“The Search for the Christ Child”
Matthew 2:1-12
December 21, 2008
Warden Assembly of God
Pastor John L. Harper
Introduction: Jesus was born in Bethlehem and yet very few knew about His birth. How is it that the King of all eternity comes in the form of human flesh and it is not on the front page of the paper? There are a few reasons. They are as follows: Jesus did not come as they expected to come. He did not come as the son of a (earthly) reigning king. His coming would upset their delicate balance of power, or finally people did not believe the report of the shepherds.
“On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made their first flight of an airplane at Kitty Hawk NC. On their 5th attempt, the plane under the control of Orville, embarked on a 12 second flight. Wilbur rushed to the local telegraph office and sent the following message – WE HAVE FLOWN FOR 12 SECONDS - WE WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS! Upon receiving the telegram their sister, Katherine went to the newspaper office, told the editor of her brother’s new flying machine, and informed him, they would be home for Christmas, if he would like to set up an interview. He told her that was nice, and he would be sure to put something in the paper regarding the boys. On December 19th, the local paper placed the following headline on the 6th page of the paper: “WRIGHT BROTHERS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS” The most important story of the year – man’s first flight – and the editor missed it! I wonder if the same could be said about us when it comes to Christmas. Look all around us… • The trees are decorated • The music is festive • The Season is Right – It is Christmas, and there are only 4 shopping days left! In all of our rushing around, in all of our gift buying, in all the things we have to do during this season – HAVE WE MISSED THE IDEA – Jesus has come to earth!” Alan Tison
Today I want to look at those who are pursuing Christ, those who have prophesied about Christ, and finally those who will present themselves in worship to Christ.
I. THE PURSUIT OF THE CHILD (vs. 1-3)
A. The Quest of the Magi
1. The wise men came from the east
a. They were from Iran, Iraq and Turkey
b. The word “magi” means they belonged to an order of priests or philosophers. (People’s New Testament)
c. They studied science, medicine, and astrology
2. They were looking for Jesus
a. The assumption is that they read Baalam’s prophecy
“Undoubtedly they had before heard Balaam’s prophecy. And probably when they saw this unusual star, it was revealed to them that this prophecy was fulfilled. In the east - That is, while we were in the east.” (John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes)
b. They had seen His star in their home land
c. They “followed” this star to Jerusalem
3. The Jesus that was born in Bethlehem
a. They knew more about the birth of Christ than those who were 6 miles away!
b. This fulfills prophecy (Micah 5:2)
“Bethlehem signifies "the house of bread", and in it was born, as an ancient writer (r) observes, the bread which comes down from heaven: and it may also signify "the house of flesh", and to it the allusion may be in 1Ti_3:16 "God manifest in the flesh". The time of Christ’s birth is here expressed.” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)
B. The question of the Magi
1. Do you know about the birth of Jesus?
a. We saw “His star
b. We saw it in the east
c. We have come to worship Him
2. Do you know where He is?
a. The prophets say He was born in Bethlehem
b. Have you heard anything since His birth
3. Do you know that He is born as King of the Jews?
C. The quaking of Herod
1. When he heard from the wise men, he was troubled.
a. Would he have to kill (again) to protect his throne?
b. Who was the new threat to his throne?
2. All of Jerusalem was troubled when they heard from the wise men.
a. What would Herod do to counter this threat to his throne?
b. How would this affect our family?
c. What kind of change would this Christ implement?
Application: When it comes to it we are either like Herod who looked at the coming of the Christ child as a threat, or we are like the Wise men who looked at the coming of Christ as an opportunity to worship Him. Which one are you?
II. THE PROPHECY OF THE CHILD (vs. 4-8)
A. The place of His birth
1. In Bethlehem
(Micah 5:2) But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
2. This place would not be forgotten
3. This place would become great in authority
B. The position of the child
1. He would be a ruler
(Numbers 24:17) I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
2. He would be a shepherd
3. He would watch over the flock of Israel
C. The petition of Herod
1. Look carefully for the child
2. Report to me where He is
3. I want to worship Him myself
Application: We have all heard that Jesus would come. The question is how have we responded to His coming?
III. THE PRESENTATION TO THE CHILD (vs. 9-12)
A. The journey to see the child
1. They did not know what to make of Herod’s request
2. They continued on their journey
B. The joy of the re-appearance of the star
1. The star re appeared
2. The star stopped over the house where Jesus was
3. The star caused them great joy (the star pointed to Jesus)
C. The joyous worship of the child
PRAISE HIM IN MY HEART “Praise God for Christmas. Praise Him for the incarnation, for the word made flesh. I will not sing of shepherds watching flocks on frosty nights, or angel choristers. I will not sing of a stable bare in Bethlehem, or lowing oxen, wise men trailing star with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Tonight I will sing praise to the Father who stood on heaven’s threshold and said farewell to his Son as he stepped across the stars to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. And I will sing praise to the infinite, eternal Son, who became most finite, a baby who would one day be executed for my crime. Praise him in the heavens, Praise him in the stable, Praise him in my heart.” SOURCE: Joseph Bayly.
