Jesus: King of Kings (Matt 2:1-18)

Will Tyler my message this morning is Jesus the king of kings? And one of the brightest symbols of the Christmas story is the Star of Bethlehem. Every year we hear how the wise men traveled from the East following that Fame star to pay homage to Jesus Christ the newborn king. This morning. We are going to investigate the birth of Jesus from the perspective of the Wiseman. A powerful group of leaders who were the kingmakers of the ancient Middle East you got your Bible. You can take it out and turn with me to Matthew Chapter 2 and follow along. Here's what Matthew records took place as the wise men entered Jerusalem.

The after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, where is he who has been born King of the Jews for we saw his star when it Rose and have come to worship Him. I told you last week that our family experience Christmas this year Through The Eyes of a wise men. So I'm will equipped for this message. Bryce was the first Wiseman to present his gift to Jesus at the school's Christmas program and Bryce loves to play dress-up and he has ever since he was very little in fact is a grandparents recognize that early on and so they have a little a little coat rack in their house with three or four different costumes that my mom searched the world to find. He's got an astronaut costume that's got like a silver outfit with gloves and helmet the whole thing sometimes, you know, we want to send it to the moon depending on the day, right? He's got a fireman's costume, which is a cool little thing. He's also at our house got a kitchen that is Grandparents from California bought him a daily regular basis. At least he'll come and ask you what would you like me to prepare for you? And then he goes back and he prepares it and he comes out and so as I pulled up the week before Christmas, I think it was Thursday or Friday Thursday. It was and open the car door. I price jumped in the car with this paper sack in his hand and he was super excited to tell me about what was inside of it. Well inside of it was his wise men Garb and as soon as we got home he wanted to put it on so that he can show me and I said to him on your mom's not going to be home for another hour or two. Why don't you wait until she gets home he would have nothing to do with that and he immediately began to put on his tunic and in the headdress at all the different things and he came out in his purple and he asked me what what the color purple man. I told them in royalty in that kind of a thing and he came out in his purple Regale yet. As one of the wise men who would introduce Jesus Christ the world and he was super excited about that and then an hour went by and his mom wasn't home and he got hard to the top part came off and then another 30 minutes in the bottom part, but he quickly put it back on as soon as she came in the house to show her a who he had been called me. I think it was super excited to be able to use one of his passions with a purpose on that day of the Christmas program as we gather together at Four Oaks Church here in Tallahassee of rice made his way after the shepherds in the Angels across The stage with his two other compete rijec and he stopped before the baby Jesus and he immediately pointed up to the heavens. Do you know what he was pointing at? It was pointing at the star which is pointed the way did the birth of Jesus and he dropped out his knee and you could almost here at go through the whole area and then he presented the gift to Jesus in the most beautiful way. He was tasked with identifying the child who was born King of the Jews and he did a great job. Well for many of us the story of the wise man is a story that we learn from children's programs enforced year after year of watching these things transpire or being in the family of a wise man, at least for a certain season of life, but our traditional portrayal of the wise man is 3 loan humble Kings to announce Christ's birth is largely unsupported by the biblical account. Matthew does not suggest that the wise men were Kings. He does not say that there were three in number. He says there were three gifts. He doesn't say that there were three wise men nor does he imply that they were from the Orient? It does not say anything about those fundamental elements of the Christmas story and and most troubling perhaps of our misconceptions. Is that our misconceptions about the wise men cause us to miss the immense weight and significance of the role that they played in identifying and coordinating Jesus as the King of Kings and the king of the Jews. So who exactly were the wise men that Matthew speaks about where were they from? What was their background? And what does Matthew intend to tell us about Jesus by including them in their appearance in his gospel since he is the only one to do so Open my careful reading of Matthew's account. You will notice that the wise men first arrived not in Bethlehem, but in Jerusalem, and their arrival would have struck the city dumb. The wise men or Magi who in ride in Jerusalem would not have come alone and they would not have come humbly. They were very powerful men who traveled with the great Entourage much like a president or Head of State who travels with a large group of support staff officials in a security Personnel. The Magi would have appeared in the city of Jerusalem with hundreds. If not a thousand people in their retinue Weissman were so significant get that a very possibly would have had an armed force with them as well as the bad guy as they arrived in the city of Jerusalem would have stopped the city and its track. And that's not simply because