I’M DREAMING OF A WISE CHRISTMAS (MATTHEW 2:1-18)
I look with amusement once at Christmas e-cards prominently displayed on websites. The most frequent themes and images on the cards are Santa Claus, Snowmen, Christmas trees, stockings, reindeers, penguins, polar bears, candles, angels, tree decorations and the three kings. The nativity scene appears in one of twelve cards on Blue Mountain’s Christmas page, none of twelve in Yahoo and none in twelve on American Greetings, too.
2005 is the year inflatable Christmas decorations come of age. The inflatable decorations I have seen around my neighborhood include Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Snowman, Santa, Reindeers, Polar Bear, Penguin, the Grinch and the eye-catching Inflatable Snow Globes. One year I counted 50 or more homes with Christmas lawn displays but only 2 with the nativity scene.
Freezing Christ out of Christmas is a culture war, a liberal bias and a left-wing agenda no one likes to admit. Celebrating Christmas in a worldly manner is not a biblical option. Celebrating it in a wisely manner is the alternative.
How did the magi or wise men celebrate Christmas? What do the wise today need to know about the Christ of Christmas past and present? What did Christ bring at His coming and what did the wise men offer in return?
Wisdom is in the Going, not in the Guessing
2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 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.” (Matt 2:1-2)
One year I received this forwarded e-mail from my wife around Christmas time:
Why Jesus is Better Than Santa Claus
*Santa lives at the North Pole... JESUS is everywhere.
*Santa rides in a sleigh... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
*Santa comes but once a year... JESUS is an ever-present help.
*Santa fills your stockings with goodies... JESUS supplies all your needs.
*You have to wait in line to see Santa... JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
*Santa lets you sit on his lap... JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
*Santa doesn’t know your name, all he can say is “Hi little boy or girl, what’s your name?”... JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our head.
*Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly... JESUS has a heart full of love.
*All Santa can offer is HO HO HO... JESUS offers health, help and hope.
*Santa says “You better not cry”... JESUS says “Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.”
*Santa’s little helpers make toys... JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
*Santa may make you chuckle but...JESUS gives you a joy that is your strength.
*While Santa puts gifts under your tree... JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.
The wise men who paid homage to Christ at his birth were missionaries, evangelists, scholars, philosophers, sages, dreamers and seekers. The wise men were not wise for nothing. They were wise because they made the move, acted in faith and sought the child. Out in the east most people did not notice a star. Other stargazers were most happy to catch the sight but buried the thought and nixed the idea of pursuing further. The wise men not only saw the star but they sought the king. The idea of making the trip was so inconceivable and inconvenient for simple folks and ordinary people but not for the wisest of the wise, who decided that this was the adventure and the opportunity of a lifetime not to be missed. So they crossed deserts, braved storms and suffer winds to see the sight. The conventional idea of the star forcing them to go and leading them to Jerusalem is foreign to the text and nothing further from the truth. The star did not act like a tour guide until after they arrived in Jerusalem, in verse 9. That was why they ended in Jerusalem and not Bethlehem to stop for advice and directions in the first place.
The magi were wise not only in asking for directions and advice, but that they knew the identity of the child. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the wise men did not ask “What child is this?” but calmly 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” (v 2). The reason for their appearance in Jerusalem caught everyone by surprise. The foreigners knew something the locals did not – the birth of the King of the Jews. The “King of the Jews” was the designation Jesus had no problem with accepting and embracing in his birth, life and death. Matthew, Mark and Luke all recorded Jesus’ exchange with Pilate who asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” The suspense was whether Jesus would deny the designation to save himself. However, Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say,” (Mark 15:2, Matt 27:11, Luke 23:3).
Jesus was not any mere King; he was King of the Jews. He was not only King of the Jews; he was “born” King of the Jews, not appointed or voted king of the Jews. It had Messianic implications for the author Matthew. The first and only person recorded as “king” by the author Matthew so far in the book, especially in the genealogy of kings, was King David (Matt 1:6). Not even the other kings of Judah were called king in Matthew chapter one’s genealogy, including Solomon. They were known by their given or birth name. All kings, including King David, were enthroned as youth or adults. Another king, the wannabe and impostor king Herod, was disqualified because he was a Gentile king. However, Jesus was the perfect fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus was not only Jewish; Matthew traced his ancestry to King David, which was critical to fulfillment of Messianic biblical prophecies. David was the past king and Herod the present king, but Jesus was the permanent king because He was the One born King. He did not buy his title, succeed his father or usurp the throne.
