Introduction
Now that the gifts are unwrapped; now that the family has come and gone, now that Christmas is over, did you get the perfect gift? When I was child, that seemed like the ultimate question. Each year I hoped I would get that top present on my wish list. And when I shopped for others, it was always on my parent's "dime."
After I got married and after my wife and I had children, however, I had to make a transition. I made the change from gift receiver to gift giver. I imagine that many of you have made the same move. It was more fun to give than to receive. I also realized it was my OWN money on the line. With three daughters it can be difficult to find the perfect gift. As my daughters opened their presents, I was hoping that they would find one that said "this is perfect gift."
As I wondered about that, I thought about Jesus. And I wondered if we were to put a present under the tree with Jesus’ name on it, what would that present contain? What would the perfect gift look like?
As we continue our series of messages on “Getting in Tune with Christmas,” I want to explore that question. Turn with me to our text.
Text:
Matthew 2:1-23
As we read, you might be reminded of the Christmas song… “We three kings of Orient are…bearing gifts we traverse afar.” I hope that song stays fixed in your head today. I also want you to understand that in order to explore this story, we are going to contrast two different sets of characters. We are going to do some character studies and we are going to look at some history to establish context and to help us delve deeper into the narrative.
While history may not be your favorite subject, I think we will discover some important clues as to who the different characters are on the inside. So keep your Bibles open. And read silently along with me.
Matthew 2:1-2
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
(Magi from East Character Study)
A common question that is asked is “Where were these wise men or magi from?” The Bible doesn’t say. The only gospel writer to record this, Matthew, simply says they were from the East”
But let me offer a common explanation. I think in the process, we might see how God works in the Christmas narrative. Bring on the history.
In the O.T. is the book of Daniel. If you were to read Daniel, you would see that the first part of it tells about the results of Israel’s war with the nation of Babylon. It tells us that Israel is defeated in battle, Jerusalem is destroyed, and the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, removes the best and brightest young people from Israel and he transplants them into Babylon. Daniel is one of the young men taken into “captivity.”
As we read further, we see that in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar had men in his kingdom who were called wise men. They were his advisors. One night the King has a dream and he calls his wise men to interpret it. None of the native wise men can tell him what it means. But Daniel is able to interpret the dream.
Through that event and a series of others, Daniel is elevated as the wisest of all the wise men in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom. This is important to realize.
In the latter part of Daniel, we see some prophecies that Daniel foretells. Some of them are about the coming Messiah in Israel. Now remember this is an O.T. book. It records events that take place almost 600 years before the story we read in today’s text
Now move to modern day. Look on a modern map and you will have a hard time finding Babylon. Their culture faded many centuries ago. In fact, in our modern world, Babylon would be part of Iraq and Iran. If you look at the map, you will see that these countries are east of Israel. Where did the Magi come from? (from the east.)
Scholars suggest that it is possible that these wise men traveled from the area where Babylon used to exist. We know that in these Eastern Kingdoms, wise men were still used in Jesus’ day. They were like priest advisers to the king. The N.T. calls them “Magi.” And one of the primary methods they used for advisement was astrology.
They studied the stars. They knew them quite well.
So here’s what I picture. I picture one night as they are studying the stars, they see one they had never seen before. It’s not on their charts and star maps. Perplexed by this new star, these magi began to study intently to see if they can find out it what it means. They probably would have had access to many different sources of information -- including religious books. I imagine they found a scroll with the book of Numbers on it. On it they read Numbers 24:17
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.”
Knowing this to be a Hebrew writing, they turn to the famous Hebrew wise man from history – Daniel. And Daniel’s writings help complete the picture.
We read the story in Matthew and we can see that somehow they have concluded that this new star means that a new and special King of the Jews has been born. They knew this from the stars.
The story of these magi’s discovery of the truth isn’t given. But no matter how it played out, I think it is amazing that God used the Heavens to report the presence of heaven on earth in the form of Jesus. And our Lord made sure it was recorded 1000 years before it happened.
