What I want for Christmas – Matthew 2:1-12
Big Idea: Joy at Christmas in the coming of Christ not the birth of Jesus
Big response: When reflecting on Jesus to know joy and share that with others
If I am going to answer this question of “What I want for Christmas” – we first need to think about the significance of the event.
For example if it was your wedding day and you were asked the question ““What I want for my wedding” you would most likely want presents or gifts that will be useful in running a home together in the years ahead. If it was your retirements and you were asked the question “What I want for my retirement” you might want things to help you relax – a case of wine, some good books. Our understanding of the event will determine what we want from it.
So before we can answer the question “What I want for Christmas” – we need to spend some time unpacking the significance of the occasion. To do this we will use the passage from Matthew that I read earlier. What is significant about the event.
Firstly – The King has come
Has anyone ever met royalty? When I was in Uganda a few years ago – I didn’t get to meet the King – but the Kings’ mother. Hot dusty day expand ….They had fixed an appointment for me to meet her – and I remember going to visit her and bowing down – while she was seated on an African rug. Now to be honest this was only a regional King – so maybe equivalent to the size of Epsom – but in my books a King’s mother is a King’s mother
As we enter into the story of Matthew we find these strange mysterious men – Magi
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. What is known about the names and number comes from legends and what exactly Magi were from information gleaned from history about the Persian kings. 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.
It is generally accepted that “the Magi were a priestly caste (in the Persian Empire),
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, where they kept the sacred element burning day and night – a bit like the Eternal Flame in Arlington Cemetery over President John Kennedy’s grave.
“Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east[b] and have come to worship him." “
Can you imagine if suddenly there was a knock on the door Where is the pastor of Stoneleigh we saw his rainfall in Wales and have come to see him. What would you think – madness get these people out of here. Loony -
Yet despite them being foreigners from a different religion they come looking for him. Why on earth would they look for a King of the Jews unless they saw him as bigger than that - they call him King of the Jews yet come looking for him to worship him. The Christ of Christmas is no King for Israel he is surely the King for everyone, not only the King of the Jews, the King of the Canaanites, the King of the Africans, The King of the Americas, the King of Europe, the King of the Universe – the King of all Kings. He is the King for those who will come and the Magi chose to come
Stop lets look into the manger – who do you see this Christmas – a tiny baby or the King of all. How big is your Jesus.
The King has Come
Secondly we see that the prophecies were fulfilled.
Look at vs. 4-6.
This quote come from Micah - Lets turn to this chapter (see 5:2-4)
This was no coincidence or fluke – Micah’s prophecy was almost 700 years old and now it had come to be. Christ’s coming was not only predicted – but was planned from the very moment of creation. In the beginning was the Word –
Christ was no national lottery ball that rolled out – the question was never ‘if’ but only ‘when’ . But as well as His Coming being prophesied and predicted also the timing was perfect. Only recently had the Greek language spread across the region and made 1 common language possible, With the spread of the Roman Empire there was one language which was a common currency throughout the region. So he did not come too soon. If Christ had come earlier there would be no common language to carry the gospel. But also 40 years after his death the temple was destroyed and the Jews were persecuted and scattered through the world. The end of a 1200 year old nation was gone - If Christ had come later there would be no Jewish people to come to live amongst.
Paul says “At just the right time, while we were still powerless Christ died for the ungodly”.
The place was predicted and the timing was perfect. The Christ of Christmas is no coincidence – planned from eternity into humanity, the Christ Child did come.
Stop lets look into the manger – who do you see this Christmas – a tiny baby or the fulfillment of the ages past – before the world was created He Was – before time began He existed – In the beginning He was – this baby in the manger was God made flesh when the time was right. The God of the Universe made flesh – the one they had all waited for -
The prophecies were fulfilled
Finally lets look at the joy of finding Him
Herod sends the Magi off on what appears to be a genuine mission (read vs. 7-8). Clearly we know that his motives were some what different. “I want to worship him” we can translate into “Off with his head when I find him”.
Then in the mysterious way that only God can work they are led by the star to find the Lord Jesus. NIV says
10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Frankly that translation is a bit lame, and a better translation of vs. 10 is
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” This is double joy to rejoice is one thing but to rejoice with great joy – well that’s something else.
NIV says they bowed down – the better word would be “fell down” –
11And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.
Here at the start of Christ’s life on earth these strange men fall down and worship him –
Now which book in the new Testament do has the most references to people falling down?
Revelation 1:17
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
Revelation 5:8
And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Rev 19:4
4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
"Amen, Hallelujah!"
So it is not only at the start of Christ’s life on earth these strange men fall down and worship him – and in heaven the thing we read most above all is people falling down and worshipping him.
How humbling it is to fall down.
Just imagine for a moment you’re at home – you hear a knock on the door and its me – I walk in greet you and then fall at your feet – you would either feel sorry for me or call up Graham to say I had gone mad. People aren’t supposed to fall down in front of others – it’s just not the British thing to do – stand to attention yes – courtesy politely that’s fine – shaking hands, hugging gets a bit risqué – you might get the police round – but falling down it’s just not on.
Yet here these grown man are falling down in joy and wonder at the feet of a baby –
Friends lets go back and look at what you said about baby.
Recap words from start -
Do we fall down and worship someone like. This is clearly no ordinary baby. Friends we might understand Christmas is about a new born King, and we might agree that he was prophesied along way off – but when you look into his manger – do you fall down in wonder and praise, and joy. The Christ of Christmas demands a response – not merely to sing a carol, or say a nice prayer at Christmas lunch – NO
These men looked into the eyes of this baby – and saw beyond the small fingers, saw beyond the cries and splutters, beyond the smells and all that babies stand for – They looked into his eyes and saw a King –
And what did they do – did they sing him a carol – or say a nice prayer, no they knew their King who was to be worshipped, they fell down at his feet in wonder and awe.
How big is your Jesus this Christmas – Big enough to fall down about.
We started off by asking the question “What I want for Christmas” – friends in my heart – I want us to join these wise men in falling down in wonder & praise when we look into his eyes. I want us to know the joy of knowing him – But what do I mean - well set time aside to praise him – set time aside to think of what it means for God to come down on earth – the Christ come down for you – today. Read about his birth and dwell on who he is – for this will bring you joy and what greater gift could you give to the others than the joy of being with Jesus – that is surely worth far more than any presents you are thinking of wrapping up.
Peter summed it up well in his letter
1 Peter 1:8
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
Friends – we have a King who has come – the prophesies have been fulfilled are we willing to fall down before him and be filled with the joy in him.
Christmas is not about the birth of Jesus – it’s about the coming of Christ – the Christ who wants you and me to spend time with him and be overwhelmed with him this Christmas.