In a sharp encounter with Pilate, Jesus claimed, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37). But what kind of king was Jesus? Not the secular kind or of earthly dominion. Jesus explained, “The kings of the earth collect duty and taxes-from their own sons or from others” (Matt 17:25) and “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them” (Lk 22:25), but he clarified when he was arrested: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)
The title “King of the Jews” was just the right title for him. He is King of a people, not a state or government. It is not political or regional, but divine and eternal. He is the Messiah, the anointed One (Ps 2:2), the seed of Abraham (Gen 22:18), the son of God (Ps 2:7), the Son of Man (Dan 7:13), God’s Servant, the Chosen one (Isa 42:1), the Branch (Zech 3:8, 6:12), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6).
Wisdom is in the Greeting, not in the Gazing
9 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. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Matt 2:9-10)
I was at the sheriff’s station three days before Christmas to pay for my expired driver’s license ticket, which I was not aware of until I was stopped. The workers there were friendly and we had a good conversation. As I left the place after conducting business, the sheriff said as I was departing: “Happy Holidays.” I instinctively replied, “Merry Christmas.” She laughed at my Christmas rectification and reminder, chuckling as she corrected herself, “That’s right. Thank you.”
Christmas is the joyous celebration of the birth of Christ, who brings great joy to all (v 10). It is the greatest joy. The angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people (Luke 2:10). There are three great joys in the Bible, according to the Greek text: the news of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:10), His resurrection (Matt 28:8) and the Gentiles’ conversion (Acts 15:3).
Unlike the shepherds, the magi’s response was not just joy or great joy, but the Greek version “exceeding great joy,” or “overjoyed” in verse 10. Other noteworthy instances of great joy in the Bible include the Israelites’ response at Solomon’s enthronement and Hezekiah’s revival (1 Kings 1:40, 2 Chron 30:21), the exile returnees’ dedication of the Jerusalem wall (Neh 12:43) and John the Baptist’s great joy at witnessing to Jesus (John 3:29). The wise men, however, were more than joyous and more than just excited and enthusiastic; they were ecstatic, euphoric and exhilarated, rubbing their eyes at the star that dramatically applied the brakes, pinching themselves to see if it was real and prancing around pretty much like kids. They could not believe their eyes and the sight, the light at the end of the tunnel and the treasure at the end of the rainbow. The magi had come from a long way and followed for a long time, but at the culmination of the adventure they were especially overjoyed. But they were not there for sight-seeing or star-gazing; they were there to greet the king.
The book of Matthew is the gospel of worship. The same Greek word for “worship” in other gospels pales in comparison with the gospel of Matthew. The other gospels record only one instance Jesus was worshipped. In Mark only the demon-possessed man worshipped Jesus (Mark 5:6), in Luke only the disciples worshipped the Risen Jesus (Lk 24:52) and in John only the blind man Jesus healed (John 9:38) worshipped Him, but in Matthew the people who worshipped Jesus were three times the sum of all worshipping events in Mark, Luke and John. The ones worshipping Jesus in Matthew included the wise men (Matt 2:2, 11), the man with leprosy (Matt 8:2), the ruler whose daughter has just died (Matt 9:18), the disciples caught in a storm (Matt 14:33), a Canaanite whose daughter was demon-possessed (Matt 15:25), the mother of Zebedee’s sons who asked for a favor (Matt 20:20) and two more times, the disciples worshipping the Risen Lord (Matt 28:9, 17).
The wise men were not there to catch a glimpse of the baby or take a peek at divinity. From the very beginning they announced to the locals (v 2) that their intent was to worship Him. The moment the magi entered the child’s presence, their first reaction was not to take a picture of the child but to bow in worship to the child. They were not there to cuddle the baby, hold a party or become the news. The only thing missing so far at Jesus’ birth was worship, which the magi were happy to supply or provide.
Wisdom is in the Giving, not in the Getting
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. (Matt 2:11)
A 91-year old grandma wrote:
“For Christmas, I don’t want another crystal bud vase, a sausage and cheese tray, another music box to find a place for, a silk nightgown, perfumed soap, a fancy bed jacket, dusting powder or a bird feeder.
What do I want? I have told you before what I really want for Christmas but I never got it.
I want you to give me a few hours. Take me and my cumbersome wheelchair to the mall so I can see the lights and hear the music. I would also like to be driven around town to see the decorations - then maybe stop for hot cocoa.
I would like a book of postage stamps, a writing tablet with lines and some plain envelopes. I would appreciate a ballpoint pen that works, and some telephone coupons so I can make a few telephone calls to people I would probably never see again.
I would also appreciate a visit from you and other family members - especially my grandchildren, who call and say: ‘Hi, Grandma. How are you? I love you. Gotta go. See you later. Bye!’
I would like someone to offer to pay my heating bill for one month.
And I sure wish someone would come here and test my smoke alarm.
