The Three Seekers
In our series that we’re calling Christmas Characters, we looked at Herod two weeks ago:
- Herod was preoccupied with power.
- Herod was preoccupied with possessions.
- Herod was preoccupied with prestige.
- Herod was preoccupied with paranoia.
Last week we focused on Mary, and how she is both overestimated and underestimated. The Bible teaches that she was an A.D. Woman:
- She was available.
- She was a disciple.
This morning, we’re going to take a close look at some of the most fascinating Christmas Characters the Magi, or Wise Men.
According to recent survey, 90% of Americans say Christmas is their favorite holiday, but only 20% say they enjoy Christmas shopping! (Emerging Trends, 1997).
That reminds me of two men who were next-door neighbors who decided to go sailing while their wives went Christmas shopping. While they were out in the boat, a terrible storm arose. The sea became very choppy and they had a difficult time keeping the boat under control. As they steered toward land, they hit a sandbar and the boat grounded. They both jumped out of the boat and began to push and shove with all their might to get the boat back into the water. As the waves bounced him against the side of the boat, and his hair was blowing wildly in the wind, one of the men said with a smile on his face, “It sure beats Christmas shopping, doesn’t it?”
When I was growing up, I would put my shopping off until Christmas Eve day. It was always a drag for me trying to find presents for four sisters! As I raced down the aisles, I grabbed whatever I saw, providing it didn’t cost too much, and threw it in my cart. When I got home, I dumped the four measly gifts out on the floor and decided who should get what. I then grabbed some newspaper and duct tape and wrapped them up. I don’t understand why my sisters never liked what I got them I worked so hard on their gifts.
Now that I’m married, I’m much better at my shopping I just let Beth do it! I heard about a dad recently who suggested that his family get him a gift that everyone could get something out of. So they did they bought him a new wallet!
It’s not easy to know what to buy your spouse, is it? One husband asked his wife what she wanted for Christmas. She said, “Just surprise me!” So he did. At 3:00 a.m. on Christmas Day, he leaned over in bed and shouted, “Boo!”
We don’t know if the wise men had a hard time shopping but we do know they found three pretty cool gifts. By the way, we don’t really know if there were 3 Wise Men -- someone has suggested that there were actually 4 but the fourth guy’s gift was fruitcake and he wasn’t allowed on the trip!
The Wise Guys
Surely one of the great stories of Christmas is the account of the visit of the Wise Men from the East. This delightful tale of strange men from some faraway land who brought Christmas presents to the baby Jesus is filled with mystery and intrigue.
We’re introduced to these mysterious men in Matthew 2:1-2: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?’”
Right away we discover something interesting. The Wise Men show up in Jerusalem after the birth of Jesus. That runs contrary to many of our nativity scenes that show the shepherds and the Wise Men arriving in Bethlehem at the same time. The shepherds were there the night Jesus was born. The Wise Men came sometime later maybe up to two years after the birth of Jesus.
One of the things that intrigues me about this story is the incredible wrong turn these guys took as they neared the end of their trip. Instead of following the star to Bethlehem, they stopped off in Jerusalem to ask Herod for directions (someone has suggested that this is why the wise men are so famous they’re the only men in history known to stop and ask for directions!).
Who were these Wise Men? They were the professors and philosophers of their day, originating from the country we now call Iraq. These professionals were brilliant and highly educated scholars who were trained in medicine, history, religion, prophecy and astronomy. Our modern word “magistrate” is a direct descendant of the word magi. Since these men thought deeply about life, it certainly makes sense to call them “Wise Men.”
They were also trained in what we would call astrology. Back then, astrology was connected with people’s search for God. The ancients studied the skies in order to find answers to the great questions of life--Questions like: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going?
The important fact for us to know about these Christmas Characters is that they were highly influential men who served as advisors to the king. While they were not kings themselves, it would not be far from the truth to call them kingmakers.
What possibly could have motivated them to make a treacherous 1,000-mile journey across the desert? There’s only one answer to that question -- they have come to see a baby King. This is fascinating. They knew a baby had been born but they didn’t know where. They knew he was a King but didn’t know His name. So they come to Jerusalem--the capital city--seeking help. It actually makes sense that they went to Jerusalem because they wanted to welcome the “King of the Jews.” They guessed that this newborn king was the son of Herod the Great. They assume that everyone must know about this baby. But a great surprise awaits them.
