I love doing this because it forces me to be still and contemplate the Reason we are celebrating. It's so easy for the Baby to be lost in the midst of all the Christmas shopping, presents and parties. Happy Birthday Jesus, I am so very very glad You came. Thank YOU!
Matthew 2:1-12
Hello
everyone! Merry Christmas! We’re so blessed to be here with all of you.
The
scene of the Magi or wise men bringing gifts to Jesus is an all-time favorite
for Christmas cards, nativity sets and Christmas songs. It actually happened
when Jesus was a toddler, probably two years after he was born in
Bethlehem. But it’s integral to the
Christmas Story. So we’re going to
ponder this scene together tonight.
However,
we are going to try something a little different. One of Arthur’s and my
favorite Christian artists is Michael Card – and he wrote a song based on this
passage. I am going to weave that song in as we go through the text.
This
story can be divided into three different Acts or scenes. Imagine you are
watching a play. After each act, Arthur will come to sing a verse and the
chorus from that song. I hope you’ll enjoy this, and eventually as you get
familiar with the song, join him in singing!
Let’s
begin Act One. Matthew Chapter Two.
Act One – The Magi follows the star
The
Scene
1.
The
first Act begins in the royal courts of Persia, where the Magi – likely
astrologers for the king of Persia, were studying the stars in the night sky.
2.
And
on a special night more than two thousand years ago, they saw a star. A star unlike
any other, rising and shining so brightly. Somehow they knew, probably from
their studies, that this star signified that the King of the Jews had been
born.
He was unlike any other kings who came
before or after Him. He did not have to conquer or fight to be King. He was
born to be, destined to be. He was God’s chosen King
3.
And
so, they packed their bags and went to worship Him. There were no airplanes
then, and so it was a long trip on camel-back – across deserts and different
terrains. They did not know where exactly they were going or how long it would
take them. But they were compelled to
go. Nothing would stop them.
Meditation
4.
Persian
wise men, going on a long journey, to worship the king of the Jews. I found
this a little baffling. Why would they want to worship the king of the Jews? Didn’t
they already have their own king? Who was He to them?
5.
Scripture
does not answer these questions specifically.
But we can see that somehow this star and its announcement of the birth
of this king – shook them out of their star gazing. They left their homes, left their comfort
zones. It compelled them to start a
journey into the night. Despite the unknowns, they had to find Him.
Song:
We will find Him v1
On a day like any other
In our search to find
the truth
We turned so many musty
pages
In our hope to find
some clue
Then the words leapt
from the parchment
From Jacob shines a
star
That a wordless one who
is the word
Will be worth a journey
far
CHORUS:
We will find Him
We will find Him
We will follow His star
We will search and we
will follow
No matter how far
In castles, through
kingdoms
We know where to start
To find the king whose
kingdom is the heart
Act 2 – The Magi arrives in Jerusalem
The
Scene
1.
The
next scene is set in the courts of King Herod. The Magi’s journey had brought
them to Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jews.
2.
The
Magi explained what brought them here. When King Herod the Great and those in
Jerusalem heard about that, they were disturbed.
They did not share the Magi’s excitement
or desire to worship the One who was born King of the Jews.
3.
The
chief priests and teachers of the law remembered the words of the prophet Micah
and told both Herod and the Magi that the King is to born in Bethlehem.
Application/
Meditation
4.
Right
in this scene, we see three groups of people with three different reactions to
the King of the Jews. Three reactions that still exist towards the King of
God’s Kingdom today –
a.
The
first reaction is Threatened: This reaction is represented by Herod and all who
see the Promised King as a threat. As a result of feeling threatened, he rejects
and tries to destroy Him.
If
that child is the King of the Jews, where would that put Herod?
Herod
became so insecure about the potential threat to his kingdom, that he later
ordered a massacre of all the little boys under two in Bethlehem and the cities
nearby. What a tragedy.
b.
The
second reaction is Indifferent – This reaction is represented by the Jews and
the teachers of the Law, people who heard the news but are indifferent. They
viewed the news of the Promised King as a disturbance and an inconvenience, and
ignored Him.
