December 11 Worship (Wise Men, Matthew 2:1-12)
So what can we glean from this Christmas story about worship?
1. To worship Jesus, we must risk the journey vv.1-2
This Christmas, get past the glitz and glitter and presents and parties and become a genuine worshipper of the Messiah. Risk being all in for Jesus.
2. To worship Jesus, we must know the Word vv.3-8
This Christmas season, get past your casual indifference to the word and pour your life into the study and love of the Word
3. To worship Jesus, we must come with sacrifice and generosity. Vv.9-12
All paths that lead to the Messiah end in Joy
This Christmas, let your worship of the Christ-child end up end joy, sacrifice, and generosity. In 2010, the Philadelphia Opera did a flash mob at the City Center Mall. The famous wannamker organ was playing, people were shopping, and then the organ launched into Handel’s Hallelujah chorus and the opera singers began to sing. What was amazing is that the whole MALL broke into singing. Watch this: (video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU thru 5:15 of the video) There’s something about worship that sets the heart jubilant and free.
Open your Bibles to Matthew 2:1-12 as we continue our series entitled Traditions. We have so many traditions at Christmas, right? Decorations, parties, presents, food. But amonst those traditions, are you fostering and preserving higher, more important traditions?
Let’s read this passage Matthew 2:1-12 (on screen)
v.1 (on screen)
“in the days of King Herod” This would be Herod the Great; also called Herod the Evil. Herod was not born a Jew, though once he took control of the region, he converted for political purposes. He is known for his colossal building projects, Caeserea & Masada & the expansion of the Temple built in Ezra’s day, but he was a paranoid guy who surrounded himself with 2000 body guards and ruthlessly killed one of his wives, her sons, her grandpa—anyone he thought might try to take away his power. … Died in about 4 B.C.; so when the Gregorian calendar was established B.C./A.D. they were off 4 years.
“wise men from the east” Who were these guys? Some of your translation uses ‘wise men’, but the Greek text uses the word Magi, which indicates they were astronomers. Tradition says that there were 3 of them, tho the number is uncertain. It’s also assumed that they came from Babylonia. We’re not sure if God sent an angel with a message about the star or if they had knowledge of Numbers 24:17 that predicted a star would come forth from Jacob, later named Israel. We don’t know. All we know is that
“unexpectedly”: they appeared on the scene out of nowhere. They show up, start inquiring about the birth of an extraordinary child, and in a small, close community like Jerusalem, this would have been a big deal.
v.2 (on screen)
“we have come to worship Him” Somehow they were notified that the king of the Jews, the Messiah, had been born and they were following not just any star, but HIS star. Much speculation about this star. Some say it was Haley’s comet, but Haley’s comet was visible in 11 B.C., not 4-5 B.C. Others think it was the conjunction of planets…but again, modern astronomers don’t place any occurrences like that at the time of the birth of Jesus. So we’re left to explain this, not as a NATURAL occurrence, but a supernatural phenomena—a once in history kind of thing. And why not: the light was announcing the coming of God in the flesh!
v.3 (on screen)
“When Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him” You know that saying, “If momma’s not happy, aint nobody happy”? Well if Herod was upset, everyone was upset. When Herod got upset, bad things happened. Why was he upset? Because this paranoid king would have felt supremely threatened by this child that people near and far might be calling King of the Jews. That was his title and he would guard it ruthlessly.
v.4 (on screen)
“So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.” Though Herod was a practicing Jew, meaning that he observed their rituals, he was not really familiar with the Old Testament so he had to rely on someone else to tell him what it said.
v.5-6 (on screen)
“Bethlehem” about 8 miles SW of Jerusalem. Bethlehem was the capital of one of the 12 tribes, the tribe of Judah. The scripture noted that the Messiah would be born of the tribe of Judah. So the experts that Herod assembled pointed to Micah 5:2, which was one of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament written about 700 years earlier.
vv.7-8 (on screen)
“when you find him, report back to me” So what’s Herod doing here? He’s scheming to find out when/where the Messiah was born so that he could have Jesus killed. As a matter of fact, later on in this chapter we find out that the Magi did not go back and tell Herod and when he discovered it, he had all the little boys 2 years and under slaughtered.
