The Wise Men ……..

Chose to Believe the Promise

 

Matthew 2:1-11

 

The wise men were men of great learning, rich and held in high esteem by their society. Perhaps they were wise men from Babylon, descendants of those who served under King Nebuchadnezzar during Daniel’s time. 

Today we would call them astrologers. In their day, astrology and astronomy went hand in hand – science and superstition. The wise men followed the patterns of the stars religiously. They had seen an unusual new star in the sky and knew that it told of the birth of a special king -  a promise for all who would see.

No one really knows what this new star in the sky was, although there are many theories. Perhaps it was a comet, a supernova, a conjunction of planets or… something supernatural. Whatever it was, it ignited hope in the hearts of the wise men, and they followed the star.

What are you hoping for this Christmas? Do you hope that your family will get along and you can enjoy the family gathering? Do you hope that you won’t be alone?

 

 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi 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.”

 

The star the wise men saw offered the promise of the birth of a King. We don’t need to look to the stars today for our promises because we have the Bible that is filled with God’s promises for us.

Believing the promise for the wise men meant taking a risk – setting out on a journey that some say took years to complete and was filled with dangers from robbers, weather and terrain. Yet, they persevered and determined to hold on to the promise.

 

What promise has God given to you?

 

What risk or journey will be required of you to see the promise fulfilled?

 

What if the journey takes years?

 

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:

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.’”

 

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.”

 

King Herod was upset when he heard the promise. Matt 2:13-18 describes what Herod did to prevent the promise from being kept.

 

Have you shared the promise God gave you with anyone? What was their reaction?

 

If their reaction was negative, what will help you hold on to the promise?

 

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. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.                                               

The wise men brought gifts with them because they believed the promise – the birth of a king.

       Gold – a gift for a king

 

      Frankincense – incense used by priests

 

      Myrrh – perfume used to embalm bodies

            

Each gift represented a fulfillment of a promise:

            Jesus is our King.

      Jesus is our High Priest.

      Jesus is our Sacrificial Lamb.

 

Take a few moments. Think about the promise God has given you.

 

What gift could you offer to God that would demonstrate your belief in His promise?

 

Because the wise men chose

to believe the promise, they saw Jesus.

Will you?

 

Next time, we will consider the choices Jesus made so that we could see Him.......