Introduction
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us a teacher. If our greatest need had been technology, He would have sent us an inventor. If our greatest need had been money, we would have received a banker. If our greatest need had been entertainment, God would have sent us an entertainer. But, God didn’t send us a teacher, an inventor, a banker or an entertainer. Our greatest need was forgiveness, so he sent us a savior. (Adopted from Mike Fogerson, “When Christmas Isn’t All It’s Cracked UP to Be”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=60781&libronix=1)
The story of Christmas is more than just the birth of a child in a stable. It’s a new beginning for Jews and gentiles, a new beginning for the entire human race. But, in that small town of Bethlehem it wasn’t as easy to see what Jesus would accomplish. Yet, he was definitely something special.
Part of the story of Christmas includes the wise men and their search for the King of the Jews. They knew He was something unique and went out of their way to find the child king. The Greek word used to describe these men is ìÜãïé or magi. It’s this same root word that gives us the words magician and magistrate. Although we traditionally think of there being three wise men because there are three gifts, we don’t know how many made the journey. What we do know is that they were from the East, possibly from what today is Iraq. We also know that as magi, they were well respected men as scientists, mathematicians, astronomers and engineers. As learned men, we know that they would have looked at the evidence they found, and began their search.
We like to think of the wise men as part of the nativity scene. But, they weren’t present the night Jesus was born. Instead, they arrived on the scene about one to two years after Jesus’ birth. Tonight, I’d like to look at this group of men who never made it to witness the wonderful event. But, they took great risk, paid a great price and spent many months of their lives to pay special homage to this babe of Bethlehem. These wise men weren’t wise just because of their status as magi. They made many wise decisions that led them to our Lord. Journeys like this will change you forever.
Sought after the King of the Jews
First, the wise men recognized that God was at work here.
These men of science and the stars were brought to a decision to seek out and find “the King of the Jews”. They didn’t have all the facts when they started, but they had enough to know they needed to search.
Not every man of science has been led to acknowledge God; many in pride have turned away from the Lord, but these men were brought to a conviction not only of God’s existence but of God’s active dealing in the affairs of men.
God gives men enough light that they might search for more. Sometimes we get the idea that the only place God can speak to us is in church and that’s just not true. God works through the many circumstances of our life to direct our attention to him; and quite often those circumstances involve everyday life.
Through Biblical history, He spoke to many in unexpected places. He spoke to Moses when he was tending his sheep, Gideon when harvesting wheat, the great Apostle Peter as he cleaned his nets after a night of fishing, Matthew as he collected taxes and the wise men as they studied the stars. God speaks to people wherever they are. If God has spoken to you, you don’t need to know all the answers. The wise men were wise when they sought to begin their search. (Adopted from Michael Davidson, “What Made These Wise Men So Wise?”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=63978&libronix=1)
Great determination in the journey
The magi showed a lot of determination in their search. It’s possible these men may have traveled up to 1000 miles on their trek. In Matthew 2:16 we’re told that Herod decided to kill all boy children 2 years old and younger so apparently from the time the star first appeared it took them almost two years to locate where Christ was. Their search was a long and diligent one. That just means they were determined to search until they found the answer. This wasn’t a religious fad. Nor was it a whim of the moment . They would see their search through to the end. (Michael Davidson, “What Made These Wise Men So Wise?”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=63978&libronix=1)
The cost of their journey was quite high as well. To travel the great distances, caravan’s were the way to go, along with the support of servants, animals and handlers. There could have been as many as 300 people traveling for 2 years in search of the savior.
With such a long search, they surely faced some adversity along the way. Some of them likely got sick during the journey. They likely got tired during the journey. They may have even been ridiculed for search for an unknown king in a far away land. I suspect that from time to time they were challenged with the idea of giving up their search and going back home. But, they were focused to find their king.
Traveling with such a large entourage, for such a long time, at such great cost surly was more than a whim of the moment. It showed a purpose to the end. The magi showed that they were wise in their determination to make such a difficult and arduous journey.
