Speaking of God's word, we've turned now to Matthew chapter 2
and I have here a book I'll recommend to you.
This is probably the the go to commentary that I'll reference a
lot in my study. It's called the Bible Knowledge
Commentary. John F.
Walvid, Roy B Zuck are the editors but a great resource.
If you're looking for things. To enhance your study of the
Scripture, and I say that. Because Matthew chapter. 2 has
so much packed into it tonight that we could have spent weeks
looking at Matthew. Chapter 2 but we've got to get.
Through the book of Matthew and so I'm going to highlight out
certain aspects for the theme of our message tonight.
But if your. Desire is to.
Dig in more and be a student of the word.
Then I recommend a resource like that to you and you can check
that out after the service. The title of tonight's message
is Reactions to the King. Out of Matthew chapter 2.
We're going to consider. Those who adored.
Him we're we're in the Holy Week, We're looking.
Ahead to Jesus death, his burial, his resurrection.
But where we're at in the book of Matthew is Jesus birth, and
we're looking at the wise men who came from the East to adore
him and to. Worship him so there's some
wise. Men in the.
Story and I'll pronounce them as magi, as different
pronunciations that as we read it.
But we're also going to look at those.
Who were unwise action to Jesus in the story?
The. Events that we're about to.
Read of here in Matthew 2 these magi they visit a young Jesus
and it did not happen on Christmas.
Night, as maybe our Christmas cards indicate, or our Christmas
carols. It didn't even happen.
On Christmas Day, but happened sometime after Christmas Day, it
says in verse. One of Matthew chapter. 2 now
after Jesus was born. How?
Far after we're not. Entirely sure, and.
Scholars will will differ. Perhaps it's at least weeks.
Some suggest even months and others.
Go. Into even up to a.
Year. After Jesus was born, but most
scholars land between months and a year when it comes to this for
a few reasons which I'll highlight #1.
We read in the Gospel accounts. That Jesus had been circumcised
8 days after his birth according to the Gospels.
And then Mary went through. Her purification ritual of 40
days according to the Mosaic Law after Jesus birth.
Where again you remember Jesus was presented in the temple and
there was an elderly fellow called Simeon, an elderly lady
called Anna. That we read of in Luke's Gospel
particularly. And then we read here in the
text and. When we get to it in verse. 11
that it says that. Jesus and Mary and Joseph.
Were in a house, living in a house.
And we read this chapter. So the wise man who came from
the. East that we're going to focus.
On entered into a house. Not the stable with the Manger.
Again, as the picture cards point out, they didn't go into a
cave. They came to a house in
Bethlehem. Story will tell us.
So that's why most scholars. Think that, the wise man.
Who came from the East? Showed up between months or even
up to a year after his birth. And concerning these wise men
from the East a little bit now we we need to wade.
Through a bit of misinformation or disinformation from the
Christmas carols that we sing. And the reason mostly.
That that confusion exists is from the very first Christmas
Carol that I learnt in my piano lessons.
As a kid, you know we 3 Kings from Orion R.
That was a beautiful song, actually.
It's written in 1857 by a guy called John Henry Hopkins.
But even that title is misleading, isn't it?
First of all, there probably weren't three of them.
We know that they were plural, so there's certainly more than
one. Because it says wise men MEN.
We're not indicated in the biblical text the number
exactly. Of wise men, we get the three
from the gifts that we're given, the gold, the frankincense and
the mirror, and people assume that you know one was given by
an individual on each occasion. But you know, people like that
back then in the 1st century AD would not travel typically in
such small. Groups, especially of that ilk,
they usually travelled in a. Larger entourage of people.
With the distance that they're travelling for safety and
numbers, so. Very much likely more than three
are coming and they're not. Kings as the song says, you know
we 3 kings of Orient R we're not told that the Bible never says
that they were kings. They're probably more like
understand the term magi these wise men as.
Being. Astronomers studied the stars
and court advisors and and mathematicians and people who
poured over texts and prophecies and things that indicated the
future. They're also not from the Orient
as we understand the. Orient they would.
