THE MAGI’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
A CHRISTMAS STORY PART II
INTRO:
1. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:2b SEE THE STAR
We saw his star in the east and have come to worship Him.
Evidence of God Around Us: I hear story after story of people who say “God never did anything for me.” The say “God never showed me anything.” But yet, here we are. Pagan magicians from thousands of miles away, no Sunday School, no Church, no youth group, no Super Summer, no dodgeball league. They just looked up into the stars, and saw EVIDENCE OF GOD.
What About Those Who Never Heard?
A. God Reveals Himself Through Nature: Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
B. God Reveals Himself Through Hearts: Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Back to the Star…
Once They Saw It THEY DIDN’T TURN AWAY: They could have ignored it. They could have ignored the calling they felt from God and ignored it.
Famous Celebrity Testimony: I was reading a biography lately, it was about one of these teen music sensations (honestly, if I could remember the name, I would tell you). But while I was reading her biography, it said that she had been a born again Christian for 3 years in HS before stopping church attendance. Her answer for stopping was “the church kept judging me for the clothes I wore, and they kept judging me for my view on homosexuality. If only the church wasn’t so judgmental, maybe it would be for me.” See, this celebrity saw the star, but that is it. Like the seed choked out along the path, so was her faith also choked out.
Young Girl in our Youth Group: There was a young middle school girl who was sold out for Christ. Legit! Then her parents got unplugged, said there was nothing this church could offer them, nothing any church could offer them. She begged and pleaded them to come, but they stopped. Then they moved away to follow a career—Dad was going to be a life coach. When success didn’t come, he divorced his wife, and has returned back to faith. But NOT the daughter. The last time I talked with her she said, “there really isn’t a belief for what I believe, so I am trying to find one that fits.” Do you see the difference here. People see the star, the indicators of Christ, but want to make Him fit their lives—not make their lives fit His.
2. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:1b FOLLOW THE STAR
Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.
A. THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHERE THE STAR WENT: Who the heck goes anywhere when they don’t know where to go? These guys saw a star, and went.
Trip to Kansas City: On Friday, I will be in a 12 passenger van going to Grandma’s house for Christmas. I will spend a whole day packing up the children, getting the van cleaned out, packing the van, loading up 2 dogs including one that doesn’t really walk anymore. Then the kids will follow along the trip by the map I will color for them: Wentzville, Warrenton, High Hill, Kingdom City, and it goes on and on. We will arrive perfectly in time for dinner, and we will be fine.
But not these guys, they don’t have a clue. Not about how much money, how much food, how much clothes, nothing. They didn’t just move, they moved a lot. They followed after the star with a reckless abandon, and they didn’t even know God! What is our excuse my friends, what is our excuse?
B. THEY REARRANGED THEIR LIVES: Did work stop them? Did school stop them? Did popularity stop them?
Popular Opinion: Just for curious sake—I took a look at what the “popular” people were doing:
Paris Hilton: Just showed up to a party wearing a Halloween costume of a cop—in December!
‘Lil Wayne: Just got busted for drugs near the Mexican border, 100s of ounces, and he is going to come to St. Louis for a concert in January.
Miley Cyrus: Just turned 16 years old: she didn’t get her Mercedes, just a Porsche.
Jennifer Anniston: Just took the cover of GQ magazine (if MS, don’t mention specifically what the picture is of, but for the record, she is nude wearing only a tie, but that is for HS only).
Popular Opinion: Says life is about fashion, drugs, style, & cars. Life should be about ME, about WHAT I WANT, but not to these Magi! They gave up their fortune for A CHANCE TO FIND THE NEW KING!!!
3. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:2a FIND THE “STAR”
…and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?
Now, the real “star” of this story, isn’t really the star—it’s Jesus, and that is where we flip the meaning of star to THE STAR. And notice, finding a clear picture of Jesus isn’t always as easy as it should be.
Herod (Directions): It makes sense that the Magi would go to Jerusalem and talk to the king. Notice, they are not too proud to ask for directions! Who do you ask for directions? For me, there has always been someone that I would go to for spiritual advice, spiritual help, an “upline” if you will. You must find that person and submit to that authority, do not be afraid to ask anything of that person.