of the Entourage that would have come with them. But because of the very fact that they were Magi and the people of Jerusalem knew who the Magi were. The Magi were the most powerful political leaders of the medo-persian empire ever the kingmakers of that culture and their tribe their group had served in that role for hundreds. If not a thousand years or more their position power and Prestige were well known throughout the ancient world and they were known in Jerusalem as well and the Magi were not passing through Jerusalem to go carry out a task in some far-off land, but they had come to Jerusalem to Crown the king of the Jews. It's in the city was struck dumb by their presents and certainly their King for the time here. It was as well. Appearance of the Magi in Matthews account is not their first appearance in the pages of scripture 600 years earlier the Magi appear in the biblical story the Babylonians the most violent of the ancient empires under the leadership of King Nebuchadnezzar seized Jerusalem. They raise the city to the ground and they destroyed the temple. It was 586 BC and it was a judgment that came by way of God's hand upon his people for their idolatry. Well in this great moment of God's judgment on his people the destruction of the holy city and of the temple young people from Israel were taken captive by the Babylonians as well as the strong in the capable of the city and take it back with him to Baghdad and that younger generation was with catalog. They were tested to see which of these Israelites that had been deported from Israel could provide resources and to prove to be an asset to the Babylonian Kingdom. Will one of those young men you're familiar with by name. His name was Daniel and he was recognized to be a very capable young man. He was trained in the way of the Babylonians it all of their arts and in all of their wisdom so that he could grow to become a leader in their communities. Often we hear of America as a Melting Pot we hear stories of people who traveled all from all over the world just to get here so they can experience this country and opportunity that our land provides. Well if America is a Melting Pot of people by choice Babylonia was Stu a melting stew of those who have been conscripted to serve in that Kingdom. And so the Babylonians would take those that they captured their most capable and they would mix them into the Babylonian stew and they would train them in their ways. I was one way to ensure that the people remain faithful to them because they had great standing in the Babylonian Community. Daniel was one of those young men. And if you'll remember the story of Daniel, you will remember that first account of the Magi in the scripture. I'll stop and think of the word Magi for a moment. Is there any English word? That sounds a little bit like that that you're familiar with Magi and magic or magician right to listen to this account written 600 years before Jesus the first introduction of the Magi in the biblical story and we might be able to get a sense of why the Magi arrived when the Jesus was born in Jerusalem. So they were from a different Kingdom and from a thousand miles away. Daniel chapter 2 verses 1 through 19 Nebuchadnezzar had dreams his mind was troubled and could not sleep to the Kings summon. The magician's enchanters Sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means. Any astrologers answered the king May the King live forever. Tell your servants the dream and we will interpret it. The king replied to the astrologers. This is what I have firmly decided. If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpreted. I will have you cut into pieces and your house has turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it you'll receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor to tell me the dream and interpret it for me. What's more they replied but they can tell his servants the dream and we will interpret it. In the king answered. I am certain that you are trying to gain time because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided. If you do not tell me the dream there is only one penalty for you. You conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things hoping the situation will change so then tell me the dream and I will know that you can interpret it for me. Do you see what's happening here to very strange moment where the king is not simply asking for the interpretation of the dream, but he's commanding that his wise men tell him what the dream was. So he has not shared it with anyone and then interpret for them and if they're not able to do that, then he knows that they're simply false false Wiseman false magicians. Astrologers respond answering the king. Is no one on earth who can do what the King asks? No King. However Great and Mighty has ever ask such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer what the King asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods and they do not live among humans. This made the king. So angry and Furious. They ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. When arioch the commander of the kingsguard had gone out to put to death the Wiseman of Babylon Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact he asked the king's officer. Why did the king issue such a harsh decree? Arioch Vin explain the matter to Daniel at this Daniel went into the king and asked for time so that he might interpret the dream for him. Ben Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends hananiah. Mishael and Azariah. You might know them is Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. He urged them to plead for