Have likely more been from an area that's in the news heavily
at the moment. Called Media Persia, Pathia.
Modern day Iranians. Now to really understand the.
Story I'll need to fill in some historical blanks as we go
along, and I'm going to do that in this passage as we read and
strip away a bit of the tradition and the baggage from
the Christmas story. But let's read the entire
chapter now, Matthew chapter 2 now after Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea in the days. Of Herod the King.
This is a fellow called Herod the Great.
Behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, Where
is he? Who has been born king of the?
Jews, for we have seen his star in the East and have come to
worship him. I'm reading from the new King
James Version. Verse 3 When Herod the king
heard this. He was troubled and all.
Jerusalem with him. They're freaking out because if
Herod's freaking. Out they know it doesn't bode
well for them. And if you know anything of
history and of this Herod, you'll understand and know why.
I'll talk a little bit about that later.
And when verse four, he had gathered all the chief.
Priests and scribes. Of the people together, he
inquired of. Them where the Christ was to be
born, so they said to him. They knew in Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it is written by the prophet.
And they quote out of Micah chapter 5 but you.
Bethlehem in the land of Judah, and not the least.
Among the rulers of Judah. For out of you shall come a
ruler who will shepherd my people.
Israel and then Herod verse 7, when he had secretly called the
Wise. Men determined from them.
What time the star appeared. And he sent them to.
Bethlehem said go search carefully for the young child
and. When you found him.
Bring back word to me that I may.
Come and worship him also. And if he were Pinocchio, his
nose would have grown at that statement.
When they heard the king, they departed.
Verse 9. Behold the star which they had.
Seen in the east went. Before them till it came, and
stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great
joy. When.
They'd come into the. House verse 11.
They saw the young child with Mary, his mother, who fell.
Down and worshipped him. When they had opened their
treasures, they presented. Gifts to him gold.
Frankincense and myrrh. And being divinely warned in a
dream that they should. Not return to Herod they.
Departed. For their own country, another.
Way verse 13 And when they had departed, behold, an Angel of
the Lord. Appeared to Joseph in a dream
saying arise, take the young child and his mother.
Flee to Egypt. And stay there until I bring you
word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Just as an interesting. Aside with Joseph Joseph.
He's never ever given a word in Scripture, but we see that he
has very much. Sanctified sleep a lot of the
time. Doesn't he?
Each time that Joseph sleeps, it's like a dream.
That God speaks to him so for those of.
You that love sleep. It's biblical.
When he arose, he took the young child Verse 14 and his mother by
night, and departed for Egypt. He was there until.
The death of Herod that it might be.
Fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord through the Prophet.
Saying out of Egypt, I called my son and then Herod.
When he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was.
Exceedingly angry, he sent. Forth and put to death all the
male children who were in Bethlehem, in all its districts,
from 2 years old and under. According to the time.
Which he had determined from the wise men.
This is somewhere. My scholars estimate from about
20 to 30 young children in that Bethlehem area region put to
death by Herod and then was fulfilled what was spoken verse
17 by Jeremiah the prophet saying a voice was heard in
Rama, lamentation, weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because
they are no more. Now, when this Herod was dead.
Verse 19 Behold an. Angel of the Lord appeared in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt. Saying, arise, take the young
child and his mother, and go to the land of.
Israel. For those who sought the young
child's life dead, then heroes verse 21 took the young child
and his mother came into the land of Israel.
When he heard. That Archelaus was reigning over
Judea instead of his father Herod.
So this is a new Herod that's come onto the scene.
He was afraid to go there. This is Joseph.
And being warmed by God, in a dream he turned aside into the
region of Galilee. Where they had originally
travelled. From he came and dwelt in a city
called Nazareth. That it might be.
Fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called
a Nazarene. So we consider this chapter.
I'm going to work through three points in this the question.
First of all, that is posed the reaction that we see in the text
and there's a few of those and then.
The adoration or the proper? Adoration.
So that's where we're going to move through in this text.
