We Have Seen His Star

So we went to the Sabbath. How many Regis glad we made it this far? Amen? Amen? It's been for a lot of students that I've spoken to. Everyone just got something Jew at some point in time in the next few weeks. And at this time, we can be reminded that way grateful that no assignments to do on Sabbath and that we can just wash it together. How many of you decorate your dorm room for Christmas? Show of hands? How many? Couple of you some some of your like you're halfway there. Some of you may decorate your dorm room, my wife, Christina when she was studying here in the school of Journalism and Communications. She would decorate her dorm room and she will put the Christmas tree there and she want to put a few presents around the Christmas tree. So she get some empty boxes and should wrap those empty boxes up and if you ever got a present from her, she wraps boxes really well and she make sure that there's no loose ends. And that the corn is a raptor really tightly, and sometimes when she's putting that extra effort into, you won't even see the tape, okay? Off of the places where she wrapped it. And so she wrapped them really nicely and put a bow on it, and put it under the Christmas tree, but if you came by her Christmas tree, and wanted to open up one of the boxes, you'll be disappointed. Because when you open that up, it was just simply an empty box. It, look nice on the outside, but it was empty on the inside. And I believe sometimes we live in a world where people are wrapped nicely on the outside. But when you open up the book, sometimes they can be nothing on the inside and sometimes I want to recognize that. We want the Holy Spirit to go deeper. Amen. We don't want just the Holy Spirit to be superficial in our lives. We want the Holy Spirit to go deep and so, is there one person here tonight? But thank God. I want you to go deeper in my life. Can I get an amen for that? If there's someone that saying, God, I don't want you to just work out, the superficial stuff. I want you to go deep inside of me because when someone goes deeper, God wants us to realize that God wants us to be filled and not empty through his holy spirit. So I'm just so glad that we are able to be free. Tonight, through God's presence in our lives. So I want to invite you to pray with me right now, as we invite the Lord, once again, to be with us. Let us pray, Our Father in Heaven. As we vented Advent season. We have a lot to be joyful about. We have a lot to celebrate because you came from Heaven to Earth, to be incarnated. You took, when one hand, the key of sin in the power of sending our life and in the other hand, you took the keys of death, so that we could experience eternal life. Enjoy with your father during this Advent season. We want to recognize that. We serve a God that loves us so much that he died for us while we were yet. Sinners and we pray that we will see another glimpse of you tonight. Lord. I pray that you be with me nothing to the cross. I bring only to the cross. I cling for a skit in Jesus, loving powerful name. Amen. This evening. We're going to be talking about message entitled. We have seen his star. We have seen his star. I don't know about you. But I hope that God has shown you certain things this year. I hope that as you've journeyed with God and that's, he has led you in your life that you have seen him moving in your life. And sometimes it's not necessarily that we see him in the places that are obvious. But sometimes we will see him in the dark places as well, that God will shine his life even in the dark places. And so we going to turn to the Book of Matthew, Matthew Chapter 2, and on the screen day, you will see verse too, but I'm just going to read verse one and two for us. And it says, now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod, the king behold, wise, man, wise man in some versions. It will say, Magi, behold, wise, men from the East came to Jerusalem. And then assist saying, where is he who was born, King of the Jews. For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship Him. I've got a map here of we're possibly the Magi, the wise man could have traveled from. And so there's three different routes that skull is believed. They could have taken and you can see the routes there. But what they all agree is that it was a long distance away. In fact, some Scholars say was about a thousand miles away to get from where they were located to Bethlehem. You can see that they could have come from the Sinai Peninsula there and they traveled all the way it would have taken them a long time. Maybe months, the distance of 1000 miles is the distance, between Collegedale and about, Austin, Texas. That's how far they travel to see Jesus. So don't feel too bad. If you just had to walk to church and you were in walking distance. Okay, they traveled a thousand miles to see Jesus everyone. They traveled not in a luxury Rolls-Royce. They didn't travel by plane. They took most likely camels to see Jesus. They went a long way and Ice. We think about the Christmas story. Some of you may know the Christmas story. Well, others of you may not realize you don't know it. As well as you think you do. He's a picture that I want to show you that the comment in every nativity scene, right? You have the shepherd's on one side with a sheep. You have Joseph and Mary and, and Jesus in the center there and then you have the wise man and they have crowns because everyone knows this this him, right? We three, What We Three, Kings of Orient, I guess, what? There's no where in the Bible that says they were Kinks. And yet in every nativity scene, they have the crown on their head. We Three Kings, they say that