The Greatest Adventure: Following Heaven's Light

Bible Passage: Matthew 2:1–12

Big Idea: Being truly devoted to Christ means actively seeking His direction and company in your life.

ME: Today is the the final day in Advent - The Advent of Christ

Come up and light the First, Second, Thrid, fourth candle of advent:

On the first Sunday we lit the candle of hope - to symbolize our hope for Christ’s return (Light the first candle)

On the second Sunday we lit the candle of love - to remind us that Jesus came to earth to show and tell us of God’s love. (Light the second candle)

On the third Sunday we lit the candle of joy - to remind us of the birth of Jesus brings deep and lasting Joy.

On the third Sunday we lit the candle lit of peace - To remember Christ’s peace.

Today we light the final candle the Christ candle.

Please light the White Candle.

WE:

How many of us have found ourselves staring at our phones, scrolling endlessly through social media, or binge-watching Netflix, while feeling an deep emptiness inside?

Deep down, we want something that really matters, but we get distracted by things that aren't that important...

I bet in this room there are a few of you that are looking for that great adventure that your heart so longs for.

The Hobbit

I was reading to my son the other night about the start of the Hobbit.

It tells how Bilbo was well aware of adventure and read about it and heard stories about it but a part of him was desiring the adventure

and a part of him was content at living a life without adventure.

The adventure your heart is searching for isn't found in endless scrolling or Netflix binges

it's found in pursuing Christ, who offers a journey far more exciting than anything that social media, or netflix could ever show you.

(trans) So, how do we start? Thats a great question lets see what the Bible teaches us about this grand adventure:

Matthew 2:1-12

1. Recognizing the Divine Star

‌Matthew 2:1-3

Bit of a history lesson here.

Magi, wisemen, Or kings depending on the translation of the bible.

The Magi were simply wise men who would have abilities to interpret dreams and speak prophecies but that all changed once Danile showed up on the scene.

Think of them as mediums and guys who wrote the 10,000 dream interpretation book

These men were clearly not from Israel.

Magi were in essence ones who came from the ancient near east Babylon area. So modern day Iraq, Iran, and Syria. (some 900 miles away on foot)

BUT how does this connect back to the story of Christmas? You might be thinking

When kings like Nebuconezzer took over other nations like Israel they took with them the best people and took with them their religious elements and texts to study them.

Dan 1:3-6 the people of Israel were captured (Approx 605 BC)

Dan 2:1-13 - The king of this time was determined to kill all of the magi because they could not interpret a dream.

Dan 2:49-48 - Daniel, one of the magi saves the rest of them and becomes their chief leader for the remainder of his days.

God had given Daniel an opportunity to become the leader of the wisemen and in doing so he would influence their future.

So when the Isrealites had been sent home to build the temple in preparation for the coming Christ the grateful and influenced Magi would not have forgotten what they did for them.

The Bethlehem Star

So when the STAR of Christmas came the first time around. The wisemen of the babylonian area would have been watching for it.

They would have been looking for the promise of the God who created all things will visit earth to rule as King.

But, like the magi we too should be seeking the truth and light of Christ.

We should be vigilant and aware of God’s guidance in our lives.

Because God provides us opportunities to have a deep relationship with Him… if we look for the signs.

(Trans‌) BUT, knowing about Christ and doing something are two different things.

2. Answering with True Devotion

‌MT 2:4-6

In verse 4-6 we have a very interesting contrast between two people groups.

First we have God’s chosen people.

They were the ones that God chose, Abraham and Sarah the father and mother of Issac who by the will of God was able to have a son.

These were the same people who God had rescued from Egypt and led them supernaturally through the desert.

These were the people who were given the blueprints for the Temple of God and when it was finished, God’s very presence came down from Heaven and dwelt among men in the Temple.

They were the same people who were taken captive by Babylon and God spoke to them desiring for them to repent and after 70 years they came home to rebuild the Temple.

Now we have the other group of people - The Babaloinas and Persians

Historically these people had worshipped the god Marduk.

These were not the people of God and had done terrible things.

They waged war on other nations and gathered all the other nations and the best of the best people to run their nation.

They built altars to Marduk. They worshiped and prayed to this god.

And yet both of these people groups had a deep knowledge of the Old Testament of God and His plans to bring Christ down to earth to be the saviour of all mankind.

Jesus tells a parable to His followers and it goes like this : Matthew 21:33-46

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and he leased it to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34 And when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit. 35 And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they did the same things to them. 37 But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him and take possession of his inheritance!’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” 41They *said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons.”

Herod and the scribes of Israel knew about the prophecy of the coming King Jesus.

Herod wanted to kill the baby Jesus. The scribes did nothing knowing about the coming saviour of the world.

BUT - The story that Jesus told to His followers and us as believers that we need to move past just knowing about God.

We as followers get an opportunity to align our lives with the truths of the Word of God and we get to experience what it is to have a relationship with Christ.

(transition) That type of experience leads to rejoicing

3. Finding Real Joy in God

Matthew 2:6-12

‌The end of this grand adventure of these wisemen.

They read about the coming Christ for generations.

They saw the sign in the sky by the new star.

They traveled a long way at a great cost.

They had gone to the religious leaders of the nation and found out what city the promise of God would be.

They searched out the place where Jesus was and when they found Him.

They offered Him gifts.

There is a significance of these gifts as well:

Frankincense - a very expensive incense that was often given to kings. It was used in religious practices to burn at the death of the king as an offering to god.

Myrrh - This was an expensive scented oil used in burial practices and interestingly it was used at crucifixion to make Gall as it would be a pain killer.

Gold - This is a gift given to kings and offered to gods.

These gifts of great expense were given to Jesus by these men in a way to show their worship to God.

The wise men's journey ended with meeting Jesus in person. Now it's our turn to decide if we'll take that same adventure…

YOU/WE:

SO, let's pause for a moment and think about where we stand in our own journey.

Are we like the religious leaders who knew all about the prophecies but did nothing?

Or are we like the Magi who acted on what they discovered?

Right now, we might find ourselves in different places:

Some of us might be like Herod, feeling threatened by the idea of surrendering control to God

Others might be like the scribes, having all the head knowledge but missing the heart connection

Maybe we're like the Magi at the beginning of their adventure, seeing signs but unsure about taking that first step...

Is that first step baptism?

Is it your first prayer?

Is that step reaching out to your brothers and sisters to help you understand your faith more?

Is that step going on a mission trip?

Is the first step picking up your bible for the first time?

Whatever God is calling you to do… you see the sign now it's your turn to take the first step out that door into the world of the greatest adventure of your life.

lets pray.