Wise Men, 27 November 2016
28 11 16 Filed in: Sermons | First Christmas
Wise Man
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: The wise men waited, listened, and journeyed to follow Jesus, setting an example for us to follow.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-2; 9-12
Introduction
For years, people have been warning us, “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.” Is it me or has it taken people a decade or so to finally realize that applies to Facebook? There are so many bogus new reports, urban legends, and flat out lies about people proliferating.
Perhaps one reason so many people believe lies is they don’t take time to listen.
(silence) Do you hear what I hear?
As the Peanuts song declares, “Christmastime is here.” It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the most stressful time of the year. For many it’s the most depressing time of the year. For merchants it’s the most profitable time of the year. And for many Christians it’s the most offensive time of the year as their religious holiday is hijacked by Santa and sales at the mall.
But let’s set all of that aside. Christmas is our celebration of Christ’s birth, but it’s more than a day. It truly is a season. It’s a season we call Advent.
Advent is a time of waiting. It’s a time of anticipation. It’s a time of preparation, watching, and listening. Advent is here. Each week we will look at the First Christmas through the eyes of a different character in the story. Today that is the wise man.
Hide and seek.
Did you ever play hide and seek when you were a kid? Of course! The best players played hide and go listen. Listen for the sounds of the hiders under the bed, in the closet, or behind the curtain. Listen for the giggles and whispers.
Listening is a lost art. Unless you’re a psychologist paid to listen, most of us struggle with keeping quiet, being fully present, and hearing what another is communicating.
Our understanding of the First Christmas has been terribly distorted over the years. Like Facebook myths, there are myths surrounding the wise man (not “the wise guy!”):
- There were three of them. The Bible never says how many. It says there were three gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. Eastern tradition says there were twelve!
- The camels. They’re in my nativity set. Are they in yours? They may have been present at the First Christmas, but they’re not mentioned in the Bible, either.
- They had names. Well, of course they did have names, but we don’t know their names. Tradition says they were named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, but the Bible does not tell us their names.
- They were kings. Do you remember that song “We three kings of Orient are/bearing gifts we traverse afar/field and fountain/moor and mountain/following yonder star…oh, star of wonder, star of might/star with royal beauty might/westward leading/still proceeding/guide us to thy perfect light.” It’s a great song, written in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., but he took some liberties in calling the wise men kings, or telling us there were exactly three. Magi were not kings, but rather religious advisers.
Listen…to what the Bible says about the wise men, also known as Magi:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
We could do an entire message on the star. Who would travel after seeing a star in the sky? One must remember the skies were brighter and clearer. There were no skyscrapers, car headlights, or even streetlights. When the sun went down, the only lights were candles. Star gazing was a big deal, and it was believed the heavens and the earth were intricately connected. Halley’s Comet appeared in 12-11 BC, but that was a little early for the First Christmas. It may have been the planets Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction with each other. N.T. Wright notes
Since Jupiter was the ‘royal’ or kingly planet, and Saturn was sometimes thought to represent the Jews, the conclusion was obvious: a new king of the Jews was about to be born.
We’re not really sure about the star. It may have been a natural phenomenon, a comet, planets, a supernatural astral light, or even an angel. We do know astronomers and astrologers often went together in the ancient world. These men made a journey to Jerusalem. This word “Magi” can refer not only to wise men but also magicians, astrologers, or experts in interpreting dreams. Today we would probably call them “spiritual” men.
And who did they ask in Jerusalem? The mayor? The chief of police? The director of the Chamber of Commerce?
Three decades later Pilate’s soldiers will call Jesus, “King of the Jews.” His crown will be made of thorns. His throne will be a cross. A bright star will be replaced by midday darkness. But that’s a story for another time.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: (Matthew 2:3-5)
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:6)
Herod was listening. He had heard the prophecies of a king, a king of the Jews. Of course Herod was disturbed. He was the king of the Jews. He ruled over Jews and Gentiles. He wasn’t ready to have his kingdom divided. The Messiah came not only for the Jews, but also the Gentiles. The rule and reign of King Jesus will ultimately extend to every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Jerusalem is disturbed, too. This may mean the actual residents of the city or the Jewish leadership aligned with Herod. The religious people may have been threatened by Jesus from the very beginning, the one they will crucify many years later.
Note the prophet Micah gave this prophecy seven centuries earlier.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Obviously Herod was not serious. What king goes to worship a child? What king worships another king? He wanted to snuff out the competition! He feared no attack from the west because that was the heart of the Roman Empire. He was more afraid of attacks from the east. It should be noted as he became older, Herod became increasingly paranoid as his ten wives had many children who competed for his throne.