Star of Wonder
Verse 2 adds a detail that has baffled and intrigued Bible scholars and astronomers for 2,000 years: “We have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
What was “this star in the east?” There are many theories in fact two new ones appear in this week’s issue of US News and World Report (12/20/99).
One astronomer from Rutgers University argues that it was an alignment of stars and planets that ancient astrologers would have recognized as significant. Jupiter was considered the planet of kings, and a lunar eclipse of Jupiter in the constellation which was an ancient symbol of Judea, would have excited expectations of a divine birth in the Jerusalem area. According to sophisticated calculations, this would have appeared in the year of Christ’s birth.
In this same article, a British astrophysicist argues that the Bethlehem star was indeed a real star that can still be seen by telescope today. Back when Jesus was born, it was a bright nova. In fact ancient Chinese astronomers report that an unusually bright star appeared in the exact year that Jesus was born. Like the astronomer from Rutgers, this guy argues that ancient astrologers would have found the nova significant because of where and when it appeared during a triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces. According to this researcher, the conjunctions would have told the Magi “to await news from Judea and, possibly, to expect the imminent birth of the Messiah.”
I love how US News concludes the article, “…we now have two fresh theories providing new scientific support for the biblical story…which makes the ‘star of wonder’ a little less of a mystery.” Once again, we see that the Bible stands up to scientific inquiry. Friends, these events actually happened!
Whatever the bright star was, it certainly got the attention of the Wise Men. It helps to remember that the Wise Men were students of the sky. That means they would not be frightened or put off by anything unusual that suddenly appeared to them. It also helps to know that in those days it was not uncommon to associate the birth of a great ruler with unusual heavenly phenomena. The sudden appearance of a bright star would make perfect sense to them and would in fact fit what they already believed. Without question, this bright light was the supernatural work of God. You might say that if God wanted to get a message to these guys, He picked the perfect way.
No Cone Heads
Most of our pictures of the Magi show three guys dressed to look like cone-heads riding three camels across the desert. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no way these men traveled 1,000 miles across the desert by themselves. That just doesn’t make sense. In those days, the only way you could travel in the desert was in a large caravan. You know, those new ones with the two sliding doors...
The Magi would have swept into Jerusalem with pomp and circumstance and all covered with dust. At a minimum they would have brought with them a full military escort along with their servants. The total party could have amounted to more than 300 people. No wonder all of Jerusalem was buzzing.
By the way, it’s interesting that the Magi had no trouble gaining an audience with King Herod. That fact alone shows us how important and distinguished they were. As we discussed two weeks ago, Herod wants to know why they were there. When he finds out that they have come to worship a new King, he then wants to know where this threat to his throne was located.
So he turns to the scribes and religious leaders for advice. He has only one question in verse 4: Where is this child to be born? The scribes don’t have to look it up. They already know the answer. 700 years earlier the prophet Micah in Micah 5:2 had predicted the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. That was common knowledge in Israel. Little children learned that in Sabbath School before they were six years old. It’s hard to believe that Herod didn’t know it.
If you add what the scribes knew to what the Wise Men figured out, you can conclude that the signs of Jesus’ coming were clear enough for anyone to see. Friends, remember this: God always speaks loud enough for a willing ear to hear. The Wise Men heard and did something; the religious scholars knew and did nothing.
As the Magi set out for Bethlehem, which was only five miles south of Jerusalem, the star they saw in the east suddenly reappears. Verse 9 is very specific. It says the star went on before them until it came and stood over the very home where the baby Jesus was.
That doesn’t sound like a natural star, does it? No, it sounds more like a miraculous star created by God to lead the Magi to the right location. No wonder verse 10 says that they whooped it up! Actually it says that they were overjoyed. The Amplified Bible gives another perspective as it describes them as being thrilled with ecstatic joy. The end of their long, hard journey was at hand.
The King in the Cradle
Verse 11 tells us that “on coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.”
I’ve always wondered why they weren’t disappointed when they finally found Jesus. After all, He did not look like a king. His home did not look like a castle. He had no scepter in his hand, commanded no armies, gave no speeches, passed no laws. He could not walk or talk. No royal decree came from his lips. There was nothing to make you think he was a King. To the outward eye, he was nothing but a peasant child born in dire poverty.
But to the Magi, he was a King. He possessed more royalty in a cradle than Herod had in his fine palace. Somehow these wise seekers saw beyond the present and into the future -- and in deep faith, they worshipped him. That word literally means “to kiss toward and to intensely adore.” They somehow knew that this child would one day rule the world and they were not ashamed to fall on their faces before Him.
