The Heart of Christmas: Four Traits of Wise Men!

 Four Traits of Wise Men!

Opening Illustration:

A few years ago, a new phrase was added to the church vocabulary. This new phrase was “seeker”. What is a “seeker”? Well at least in the church world, a “seeker” is someone who has yet to invite Christ into their lives. A “seeker” is someone who is looking for Christ, a person who has no commitment to a church or congregation. I think that the term “seeker” came about because calling someone “lost”, or a “sinner” or a “non believer” was seen as offensive. I can remember when I first arrived here at Eastern Shore Baptist Church, our former beloved youth pastor Tim Rhodes called these people “pre Christians”. That is a term that I had never before heard but speaks to Tim’s belief that if someone truly encounters Christ they would give their lives to Him right then and there. Pre Christian spoke to Tim’s positivity and creativity. 

Churches have so embraced this term “seeker” that we have designed events targeted just for them. We have “seeker” friendly services. I saw a church recently advertise their early service as seeker sensitive. I saw another church advertise their morning worship service as seeker friendly. 

I have never really cared for the term “seeker” because it implies that once we embrace Christ as our Savior that we stop seeking. To me, seeking Christ is the same as growing in Christ. In my life, I feel that I am constantly seeking Christ. I seek Christ in God’s Word. I seek Christ here in the church. I seek Christ in you. I love seeing Christ work in you and it gives me joy to see Christ moving in you. We all seek Christ when we experience conviction for sin. We change course. We go a different direction. We become seekers. Sure, we have found Christ, but I believe that we must continue to seek His ways, His persona, His value, and His truth. 

Are you a seeker? This morning we will be introduced to some seekers. These men were called the Magi. We will talk about them in just a moment. We know them to be seekers from the east. They were keenly observant men who saw the changes in the natural world, the night sky to be exact, and they set out on foot to see what was taking place in the heavens. The were wise men. Smart. Educated. Trained. You might even say savvy. I would call them savvy because they sought the light. They followed the light to Christ. If you are seeker I hope and pray that you have a good compass that points you in the correct direction. What good is that compass if you don’t know how to read it or understand it? Well, these men were savvy and they were seeking. Their compass was the star and they understood it’s calling. They set out immediately, made haste and refused all distraction. I pray that we will seek God in the same manner. I pray that we will seek God immediately, making haste and that we too will refuse all distractions. 

Fill in those blanks for me this morning. The magi were savvy and seeking!

The Magi Were Savvy And Seeking! 

Let’s Talk Magi:

Who Were They?

The Greek word μαγοι (mάgoi) is translated as “wise men”. Originally, the word often referred to a class of Persian wise men, and possibly priests, who were interpreters of special signs, particularly in astrology. Eventually, the word was used variously to refer to one who possessed supernatural knowledge and ability, a magician, or even a deceiver or seducer. There is little to no biblical or historical basis for identifying them as kings.  You will see in just a moment that Matthew 2 contains the story of the Magi. 

Where Were They From?

The original meaning of mάgoi is wise men who interpreted special signs. There are at least three reasons for this identification. First, they acknowledged that they were interested in signs in the heavens. Second, the Bible states that they were from “the East,” which would be in the direction of Babylon and ancient Persia. Third, of all the peoples of “the East,” the Babylonians had many opportunities to learn of the Jewish Scriptures, which contain multiple promises of the coming Messiah. Daniel was an influential government official in Babylon about 600 years earlier, and he foretold the coming of the Messiah (Daniel 9:24-26). Also, tens of thousands of Jews lived in Babylon during the time of the Exile (605–536 BC), and they maintained a large presence there for the following centuries.

How Did They Know About Jesus?

Since the magi presumably had access to the Hebrew Scriptures, they could have known about the promises of the coming Messiah. Some scholars believe that the books in the Old Testament informed the magi of the child who would be preceded by a star. 

How Many Came To See Jesus?

The traditional view that three wise men journeyed to see Christ is likely based on the fact that three gifts were given. However, since the Bible does not tell us the number of magi, we can only speculate. We know there were at least two magi, and there may have been many more.

Point:

We do not know much about these strange visitors but we can learn many lessons from their reaction to Jesus.  Let’s read the story together.  

Matthew 2:1-12 ESV

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 saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Four Traits of Wise Men!

