The Magi
Matthew 2:1-2; 10-11
Emmanuel Christian Church 12.22.24
INTRODUCTION:
Matthew 2:1 “…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 in the east and have come to worship him.”
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 and of frankincense and of myrrh.
We’ve walked with Mary and Elizabeth, we jogged with Joseph to
Bethlehem, and shuddered with the shepherds while tending their flocks
by night. Now, it’s our turn to march with the Magi on a trek that began
nearly 1,000 miles to the east, signaled to their ancestors over 600 years
earlier!
In the sixth century, they were given the names Melkon, Balthasar,
and Gasper. The truth is, we don't know their actual names, or even their
number. Matthew just says they “Magi came from the East". Some take
that to mean that they came from the Orient, while others place their origin
in Babylon.
My opinion, there is strong circumstantial evidence to point to
Babylon. Again, Matthew calls them "Magi". Most likely, this is a reference
to their study of astrology, astronomy, philosophy- even magic. But why
would these “Wise Men” from the East be looking for a Jewish King born
nearly 1,000 miles to the West? Why would they care at all?
The answer lay, I believe in the account of the Jewish prophet Daniel
who over 600 years earlier had been taken captive to Babylon with the
other Jewish exiles.
Identified by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar as a man of
insight regarding mysteries and matters of God, Daniel was able to
interpret the King’s dream just before (out of frustration) he was about to
execute all the other “Magi” of his realm.
Well, you can only imagine the gratitude of the magi for having their
lives spared by the insights of Daniel, and how they surely must have
longed to know the secrets he held that made him superior to them.
And there can be no doubt whatsoever that Daniel spoke to them of
coming kings and kingdoms (we have the Book of Daniel)- especially
about the King of Kings Jesus, because Jesus Himself speaks directly of
Daniel’s prophecies in the first half of Matthew chapter 24!
But what about that star they followed to Bethlehem? As men who
studied the heavens, as well as the words of Daniel- they had long been
looking intently! And God gave them a supernatural manifestation that
spoke clearly to their expectant hearts and minds.
PROPOSITION: The Wise Men from the East were on a quest. They
thought they knew what they would find, but how could they have
possibly known?
Who among us can say that we fully comprehend that it is God
Himself, the Great Creator, Victorious Warrior, King of Kings, Counselor of
counselors, the Everlasting Father that lay before our eyes in the form of a
helpless human infant?
Given the prophetic words of Daniel, attracted by the Star of
Bethlehem, the Magi found themselves irresistibly moved to search out
and find the “King of the Jews”.
Their trip, tribute and the treasures they bore remind us of the
sacrifices required of anyone who seeks to worship the King of Kings.
THEIR TRIP
- It required two precious commodities:
- Time.
- Their journey would have at least required 3 months of intense
travel through inhospitable terrain, filled hazards from wild
animals, unpredictable weather as well as marauding bandits!
- The wise men were looking at least 6months away from family,
income producing work, not to mention complete cessation of
personal pursuits or what we would call “a day off”.
- The sacrifice of “time” was no small offering on the part of the
Wise men. But, they were willing to pay that price if it meant that
they might find the one born "King of the Jews”
APPLICATION: The younger you are, the longer time seems. As the years
begin to accumulate, they somehow seem to grow very short. Think of
your years like a nickel:
Spend just one penny and your 16 years old trying out your new
driver’s license!
Spend your next penny and your 32, with one or more children
beginning school.
Spend penny number three and your surprised by your empty nest at
the age of 48!
Penny number four completely catches you off guard at age 64-
you’re too young to be a “senior citizen”!
Spend your final penny and you’re absolutely stunned how quickly
you arrived at age 80!
That’s YOUR nickel! You can only spend it once. You can’t spend
someone else’s nickel. You can’t make any more nickels you can one
spend the one you have!
Psalms 90:10 The length of our days is seventy years — or eighty, if we
have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly
pass, and we fly away.
Giving of your time is one of the greatest acts of love. Do you
have time for friends? Do you have time for your family? Do you have
time to seek the King of kings?
The Wise Men’s trip took TIME, but it also required…
- Money.
- Just how much does a six month road trip cost?
- It depends on how you like to travel!
- A luxury cruise will set you back $60,000- OR you can go on the
cheap for a mere $15,000!
- Back in the first century, every day would have cost a day’s wages,
not to mention a day’s wages lost. So- two days wages for every
day on the road! To put it another way, it likely cost the wise men a
years wages to seek the King of kings!
- Solomon said “Money is the answer for everything.” (Ecc. 10:19).
- Jesus spoke more on the subject of money than any other!
- Why? “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21
APPLICATION: If you see money and wealth as something you possess-
you will never have enough of it. On the other hand, if you see it as a tool
for building relationships and blessing others- you’ll be like one of the
“wise men” seeking Jesus! Later on in His ministry Jesus said this:
Luke 16:9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so
that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
- The journey of the Magi took more than just time and money- the 1,000
mile trip required faith!
- Faith to follow the leading of God - a star of all things!
- Faith to ignore the opposition of men . Put yourself in the position of
the Wise Men- looking for an infant king under the very nose of an
insanely jealous ruler (one who had killed his own wife and sons!)
APPLICATION: Faith to follow the leading of God, as well as faith to
overcome human obstacles, is still required of anyone who desires to
begin their own personal journey in seeking out the King of kings.
THEIR TRIBUTE
- The wise men KNEW what they were looking for- ROYALTY!
“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his
star in the east and have come to worship him.”
- Isn’t it a little strange that travelers from a distant nation wanted to
seek out the king of a foreign land? They had their own king back
home- why seek out another?
- The wise men KNEW this King was more than royalty- this King was
Divinity worthy of WORSHIP.
APPLICATION: The Apostle Paul gives us the reasons why:
Colossians 1:15 (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven
and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all
things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the
body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the
dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was
pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to
reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
- The wise men’s worship came in the form of submission…
- Bowing themselves before the infant Messiah.
- What a picture! Human power, wisdom and wealth- BOWING before
the ULTIMATE SOURCE of all power, wisdom and wealth!
APPLICATION: Most people recoil at the thought of submission. They
mistakingly think it is the same thing as SUBJECTION- it is NOT!
Subjection is ALWAYS FORCED, submission is always a voluntary act
of the will that requires a thoughtful surrender of personal control to a
trustworthy superior. In our relationship with Jesus, it is the very
definition of what it means to WORSHIP!
Romans12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give
your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a
living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the
way to worship him. (The New Living Bible)
The wise men sought out the King of kings to worship Him, but they did
not come with empty hands! Consider…
THEIR TREASURE
- The gifts they brought to Jesus spoke a great deal about their priorities:
- They spared NO expense! This was no $20 limit gift exchange!
“Budget” was no consideration at all! The only criteria they had was
that their gifts had to be the very FINEST!
- The gifts they brought were a reflection of the VALUE they placed on
the ONE they had come to worship.
APPLICATION: What we bring in the way of our devotion to Christ speaks
of our valuation of Him. An hour a week, or a life of commitment- both
speak volumes about our heart's priorities!
- Their gifts bore great significance:
- Gold- the gift given to a King.
- Frankincense- burned as an offering made by a Priest.
- Myrhh- 33 years later, with it, Joseph of Arimathea would wrap Jesus
crucified body.
APPLICATION: What does it look like to “worship” the King of kings? It
looks like spending the time and bearing the cost to seek Him out. It looks
like humble voluntary submission. It looks like surrendering the very best
we have to offer!