Great Joy in their Gifts
They were also wise in their devotion at the conclusion of their search. When at last they had found the Christ, they bowed down and worshipped him. They presented him with gifts worthy of His status as savior.
First, they presented Him with Gold, a gift fit for a king. Gold has obvious worth. God deserves the very best that we can bring. But more than that, God deserves the very best we can bring in our heart. True worship will include an acknowledgement of God’s sovereign right of control over our life. Revelation 19:16 (ESV) says, “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Jesus Christ is called Lord 747 times in the New Testament. Such a great king deserves our loyal obedience and submission. They were wise to bring Gold for the King of Kings.
Second, they presented him with Frankincense, a gift designed for worship. It was used as one of four sweet scents compounded together to make the ceremonial incense of the Jews. It was used in both sacrifices and prayer. Its aroma was always present in the temple grounds. As such, Frankincense is a picture of praise and worship of Christ as the Holy One of God come down in flesh among us. Psalms 95:6 (ESV) says,” Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” and Isaiah 9:6 (ESV), “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Praise is always appropriate on the lips of God’s people – but more than holy praise on our lips, God desires holy practice in our lives. The magi were wise in presenting a gift of worship to Jesus as God.
Finally, they presented Him a gift of Myrrh, a perfume often used for burials. This aromatic gum resin was used in Egypt in the embalming process of mummification. Myrrh was used to anoint every part of the tabernacle in the wilderness. It was Myrrh that was poured out on the feet of Jesus just a week before his death. How prophetic then to have Myrrh as one of the gifts presented to him at his birth – this child was born to die as a sacrifice for our sins and a blessing of grace for our eternal life. (Adopted from Michael Davidson, “What Made These Wise Men So Wise?”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=63978&libronix=1)
They couldn’t go back the way they came
When they were done presenting their gifts, they had one more wise decision to make. Once they met Jesus, and established a personal relationship with Him, they couldn’t go back the same way. Once you come to worship the King of the Jews, you can’t go back the way you came.
God warned the magi in a dream to go home by a different path. Not only did they return by a different route, but they also went back home as different men. When you truly encounter Jesus Christ, and recognize Who He is, you’ll never again be same. The Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17 (ESV), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (David Dykes, “The First Star Trek”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=56693&libronix=1) These wise men couldn’t go back they same way they came. They weren’t the same men that started the journey.
Conclusion
We can see from this brief story that the magi made many wise decisions concerning their search for God.
At the time when they made their search, the Old Testament was at their disposal. We have no way of knowing just how much of the Word they had actually read; but one thing we do know – they had to have enough knowledge of scripture to know that a “Messiah” was coming. They didn’t have all the answers, but they had enough to give their souls a hunger for more. They had enough to decide to begin their search.
You and I have so much more information than these men did. We have the complete inerrant, infallible Word of God – both the Old and New Testaments. God wants to speak to you, if you’re willing to listen. Maybe there’s a verse, or even just a phrase that God has running through your mind. If so, let the Spirit of God speak to you. Follow the example of the magi and make wise decisions yourself. (Adopted from Michael Davidson, “What Made These Wise Men So Wise?”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=63978&libronix=1)
But, just like the wise men, you need to begin your search. When that search begins, we need to be determined to take the journey to the end. Not every search is easy nor is every quest fast. But, the answers that lie at the end of that search are well worth the difficulties that we may face.
Once we find Jesus as our Lord and savior, he is worth all the wealth that we can offer. He’s worthy of our praise and adoration. He’s worthy of our talents and our fortunes. He’s worthy of our worship both because of who He is, and what’s he’s done on our behalf. As the savior of the world, we owe everything we have to His glory.
Finally, we become different people once we meet Jesus. We can’t go back the same way we came because we have become a new creation in His presence. We may be able to walk the same path back to our homes, but we won’t have the same attitudes and goals we had prior to meeting Him. Through Him, we have a new direction to our lives.
The wise men made wise decisions as they followed the will of God. They sought after God, they were diligent in their search, they presented all they had to the Lord. When they did, they were changed forever. Follow your own search for God and Jesus will change you as well.
Amen.
