The King Has Come Part 3

12/21/25 The King Has Come

Week 3: The King Has Come To Bring Joy 

We started a new series this month, our Christmas month, called, The King Has Come, and thank God He has.  AMEN!

I read this quote the last couple week’s and it’s so important to understand.

Jesus didn't enter the world just to be a moral example. He didn't enter the world to start a religious movement. He came into the world to save sinners like us, to be a sacrifice for sin that allowed us to be reconciled to God. And He fulfilled that purpose.

Thanks God that today we have a true King, a true Savior and His name is Jesus.

Last week we look at: The King Has Come To Bring: Peace

This week I want to look at: The King Has Come To Bring: Joy

Here’s a couple joke’s to get us going.

A Christmas Letter

A child wrote: “Dear Santa, I’ve been good all year. OK… most of the year. Well… some of it. Forget it — I’ll buy my own gifts.”

“Only in New Jersey can you get all four seasons during the month of December.

You start the morning with a spring breeze, and by dinner you’re in a winter storm warning.”

Let’s continue to look at the different parts of the Christmas story.  Today I would like us to look at the story of the Wise Men.

The tradition surrounding the wise men is rich with both biblical details and later legendary embellishments. While we often assume there were three wise men because of the three gifts (gold, incense, and myrrh), the Bible does not specify their number. 

The traditional names – Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar – are purely legendary and not found in Scripture.

The magi were most likely from Persia (modern-day Iran), and they traveled an incredible 800 to 900 miles to see the Christ child. Their journey was likely informed by prophetic writings, particularly Daniel’s prophecies and Balaam’s prediction of “a star coming out of Jacob”. Significantly, their visit symbolizes something profound: the messiahship of Jesus extends beyond the Jewish people to the gentile world. Interestingly, these foreign astrologers demonstrated a faith that was often lacking among Jesus’ own people – they honored the infant Messiah while local leaders like Herod plotted to kill him. Contrary to popular nativity scenes, they did not arrive at the manger, but rather worshiped Jesus as a toddler in a house.

Here is the prophecy from Balaam.

Numbers 24:15–16 (NKJV) 15 So he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; 16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

*Numbers 24:17 (NKJV) 17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.

Let’s now journey and see this amazing story of the Wise men’s visit.

Matthew 2:1–13 (NKJV) 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, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

1. Joy in Seeking the King

Matthew 2:1–2 (NKJV) 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, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

I love the saying:

Wise Men still Seek Him

These men left all to find this King and when they did, it brought Joy to their hearts.

Jeremiah 29:13–14 (NKJV) 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

Like children eagerly searching for presents under the tree, the wise men sought the greatest gift.

Jesus said it like this:

Matthew 7:7–8 (NKJV) 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

2.  Joy in God’s Guidance

Matthew 2:9 (NKJV) 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

They followed the TRUE STAR.

Let’s let God guide us in our lives.

Psalm 32:8 (NKJV) 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

God’s Word is our star, it always points us to Jesus.

John 1:1–5 (NKJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:14 (NKJV) 14 And the Word became 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.

3.  Joy In Worship

Matthew 2:11 (NKJV) 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Psalm 95:6 (NKJV) 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

Genuine joy isn’t in gifts received but in the Giver we worship. Jesus

4. Joy In Giving

Matthew 2:11 (NKJV) 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” – Amy Carmichael

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV) 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

5. Joy That Changes Our Path

Matthew 2:12 (NKJV) 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

As we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will direct our path.

Romans 8:14 (NKJV) 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Encountering Jesus always changes the direction of our lives.

Romans 8:16 (NKJV) 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

6. Joy That Endures

Matthew 2:10 (NKJV) 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 

Things in life don’t always go our way, but like we saw in the Thanksgiving month, we can have Joy that will endure in all season’s of Life.

James 1:2–4 (NLT) 2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Joy is not seasonal, like evergreen trees that stay green in winter, joy endures in Christ.

Daily Discipleship-Q-R Code

Daily Prayer-Q-R Code

Prayer Teams