The Star Trek

1. Matthew 2.1-12

2. This Story of the Wise Men on their Journey with the Star reveals Three Types of People who deal with the Reality of Jesus

I. The Committed (Wise Men)

In 1873 a group of women at Hillsboro, Ohio, met and prayed and then read the 146th Psalm. Then they prayed and pleaded with the saloon keepers to give up their business. Church bells tolled simultaneously with the crusade of prayer and persuasion. On the second day one saloon keeper gave in. He gave his entire stock to the women saying, "Do as you please with it."

At the end of eight days, every one of the eleven saloons in the town closed. The brewers of Cincinnati offered $5,000 reward to anyone who would break up the movement. One unusually courageous man tried to do so. In four days he gave up and surrendered to the women. This crusade of prayer and persuasion led to the formation in 1874 of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. We could call what those women did "committed action."

Matthew 2.1-2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

A. Uncertain Identity of the Wise Men

1. Abraham’s sons by Concubines sent East – Genesis 25.1-6

2. Babylon – Center of Jewish Theology/Jerusalem of Worship

B. Unsurpassed Commitment of the Wise Men to Find the King of the Jews

1. Followed Star (sign of Redeemer/Messiah) – Numbers 24.17b a star shall come out of Jacob,

2. Simon Bar Kokhba Revolt in second century (son of the Star)

C. Unexpected Detour to Jerusalem – if they knew scripture why go to Jerusalem?

1. Led by the Star to Jerusalem; then to Bethlehem; then to the House

2. Matthew 2.2 – Where is He? NOT, Where was He born?

3. From God, putting all the leaders on alert that His Son was here. Apparently ignored the shepherds; Simeon; and Anna in Luke 2

4. They Found What/Who they were looking for (Jeremiah 29.13)

II. The Indifferent (Religious Leaders)

Amos 6.1 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,; Laodiceans – Revelation 3.15-17

A. They Knew the Scriptures but were Indifferent to Knowing the Savior (Matthew 2.4-6)

4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

B. Causes of Indifference:

1. Self-Promotion (wealth; position; power)

2. Familiarity [visited Denver & Colorado Springs – blown away by Rockies – residents stopped noticing] (get used to the routine; etc.) [first and second generations]

C. Casualties of Indifference:

1. Treat salvation lightly

2. Miss opportunities to serve – Luke 12.16-21

3. Self-destruction

4. Church-destruction – Hundreds of US churches close each year

III. The Antagonistic (Herod) (Matthew 2.16-18)

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,

weeping and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

A. Herod Was Threatened by Jesus in His Paranoia

B. Herod Went on the Attack

1. Can’t find Jesus – kills as many as possible

2. Atheists attack Christians – kind of ironic because if there is no God and the Bible is fallible, shouldn’t it eventually go away? They can’t touch Jesus so they go after His followers.

3. Satan’s Role – Can’t destroy God or His Son so he comes after His children

1. What is the Message we need to hear?

There was a missionary team that had been invited to Russia to teach Christianity. It was Christmastime, and as they taught the story of Christ's birth at an orphanage everyone listened in amazement. None of the kids or the staff had ever heard it before.

One of the missionaries wrote: "We gave the children some materials and instructed them to create the manger scene that they had just heard about. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat; he looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project.