STAR OF BETHLEHEM MYTH: The Magi followed the star from their homes all the way to Jesus.
- This is the version of the story that we’ve seen shared in countless Christmas plays, movies, and cards.
- And, as we’re going to be discussing at several points in this series, the fact that that’s the way we’ve always seen it portrayed does not necessarily mean that’s the story that’s in the Bible.
THE BIBLICAL TRUTH: Before disappearing, the star let them know the next step was to go to Jerusalem.
- Matthew 2:1-2, 9-10.
- How we know this is true:
a. They traveled west.
- The star appeared in the east (v. 2), yet they were wise men from the east (v. 1).
- Coming from the east means they would have traveled west. If the star was in the east, they couldn’t have followed it.
b. They traveled to Jerusalem because it’s the capital of Israel.
- The star let them know that someone had been born King of the Jews (v. 2). So they knew the next step was to go to Jerusalem because that was the capital of Israel.
- If they’d been following a star, they wouldn’t have had to go to Jerusalem and ask where the king was (v. 2) – they could have just followed the star to the king.
c. Herod asked them what time the star had appeared instead of asking the Magi to point the star out to him.
- In v. 7, Herod calls them secretly and asks them when the star appeared. The fact that he doesn’t ask them to show him the star is an indication that the star was not then visible, like it would have been in the Magi had been following it the whole time.
- It also indicates that it had been some time since the star had been seen, since Herod is asking about the time frame. I would presume that the star probably appeared, they saw it and realized its meaning, then they began planning their trip and it disappeared before they set out.
d. After they left Jerusalem, the star reappeared.
- They started out following the advice that the guys in Jerusalem gave them only to have the star reappear (v. 9). Seeing the star again filled them with joy (v. 10).
- They headed out with the only piece of information they had: someone had been born King of the Jews.
- That meant their next step was to travel to Jerusalem, so that’s what they did.
- It’s pretty amazing when you think of the fact that they started this huge journey with only this one piece of information.
- Let me be clear: I’m not saying the Bible is wrong. I’m saying that our Christmas plays are wrong.
- The way the Bible describes the story makes perfect sense, but we’ve altered the Christmas story to fit the kids’ plays that we usually do.
HOW GOD LEADS US IN OUR LIVES: God often only gives enough light for the next step.
- A big question: what can you do based on what you’re sure of?
- Sometimes we think we have to wait until all the pieces of the puzzle are in place. We don’t. Do what you know to do based on the information that you have.
- Why does God operate this way?
a. It would probably overwhelm us with fear if He told us the whole story.
- For example, in this situation, if the Magi were told, “You’re going to be a part of a political power struggle in a foreign land that will result in an angry king and a bloody, cruel slaughter,” they’re answer would likely have been, “No, thanks.” Yet they were a necessary and needed part of the story.
b. It is a walk of faith.
- This is part of what “stepping out in faith” means.
c. What’s in front of us is generally enough to handle.
- Ask the question: “What’s my next step?”
- The picture will not be complete when you take your first step.
- Trust God with the road map. He’ll give you the next turn.
- They left not knowing what dusty little town they’d end up. It might be Jerusalem where the king was, but it might also be some other place.
- And, sure enough, it was a dusty little town, although not the one that usually say it was – but more on that in an upcoming sermon in this series.
- Sometimes we use this as an excuse to do nothing. “Once God makes everything clear, then I’ll step out.” Well, if one of the things is clear, then you need to move on that.
- Some examples:
a. Addiction.
- You’re struggling with an addiction. You don’t know how to completely clean up your life, but you know that you do need to get away from the current friends that you have. But you put it off because you don’t have a total solution.
b. Growth.
- You want to grow in your faith. You hear the preacher talk about getting in the Bible every day, but you don’t know what the total picture will look like in being a mature believer. So you put off getting into the Word because you don’t know everything.
c. Ministry.
- You want to be a part of fixing a problem that you see. You have no idea how to do that, but you know that one step in that direction would be for you to check other churches and see what they’re doing. But you don’t do that because you don’t know the whole picture.
d. Evangelism.
- You want to be a part of seeing someone saved, but you don’t know what will push them across the line. You feel like the next step is to invite them to church, but not knowing the whole picture, you put that off.
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU STRUGGLE WITH THAT:
1. God will go silent sometimes.
- Genesis 15:1-3.
- I think of Abraham, who is perhaps the most well-known Biblical example of what we’re talking about.
- Abraham had years in between the times when God would speak to confirm the covenant.
- There will be times when you’ll hear nothing from God.
- That doesn’t make you and your situation. That’s pretty standard for a walk of faith.
- So don’t get freaked out by the silence.
- It is a consistent pattern that God doesn’t usually give constant reminders. He points us in the right direction and then goes silent until the next turn.
- This does happen every single time, but it’s more often than not.
- I think it’s encouraging just to say that truth out loud and know that we’re not the first to be in this situation.
- This is hard because we like constant encouragement and affirmation.
2. If there’s no clear leading to change, keep doing what you’re doing.
- Genesis 16:1-2.
- Sometimes we get impatient and decide we want to “help” God because we get tired of waiting on Him to move.
- Again, Abraham is an obvious example with the disastrous decision to try to have a child through Sarah’s maidservant Hagar. God had things under control – Abraham just needed trust that and keep doing what he was doing.
- We get tired of things being the status quo.
- We worry that God is not going to show up.
- Presume that He wants you to keep doing what you’re doing until you hear otherwise.
- An instruction that we bristle at: “steady as she goes.”
- That’s boring. That requires patience and trust.
- We get impatient and want more information now.
- You know all you need to know now for what God wants to accomplish.
- We worry that we’re going to miss something.
- As long as we’re paying attention, He’ll let us know when it’s time for a change.
3. God wants you to succeed in your obedience.
- Genesis 21:1-7.
- God is not trying to make a fool out of you.
- God wants to see you fruitful and blessed. God wants to see good things in your life. God is on your side.
- This is an important thing to remember as you wait.
- Sometimes we act like God is like the health care company that will cut you off the first time you miss a payment.
- As though we have to constantly be nervously looking or God may speak to us in a moment we’re distracted and then blame it on us when we go off the rails.
- It’s the same feeling you get when you’re calling customer service and they have you on hold for 20 minutes. You feel like the first time you turn away from the phone for a second, the rep is going to come on, not hear anyone respond, and then hang up.
- God is not going to that. He wants us to succeed. He’s not trying to pull a fast one on us. He’s not trying slide by us while we’re momentarily distracted so that He can say, “Too bad! You missed your chance!”
- God wants us to succeed.
- In the case of the Magi, He didn’t pull the star from the sky because He wanted to make their lives harder. He did it because He needed them to go to Jerusalem.
- As soon as that part of the story was over, He was eager to make the star clearly visible to them again.
- Again, Abraham is an example of this.
- God chose to wait so long
- God won’t leave you hanging with the things you needed but He didn’t bother to get to you on time.
- He hasn’t forgotten to tell you something.