“that I may worship him too” Herod was only a practicing Jew on the outside. He actually had no interest in what the sacred Scriptures were pointing to: a Messiah who would come and set the captives free and initiate the age of grace.
v.9 (on screen)
“And there it was—the star they had seen in the east!” Apparently it had dimmed for awhile or stopped over Jerusalem for a bit; but now it rests over Bethlehem
v.10 (on screen)
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure.” Their journey had ended successfully and they were about to meet the reason for their journey.
v.11 (on screen)
“entered into the house…and worshipped Him.”: though still in Bethlehem, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were now in a house and Jesus was called a Child (paidion) rather than a newborn Infant (brephos).
v.12 (on screen)
“Warned in a dream not to return to Herod..” Which as I said, initiated the slaughter of hundreds of little boys.
The word worship is mentioned 3 times in this passage. So What can we glean from this Christmas story about worship?
1. To worship Jesus, we must risk the journey vv.1-2
These Magi came searching for the Messiah. They left their familes, they left the familiar, they headed out what would have been in those days a long and dangerous trip. Why? They said they did it so that they could worship Him.
When I was in Africa, I preached at a little church out in the bush. (pic) It was maybe 20’ by 40’; thatch roof with animal DUNG for walls. People walked 6-8 miles through the bush so that they could gather together to worship Jesus. Story of Wes and snake….
Brian & Sheryl McFadden just got back from China. The churches there are under great persecution right now. They meet in their apartments to worship Jesus even tho they know that at any moment, the authorities could bust in the door and carry them off and arrest and in some cases, torture them.
The American church goer? We drive 5-10 miles in our heated automobiles, sit in climate controlled buildings and still many of us only attend once or twice a month. We don’t have much physical risk, do we? But my dear friends, real, genuine worship involves a ton of spiritual risk. Because when you really seek Jesus, and really worship Jesus, you know what He’s going to do? He’s going to ask you to lay it all on the altar for Him. He’s going to ask you to follow Him even if it means leaving your comfort and your income and your hobbies and your quiet little sins that no one knows about.
This journey to become a genuine worshipper of Jesus is incredibly risky. But the journey is worth it. Mark 10:29-30 29 “I assure you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or fields because of Me and the gospel, 30 who will not receive 100 times more, now at this time…and eternal life in the age to come.”
This Christmas, get past the glitz and glitter and presents and parties and become a genuine worshipper of the Messiah. Risk being all in for Jesus.
2. To worship Jesus, we must know the Word vv.3-8
These Magi didn’t know the Old Testament. They were just following a once in a lifetime phenomena.
Herod didn’t know the Old Testament. He had to call on the priests and scribes, you know, the Old Testament profs to tell him about where the Messiah was going to be born.
Even though these guys didn’t know the Word of God, the word of God was not silent; it was right there testifying to the Messiah, not just His location of birth, but the purpose of His birth.
When you study the Old Testament, you see Jesus all through it. I won’t go all the way thru it, but let me just say:
In Genesis – Jesus is the Creator of all that is
Exodus – He is the Passover Lamb
Leviticus – our High Priest
Numbers – Water in the desert
Deuteronomy – He is the pillar of smoke during the day and the pillar of fire by night
Joshua – Commander of the Lord’s army
Judges – He is our Deliverer
Ruth – He is our kinsman Redeemer
1 Samuel –He is the Prophet, Priest and King
2 Samuel – Rock of our Salvation
1 Kings – Our personal king
2 Kings – He is the reigning King
1 Chronicles – Son of David that is coming to rule
2 Chronicles – the King who reigns eternally
Ezra – Priest proclaiming freedom
Nehemiah – the One who restores what is broken
Esther – Protector of his people
Job – He is the mighty, but gentle Sovereign
Psalms – He is our song in darkness of night and our joy in the morning
Proverbs – our Wisdom and Strong Tower!