Mercy from the god of Heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night. The mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision then Daniel praised the god of Heaven. and the next day he went into King Nebuchadnezzar and he told him what his dream was and everyone there in the presence of the king including the king himself was astonished that God had revealed these things because as the Magi said no man on Earth could do what Daniel had done and Daniel gave the glory to God and the dream came to pass just as God has allowed the interpretation to be given to the king and so the king made Daniel the chief of the Magi of Babylon the wisest of the wise men And the story of redemption was shared with the Magi of Babylon that was 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Daniel would certainly have shared what the prophet spoke about the Redeemer who would be born as a son of a woman who would redeem not just God's people but the entire world including the Gentiles from sin and from that has her down through the years the Magi shared these stories. I told this story to do two braids and I think it was a Christmas or the night after Christmas. We were talking about this event. Then he talked about how his Sunday school teacher had taught him some of these things about how well we'll talk about that later. But we we had a little further conversation and he asked me what was Daniel told the 600 years before Jesus. How did the wise men know when Jesus was born still to look for him and I shared with Brayden it from generation to generation the Wiseman the Magi Babylon. Stompeez prophetic truths much as we threw the Christmas Eve is season have taught you the prophecies and scripture prophecies that have been fulfilled in our past. So to just at the people of God hand it on down those prophecies that were yet to be fulfilled the Magi handed down those prophecies yet to be fulfilled. And as the ones who anointed Kings of the Persian Empire, they kept their eyes fixed on these promises for the coming of this Messiah this Savior King into the world. And so we go a little further into our text Matthew Chapter 2. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold. Why is Ben from the East came to Jerusalem saying, where is he who has been born King of the Jews for we saw his star when it Rose and if come to worship Him Play addiction to studying the scriptures in the literature in the wisdom of the world. The Magi also studied the heavens. They were astronomers much like our scientists of today. They look to the Heavens to the Chart the courses of the heavens understand the meaning of the cosmos and Beyond simply charting the stars as inanimate objects that had nothing to do with events on Earth. They were convinced that the God had placed the stars in the heavens in such a way that he could communicate what would happen here on Earth through those very important things in the clouds. It's so for some reason his Providence gossip God saw fit and their experience to blend together the prophetic wisdom of the inspired profits with their understanding of the heavens and these Magi over the course of this 600 years watch the heavens for the day in which the star would appear that would signify the coming of this Redeemer King. And remarkably and perhaps unexpectedly even to the Magi when they is they arose and look to the Heavens to the stars in the sky. They saw a great star like they had never seen before a star that could only signify the coming not simply of a regional king or even a imperial King but the coming of the king of kings and as soon as they saw that star in the sky a prophecy foretold by Daniel revealed in their day, they began to pack and make plans to follow it to find the birth of this child the prophet 10 foretold until I say enter into Jerusalem with the a great Entourage of men and servants and slaves and and workers and perhaps even Warriors the city was struck dumb by these Babylonian kingmakers who had come to the city of David not simply to rest as a waypoint on their Journey, but the eye unify the king of the Jews and no one in Jerusalem was more struck by their arrival than the one who called himself the king of the Jews. And as they arrived they presented their questions to Herod about where this king of the Jews was and where he was to be born Matthew records here. It's impression of these events when Herod heard I went when Herod the king heard this first three, he was trouble and all Jerusalem with him and his sibling all the chief priests and scribes of the people. He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. Isn't it a remarkable thing that the Son of God was born in the city of David in Bethlehem, and the prophets and scribes and Scholars of God's people were unaware of it. Until the Magi of the Gentiles the wise men of one of the wickedest kingdoms in the history of the world came and told them that Jesus had come to be born. It's a testimony that Matthew presence of Jesus Christ not simply as the king of the Jews but Jesus Christ the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. And yet. Was not glad to hear of the arrival of this King. It was not good tidings for him. It's almost immediately. He recognized in this proclaimed King to be a competitor for his throne. Herod was a wicked man. He was well known around the world for his portion and in violent rule. . Had been appointed the King of Judea in 37 BC by the Romans. He was not a Jew himself. He was in born from it. It'll do me and father and an Arab mother and so he was a great point of shame to the people of Jerusalem that he had been appointed