there's three. Is there anywhere in the Bible that says there were three wise men. It's not there. It's not there. And in fact know where in the Bible does it say they were in the manger. In fact, later on in the Book of Matthew. I invite you to read it. It says, they went to a house. They didn't go to a major. They went to a house and you can read that a little later on in the same chapter chapter 2. So I'm sorry if I burst your bubble a little bit when it comes to Christmas, I could share other things like Santa isn't real. I could share. I know some of you will shock. That's another cinnamon Rudolph doesn't fly. That's another one. But some of the things that we read and we hear about the story of Christmas. We have a counseling session after if anyone needs counseling, right after the service. You can meet us. Right? Of the front here. There is some things in the Bible that we read in that, that I'm not the reality that we may experience. Because sometimes our interpretation of the Bible can be based on Films or can be based on what we've heard or even sung. But the wise men were there and they had traveled. In fact, Scholars say that it's about 40 days after he was born that they met with Jesus. And so is we read this passage in Matthew and as we go through this passage, what makes These men wise, we know they were philosophers. We know they from the East, we know that they came from an elite group, but there's three things that this passage reveals, that makes them wise and I'd like us to go through that this evening. The first one is, they had a question. They had a question. They said, where is he? Where is he? What a significant question to ask. Where is Jesus. They had a significant question. They were asking this question because they were seeking the Messiah and they wanted to know where he is. And what's most interesting about this text is not only the question that was being asked, but who was asking the question because you would think it would be the Jews that would want to know where he is. You would think it would be God's people that want to know where he is. But no, it's Gentiles that are asking the question and not God's people. Isn't that interesting? That sometimes it's not only what question is being asked. But who's asking, have you ever ask that to someone? When someone asks you a question you say who's asking? Who wants to know? Some questions that you may have is for instance. When are you getting married? Who wants to know, who wants to know? Who's asking? How much money do you make? Well, if you work on campus. Well, but who, who wants to know? Who wants to know who's asking? Some people ask me when I'm preaching. Will you preach on this controversial issue? Well, who's asking? Because I don't choose my sermon based on personal preference. I choose my sermon based on God's Divine Direction. Who's asking? Who's asking another one? Would you lend me some money? What's the question? We ask, who's asking who's asking because I you needing money because it's an emergency or you needing money because you have poor financial management whose house and show the disciples in and rather than Magi here. They have questions that are being that they haven't even though they're wise, they can still admit that they don't have all the answers. I pray that even though we go to college and get a degree and we feel we're wise may we never get to a point where we're not willing to admit that we don't have all the answers. The match. I said, we don't know. We admit we don't know and we willing to ask, where is he? And I believe that's the question of the age today. People want to know, where is he? You came to Vespas tonight to experience Jesus because you want to experience him in a way that makes a difference in your life. Where is he? People in our communities are asking. Where is he? If Al Community came to Southern, would they know where Jesus is? With that Revelation, become clear to them, would they have an insight into the love of Jesus and the grace of Jesus, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, when the match, I went to Jerusalem, God's people couldn't help them because they didn't know where Jesus was, they weren't aware of where he was. And as a result, the match I had to kind of figure it out from themselves. Through the star, that God gave the report of the Angels was given to Shepherds and and the Jews despise Shepherds and and I thought there's no way that God will go to Gentiles or shepherd's before coming to us. And so these wise, men ask, where is Jesus? And maybe that's your question this evening. God, I want to know where you are. God. I want to get closer to you. God. I want to see you moving in my life. Where are you? I want to come and worship you and I believe when you asked that question. God is even closer than you think. God wants to answer that question for you. And the Magi was saying, where is Jesus? And he was right there in Jerusalem and they were able to come and worship him and I believe there was some of you asking that question tonight and God's going to reveal to you exactly where he is. Some of you may think, will God you and two other people's prayers, but I never see you. Answer my prayers. Where are you? If you've ever had a roommate that has all their prayers answered and you feel like God, answer my roommates. You're not answering my prayers. I just want you to know he's in the neighborhood. If he's answering your roommates prayers, he's going to answer your prayers. God is in the neighborhood. And when the Magi came and asked, where is Jesus? Jesus was in the neighborhood. Can you turn to your neighbor and just tell them Jesus is in the neighborhood?

