Wise Living in 2025: Lessons from the Magi

The Little Boy and the Prayer

A little boy was kneeling by his bed one night, praying as loud as he could: “Dear God, I need a new bike! And a PlayStation! And a puppy!” His mom walked in and said, “Son, God’s not deaf.” The boy said, “I know, but Grandma’s in the next room, and she is!”

Christmas is over...

Gifts have been opened, decorations are starting to come down, and leftovers are slowly disappearing from our refrigerators.

We look forward to Christmas with great anticipation, but then ever so quickly Christmas is gone for another year.

Yet, even as the Christmas season begins to fade, the message of Christmas is far from over.

Last Sunday we covered the birth of Jesus in Luke 2, We found Mary and Joseph in a stable where Jesus was born and then placed in a manger.

After this the Shepherds received the good news from an angel and went to see the newborn king.

In our time this morning, I want us to spend some time looking at “The rest of the story.”

After the accounts of Luke 2, the next information that we receive is in Matthew 2 and it concerns the wisemen.

In our Nativity scenes, and Christmas musicals we often see the Wisemen come at the birth of Jesus, but the reality is that they came much later.

Jesus was likely several months old to just under 2 years when the Wisemen showed up.

The wisemen did not come to the stable, but rather they came to the house.

The wisemen didn’t come to see the baby Jesus, but instead they came to see Jesus when he was a young child.

Matthew 2 reminds us that the story of Christmas isn’t just about a baby in a manger—it’s about a King who deserves our focus, our faith, our worship, and ultimately, our very lives.

You see, Christmas is easy to celebrate when everything is glittering with lights and the music of joy fills the air.

But what happens after Christmas?

When the routine of life starts to pull us back in, when the calendar flips and the pressures of a new year begin to pile up, how do we respond?

The wise men give us an answer.

As we move into the year 2025, I wanna give you a few pointers this morning of he we can live it our with wisdom.

Let’s open our Bibles:

Matthew 2:1 (ESV)

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,

The wise men in Matthew 2, often referred to as the Magi, were likely a group of scholars or astrologers from the East—possibly Persia, Babylon, or Arabia.

The astrologers were likely well educated men who studied astrology and ancient texts.

The Intentional Pursuit of Jesus

Matthew 2:2 (ESV)

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Interesting to note the shepherds received a message from God that said:

Luke 2:10 ESV

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

The Wise Men received no angelic message, no heavenly wake-up call, and no choir of angels proclaiming the Messiah’s birth.

They did not receive a heavenly host of Angels saying “Gory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…”

So how did the wise men know that the king had been born?

There was not a ‘baby announcement’ that came in the newspaper, there was not a picture on Facebook that everyone was going on and on about…

There is only one detail given that tells us why the wisemen came:

Matthew 2:2 (ESV)

“For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

They recognized the star and the understood the significance because they were actively searching for it.

They didn’t stumble upon Jesus by accident—they were intentional in their pursuit.

One night they looked up into the sky as they had done every other night, but on this night they noticed a star that shined more brightly than all the others.

These men likely were students of OT Scripture and knew of scripture signifying a star:

Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob”

Isaiah 60:3 “And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

When these men saw the star they knew it was important.

These men knew that it was an indicator that the King of the Jews had been born.

Now the star wasn’t only visible to the Wisemen, but as far as we can tell, the wisemen were the only ones who noticed the star for what it was…

What this tells me is that there was an intentionality to the wisemen; as they looked up and studied the stars the night they noticed something was different.

I’m not sure how deep there understanding was, but it seems as though they understood that the star was connected to the coming messiah, because they said:

Matthew 2:2 (ESV)

For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.

It sounds like they were well-versed on the Messianic prophecies, so knew what the star meant.

They must have had great anticipation and hope after reading:

Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 53:5 ESV

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

As the wisemen studied the Scriptures the understood this was big news… the believed it’s, and the got excited

For the rest of the world it’s seems it’s was business as usual.

The Marketplace was overflowing, children were running and playing and laughing.

Gossip was swirling around as folks went along their normal days.

While the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Emmanuel—God with us—entered the world, people went on with their daily routines, too busy and distracted to notice the greatest event in history unfolding in their midst.

They still had emails to write, and appointments to make. Maybe they were too busy walking around starting at their ‘tablets’ to look up into the sky.

Maybe they were concerned with the Stock Market and inflation levels.

Maybe there were facing political uncertainty with great division between the donkeys and the elephants.

Regardless of all of this, what we find is Jesus is born and most missed it!

I wonder how true that is of us?

I wonder how often we get so focused on the world around us, that we become oblivious to the workings of God in our lives?

You see just like the wisemen; you are I are not going to just happen to stumble upon a strong spiritual life?

You don’t just stumble upon a deep relationship with Jesus that exemplifies his character; no it takes work, it takes effort, and it takes intentionality.

You and I will not just happen to make an impact on the world to advance the Kingdom of God.

“The difference between the Wise Men and the rest of the world is this: The wisemen were intentional about seeking Jesus.