as their King and so he was very shrewd political to ensure his power in such a tumultuous circumstance. In fact. Would stop at nothing to secure his throne. He killed his own son to ensure that he would not take over. He killed his two stepsons. In fact, he killed his own beloved wife when he worried that her faithfulness to his rule had faltered. Caesar Augustus who we discussed last week said it is better to be herod's Pig than his quiosque son. And it was an expression that was known to all is vengeful in hateful and distrustful was Herod to those even who were closest to him. I get Karen was famed and respected in certain ways. His building projects were legendary from caesarea to the Fort there Masada. That was a luxury Palace and secure Ford in case of attack and his crown jewel the temple in Jerusalem rebuilt with a grand jury and Splendor that had not been seen since the times of Solomon you recall Jesus's disciples as they walk through the temple that Herod had rebuilt marveling at the size of the stones that made it up. And Jesus said to them out of single Stone in this Temple or remain on top of another and only 70 40 or so short years later and 70 AD. The Jew that the Romans raised herod's Temple to the ground, but he was known as Herod the Great in his lifetime. And his greatness was born of his violence and his wickedness and so almost as soon as he heard of this he began to plot and plan how he would undermine this King if he ever turned up. Here to call the tribes and teachers in to learn where the Messiah would be born and they told him verse 5 in Bethlehem of Judea for so it is written by the prophet Micah chapter 5 verse 2 and you oh Bethlehem in the land of Judah are by no means least among the rulers of Judah for from you. Shall come a ruler who will Shepherd my people is real. Who tells us that once. Had learned the location of the king even wanted to determine the age of the time in which this child had been born? Four 7 then Herod summon the wise men note this secretly and ascertain from them. What time the star had appeared? So where is it seems that the first time that they appeared before the king. They were welcomed with the political accoutrement that they would expect as Magi in front of his Court to declare their intentions for which parrot in the entire city was startled this time Harry calls them secretly and privately to learn details that were important for his own political machinations. He summer them secretly to ascertain from what time the star had appeared. It's so clearly that they presented their story to hear it. They told them that the star that appeared in the sky signal the birth of this King and they began to follow it from the time that they saw it and so. Is he called them in certainly not betraying his intent ask them who will win exactly did this star appear and they shared with ceridwen that star had appeared and he made careful note of it as we'll see when the story continues. And so he ascertained the date of the appearance of the star which indicates the birth of the child and then he sent them to Bethlehem saying go and search diligently for the child and when you have found him bring me word that I too may come and worship him. After listening to the king Matthew records They went on their way and behold the star that they had seen when it Rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was when they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy, I can only imagine what it must have been like for these Magi who is grown up their entire lives hearing of this story of this prophecy one that had not yet been fulfilled for us. So many prophecies are in the past know there are some very important ones in the future as we'll see today. But for these why is Mandy's Magi these promises these prophecies were taught to them as young men and and it must have been just so amazing for them to to see the star in the sky and to follow it to this far-off city only to find that the star LED them exactly to where they would expect the birth of a Dialed in Humble estate and so as they saw the star rest over the city of Bethlehem just as the prophets of Israel had told in the king had shared with them that Rejoice greatly and they went into the house. They saw the child there verse 11 with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshipped him. I certainly you do obeisance to a King it's protocol but this word here that they worshipped him certainly by Matthew is intended to mean a great deal more. Can we say that the Magi believe that Jesus was the Christ it's hard to say but they're bowing before him their obeisance to him. They're worshiping of him is intended by Matthew to point to the fact that this is not simply a king but the King of Kings and the Lord of lords and so they worship the child there in Bethlehem, and then they open their treasures and the offer him Gifts of gold and frankincense. And myrrh. When is that day comes to a conclusion the remarkable prophetic words of Daniel and so many others fulfilled the signs of the heavens demonstrated conclusively that this child is the one who had been foretold. They go back to their tents to rest from a long journey. It's not a quiet night, cuz they rest but God Appears to them into dream in verse 12 being warned in a dream not to return to Herod a departed to their own country by another way and sew it seams with haste and with stealth a head back to Babylon in a way. That would not be seen by the political leadership or by Herod there in Jerusalem. They sneak out in the darkness of night before anyone is able to know what happened or who this child was.