Matthew does tell us that these Magi recognize this new star and its significance and they travel several hundreds of miles to pay homage to this new King. And they show up in Jerusalem (the political and religious center of Israel). And they ask, ““Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Being the political center of Israel, Matthew tells us that King Herod hears about it. And the way the question is phrased stirs up messy situation. Read verse 3ff.
Matthew 2:3
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Herod had been blindsided by the question of the Magi. He doesn’t know the answer, but he knows who will. So he uses his “influence” to roust up the religious leaders of Jerusalem.
Matthew 2:4
4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
I like to occasionally watch some crime shows on T.V. One of them is Cold Case. It’s about old, unsolved murders. It is a reality show. In one show they interviewed a detective. And he said something enlightening. He said, “If someone is asking a lot of questions about the details of a murder investigation, they quickly become a prime suspect.” Why? Because people who guilty are paranoid about being caught. They are often the ones who want as many details about how the case is going.
So when we read about Herod asking questions and having “secret meetings”, it isn’t out of curiosity. He is doing some information gathering about the case. To understand this, we need to understand the character of Herod.
First, let me say that the name “Herod” can be confusing when studying the Scripture because there are three different men who were named “Herod” that we read about in the N.T. This particular Herod is known as Herod the Great. Don’t let the title fool you. It wasn’t because he was a great man. In fact, to say he was troubled is in an understatement.
He called himself Herod the Great because he commissioned a great many building projects in Judea including the restoration of the Jewish temple mount. It was said that his temple construction was even more grand that the original built by King Solomon.
He didn’t do so because he was “religious.” He rebuilt the temple because he believed he could protect his throne by placating influential Jewish leaders by rebuilding their place of worship.
Herod was a puppet king of Rome and Rome did not tolerate rebellion. If rebellion took place, governors and kings of those rebellious provinces often paid a price themselves.
Herod the Great was quite paranoid of anyone trying to take away his crown. In fact, history tells us that whenever he became suspicious of a threat to his throne, he would have that person (or people) arrested and put to death. No one was safe. This list includes Rabbis who dared to become popular. Herod even killed members of his own family.
The Emperor of Rome, Caesar Augustus, was recorded as saying, “Better to be Herod’s pig than to be his family.” The emperor was implying that it was safer to be Herod's pig. So when Matthew writes in verse 3 that Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him, it’s a big deal! You see when Herod is worried about his throne, Jerusalem has many worries too.
Do you see how the magi’s question, “Where is the King of the Jews?” could impact the direction of the story?
So Herod invites the wise men in for a secret discussion and then he sends them off the Bethlehem with special instructions.
Matthew 2:8
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
Do you read that and say, “That’s doubtful”? But these Magi are from a distant land. They don’t know Herod’s character. Matthew goes on to tell us.
Matthew 2:9
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house,
Stop here. I am going to rain on the picture of the traditional nativity scene. This is not the manger scene…Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are staying in “a house.” In fact the text is clear that Jesus is no longer an infant. The N.T. greek word used to describe Jesus is child (or toddler). This is likely taking place a year or two after Jesus’ birth. This is an important detail to remember because of the events that are going to transpire in a few verses.
Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Explore the story. Look in your text. What reason does Matthew tell us that the wise men came to Jerusalem? Look in your Bibles at verse 2 again.
“We saw his star when it rose and we have come (why?)…to worship him.”
Now the search is complete, they have found the child and verse 11 tell us they do what…. (they worship him).
So often we read the Christmas story and we get lost in the presentation of the gifts--gold, frankincense, myrrh. And make now mistake, these would have been very valuable treasures worth a small fortune. But
These men’s first response isn’t to open up their worldly treasures -- It was to first open up their hearts.
It was the openness of their hearts that led them to open up their treasures. Would you agree? It was their hearts that led them to dig to find out the meaning of the star. It was the openness of their hearts that led them on the journey. It was their hearts that led them to rejoice and to worship. Their first gift before any other was to bow before the King and offer Him their worship out of the overflow of their hearts.