I. Observant vs. 1-2

Matthew 2:1-2 ESV

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 saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Illustration: Bad Beef

A popular play and movie this time of year, one I always enjoy watching is A Christmas Carol. There is one scene that has always fascinated me. The Ghost of Christmas Past has just paid a very discomforting visit to Ebenezer Scrooge. Clearly the old miser is shaken by the entire ordeal. But when he awakens from his sleep does he take the message to heart? No, he simply dismisses it by saying: Bah, humbug, it wasn't real. 

"Just a bit of last nights undigested beef," he says to himself, "There is more gravy about you than the grave." A vision to be taken to heart or simple indigestion. 

You see some people are confronted with Jesus.  They see His obvious qualities of deity.  They hear His words and they choose to discount the encounter all together.  Not the Magi.  They saw something amazing and charted a course to discover what had happened.  

What Did The Magi See?

A. They Saw The Star

    Psalm 19:1 NIV

    The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Point: What Was The Star

-Some believe that it was a super-nova (an exploding star). But the only super-novae recorded by ancient sources were at 134 BCE and 173 CE. 4

-Others believe that it was a comet. There were comets recorded in 17, 5 & 4 BCE and 66 CE. However, a comet is not a likely candidate, because they were considered harbingers of doom by astrologers.

-Still others look for an unusual configuration of planets in the sky. There was a triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn during 7 BCE, when the two planets passed each other three times in Pisces - a constellation long associated with the Jewish people. But the passage in Matthew refers to a star, not an arrangement of planets.

Point:

I have no idea.  Could the star have been some sort of natural scientific phenomenon?  I’m sure that the answer is yes.  However, I believe that it was a miracle.  I believe that God did something supernatural during that time that was so spectacularly awesome and different that it drove the astrologers from the east to come and find out what it was.  Was it an angel?  Was it the glory of God?  Sure.  Maybe.  However, it doesn’t really matter what it was.  What mattered is what it shown.  The star revealed where Jesus was.  Nature testified to the new born King’s arrival.  

Point:

There are lots of lessons that we can learn from the star.  Do we move people to Jesus like the star did?  Do we stay close to Jesus the way the star did?  Do we shine glory on Jesus the way this star did?  I hope so.  

B. They Saw The Scripture

    Numbers 24:17 NIV

    17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise     out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.

Point:

Not only did the Magi see the star and recognize that something peculiar was taking place, but these men also knew the Scripture found in Numbers.  Remembers these men would have rubbed shoulders with Jews.  These men were from Asia and Persia where Jews had been enslaved for hundreds of years before.  No doubt they were exposed to the Hebrew works of the Torah and Septuagint.  These were wise and educated men who knew Scripture.  When they saw the star, they knew numbers 24:17.  They knew the star coming out of Jacob meant that a new King had arisen.  

I think it very important to know that if you want to discover Jesus that we should point others to God’s Word.  God’s Word perfectly illustrates the path to the Savior.  Wise people know God’s Word and point others to it.

Isaiah 28:23 NLT

Listen to me; listen, and pay close attention.

Four Traits of Wise Men!

I. Observant vs. 1-2

II. Obedient vs. 3-9

Matthew 2:3-9 ESV

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.

Point:

So in verses 3-9 we are introduced to a gentleman by the name of Herod.  So just who was Herod?  Well, he goes first by Herod the Great.  Here are some interesting stats about this pleasant fella:

-He saw Jesus a threat to his power and desired to have Jesus killed.

-He was a schemer.  During the civil war in the Roman empire, Herod came to power and garnered favor with Octavian who later became Augustus Ceasar.  He burdened the Jewish people with huge building projects.  These projects were often testimonies to his great power and majesty. 

 

-He was a brutal man who killed his father-in-law, several of his ten wives, and two of his sons. He ignored the laws of God to suit himself and chose the favor of Rome over his own people. Herod's heavy taxes to pay for lavish projects forced an unfair burden on the Jewish citizens.

-Herod was just a plain ole bad guy from the very get go.  

So, that’s who the Magi encounter.  Herod meets with them secretly and tries to distract them from their purpose.  These men surly knew that Herod could have easily traveled with them?  He could have tagged along.  These men sniffed out the plot of the Devil and stayed obedient to their purpose.  What was their purpose you ask?  Well go back to God’s Word.  “For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” They were not on a fact finding mission.  They were not taking straw polls or counting caucus votes.  They were heading out to worship.  Simple as that.  They were being obedient to God’s calling on their life and nothing was going to get in their way.  

