Morston/Field Dalling 06-01-01
“Let us examine our attitudes to Jesus.” Mt 2: 1-12
When I was first asked to talk on the story of the Magi, I groaned. It wasn’t a subject that came naturally to me. All I could think of was a story I had read in the Reader’s Digest.
Story: “I wonder what would have happened if there had been three wise women instead of three wise men.
1. They would have asked for directions to the stable locally instead of going to Herod.
2. They would have arrived on time and helped deliver the baby
3. They would have cleaned the stable and brought practical for the family to eat – like a casserole.
4. And there would have been peace on earth!”
However as I pray and thought about it, it seemed to me that the Lord wanted me to focus on the attitudes of the Magi to Jesus.
1. The history of the wise men
Very little is known about the Wise Men or Magi.
Matthew doesn’t even record how many of them there were.
All the Bible tells us is that they came from the East to Jerusalem. And so it is more than likely they were NOT Jews.
Tradition has it that they were Magi from Persia, once a mighty country where modern Iran and Iraq now are.
In the second century, a church father named Tertullian suggested that these men were kings because the Old Testament had predicted that kings would come to worship him. He also concluded that there were three kings based on the number of gifts mentioned, gold, frankincense and myrrh.
In the sixth century, someone decided that their names were Melchior, Baltazar and Gaspar.
Popular myth calls them astrologers but that wasn’t necessarily so.
It is generally accepted that “the Magi were a priestly caste (in the Persian Empire), numerous enough to be regarded as one of the six tribes of Media” (based on J.D. Davis Dictionary of the Bible p. 489).
You will recall - in the book of Daniel, when King Darius is tricked into throwing Daniel his friend into the lion’s den - a reference to the law of the Medes and the Persians. It is these Medes from whom - most probably - the Magi were descended.
The Magi worshipped the elements of fire, air, earth and water, especially fire.
The only temples they had were fire temples, generally on the roofs of houses. There they kept the sacred element burning day and night – a bit like the Eternal Flame in Arlington Cemetery over President Kennedy’s grave.
And the term Magi is the base from which both of our modern words “magician” and “magistrate” are derived.
2. Why did God reveal Himself to the MAGI?
I have often wondered why God revealed himself to the Magi – people who practised magic that was expressed forbidden in the OT.
It seems to me that there are two reasons.
1. My first reason is that the Gospel - that Jesus’ birth heralded - is for the entire world – not just to the Jews but also to the non-Jews. The Jews represented those who were considered “morally right” by the fact of being “God’s chosen people”
The Magi weren’t and I think God was making a statement.
We don’t have to wait until we are living a “morally good life” before God seeks us out.
If moral perfection was God’s criteria, I doubt any of us would be sitting in church today.
2. My second reason is that these Magi were SEEKING God – indeed far more that the Jewish
leadership was.
King Herod was out to kill Jesus.
The chief priests and scribes of the Jewish people were- at best – ambivalent to Christ. They did nothing to go and find Him.
The Magi were actively seeking him out.
God honours an inquiring spirit within a person.
3. What was the attitude of the MAGI to Jesus?
For me there are three right attitudes the Magi had to Jesus
3.1 They followed God’s guidance
The first right attitude was that the Magi followed God’s guidance. They followed the star. As St. Matthew puts it:
“ We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him” (Mt. 2:2)
They recognised that God was leading them somewhere special with the star.
And even though they didn’t know the destination they were prepared to step out.
3.2. They sought Jesus for the right reasons
The second right attitude that the Magi had was that they came “to worship him” (Mt. 2:2)
This challenged me.
Why do I come to worship the Lord?
1. Is it because it is my job. The clergy only work on Sunday don’t they?
2. Is it because I get a lift through the week from the worship, praise and fellowship here?
The Magi came to worship the King of the Jews – a little baby in a cradle for whom he was and not for what they could get from him.
I think I’ll just park that thought with you.
3.3 They gave Jesus of the very best that they had.
The third right attitude that the Magi had was that they brought the very best they had.
They bought costly gifts to Jesus.
4. The Gifts
I would like to focus on the gifts they brought, because - if the Scripture can be bothered to record them so carefully - there must be a reason for doing so.
The gifts were: gold, frankincense (translated in the NIV as incense) and myrrh
3.1. Gold
The first gift was Gold. Gold indicates Kingship. What is more fitting than gold for a King!
If Jesus is to be the King in my life, then I am challenged by the thought: What gold can I bring to Jesus today?
What do I hold onto as precious that I can give to the Lord.
A few years ago, the Gold that I let go of was my secular career.
Story: In March 1997, I told Maddy that I thought the Lord was calling me to become a vicar and she said: “Great! - the Lord showed me that two months ago”.
So I went through the Church of England Selection Process - which took about a year culminating with a 21/2 day ABM Selection Conference in June 1998.
During that year, I had three prophecies from people who did not know that I was thinking of going into the Church.
These confirmed for me that God was calling me to leave my job and become a clergyman.
Perhaps the most astounding was from a vicar from Harrow called Bruce Collins.
Story. Let me tell you the story.
Two Sundays before the final ABM Selection Conference, I went to the evening service at Christchurch, Bridlington. I prayed as I walked in “Lord give me a confirmation that I am really doing the right thing”
That evening we had an external speaker – who I had never ever met in my life before. Indeed I didn’t even know his name as I walked into church that evening.
As he got up to preach he said: “I have been bothered by this all through the service. So before I preach, I’ll say it anyway.”
Pointing at me he said “You in the blue jumper” and I said “Me?”
“Yes you – the Lord is calling you into deeper leadership.”
A week or so later I went to the ABM Selection Conference and was recommended for training.
The gold that I offered up that year was my job - that had been very precious to me.
Is there any gold that God is calling you to bring to Jesus today?
2. Frankincense
The second gift was frankincense. Why did they give frankincense to Jesus?
Frankincense was an ingredient used by the priests in temple worship to blend with the smell of the
sacrifices.
To me it signifies Jesus’ priestly role.
Jesus was the King of Jews, but he was also the "great high priest."
The writer of the book of Hebrews expressed it like this:
"For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:17)
One of Jesus’ greatest desires is that we offer up our lives as a sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God as the Apostle Paul put it (Rom 12:1). In other words, that we live for God and cultivate a deep relationship with Him
So the gift of Frankincense speaks to me of a daily time of quiet that we should spend with Jesus - in prayer and Bible Study.
This is often the hardest time to find. As we live busy lives, this is the first thing that gets pushed to the bottom of the pile.
Is this the gift you can bring to Jesus today?
3. Myrrh
The third gift was myrrh.
In Jesus’ time, people used Myrrh to embalm their dead. A thoughtless gift, you might say for a baby shower?
Not for this baby. These wise men, in their wisdom knew that Jesus was born to die.
The writer of the book of Hebrews put it like this:
".. we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10)
When I think of myrrh, I am challenged to consider mission.
You might find sharing the Good News painful at times – the rejection by family and friends.
I do too.
Is this the gift that you can bring to Jesus today.
5. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I’d like to leave you with a thought from the presents that the Magi brought to Jesus.
What Gold, Frankincense or Myrrh do you believe God is calling you to bring to Christ at this time of Epiphany?
Gold – something we hold precious that we can offer to Jesus?
Frankincense – a longer time of quiet with God each day and
Myrrh – a greater boldness to preach the Gospel to those around us?