Ecclesiastes – our meaning and purpose for life
Song of Solomon – Author of faithful love
Isaiah – He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace
My point is: the Word is here for you to discover and mine and memorize and covet and love and learn so that your worship doesn’t have to be a perfunctory, let’s show up and see what Pastor Russ can tell us today kind of worship. It’s here for you so that if you give your life to the study of it, you’ll become an amazing worshipper of Jesus.
This Christmas season, get past your casual indifference to the word and pour your life into the study and love of the Word to become a mature worshipper of Jesus. It’s worth the effort, I promise you.
3. To worship Jesus, we must come with sacrifice and generosity. Vv.9-12
Their journey had ended successfully. And what does it say in v.10? They were overjoyed beyond measure.
Let me just say this: All paths that lead to the Messiah end in Joy
These guys were thrilled to fall on their knees and worship Jesus. Why? They had risked; they had paid a big price; they had persevered; they had sacrificed—and they were rewarded.
They brought gifts, pretty expensive ones. Someone might say: “Wow—that’s kind of extravagant for a little boy of lowly birth.” But honestly, no gift is too extravagant for Jesus.
Sacrifice and generosity are trademarks of true worshippers of Jesus.
You know—this Christmas we will give gifts to our loved ones, right? Some people actually believe the practice began with these Maji giving gifts to Jess. Truth is, the real giving here, the real sacrifice, the real generosity, was not by the Maji, but by the Father. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…”
This Christmas, let your worship of the Christ-child end up end joy, sacrifice, and generosity.
Closing illustration
The Salvation Army receives some strange items in its red kettles during the Christmas season. Lieutenant Michael Harper, commander of the Cambridge Salvation Army in Boston said, "In addition to money, I've seen watch batteries, paper clips, safety pins, all sorts of strange things, but this one takes the cake." The gift was a diamond engagement ring given by a widow in honor of her late husband. The charity says the anonymous benefactor placed the diamond ring—valued at $1,850—and her wedding band in one of the kettles placed outside Boston's North Station.
The rings were donated along with a note honoring the benefactor's late husband: "I've dropped my wedding ring in your Red Kettle knowing that the money from its sale will buy toys for needy children," the woman wrote. "In all seasons, my husband was a giver. I especially remember his joy in giving at Christmastime, especially to those in need. To honor his memory, I donate this ring." The rings sold a few days later for an astonishing $21,000, eleven times their appraised value.
The anonymous donor did give some clue to part of her motivation, writing a short proverb at the bottom of her note: "To find out what a man is worth, take away his money and his possessions."
*In 1872 the poet Christina Rossetti wrote a poem that only appeared after her death. About thirty years later the poem was set to music and titled "A Christmas Carol." Today, we know it as "In the Bleak Midwinter."
But there's a fascinating back-story to this beloved Christmas carol. Rossetti was a devoted follower of Christ who for many years volunteered at the St. Mary Magdalene "house of charity," a refuge for women coming out of a life of prostitution. In the Victorian Era of her day, economic forces often caused women to eke out a living by selling their bodies. Some of the "women" were only twelve years old. Rossetti's efforts in offering Christ and helping find better jobs for these marginalized women came through in some of her poems.
For instance, this Christmas carol pictures a Savior who entered our world of suffering and brokenness—a world much like "the bleak mid-winter" of Rossetti's native England. "Heaven cannot hold … nor earth sustain" Jesus, and yet "a stable-place" and "a manger full of hay" sufficed for him.
In light of Christ's great power and love, Rossetti's poem asks:
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
This question would have weighed heavily on women struggling to come out of a life of prostitution. With their broken lives, what could they possibly give to Jesus, especially since "Heaven cannot hold him"?
According to Rossetti's poem, there is one thing that all of us can give Christ—no matter who we are. She wrote:
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
Regardless of our tainted past or our present struggles, there is one gift that Christ wants more than anything—our hearts. No matter who you are or where you've been you can give him your heart.
