ntro: The background of this story would make any modern day soap opera, or prime time drama writer drool. The wise men meet with a self-absorbed, psychopath by the name of Herod the Great. He was a level headed, friend of the Romans who brought stability to the economy of Judea and built for himself an empire in his early days. As Herod grew older he became suspicious of his sons, daughters, and wives. That fear caused him to slaughter most of his own family and also decree that all children 2 years and below should be put to death. Matthew effectively uses this to show that Jesus is better than Moses. Moses’ life was threatened at this age as well. In Exodus Ramases the believed pharaoh of the time made a similar order. The Hebrews were multiplying so fast he was afraid that they would revolt and take the kingdom of Egypt from them by sheer force.
Herod was afraid of the same thing. He was aware that a child would be born that would become king. He feared the earthly king that would take political control from him. All the while he missed the heavenly king who came to earth to die for him.
It is in this background that the wise men traveled from the east bearing gifts. It is interesting to see what type of men they were. Today they would not be what you think of as church goers. They were magicians, scientists, astrologers, philosophers all rolled into one. They could be what we would call secular supermen.
Despite their background they still recognized Jesus and brought appropriate gifts to honor him. This morning let us look at the three gifts. A kingly gift, a priestly gift, a prophetic gift.
I. The wise men presented a kingly gift (Gold)
A) His Glory
Gold was a gift fit for a king. Solomon had stores of it. The kings of Egypt were clothed with it and sat on it. The house of the king of kings and Lord of Lords was filled with it. Many of the items in the tabernacle in the old Testament were either solid or plated gold.
The golden candlestick represented the presence and light of the Lord. The golden alter. The ark of the covenant Gold for the perfect God and wood for the perfect man.
The gold tells us about Jesus divine nature.
The word for glory in the Old Testament is Shekinah. It comes from a word that means to dwell with.
Remember with me John 1.14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 3.13 “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.”
The wise men were recognizing royalty. They did not see a crown up on his head, but they saw his sign in the sky. They had studied the word of God and found the promise of God a child would be born. They were saying this is God with us.
Personal question: What gifts to God or what in your life says Jesus is God with us!
This child was no mere man he was and is the God man. Jesus is divine royalty.
The Gold not only spoke of His glory, but also of His grace.
B) His Grace (Forgiving grace, Interceding grace, Living)
A) Forgiving grace
To see an exact replica of the ark of the covenant you should see placed on it two cherubim atop a golden seat. Exodus 25.17
The gold clearly tells us Jesus is royalty, he is a king, he is God. But it also tells of the grace that comes from Him.
The mercy seat was the place where the High priest sprinkled the blood of the spotless lamb for the forgiveness of sin.
Ephesians 2.8,9 “for by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works lest any man should bost.”
Donald Barnhouse said it best: Love that goes upward is worship. Love that goes outward is affection. Love that stoops is grace.
God stooped down to forgive us. He bent over backwards in the form of a babe that would become a man and bend from a cross and say, “forgive them for they don’t know what they do.” The gift of the wise men recognized forgiving grace.
B) Interceding Grace
Exodus 30.1-7 tells us of the golden altar of incense. 1 Timothy 2.5 tell us that he is the only mediator, the only go between man and God. If not for the grace of Jesus we would not be able to experience the glory of God.
Bold confident access to God comes by one gate, one way , one door. Jesus Chrsit!
As High Priest he opens the door to Gods thrown of grace for us.
The gift of the wise me recognized interceding grace.
C) Living Grace
Adrian Rogers clearly and simply defined grace, “Grace is the desire and ability to do the will of God.”
So Jesus to give us the want and way to do God’s will!
It has been said this way, “Grace for the race.” God gave living grace to the wise men when he warned them about Herod.
Matthew 2.12 they were divinely warned not to return to Herod. I don’t know about you but there have been many times in my life I could have been more wise and accepted the living grace of God. Grace for every day life!
The gift of the wise men recognized living grace.