Contributed by: David DeWitt
1. They bowed down before Jesus
2. They worshiped Jesus
(1Ch 16:29) Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
(Psalms 95:6) O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
(Philippians 2:9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
(Philippians 2:10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
(Philippians 2:11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
3. They gave gifts to Jesus
a. Gold
b. Frankincense
c. Myrrh
“I heard a story that illustrates this point in an interesting way. An author named Bret Harte wrote a story about the Wild West, called “The Luck of Roaring Camp.” Roaring Camp was the meanest, toughest Mining Town in all the West. There were more murders and thefts than any other place around. Roaring Camp was inhabited entirely by men … except for one woman who made her living in the only way she knew how. Her name was Cherokee Sal. Eventually, Cherokee Sal became pregnant and gave birth to baby. She died in childbirth, and no one knew who the father might be. The men put the baby girl in a box with some old rags under her. Somehow that just didn’t seem right, so one of the men rode 80 miles to buy a Rosewood Cradle. When they put the rags and the baby in the beautiful new cradle, the rags just didn’t look right. So another man rode to Sacramento and purchased some silk and lacy blankets. They men lined the Rosewood Cradle with silk and tucked the new blanket around the little baby girl. But then someone noticed that the floor under the cradle looked dirty. The next thing you knew, a few of those big, tough men got down on their hands and knees and scrubbed the floor until it was spotless. Of course, then the walls and the ceiling … and the dirty windows looked awful. So they washed down the walls and the ceiling, and they even hung some clean white curtains on the windows. Things were beginning to look a lot better. But they soon realized they had to give up their carousing and fighting. After all, the baby needed a lot of sleep, and babies can’t sleep during a brawl. Besides all that, the baby didn’t like angry voices or frowning faces. So the men started smiling and talking in pleasant, cheerful tones. And, since babies shouldn’t be left alone, they set the cradle by the entrance of the Mine and one of the men stayed next to her while the others worked. Then somebody noticed how ugly the mine entrance was. So they planted some flowers and made a small garden near the cradle. And as they worked, the men looked for shiny little stones that they could show to the baby and watch her gurgle and coo. But when they held the stones down near her, they saw that their hands looked black and dirty. And they didn’t want to scare the little baby with their scraggly hair and wild beards. Pretty soon the general store sold out of soap and shaving gear. The baby changed everything. And that story gives a small picture of the way the Son of God can transform our lives. Has the Bethlehem Baby changed your life?”
Contributed by: K. Edward Skidmore
4. They were warned not to go back to Herod
5. They returned to their country another way
Application: What will be your response when you come face to face with Christ? Is Christmas more than giving gifts to friends and family? What do you think Christmas is all about?
CONCLUSION: THE TOUCH OF GOD AT CHRISTMAS
“This is from a 60 Minutes broadcast from a few years ago. It’s an excerpt of what Harry Reasoner said around Christmas time that I want you to hear. Listen carefully – he said: Eleven years ago I did a little Christmas piece and it seemed like a good idea to repeat it. The basis for this tremendous burst of buying things and gift buying and parties and near hysteria is a quiet event that Christians believe actually happened a long time ago. You can say that in all societies there has always been a midwinter festival and that many of the trappings of our Christmas are almost violently pagan. But you come back to the central fact of the day and the quietness of Christmas morning, the birth of God on earth. It leaves you only three ways of accepting Christmas. One is cynically, as a time to make money and endorse the making of it. One is graciously, that’s the appropriate attitude for non-Christians who wish their fellow citizens all the joys to which their beliefs entitle them. And the third, of course, is reverently. If this is the anniversary of the appearance of the Lord of the universe in the form of a helpless babe, it is a very important day. It is a startling idea, of course. The whole story that a virgin was selected by God to bear his son as a way of showing his love and concern for man. It’s my guess that in spite of all the lip service given to it, it’s not an idea that has been popular with theologians. It is somewhat an illogical idea and theologians like logic almost as much as they like God. It’s so revolutionary, a thought that it probably could only come from God that is beyond logic and beyond theology. It is a magnificent appeal. Almost nobody has seen God and almost nobody has any real idea what he is like, and the truth is that among men the idea of seeing God suddenly and standing in a very bright light is not necessarily a completely comforting or appealing idea. But everyone has seen babies and almost everyone likes them. If God wanted to be loved as well as feared, He moved correctly, for a baby growing up learns all about people. And if God wanted to be intimately a part of man, He moved correctly, for the experience of birth and family-hood is the most intimate and precious experience that any of us will ever have. So it comes beyond logic. It is either a falsehood or it is the truest thing in the world. It is the story of the great innocence of God the baby. God in the power of man has such a dramatic shock toward the heart that if it is not true to Christians, then nothing is true. So if a person is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it. And maybe on some given Christmas some final quiet morning, that touch will take. The touch of God coming into this world as a vulnerable baby.”
Contributed by: Alan Wilkerson
