WISE GUYS AND STARRY SKIES
MATTHEW 2:1-12
INTRODUCTION... "Wise Guys and Starry Skies" Memory
I remember attending a church when I was growing up that put a great effort into drama and musicals. I recall being in several of these musicals when I was a child. I of course had speaking parts because I cannot sing. One of the musicals that I remember for Christmas was one called ‘Wise Guys and Starry Skies.’ This program was released in 1988 and is out of print (www.kathiehillmusic.com). It was a wonderful program that focuses on the caravan of the three wise men and their journey to Bethlehem. They have camels and cooks and all sorts of characters in the play. I played, if I remember right, a character named ‘Cookie’ that was one of the cooks. That Christmas play focused on one particular part of the Christmas story. It showed why the wise men went from their homeland to seek out Jesus. It showed their trip and the difficulties and their eventual gathering around Jesus and the presentation of their gifts.
ILLUSTRATION... What Children Hear (http://www.sermons.org/xmasillus2.html)
A day care worker was reading the story of Jesus’ birth to her day-care children one morning. As usual, she stopped to see if they understood. She wanted to know what they understood about the Christmas Story.
"What do we call the three wise men?" I asked. "The three maggots," replied a bright 5-year-old.
"What gift did the MAGI bring baby Jesus?" I corrected. "Gold, Frankensteins and smurfs!" the same 5-year-old replied.
That Christmas play that I was in so many years ago focused on one part of the Christmas story. It is a part of the story that is fun to teach and is often a favorite of children. It centers around magi from the east and the star they followed to find Jesus. Our recent trip to the ‘Living Nativity’ and I think the scene with the wise men was the most elaborate part of the presentation. It speaks of a star they followed and gifts they brought to the new King. I want us to look at that part of the story today.
READ MATTHEW 2:1-12
I. THE DETAILS OF THE TRAVELERS (VERSE 1-2)
The Bible tells us that these travelers came from the East (verse 1). Does that mean they were from upstate New York or Boston? Of course not. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and these men came from the east of Israel. The word used to describe them is ‘magi’ and is a word that describes magicians and astronomers from the area of Persia. It could be that they were even from as far east as India. In Acts 13:6 this same word describes someone who dabbles in the magic arts and is a sorcerer. They were Gentiles who studied the stars. The perhaps had heard the prophecies of Daniel or another prophet and recognized the coming Messiah’s signs when He arrived. These people would have traveled far and it would have been a long journey.
What is their motivation? Why have these people traveled to Judea? What is their purpose? Verse 2 tells us two important things about these magi from the east. The first thing that we notice is their initial question. They ask, ‘Where is the One...’ Their question shows what they are doing on this long journey. They are seeking the Christ. They are seeking the One that God promised would be the deliverer. They are on a quest to find this One that has captured their attention in the sky. They will not stop until they find the One they are looking for. Second, the verse tells us clearly what their intent was... ‘to worship Him.’ They want to express honor and glory and praise from their hearts to this King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Shepherds (Luke 2) arrived the night He was born and worshiped Him. These magi from the east wish to do the same.
APPLICATION
I cannot help but think that these gentile travelers teach us a few important lessons. They first teach us about seeking God. If you seek Him, you will find Him.
* Deuteronomy 4:29 explains to us, ‘But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.’
* Psalm 9:10 says, ‘Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.’
* Matthew 6:33 also reminds us, ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’
* Matthew 7:7 promises, ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.’
God’s Word is clear from the beginning to the end. If we seek after God, we will find Him. He is never the One who moves or is far away. We are the one who wander and must find Him again. The magi honestly were seeking God and they found Him just as God’s Word promises they would. Are you seeking after God? Are you, everyday, looking and seeking for Christ in your life?
Also, the magi remind us of the importance of worship. Their only goal of finding Jesus was to worship Him. They had no other agendas or reasons for making the long journey. They simply wanted to worship. May we have that same attitude as we gather here each Lord’s day... we just want to worship Him.
II. THE DETOUR TO JERUSALEM (VERSES 3-8)
For some reason, the magi decide to stop in Jerusalem instead of following the star to the end. They take a detour into Jerusalem. The king they find in Jerusalem is not the King of Kings, but King Herod the puppet of the Roman government. I see in Herod that he is not only the puppet of the Roman government, but also the puppet of Satan.
Why do I say that? Verse 3 tells us that at the news of Jesus’ birth Herod had a very distinctive reaction. Was he overjoyed? Was he pleased? Absolutely not. The word ‘disturbed’ is meant to make us realize that everything was shaken up and that everything was in an uproar. There was confusion and agitation and fear. Verse 7 shows us that Herod has a secret plan that serves only himself and evil. He calls the magi in secretly and finds out when they observed the star. Herod sends them away with a lie. He states that He too wishes to find the King and worship Him. We know this not to be true because of verse 12 and also because Matthew 2:16 records for us, ‘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.’
The magi’s detour in Jerusalem was Satan’s attempt to destroy the Messiah in His early years. Satan used Herod the Great (who certainly was not a follower of God) to try and foil God’s plan. Herod lied and would willingly murder innocent children to get to the Messiah. Satan used Herod to influence the honestly seeking magi to try and foil God’s plan. But God’s plan will not be stopped and the magi ‘return to their country by another route’ (verse 12).
APPLICATION
I cannot help but think that Satan is still trying to destroy Jesus at His birth. Christmas for the world has become about presents and sales and parties. This year more than any other the debate over ‘Christmas’ and ‘Holiday’ is in the news. Stores are choosing to put up ‘Holiday trees’ rather than ‘Christmas trees.’ Schools give ‘winter breaks’ or ‘holiday breaks’ instead of Christmas vacation. Cities and towns are presenting ‘Holiday parades’ or ‘winter programs’ instead of calling it Christmas. Why is this? They are puppets of Satan as much as Herod was all those years ago. Satan wants to wipe Christ from Christmas because then the message gets lost. It is the message that disturbs Satan and His agenda. Satan wants everyone to detour around Jesus at Christmas time and to forget what it is about. Don’t you forget.
III. THE DESTINATION OF BETHLEHEM (VERSES 10-12)
The Magi learned from the chief priests and teachers of the law that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and Herod sent them there (2:8). Their long journey was at an end when they arrived in Bethlehem. What did they do when they arrived? Verse 11 tells us they ‘bowed down and worshiped him.’
Not only that, but they gave Him extraordinary gifts. They gave Him gold because He was a King. The incense (frankincense) given to Jesus was part of the sacred anointing oil (Exodus 30:34) that was used in sacrificial offerings. What does that tell you about Jesus? You must see that the Christmas story and the cross are linked and are one in the same plan by a loving and merciful God. The myrrh given is most often used in embalming. The gifts of these worshiping Gentiles from the east speak of their understanding of who Jesus was and what He would do. He was the King of Kings that would die for all. That is who Jesus was from the very beginning. Jesus was always heading to the cross. Jesus was always ready to offer Himself as the sacrifice for many. That’s who Jesus was!
APPLICATION
What is your understanding of Jesus?
CONCLUSION... (www.sermoncentral.com)
The great Anglican Bishop, J. C. Ryle, said of these first seekers of truth (the Magi), "We read of no greater faith than this in all the Bible. It is a faith that deserves to be placed side by side with that of the penitent thief. The thief saw one dying the death of a malefactor and yet prayed to him and called him ‘Lord.’ The wise men saw a newborn babe on the lap of a poor woman, and yet they worshiped him and confessed that he was the Christ."