II. The wise men presented a priestly gift (frakensense)
This is no mere priest! This is the holy one of God. He is anointed with the Spirit of God to call people from darkness to light. A lot of people are in the dark today. Wandering through life following the idea that we are born, we pay, taxes and we die. We are born by the will of God, in order to accept God, so that we might serve God, to the praise of God through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Priests were spiritual and social guides for the people of Israel. If you will they were the conscience of the people and the nation. God has just entered into history, His story in order to guide us spiritually.
A) A sympathetic High priest
Hebrews 4.15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
The high priests in Jesus’ time had no care for the people. They rode the bootstraps of Rome for all the power they could leach. The people of the day could say no one care for us, know one understands.
We don’t have to say that. Jesus is a understanding high priest. He lived and was tempted by every aggravation, frustration, and temptation yet did not sin. He not only knows but he cares. He gave his live that we might know what real life is. That is our high priest. The wise men’s gift recognized jesus as a sympathetic priest.
B) A perpetual High priest
Hebrews 5.6 "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Life is full of change. Records change to 8 track, and tapes, 8 tracks faded and tapes change to cds, cds to mp3s. VCRs become dvd players, then web downloads. Life is a constant change. We begin life with hair and some go gray and some bald. Life is change. It is great to know that we have a constant an anchor. Jesus is our perpetual high priest. He never changes, he is the same yesterday, today and forever. He will always anchor us to God. In a life that makes us feel like God forgets, and our dreams are forever dead. Jesus is still speaking to God on our behalf.
The wise men’s gift recognized Jesus as a perpetual high perist.
III. The wise men presented a prophetic gift (myrrh)
A) The man of sorrows
Myrrh is an aromatic gum resin. It is collected by gashing the tree and letting the resin dry into hard tear drop shapes. A clear reminder of the wounds of Christ’s scourging. It was used to anoint bodies to reduce decomposition and smell. Normal Jewish practices would have used about 1 pound of Myrrh. Nicodemus according to John 19.29 bought about 100 pounds for the burial of Jesus. Jesus became the man of sorrows so that we could become the people of joy!
He suffered the greatest sorrow ever known. The sky went black and the earth shook. Jesus was on the cross in physical pain and agony. This was not the worst. He looked to the heavens and cried Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabacthani. Translated my God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
He experienced the pain, torture and sorrow of one abandoned by God. The promise as Christians we have is that he will never leave or forsake us. From Joshua to Hebrews that promise rings golden bells of hope and joy. Those bells only ring because Jesus trod the halls of sorrow the depths of despair all because God so loved the world.
The wise men’s gift recognized Jesus as one who would suffer and die.
B) The man of salvation
Jesus walked into the depths of despair and death. He did not stay there! Three days in the grave, on the third he of his own power the power of God got up! He was the man of sorrows so that his name would be above every name and at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the father. He was triumphant over the grave, and he will be triumphant over the grave situations in our lives. The man of sorrows knows the depths of despair, pain, loss, heartache, frustration. He experienced it all for our salvation.
The wise men’s gift recognized Jesus as the man of salvation.
Conclusion: In the gifts of the wise men we see recognition of who Jesus is. What do the gifts you bring to Jesus show about what you think of him? What do the gifts you give to others show?
Every year at this time we must admit we give gifts to people that many of them don’t want or don’t need. Let me challenge you to give something to Jesus! Give something that is valuable, that is honorable, that tells people who he is.
Don’t settle for dirty Santa, or white elephant gifts. Give to a homeless mission, give to family who is out of work, give to someone who doesn’t have. Give to Lottie moon so that our missionaries can tell the story of Jesus!
Norman MacEwan said it well, “We make a living with what we get, we make a life with what we give.”Acts 20.35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
I would add we make a Godly life when we give out of recognition for who Jesus is.
Let our giving recognize who Jesus really is! This year give to others for these reasons: 1) Give to the glory of God 2)Give because of the grace of God Give because of the blessing of God!
