Wise Men seek the Messiah
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Call to Worship
2 The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is high above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name—
He is holy.
Offering
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
1) True signs point to Jesus
1) True signs point to Jesus
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
there is not absolute surety about who the wise men are. this is not the first time we see the Magi. we see them first in the book of Daniel then later on but by the time we see them the word Magi simply means men of wisdom, hence “the wise men.”
even today, the supernatural is there to point back to Jesus and confirm what the Lord has already told you.
please don't seek the sign-If the Magi had simply sought a sign, once the star appeared, the would have checked the box and said, “been there done that got the T-shirt.
2) Worship is never neutral.
2) Worship is never neutral.
2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
worship is never neutral, the wise men came to worship, they made made no bones about why they where there.
Hared however, was scared. he was scared because he was placed there by the Roman senate. His fear was that a legitimate king would threaten His position.
Jesus is not concerned about earthly kingdoms, he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He does not need the consent of man He has the power of the most High God.
Remember Matthew 2:2 “He was Born King of the Jews.”
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
what Prophet? Mica 5:2
what Prophet? Mica 5:2
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
The Bible is not a book of antiquity; it is God’s revelation of Himself to us.
The Bible is not a book of antiquity; it is God’s revelation of Himself to us.
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
3. Worship will cause your treasures to change.
3. Worship will cause your treasures to change.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
these “wise men” of great reputation in that part of the world; they didn’t see themselves as to bosshy to fall down and worship Him.
After having worshiped Him their treasures, seemed like nothing compared to Jesus Lord of all.
it leads me to this: are we worshiping if we wont open our treasure to him?