The King: The Wise Men

Opener: Christmas and all the feels. Christmas for some brings about all the good, warm, and fuzzy feels. For others it brings anxiety, depression, and frustration. “I eat too much, socialize too much, and run out of money!” Anybody feel me on that one?

Story: Spending $2k on vehicle and it breaking down after we get to NC. Holiday nightmare.

Either way, I think it’s safe to say that the busyness of this season gets carried away and we often lose sight of the reason for the season. We get sidetracked from the most important part, and that’s celebrating and remembering the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

It’s safe to say that Jesus’ birth is a BIG DEAL. Jesus’ birth literally splits time in two. We have BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, which means “in the year of our Lord”). There is no year 0. So if you’re wondering if Jesus’ birth was a big deal, I would say that His story has quite literally made history. Whether you like it or not, we’re living “in the year of our Lord”.

We’re going to spend the next several weeks in December talking about certain events and characters surrounding the story of Jesus’ birth. The theme for this collection of talks is “The King”. Realizing that we celebrate & serve one king and that’s King Jesus.

Passage: Matthew 2:1-12 CSB

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”

9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Pray:

Background:

Last year we studied the characters and events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. This year we’re going to be working backwards by looking at the wise men, the presentation at the temple, the shepherds in the field, and we will conclude with the place of Jesus’ birth at our Christmas service on December 23rd.

I believe that as we examine the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus the Redeemer, we’re not only going to grow in our connection to the story, but we’re going to grow deeper in our relationship with God.

Main Points:

1. Journey To The King
   1. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

   2. Went on a journey without all the details

      1. How much money is it going to cost? IDK. How long will it take? IDK. What are you following? A star.
      2. They stepped out on a journey not knowing where it would lead, but knowing who they would find
         3. The Wise Men
      3. We don’t know much about these wise men. Tradition says that they were from Parthia, near ancient Babylon.

      4. Question: How many wise men were there?

         1. We don’t know. But it’s highly unlikely that there were only three

         2. It’s believed that there was a caravan. So much so that the people of Jerusalem became fearful when they entered. 3. Question: How did they know the star represented the Messiah?

         3. They could have been Jews who remained in Babylon after the exile. They would have known the prophecies pointing to this time.

         4. They may have been eastern astrologers who studied ancient manuscripts from around the world. They would have had Jewish manuscripts because of the exile centuries earlier.
         5. They had a special revelation from God directing them to the Messiah.

         6. Some suggest they inherited what Daniel taught the wise men of Babylon five centuries earlier. If so, that is a legacy passed down for some twenty generations. What a legacy he left. Are you in a crew? Are you discipling someone? 4. Some scholars believe that the wise men represented different tribes, thus bringing all the world together to worship Jesus

         7. Aren’t you grateful today that Jesus is for the world. He’s not for a select group of people, but for all people! 5. What the wise men knew…

         8. Balaam’s fourth prophecy - “A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel.” - Numbers 24:17

         9. 700 years before Jesus’ birth - “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” - Micah 5:2 NKJV
         10. Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks or 490 years - “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city—to bring the rebellion to an end, to put a stop to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.” - Daniel 9:24
             4. Near or Know
                1. I find it very interesting that these gentile astrologers traveled 600+ miles to worship the king of the Jews, yet the Jews that were 5 miles away did not make the journey to worship him.
                2. You can be near and choose to not know. You can acknowledge His existence, show up to all the events, read all the stories and prophecies, yet deny His presence.
                3. Question: in what areas of your life do you have knowledge of God, but not relationship?
             5. Jerusalem & Bethlehem
                1. Bethlehem is a tiny town 5 miles southwest of Jerusalem.
                2. Jerusalem was the city of wealth and power, but it would ultimately be destroyed. But out of a tiny and insignificant town called Bethlehem, the King of Kings would reign forever more!
                3. God takes what seems insignificant and makes it extraordinary. He takes the small things, and moves in big ways!
                4. “Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David,” - Luke 2:4 CSB
         11. Encounter With A King
             1. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”
             2. Chief Priests and Scribes

      5. The birth of Jesus fulfilled specific Old Testament prophecies, such as Micah 5:2 (Bethlehem) and Isaiah 7:14 (the virgin birth).

      6. Question: Isn’t it wild to consider that the very scribes and high priests that knew the most, were the least interested in worshiping the coming Savior?
      7. You see, King Herod had built an extravagant temple for the Jews, therefore he had gained a lot of favor with the people.
      8. Matthew doesn’t tell us why they stayed home. But it looks to me like their allegiance was to the king who gave them a temple and not that king who wanted to make them a temple.
      9. They were committed to their position and not their submission.

      10. They knew, but they did not pursue! How can you pursue this holiday season?

          1. I want to encourage you to do a few things this Christmas season.
          2. Stay committed to reading the Word and prayer.
          3. Make coming to church a priority.
          4. Be generous out of the overflow, not guilt.
          5. I believe that if we commit to these very simple practices, we will position ourselves to better worship Jesus this Christmas season. I also believe this will help keep your eyes fixed on what’s most important.
          6. King Herod

      11. Fighting for power vs. following for purpose

      12. Herod was a ruthless, cruel man. He had murdered many of his own family members because he feared that they were turning against him. He was married 10 times as a result of this hunger for power and control.

      13. You see a great contrast of two kings.

          1. One king was hungry for power, the other was generous
          2. One king was fearful, the other brought freedom to all
          3. One king was prideful, the other was a humble servant
          4. One king was selfish, the other gave His life for the redemption of all humankind 4. Do you worship King Self or King Jesus?

          5. Worshiped the King of Kings

             1. 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.
             2. The Child & The House
                1. This may blow your mind a bit, but it’s unlikely that Jesus was still an infant when the wise men came on the scene. Herod later ordered the death of the boys two years old and under (Matthew 2:16).
                2. Also, they are no longer in a cave or manger, but they are in a house when the wise men showed up.
             3. The Gifts
                1. They gave the best they had to offer

          6. Are you giving your best? Or are you giving just enough? Or are you giving at all? 2. Matthew doesn’t explain the gifts, but many Christians have seen them as both providential and prophetic 3. They may have been providential, providing the resources they needed to escape Bethlehem and retreat to Egypt. 4. Gold: A Gift For A King (King)

          7. The paragraphs on gold and frankincense are from William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Matthew, on Matthew 2.
          8. In Parthia it was the custom that no one could ever approach the king without a gift. And gold, the king of metals, is the fit gift for a king of men.
          9. Jesus was born, King. But he was to reign, not by force, but by love; and he was to rule over men's hearts, not from a throne, but from a Cross.
          10. We do well to remember that Jesus Christ is King. We can never meet Jesus on an equality. We must always meet him on terms of complete submission.
          11. JESUS IS NOT ON OUR LEVEL! 5. Incense: A Gift Of Worship (High Priest)
          12. It was in the Temple worship and at the altar of incense that the sweet perfume of frankincense was used. The function of a priest is to open the way to God for men. The Roman title for a priest, pontifex, was understood to mean bridge-builder. The priest is the man who builds a bridge between men and God.
          13. That is what Jesus did. He opened the way to God; he made it possible for men to enter into the very presence of God.
          14. “Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. 12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.” - Hebrews 10:11-12 CSB 6. Myrrh: A Gift Of Death (Savior)
          15. “And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.” - John 19:39 NKJV
          16. You normally don’t give a kid a coffin.
          17. Jesus came to die.