A Trek towards the Christ Child
Matthew 2:1-12
* For years we have had many misconceptions about the wise men. Of all the things which are misunderstood, we can list the number of wise men and the timing of their visit as possibly the top two. If we ask the question, “How many wise men were they?” Most people would answer (without thinking) “three.” Actually, we don’t know how many there were but I even find myself referring to the “three King” and singing “We Three Kings of Orient Are”. But in truth, there could have been more or less. The next misunderstanding is the timing of their trip. For those of us in music, we have brought the wise men to the manger in our musical productions until people believe that the wise men came to the manger in Bethlehem, but the language of the scripture indicate that Jesus was a “young child” (likely around 18 months to 2 years old). Remember the wise men didn’t step into a car or plane and make the journey; this took them a while to arrive. For me, the huge encouragement is that the Star followed Jesus and came to rest OVER the young child.
* This is one of my favorite Bible stories because there is so much to learn from this account. Today let’s think about taking a “trek” towards the Christ child. Most of us are familiar with treks (although we may not use the term trek). A trek is a long and difficult journey. Most of us have taken these kinds of trips. In 1989, we started from Pensacola, Florida with a group of students headed toward North Carolina to ski. We left at 4am one morning expecting an uneventful 10-11 hour drive. We finally arrived at our destination around 2am the next morning. (Long story) But this was a trek.
* Based on scriptural prophecies, the wise men set out to find the Messiah and ultimately they completed their journey. Let’s consider their journey and actually what accompanies a trek towards the savior.
1. Begins with Determination – The scriptures pointed to one event, one hope, and one child. The wise men (Magi – plural of Magician) were well read in the prophecies and acted on what they knew. The left their home land, families, and friends to discover God’s gift to mankind. And by the way, their desire was to give honor and recognition to this baby by bringing the best they had to offer. The trip was obviously difficult and even confusing, so when they came to Jerusalem, they became urgent.
a. Their Interrogation – These guys came to town still looking for the prize. They were so desperate to find Him that they stopped to ask direction. When people want to find something desperately enough, (even men), they will stop and ask directions from whoever may help them.
* Look at how specific the question is; “Where is HE who is BORN KING of the Jews?” Make a personal note that they didn’t ask this question with doubt or in the negative. They didn’t ask “Is there one born King of the Jews?” Their question indicates their confidence that the King had, in fact, been born. Why were they so confident?
b. Their Observation – We have seen His star in the east. From a practical standpoint people have debated what the star was. Whatever it was, we can know that it was God who chose to reveal to these heathen magi that He has made good on His promise. Why did God chose them? Could it be that they were the only ones paying attention. It is obvious that they were students of the Old Testament and were watching the prophecies come to pass. Because of their commitment to the writings of the past they were paying attention. In thinking about this, I wonder in this age of “instant everything,” if we have lost the ability or desire to observe or pay attention. We have so much, are so independent, and are so confident of our knowledge that, on a day to day basis, we observe very little. Can you imagine taking a trip without paying attention to the route? These wise men asked the right questions, made the astute observation about the star (which everyone else missed), and came to find Jesus for a reason.
c. Their Obligation - We have come to worship Him. After studying the Old Testament writings, they had come to understand this promised one was THE ONE who was worthy of worship. The wanted to find Him not for what HE could do for them, but rather, for what they would offer Him. They felt an obligation to offer Him worship, homage, and adoration. While we do not know definitively, it is highly possible that this trip, which was tough, took them between 12 and 24 months. Had they not been determined to find this king, they may have well given up the journey.
2. Brings out Dissention - When they arrived at Jerusalem, which was only one stop along the way, no one was expecting them and probably they were expecting a different reception. Work through this scripture;
a. The difficulty – They came asking questions & everyone, from the King down, was ‘troubled’. This word troubled is translated “disturbed”, “alarmed”, “stirred”, and even “very agitated”. The Greek word means to “take away the calmness of mind” or “to cause inward commotion.” We need to be aware of one simple truth; “When you start on a journey towards Jesus there will be difficulty.” Actually, people who YOU thought would be excited about your desire (like the Wise Men and the King) may very well be the ones who are troubled and give you grief about setting your course to find Him. It may not just be one person, may be a group.
