Every year, this time brings the classic Christmas plays. Every year hundreds of moms dress up wise men. The problem is that many of us don’t appreciate what a wise man really looks like. Let me ilustrate the problem…
When Orville and Wilbur Wright finally succeeded in keeping their homemade airplane in the air for fifty-nine seconds on December 17, 1903, they rushed a telegram to their sister in Dayton, Ohio, telling of this great accomplishment. The telegram read, “First sustained flight today fifty-nine seconds. Hope to be home by Christmas.” Upon receiving the news the sister was so excited about the success that she rushed to the newspaper office and gave the telegram to the editor. The next morning-believe it or not–the newspaper headline stated in black, bold letters, “POPULAR LOCAL BICYCLE MERCHANTS TO BE HOME FOR HOLIDAYS.” The scoop of the century was missed because an editor missed the point. (sermon central illustrations)
The editor missed the point, but that isn’t as rare as we’d like it to be. In fact, all the way back to the very earliest days of Jesus’ life, many people missed the point. All of Jerusalem’s intelligencia, the court of King Herod, and the king himself missed the point. Only a handful of men, from a distant land, actually got what God was doing. These were the “wise men”.
Key Principle: We can become wise men and women – or we can miss the point.
What do such “wise men” look like?
1. MEN OF FAITH: They were seeking the fulfillment of God’s Word, anticipating it as Truth (2:1-2a).
Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
The Hebrew Scriptures (written between 1450 BC and 400 BCE) contained hundreds of prophecies about an “anointed one” (“Messiah” in Hebrew) who was coming. His work included saving all the other people in the world “through the Jews”, making the message of His promise universally important. A prophet like unto Moses was promised to God’s people (Dt. 18:15f). A king was promised to hold back the government (Isaiah 7-9). Only these WISE MEN were chasing after the promise with anticipation.
2. MEN OF DRIVE: Not those who knew the theory, but those who SOUGHT the Lord (2:b).
2:2b…For we saw His star in the east and have come…
Richard Steans asked: “What if belief is not enough, Sunday worship times not enough, personal morality not enough, Christian community not enough”… what if God was searching for the person He spoke of in 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His….” The wise men were ACTIVELY engaged in seeking Jesus – not simply sitting back and theorizing about the possibilities of the stars.
3. MEN OF HUMILITY: They are those who have humbled themselves before God and surrendered to Him (2b).
2:2b…to worship Him.”
All of Jerusalem should have been on board to worship Jesus, but they weren’t. Why? They had objections to worshipping Him. After all, they had a king. They had some kind of limited autonomy under Rome. Besides, if they really understood the issue of surrender of the heart, many would have flatly said no – they always do. We must be careful not to adjust the Gospel message to being so “user friendly” it no longer places the demands of surrender on the follower of Jesus. They were men who were prepared to bow humbly and submit to Jesus.
4. SERIOUS MEN: They take at face value the actual words of the Scriptures and frame their actions by them (2:3-6).
2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”
The Scriptures called for a coming ruler. Messiah comes to bring PEACE: Micah promised: 5:4 “And He will arise and shepherd His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. 5 This One will be our peace….” They simply believed and showed up in Jerusalem, anticipating that the place would already be partying over the news!
5. COOPERATIVE MEN: They were obedient and congenial men (2:7-8,12).
2:7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
They wanted to cooperate with Herod, and they wanted to work with the authorities. Though obedient to Herod, their first allegiance was to God, who made them aware of ulterior motives from Herod later…”12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.” Wise men aren’t trouble makers!
6. JOYFUL MEN: They were excited with God’s direction in their lives. This wasn’t drudgery – it was a joyous adventure! (2:9-10).
2:9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
These men anticipated seeing God at work! The very appearance of the Savior was energizing. Men of God are drawn to worship, work and witness in joy. When we see the majesty of Jesus, the Promised Messiah, all self strength flees away. In His presence we know we have faced God! All fear recedes, and life takes shape in truth. CS Lewis said: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
7. GIVING MEN: They gave what they had to the King – themselves first and their treasures second. (2:11).
2:11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The enemy was about to unleash on Bethlehem a killing spree, and the wealth of surrendered worshippers from afar provided the money to escape to Egypt. Their persistence and obedience gave them a unique place to be used of God. God was saving man, even as obedience men were rescuing God’s Son.
The Scripture offers such a picture of these men, that it reminds us anew – we can become wise men and women – or we can miss the point.
