NOSTRADAMUS, JEANNE DIXON AND SHIRLEY MACLAINE MEET THE CHRIST CHILD

NOSTRADAMUS, JEANNE DIXON AND SHIRLEY MACLAINE MEET THE CHRIST CHILD Matthew 2:1-12 With grateful acknowledgement of these sources of direction and inspiration: the Holy Spirit; the Word of God; The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim; The Visit of the Magi, Gary Furr; Bruised Reeds and Dimly Burning Wicks, Thomas Long; Matthew 1-7, by John MacArthur January 11, 2004 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introductory What a horrible story hit the news this past week. Jerry William Jones allegedly went to the home of his ex-in-laws while his ex-wife was away visiting her new boyfriend. Jones entered the house and strangled his own infant daughter, Harley. He shot his wife's parents and sister in cold blood. Then he kidnapped his other three daughters and led police on a manhunt until Thursday when he shot himself and showering his children who were in the car with his own blood. We are always left wondering in the wake of such unthinkable events, Who could do this to his own family? One of the characters in our text this morning was not much different from Mr. Jerry Jones. Herod the Great (he had done all he could to ensure that he would be remembered as "the great") was a shrewd, obsessed and ruthless man. After getting himself appointed king of the Jews in Judea, he tried desperately but unsuccessfully to win their respect. He had their Temple rebuilt (to his own glory rather than to God's) and he married Mariamne, a Jewess from a royal family. She was one of his ten wives. Shortly the after the wedding, when her brother, Aristobulus, became a political rival of Herod's, he was found mysteriously drowned in his own bathtub. Herod attended the funeral and feigned grief, but it was common knowledge he hired the hit men. Later he murdered Mariamne, his favorite wife, as well as her mother and grandfather, and three of his own sons. One of his other wives joined the hall of suspicious deaths at his hands. Emperor Augustus was quoted by historians as saying it was "safer to be Herod's pig than his son!" When he was about to die years later, he ordered that the leading Jews of Jericho, where he was living palaciously, be gathered and imprisoned. Then he ordered that they were to be slaughtered at the hour of his own death. Why? He was so afraid that when he died no one would grieve, and he wanted there to be grieving in Jericho, so he did his best to ensure people would weep at the time of his death. This was the plotting, murderous, jealous man who was king in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus' death. It's no wonder that when the strangers from the east came into town asking about a newborn who was born to be king of the Jews, it got the attention of this paranoid potentate. Who were these visitors anyway, and what was all this talk of another king? He had finally gotten himself comfortably settled into his place of power and control as king of the Jews and now the whole city is talking about someone else (a baby no less!) who would be the king (Matthew 2:1-3). He quickly gathered the priests and law-teachers and asked if the one they were talking about was this much-awaited Christ. Of course, they didn't know. But if it was the Christ, they said, the prophecy of Micah (Micah 5:2) predicted that he would be born in Bethlehem. Armed with this information, it was time to call in the group from Persia and play a little game of intrigue with them. We don't know much about the "wise men" (as they are called), except that they were from the east, probably the area of the Medes and Persians. The Bible records nothing about there being only three of them-only that they brought with them three kinds of gifts-gold, frankincense and myrrh. There might have been only two, or maybe a dozen or more. And they weren't wise men as we would think of that category of person-not professors or scholars. They were astrologers, fortunetellers, and soothsayers. In their culture at that time they were honored and considered wise, because they were believed to be able to discern the future. They did so by watching natural phenomena for changes and interesting developments, especially the stars and planets. Then when they found something of interest they would meet to discuss and try to divine the meaning of it. As a result of their supposed powers they were among the highest ranking officials in the east. If the trees budded early in the spring or if the Japanese beetles showed up in greater numbers than usual, or if there was a meteor shower or an eclipse, everyone would turn to them for it's meaning. I suppose we could liken it to the way we tune in to Cindy Pressler when the weather changes or to the CDC when the flu is rampant or we think there is a threat from Mad Cow Disease or the SARS virus. Of course the magi did not deal in scientific data, but in occultic impressions and predictive hunches. They were to the Persian culture what witch doctors were to Africa or voodoo practitioners to Haiti. They were dealers in magic and dark religion. They were the Nostradamus, the Jeanne Dixon, the Shirley MacLaine, the Deepak Chopra of their day. But they were respected and not charlatans. These magi had noticed a strange thing in the skies, a "sign" or some unusual demonstration, that had seemed significant. Some suggest it was a meteor shower they saw or a conjunction of the planets they had never seen before. The 17th century astronomer Kepler calculated that at about that time there was a lining up of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars in such a way that only happens every 800 years or so. I believe it was a demonstration of God's glory. They observed it, and they cloistered themselves in some conference room to discuss the significance of it. They probably ordered carry-out from the local Pomegranates-To-Go restaurant or the Kentucky Fried Figs or something. They pooled their collective insights and decided that the sign in the heavens