A Journey West

Introduction

Magi from the East — We have no record of where these men were from but many believe they came from the area of Arabia or Persia. We also do not know the exact number of wise men. Tradition puts it at three because they presented three gifts but there is no reason for this conclusion from the text itself.

Magi — Means “great.” We do not know if they were actual kings for the scriptures never say as much but we do know they were great men. Their greatness was certainly seen in their wisdom and ability to discern the signs of the times.

Story of the Magi — Discovery of the star, conversation with their wives and kids, loading the camels, long journey across the desert

These great men of understanding saw a star appear in the east and knew it to be the sign of the birth of the King of the Jews. How they knew this isn’t something the text tells us. It could be that they knew the prophecy of Balaam in

Numbers 24:17 NASB95

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth.

Nevertheless, God simply made it known to them that this particular event in the heavens was a special, specific sign of the king’s birth.

The star rose in the east and traveled west so they loaded up the caravan and followed the star. At this point in the journey it led them to Jerusalem.

At this point it begs the question, “Why did God choose men from Persia or Arabia to reveal the birth of the King of the Jews?” What is their significance to the story? Perhaps we find our answer at the end of Matthew’s record of Jesus’ time on earth Matthew 28:19

Matthew 28:19 NASB95

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

The King of the Jews was the King of all Kings! He was the Messiah of the Jews and the Messiah of the world. This was an international event and God was even now, at the incarnation of His Son, making clear the opportunity for salvation was open to the nations not just a nation.

This could have been God’s way of demonstrating the grace Paul mentions in

Romans 9:15 NASB95

For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

God’s salvation is dependent upon God and God alone! He has taken the initiative to reveal Himself to us and everything about our salvation from beginning to end is grace! His grace, unmerited favor poured out on us simply because He has chosen to love us.

God chose to reveal His Son to these men and their story demonstrates the grace, power and plan of God for our world. It is a magnificient story and one with great meaning for us today.

Look Up

God revealed something He was doing in the world to them and invited these men to be a part it. Such an invitation is given to believers all the time. God continually reveals Himself and His plans to us. Think about what Jesus said to His disciples in

John 15:15 NASB95

“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Jesus makes it clear that we are privy to God’s plans and are meant to be a part of what He is doing in the world. If we pray and look around God will show us where He is at work and how we are to be a part of what He is doing.

At this point some will inevitably ask, “I wish God would give me a star to follow when He is talking to me!” But Jesus tells us we have something better, more clear and powerful than any sign in the heavens. We have the Holy Spirit within us! We are led by the Holy Spirit .

We have been given more than a star. We have been given the text of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit of God within us. We have the opportunity to hear, know and understand what God is doing around us. But we must look! The Wise men looked up to the heavens and saw where God was at work. We have to look to God and do the same.

Jesus left us a clear picture of how this worked in His own life. He made it clear that He only did what He saw the Father doing. He only participated in the Father’s plan for the world around Him.

John 5:19 NASB95

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

To Look — Means spending time with God. It means abiding with Him. Spending time means prayer, time reading and meditating upon the word of God. God rewards those who do so by revealing Himself and His plans to the one who does.

Hebrews 11:6 NASB95

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Look up!

Load the Camels

When you see where God is at work and receive His invitation to joinHim, do what the wise men did and load the camels.

These fellas saw God’s plan, heard God’s invitation and got to work. They adjusted their life to be a part of what God was doing.

If you are going to be a part of what God is doing you will be required to make adjustments to your plans. Think about what it took to make a journey from Persia to Bethlehem. Think of how their life was put on hold, their families were left, their work disrupted. In short, these fellas completely redirected their life and plans so they could be a part of God’s plans.

If you think you can hear from God, see where He is at work and be a part of what He is doing with little or no adjustment to your own plans and current life, you are terribly wrong. Such a view is totally inconsistent with Scripture.

Moses, Esther, Dinah, Abraham, Mary, the disciples, Paul, every follower of Christ we see in scripture, everyone who ever followed Jesus faithfully and participated in God’s plan for their life follow the same pattern…God shows them where He is at work, invites them to participate with Him and this invitation requires an adjustment in their life so they might do so.

Sometimes this adjustment is a big one and other times it is rather small but eventually we are called to a large one. Simply becoming a follower of Jesus requires one to repent of sin and be born again so we have all been there at least once! Be assured there will be other times when following Jesus will require a big adjustment again.

The reason I can say this is simple, we live our life by faith in God and faith often leads to adjustments in our life as we are given new opportunities to be a part of what God is doing.

Wise Men have faith and adjust…will you?

There will come a crisis of belief when you will decide whether to have faith, adjust and follow God or stay in the comforts of home. The wise men could have just stayed in the east and never made the difficult adjustments and hard journey west. And we have the same choice given us as well. We can stay where we are, in the perceived comforts of the moment, never adjust, never join what God is doing. But at what cost???