So I want to begin with this, the wise man's question way
back, travelling from the east. And they head.
Towards Jerusalem and they sort of come out of nowhere it seems
on the pages of Scripture seems in the story and and then they
get this audience with Herod the king and their presence scares
Herod and. Everybody in Jerusalem freaks.
Out because as I said, if Herod's freaked out, they know
the flow on. Effect into their existence so.
Who are these travellers? These wise men, these magi,
What's this all about? Again, there's a lot of later
myths, and for those of you who are students.
And may be curious by. Some of these of of layers into
this simple. Story of of names and.
Numbers that have been given. And and even skulls that were
purported to be discovered of these.
Individuals, but the text simply calls them wise men from the
East and the term wise men in the Greek.
That's the original. Language that we're reading.
Out of the Gospel of Matthew is the Greek word maggio, hence the
English magi or magi. And as I said, these history
tells. Us, we're men from the.
Medo, Persian area. One of the historians.
From antiquity named Herodotus, a Greek historian said that they
were a like a priestly cast in the.
Area of. Of the Medes and were absorbed
into the the Medo Persian Empire way back in the times of of
Daniel that we read of and they were.
According to history, skilled. In in philosophy, skilled in
science, regarded as wise. As a consequence, they were
sought out for their. Instruction or their opinion,
their their decisions and things.
They were interpreters of dreams.
We see in the scriptures. Because of their knowledge and
their wisdom, they influence kings.
They influence. Governments.
Governors and governments actually hired them, paid money
to seek out their opinion. They were seen many.
Times as kingmakers in history. They were ones who would
identify and crown. Kings many times.
In the Bible, we've come across this term Magi.
If you know, in the Old Testament book of Daniel, Daniel
was appointed to be chief. Of the Magi king Nebuchadnezzar
of Babylon has bad dreams. He calls for his so called wise
men, the Magi to come and. Interpret the dream, he tells.
Them you tell me the dream. 1st and then the interpretation of
that. But only Daniel, who was
connected. To the Most High, God was able
to give the dream and the interpretation.
As a consequence, he was elevated to a chief of all of
this group. Of magi, we know that.
You know, as a Jewish. Boy he grew up in.
Babylon became this head of the Magi.
And he left a lot of material and instruction.
That no doubt these magi. Had studied.
And learnt from and and. Considered Where is he the.
Question is asked in. Verse 2 who has been born king
of the Jews? And this is Matthew's premise
all along as we've been going through it, his primary
audience. In the Gospel of Matthew is a
Jewish audience. Who were big on the Messiah, The
Promised One. His claim straight away is that
Jesus of Nazareth was not only a descendant of David, not only a
descendant of Abraham, but that he is the King.
The Messiah, the fulfilment of these promises.
So this is what it's all about. And these wise men echo that.
And that's why Matthew highlights this story.
Because Daniel in his book in Chapter 9 had.
Highlighted the Messiah who had come.
His magi probably were aware of it through the manuscripts.
Left and the scrolls that they would study.
And been poring over copies of the scriptures.
Left in Babylon from the Jewish people who'd been captive there
and returned in the. Land and and I can picture these
wise men. These magi combing.
Through texts of. The scriptures and the scrolls
in their studies, whatever that might have looked like for them
back then. And finding significant passages
through probably the Old Testament things like in
numbers. Chapter 24, which says.
A *. Will come from Jacob.
A ruler will. Rise from Israel.
You can see them making notes on that.
Or Isaiah Chapter 9. Often quoted at Christmas.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a.
Great light. And those who dwell.
In the shadow of death on them a great light has shined.
Or again in Isaiah. Chapter 60 The gentile shall.
Come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Imagine they looked. At that and some other.
Predictions. In the scriptures and they.
Knew that a Jewish king was to be born who who would rule over
not only the Jewish people, but all.
Of the world and. Be a blessing.
And they applied their math and they applied their their their
study of the sciences and of the astronomy to this.
So the question comes each time that this passage is read.
Well, what is this star of? Bethlehem, then, that they saw.