had something to do with the well-known Jewish prophecy of a coming Messiah-King. The more they thought about it and the potential global implications of such an occurrence, they decided they should take a journey to check it out. Being quite certain of their interpretation they arranged to bring with them some very expensive gifts to give to this king, either as an act of homage or perhaps to curry his favor for future political d?ente. They took their camels in for a safety inspection then headed across the desert to Jerusalem. Now, the heavenly phenomenon had ceased-it's not like the song we sing-they didn't follow the star the whole way from Persia to Palestine. They just picked up on the sign, discerned it had to do with the Jews and they took off for Judea. (The star would reappear and lead them from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and the house where Joseph, Mary and Joseph were staying {Matthew 2:9}.) That's why when they arrived in Jerusalem they had to ask around, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2) Here's an interesting question: With all the Old Testament teaching about how divination is evil and that Jews are never to engage in astrological or magic arts, why did God choose to reveal information about the incarnational birth of His Son to Persian magicians? I don't know! It surprises me (and sometimes annoys me) the ways God gets things done. For example, He absolutely forbids seances, but when Saul goes to the witch at Endor, He allows him to speak to Samuel who had been dead for years! Here is what I do know: God is God, and whatever powers there are in the arena of the occult, He is no stranger to them. And even though He has forbidden those who trust Him to engage in those practices, He can use them to His glory all He wants. The powers He created in this universe-the "basic principles of this world" (Colossians 2:8, 20), the RSV translates the term elemental spirits of the universe-went haywire like the rest of the creation when sin entered the world, and Satan is busy using them all he can while he can. But they belong to God. In the meantime God has told us in no uncertain terms to not take part in them, but He can call on them anytime He wants. Armed with prophetic insight our Magi get word from the local king, one Herod the Great, that he'd like to have audience with them. Dutifully they go to the palace. Matthew 2:7-8 records it this way: "The Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." That fox! He didn't want to worship Christ; he was planning another bloodbath! So let the Persian boys search him out for me and I'll go and bring a gift to him, too-a dagger! Get rid of this child, this pretender to my throne, and I will rest easy again. The Magi had no idea the kind of snake they were dealing with in Herod. The Herods of this world believe that if they kill enough babies, dodge enough bullets, terrify enough old people and intimidate enough of the populace, they will secure their power and prestige. But as it turns out, it is the Herods of this world who are the true pretenders to the throne. The rightful King, the Savior of the world, is sleeping in His mother's arms in a bungalow in Bethlehem. He is the King of kings, but He is still vulnerable. Let there be no misunderstanding. Without the careful obedience to divine leading, this baby named Jesus would have died in the coming slaughter. At stake here is the very plan of God for the salvation of mankind. Satan, the archenemy of God, will use any evil venue, any opportunity, to try to foil the divine plan. So the Agatha Christie-like plot thickens. The Magi make the five-mile trip to Bethlehem. They are pleasantly surprised by the reappearance of the same star-like phenomenon and it leads them to the very house where Jesus and his earthly family are staying. Notice, this is many months after Jesus is born and they are no longer in the stable. No doubt Joseph had many distant relatives in Bethlehem-it is the town of David and Joseph was a descendant of David's descendants. We might conjecture that news of the baby's birth got around town pretty quickly the next day, and once it was discovered it was Joseph's family, some hospitable cousins opened their home to them, or perhaps had an extra little cottage for them to use. Maybe Joseph hung out his carpenter's shingle and they decided to make Bethlehem their new home. After all, back in Nazareth there was all the gossip about Mary's being pregnant before their marriage. Maybe it was easier to leave all that behind and start over. We can also imagine what it was like when the Magi arrived at the house. They related their story to Joseph first. I'm sure he met them at the door to find out who they were and what they wanted (what father is going to let some oddly-dressed foreigners with fancy gifts come close to his baby without at least a brief interview?). When they got to the part where they had their interview with Herod, we can almost hear Joseph: You talked with Herod about our baby? You promised him what?! Matthew 2:11-12 - "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and  of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to  go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." I wonder if the Magi were unimpressed with the housing of this king? I wonder if they talked on the way home about how plain and simple were the details of this monarch's life? Did it matter to them? Or were they confident they had found the genuine Messiah, and did they praise God for the way He used foolishly plain things to confound the wise of this world? What we do learn about the Magi (and what we learn from them) is this: They were wise men. They were wise because, when they discovered a hint about the true God, they did not hesitate to pursue Him diligently. Wise Men Seek God Diligently The Magi saw a sign in the sky. What has God used to get your initial attention? He is pretty creative, you know. He has been known to use burning bushes, talking donkeys, blinding lights, strange