Jesus is in the neighborhood. Jesus is here. He is with us because there are certain people asking Jesus. Where are you? That's such a good question. In fact, I have a quickie Forest that says great questions. Not only inform you, they transform you. Great questions. Not only inform you they transform, you learn how to ask good questions.

Learn how to ask questions that goes deeper the questions that have a have a transformative impact in your life. The good news is, if you looking for him, you will find him. That's the first thing that made them wise. They oestrike questions. The second thing they said, is we have seen his star. We have seen. His star is says that for we have seen his star in the east and we have come to worship him. Just remember that. When they were traveling those Thousand Miles, there were no streetlights. There was no Google Maps with an illuminated screen showing them exactly where to go. There was no City Lights. To let them know that they were close like New York City or Los Angeles. There was no City Lights there. It would have been dark in the wilderness that they traveled, but even though it was difficult. God gave them a star. I just love that. I love that. I love the fact that even in a doc has moments. God will give us a stop. God will reveal a light to us. Even when we were in the moment of darkness. In fact, you can walk through the darkest night when God is your guiding lights. When God is guiding your path, you can walk through those, the dark moments in your life. And we need to ask the question. What is guiding us is? What is guiding you in your darkest Moomin able to get you a God wants you to be. What is guiding? You see? The Magi will wise because the star of God was guiding them even in their darkest moments. In fact. There is a restaurant if you want to experience darkness and you're in New York City, there is a restaurant. You can ask me for the name later starts with letter eight, but there is a restaurant. I've got a picture up here of people that eat in darkness. Yeah, I know just just pause for a minute process that they come to a restaurant and it's hard to believe that some people choose to die in that way. But it's a growing trend is restaurants like this in Europe. Does restaurants like this in New York and he this restaurant is a restaurant where when you enter in there, is someone waiting for you at the door, a waiter or waitress in and you will put these, I coverings on and you can see that you will put your hand on the shoulder of the waitress and she will guide you and your friends behind you, put they hands on your shoulder. And I will guide you and maneuver around the chair and the table to get where you going to eat. And like you can see here. There's a helpful girlfriend or spouse helping her significant other eat a meal.

The point of this illustration is simply this that when you're in darkness, you need a guide wearing your in darkness you need a guide and I don't know how much a meal cost there. Maybe some of you weren't interested in going there. But whenever you're in darkness, you will need a guy to get to your destination. Have you ever been in darkness? And you were trying to remove maneuver around a check hold hurt and around at 10 at table called temptation. Trying to maneuver around things that are causing you to stumble. He the Bible says that there was given a light to the Magi. And what I want to know is when you're in darkness. Where do you find your light? God will always provide a light for you, in your doc moments. God says, I'm going to provide a life. How many of you are? Glad that we serve a God, that gives life and I'll dock moments. Amen. We serve a God. That gives lie. Even when you may have felt like your sins could be forgiven. God gave you the light of the Gospel, even though, you felt like you didn't feel you could be love. God, gave you the life of his grace, and his unconditional love. Even though you found it difficult to find a friend group. God gave you may be the light of a life group or the light of someone that came and just said, hi to you. Even though you found it difficult, maybe to hand in your paper. Amen. God, gave you a life. A stop. Even though they may have broken up with you. God gave you a light, even though you may be afraid, he caused. To see a light through faith. God will always give you a light in darkness. How many of you have learned that even though you're in Doc moment. God will give you a start to lead you. If God can give you a star in your Darkness, he will lead you because the light shines, brightest in a dark moments. That's when the light shines even more significantly. We can walk. This is a love this quote, by Ellen White. This is what she says. We can walk safely in the darkest path. If we have the light of the world for our guide. We can walk safely in our darkest moments when God is leading us through his light. I praise God, that he gives us a star, even in a dark moments. And finally, what made them wise was this The final point is we have come to worship him come to worship him. That was the reason for their travel. They went to worship Jesus. Now, as we read the text, you may Wonder, What led them to worship Him? Because as they entered into the house, there was no pews with cushions on them. There was no worship team that was leading them in Praise. There was no, you know, small group prayer moment. This was a humble home. They entered. This