4. Seek, and You Will Find

Introduction

General: Looking for beef tallow…

Biblical: Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV)

Irony: The first people we see worshiping Jesus—the King of the Jews and the Jewish Messiah—aren’t Jews but Gentiles!

Why were the wise men, rather than Herod or the religious leaders, the ones who found Jesus? … Because they were looking for him.

Numbers 24:17… Balaam, a Gentile pagan magician from the east prophesied a star and a king among the Jews… About 1,400 years later, wise men, magi/astrologers, came from the east, following a star to the king of the Jews.

Personal: Herod didn’t find Jesus. The Jewish religious leaders didn’t find Jesus. The Jews in Jerusalem didn’t find Jesus. The magi found him because they were the ones looking for him. Are we looking for Jesus?

Subject: How can we seek Jesus in such a way that we find him? How can we look for and find Jesus?

Body

If you want to find Jesus, get over yourself. Seeking Jesus isn’t a spiritual self-help program.

Exposition (Herod, v. 3)

“Troubled” could also be translated “terrified.” // When you live for yourself, everyone else eventually becomes an enemy.

The Romans made Herod “king of the Jews” in 40 BC, and he was a vicious, bloodthirsty tyrant. He killed anyone who was a threat to his power—rivals, wives, even his own sons!

Herod wanted to kill Jesus because he was threatened by Jesus. Jesus is always a threat to self.

Illustration: Atomic Habits by James Clear… Who said discipleship is about self-improvement? I want to spend time with you.

Application: There are many “self-help” versions of Christianity, and every one of them is a joke. If finding Jesus is a spiritual self-help program, we might as well dismiss early and stop wasting our time. This isn’t about self-improvement, self-care, self-advancement, self-preservation, self-promotion, self-actualization, or finding yourself. It’s about dethroning myself and putting the rightful King in his rightful place on his throne in my life.

If you want to find Jesus, seek him with your heart—not just your head. Looking for Jesus isn’t just a research project.

Exposition (Chief priests and scribes, vv. 4-5)

They knew where the Messiah would be born. They heard the report of the wise men, and they did … nothing.

The religious leaders were unimpressed, uninterested, indifferent. They spent all their time researching and debating theology and Scripture. And when God showed up, they didn’t care because God was just a theory.

Illustration: Love Does for Kids by Bob Goff… Stop having a Bible study and start having a Bible doing.

Application

There’s a difference between believing the Bible is true and understanding that the Bible is truth. When something is true, it corresponds to reality; when something is truth, it defines reality.

“The sun is hot,” is true. But it becomes truth when I feel its warmth on my skin. If you want to find Jesus, you have to move beyond believing that Jesus is real and allow Jesus to define your reality. That happens in the heart, see Jer 29:13.

If you want to find Jesus, be willing to go where God leads you and give what God asks of you. Seeking Jesus requires commitment and sacrifice.

Exposition (vv. 10-11): The wise men traveled for weeks to get to Jerusalem—a long and expensive trip out of country! Then they went to Bethlehem and gave Jesus treasures.

Gold = King // Frankincense = God // Myrrh = Savior

They also gave Jesus their worship. To worship means to give God worth (or weight) in your life.

Illustration: College // Job // Dating // Friends // Time // Weekend // How much weight does God have in that decision?

Application: Are you willing to go where God calls you? Are you willing to give what God asks of you? Are you willing to give Jesus weight in your life? Will you commit your heart to the God who committed his life on the cross in exchange for yours? Jesus died for you… will you live for him?

Conclusion

If you want to find Jesus, get over yourself // seek him with your heart // be willing to go where he leads and give what he asks.

All who seek Jesus will find not only a King but a Savior.

Matt 7:7-8… What are you seeking in life? Life is so much bigger than finding comfort // a cause // Life is about finding Christ. It’s only ever always all about Jesus.