One the greatest event of the Christmas season is the account of the visit of the Wise Men from the East. They came from afar to seek out the new born King and to present Him gifts that are filled with mystery and intrigue.
Right away in the scripture we discover some interesting facts. These Wise Men show up in Jerusalem sometime after the birth of Jesus. This runs contrary to many of our nativity scenes that show shepherds and Wise Men arriving in Bethlehem at the same time. The shepherds came on the night of Jesus’ birth. But the Wise Men came up to two years after the birth. Also we don’t know how many Wise Men there were. We assume three because of the three gifts that were presented. Someone suggested there were four, but the fourth King’s gift was to be a fruitcake and he wasn’t allowed to make the trip!!!
One of the interesting parts of our story maybe the wrong turn the Wise Men made. Instead of going to Bethlehem, they stopped at Jerusalem to ask directions. Someone has suggested this is why they are called Wise Men. They are the only men in history to stop and ask for directions!!!
Who were these seekers? They were probably the professors and philosophers of their day. We believe they came from the Persia area, now part of Iraq. What a difference time makes. These men came seeking the King of kings and Lord of Lords and today people from this area are seeking to kill people who believe in the Savior of the world. What a difference this world would be if these people would still be seeking the Son of God.
These men were scholars and probably trained in history, religion, medicine, prophecy and astronomy.
Our modern word “magistrate” comes from the word magi or magus. Since they were deep thinkers about life, it certainly makes sense to call them Wise Men, but Magi is the proper term for these seekers.
As scholars of astronomy they discovered the “Star” and it intrigued them. They came to the knowledge that it was a sign from God and they were determined to seek the source of this Star. They knew a baby was born and they knew He was a King. So they came to Jerusalem – the capital city – seeking help in finding the One who was born “King of the Jews”. They came to King Herod to find out where this child was located so they could visit Him and worship Him with their gifts.
Herod was terrified at this and immediately asked the High Priest and teachers of the Hebrew law about the birth of the Messiah. They replied using Mal. 5:2 saying the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod, the current King of the Jews, fearing his job, told the Magi to go to Bethlehem and find the child and to report back so that he may also go worship Him.
Today, many Jews have given up on having their Messiah come. We see the same attitude with the High Priest and the teachers of the law. They could care less. These religious leaders and scholars did nothing. They knew the scripture but did not react to the knowledge the Magi presented to them.
Well, the Magi left Jerusalem and the Star reappeared and led them to the very house where the child Jesus was living. They entered and worshipped Him. You will note that they did not enter the stable or cave, but entered a house. They also worshipped a child and not a baby. They came offering gifts fit for a king, not for a child. They presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Gold – one of the rarest and most expensive metals. It represents the wealth and power of a king. Gold also speaks of deity and is a symbol of God. The hymn, “We Three Kings”, speaks about these gifts. Verse 2 says: Born a king on Bethlehem’s plain, Gold I bring to crown him again.
King forever, ceasing never, Over us all to reign.
Frankincense – the sap or resin that comes from a frankincense tree that only grows in Oman, Yemen and Somalia. This resin is used in worship and is burnt as incense on the golden altar of Incense in the temple. It represents the prayers of the people as a sweet smelling savor as it floats up to the nostrils of God. It reminds that Jesus is both a priest and an offering to God on our behalf.
Verse 3 of “We Three Kings” speaks of this gift:
Frankincense to offer have I Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising all men raising Worship him, God on high
Myrrh is the third gift. It is a resin from a number of small, thorny trees. It has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense and medicine. It can also be ingested by mixing it with wine. It was also used to anoint and prepare a body for burial. While on the cross Jesus was given a drink of myrrh and wine (Mark 15:23). This gift represents the death and burial of Jesus.
Verse 4 of “We Three Kings” speaks of this gift:
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume Breathes a life of gathering doom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying Sealed in a stone cold tomb
These gifts remind us that Jesus is a special kind of King – a special kind of priest – One who would offer His life for us to God.
Jesus is God’s gift to us. He is God’s love and presence with us. As the Magi worshipped Him and gave Him gifts, we also need to worship Him and give ourselves as our gifts to Jesus.
The Wise Men gave us another important insight into the life of Christ. They had to consult scripture
in order to find Jesus. The same is true for you and me if we are wise people. We may know of Christ and may know of His salvation, but until we know the word of God we cannot truly find Jesus and make Him part of our life.
Well, Herod also wanted to worship this child, only his worship was meant to kill so that he could remain as king. Herod was preoccupied with power, possessions, prestige and was paranoid. Since the Magi did not return but outwitted Herod, he gave orders to have all male children in Bethlehem killed who were two years old and younger. Herod used the information given to him by the Magi who were following the Star for upwards of 2 years.
Our message this morning has to do with Seeking the King, Jesus the Messiah. Here are few points we spoke about:
The Magi traveled a long distance to seek the Messiah and through their diligence they found Jesus.
The cruel and crafty King Herod was hostile to the whole idea of Christmas and he tried to prevent Jesus and His mission, but he failed.
The religious leaders had the word of God at their means, but they were apathetic and didn’t even attempt to make the short journey to Bethlehem where they knew He was to be born.
How afar are we willing to travel to meet with Jesus?
Herod tried to eliminate Jesus. Dr. Charles Stanley stated, “Today our society reacts with hostility toward Jesus. They fight legal battles to prevent manger scenes at Christmastime and to silence all of Jesus in the workplace, schools, or other public settings”. We have many Herod’s that we face day in and day out.
Like the High Priest and religious leaders there are many people who go about life with no urgency or concern about Christ. Apathy rules their life and they just allow life to go on with little or no concern.
It is our duty to be like the Magi and diligently seek Jesus and the salvation He came to bring this world.
As we come to celebrate Holy Communion, I pray you come as a seeker of the truth, a seeker of the Lord Jesus Christ, as we share together in this sacrament that was given to us by Jesus to remember Him; His life, His death, His resurrection that we may have eternal life. Amen
Let us pray. Lord, as we enter this New Year make us seekers of Jesus that we may live according to the principles he gave us as He lived His life. Am
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 60:1-6
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm.
Then you will look and be radiant,your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.
Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 2:1-12, 16
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.