I think it is true then that….
Observation:
True worship cannot be accomplished without our hearts stepping down from the throne of our lives.
The nature of who Jesus is should compel us to do so. How do I draw that conclusion? Well let’s see our story.
As we go back to our text, the wise men worship but they do not return to Herod. God warns them away.
Matthew 2:12
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they (the Magi) returned to their country by another route.
God then directs Joseph.
Matthew 2:13
13 When (the magi) had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
How many children were slain? Bethlehem is a small town. Besides town folk, It is likely the home of shepherds and their families. Scripture doesn’t say, but the number of children is probably less than a dozen. And yet Scripture records it. O.T. prophecy pointed to it.
Now let me ask, “As you read the story do you see the contrast taking place?”
There is a contrast taking place between men whose hearts are open vs. a man whose heart is not. There is a contrast between men who are led by God to offer the gift of worship to Christ (as a child) vs. a man who worships his own throne. Do you see it in the story of Magi and a King? More importantly, do you and I see it in our own stories?
The Heart of Worship
(Reflected by the Magi)
I. Eagerly undertakes the journey to discover the King.
It is truth oriented. It seeks to find it. It seeks to learn it. It seeks to know it. On this journey we call life are you and I seeking to discover the king?
II. Rejoices when in the King’s presence.
There is an amazement that should take place when we approach the one on the throne. And there is a celebration that takes place. Rejoice is a form of the word “joy.” It means contentment in who Jesus is; it is not based on circumstances. Let me offer one illustration. One can be in the midst of grief and still experience joy.
III. Surrenders that which is treasured and valued in dedication to the King.
The journey to worship led to the presentation of valuable gifts. I cannot see the gifts as a “bribe” or a “payment for future services.” No. I think the Magi recognized the true value of the King and tried to present him with items that matched that value. That’s the magi. That’s the heart of true worship. But what about Herod the Great?
The Heart on It’s Own Throne:
(Reflected by King Herod “the Great”)
I. Uses people to maintain personal power and authority
Do you see it? He used the religious leaders. He tried to use the Magi. He had toddlers in Bethlehem slain. King Herod should have used his power to help people. Instead, he used people to protect his power.
II. Is quickly angered when things don’t go according to its own plans.
Herod was furious when the Magi left and went another route. He was angry that his throne was still in jeapordy. He obviously didn’t believe much about scripture; but even the rumor of a king troubled him and Jerusalem.
III. Is bent on the destruction of all that which opposes it
Herod broke all the rules in order to protect his power. He was not going to lose his throne. And yet in the end he does. The gospel account ends in a quick summary, but don’t miss the impact of it.
Matthew 2:19
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Do you see verse 19? What happened to Herod? He died! In the end Herod did not hold onto his throne. It went to someone else. There’s a lesson in that.
Observation 2
No matter how hard a person tries to protect his/her throne, there is a point where the throne is vacated and given to someone else.
In our journey of life, this will take place either by choice or by force. It will take place either in life, or through death. It takes place when we surrender the authority of directing our life over to Jesus, or it takes place on judgment day. While we still live, we have a choice.
In this story, there is an invitation to make a search for the King. There is an invitation to offer the gift or worship before anything else. And there is a warning about trying to maintain a throne for ourselves.
Church, I want to suggest that there is a perfect gift that can be placed under the tree. There is perfect gift on which we can put the label “To: Jesus.” The perfect gift is worship as we remove ourselves from the throne of our hearts.
Some of you may still be humming or thinking about the song, “We Three Kings.”
I really hope some of you are. Because I want us to listen to first line of lyrics. If you are like me, these lyrics carry a whole new level of meaning.
“We three kings of orient are bearing gifts we traverse afar. Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
What were those gifts that these three “kings” bore? Gold? Frankincense? Myrrh? I think the gift they carried as they traveled was the gift of true worship in their hearts!