They
were supposed to be waiting for the Promised Messiah in the Old Testament, and
should have been excited by the possibility of His coming. Yet, they did not
even bother to go check it out.
They
would rather stick around the oppressive Herod, than to find the King that God
promised, who will shepherd them. They did not bother going with the Magi to
Bethlehem.
I
wonder if the Magi came forth with news of gold tucked in some corner of
Bethlehem, how many treasure hunters would volunteer to go with them. Yet, none
would go to find the King who is worth more than all the gold in the world?!
c.
The
third reaction is Worshipful – This reaction is represented by the Magi, who want
to worship the King. They responded to the signs from heaven, ventured out with
a worshipful heart, and are eager to find Him. In the next Act, we will see
that they are eventually rewarded by finding the One they sought.
5.
Three
different groups of people with three different reactions. I want us to ask
ourselves today, who do we resemble most? The Bible calls us all sinners –
whether we are saved sinners or unsaved sinners, we all have dark hearts
within.
Whether or not you have professed Jesus
as your Lord and Savior, where are you in your relationship with Him? Or in
relation to Him?
Does Jesus pose a threat to your
kingdom, your wants and your desires? And you would rather He not exist? Maybe
sometimes?
Or Is Jesus an
inconvenient disturbance whom you would rather ignore? The annoying nag at you
conscience and it will be much easier to be indifferent to His will?
Or are you approaching this Christmas
and every day, with a worshipful heart? Seeking Him in all that you say and do?
My dear friends, do not let this season
pass you by without an examination of your heart. It is easy to get caught up
in all the festivities. But if we are not seeking God and the Baby in the
manger in the midst of all that, we have missed the point.
Excursus
6.
Before
we move on from this scene, I want to linger a little longer on the prophecy by
the prophet Micah – “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”.
A ruler who will shepherd My people –
the Israel that is by faith, also known as the Church today. My people,
including us here today, who have faith and obey Jesus Christ our Lord.
7.
Only
recently, did I understand a little more what it meant for God to call us His
people, when I meditated upon the fact that Mya is my daughter.
I have never been one of those
baby-people. You know, those who look at babies and go goo-goo ga-ga? Their
eyes light up, and have to carry every baby they meet. I’m sure there are a few
of us here today. I was not one of these baby-people, that is, until I had Mya.
I goo-goo and I gaa-gaa at her. And I am crazy about this girl.
I asked myself many times, why I was so
enamored by the little baby, when all that she did was eat, poop, sleep and cry.
I asked myself why I find every sound she makes so cute? Ok not every sound –
not when she is throwing a temper tantrum. Even at her worst, I do not love her
any less.
I asked myself why she makes my smile
wider, the room brighter, and the days more delightful. She is not very
different from any other baby, but she captures my heart like no other child
does. Why?
I arrived at the conclusion that I am so
crazy about Mya is because she is mine. She is my baby, my child, my little
girl, the apple of my eye. I claim her as mine. And that draws my heart in a
very special way.
8.
So
when I hear God say to us that “You are My people” recently, it moved me in a
way it never did before. “You are My child”, God says. No matter how old or
young you are, God says to you, “You are My little children. You are the apple
of My eye. I claim you as Mine, and I love You passionately. I am crazy about
you, I want to shepherd you. Even at your worst, in your deepest darkest, I
love you. No matter how far away you wander, I will always come for you, just as
I did”.
Do you hear Him, friends? How will you
respond to your Heavenly Father?
Song:
We will find Him v2
It was a night like any
other
So cold and black and
dark
And it told us all too
clearly
Of the night inside our
hearts
Then the star tore
through the darkness
And like an angel shore
To guide us to that one
true Light
Who became flesh and bone
CHORUS:
We will find Him
We will find Him
We will follow His star
We will search and we
will follow
No matter how far
In castles, through
kingdoms
We know where to start
To find the king whose
kingdom is the heart
Act 3
The
Scene
1.
