The not so wise Wise Men

Wise Men seek Jesus

Preach for a Year #2 The Wise Men Who Missed the Savior

I. Introduction

A. All Are Familiar with the Wise Men from the East

1. Following the star

2. Bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh

3. Going first to Jerusalem and called before King Herod

B. But There Is a Group of Wise Men Who Did Not Go to Bethlehem

1. Herod called these to advise him about the birth of the King

2. Chief priests and scribes appointed as temporary wise men (v. 4)

II. Body

A. They Knew the Location But Did Not Believe the Lord Had Come (v. 5)

1. “In Bethlehem of Judea” (v. 5)

2. They knew the location but missed the incarnation

3. They would doubt Christ’s deity all their lives

a. They would be thorns in His side

b. They would help bring thorns to his brow

4. There are many like them today

a. They give Jesus credit for being a good man

b. They acclaim Him as being a great teacher

c. They talk about His wonderful philosophy of life

d. They speak of Him as a prophet

5. All these stop short of salvation

6. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved (Acts 16:31)

B. They Knew the Scriptures But Did Not Find the Savior (v. 6)

1. They immediately went to the Bible to answer Herod’s question

2. See how acquainted they were with Micah 5:2

3. The found the biblical answer but did not apply it

4. You can know a great deal about the Bible and still be lost

5. You cannot be saved by just knowing the Christmas story

C. They Knew Christ Would Rule But Would Not Let Him Rule Them (v. 6)

1. “A Governor that shall rule my people, Israel”

2. The plan of God was unfolding swiftly before them

a. It was a time of thrilling prophetic fulfillment

b. The angels, the taxing, the birth in Bethlehem

c. The wise men arrive from the East

3. Many see prophecy fulfilled today but do not act

4. These wise men quoted the Bible but did not act on its message

III. Conclusion

A. Why Did These Other Wise Men Not Hurry to Bethlehem to Find Christ?

1. May have feared loss of favor with Herod

2. May have quickly fallen back into old routines

3. May have thought the risk too great if the rumor was false

B. Wise Men Risk All to Seek and Find the Savior

Matthew 2:1–10 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.

Matthew 2:1–12 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.

Matthew 2:5–6 NKJV

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.’ ”

We are all familiar with the Wise Men from the East

How they followed the star

may have come from as far as India

Probably a great entourage

Herod was troubled and “all Jerusalem with him”

Bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh

They “opened their treasures”

We could learn from them

what is your treasure? And have you opened it to HIM?

They went first to Jerusalem and called before King Herod

They went to ask where they would find Jesus

Some wise men who were not so wise

There Is a Group of Wise Men Who Did Not Go to Bethlehem

Herod called these to advise him about the birth of the King

Chief priests and scribes appointed as temporary wise men (v. 4)

Matthew 2:5 NKJV

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

II. Body

They Knew the Location But Did Not Believe the Lord Had Come (v. 5)

They had been waiting for hundreds of years, but did not believe it was now

We have heard the saying to “expect the unexpected, but these people unexpected the expected.

“In Bethlehem of Judea” (v. 5)

They knew the location but missed the incarnation

They would doubt Christ’s deity all their lives

They would be thorns in His side, trying and accusing Him

They would help bring thorns to his brow

There are many people like them today

They give Jesus credit for being a good man

They acclaim Him as being a great teacher

They talk about His wonderful philosophy of life

They speak of Him as a prophet

All these stop short of salvation

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved ()

They Knew the Scriptures But Did Not Find the Savior

They immediately went to the Bible to answer Herod’s question

See how acquainted they were with

The found the biblical answer but did not apply it

Like so many people today who like to debate the bible but do not know The Living WORD

You can know a great deal about the Bible and still be lost

You cannot be saved by just knowing the Christmas story

They Knew Christ Would Rule But Would Not Let Him Rule Them

“A ruler that shall rule my people, Israel”

Ho wsimilar this is to so very many people today

Many people claim to beleive that JEsus will come back to rule and reign,

yet they will not allow Him to rule over them

they continue in carnal sin, lies, hypocrisy, forgiveness, self will and selfishness, pride and greed, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God

The plan of God was unfolding swiftly before them

It was a time of thrilling prophetic fulfillment

The angels, the taxing, the birth in Bethlehem

The wise men arrive from the East

So many of us in this genration see prophecy fulfilled today but do not act

These wise men quoted the Bible but did not act on its message

Why Did These Other Wise Men Not Hurry to Bethlehem to Find Christ?

Perhaps they feared loss of favor with Herod

Perhaps they thought about it but quickly fell back into old routines

Or maybe they thought the risk too great if the rumor was false

Knowing so much about they scriptures, the prophecies and the times, why would they not forsake everything and go running to Bethlehem?

They should have been the first to come and adore HIM

Truly Wise Men Risk All to Seek and Find the Savior

Why are we today not racing to Adore HIM?

Just as those who knew about Him then were apathetic while others far away came to worship, so it is today

How many people listening today have yet to open their treasure to Him?

How many people listening to this, are like the scribes; You know the word, and you believe it is true, you know the way, but you still have not come to HIM?

Be Truly Wise, come to Jesus Christ today?