Is Jesus a baby? We’re not certain, but it could be up to two years after his birth. We do know after he was born and presented in the temple, he was raised in Bethlehem, a city six miles south/southwest of Jerusalem.
(Heather was there earlier this month, yet another reminder that our faith is not based upon fantasy or dreams, but rather upon historical events, real people, and real places).
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose 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, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
The Magi followed a moving star! Maybe it was an angel guiding them? A supernatural message delivered a life-saving message to them in a dream.
These gifts were standard items to honor a king or god in the ancient world. In fact, it is recorded that these three were offered to the god Apollo in 243 BC by King Seleucus II Callinicus. They were also very prophetic. Gold is, of course, a precious metal. It represents the kingship of the Messiah. Frankincense is a perfume or incense, a symbol of Christ’s priestly role (also possibly used as an arthritis remedy). Myrrh is anointing oil often used to embalm the dead, a prophetic image of the crucifixion.
No names.
No camels.
No kings.
No stable.
But they had been listening.
They had been watching.
They had been waiting.
So What?
I want to challenge you to pay close attention throughout this series to what is said—and not said—in the text.
The Magi traveled with gifts to honor Jesus. Although they may have been wealthy, their journey was surely a sacrifice. Although they may or may not have ridden on camels, they certainly didn’t take Delta Airlines, Amtrak, or even the interstate. Their route may have been nine hundred miles, taking several months!
What about you? Today we must be listening—and reading the Word of God. We must be watching—for signs, for his activity in our world. We must be waiting.
The Jewish people waited thousands of years for the Messiah. The prophecies of his first arrival to our planet were well known, even among Gentiles. Can you imagine waiting thousands of years for Jesus? Yes we can! The Messiah is coming…again! Soon.
Are you ready? Are you willing to come to Jesus? He traveled a great distance to come to us. Are you willing to offer your best gifts to him? He gave everything to us, even his very life.
The Magi came to worship Jesus.
We have come today to worship Jesus—with singing, the study of God’s Word, and the giving of our tithes and offerings.
Wise men—and women—still listen…they still look…they still seek the Messiah as they await his return.
Prayer
“God of Light and Love we know You are speaking. Help us to have ears that hear. Help us listen for your Voice. Help us listen to each other. Help us to hear the pain in the words that aren’t spoken. Help us be Your listening ear so that we may lead others to You. Amen.”
Credits
Some ideas from SkitGuys.com, The NIV Application Commentary, and Matthew for Everyone by N.T. Wright.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: The wise men waited, listened, and journeyed to follow Jesus, setting an example for us to follow.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-2; 9-12
Introduction
For years, people have been warning us, “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.” Is it me or has it taken people a decade or so to finally realize that applies to Facebook? There are so many bogus new reports, urban legends, and flat out lies about people proliferating.
Perhaps one reason so many people believe lies is they don’t take time to listen.
(silence) Do you hear what I hear?
As the Peanuts song declares, “Christmastime is here.” It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the most stressful time of the year. For many it’s the most depressing time of the year. For merchants it’s the most profitable time of the year. And for many Christians it’s the most offensive time of the year as their religious holiday is hijacked by Santa and sales at the mall.
But let’s set all of that aside. Christmas is our celebration of Christ’s birth, but it’s more than a day. It truly is a season. It’s a season we call Advent.
Advent is a time of waiting. It’s a time of anticipation. It’s a time of preparation, watching, and listening. Advent is here. Each week we will look at the First Christmas through the eyes of a different character in the story. Today that is the wise man.
Hide and seek.
Did you ever play hide and seek when you were a kid? Of course! The best players played hide and go listen. Listen for the sounds of the hiders under the bed, in the closet, or behind the curtain. Listen for the giggles and whispers.
Listening is a lost art. Unless you’re a psychologist paid to listen, most of us struggle with keeping quiet, being fully present, and hearing what another is communicating.
Our understanding of the First Christmas has been terribly distorted over the years. Like Facebook myths, there are myths surrounding the wise man (not “the wise guy!”):
- There were three of them. The Bible never says how many. It says there were three gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. Eastern tradition says there were twelve!
- The camels. They’re in my nativity set. Are they in yours? They may have been present at the First Christmas, but they’re not mentioned in the Bible, either.
- They had names. Well, of course they did have names, but we don’t know their names. Tradition says they were named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, but the Bible does not tell us their names.
- They were kings. Do you remember that song “We three kings of Orient are/bearing gifts we traverse afar/field and fountain/moor and mountain/following yonder star…oh, star of wonder, star of might/star with royal beauty might/westward leading/still proceeding/guide us to thy perfect light.” It’s a great song, written in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., but he took some liberties in calling the wise men kings, or telling us there were exactly three. Magi were not kings, but rather religious advisers.
