Who Will Be King?: Faith and Fear in the City of David

Rescuer

WELCOME

Good morning family

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

In just a moment we’ll hear a reading from the text for today’s sermon in Matthew 2. Turn there now.

While you’re turning, five quick announcements:

1) A word about PBC. We are Worshipers.

One way we worship together is by praying together

Three prayers, pray with us! Say amen.

2) Thank you for helping us send $1586 to support ministry to Afghan refugees.

We are prayerfully considering ways to serve refugees that will eventually be resettled here.

3) Tabletalk at 5:30 tonight—The Permanence of Marriage

What should Christians believe about divorce?

Program for kids preschool - 6th grade, working on a Christmas Pageant

4) Women’s Brunch—September 18 at 11 AM

Can sign up online or at the blue flag

Explain the blue flag

5) Men’s Retreat at Camp Piankatank—September 23-25

Deadline to register is Thursday

Now look in your Bibles at Matthew 2:1 as Sue Collins comes to read for us.

Scripture Reading (Matthew 2:1-12)

Prayer of Praise (God is personal)

Strong God

There Is A Fountain

Prayer of Confession (Disobedience, Cameron Harris)

No Condemnation

New City Catechism #37

Pastoral Prayer (Mike Lindell)

SERMON

Did you know it’s possible to see something without really seeing it? To be in the presence of something or someone, without really being present?

Consider this picture, for example.

SHOW PHONE-FREE LADY PICTURE & KEEP ON SCREEN FOR STORY

It was taken a few years ago in Boston at the premier of a Johnny Depp film.

Notice the excitement on everyone’s faces as Johnny Depp and the his co-stars walked onto the red carpet.

But notice also, almost everyone is seeing . . . but they’re not really seeing. They’re present, but they’re not really present.

Except for one elderly lady leaning on a fence.

While everyone around her has their eyes fixed on a their cell phone screens, she’s looking at the movie stars in real life.

She’s really seeing, because she’s undistracted by her phone.

There’s a number of lessons this lady can teach us, but I want us to think about one way we’re just like the rest of the crowd in this picture.

Far too often we see God’s Word without really seeing it.

Far too often we’re in His presence without really being present.

I’m sure our cell phones and other devices are often part of the problem.

But all too often, we’re distracted not by our phones but by familiarity.

Turn to Matthew 2

This is a very familiar Bible story: the story about wise men following a star and giving gifts to a baby king

It’s been immortalized on film, on stage, in Christmas Carols, and in countless Nativity scenes all over the world

But there is much for us to learn from this story if we’ll follow the example of the phone-free lady and really look at this passage.

Not looking at the passage through the lens of what we think we know, but looking at what it actually says.

Begin by busting some myths about the wise men...

Only mentioned in Matthew 2, so what we’ve read this morning is all we know

Don’t know if they rode camels

Don’t know how many

No indication they were kings

Definitely don’t know their names (Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior)

They weren’t at the manger (v. 11)

What do we know about them?

We know they were gentiles (v. 1—“from the east”)

Significant because most Jewish people were expecting a Messiah who would come for Jews only.

Gentiles often perceived as the enemy

It was the Gentile Romans who began occupying Palestine about 60 years prior

We know they were “magi”

English translation says “wise men,” (v. 1) but the original language says “magi”

Most of us would consider “wise man” to be a compliment, but that’s not the way Matthew uses the term

The word Magi originally referred to pagan priests from Persia and Babylon. They were occult teachers, astrologers, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, sorcerers, and wizards.

The term was used multiple times in the Septuagint in Daniel to refer to magicians and sorcerers.

The only other time the word is used in the NT, it’s always referring to sorcery and sorcerers.

Isn’t it interesting that the very first people worshipping Jesus in Matthew’s gospel are a group of Gentile sorcerers?

This really gets us to the point of this story:

Week 1—the genealogy showed us the type of king Jesus will be

Week 2—the story of Joseph invited us to put our faith in King Jesus, and showed us an example of what true faith looks like

Today—the magi show us how to believe, and Matthew invites you to ask yourself: “do I really see? do I really believe? Is this really faith or is it just familiarity?”

Nothing could be worse than thinking you believe, but in the end realizing it was just familiar and comfortable.

Three Steps to Real Faith:

1) FOLLOW the Clues.

Matthew 2:1-2—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 saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.”

How did these magi come to worship Jesus? They followed the clues.

They see a star, and somehow they know it’s pointing to something bigger than itself.

It makes sense that they looked for the king of the Jews in Jerusalem, but how did they know the star meant a king was born?

