Christmas through Their Eyes
“Christmas through Wise Men’s Eyes”
Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12
Introduction: It is the day after Christmas, a time when people traditionally head back to the stores to return those gifts that people gave them on Christmas. I was wondering what you can say to those that give you gifts that don’t quite rise to the level of expectations.
Here are a few suggested by Pastor Brian Bill:
• Hey! There’s a gift! (I hear this works with ugly babies too).
• Well, well, well…
• This is perfect for wearing around the basement.
• To think…I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.
• I really don’t deserve this.
Thanks for coming to worship before hurrying to the stores, but it’s also a good time to consider what happened to the wise men since they came after Christmas as well.
What can we learn from them that we can begin to put into practice not only in our celebration of Christmas but also in the upcoming New Year? We will discover those answers as we see “Christmas through THE WISE MEN’S eyes.”
Christmas should be a time of…
1. Wonder. (vv. 1-2, 9-10)
“After Jesus was born…” – It is after Jesus was born that they came. Many times we see them at the manger but Scripture is clear that they came later. I will point out the several reasons why this is the case as we progress.
Some commentators said to put them on the other side of the room or in a separate room. Foncy puts hers on different shelves or tables.
“Wise men from the East” – Greek word is magos which means the name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, astrologers, etc.
We read of them in the OT in the book of Daniel. Jewish legend says that Daniel taught these men to watch for signs in the heavens of the coming Messiah. They came from Persia or Babylon. They traveled over 900 miles in a span of 6-9 months (again reminding us that He was no longer in a manger).
Not only were they star-gazers but also king makers. They came expecting to anoint and worship a new king.
They were Gentiles coming to see a Jewish king!
Fulfilled prophecy too…
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:3 (NIV)
“to Jerusalem” – The natural place you would expect to find the new king – the capital city.
“saying” – “Continually all over the place”
“Where is He?” – Imagine their amazement and frustration when no one knew what they were talking about! That would be like someone coming to Roanoke wanting to see the star and no one knowing what they were talking about.
The Roman historians, Suetonius and Tacitus, bear witness to an expectation, prevalent in the East, that out of Judea should arise a sovereign of the world. --Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary
“We have seen His star in the East…” – Not rising in the East but literally from the East. That will be clarified in verse 9.
“His star” – What was it? I am glad you asked. It means you still have a sense of wonder! Don’t lose that!
Some have suggested a comet or meteor. Others say it may have been an alignment of the planets or some of the planets like Saturn and Jupiter. Still others say a special created star for His birth.
The best one I read about by John MacArthur and a few others suggest it was the Shekinah glory of God blazing forth. Remember the shepherds in the field? Why wouldn’t people have seen that especially if they were specifically looking for it?
In the OT this glory of God guided the Israelites as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Here it continues to guide those looking for Jesus.
Apparently it had appeared long enough to get them on their way and they naturally chose Jerusalem as the place to begin their search. It did not guide them to Jerusalem because that is not where Jesus was.
Also fulfilled prophecy…
A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. Numbers 24:17 (NIV)
Whatever it was God had provided it as a source by which He guided these men to His Son. Why? They were looking for it with the right motives.
“Have come to worship Him.” - Why are you here? Do you come with a sense of wonder or are you here out of habit? More about this later.
They left King Herod with instructions of where to go and a request to return with more info. They left alone.
They saw the star again guiding them to the exact location. Where else would the shekinah glory be except where the Lord is? They rejoiced. Their response indicates they maintained their sense of wonder and excitement. How many others had ignored the exact same phenomenon or brushed it aside?
The story is told about a woman who walked away from a department store window that displayed a nativity scene. This woman, her arms full of packages, was outraged, "Can you believe it? Now they are even trying to bring religion into Christmas. Where will it all stop?
Ignorant and sad just like Herod’s people.
2. Worship. (v. 11)
“Came into the house” – Not a stable or cave.
“Young child” – Not infant or baby. Different Greek word meaning younger than puberty like toddler. Herod will later kill all boys under the age of two in hopes of getting Jesus. Also note that Child is mentioned before Mary as it is throughout this chapter as well.
“Fell down” – Prostrated themselves on their face before this toddler King. This was not a formal bow but uninhibited worship of Jesus.
“worshipped” – proskyneo - meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand or bowing on the floor and touching head to the ground.
They came to give not to get. I’m afraid our Christmases have completely turned that around. They gave them-selves before they gave their gifts. Worship includes giving!
And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
2 Corinthians 8:5 (NIV)
“opened treasures” – Opened up the treasury and took out those things that were most valuable – their best!
“Gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” – These would have been the best of the things from whence they came. These would also have been gifts for royalty.
The gifts would also finance the family’s trip to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous plot and would explain why Mary and Joseph gave doves as sacrifices after Jesus’ birth at the temple. They were still poor at that point because the Magi had not yet shown up.
This too fulfills prophecy…
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
Psalm 72:10-11 (NIV)
All from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. Isaiah 60:6 (NIV)
These gifts also had possibly unintended symbolic meaning but symbolic of Jesus nonetheless.
Gold symbolized His Kingship.
Frankincense His deity – He is God. Incense was offered to God as part of worship.
Myrrh symbolizes his humanity and sacrifice. Myrrh was used on dead bodies like embalming. It reminds us that Jesus was born to die.
Painting by Holman Hunt demonstrates this in a unique way. It is called The Shadow of Death. Show it.
"The joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich with things from you. I have not come to you for your things, but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up things, in the hope of enjoying you more, not things. By giving to you what you do not need, and what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically, 'You are my treasure, not these things.'" --John Piper, Pastor and author
3. Walking by faith. (v. 12)
“Being …warned” - to make answer to those who ask for advice, present enquiries or requests, etc. or to give a response to those consulting an oracle
This suggests they asked God if they should return to Herod.
Whether or not they asked, the important part is what follows…”they departed another way”.
They may have come in as pagan king makers they left changed into followers of God and not a star! Anyone that truly has an encounter with Jesus will leave changed.
They no longer were walking by sight as they followed a star now they are walking by faith. They did not need any more information than “Don’t go back to Herod.”
We don’t always get ALL the explanations we want. We must simply walk by faith.
We should be obedient followers of God walking by faith and not sight.
Obedience is the key to understanding Christmas:
• Mary gave birth to Jesus in obedience.
• Joseph married her and named Him Jesus.
• The shepherds obediently came and saw and told others.
• Jesus came and died for us in obedience to God’s plan.
• Wise Men followed a star and then followed God in obedience.
Conclusion: We conclude where we began and the question: “Where is He who has been born King…?” Is He your Lord and Savior or is He a nice story to be listened to and told of at Christmas?
That is “Christmas through the Wise Men’s eyes!”