Herod (Deceptive): But the king doesn’t know, and the mission gets temporarily sidetracked. And when they find out where the child is at, they change their plans, yet again. You may have to change your plans in your lifetime.
Personal Story of How You Changed Your Path: Ministry Example Here of Paper Airplane Contest. The key is to be on the path towards seeing Christ. And we can never lose sight of that.
People Looking for God: Sometimes Mess Up on the Path:
NCAA Cross Country Championship: In Riverside, California, the championships were being run on a 10,000 meter course. However, there was a problem. 123 out of 128 runners all ran the wrong way. Runner Mike Delcavo was actually waving to his national competitors to go the right way as people racing laughed at him. Delvaco said, “They thought it was funny that I went the right way.” And there are going to be some people who laugh at you for doing it right.
4. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:9-12 WORSHIP THE “STAR”
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. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
The Gifts:
Gold: A gift given to a king. You know who had the money? The kings. The gold was sent to the treasury of the kings, it wasn’t just a good gift, it was meant for kings!
Frankincense: A gift given to a priest. This is the sweet smelling stuff that was used by priests during worship. The high priest was historically the only mediator between us and God, and he used incense.
Myrrh: A gift given for a sacrifice. What is myrrh? It was an embalming ointment used in funerals and cremations. It was also used in perfumes, lotions, and even toothpaste, but that wasn’t the main purpose. Why
They Went Back A Different Way: I know of course that they went back without talking to King Herod because they realized that Herod was bad. But I believe there is something else here, and that is they went home ON A DIFFERENT PATH, because they were CHANGED.
Another part of worshipping the Lord, is taking a different path.
CLOSE: When you go the way of Christ, it is covered in great joy: just like Christmas time. Here’s Why:
Years ago at the post office, a man who had been sorrowful and withdrawn from his family since the sudden death of his young son was given a position as the “dead letter man,” the person who was responsible for trying to find the ultimate destination for letters and cards that arrived with undeliverable addresses. At Christmas time there fell into his hands a letter, addressed to Santa Claus. To his surprise, he noticed the letter had actually come from his own daughter. The letter read, “Dear Santa, we are very sad at our house this year, and I don’t want you to bring me anything. My little brother went to heaven last spring. All I want you to do when you come to our house is to take my brother’s toys to him. I’ll leave them in the corner by the kitchen stove; his hobby horse and train and everything. I know he’ll be lost up in heaven without them, most of all his horse; he always liked riding it so much. So you must take them to him, please, and you needn’t mind leaving me anything, but if you could give Daddy something that would make him like he used to be, make him smoke his pipe again and tell me stories. I do wish you would. I heard him say to Mummy once that only Eternity could cure him. Could you bring him some of that, and I will be your good little girl.” -- Marian Bennett
JESUS REPRESENTS ETERNITY: AND REGARDLESS OF ANY GIFT THE MAGI BROUGHT, THE ONE RECEIVED IS GREATER THAN ANYTHING POSSIBLY IMAGINED!
Sources:
Gilbert, Mike. Gold, Frankincense, and Much More. Desert Springs Community Church (Arizona): December 2007.
Jones, Don. Why Are the Magi Called Wise. West Glendale Baptist Church (Arizona): December 2006.
Tiller, Chris. The Magi’s Guide to Following a Star. Calvary Presbyterian Church (Michigan): January 2005.
NAME: _______________________________________
THE MAGI’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
A CHRISTMAS STORY PART II
INTRO:
1. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:2b ______________________ THE STAR
We saw his _________________________ in the east and have come to worship Him.
What about those who never heard?
A. God Reveals Himself Through _________________________________: Romans 1:20
B. God Reveals Himself Through _________________________________: Ecclesiastes 3:11
Fallen Away Testimony:
2. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:1b ______________________ THE STAR
Magi from the east came to __________________________.
A. THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHERE THE STAR ______________________________:
B. THEY ____________________________ THEIR LIVES:
What’s Popular for the Stars:
3. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:2a ______________________ THE “STAR”
…and asked, “Where is the one who has been ________________________ king of the Jews?
A Meeting with Herod::
NCAA Cross Country Championships:
4. BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 2:9-12 ______________________ THE “STAR”
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. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Three Gifts:
Gold: _____________________________________________________________
Frankincense: ______________________________________________________
Myrrh: _____________________________________________________________