Going Home Another Way

Mt 2:1-12 — Going Home Another Way

I. Story Behind Text:

A. Wise men = MAGI = the original denotes learned men of eastern nations. Devoted to Astronomy, Religion, & Medicine. They were held in the highest esteem

1. Wise men are still coming from the East to worship Him

2. These men from far away lands recognized Jesus as Messiah when most of Israel missed Him

B. Contact with Jesus will do one of two things:

1. vs 3 — Herod was troubled

2. vs10 — Wise men rejoiced with exceeding great joy

C. The wise men traveled thousands of miles to see the King of the Jews and when they found Him they responded with:

1. Joy — Not sad (1 Pet 1:8 — Joy unspeakable

2. Worship — Gen 22

3. Gifts — Costly / Women with albaster box

D. How different from the approach people take today

1. We expect God to come Looking for us

2. To prove Himself to us

3. To give us gifts

II. Read vs 12 — After finding Jesus and worshipping Him, the wise men were warned by God not to return the way they had come

A. Ez 46:9 — he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate . . .he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in

1. Finding Jesus means your life will take a different direction — Their lives were changed after coming in contact with the presence of the Living God (Come from anything to this)

2. Obedience to God’s Word will not send you home the same way you came

a. If your religion hasn’t changed you, then it’s time to change your religion

b. Genuine conversion — Makes a change

III. They went home another Way

A. Mk 5:1-20 — Demon possessed man

1. No man could bind or tame him / Had a legion of devils / Clothed and in his right mind

2. Begged Jesus that he might go with Him — Jesus said: “Go home to your friends and tell them how great things the Lord’s done”

3. Went Home Another Way!

B. Jn 8:3-11 — Lady caught in the act of adultery

1. By law she shouldn’t have gone home — should have been stoned to death

2. Jesus said — “Go and Sin no more” (Jesus probably put his robe around her)

3. Went Home Another Way!

C. Lk 19:1-10 — Zacchaeus

1. “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house“ - Jesus knew the mess that Zacchaeus‘ house was in — i.e. I must come today, because tomorrow will be to late

2. "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said — This day is salvation come to this house"

3. Went Home Another Way!

D. Contact with Jesus and they all went home different then they came

1. Woman with issue of blood / Blind Bartimaeus / Man at the gate Beautiful

2. Day of Pentecost — They went home different then they came (HG / Bapized / Changed)

3. Go to AA — Go home a alcholic / This is the only place you can come & go home different