So, what’s the lesson here for us?  Well, think about all the things that distract us from worshipping Jesus.  For many of us, we will come to church as long as there is nothing conflicting.  Some of us will come to worship as long as it is not to sunny, or to rainy.  Like Red Riding Hood, Sunday needs to be “just right”.  Friends, obedience always comes at a cost.  These men were taking their lives into their own hands by not playing Herod’s game.  So, how obedient are you and I to God’s calling?  At the first sign of opposition, do we fold our tents and run away?

Remember, worship isn’t about us at all.  It is all about God.

Acts 5:29 ESV

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Four Traits of Wise Men!

I. Observant vs. 1-2

II. Obedient vs. 3-9

III. Overjoyed vs. 10

Matthew 2:10 ESV

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Point:

I love Christmas.  It is a great season.  It is probably the most festive season of the entire year.  One way that I choose to celebrate Christmas is in illumination.  I love Christmas lights because it reminds me of the Scripture found in Matthew 5:14.  Jesus tells His disciples that “you are the light of the world” meaning that we are to shine the Good News of the Gospel to the world.  We ourselves are reflecting that light of Christ to all. 

Illustration: Driving Through Sahoy

Record For Christmas Lights: 

LaGrangeville, New York— 601,736 lights. 30 miles of lights. The whole thing took roughly two months to build. It spans two acres.

Point:

I think that you could say that in our current culture of Christmas lights battling that we are missing the point.  The Magi didn’t string up lights or partake of eggnog.  They had true joy.  They expressed true joy.  The Bible says they were overjoyed to finally find Jesus.  It said that their joy was exceedingly.  What does that mean?

Remember, these were educated men.  These were men of profound power.  They were serious and mannerly.  Culturally they would have done nothing to be foolish or act in a foolish manner.  Yet, when they confronted Jesus, when they found him, they lost all of their cultural shackles.  They shouted.  They sang.  They danced.  They cried.  They hugged.  Finally the Savior of the world was here and they were pumped.  

The joy they experienced came out in a very primitive way.  It could not be contained.  When is the last time you displayed exceedingly great joy for Jesus? When is the last time you displayed your joy for Jesus in a foolish manner?  Can people see the joy of Jesus in you?  Perhaps the church doesn’t grow much today because we are so serious about our doctrine but so bah humbug when it comes to having joy for Christ.  

Illustration:

Open your Bibles to John 15:9-11.  Jesus has just had a conversation with the disciples about remaining close to Him.  He is the vine and we are the branches.  But then He inserts a pretty huge statement.  Let me reddit for you.  

John 15:9-11

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Friends Jesus has come to give us joy.  Not incomplete joy or joy that fades.  Complete joy.  Do you have the joy of Christ this Christmas season and beyond?  

Four Traits of Wise Men!

I. Observant vs. 1-2

II. Obedient vs. 3-9

III. Overjoyed vs. 10

IV. Offering vs. 11-12

Matthew 2:11-12 ESV

11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Illustration: Frank Sent This

Three small boys were in a Christmas play at school.

They represented the three wise men and they were to give their gifts to baby Jesus. The first boy stepped forward, held out the gift in his hands and said, “Gold.” The second boy stepped forward, held out his gift and said, “Myrrh.” The third boy stepped forward, held out his gift and said, “Frank sent this.”

Point:

So the Magi came.  They were exceedingly joyful and in their joy, they worshipped. Notice a couple of things about their worship.  

How Did The Magi Worship?

A. Notice Their Posture (and they fell down and worshiped him.)

Psalm 95:6 ESV

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

Point:

Again, these were men of great wealth and prestige.  So, it would have been quite an experience to see these men of greatness knell down, rather fall down, to worship Jesus.  After all, Jesus would have been just a young child.  Who would bow down to worship a baby?  Yet, these men showed tremendous humility in worship.  Notice that the Magi don’t complain about their worship experience.  These were cramped quarters.  Their worship as totally focused on Jesus and Jesus alone.  It was not about them or their preferences. 

B. Notice Their Presents (Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh)

II. Corinthians 9:7 ESV

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Point:

In addition to the honor and status implied by the value of the gifts of the magi, scholars think that these three were chosen for their special spiritual symbolism about Jesus himself—gold representing his kingship, frankincense a symbol of his priestly role, and myrrh a prefiguring of his death and embalming.

Illustration: Use Your Gifts To Glorify God

Luke 6:38 NIV

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Model The Magi, Go, Grin and Give!