Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Christmas Hope

Theme: The Hope of the Wise Men

Series: The Cast of Christmas

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 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.’

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:’ ‘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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.' Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and make a careful search for the child.

As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.’

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

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 incense and of myrrh.”

(Matthew 2:1-11)

Hope

Hope as it is used in the Word of God has a much different meaning than the word hope used in this world.

Children hope they will get a certain type of Christmas gift.

Some people hope they will graduate from high school and go on to college or hope they can find that certain job or career that will make them the amount of money they want to earn or that fame they hope to gain.

Others hope that they can do whatever will bring satisfaction for themselves and to others.

Others hope that they can beat their cancer this year, be with loved ones just one more year, one more Christmas.

The word hope as the world sees it is a tool to keep you going when you lose your health or job and even when you lose someone you love.

Hope is a word that can spark life inside your heart and tell you tomorrow, next week, next month or next year you will reach your goals.

It is an anchor word that points to the future.

The problem with the world’s view on hope is it is all based on uncertainty.

Hope in all the things I have just mentioned is good, but there is no guarantee you will graduate from high school, go to college, or get that job or career that will bring fame and riches or fulfillment.

Hope from this world’s perspective gives no guarantee that you are going to enjoy good health tomorrow, no guarantee you will be with family next week, next year or next Christmas.

In fact all the hopes I have mentioned so far are, in reality, only wishes.

I would propose to you that hope promised in the Word of God is a unique hope that is far beyond a wish, it is an absolute certainty.

It is the kind of hope found in the life of the Magi.

Just what is this hope and how do we express a life that says, “My hope is in Christ?”

There is much that the Holy Spirit of Christ wants you to grasp this Christmas season as we take time to look at the Biblical accounts of the lives of those who were physically involved in the life of Christ that first Christmas.

Our text says, “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea… Magi from the east came to Jerusalem…” (Matthew 2:1)

Who were these “Magi?”

Who were these “Magi?”

Some translations say, “wise men.”

Although the Bible does not say much about these worshipers of Christ, extra-Biblical evidence found through Christian historians offers us clues that shed some light about these men who were around about the time of Christ.

These men were “Magi” (magos) who could very likely have been Persian priests.

By the time of Christ’s birth these Persian priests became almost exactly what the Levites were in Israel.

They became teachers and instructors of the Persian kings and at this time period they were good men, who sought truth and great wisdom.

These wise men were skilled in philosophy, medicine, and natural science.

They were able to combine secular and religious aspects of knowledge and understanding.

(William Barclay; The Complete Word Study Dictionary; Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament; Dictionary of Biblical Languages; Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains: Tyndale reference library)

The wise men’s interest in the Messiah may have arisen from contact with Jewish travelers in the east and from knowledge of the Old Testament.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) What we do know is that the Prophet Daniel had been taken to Babylon as a prisoner of war and as the results of his faithfulness to the Lord, God raised him and his friends to high political positions.

The Bible says, “Then the king [Nebuchadnezzar] placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him.

He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.

Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.”

(Daniel 4:48-49) We do know that Daniel was also raised to a place of political influence under the King of Persia after the Persians conquered Babylon.

(Daniel 6:1-3)

The point is this, a Godly man like Daniel and his friends was used by God in a place of captivity for 70 plus years to influence kings and other political positions and God still uses the life of Daniel and his friends to give guidance to the lives of Bible readers today.

It is very possible that Godly influences had carried on down throughout the Eastern world and their lives along with the Old Testament teachings had a guiding affect on the Magi.

It is the Bible that says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

(Isaiah 55:11) This is why in the Great Commission we are told to “[teach] them to obey everything [Jesus has] commanded [us]…” (Matthew 28:20) and the charge to the soldier of Christ is to “Preach the Word…” (2 Timothy 4:2) The Word of God and its effects on how we live will affect all who see our lives.

Let the Holy Spirit place this truth in your spiritual hearts this Christmas season.

The Magi may be regarded as the representation of the Gentile world.

Their homage from the East sets the heartbeat for all who want to be worshipers of Christ.