It's not only the Magi who have a dream that night. But Joseph is well. Now when they had departed Matthew tells us behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said rise take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you for hair it is about to search for the child to destroy him and he rose and took the child in his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remain there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet out of Egypt. I called my son. Then Herod when he saw that he had been tricked by the Wiseman became Furious and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and all the region Uber 2 years old or under according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah a voice was heard in Ramah weeping and Loud lamentation Rachel weeping for her children. She refused to be comforted because they are no more. Jesus Christ the King of the Jews Jesus Christ the King of Kings and the Lord of lords when Jesus Christ comes the King Kong's and when the king of Rives there is no room for any other king or any other Kingdom. Parrot new this very well. And so from the very beginning of the sharing that the Magi did he was already plotting and planning how to subvert the kingship of Jesus Christ had to ensure that he might Rebelle in such a way that he would remain the king of his own life for all his livelong day. And so too is Jesus Christ is born he is born not the king of a region or the king of a Nation or the king of an Empire is Born the King of Kings the king of the world the king of creation and he demands that all his creatures bow down before him and worship him and serve him. And yet the bloody fight that. Carried out on that horrid night is a fight that continues down Through. The Ages is men and women all over the world war against the kingship of Jesus Christ refuse to Bow their knee to the one who alone is the Lord of life and the creator of all things Jesus Christ. It's not simply the king of the Jews he is not simply the king of a certain time. Of human history, but he is the king of kings. He's the king of ours whether we submit or not. Jesus Christ was born in a humble place in a manger and not a palace and yet wise men came from thousands of miles away because of the sovereignty of God in the destruction of Jerusalem in the coming of Daniel who foretold these things because the sovereignty of God who saw to it that the heavenly bodies signified that his son would be born Jesus Christ was born and he was identified not only by the prophets of Israel, but he was identified by the prophets of the Nations as the Son of God as the king of kings that child born in the manger grew and he grew to take hold of a throne of a kingdom that we have never seen yet fully with our own eyes. He live Faithfully through his own life. And then toward the end of his life. He stood before the leaders of that very nation that had sought to kill him. The son of Herod Herod Antipas is the one who questioned Jesus before his death on the cross the perhaps it's Jesus's conversation with the political operative of Rome. That's the most interesting to our exchange today. John chapter 18 records it as Jesus was arrested and stood trial before Pilate for his life his kingship in question. His kingdom in in in in doubt pilot asked him these words. Are you? the king of the Jews Is that your own idea? Jesus asked or talked to you about me by a Jew pilot replied your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done? Jesus said my kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders, but my kingdom is from another place. You are a king. Then said pilot Jesus answered you say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth everyone on the side of Truth listens to me. What is truth retarded pilot with this he went out again to the Jews and Jesus Christ. The King of the Jews was crucified and he became the King of Kings and the Lord of lords a great many prophecies that we have looked at over the course of our Christmas series, like puzzle pieces that give us a glimpse of what God is up to have already been fulfilled. They've already been pieced together on that puzzle Board of the Redemptive plan of God. I went to over to my parents house for Christmas in the first thing that Brayden and rice did was they showed Grandma Kennedy the completed puzzle of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. There was one puzzle piece missing in before the night was over. Thankfully they found it was that 500-piece puzzle that I told you about and so to for us so many of the prophetic statements of God and his Redemptive plant are already on the board. They've already been put in place by God's Sovereign purposes and yet there are some