In the east and that seemed to. Magically reappear in Bethlehem.
Over the house. It's kind of a fun.
Question that nobody really knows the real answer to.
There's a lot of different explanations, fellow.
Called Alfred Edersham, a Hebrew scholar, said that.
He thinks it was a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and
Saturn and the constellation of Pisces at the time.
Maybe it's a good possibility. Others.
Say it was a supernova. This *.
That appeared in the East. And that later reappeared.
You know that's a star that explodes and continues to emit
light for for weeks, even months.
Thereafter, some say a comet like a Haley's comet, it's.
In the Earth's rotation, others like a low.
Hanging Luminous Meteor. And then there's others.
Not even worth mentioning. What it was exactly is really
inconsequential. What's most?
Important and the point of the story is that.
Even these foreigners. Were aware of a significant
birth that had taken place. And you know.
What with that significant birth, here's what they did.
They came to worship. They came to worship.
These foreign kingmakers. If you want to see them as that,
these wise men. Their long journey from the.
East followed this. Star making their way.
Toward Jerusalem and now near Bethlehem.
And they asked the question. Where is he?
Where is this king? We've been studying about him
for years and we've had all of these important scriptures and
we've been researching and looking into the evidence and
our guy Daniel, he mentioned. It a while back.
Maybe you guys might know Daniel there in?
Jerusalem. And we've been expecting a
Jewish king. And where is he to be born?
King of the. Jews, they asked the question.
Where can we find him? So that's the wise men, their
question. And I believe there are many
wise men still searching and seeking and asking.
The question today, in fact. Somebody who gave.
Their heart to the Lord had been.
Asking that question, seeking where is the truth?
In this world and searching and. And talking with them, seeing
God's hand at. Work in their life leading them
to make a profession and confession of faith this morning
before the Lord so. The wise men ask the question,
where is he to? Be born king.
Of the Jews. Let's look.
Secondly, at the foolish men's reaction to that, because
there's a couple. First, it's in Herod the King at
the time when. Herod the King verse.
Three, it says. Heard this, he was troubled.
Now the word trouble, it's a bit of an understatement.
In the English interpretation, it literally means agitated,
shaken to the core, deeply perturbed.
Here's a better translation. Herod freaked out.
Here's Herod in the king in the in the palace.
The king he is. He's freaking out because this
huge entourage. Apartheans of medians these.
Iranian astronomers show up. And they've been tracking.
Something they're saying, OK, where is he?
Where is he to be born? King of the Jews, Where's who?
You know, the king who is to be born.
Hang on a. Minute, I'm the king.
Yeah, Herod's thinking. Yeah, the the Jewish.
Born King of the Jews. Now there's the difference
because. Herod.
If you know anything, and here's why Herod's freaking out.
So when he heard that that there's.
There's a king of the Jews. Born, that's who they're
inquiring. About everything in his
competitive. Nature rises to the surface.
You know, insecure. People are often threatened at
the smallest of things, and it's the case here for Herod.
You know, you've probably experienced it.
If somebody's prettier than they are and they're insecure about
that, they freak out. Somebody.
'S smarter than they are. They freak out.
If somebody's more. Capable or earns.
More money or more talented? Than them in some ways.
Then insecure people don't do well.
With competition. Herod is now in competition.
Mode. Here's a little background as to
why that makes sense on Herod. Herod was not.
A Jew, he was the king over this area.
But he's not Jewish. In his heritage, he was.
What's called an Edomite? From next door, Idumean from the
area of Jordan, his dad. Antipater was his name.
He'd helped out. Rome a bit.
So you've got this time prior to the Roman, a pretty heavy
Grecian influence in the region. And then the.
Roman Empire takes over and there's some little whispers
still of the Grecian influence and some of the politics that
were going on. And so Antipater.
He'd helped out. Rome and because he'd helped
out. Rome, Julius.
Caesar let his dad, Herod dad rule.
Judea Eventually Herod's dad died and Herod the Great that
we're learning of here took over.
It's called Great. In history.
Because he established and built a lot of things.
