and was born in a humble place in a humble way, so that one day He could give His life on the cross for you and for me!

Don’t make the mistake of that religious crowd that decided pursuing Jesus would cost too much…

And maybe you are here this morning and the truth is you have heard the truth about Jesus… but you, like that religious crowd, have determined you don’t want their to be another King of your life.

Jesus was born on this earth for a purpose… to give His life for you.

There are a lot of people that believe they can obtain eternal life on their own.

Romans 4:4 KJV 1900

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

If it is by what you can do, then God owes you something.

But listen to what the next verse says Romans 4:5

Romans 4:5 KJV 1900

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Jesus gave His life to pay for your sins, past, present, and future.

But his offer to pay for your sins is an offer you must receive.

It is a gift… and gifts cannot be earned… but they can be rejected.

That religious group in this story in Matthew 2 knew the right answers, they knew what the Bible said, and the opportunity to seek Jesus was just as open to them as the wise men… but they chose not to seek Jesus.

They were afraid it would cost them too much.

Friend, I can tell you this morning, the choice to reject the gift of salvation Jesus offers to you will cost you too much!

If you are here this morning and you want to receive the gift of eternal life that is through Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us how you can do it.

Romans 10:9–10 KJV 1900

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

WE

APPLICATION: HOW CAN WE ALL PRACTICALLY APPLY THIS?

If the story were written this Christmas… I wonder which group you would find yourself in?

You’re here this morning so I doubt you would be a Herod.

But you must consciously choose to step out of the religious crowd and join the wise men.

We find them at the end of their story worshipping Jesus and laying down their gifts for him.

Matthew 2:11 KJV 1900

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.

That’s what Jesus wants from you this Christmas!

This morning, let’s decide to seek Jesus… It’s worth the cost!