was where it was, you know, nothing significant or in the home. Some artwork that may have been there was something expensive, like a Persian rug. This was a humble, her may be middle class or less than middle class. But yet when they answered the home and saw Jesus, they worship Him. They worship Him. In fact j.c., Ryle says this He says they saw no miracles to convince them. They heard no wise words out of his mouth face or nothing but a newborn infant on the lap of a poor woman, but they worshipped him but they worship him. When you look at some reasons why people believe even in the New Testament, you know, Jesus had The Sermon on the Mount and they believe Jesus healed the leper and they believe Jesus made a blind man. See, and they believe Jesus had a man that was paralyzed from birth and couldn't walk, but he healed them and then he could walk and they believe But yet these wise men come, there's no sermon. There's no praise music. There's no Miracle, but they worshipped. I believe that God is looking for people that will worship him not by sight but by faith. We worship God not because of what he does but because of who he is. Jesus was there as a babe and yet they worship Him. Just as a innocent infant, something, let them to worship him, they walk in, they see most likely Jesus in the lap of his mother mother. And there is nothing out of the ordinary in this experience and yet they bowed down to him and noticed. They broke gifts to him. They brought gifts to him. I wonder what it would take. What is it one of these? What does it take for us to worship? God God. I'm unless you do this. I will worship you. God, unless you perform this miracle in my life. I will worship you and we move sometimes and we can complain. And I've been there myself where I complain to God saying. Why you moving in this way in my life. And God is saying, are you worshipping the miracle, or The Miracle Worker? Which one are you worshipping? These wise men came and worshipped him because of who he is, and I believe that these wise men who was been studying wisdom, their whole life searching for wisdom found, what they were looking for their whole life in wisdom, personified. In Jesus himself, I want you to know. That you may be looking for something your whole life and you won't find it until you find it in Jesus until you find it in him. He is the one. He is the one that we are looking for and the wise men, worshipped him because they found what they were looking for their whole lives. I've got this quote. He that says, whatever you have been looking for all your life will only be found in Christ and I believe as we're looking forward to the end of 2021 and 2022. As you look back. We have a lot to be thankful for how many are thankful that God has seen you pretty much through the semester. How many of you are? Glad that God has seen you through some dark times. How many of you were glad that if it wasn't for his patients, we and US complaining against him and murmuring against them through God's patience. He is still there with us. I'm so glad for that. I'm glad that God hasn't given up on us. I'm glad that he doesn't treat us like we deserve, but he treats us through the grace of Jesus Christ. There's a lot to be thankful for and there's a lot we can worship God, about at 4 and about any men.

A lot of people throughout the Bible worship him because of what he did, but I believe, as we are entering the last days, God wants us to worship him because of who he is, just like the Magi. As they prepared for his first coming. We want to prepare our hearts for a second coming. So went out desire to worship. God is rising up in our hearts. He always shows up and he will always guide us to him. And some of you tonight, you're saying, God. I want to be guided to your presents. I want to be guided into your will. I want to be guided into a place where I know that you were with me. God's going to answer your prayer if he can guide Magi, a thousand miles away. Don't you think he'll guide you don't? You think he will lead you into a place of worship. So I have a couple of questions for us this evening as you contemplate, what God has been saying to you. The first question is simply this as you begin this season of Advent. What are you longing for? What is it that you were longing for? For the Magi? They were Longing To See Jesus. What are you longing for? Where have you been going for guidance in your life? Is where you've been going? Leading, you closer to Jesus or leading you further away from Jesus? What is one thing you can do to seek God as your guiding lights, how can you seek? God is your Guiding Light? And finally?

In what ways does Christ's salvation, give you hope and cause you to Worship in what ways does the Salvation, give you hope and cause you to worship as you think about these questions, I just want to thank God because we have seen a star and I pray. During this Advent season. You will see God star in your life. You will see him working in your dark places. You will see the gospel shining through your life. Knowing that by faith. We are saved by grace. I pray that you will see the star of Prophecy that let you know, he's coming soon. I pray that you will see the Star of David that remind you that you were sitting with Christ in Heavenly places that Christ is on his throne room and he is in control. I pray this Advent season, you will see the star shining in Dark Places. Amen.