Think of the inherent contrast. Although we read that the Magi met King Herod, they make no effort to worship him. But when they finally find young King Jesus, these educated and extremely intelligent men fell on their faces before Him. To this baby they gave the honor due a king. What Herod craved, the baby received.
Gifts Fit For a King
Now we come to the last detail, the one for which the Magi are most remembered in verse 11: “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” By the way, the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas time did not originate with Santa Claus. It started with the Wise Men. Back then, bringing gifts was particularly important when approaching a superior. The gifts they bring are expensive and represent a worthy tribute -- and there’s more to them than meets the eye.
Gold is one of the rarest and most expensive metals. It represented the wealth and power of a king.
Frankincense was used in the temple worship of the Lord. It represents the infant’s deity--He is truly God born in a human body.
Then there is myrrh--a kind of perfume made from the leaves of a rose. It was used in beauty treatments, but when mixed with vinegar it became an anesthetic. After a person died, myrrh was used to anoint the body and prepare it for burial. John 19:39 tells us that after Jesus died, his body was wrapped in linen along with 75 pounds of myrrh and other spices. The gift of myrrh then, pictures his suffering and death.
Gold pointed to his majesty . . . for he is king.
Frankincense pointed to his deity . . . for he is God.
Myrrh pointed to his humanity . . . for he was destined to suffer and die.
Did the Magi understand all this? No, probably not. But God arranged it so that their gifts to the King in the cradle would point us to who Jesus really is and why He came.
Life Lessons from the Wise Guys
Now, what can we learn from these wise guys? What possible relevance can they have to our lives at the end of the 20th Century? Let me give you 7 Life Lessons:
1. These men met God in the midst of their work. God can and will communicate to you as you are faithful to what He has called you to do. You don’t need to check out of life in order to get to know God. He will meet you right where you are. These astrologers were doing their jobs when God ambushed them. God can do the same in your life.
2. They found their way by consulting Scripture. When they started out they followed the bright star. When they got sidetracked in Jerusalem, they went to the Word of God to find out where the Messiah was to be born. Have you lost your way recently? Are you just going in circles? Instead of trying to figure everything out on your own, or even consulting a friend, why not look to God’s Word for direction?
3. They gave themselves in worship first. Before they gave what they had in their hands, they first gave their hearts to Jesus. They bowed down and worshipped and then they opened their treasures. Friend, God wants your life before He wants your gifts. Have you ever surrendered yourself and submitted yourself to the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ? If not, do it today!
4. They gave the gifts they had. These seekers of God gave to Jesus what they had. Their gifts were valuable and extremely significant.
The gold represents money have you turned over ownership of everything you have to Jesus?
Frankincense was a symbol for prayer. Are you bringing your hopes and dreams to God in prayer on a regular basis?
Myrrh stands for suffering and sadness. Have you given all your pain and heartache to Jesus this Christmas?
These gifts served as a validation of their worship. It reminds me that we can’t worship God without making a sacrifice.
5. If the Wise Men can find Jesus, then so can you. Think of how many barriers they had to cross to get to Him. There was a culture barrier, a distance barrier, a language barrier, a racial barrier, a religious barrier, not to speak of a hostile king and indifferent religious leaders. It wasn’t easy for them to find Jesus, but they did. If they found Him, then so can you.
6. If God can use a star to reach these astrologers, then he can use anything to reach you. Friend, don’t be surprised at what God will use to get your attention. God is infinitely creative in the ways He breaks through to people who seem to be so far from Him. He can use a star, a book, a conversation, a television show, a song, or even a chance comment. If God can reach the Wise Men, he can reach anybody.
This past Sunday when I went to the prison with some guys from the church, I met an inmate who told me that he hadn’t been to a church service in over 10 years. When I asked him what brought him to that service, he told me that he had been reading the “Left Behind” books by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. God is using these books as bright lights in his life, in order to lead him to the Savior.
The bright star served as a travel guide for this group of Christmas seekers. It was God’s gift of direction as it pointed them to the King of Christmas -- it reminds me that God has always provided travel guides to earnest seekers. Those who search diligently for Christ will eventually find Him. Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart and I will be found by you...”
I can look back in my life to when I first became interested in spiritual realities. I distinctly remember how lost I felt and how confused I was. Thankfully, God provided a travel guide for me who helped lead me to Christ. That star was my college roommate.