The rest of the world had grown numb to the promise of the Messiah, too distracted by the busyness of life to look up and see the star.

How often do we push Jesus into the background of our lives, letting the urgent replace the eternal?”

Wait a minute Kase, this may be true for the outside world; but it can’t be true for us… we are spiritual folks!

That’s what I would like to believe also, but look at the next verses”

Matthew 2:3 (ESV)

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;

I want you to notice that when Herod found out he was troubled…

Herod was troubled; because he saw this newborn baby as a threat to his kingdom and his power.

To the Romans, Herod was considered the “King of the Jews” but now when the true King arrives Herod is filled with fear.

Herod, consumed by paranoia and his own fragile throne, was willing to destroy anything—and anyone—that threatened his kingdom.

They had a saying in the day that “it was better to be Herod’s pig than his son”; Herod killed three of his sons because he was paranoid that they were trying to take his kingdom.

Herod even killed his wife!

As Herod was nearing the end of his life he gathered many of the prominent folks and put them in prison on false charges. He knew that no one would cry when he died but he wanted weeping all around so he ordered that these loved men and women would be killed on the day of his death so that sadness would abound.

That is how insane and evil Herod is.

Herod apparently has some religious folks around and do you see what they know:

Matthew 2:4–6 (ESV)

4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

They know Micah 5:2… They quote it! stating that the messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

They know all the answers and they have studied the Scriptures, and they know where Jesus is to be born.

Here is what I find amazing; these are the religious men who have studied about Jesus their whole lives, and they give the right answers, but it seems as though they could not care less.

These religious folks have spent their entire life studying the things of God, and you would expect that they would be beside themselves with joy and excitement at the possibility of the coming of Christ.

Bethlehem is just 4 to 5 miles away from Jerusalem, and yet the religious make no effort to travel to Jesus.

It may be a sad reality how many religious folks are just… religious.

Lots of information, lots of knowledge… but that is all there is to it.

It’s a sad reality how many folks know lots about Jesus, but they don’t really know Jesus.

It’s a sad reality how many religious folks, really don’t care about being changed to the likeness of Jesus.

It’s a sad reality how many religious folks, care nothing about advancing the Kingdom of God through their lives.

If we want to be wise as we go into 2025; and if we want to make this year count then we must be intentional.

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1–2)

In your life what does it look like to be intentional about following Jesus?

Intentionality means setting aside time for prayer, even when you're busy.

It means choosing to read Scripture instead of scrolling through social media.

It means actively looking for ways to serve others, reflecting Christ's love in tangible ways.

Making church a priority even when you don't feel like it."

The Journey of Faith

Matthew 2:2 (ESV)

2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

What would prompt someone to leave the comfort of their homes to go on a dangerous journey?

“Where is He who has been born the King of the Jews?”

It’s a strange thing for a baby to be born a king, usually they are princes for a long time before they are a king.

The gospel of Matthew only refers to Jesus as the king in one other context, that is at his trial and crucifixion.

Jesus was the king of kings in his cradle and he was the king of kings on the cross.

They had seen the star – the evidence was real – now where is He?

They had faith that He was alive – that He existed – now all they needed to do was to find Him.

They were willing to risk everything to find the King.

They were willing to leave the safety of their homes – to risk a perilous journey to seek a King.

Can you imagine their neighbor’s reaction?

· “Are you going on a journey?” “Yes.”

· “Where are you going?” “We don’t know for sure.”

· “How far is it?” “Well we don’t know that either.”

· “How long are you going to be gone?” Well we’re not quite sure on that either.”

· “Boy for wise men you sure don’t much do you?”

You see they were stepping out in faith:

The we men travelled hundreds of miles, possibly 8 to 900.

Traveling by camel of caravan the likely would travel 10 to 20 miles a day.

Making the journey last anywhere from months to up to around 2 years.

The journey shows their dedication and faith, reminding us that true worship requires perseverance and sacrifice.

It reminds me of the heroes of our faith:

· Abraham when he left his home at the command of God.

· Noah who building an ark – even though it had not rained.

· Peter, Andrew, John and James when they left the fishing nets to become fishers of men.

What are you crazy? Are you insane? Are you out of your minds?

No not crazy – not insane – not out of their minds – Men of Faith. FACT: God’s journeys always involves FAITH. Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Where there’s no faith, there’s no power or joy or intimacy with God. There are also no supernatural miracles, no reward, and, ultimately, no pleasing God.

Without faith, you end up with hollow religious activity, moralistic rules, and dead orthodoxy.

The reason a lot of our faith is dead is because we can run the programs and talk about God, but all it is religious activities and rules without the presence of God. No sense that God is actually moving in our lives.

You can be a spiritual leader, pastor, teacher, all without faith, but you will never please God without the faith.

You can be a good, moral person doing what’s expected of you-reading your Bible, going to church, being a responsible spouse and parent, serving in your community-but if there’s no faith it is just activities!

In our Bibles Men and Women stepped out in faith they trusted God; they followed God… If God didn’t show up:

Peter was going to fall in the water.

