MESSAGES

FROM THE

WORD

WHO WERE THE WISE MEN

Matthew 2:1-12

SERIES:  Christmas

Dec. 31, 2006

            The Christmas story presents us with many fascinating personalities.  Certainly Mary and Joseph are an amazing story.  Beyond that, you have Zechariah and Elizabeth, the shepherds, Herod, and the town’s folks in Bethlehem.  One of the most interesting studies is a group of individuals we call the wise men.  There is more misunderstanding about this group of men than for any other personalities in the Christmas narrative.  Much of what we believe about the Wise Men is based on legend and myth.  Even the film “The Nativity Story” fell into this trap as they pictured three wise men arriving in Bethlehem on the night that Jesus was born.  The Catholic Church even gave them names, but not until nearly a thousand years after the birth of the Savior. 

            As we conclude our thoughts on Christmas and prepare our minds for a new study in the book of Daniel, this message will dove tail nicely between these two books.  These Magi were a part of a group of men who had as their leader a man whose name was Daniel.  The reason these individuals were interested in this one “WHO WAS BORN KING OF THE JEWS…” is because one of the greatest Jews to ever live, had taught them about a savior who was to come.  They had anticipated this event for nearly six centuries.

            What do we know about these individuals?  There are three sources of information.  One source is history.  A second source is legend.  The third source is the Bible.  For our study this morning, we are going to stick with history and with the Bible. 

            FIRST, WE SEE THE TIMING.  The legend of the wise men places them at the manger on the night in which Jesus was born.  We read                  MATTHEW 2:1                  Did you notice that they didn’t arrive in Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born.  The shepherds had that privilege.  The Magi arrived in Jerusalem after the baby Jesus had been born.  By comparing the birth accounts of Luke and Matthew we learn some information that helps us gain some sort of a time line.  Luke tells us that Joseph and Mary went to the Temple and offered two turtle doves as a sacrifice for the dedication of Jesus.  This was the lowest level of sacrificial offering.  In other words, Joseph and Mary gave an offering consistent with someone who was very poor.  If the Magi had come before this day, the Holy Couple would have had gold in their possession and would have offered a more expensive sacrifice. 

            In addition to this, Matthew tells us that the Magi came into the house where Jesus was living.  They did not come to the stable or to the manger.  The Bible does not tell us how old Jesus was when the Magi came.  Because Herod ordered the deaths of all children of Bethlehem who were two years or younger, many speculate that He could have been as old as 12-18 months of age.  He could have been a little younger and Herod was just making sure to get them all.  We do not know how old He was.

            SECOND, WE SEE THE TROUBLE.  This is a very interesting issue.  Herod was truly hated by the people.  Shortly after this event, Herod died.  Knowing that his death was soon, Herod arrested many of the leading men of Jerusalem and wrote out orders that they were to be executed upon his death.  It was his sick way of making sure that the city mourned when he died.

            One of the reasons he was hated so was because he was paranoid about others coming in and taking over.  On several occasions he executed his own sons.  Just before he died, he had his wife executed because he thought she was planning his death behind his back.

            It is at this time that the Magi arrived in town.  Why would this make Herod nervous?  After all, what can three guys on camels do?  This is why the legends can become a problem.  From the time of Daniel, the Magi had been given the task of training kings-to-be.  They were skilled in the sciences, history, astronomy, religion and law.  They would come to a kingdom and take the royal children under their wings and train them in what it meant to be royalty.  This would require time, so they would bring supplies with them and this often meant traveling with a significant amount of wealth.  Because of this, it was not uncommon for Magi to travel with both servants and armed guards.  As you can see, this takes the story from three guys on camels, to a large caravan.  When they came into town, it was difficult to come in without being noticed.  When people discovered who these men where, they would begin to gossip about who the next ruler was going to be.  Matthew writes            MATTHEW 2:1-3                  When these king makers rode into town, people knew who they were.  When Herod became nervous, the city became nervous.  They understood how Herod would deal with competition.  Have you ever noticed that when your boss gets agitated your work becomes more difficult?  That is the principle in this passage of scripture.  What a difference it would have made for Herod to join the Wise Men and search out the Christ child and worship Him.  He didn’t and it created trouble in the whole city.

            THIRD, WE SEE THE THANKSGIVING.  Matthew writes            MATTHEW  2:10              It is not easy to interpret this verse, but I think I know what is happening.  Again, this is one of those places where the legend confuses the story.  Our Christmas cards imply that these wise men saw a star and followed it all the way to the manger.  Not so!  If it had happened that way, they never would have stopped in Jerusalem.  They started in Persia, saw the star, understood Daniel’s prophesies, and headed west.  When they arrived in the Holy Land, the star must have disappeared.  Otherwise the Magi would have simply taken Herod outside, pointed up into the Heavens and said, “That Star!”  It seems clear that for a period of time the star was unobservable.  This is why the Magi came to Jerusalem and not to Bethlehem.  As they left Jerusalem, the star appeared again and pointed right where Jesus was living.  How this occurred is not explained.  When you look at the moon, whose house is it over?  It would be tough to prove.  There is not a scientific solution to this question.  We accept it on faith.  In this situation, God did something special so that a beam of light pointed right down at the right house.  Their journey was successful.

