Lessons from Wise Men

Good morning church

It is good to be together today, gathered as the body of Christ.

This Friday we will gather to celebrate the birth of our King! This morning, we are going to take a look at the story of his birth, and a group of people that it affected greatly and see what lessons there might be for a little church, gathering in His name, a couple thousand years later.

Proverbs 13:20 CSB

The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.

As we open our hearts to the word this morning, lets Pray.

Matthew 2:1–12 CSB

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.” After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

The wise men are interesting in nature. They appear in this story, unannounced - uninvited - come and do their thing - and are never mentioned again. This morning, I want to get to know them better, and see what we can learn from them.

We know from other sources that the Magi had existed for hundreds of years before the time of Christ. They had their own religionfl;’ l., their own priesthood, their own writings. It appears from the book of Daniel that they existed in his day and it even seems that Daniel was appointed head over the cast of the Magi in the time of King Darius. That fact will help us in a minute.

Who were the Magi? They were the professors and philosophers of their day. They were brilliant and highly educated scholars who were trained in medicine, history, religion, prophecy, astronomy and astrology.

The important fact for us to know is that they were highly influential in Persia. They were in fact advisors to the king. While they were not kings, it would not be wrong to call them king-makers because they functioned as political advisors to the Persian rulers.

Most of our pictures of the Magi show three guys dressed like cone-heads riding three camels across the deserts. Nothing could be farther from reality. There is no way under heaven the Magi traveled 1,000 miles across the desert by themselves. The whole notion is ludicrous. In those days, the only way you could travel in the desert was in a large caravan.

The Magi would have swept into Jerusalem with pomp and circumstance and covered with the dust of a thousand miles. At a minimum they would have brought with them a full military escort along with their servants. The total party could have amounted to more than 300 men. No wonder all of Jerusalem was buzzing. And they came with a question.

Where is the one who is born King.

If all was right with the world, that question would have been met with Joy. But just like today, the name of Jesus brings a mix of responses. The wise men came with excitement - Herod, and Jerusalem with him, were disturbed.

And yet God will be glorified anyway.

The people that should have known, should have celebrated…

Everyone would have known that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. This was taught in Sabbath School. Herod - would have should have known…

And yet there was no preparation.

I would like to think - today - If I were to be in that position - to be ruler in Jerusalem, knowing that our savior was coming… It would be someone’s job to be there, anxiously awaiting his arrival. The whole time.

But Herod - acted like he had no idea what was going on, and then took it further.

He wanted Jesus dead.

And here is the crazy thing. Lets think this through… The wise men came from far off. Declared that there was born a king and they wanted to see him..

It was Herod’s scribes and priests who told him where the Christ would be born.

The wise men didn’t come into town and say - Alas, we are on a journey to Bethlahem so that we can see a baby. They came to Jerusalem, thats where THEY thought things would be happening.

Herod asked his scribes and priests where Christ would be born… and they would get their knowledge from what was written by the prophets.

The prophets spoke for God.

Herod, believed that God would send the Christ.

But suddenly his lifestyle was in danger. The Magi asked ---- where is born king? his life was too good to let God get in the way. And so he moved to have him murdered.

Herod BELIEVED THAT God would send Christ.

He believed it, and moved against it. He murdered children because of it.

Something that we have to wrestle with here, is that it is possible to believe - and not be in right relationship.

James writes this in plain language.

James 2:19 CSB

You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.

Believing is not enough.

You can believe and have a hardened heart. And it could be for all sorts of reasons. It could be because you feel like God has been silent too long… The Jewish people were in a time that is called the 400 years of silence. it was a span where no new prophets were raised and God revealed nothing new to his people.

It could be because your life is going on fine with out God’s interference. You got it all figured out.. Herod was doing fine.

No matter what your excuse is - your reasoning… believing that God might exist, does not put you in right relationship with him.

One of the most important things about the Bible is that it teaches us who God is. As we look at this story… we see a lot of that, but it might be easy to miss. One of the things we have to see here is that God is going to be glorified anyway.

In the end

Romans 14:11 CSB

For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.

Jerusalem should have been prepared for a messiah, and instead, they were shocked, and disturbed that God might have done what he said he was gonna do for their good.

So how do we see God respond to that?

God knew who Herod was. He knew Herod’s heart. And so he deals with it in this way.

Fine. You won’t worship your King… Here’s what I will do.

Ill bring people in who will.

God caused a star to rise, to men who were looking. These men studied the stars… and because of their beliefs, their understanding… they knew that a very important person had been born.

And they weren’t going to miss it.

So they prepared themselves.

They left their homes. And traveled. Nearly a thousand miles. Through the dessert. It took Ezra and his caravan nearly 4 months to make that journey.

They prepared food, and drinks and tents and animals and finances. Servants, helpers, armed men…To travel. The distance between here and florida.

God knew that the Jewish people were not ready to receive his son with the right adoration he so deserved… and so he sent shepherds, and then Magi.

And they went.

Pagans. Went.

Because God will be glorified. He caused a star to appear.

And then, he gave them a star to follow.

Stars don’t went.

Matthew 2:2 CSB

saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

They knew in their hearts and minds who Jesus was.

Matthew 2:2

They knew he was important.

They knew he was King

They weren’t going to miss it.

Modern: We have all of the information, and yet...

They responded to who Jesus was going to be.

Worship

They fell to their knees and worshiped Jesus.

We plan for worship weekly, and yet come with hearts that aren’t prepared.

Extravagant Gifts

Gold

Frankensense

Myrrh.

So where does that leave us?

God Brought people from far off-to give right attention. The people in Bethlehem weren't doing it. Herod... Tell me so I can go.... Nah.

We don’t want to be herod.

We want to immitate those wise men. Seeking the king, and his glory, above all things.

Found them because of the star - excited about not missing it. Worship .. they assumed right posture Giving .. they opened up their treasures Gifts that were prepared

As we come into this season, we want to want to be more like those pagans than we do those priests.

we want to enter this season, with one week left, with hearts that are prepared for worship. With gifts that are prepared to give him the honor that he deserves.