Paul was going to die,

Esther was going to be killed by the king.

David was going to lose his head to the Giant.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were going to burn in the fire

Daniel was going to be lunch to the Lions

The Israelites would have drowned in the Red Sea

And get this… GOD SHOWED UP! And not only did God show up, God showed OFF!

Every person’s life that is used by God in great ways possessed a strong faith.

Start in Matthew read the Gospels you’ll find that the when Jesus get’s upset with his disciples is when the lack faith.

Faith is simply doing what God tells you to do regardless of the circumstances because God said it and his words are true.

The reason God uses people is not because they don’t have your baggage, but it is because they steeped out in faith… Where is God asking you to step out in faith.?

Hebrews 10:38-11:3 “38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

Wise-men had faith… If we are wise we too will have a strong faith in our Lord.

The Wise Men were driven by FAITH!

In Matthew 2:16 we are told that Herod decided to kill all boy children 2 years old and younger so apparently from the time the star first appeared it could have took them almost two years to locate where Christ was.

There search was a long & diligent one.

I wonder if your life is Characterized by faith?

Faith means that you are outside of your comfort zone.

Faith means that you are totally dependent upon God.

Maybe in 2025 God is calling you to something great, something outside of your comfort zone.

It seems as though the star gave these men direction, but not the final destination.

God led these wise men in such a way that they had to rely upon him east step of the journey.

Upon arrival in Jerusalem they asked “Where is he who has been born king of the jews?”

They presumed that they would find the newborn king in a palace.

The wise men were likely surprised by the location of Jesus humble verse.

We don’t always get all the information up front when it comes to following Jesus… It takes faith.

The Heart of Worship

Matthew 2:2 (ESV)

2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2:11 (ESV)

11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

When the wise men came on their journey it was for the purpose of worship.

They didn’t come to Jesus because of who they were, they came to Jesus because of who HE is.

It was all about Jesus.

They were thrilled to come into the presence of the king and bow down before him.

Very Simply: What priority does Jesus have in your life?

I am afraid that oftentimes it is more of an obligation then it is an opportunity.

Realize this Worship is not about you and it not about me, worship is about Jesus.

They brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts have a lot of symbolism associated with them.

· Gold represents wealth. It is a gift fit for a king. (Jesus was the King of Kings)

· Frankincense is used as incense to worship God. Thus we see a gift for his deity. (Jesus was the Son of God)

· Myrrh is a fragrant perfume that was used to anoint the dead – to embalm and preserve them. (Jesus was The Sacrificial Lamb)

But there is more to worship then gold, frankincense, or myrrh isn’t there.

Worship always involves SACRIFICE.

The first time the word “worship’ is used in our Bibles it has nothing to do with singing a song!

The first time ‘worship’ is used in our Bibles it has nothing to do with a corporate gathering of believers.

The first time that worship is used in our Bibles it refers to Abraham taking his son Isaac up the mountain to sacrifice, He says “we will go and we will worship” Worship always involves sacrifice.

If your weekly worship consists of you singing a few songs on a Sunday morning then you have no clue what worship really is.

The wise men had sacrificed their own comfort to find the king and worship Him. Listen to what David said about sacrifice:

“I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost [me] nothing.” 2 Samuel 24:24

Romans says it this way: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)

To truly worship requires sacrifice.

God Demands You; and God demands ME!

FACT: What God wants most of all – above everything else is YOU.

He wants your heart – He wants your attention – 24/7.

If you cannot worship the Lord in the midst of your responsibilities on Monday, it is not very likely that you were worshiping on Sunday!

A. W. Tozer

If worship does not change us it has not been worship.

John F. MacArthur

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” (Matthew 22:37–38)

If we truly worship the Lord, then we will readjust our lives around him.

The reason many folks are religious but live their lives for themselves is because they don’t understand who God is, and they don’t understand what God deserves.

To understand who God is and what He deserves leads to a life of worship.

Never the Same

Matthew 2:12 (ESV)

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

The wisemen understood that Herod was on a dreadful mission, and he was seeking Jesus so that he could kill Jesus.

The wisemen took another direction home, as to avoid Herod.

Now I don’t want to miss the context, they changed direction because Herod was intent on killing the newborn king.

When we really understand who this baby in the manger is; we will never be the same!

An encounter with God changes things doesn’t it? It’s always been that way.

Jacob wrestled with God and never walked the same the rest of his life.

Isaiah stepped into the presence of God and proclaimed “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”." Isaiah 6:5

He was never the same again.

Job questions God over and over again concerning his suffering and when God shows up Job says. "I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me. I should never have opened my mouth! I’ve talked too much, way too much. I’m ready to shut up and listen." Job 40:4-5 (MSG)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) How has your life changed since you met the Messiah?

A Baby changes everything! That really is a good closing point, if you want to make your life truly count in 20205, then we must be changed by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m not talking about religious games, I’m not talking about legalistic traditions.

I’m talking about men and women who are intentional and who have decided to walk by faith in lives of worship, transformed by the power of Jesus.

What needs to change in 2025?