You can be a kingdom seeker who desires to worship the King of kings and the life you live for the Lord will have an affect on someone for generations to come.

(The Life and Times of Jesus)

The Word of God can lead you to fear or believe in the Christ of Christmas

Another truth worth grasping this Christmas season is that the Word of God can lead you to fear or believe in the Christ of Christmas.

When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem they 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.” (Matthew 2:2)

These brilliant men were serious scholars and it would not surprise me if they were led to look for the Lord because of God meeting them right were they were in what they believed and how they sought out truth.

They were interested in astrology and they studied everything they could find about the stars.

There were is no doubt they were very much aware of the Jewish nation and most likely at some time got their hands on some Hebrew writings.

If they had they would have read Numbers 24:17, “…A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel…” (Numbers 24:17)

This message was spoken by Balaam who came from the Eastern Mountains.

(Numbers 23:7) It is also interesting that many Jews around the time of Christ had moved into the Eastern areas taking with them their sacred writings along with their hope of a king whom would once again make Israel free from bondage.

A Roman historian (Suetonious) writing of this time period wrote, “An ancient and settled persuasion prevailed throughout the East that the Fates had decreed someone to proceed from Judea who should attain a universal empire.”

A second Roman historian (Tacitus) wrote, “Many were persuaded that it was contained in the ancient books of their priest that at that very time the East should prevail, and that someone should proceed from Judah and posses the dominion.”

Two of the most respected Jewish historians in the world (Josephus and Phelio) wrote about the time period of Christ being born and they make mention in their writings of the expectation of the people looking for a king to arise who would set them free.

(Barnes Notes)

With the number of Hebrew writings being carried into the East and the common knowledge of the Jews expecting their forthcoming king, it was no real surprise that someone would begin to ask questions.

As always when Bible prophecy begins to be fulfilled and God begins a new work people become disturbed.

The Bible says, “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him.”

(Matthew 2:3)

Any child of God who has illumination of having Christ born within their spiritual hearts had come to that time in their lives that the Word of God disturbed them.

All Christians who walk in the hope of Christmas have been in that same battle as King Herod and those in Jerusalem.

There is a battle for the throne of the heart.

Those who fight to keep on that throne will find themselves like Herod, doing everything possible to keep Jesus from His rightful place.

If you do not know the story, Herod sent his soldiers out to kill the babes in Bethlehem and its vicinity in effort to keep Jesus off his throne.

Anyone who wants to keep the Lord Jesus Christ off the throne of their heart becomes very disturbed with the truths of Christ and fear what is spoken or done in Christ name.

Those who have the hope of Christmas joyfully surrender the throne room of their hearts over to the Lordship of Christ by inviting Jesus to be born within them by the power of the Holy Spirit of Christ.

The diligent seeking of the wise men led them to more guiding of God’s Word and what is even more interesting is that it was God’s enemy who helped seek out the place where the Magi could find the Christ child.

Even in the midst of the Lord’s enemies God can get directions to those who truly seek him.

Through seeking counsel from men who knew the Old Testament, King Herod found insight on where to find the child who was to be born as God’s Messiah, the Christ.

He was as much aware of the Biblical promise as most Jews were at the time of Jesus’ early childhood.

The Bible says, “When he [Herod] had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written: 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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.' Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

He [Herod] sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and make a careful search for the child.

As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’

After they had heard… king [Herod], they went on their way,” (Matthew 2:4-9)

Symbolically, Herod represents that which stands against the will of God and that which opposes the works of God.

Herod did not ask the chief priest and teachers where this so called king of the Jews was to be born.

In every accurate translation of the Bible we read of King Herod asking where is the “Christ” or the “Messiah” to be born.

Herod was a tool of Satan being an adversary to the workings of God in this time of history.

Satan often works through man’s wicked heart to accomplish his evil plans.

In the New Testament we read that the devil can take man captive to do his will.

(2 Timothy 2:26) The Hebrew word for “Satan” (satan) means to act as an adversary, one who hinders or apposes God and His people.