Whom do you seek?

Title: Whom Do You Seek?

Text:Matthew 2:1-12

Introduction: Now that Christmas day has come and gone, decorations are coming down, family is returning home, what will you do in the coming days, weeks and new year with the time you have?

There is always something to be planning, somewhere to be going, someone to answer to, call back, visit, etc but do you and I make time, intentional time, to seek/pursue Jesus on a daily basis?

Theological Lesson: Pursue Jesus daily with the goal to grow your faith, not occasionally with the goal to manipulate Him

3 Challenges: Following Jesus will bring 3 challenges to your life:

Following Jesus will challenge your perception of people—

the unlikely come to Jesus and worship Him

Following Jesus will challenge your political alliances —

Many sided/invested with the religious elite and political powerhouses of the day, because it was important to them but they did not find being with Jesus as important as their politics

Following Jesus will challenge your religious complacency—

This is a daily walk with Jesus, not a one time commitment that has no growth.

Read 1-12

TS: 3 major questions I want to ask us today coming out of Christmas day

1. Do you see the need for seeking Jesus at all? (1-6)

Lesson THEN:

As the Magi come to Jerusalem to seek the King of kings, they naturally come to the kings court and inquire about this and Herod and the religious leaders seemed to oblivious to this inquiry as revealed in 3-6.

Magi’s journey would have consisted hundreds of miles and may have taken anywhere from weeks to months depending upon how many were traveling and if they stopped along the way to purchase fresh frankincense and myrrh.

We’ll talk more about the Magi later, but notice their declaration

Notice “who is born King”, not, “who will be born King”

Herod gathers the religious elites--Chief priest and Scribes--to inform him on the prophecy.

They know the scriptures, recite them, but do not act of them, positively or negatively.

In other words, they saw no need to be searching for a Savior.

Key concepts:

They knew the scriptures mentally, but their lives were not in tuned to the scriptures personally.

My wife, Rachel, reminded me of a quote she read and I’m sharing it with you:

“Many people mark in their Bible but rarely does the Bible mark them.”

Lesson NOW:

Like then, the temptation to remain apathetic--no desire-- for Jesus is prevalent.

We may feel a sense of desire for change, maybe, when Christmas Eve service comes around.

We may hear something profound and convicting that might even cause us to think that this will be the year that my life will be different

But when the music fades, presents are gone, people are gone too, we are left with a challenging decision to either pursue what we know (mental) to have it become personal.

The Scribes and Chief Priests chose not to move on this news and this represents their antagonistic view throughout the gospels and Jesus’ ministry.

Question?:

Now that Christmas Day has come and gone, do you see the need for seeking Jesus still?

2. Do you see Jesus as a threat to your life and therefore need to get rid of him? (7-8)

Lesson THEN:

As the Religious elite stay neutral (neither positive or negative), Herod presses deeper and on the surface it looks like this religious king is somewhat interested.

Herod Reputation:

Herod was know in antiquity for his genius intellect, strategies, military, architecture and engineering--he had a lot to boast about as history records.

Herod was a narcissist who loved power, position and control to the point that he had 2 of sons murdered because he believed a rumor they were talking about who would rule after he died.

Josephus records he had them strangled in a city not from Caesarea

He had his favorite wife, Mariamme I’s parents killed and then had her tried and convicted to be killed as well, followed by another son of his that was executed.

It looks on the surface that this man, of all men, was in need of Savior for all the dark sinister deeds he committed and his lust for power, position and recognition in life.

Surely he would see the need for a Savior that could bring some alleviation to his guilt ridden conscious that would plague him till his death.

So, Herod, armed with what the religious elite said, provides the Magi with additional information and leaves them with an apparent sincere request

(verse 8)

Magi’s declaration: They state the young baby Jesus’ current position as royalty--where IS HE who IS born king of the Jews, not, where is He who WILL BE born king of the Jews-- and this poses a crossroads decision for Herod

Crossroad decision

Accept the biblical prophecy and embrace this king--humble heart

Herod could have decreased so that Jesus would increase

Famous words of John the Baptist, not that he was like Herod regarding sinister deeds but that his heart position toward God was one of humility

Inquire about the biblical prophecy but have your own plans

Key concept: Embrace humility and reject pride and prestige

Humble hearts are they key to coming to Jesus.

hold your place and turn to Psalm 51:16–17

contrite — feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses.

to be broken (spirit) — to be weakened or destroyed in spirit.

When our spirit’s proud and arrogant, it will become strong in this area and bow against the LORD

Proud spirits lack humility, they consider humility a weaknesses, and they reject being #2 in life and God being #1.

PAUL: Most intelligent man of his day and yet he battled the flesh in the area of pride because of his reception and knowledge of God

bounce back to the NT 2 Cor 12:7-10

Paul accepted the humble position and used his weakness to further the kingdom

PRIDE: Where there is no humility, there will be pride and pride is

Proverbs 16:18 (NASB95)

18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

Proverbs 11:2 (NASB95)

2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 18:12 (NASB95)

12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.

Lesson NOW:

If you see your lifestyle, your agenda, your goals as more important than serving Jesus, you're living a proud and arrogant life that WILL catch up with you.

You will see submitting to Jesus as a threat to your personal kingdom--lifestyle, decisions, etc

You will prevent yourself from listening to teaching, songs, sermons, and will not surround yourself with Christian men/women, small groups that talk about Jesus, conviction, sin and redemption and grace.

Live a Life on Mission: We can live life to the fullest and have Jesus at the center of everything, living a life on mission in our homes, jobs, community, social media, neighbors, sharing this good news of Jesus with them and allow the Holy Spirit to do what He does best...He does the saving, not you

Question?

Will you decrease today, this coming year, so that Jesus will increase in your life?

3. Do you see Jesus as Savior and thus worthy of worship? (9-12)

Lesson THEN:

Magi faithfully followed the star and Herod’s information and now they are at the house where Mary, Joseph and Jesus were at.

Know the Magi were not there at the birth (Matt 2:1)

We know we are no longer in a manger setting, we are in a home weeks to months to maybe a year + to find Jesus (hence Herod’s decision to kill boys 2 years and younger)

The point is the Magi faithfully pursued this new born King to pay him homage and respect and offer him royal gifts

As royal ambassadors, they would not have traveled alone especially with the gifts they were bringing. This would have made them susceptible to robbers and bandits.

We don’t know how many there were and the number 3 was based upon the amount of gifts given but nowhere in the Bible does it state how many Magi came.

Tradition gives us the names

Melchoir--King of Persia

Gaspar--King of India

Balthasar--King of Arabia

But there is no factual/historical data supporting this and to add to it, this “3” king concept of Orient afar came into existence in the 6th century--500 years after the birth of Christ.

What we do know is that their presence disturbed the city

Entourage vs 3 men

They come into the courts asking a disturbing question:

We know there were 3 types of gifts-- gold, frankincense and myrrh--but we do not know how many trunks were given of each

They took time out of their lives to come and to the King

We don’t know if they became “believers” but we do see here that they do what the God’s people should have done--bow down and worship.

Key concepts:

Worship: to bow down in submission usually to a deity, or show respect to a king

Pursuing Jesus takes time: time from your daily schedule, activities, life but the return on investment is far greater than what you put into it

Lesson NOW:

Are you and I taking time out of our lives to pursue Jesus and come to him with what we have and bow down to him?

Closing:

How do you see Jesus today after Christmas day has come and gone?

Do you see a need to pursue him at all?

Do you see Jesus as a threat to your life and decision making?

Do you see Jesus as worthy of worship and worth the pursuit?