b. The distraction – In verse 7 we see the King trying to buddy up to the Wise Men to distract them. Can you picture this? The King granted them a “private meeting” to get their focus OFF the importance of their trip and on what HE wanted. In this private meeting it would seem the King attempted to redirect their attention to the star. This is where the distraction comes in. There is always a temptation to become distracted by the signs and symbols of the Savior as opposed to the Savior Himself. When Jesus lived, people came to see the miracles, today we tend to be interested only in how he can make our lives better when we should be seeking Him. Don’t become distracted.
c. The deception - Look in verse 8 and become of one the most famous parts of this story, the King tried to deceive the Wise Men into searching for the Child and give Him the location. When I read this it reminds me of a TV drama where the REALLY BAD GUY tries to deceive and use the good guy to find the person that HE WANTS TO Kill. Make no mistake, if you make the determination to head towards the Christ Child with your life, there will be those who are troubled and attempt to cause you difficulty because they won’t like it. They’ll try to distract you from getting closer to Him and even try to deceive you.
* For too long we have attempted to make the journey towards Christ sound simple and easy. If this were the case, why would there be even a mention of a “cross”. While it is true, that Jesus has completed the most difficult part of our journey, it is equally true that this journey toward Him is not a “just do this” type of journey. Either it is full commitment and/or complete determination—or you will never find Him.
3. Blossoms into Discovery – If you are like the wise men, which were determined and stayed focused through the difficulty, then according to God’s word, you will make the greatest discovery of all. Remember the words of the prophet Jeremiah, “You will seek and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” The rewards are worth it, see their path;
a. They Followed – What did they follow? Most of us can sing the song and know that they followed the star. Think about this; when the wise men stopped their journey in Jerusalem, possibly to rest or relax or regroup, they lost the position of the star. Now some may say, “Scripture doesn’t say this!” If they could see the star, why were they asking directions? While they were only depending on others, they couldn’t see their divine guide. As an aside, while I know that our Lord desires for us to counsel each other, this cause me to wonder if His divine leadership cannot be seen or felt when we try to get help from those outside of the faith.
* One last thought about following; this was not a stationary star, it was a moving star seemingly on the order of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. They followed God’s leading. Today, many suggest that we should follow our own path. The problem is that your own path will, most likely, lead you somewhere that you really don’t care to go. Following the Lord’s star will help you discover His wonders.
b. They Found – The star led them to the place where the “child” was. They entered the house and saw the child. Can you imagine the atmosphere of that encounter? These Wise Men had diligently studied that scripture and knew it was time for the Messiah, they had left their homes, families, and familiar surroundings, and for the 12 to 24 months period they focused to the point of sacrifice to find this child who was and is the Messiah. In your mind’s eye can you picture what this moment meant to them? As they walked into the room, there He was; the promised, prophesied, and long awaited one. Just like these wise men, because of the design of our hearts this is the one for whom we are searching. The human hearts is design to connect with this Messiah and until it connects we chase every deceptive, distractive, and even disruptive star in sight. We find this in humanity today. Our culture chases fame instead of faith, sensuality instead of spirituality, and money has become our master. The results are devastating. But God has given each of us the ability to change our own personal direction. He begins by nudging you with the Holy Spirit. This touch is in your heart and brings to your mind just how off-course you are. From there He gives you a choice; you can listen to His voice and heed the touch or you can reject it. If you reject it, you will never FIND what God has for you. If you choose to go His way and follow Him, you will find forgiveness, release, relief, and a new life. The wise men ended their trek with the discovery of a life time and you can too. They were so overwhelmed that when they made their discovery, they worshipped Him.
c. They Fell - Being overwhelmed with their discovery, they fell on their faces and worshipped Him. By their gifts, they gave Him honor, adoration, praise, and even homage. Literally, they were taken aback by this child. One of my personal concerns for 21st century believers in the USA is that we have lost the wonder of Jesus. We have lost the feeling that Rusty Goodman expressed in his song, “Who Am I?” or the same thought from Casting Crowns, “Not because of who I am, but because of what you’ve done, not because of what I’ve done, but because of who you are.”
* The trek towards the Christ Child may become difficult because of the decisions we make & the road we take, but it will be worth every step.