Maybe they had dreams (v. 12)

Maybe they knew bits and pieces of Old Testament prophesy...

For example, when Israel was wandering in the wilderness a Gentile prophet named Balaam prophesied that one day...

Numbers 24:17 — “… a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel …”

Or perhaps they knew Isaiah’s prophecy...

Isaiah 60:1-6 — Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD.

The Bible doesn’t tell us how the magi knew what they knew, and that’s not really the point. The point is, they followed the light they had.

They knew the star was pointing to the king of the Jews, so they did what seemed most natural to them and traveled hundreds/thousands of miles to go to Jerusalem, the city of king David

Are you following the clues that God has given you?

The Bible tells us that all of us have been given several clues to the existence of God...

Creation...

Astronaut John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth. After his final flight to space he said, “To look out at this kind of creation and not believe in God is to me impossible. It just strengthens my faith.”

Psalm 19:1—The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

Do you look at creation and see clues for the existence of a Creator?

The Conscience...

Two 9/11 documentaries. The first explain the story on a level accessible to children. The second was an Apple+ documentary that told the story of president Bush’s day from a morning run in Sarasota, Florida to an evening press conference from the Oval Office.

Both documentaries acknowledged the wrong of what happened that day

President Bush called it "evil,” “despicable,” and “the very worst of human nature”

A little girl on the family-friendly documentary simply said, "I thought that it was really sad that someone would want to hurt that many people on purpose, and I was wondering why they would want to do that."

Both are examples of the human conscience. We know instinctively certain things are wrong. Why?

Romans 2:14-16—For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Do you look at the existence of good and evil and see clues for the existence of a Lawgiver?

If you see those clues and you follow them, you’re on the right track. But following these clues isn’t enough. In fact, it’s only enough to damn you.

Romans 1:18-20—For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Do you really see? Do you really believe? Is this really faith or is it just familiarity?

Following the clues in the sky got the Magi to Jerusalem, but it didn’t get them to Bethlehem. To get to Bethlehem they needed to...

2) HEAR God’s Word.

The magi arrive in Jerusalem and start asking around, if people know where the king of the Jews has been born. Eventually a king named Herod hears the news...

2:3—When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him

The Bible isn’t fantasy or science-fiction. It’s history.

Not talking about Gotham, Tatooine, or the Shire. These are real places, like Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Not talking about Bruce Wayne or Luke Skywalker or Frodo Baggins. These are real people, like King Herod.

King Herod...

SHOW HEROD THE GREAT PICTURE

The first of several kings in the Bible named Herod

Often referred to as Herod the Great, the name given to him by an ancient historian named Josephus

We know much about Herod the Great from historical records and archaeological excavations

A great builder

Built theaters, race tracks, entertainment venues, an incredible fortress called Masada

But none of those were his greatest achievement

In Matthew 24, a few days before Jesus’ crucifixion, the disciples make a comment to Jesus about how beautiful the temple is. Herod the Great built that temple.

But Herod the Great was also paranoid and ruthless

Changed his will six different times based on who he felt he could trust

Had his wife’s brother killed, then his wife, then his mother-in-law, then three of his own sons

Shortly before his death, he arrested some of the most prominent citizens in Jerusalem and ordered they be executed the moment he died. Why? He wanted people to weep, not celebrate, on the day of his death.

No wonder Herod is troubled. He’s a jealous, paranoid, power-hungry king who’s just learned that a king of the Jews was just born.

No wonder the people in Jerusalem are troubled. When Herod is troubled, nobody is safe.

How often are we like the people in Jerusalem? What concerns us more, finding and following Jesus or having our safety and wellbeing threatened?

So what’s Herod going to do?

2:4—and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

Herod wasn’t a Jew, but he knew enough to know they were looking forward to a coming Messiah King

Remember, “the Christ” means “the Messiah.”

So he gathers all the rabbis and scholars and asks them where the Messiah would be born

2:5-6—They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O 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 Israel.’ ”

They’re quoting...

Micah 5:2—But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Two problems...

What they don’t say.

They leave out the final part of the verse.

The Messiah exists even before He comes from Bethlehem. He would be God in human flesh.

Often what’s most dangerous is not what a Bible teacher says, but what is left unsaid.

What they don’t do.

They don’t go to Bethlehem!

Six miles away. Same distance as Langley AFB from here

“The Magi knew so little, came so far, and gave so much. The teachers of the law knew so much, were so near, and did so little.” [1]

Two sinful approaches to God’s Word...