pieces that are yet to be placed on the table. The kingship of Jesus Christ has come to pass the King of Kings has been born. He's laid claim of a throne by defeating his greatest enemy sin and death itself and Rising again on the third day and the scriptures tell us plainly they even today he rules and Reigns at the right hand of God his father from whence he shall come to judge the living and the dead we learned about that. We studied the book of Hebrews has Daniel had a vision of the future and told the Magi what God would do what he has done from our perspective in history. Another one of God's prophets had a vision about that King a vision that has not yet been fulfilled a puzzle piece that rests on the side of the table that has not yet been placed to fulfill the picture. Listen to what John says about this King born in a manger crucified on a cross raised to life seated at the right hand of God one day to return John rights in Revelation, 19:11 and white horse. The one sitting on it is called faithful and true and righteousness. He judges and makes War. His eyes are like a flame of fire and on his head are many crowns and he has a name written that no one knows but himself he is clothed in a robe dipped in blood the blood of the Cross and the name by which she is called is the word of God our first message the word of God became flesh and dwelt Among Us and the armies of Heaven the host of Heaven the shepherds in the field. What who sang the stories to got the hosts of Heaven the armies of Heaven the host of Heaven in fine linen white and pure were following him on white horses from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nation's and he will rule them with a rod of iron He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the almighty and on his robe and on his thigh. He has a name written.

king of kings and Lord of lords Jesus Christ is the king. Will you bow your life to him and serve him? There is no other ruler who will rain in his kingdom. If you don't know Jesus Christ is Lord. The only way that you will know him is if you bow your knee to him and submit to his authority not only over your life, but overall things. The good news about this king is he is not a heartless violent despot like Herod, but this is a king whose kingdom is of another world. It's of Another Kind. It's about a kind that we've never seen before. It's a kingdom that was purchased by a king who went to the Cross to lay down his life for the citizens of his kingdom. Jesus Christ is a king who loves those who he calls his own. He laid his life down for them that he might Rule and Reign and their lives for their own betterment for his own Glory. frizon Grace If you haven't put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, I would encourage you to Bow your knee to him today in this life. You will certainly bow your needed Jesus Christ one day, but in that day his kingdom will be closed in this day. It is open to all who confessed him is Lord and believe in his name. And for those of us who have already confessed Christ is Lord and made him the king of Our Lives. I would encourage you this year this new year to submit your life more fully to him. To see what his plans are for you and not really his plans for you. But his plans for his kingdom in this world of which he desires to make you apart. You are not the king of Christ Kingdom he is but you are one of his servants and we come with the King and we see his glory and we participate in his work and we're all Wonder at the grace that he pours out to the gospel that he brings. Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace to those on whom the king's favor rests. What's closed in a word of Prayer? gracious and mighty king Lord Jesus you came in a way that we've never seen a king come in humility and poverty and what we would call a shameful context. And yet you did those things to demonstrate that you are not a king the likes of which we have ever seen. And then instead of demanding our servitude you went to a cross and lay down your life for us though. We were Rebels without cause that we might be reconciled to you that your piece by piece of a king who had no just the man to provide it might Mark our lives that we might be reconciled to you as our savior as our Lord and as our friend and so we asked Lord as we enter into this New Year help us to Bow our knees and eat our hearts and lives more fully to you. Show us your ways and help us live in them that we might glorify you is King and that we might further your kingdom in this world while there is still time you play all these things in the name of that mighty one our savior the King of Kings and the Lord of lords Jesus Christ. Amen. Let's stand and sing our final song O Come.