Finding The King[2015]-3 Series

FINDING The KING-III—Matthew 2:1-12

Attention:

There was a time in my life when I had the American Dream in hand. But I realized very quickly that it wasn’t enough. It is not what I needed in the depth of my soul. I needed vastly more than political freedoms & even temporal loves!

I was satisfied in every temporal realm but was bankrupt spiritually. Such bankruptcy messed up all that temporal, passing stuff.

I had missed the King. I had put other things in His place.

God doesn’t want you to miss the King.

Magi traveled from the east to pay homage to the newborn King of Israel.

Jesus is worthy of discovery.

The King of Israel is worthy of careful searching.

Who are those who discover Jesus?

8 characteristics of people who find Jesus.

This morning we found that Those who find the King, perceive His....

1. SIGNS(:1-2)

2. OBJECTIVE/Direction(:3-6)

3— Those who find the King, Perceive....

His CIRCUMVENTION(:7-8, 12)

Explanation:(:7-8, 12)Prevention/Opposition

:7—“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.”

Herod himself, “secretly” approached the magi in order to discover the time frame within which the birth had occurred. Evidently he already had hatched a plan to destroy the baby who was obviously his better. See :13-15 as well as :16.

*Circumvention works both ways. In fact, Jesus came to earth in order to undo the work of Satan., which He accomplished(Heb. 2:5-18)

Heb. 2:5-18—“For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory & honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory & honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things & by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies & those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I & the children whom God has given Me.” Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh & blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, & release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful & faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” “Secretly/Privily”—layra—Adverb—1)Secretly. Strong—privately. Used 4X.

“Called”—kalew—

“Determined”—akribow—Aorist Active Indicative—1) To know accurately, to do exactly; 2) To investigate diligently. Strong—To be exact, i.e. Ascertain. Used 2X.

“Time”—cronov—1)Time either long or short. Time in general. Strong—A space of time(in general, & thus properly distinguished from kairov, which designates a fixed or special occasion; & from aiwn, which denotes a particular period) or interval; by extension--An individual opportunity; by implication--Delay

:8—“And he sent them to Bethlehem & said, “Go & search carefully for the young Child, & when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come & worship Him also.””

Finding Bethlehem as Messiah’s birthplace, Herod sent the magi there, pretending to be concerned for a personal desire to worship also. He wanted them to personally “bring back word” of “the young child’s” location. Herod hid the truth from the magi, that he actually wanted his competitor “King” destroyed(:16).

In this way, Herod would have someone else do his dirty work.

“Sent”—pempw—Aorist Active Participle—1) To send—1a) To bid a thing to be carried to one, 1b) To send(thrust or insert) a thing into another. Pempw is the general term(compared with apostellw) & may even imply accompaniment(as when sent from God). Strong—apparently a primary verb; To dispatch(from the subjective view or point of departure, whereas ihmi[as a stronger form of eimi] refers rather to the objective point or terminus ad quem, & stellw denotes properly, the orderly motion involved), especially on a temporary errand; also--To transmit, bestow, or wield.