            I want you to notice an important truth of life.  Thanksgiving is always a result of fulfilled perseverance.  Joy is never a result of idleness; it is always a result of accomplishing a spiritual task.  These Magi had traveled from Persia, present Iran and Iraq, and they were not going to allow anything get in the way of accomplishing their task.  This is an important lesson for us as parents.  Many times parents do their children a disservice by finishing up tasks their children began.  The joy comes in finishing the project.  When the Magi realized they had reached their destination, they were filled with “GREAT JOY”. 

            I want you to notice how the Magi manifested joy.  We live in a culture dominated by that which feels good.  The pleasurable is desired above all.  Having to work and sweat is not a good thing.  That was not the philosophy of the Magi.  In these few verses, the Magi manifested their thanksgiving in three ways.

            First, they worshipped.  This sounds almost opposite to what I just stated.  Worship should make you feel good.  Our problem is that we define worship in a self centered way.  We even talk to people who state that they “worship God in their own way”.  There is a Biblical word for that and it is the word idolatry.  God doesn’t want us to worship Him in our own way.  God established how He wanted to be worshipped and He doesn’t want us to move from that.  This is why we need to search the scriptures to discover God’s will. 

            Worship is one of those words that we always seem to misunderstand.  Worship is a verb, not an adjective.  We take it and try to define things with it.  We have a “Worship Service” and we have a time in our service when we sing “Worship Choruses”.  There is no such thing as a worship song or a worship service.  There are songs in which we worship and there are services in which worship takes place, but it is incidental to the event.  The term worship has nothing to do with a time, location or a style.  Worship has to do with our humbling ourselves before God and acknowledging His greatness.  These Magi were the highest of the highs and they came to bow before this one who was the Lord.

            Second they gave sacrifices.  There is no worship if no sacrifice takes place.  When we gather together, we are sacrificing of our time.  In some areas of the world people sacrifice their lives so that they can worship this King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  When we give financially, there is a sacrifice that takes place.  Depending on how much you give, there is a great sacrifice or there is little sacrifice.  We just finished the Christmas holiday.  This is the last Sunday of the year.  Shortly, you will receive a record of your giving to this ministry for your tax preparation.  If you look at the bottom line and see how much you gave and then spent only that much on next year’s Christmas, would you have to cut back or could you go all out?  This is not a stewardship message, but it is important for us to understand that we are accountable to God for everything we own.  If He gives us a nice salary and we only give pocket change to His work, we are not wise stewards.  Let me just remind you of God’s standards for giving.  Rather than give you a list from all over the Bible, I want to look at twelve principles from one section of Scripture.  It is found in II Corinthians 8 & 9.  This is the most extensive passage in the Bible dealing with the single issue of finances.

                               GOD’S PLAN FOR GIVING

                                    II Corinthians 8 & 9

            1.         Giving must be voluntary.  8:3

            2.         Giving meets the needs of people.  8:4

            3.         Giving demonstrates Christ  likeness.  8:9

            4.         Giving is to be planned out.  8:11

            5.         Give from our resources, not our wishes.  8:12

            6.         Giving generously negates covetousness.  9:5

            7.         Giving is rewarded.  9:6

            8.         Giving needs to be cheerful.  9:7

            9.         Giving needs to be generous.  9:9, 10

          10.         Giving results in God’s glory.  9:11

          11.         Giving is an act of obedience.  9:13

          12.         Giving results in prayer on your behalf.  9:14

            These Magi came and one of their acts of worship was to give generously.  The amount of the gift was unimportant.  I’m sure the gold was a more expensive gift than the myrrh.  Jesus praised a woman who gave two pennies while rebuking others for giving far more, because they were giving to be seen by others.  How much you give is between you and God, but those whom you love you are generous to.

            Third, they obeyed.  The story of the Magi ends with an angel coming to them and telling them to sneak out the back door of Bethlehem and ignore Herod’s request to return to him.  It is probably easier to obey God when an angel tells you, but obedience is always a choice.  There are probably issues in which you know God’s will for you and you have failed to follow through.  God’s desire is always obedience.  The arrival of these individuals presents us with some realities concerning our life. 

            First, God’s sovereignty.  God has already moved in the hearts of some individuals to meet a need of yours far in the future.  It is operating in your life as we speak.  You simply need to live your life and anticipating His work.

            Second, trouble and deliverance.  Often being in God’s will creates trouble because there are those who hate His plan.  Your task is not to run from the trouble, but simply to understand that it will come and seek God’s grace and strength. 

            Third, joy.  Being in the center of God’s will results in joy.  That joy must be manifested in action.  God does not reveal His plan so we can decide if we will do it.  He reveals His plan so we can experience His joy.

            Fourth, opportunities for service.  The center of God’s will is filled with serving Him.  We do this by worshipping Him, by sacrificing for His work to be accomplished, and by obeying His will.

This message is from the teaching ministry of Glen Jackson, pastor of Faith Christian Church in Simi Valley, CA.