What is God showing you right now? Do you see your star? Have you heard God’s voice? Are you coming to understand where He is at work?

Reward

The Wise Men went on the long journey and found where the child Jesus was, were filled with joy and worshipped Him. They saw the Messiah with their eyes. They were given the privilege of falling on their face before His literal presence and worshipping Him.

Can we begin to imagine the moment? Can we begin to imagine how precious and wonderful this was? Can we begin to imagine how it affected them both in that second and for the rest of their life? It was a life altering moment for them.

They went back home and told the story for the rest of their lives. They told how they saw the star, loaded the camels, the long journey to Bethlehem, the shocked and troubled Herod, the baby, the angels warning concerning their return home and how their encounter with Jesus was like nothing they had ever known.

There is a reward, a blessing, for those who have faith, adjust their life and participate in God’s plan. For those who become a part of what He is doing in the world around them. But to get to the reward we have to keep our eyes on God and our faith in Him. We have to believe and trust Him for what we have heard, what we can’t see and what he has promised will be.

Many Christians have occasions in their life when they see where God is working, are invited to join Him, see how big the adjustment to do so, how hard the journey looks and stay right where they are.

And here is the most tragic thing, after staying home, they will continue to pray for opportunity to serve God, to see where He is at work and join Him…but what they are not saying in their prayers…what they have instead said with their life…is they want to do so on their own terms…in a way that doesn’t cost too much, require too much change or sacrifice.

This is our nature…to serve God on our own terms. To have relationship with Him in a way that cost little. This is what our flesh craves…security, comfort and self centeredness.

But we are called to so much more! A life exemplified by these men who made the journey to Jesus. A life of faith, trust in Christ, Christ centeredness and reward beyond our wildest dreams.

Jacob Davis was a tailor with a problem. It was the height of the Gold Rush in the 1800s American West and the gold miners’ work pants kept wearing out. His solution? Davis went to a local dry goods company owned by Levi Strauss, purchased tent cloth, and made work pants from that heavy, sturdy material—and blue jeans were born. Today, denim jeans in a variety of forms (including Levi’s) are among the most popular clothing items in the world, and all because tent material was given a new purpose.

Jacob Davis was a tailor with a problem. It was the height of the Gold Rush in the 1800s American West and the gold miners’ work pants kept wearing out. His solution? Davis went to a local dry goods company owned by Levi Strauss, purchased tent cloth, and made work pants from that heavy, sturdy material—and blue jeans were born. Today, denim jeans in a variety of forms (including Levi’s) are among the most popular clothing items in the world, and all because tent material was given a new purpose.

Peter and his friends were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus arrived and called them to follow Him. He gave them a new purpose. No longer would they fish for fish. As Jesus told them, “Come, follow me, . . . and I will send you out to fish for people” (). “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Simon and his friends were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus arrived and called them to follow Him. He gave them a new purpose. No longer would they fish for fish. As Jesus told them, “Come, follow me, . . . and I will send you out to fish for people” ().

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

With this new purpose set for their lives, these men were taught and trained by Jesus so that, after His ascension, they could be used by God to capture the hearts of people with the message of the cross and resurrection of Christ.

With this new purpose set for their lives, these men were taught and trained by Jesus so that, after His ascension, they could be used by God to capture the hearts of people with the message of the cross and resurrection of Christ. Today, we follow in their steps as we share the good news of Christ’s love and salvation.

Right now your life has purpose of some kind. You are living for something or someone. What is it? Is your life ordinary, common and boring? Are you living for things that matter?

May our lives both declare and exhibit this love that can change the lives, purposes, and eternal destinies of others.

Leonard Ravenhill has this epitaph on his tombstone, “Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?” Does your life matter? Is your purpose something of significance? Something that will make impact for eternity? The only way this can happen is for you to be a part of what God is doing around you.

Are you living the life of faith

Conclusion

Michael W Smith wrote a song some years ago and I think we can all relate. It is called “Go West Young Man.” It is a story really of the struggle to follow God and His plans for our life. To live rightly. To live a life of higher calling, purpose, significance and joy than we could ever produce on our own.

Smith writes, Why must I wander like a cloud...Following the crowd...Well I don't know...But I'm asking for the will to fight...To wear the crown of life...And you say go...Go west young man...Go west young man...When the evil go east..Go west young man...Go west young man...Find a heart that's golden

Have you found a heart that is golden? I think Smith is talking about a heart on fire for Jesus…living a life of faith…participating in His life and plans…a life that has found purpose, meaning and something to live for that matters.

God is calling you to more than a mere existence on earth. More than mere survival until the sweet by and by. God is calling you to something fantastic, magnificent and wonderful. A walk with Him…by faith in Him…participating in His way of changing this world in which we live..

Will you choose to load up the camels, adjust your life and follow God? Will you choose faith in 2019 and forever thereafter?

Be a part of something bigger than you. Something more significant than anything else you could ever do in this life. be a part of God’s plan to change the world; God’s plan to save the world.