Vision

vision is a gift, a gift with a purpose.

Personal

- not everyone saw it, it wasn’t meant for everyone, what was it?

v2 - the star ;

, ,

Eyes to see ears to hear

Had a different experience than Mary Joseph and shepherds but they heard about it. They saw evidence of what they heard about but when they thought they were close they lost their way.

Interactive

- response necessary

preparation involved

- isaiah 7:14

- suffering servant

- suffering servant

action

- follow

- their response was to come worship not come receive. They brought gifts, not expectations or requests.

Cumulative

- experiences that build on one another, result in new greater ones

“extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience” Furtick

The magis trek didn’t start with something spectacular it started in research. The had to have the knowledge of prophecy before the experience in order to interpret the event. It started in the mundane, in the search for truth, the dissatisfaction with the answers they were getting elsewhere. But even this God set up and was active in. His punishment of His disobedient people resulted in the access to scripture by these people from the east.

research

vision from afar, distant

went astray

back on track up close and personal vision

interaction with Jesus

vision with instructions and warning

Keeps

- the vision and the process reveals God is King, sovereign

- the experience/vision points to the one we are meant to worship, be careful not to worship the experience.

You made a mistake but it wasn’t for nothing.

“It had to happen”

Their misstep revealed they couldn’t get there in their own wisdom. They needed God to lead them in.

What didn’t they do? Pray, they didn’t ask God for guidance they sought it from Men. A king, advisors. They looked for evidence where doubt lives, rather than where faith is made. They were trusting in the created rather than the creator for the answer.

How often is this us?