Sermons
Wise Men Still Seek Him
WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM
Sermon Outline By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / December 24, 2017
Jeannie & I would like to wish all of you a very merry Christmas.
We love our Cortland Church Family so very much and, Lord willing, look forward to many years to come.
I want to personally thank you for the generosity you’ve shown in our offerings of late.
Next Sunday is a pastoral and Brian Alfred will be preaching and Vic will be teaching.
They may be providing us with an update on our financial status. At this point in time things are looking better.
Jeannie & I and Mark will not be vacationing in the mountains this year - - as we typically do the last week of the year.
We’re going to be home for Christmas and we’re looking forward to that for a change.
On this Sunday before Christmas I want to conclude our brief series from Matthew chapter two.
We looked at the Wise Men in our first sermon in this four-part series.
Mt.2:1-6 tells of the arrival of the Wise men to Jerusalem in their quest to find the Child born King of the Jews.
All that we definitively know about the wise men is found in Mt.2.
As we noted in that previous sermon there are many questions that we have about the wise men.
Who exactly were they? … How many of them were there? … Where did they come from? … How far did they travel? …
How did the star guide them? … Had Jehovah God made a special revelation to them? …
How did they know The Child was going to be the king of the Jews?
As with so many Biblical stories, legends arise and embellishments come to color the actual text of Scripture.
Somewhere over the centuries the names were “discovered” (fabricated?): Caspar, Melchoir and Balthasar.
A cathedral in Cologne, Germany, actually alleges to have relics of the remains of the Wise Men.
As Stephen Flask observed in our midweek Bible study this past Wednesday, the shepherds arrive at the birth
of Jesus almost immediately (Lk.2). The text of Lk.2 implies that Joseph and Mary & baby Jesus lingered in
Bethlehem and Jerusalem for some time. Jesus was circumcised on the eight day after His birth (Lk.2:21).
Still later, He was dedicated at the Temple, and was hailed by both Simeon and Anna (Lk.2:22-38).
Sometime thereafter (perhaps a year or more), the flight to Egypt takes place (Mt.2:13).
The Eastern Orthodox Church refers to the arrival of the Wise Men as “Ephiphany”. Epiphany celebrates
the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. Their reckoning coincides with “The Twelve Days of Christ”,
with the Magi arriving on The Twelfth Day. That would be January 6th, if you put stock in this tradition.
Epiphany is typically celebrated on the Sunday that falls closest to January 6th.
We noted in that earlier sermon, that Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled or disturbed by Magi’s arrival (Mt.2:3).
This disturbance was likely dye to Herod’s madness, and ego or partisanship on the part of the priests & scribes.
They were likely irritated that “outsiders” would be informing THEM about the arrival of their Messiah.
It is also possible that the Magi came with a rather large entourage, creating considerable consternation in Jerusalem.
One writer notes: The Magi would have swept into Jerusalem with pomp and circumstance…At a minimum they would have brought with them a full military escort along with servants. The total party could have amounted to 300 men.
Such would have certainly set off alarms in Jerusalem, especially among the Jewish chief priests and scribes.
These magi/wise men were higher-ups in the Persia echelon (We Three KINGS) - - highly esteemed and very influential.
They were highly educated scholars trained in medicine, history, religion, prophecy, astronomy and astrology.
While we may put little stock in “astrology”, the ancients searched the skies seeking to discover answers to
some of life’s greatest questions: “Who am I?” … “Why am I here?” … and “Where am I going?”.
In the Old Testament, God’s prophet Daniel served for a time in the court of the Persians.
Daniel had prophesied with great specificity about the future coming of Israel’s Messiah (70 weeks / Dan.9).
It’s not unrealistic to assume that Daniel’s prophecy had been scrutinized, analyzed & monitored by the Persian Magi.
It is very likely that the Magi (Wise Men) arrived sometime after “the dedication” and before “the flight”.
When the Shepherds arrived, they find Joseph and Mary in the stables and the newborn Jesus in a manger.
When the Magi arrive, they came into the house and saw Mary His mother… (Mt.2:11).
This morning I want to complete the story of the Wise Men.
} Our text this morning is Mt.2:7-12. |
Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, ‘Go and make careful search for the Child;
and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him.’
And having heard the king, they went their way; And lo, the star, which they had seen in the east,
went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they
rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother;
and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him
gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream
not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way.
THE STAR THAT GUIDED THE MAGI
We know that the Jews were looking for their Messiah.
And we know that the Magi looked to the stars for guidance and Divine knowledge.