visitors, angels, dreams, visions, friends, answered prayer, illness, miracles. What separates the wise and foolish is not what means God uses to get our attention, but what we do once He gets our attention. These Persian pagans went after Him diligently. With all their hearts. I can remember the day Heather told us how God got her undivided attention through a dream. It was a defining moment in her life-a time of healing, a time of new starts and a time of new grace. It turned out well because she wisely pursued Him. What was it for you? A car wreck (a motorcycle wreck)? A hospital visit? The loving intervention of a friend? A hangover? A blessing? A sermon you couldn't ignore? A longing you couldn't shake? It doesn't matter too much in the big scheme of things. It's what you do today to respond to that star He sent your way. I wonder if there are any Magi here this morning-anyone wise enough to seek him diligently? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (Proverbs 3:5-7) Wise men seek God diligently. But there is something else wise men do when they find Jesus. They worship Him. Wise Men Worship Jesus I'm sure that as they traveled through villages these well-dressed, rich visitors were respected as noblemen. People probably oohed and aahed when they passed. They got much attention in Jerusalem. When they rode their camels into little Bethlehem they were the talk of the town. But, when they saw Jesus they were no longer the nobility. They were in the presence of the King-the only king who mattered. Verse 11 says "they bowed down and worshiped him." David, the king of Israel, said, "In reverence will I bow down…" (Psalm 5:7) And he urged other wise people in Psalm 95:6: "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." The very word used for worship in the New Testament is PROSKUNEO - which literally means to fall down before another out of respect. We saw the new movie, The Last Samurai, which is a pretty good film, if you can stand the gore of the gruesome battle scenes. Near the close of the movie, one of the key characters (in fact, the last Samurai) dies on the battlefield, heroically ending his own life with his own sword. At the sight of that act, and out of respect for the great warrior, all of the enemy soldiers drop to their knees and bow their heads to the ground. It's a moving scene, and I was reminded how there are many things we bow down to that are less than worthy objects of our veneration. But it is always appropriate to bow down to God. What a scene in the book of Revelation where in chapters 7 and 19 angels, elders, the four living creatures and the saints of God "fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne." (Revelation 19:4) When God gets your attention, and you truly begin to seek Him, falling down in humble worship of Him is not only appropriate, it is automatic. I don't know if you have ever had the experience of seeing something so awesome that your knees buckled, but I have. And when I see the Lord in person it will happen again. Isaiah 45:23 - "Before me every knee will bow." Philippians 2:10 pledges "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…" I urge you in that glorious Name, rid yourself of every vestige of pride that keeps you from humble worship of the Lord. Wise Men Give to Him Lavishly The other thing the Magi did when they met Jesus was give. They brought Him: • gold which was in that day the gift appropriate for a king • incense which is the gift that was usually given to a priest • myrrh which was an expensive oil used to anoint a dead body What these gifts have in common is that they are expensive. They were lavish gifts. When you meet your Creator God and you realize that all the "stuff" of your life, including your life, is all on loan from Him, the rightful owner, your grip loosens. You become instantaneously generous toward Him. It is the wise man who learns to hate the selfishness and possessiveness that are ours by virtue of our sinful natures, and learns to give. Proverbs 3:9 says, "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops…" and there is a promise attached to that command: "…then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." (Proverbs 3:10) The wise man generates a reciprocal blessing arrangement with the Lord when he begins to generously give back to God healthier and healthier portions of what God has given him. God's promise is that He will bless that wise man reciprocally. It's no different from what we find in the New Testament: "Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:6-8) Wisdom is beginning with the fear of the Lord and doing godly things God's way. The Bible is very clear about our money. Once it becomes our god we die spiritually. "You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24c). Wise people live holding their possessions loosely, so that their possessions don't possess them. Giving helps us stay tuned to this important principle. In fact, here is what the apostle Paul told his young prot?? Timothy, to teach the church: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their  hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of  the life that is truly life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19) Conclusion The Magi came west with their funny religion, their rich gifts and their partial knowledge about the things of God. They left and went home truly WISE MEN. It is they who, however imperfectly, came to God-at least all they knew of God--and gave Him the worship only He deserves. And they became wise men. Foolish Herods whose life agenda is to exalt themselves die in their godless egocentrism. The Magi made a truly wise decision-to pursue God with abandon. Herod pleased himself and died a miserable man with no one loving him and no hope. He was a fool. The Magi demonstrated their wisdom when they decided to be generous toward God. They stumbled on the truth that real worship of God involves the sacrifice of giving up treasured things for God and His kingdom.   [Back to Top]