THE WISE MENS SEARCH

THE WISE MENS SEARCH

TEXT: Matthew 2:1–12THEME: Christ is worthy of the long journey to find him and worship him.

James 1:13

“Pure religion and undefiled is this- this visit the fatherless in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

Two categories:

1. Those whom Christ just surprises.

Two categories:

1. Those whom Christ just surprises.– They aren't on a spiritual search at all, but

when they hear the news, everything in them says yes.

Two categories:

1. Those whom Christ just surprises.– They aren't on a spiritual search at all, but

when they hear the news, everything in them says yes.

2. The kind of people like the Magi.

Two categories:

1. Those whom Christ just surprises.– They aren't on a spiritual search at all, but

when they hear the news, everything in them says yes.

2. The kind of people like the Magi.– Their business is finding out if there is some

truth out there worth living for and dying for.

TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 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

TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 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. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written.

TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12

6 “‘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

TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 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

TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12

9 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. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.

TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12

Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

What can we learn from the wise men’s search for Jesus?

I. The search for Jesus has an historical/prophetic basis- so does

ours.

The Magi

• We do not know how many there were

The Magi

• We do not know how many there were• They came from either a priestly or a royal

lineage or maybe both.

The Magi

• We do not know how many there were• They came from either a priestly or a royal

lineage or maybe both. • They traveled hundreds of miles

The Magi

• We do not know how many there were• They came from either a priestly or a royal

lineage or maybe both. • They traveled hundreds of miles• They would have brought an elaborate

entourage

The Magi

• We do not know how many there were• They came from either a priestly or a royal

lineage or maybe both. • They traveled hundreds of miles• They would have brought an elaborate

entourage• They caught everybody's attention.

The Magi were thoroughly, completely pagan

The Magi were thoroughly, completely pagan

• Magi forms the root of the word magicians.

The Magi were thoroughly, completely pagan

• Magi forms the root of the word magicians. • They were astrologers.

The Magi were thoroughly, completely pagan

• Magi forms the root of the word magicians. • They were astrologers. • They had enough familiarity with the Old

Testament to know that a star was to guide them to God’s anointed one.

What can we learn from the wise men’s search for Jesus?

II. Their search for Jesus drew others to search for Jesus.

God is so intent on revealing his glory that if we won't go to the

kings of the earth he will subvert the little knowledge they have to

get them to come to him.

God would prefer that the people of God would be the light; that, in a sense, they would be the star of Bethlehem. But if they won’t he will use what little truth people have to draw them to Himself.

Philippians 2:14–15

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."

God intends for you to be the star of Bethlehem in a crooked and

depraved generation

The people least in possession of the truth were most passionately

in pursuit of it.

What can we learn from the wise men’s search for Jesus?

III. The search for Jesus is their passion to find truth.

III. The search for Jesus is their passion to find truth.

• They think church people are interested. They think the people who have held the prophecy all these years are actually going to be excited that this thing has happened

III. The search for Jesus is their passion to find truth.

• They think church people are interested. They think the people who have held the prophecy all these years are actually going to be excited that this thing has happened

• God's people can get caught up in the commercialism of Christmastime and forget it's about a king being born, who is Christ the Lord. it.

Two groups of people who have total possess the truth and do something

very different

Two groups of people who have total possess the truth and do something

very different • The first is the group Herod falls in. He

gathers all the religious leaders and asks them the question the Magi are asking but don't have the answer to.

Two groups of people who have total possess the truth and do something

very different • The first is the group Herod falls in. He

gathers all the religious leaders and asks them the question the Magi are asking but don't have the answer to,

• The second is the group the Jewish scholars fall in. They have access to the answer to the question the Magi are asking but they miss it or don’t care.

What can we learn from the wise men’s search for Jesus?

IV. God will reward us in our search for Jesus

God doesn't so much reward the knowledge in your head as the

hunger in your heart.If you're not going to do anything with it, if you can't be bothered to make the five-mile journey to see the fulfillment of the thing you've waited for all your life, it is better not to have that knowledge at all.

John 5:39-40

• "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life"

Herod Means King

Herod Means King

• This is Herod the Great, which means "Great King

Herod Means King

• This is Herod the Great, which means "Great King."

• Like the other “Herods” he was obsessed with his own greatness

Herod Means King

• This is Herod the Great, which means "Great King."

• Like the other “Herods” he was obsessed with his own greatness. – At this point in history he had already killed his wife,

three of his biological sons, his mother-in-law, his brother-in-law, his uncle, and many besides. He perceived them, even in some vague way, as a threat to his power.

For all his depravity Herod got it. He understood, you can't both be

a king and have him king. You can't both be on the throne and

have him on the throne.

APPLICATION:

1. Would you pay attention to what Herod is saying here? Go and make a careful search for Christ. If you're steeped in truth but it's been a while since you did something with it, then go and make a careful search.

APPLICATION:

2. If you're steeped in some confusing ideas about the divine, or you know someone who is, I wouldn't be all twisted up about getting their theology corrected first. I would get them to Jesus.

APPLICATION:

3. Go and make a careful search of the child. Because it's in seeing Christ that our theology suddenly comes clear. And as you go out and look for Christ, for the man, this king that was born, that lives, that exists, that reveals his glory—as you find him, tell others, that they might worship too. It's good advice, isn't it?

Why should you search for Christ?

• He is the one worthy of the long journey

Why should you search for Christ?

• He is the one worthy of the long journey. • He is the one that satisfies the hunch you

might have about the meaning of life

Why should you search for Christ?

• He is the one worthy of the long journey. • He is the one that satisfies the hunch you

might have about the meaning of life. • He is the one who lights and makes alive the

truth that you know.

Why should you search for Christ?

• He is the one worthy of the long journey. • He is the one that satisfies the hunch you

might have about the meaning of life. • He is the one who lights and makes alive the

truth that you know.• He's the one worthy of all the gifts you might

give him; gold, incense, whatever precious thing you've got, give it.