We also know that the Jews and the Persian Wise Men had intermingled for 500 years or more.
Finally, we conclude that as star-gazers, the Magi would have noticed some new “sign” in the sky.
It is not at all surprising to read the text of Mt.2 and witness this journey of the Magi following a star.
This “star” is first noted in Mt.2:2, when the Magi tell Herod,
We saw His star in the east and have come to worship him.
This troubled Herod (disturbed / to shake violently).
At the very least, Herod was worried. Most likely, King Herod was scared stiff upon hearing the testimony of the Magi.
Herod’s envy would later authorize an attempt to exterminate all male children in the region 2 years and younger.
He flat-out lied to the Magi (Mt.2:8), and, as Mt.2:16f reveals, he really had no intentions of worshipping the Child.
The star that guided the Magi over a lengthy journey of hundreds of miles to Jerusalem, suddenly re-appears (Mt.2:9) - -
re-emerging to precisely guide them from Jerusalem to a certain dwelling Bethlehem that housed Joseph, Mary & Jesus.
What was this “star”?
Theories abound. Some contend it was Halley’s Comet or a “supernova”.
Some contend that it was a unique planetary convergence: Jupiter, Mars & Saturn in 7 BC or Saturn or Jupiter in (2 BC.
(This view is offered in a fascinating video called, “Star of Wonder” by the Adler Planetarium in Chicago).
It is also possible that this “star” was something similar to the “shekinah” that guided Israel in the wilderness.
A pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex.13:20-22).
THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI
The magi brought with them treasures, but their gift-offerings were first preceded with worship.
Mt.2:11b / they fell down and worshiped Him.
One can’t help but wonder if they were somewhat un-impressed.
To their natural eyes, this child did not look like a king and his home was very likely a far cry from a castle.
There was no scepter; no crown; no royal linens; no armies surrounding this Child; no servants in waiting.
No speeches, no spoken decrees. In reality, this Child could not yet even talk or walk. To the eyes of the flesh,
the Magi would have witnessed nothing but normalcy: just a baby boy in a diaper, gurgling and cooing, moving
his hands and feet aimlessly, perhaps in search of His mother’s breast, while being rocked in his mother’s arms.
When the Magi met King Herod there was no worship that took place.
Yet, here in the presence of this infant Child, these Wise Men fell on their knees/faces in adoration and worship.
One can only conclude that THEY ACTED IN FAITH. Saying such hints strongly that they had received a Divine revelation.
Mt.2:11c notes, opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Their gifts testify that they knew the true identity of this, hidden though it was from common eyes.
GOLD points to His majesty - - He is a KING.
FRANKINCENSE points to His divinity - - He is GOD in the flesh.
(Bo lost a bone in the car and it caused my vehicle to smell quite funky - - I called it “funkincense”).
Frankincense was a precious oil used often in worship.
MYRRH points to His HUMANITY - - it was a bitter spice applied at death as a kind of embalming ingredient.
Jesus was born king of the Jews in order to die on behalf of the sins of mankind.
In conclusion, whether we recognize a special day (epiphany/enlightenment) as part of the story of the Magi,
one can’t help but acknowledge that this special revelation given to the Magi was sign of good things to come.
Not long after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus the gospel began to be proclaimed openly to the Gentiles.
People of all races and backgrounds would be invited to receive salvation from sin in the name of Jesus Christ.
If the wise men of Persia could find Jesus, then so can you.
It wasn’t an easy task. They traveled far and search long and hard.
They crossed many barriers and were not readily received, but they found Jesus.
If God could use a star to reach pagan Gentiles, we cannot discount His usage of a variety of things to
touch the hearts and minds of those around us. In fact, His most common methodology seems to be using
people to reach people. Just think of it, your humble life in Christ may prove to be a bright shining star to guide others.
And last of all, if we are to be wise, we will seek Jesus.
Jim Eliot was an aspiring architect who decided to do missionary work for the cause of Christ.
He and four companions attempted to make friends with the Huaorani Indian Tribe in Ecuador.
They made inroads, first letting down gifts from an airplane. They even gave an airplane ride to one of the Indians.
But things turned and they were attacked by tribe warriors and all five were killed on January 8, 1956.
Jim Eliot was the first to die. He was just 29 years old. A short while prior to his death, he had recorded in
his journal these words: He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
Great wisdom is found in the study of the sacred writings we call The Bible.
When we search the Scriptures, they will lead us (like a bright star) to Jesus our Savior.
Note: I am grateful to Ray Pritchard (We Three Kings) for many of the thoughts and ideas contained in this sermon.
