The Wise Men

The Wise Men

Matthew 2:1-12

December 19, 2010

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem

2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

From our study of The Story this fall, we learned that long before creatures first roamed the earth, a great King issued a decree and the universe came into existence. With endless imagination and detail, the King filled the land, waters and sky with living creatures of every shape, color and size. Then the King reached down, picked up a handful of loose soil, and breathed into it His own likeness. From the dust the King made a man to share His happiness. Then He made the first woman.

In their garden home the King planted 2 trees. He called one the “tree of life” and the other was called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” The King pointed to the 2nd tree and said, “Don’t eat from this tree or you will die.”

The man and woman took the King’s counsel and shared His happiness. But hiding in the shadows, a rebel watched the caretakers and envied their happiness. Disguised as a friend, the rebel engaged the woman in conversation. He raised questions she had never thought about. What was the King withholding? What didn’t He want them to know?

Curiosity got the best of the first couple. Tasting the forbidden fruit, the two suddenly felt afraid and vulnerable. Grabbing leaves for cover, they ran to hide from the King. Life would never be the same. And life moved on, seasons passed, new life came and passed, generations passed. Yet the King kept promising His people, His chosen people that through them the world would be blessed with the coming of a King, a Savior, a Messiah.

The promise usually fell on deaf ears. His people tested his patience until he stopped talking to them. After 400 long years, the silence was broken by the cry of a baby. A young woman gave birth to a child whose name means “Savior.”

This child grew up to become the Servant of Servants, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He was born into our world to restore what was lost in the garden.

His story must be told because His story is The Greatest Story Ever Told. Everlasting joy waits for all who will welcome him into their hearts.

His message and coming was —

Predicted by the Prophets – The coming of a Savior surprised just about everybody, from His parents, to the Jewish leaders to a band of shepherds herding their sheep. But it shouldn’t have been such a shock. God had been dropping clues for thousands of years.

It was announced by an angel and the heavenly host. The birth of the long-awaited Savior was announced with nothing less than a heavenly chorus. The shepherds were told, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

And we also see that Jesus was worshiped by the Wise Men

What do you call a group of guys who follow a star, thinking it will somehow lead to a newborn King? You call them, “Wise Men!”