I dearly love all of you; that’s why I can tell you what I really want for Christmas.” (Dear Abby 11/2/94)
In the end, the magi or wise men did more than worship – they “bowed down” and worshiped him (v 11). Bowing down and worship is more significant than just worship. The devil tempted Jesus with the promise of the kingdoms of the world and their splendor (Matt 4:8-9) if He would bow down and worship the devil. The servant in a parable who owed ten thousand talents “fell on his knees” (Matt 18:26) and the twenty-four elders, the four beasts and the author John “bowed” and worshipped in Revelation (Rev 5:14, 19:4, 10).
The magi brought to Jesus and his family timely, quantity and quality gifts. The gospel of Luke hints to readers that the family was a poor family and of humble origins. The baby was born in a manger and he was wrapped in strips of cloth (Luke 2:7-8). His parents offered a pair of doves or two young pigeons at his birth
(Luke 2:24).
The magi took a lot of risks to see the King. Already Jesus had the poor shepherds visiting him. The wise men, however, brought gold with them, overcoming the fear of thieves, bandits or thugs along the way. In those days, people took with them cash and not personal check, credit card or cashier’s check. A heavily accented foreigner with gold on him or her was an easy prey too good to be true. A small group of foreigners was no security at all.
Gold was the most prized and costly material possession at that time, and probably even now too. The price of gold crossed $500 an ounce in 2005 and past $1,000 a troy ounce on March 13, 2008. Gold is not only a valuable commodity, but a rare and precious find. 80 percent or more of the gold mined today are used for jewelry, which topped $38 billion in 2005, according to the World Gold Council, the industry trade group. For that ounce of gold, miners dig up and haul away 30 tons of rock. At some mines in Nevada, 100 tons or more of earth have to be excavated for a single ounce of gold, said Ann Maest, a geochemist who consults on mining issues. Before they are through, miners at some of the largest mines move a half million tons of earth a day. The Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the cost of cleaning up metal mines in a year could reach $54 billion. The United States, the world’s second-largest consumer of gold behind India, is also the world’s largest holder of gold reserves. (Behind Gold’s Glitter: Torn Lands and Pointed Questions,” New York Times 10/24/05).
A global commodities strategist (Bart Melek) says, “Gold has longevity. It doesn’t go bad. It’s hard to replicate.” (“The Price of Gold Roars Past $1,000 as Investors Flock to a Classic Refuge,” New York Times 3/14/2008)
The magi brought excellent gifts, not offered loans or leftovers. They did not hesitate or think for a moment, “Why does a baby need so much gold?” “Are you sure the child, and not the parents, is the real beneficiary?’
Frankincense, on the other hand, is integral to worship and offerings. It is holy to the Lord (Ex 30:34-37), an aroma pleasing to the LORD when used as grain offering (Lev 2:1-2, 6:15). Because it is holy, frankincense is forbidden for use in sin offering (Lev 5:11-12, Num 5:15). Isaiah 60:6 predicted a glorious day when herds of camels will cover the land and young camels of Midian and Ephah and all from Sheba will come bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
Myrrh, while used to anoint the vessels and articles in the temple (Ex 30:23-29) and is used for embalming (John 19:39-40), is more associated with beauty and love. In Esther’s time and case, she, like other girls, had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics, before she could go see or meet the king (Est. 2:12). In Proverbs (Prov 7:17) and specifically the Song of Solomon, myrrh is essential to lovers meeting (Song 1:13, 4:6-7, 4:13-14, 5:1, 5:5, 5:13).
Conclusion: Are you celebrating a white Christmas or a wise Christmas? Jesus is worthy of our worship. He is God became man; He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor (2 Cor 8:9), exchanging His majesty and magnificence for meekness and mortality, His supremacy and sovereignty for scorn and sufferings, His divinity and dominion for danger and death. One day Jesus the King will come again this time no longer humbly riding on a donkey (Matt. 21:5). He will claim His throne, His kingdom and His people. As described in Psalms, He is the King of glory (Ps 24:7), the great King of all the earth (Ps 47:2, 7, 48:2), the great King above all gods (Ps 95:3). One day He will fully reveal Himself, just as the prophets declared, as Jacob and Israel’s King (Isa 41:21, 44:6), King of the nations (Jer 10:7), the LORD Almighty King (Isa 6:5, Jer 46:18, 48:15, 51:57, Zech 14:17). Finally, He will come to judge as in Revelation’s the King of the ages (Rev 15:3) the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim 6:15, Rev 17:14, 19:16), whether you receive or like Him or not! Have you lost the joy of and reason for Christmas? Won’t you worship Him on bended knees and welcome Him into your heart right now?
Victor Yap
Other sermons in the series and other sermon series:
www.epreaching.blogspot.com
