THE STAR & THE WISE MEN
Matt. 2:1-12
INTRODUCTION
VIDEO:
A. HUMOR
1. I came across a collection of letters that children wrote to Santa Claus. Some of them were pretty good. One said, "Dear Santa, you did not bring me anything good last year. You did not bring me anything good the year before that. This is your last chance. Signed, Alfred."
2. My favorite went like this: "Dear Santa, there are three little boys who live at our house. There is Jeffrey; he is 2. There is David; he is 4. And there is Norman; he is 7. Jeffrey is good some of the time. David is good some of the time. But Norman is good all of the time. I am Norman." [T. Michael Crews]
B. TEXT
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came 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.”3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 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. 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.” 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, 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. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
C. THESIS
1. This passage tells us that not only did shepherds see a light on the night Jesus was born, but that God made a star appear to men far away so people everywhere would know that His Son had been born.
2. The Wise Men were the scientists of their day, studying the phenomenon of the universe and nature. One night they were stunned to see a star appear where none had been before. This Star was unique in its location and brilliance. They came to the conclusion that this was a sign from God.
3. The title of this message is “The Star & the Wise Men.”
I. THE UNIQUENESS OF THE STAR
A. IT WAS SEEN BY CHINESE ASTRONOMERS
The German writer, Munter, in his book Stern Der Weisen, Kopenhagen, 1827, stated that "Chinese astronomical tables record the appearance of a new star at a time which coincides with the fourth year before the birth of Christ" (Lange's, Matthew, p. 57). So there is independent verification that a star did appear!
B. IT WAS A SUPERNATURAL STAR
1. The astronomer, Kepler, insinuated in 1606 that the Star might have been a conjunction of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.
2. This idea is impossible for several reasons. First, this light was not a comet or a conjunction of planets because it appeared to the Wise Men almost continually for two years!
3. Another reason is that this star "moved," suddenly disappeared, and at times was low enough in the atmosphere that it could indicate a single house in a village.
4. What caused the Wise Men to follow the Star? The Holy Spirit prompted them to this great expedition. Jesus said, "No man can come to Me, except the Father draw him."
C. IT POINTED MEN TO JESUS
1. This Star was like a good witness – not drawing attention to itself, but to Christ. The Wise Men called it "His Star," and this Star Stopped at Jesus; it went no further.
2. ILLUSTRATION: Walk or Fly?
a. During a Christmas pageant rehearsal, a little girl, dressed as an angel, was told to come down the center aisle. The child asked, “Do you want me to walk or fly?” When you were a kid at Christmas, did you ever feel as though you could have flown? Don’t ever lose the wonder and mystery of Christmas!
b. Peter Marshall said, “When Christmas doesn’t make your heart swell up until it nearly bursts, and fill your eyes with tears and make you all soft and warm inside, then you know that something inside of you is dead.” [James T. Garrett, God’s Gift, CSS Publishing Company]
II. LEARNING FROM THE WISE MEN
A. THEY HEEDED GOD’S MESSAGE THRU THE STAR
1. They couldn’t have known much, but they obeyed the light they had. The existence of that star wasn't just a fact to them, but a call to their hearts. They didn't say, "Isn't that nice!", But "Let's go and worship."
2. They set out as soon as they discovered the Star.
B. THEY PERSEVERED IN THEIR SEARCH
1. Their journey was difficult:
a. Hostile tribes, broad rivers, trackless deserts.
b. They had to travel by night and rest by day.
2. They had to overcome Hindrances.
a. The Ignorance of people -- "What new King?"
b. The Hostility of Herod -- his face grew black, his eyes flashed, subdued thunder was in his voice.
c. The Unbelief of Chief Priests and scribes. How strange to have the knowledge they did, but to be so unconcerned.
C. THEY WERE EXCITED/JOYFUL IN THEIR SEARCH
1. It confirmed their faith. First they saw the star. Next, the Scripture told them their destination was Bethlehem. As they continued on, this star reappeared, so that they had the Star and the Scripture to guide them! That’s what we need.
2. They had their Spiritual Values/Priorities in the right place. They had education & wealth -- but they forsook them for the joy of gaining Christ.
D. THEY KEPT THE STAR IN ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE
1. When they arrived at the house, they forgot about the Star and entered in to personally know Christ. They recognized the Star was only a guide and not the goal.
2. Next the wise men worshiped Christ. And lastly, they gave Him gifts.
3. HUMOR
a. There was one Christmas service where the electricity in the church went off. After a few minutes it came back on.
b. As I reentered the pulpit, I said, “Now, where was I?” A voice toward the back called out, “Right near the end!”
III. WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE LIGHT OF OUR STAR
A. GOD HAS A LIGHT FOR YOU
1. You see, we all have a star leading us. It's not a literal star, but God has given us a conscience (unless we’re reprobate) which He intends to guide us. We also have a Guide in the Holy Spirit, Who shows us what to do.
2. Jesus said, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come” John 16:13.
3. Also the Bible is our guide; “Your Word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path…”
B. CAN THERE BE A HIGHER PRIORITY IN LIFE THAN TO SEEK JESUS? (Notice their commitment)
1. Imagine the Newspaper Headlines, "Three Astronomers Abandon their Observatory to Follow a Strange Star."
2. Their actions show their Commitment -- forsaking all.
3. Questions that they must have been asked:
a. "What about your business, your work? Will you let it fail by your absence?" "Who will look after your wives and families?"
b. They answered, "These must wait, for we have seen His Star!"
4. How can we live our lives with only earthly goals? We might have everything, but what is the condition of our soul?
C. THEY SAW MORE IN JESUS THAN OTHERS
1. The Scripture says, that when they saw the young Child, they fell down and worshiped.
2. Others coming in might have said, "This looks like an ordinary child to me." But when these men looked, THEY SAW! They didn’t see simply the physical, they saw the infinite in the Infant.
3. They didn't bring Christ cheap worship or empty- handed adoration; they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: CHILD WHO TAKES THE ANGER AWAY
1. Gordon McDonald met a Nigerian woman who’s a physician in the United States. She introduced herself using an American name. “What’s your African name?’” he asked. She immediately gave it to him – several syllables long with a musical sound to it.
2. “What does your name mean?” he asked. She answered, “It means ‘Child who takes the anger away.’” Gordon asked, “Was there a reason they gave you that name?”
3. She said, “My parents had been forbidden by their parents to marry. But they loved each other so much that they defied the family and married anyway. For several years they were ostracized from both their families.”
4. “Then my mother became pregnant with me. And when the grandparents held me in their arms for the first time, the walls of hostility came down. I became the one who swept the anger away.”
5. McDonald said, “Your name would be a suitable one for Jesus: ‘The Child who took God’s anger away.’”
6. Isa. 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” We are estranged from God, but Jesus came as a baby to bring us back together with God.
B. ALTAR CALL
1. Have you accepted God's gift of eternal life in his Son? Have you taken hold of God's lifeline thrown to you?
2. Are you following God's Star in pursuit of Christ? Is your life centered around honoring Him at making your life a living sacrifice to Him?
3. Are you helping other people to find Christ? Are you getting enough of the light of Jesus in your life so that others can see Him? PRAYER.