In
this final Act, we come to the end of the Magi’s journey. The Magi followed the
star and found Jesus in Bethlehem. They were exhilarated when they found WHO they
were looking for. Joy was overflowing out of them, they were overjoyed.
2.
They
bowed down and worshipped Him and presented Him with gifts. Imagine three
elderly wise men, bowing down to a toddler and worshipping Him. What a
counter-cultural sight that must have been!
·
The
fact that they were in the small little town of Bethlehem, in what would likely
have been a simple inconspicuous house,
and standing face to face with an ordinary looking toddler. According to Isaiah
53, He has no beauty or majesty to attach people to Him, nothing in Hisi
appearance that would cause others to desire Him. Nothing is screaming “King!”
·
Yet,
despite the outrageously humble appearances, they knew who they are looking at,
and were willing to humble themselves even more.
·
They
knew what the stars in the heaven declared, so they acted in faith, and bowed
down and worshipped Jesus.
3.
They
also presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that they had
brought with them from afar. These were common gifts to kings in the ancient
world. But they also carried a spiritual significance for Jesus.
·
Gold
is a precious metal that represents Jesus’ Kingship. He is God’s chosen ruler,
who is our Shepherd King.
·
Frankincense
is a type of perfume or incense. That is a symbol of Jesus’ role as our High
Priest, mediating between us sinful humans and our holy God.
·
Myrrh
foreshadows His death as Nicodemus wrapped His broken body in myrrh and linen
after He gave up His life for us on the cross.
Application/
Meditation
4.
There
is great rejoicing in the successful outcome of the Magi’s quest. They
travelled all the way from Persia to Bethlehem to find the King of the Jews.
Despite a risky episode at king Herod’s, they still got to where they needed to
be, and found who they wanted to find. They worshipped Him and accomplished
what they had set out to do. What a great successful end to this story.
5.
But
friends, you know what. There is an even greater quest in this story and a
greater rejoicing than that of the Magi.
a.
The
Magi were not the only ones who travelled, endured and found.
b.
Jesus,
the Baby in the manger, made an even longer trip from heaven to earth. A more
difficult trip from being infinite to being confined to a human body, and a
more costly trip by being away from the Father’s side.
c.
He
endured threats and persecution from people whom He came to save, He pursued
those who were indifferent, He gives Himself to those who will worship Him.
d.
By
His birth and death, He came to find the lost sheep of Israel, the lost
children of the Father’s. And by becoming the sacrifice to atone for our sins,
He gave us the best gift anyone would need – a restored relationship with a
holy God, and a loving Heavenly Father.
e.
The
Magi went after a King, One who is worthy of pursuit. And Jesus, He went after
the broken sinners, worthless enemies of God; to make us worthy again.
6.
This
story might be about the Magi finding Jesus, but the bigger story in Christmas
is about God finding us, God finding you and me. That out of His love, He did
everything He could to find us and save us, so that we can be home with Him.
7.
So
friends, no matter where you are with Jesus at this point. Whether, you feel
threatened by Him or indifferent to Him, take time to examine your heart and
repent.
He is the One who has the rightful
throne to God’s Kingdom and is the Only Lord of all; relinquish your control to
Him. There is no winning for you at the end, He is the reigning King.
He came down from heaven to earth for
you, and is knocking on the door of your heart, don’t ignore Him. Let Him reign
in your heart.
And for those who believe and trust in
Him, rejoice in the fact that He has found you and worship Him and continue to
let Him reign in your life!
Song:
We will find Him Bridge
We have found Him
We have found Him
We have seen the true
Light
What was darkness
What was shadow
In His presence is
delight
This One born so lowly
the heavens declare
Will someday reign
without a rival there
He stilled our secret
syllables
And hushed our wisest
words
In the silence of the
stable there
Was wisdom finally
heard
He has found us
He has found us
He is the One true
Light
What was darkness
What was shadow
In His presence is
delight
This One born so lowly
the heavens declare
Will someday reign
without a rival there
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