Herod: A “me-centered” approach

He cares what Scripture says only if it helps him hold onto his power

We do the same thing

Loving Jesus for what He can give us

People walk away from faith because life is hard!

Martin Luther—“A dungeon with Christ is a throne, and a throne without Christ is a hell.”

The religious leaders: A tadpole approach

They’re all head but little else. They know the Bible without knowing the God of the Bible

We do the same thing

Knowing a lot without doing a lot

In one sentence, Jesus condemns both errors...

John 5:39—You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me.

Scripture is not about you! It’s about Jesus and His glory!

Knowing the Scriptures isn’t enough if you don’t know the God of the Scriptures

What should we do? Follow the example of the magi...

2:7-8—Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And 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.”

Herod likely shares this news with the magi, sending them to Bethlehem

They probably believe that Herod really wanted to worship the Messiah

But unlike Herod and the religious leaders, they truly believed God’s Word.

They weren’t listening for what they could get. They’re not in this to get but to give.

They weren’t listening for the sake of knowledge alone. They didn’t say “OK, cool, he’s in Bethlehem!” then return to where they came from. They kept going.

What about you? Are you hearing God’s Word so you can benefit yourself? Or are you truly seeking to find Jesus there? Are you learning God’s Word like an academic textbook, or are you truly seeking to follow Jesus?

Hearing God’s Word is necessary, but it’s not enough.

Hearing God’s Word is necessary—nobody comes to Christ unless they hear the truths of God’s Word

Romans 10:14-17—How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Why we preach and teach Scripture

Why parents should strive to have their kids regularly hearing God’s Word

Why you should personally be in God’s Word

Why we send missionaries and support Bibles being translated

Hearing God’s Word is not enough

Not denying the sufficiency of Scripture

Your hearing of Scripture isn’t enough. You have to respond!

A Bible-preaching church on a Sunday morning is one of the most dangerous places you can be. Why? Because you can hear God’s Word and not obey it.

The magi show us one more step...

3) SEE and Believe.

2:9-10—After listening to the king, 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. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

The magi keep searching, and they keep seeing

Often we don’t see great things from God because we stop searching for them

Matthew 7:7-8—“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Jesus is not playing cosmic hide-and-seek. He wants to be found!

Notice what these magi treasure: they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. (v.10)

When’s the last time you rejoiced like that? When’s the last time you rejoiced like that over the things of the Lord?

The magi still don’t stop...

2:11a—And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him.

There is a sense in which these magi worship Jesus more purely then anyone else in Matthew’s gospel.

After all, it’s a child being worshiped.

Jesus didn’t become God. He was and is eternally God.

Jesus wasn’t worthy of worship because of the miracles He would later perform. He was and is worthy of worship simply because of who He is.

Does Jesus receive your worship only after He does something good for you? Does He receive your worship simply because of who He is?

2:11b—Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Here we see why the magi were so happy. The only thing they wanted from Jesus was Jesus. So they gave their gifts to Him in worship!

Do you love Jesus or what He can give you?

Jesus does give! But His greatest gift is Himself. Don’t love His gifts more than Him!

12—And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

We never hear from them again

I wonder if they ever struggled to believe what they saw that day.

If they’re like the disciples they did

If they’re like you and me they did

They’re not the heroes of this story. But who is?

I was thinking about phone-free lady this morning and it dawned on me, there’s more going on here than meets the eye...

Everybody else has a frenzied look of fanatical worship on their faces

Not phone-free lady. She looks like a mom, looking at her son or daughter

You know that look of pure love

If we can put it this way for a second, that’s the way the Father looked at His Son sitting on Mary’s lap in a Bethlehem house. Love. Pure love.

But God’s love is an outgoing, overflowing love. He wants to share it. He’s the hero of this story!

Who put the star in the sky and enabled them so see it?

Who revealed to them what the star meant?

Who led them to Jerusalem and let them hear where Messiah would be born?

Years before, who told the prophet Micah that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem?

Who led the star to stop over the house where Jesus’ family was staying?

Who warned them in a dream not to return to Herod?

God is sovereign over nature, over circumstances, and even what pops into your head when you sleep. And He’ll use all of it to draw sinners to Himself!

If you don’t know Him, ask Him to draw you!

If you know Him, you’re in Christ—the Father looks at you like that because Jesus died and rose again in your place!

That’s the kind of love that should cause us to rejoice with exceedingly great joy

That’s the kind of love worth giving everything for

That’s the kind of love we have in Jesus

Stronger

Benediction (Revelation 5:12-13)