Many of you have had that same experience. God had someone cross your path -- somebody at work, your neighbor, your parents, your grandparents, or a friend. Someone who’s light was bright, who’s love was real, and who’s faith was so compelling that you found yourself trusting that earth-bound travel guide to lead you to Christ.
Others of you are still wandering in spiritual circles and feel like you’re not making much headway. Maybe you feel just as spiritually detached as you did last Christmas.
Friend, let me give you some good news this Christmas. Chances are good that God has already put a travel guide in your life somewhere. If you were to scan the horizons of your relationships you probably already know someone who’s spiritual light burns pretty bright. Maybe their faith has caught your attention more than once. That person may in fact be God’s Christmas present to you -- he or she may be a star that God has put in your life to point the way to salvation and forgiveness of sins through Christ.
Some of you know exactly who it is but you haven’t wanted to follow what they’ve been saying and the direction they’ve been pointing. It’s not easy to listen to a star who might also be your spouse, is it? It’s not easy to follow a parent, either. Or, maybe God is trying to get your attention through you own child, or a neighbor, or a friend, or through the ministry of this church.
Maybe you’ve been waiting for a laser bright travel guide from the heavens to somehow appear to you. Friend, that travel guide might already be closer than you think. Let God determine the best way to lead you to His Son. The Wise Men would probably have preferred a more personalized kind of guidance -- but God spoke to them in a language they could understand -- and He’ll do the same for you.
The point is that these wise seekers were responsive to the kind of guidance God provided. We should be too -- however it comes -- and from whomever it comes. Let me give you a Christmas challenge this morning. Determine right now to become more responsive to the travel guides that God has already placed in your life.
7. They were willing to take action. These guys made a long journey that forever changed their lives. They put commitment to their conviction. They put feet to their faith. They didn’t just sit there staring out into the heavens. When they got their sign, they boogied. Are you a seeker or a sitter? Some of you know exactly what you need to do, but you’re just sitting around, ignoring the travel guides God has put into your life.
3 Responses
I see three different kinds of responses in this story.
1 -- The Wise Men were eager to seek the Messiah and did whatever it took to find Him.
2 -- The capable, crafty and cruel King Herod was hostile to the whole idea of Christmas and tried to prevent it from ever happening.
3 -- The Religious Leaders were given the Bible as their travel guide, and knew exactly where Jesus was to be born, but they were apathetic and didn’t even make the 5-mile journey to Bethlehem.
The Wise Men traveled 1,000 miles while those who should have been there first because they lived the closest, and knew the most, never even showed up.
Friend, what’s your response this Christmas? Are you an eager seeker? Are you hostile to this whole thing called Christianity? Or, are you just plain apathetic and don’t care? No matter where you’re at, God loves you more than you can ever know. You see, Christmas is really a celebration of an invasion. It’s when God sent His Son Jesus to earth to identify with us, and then to die as our sin-substitute on the Cross. It’s His Christmas gift to us.
Do you know who the real seeker is in the Christmas story? It’s God Himself. He’s put travel guides everywhere to help us come to His Son.
This year and every year, and all during the year, we are invited to return to Bethlehem. A baby lies there who is King and God and Sacrifice. The King in the cradle. The Deity in diapers. The Sacrifice sleeping in his mother’s arms. Before long, He will arise to do his work and the world will see Him as He really is. For the moment, the baby rests in Bethlehem surrounded by gifts fit for a King as He waits to see how you will respond.
Since so many of you liked my story last week about the two robins, I have another one for you today.
Once there were three frogs on a log. One of them decides to jump off. How many are left? Two? No. There’s still three because all the one did was decide to jump but he never made the leap!
Are you still on the log this morning? If so, it’s time to jump off so that you can bow down to the One who can change your life.
Invitation
I’d like everyone to stand right now. If you are ready to jump off the log this morning by putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, I’m going to ask you to do what the Wise Men did would you bow to Him today? You don’t have to get down on the floor to do this, but I would like you to just bow at the waist if you are willing to surrender your life to Christ.
The Bible says that one day we’re all going to bow before Jesus after we die. It doesn’t really matter whether you believe in Him as your Savior or not, you’ll still have to bow. If you’ve received Him as your sin-substitute, you’ll enter Heaven. If not, you’ll still bow before Him and then enter Hell.
Wouldn’t it be better to get in the practice right now? If you’re ready to demonstrate your submission to Jesus, why not give Him the gift of your life by bowing? Let’s do that right now…