Listen…to what the Bible says about the wise men, also known as Magi:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
We could do an entire message on the star. Who would travel after seeing a star in the sky? One must remember the skies were brighter and clearer. There were no skyscrapers, car headlights, or even streetlights. When the sun went down, the only lights were candles. Star gazing was a big deal, and it was believed the heavens and the earth were intricately connected. Halley’s Comet appeared in 12-11 BC, but that was a little early for the First Christmas. It may have been the planets Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction with each other. N.T. Wright notes
Since Jupiter was the ‘royal’ or kingly planet, and Saturn was sometimes thought to represent the Jews, the conclusion was obvious: a new king of the Jews was about to be born.
We’re not really sure about the star. It may have been a natural phenomenon, a comet, planets, a supernatural astral light, or even an angel. We do know astronomers and astrologers often went together in the ancient world. These men made a journey to Jerusalem. This word “Magi” can refer not only to wise men but also magicians, astrologers, or experts in interpreting dreams. Today we would probably call them “spiritual” men.
And who did they ask in Jerusalem? The mayor? The chief of police? The director of the Chamber of Commerce?
Three decades later Pilate’s soldiers will call Jesus, “King of the Jews.” His crown will be made of thorns. His throne will be a cross. A bright star will be replaced by midday darkness. But that’s a story for another time.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: (Matthew 2:3-5)
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:6)
Herod was listening. He had heard the prophecies of a king, a king of the Jews. Of course Herod was disturbed. He was the king of the Jews. He ruled over Jews and Gentiles. He wasn’t ready to have his kingdom divided. The Messiah came not only for the Jews, but also the Gentiles. The rule and reign of King Jesus will ultimately extend to every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Jerusalem is disturbed, too. This may mean the actual residents of the city or the Jewish leadership aligned with Herod. The religious people may have been threatened by Jesus from the very beginning, the one they will crucify many years later.
Note the prophet Micah gave this prophecy seven centuries earlier.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Obviously Herod was not serious. What king goes to worship a child? What king worships another king? He wanted to snuff out the competition! He feared no attack from the west because that was the heart of the Roman Empire. He was more afraid of attacks from the east. It should be noted as he became older, Herod became increasingly paranoid as his ten wives had many children who competed for his throne.
Is Jesus a baby? We’re not certain, but it could be up to two years after his birth. We do know after he was born and presented in the temple, he was raised in Bethlehem, a city six miles south/southwest of Jerusalem.
(Heather was there earlier this month, yet another reminder that our faith is not based upon fantasy or dreams, but rather upon historical events, real people, and real places).
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose 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, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
The Magi followed a moving star! Maybe it was an angel guiding them? A supernatural message delivered a life-saving message to them in a dream.
These gifts were standard items to honor a king or god in the ancient world. In fact, it is recorded that these three were offered to the god Apollo in 243 BC by King Seleucus II Callinicus. They were also very prophetic. Gold is, of course, a precious metal. It represents the kingship of the Messiah. Frankincense is a perfume or incense, a symbol of Christ’s priestly role (also possibly used as an arthritis remedy). Myrrh is anointing oil often used to embalm the dead, a prophetic image of the crucifixion.
No names.
No camels.
No kings.
No stable.
But they had been listening.
They had been watching.
They had been waiting.
So What?
I want to challenge you to pay close attention throughout this series to what is said—and not said—in the text.
The Magi traveled with gifts to honor Jesus. Although they may have been wealthy, their journey was surely a sacrifice. Although they may or may not have ridden on camels, they certainly didn’t take Delta Airlines, Amtrak, or even the interstate. Their route may have been nine hundred miles, taking several months!
What about you? Today we must be listening—and reading the Word of God. We must be watching—for signs, for his activity in our world. We must be waiting.
The Jewish people waited thousands of years for the Messiah. The prophecies of his first arrival to our planet were well known, even among Gentiles. Can you imagine waiting thousands of years for Jesus? Yes we can! The Messiah is coming…again! Soon.
Are you ready? Are you willing to come to Jesus? He traveled a great distance to come to us. Are you willing to offer your best gifts to him? He gave everything to us, even his very life.
The Magi came to worship Jesus.
We have come today to worship Jesus—with singing, the study of God’s Word, and the giving of our tithes and offerings.
Wise men—and women—still listen…they still look…they still seek the Messiah as they await his return.
Prayer
“God of Light and Love we know You are speaking. Help us to have ears that hear. Help us listen for your Voice. Help us listen to each other. Help us to hear the pain in the words that aren’t spoken. Help us be Your listening ear so that we may lead others to You. Amen.”
Credits
Some ideas from SkitGuys.com, The NIV Application Commentary, and Matthew for Everyone by N.T. Wright.