In fact, if you were to do a tour of Israel today, you'd
still see much of the architecture and the the ruins
and remains of that which Herod brought in.
We'd do a tour. Of an area called Masada.
It was something that he did and was involved in and at the time.
Herod was doing some advancements on the temple, and
I mean some some of the massive. Foundational stones that you see
in a tour of Israel. So it's called great in that
way, but. Many say that he was.
Compensating by being short in. Stature and very envious and
jealous. And he was allowed by Rome to
take this important title of king in the area of the Jews,
but not a Jew himself. There was always this threat,
potentially of a future rightfully born Jew coming to
ascend to the throne. And of the the populace.
Coming alongside an individual like that, and so his ears.
Prick up the sound of. Where is he to be born?
King of the. Jews, he freaks out, and that's
why we read later. On of.
What we do of Herod killing every baby in that region?
He held tightly to this title, King of the Jews.
History remembers him as yes. Great and title, but as.
Cruel and. Paranoid and you know Herod
killed one of his wives, a lady called Mary Amnie.
He also killed his father in law.
He killed two of his sons, lest any.
Of those sons take over his throne.
You can see he. Did not like competition.
There was a saying back then, and it was a play on words.
It's safer to be Herod's pig than it is to be Herod's son.
Some. And there's a little.
Doubt over the veracity of this, but some also indicate that when
herod was toward the end of his life so about hearing the story
and a couple of years beyond what we read of.
That he knowing. Full well the estimation of the
population about him. Declared that in his failing.
Health becoming very sick knowing he was soon to.
Die he he wanted. Prominent citizens to be.
Arrested in Jerusalem and then the order given that when he die
they be killed knowing that no one would.
Really mourn his death. But they would mourn the others.
And there would be. Mourning in Jerusalem upon his.
Passing said that historically that didn't occur.
They didn't follow through on his.
Actions. But that's nuts, isn't it, to be
so psychotic and, and in that way, it's kind of reminiscent of
of. Stalin, who was so?
Freaking out about certain things that he wouldn't.
Sleep in the same bedroom each night.
So his magi come. On the scene.
And ask Herod the the fake usurp it to the throne, not the king
of the Jews. Where is he who is born king of
the Jews? Oh, and he's agitated.
He's troubled. He says I'd like to have some.
More information on that please. Tell me where he is so that I
can. Find him and worship him too,
so. That's Herod the King.
That's his reaction, and there's another group who react to this.
The chief priests, the scribes, the religious gurus.
In the land and. He goes to them, Herod does, and
he says hey, where is this? King of the Jews to be born and.
You'll notice. In verse 5 they said.
Just hang on a second, let me check on Google, let me let me
ask Siri, let me check out ChatGPT.
What? The answer is no.
They knew right away where. The King of the Jews was to be
born. Without almost skipping a beat.
The way that the text reads, they they fire off and say in
Bethlehem of Judah. That's where he's to be born.
No pause. And they knew instinctively.
The prophecies of the Old Testament.
And could it? Seems that the snap of.
A finger give the answer in Bethlehem, in the land of.
Judah they say, because it says written of him by the prophet,
and they quote out of Micah chapter 5, verse 2.
But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least
among the rules of Judah out of you Bethlehem.
Shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel.
These are the theological elites.
Of the day. The professors, the gurus,
they're the temple hierarchy, the the Sanhedrin, the
religious. Leaders they're.
The bigwigs, religiously speaking.
And what's amazing is to me, they knew the messianic
expectations of the people of Judah.
They knew where the Messiah was to be born.
They could quote. Verbatim, no doubt the
scripture. Reference And yet, you know
what? Wouldn't you think that if
you've been studying and learning?
All about that and know. That when you hear that that
child has been born, wouldn't you just even out of curiosity
if you didn't believe it when I got.
To go and check this out. They didn't get up and check it
out. The wise men went off by
themselves. They could quote the scripture.
But they would not move their feet.
And Bethlehem, understand, is really just a suburb of
Jerusalem. It's in close proximity.
It's not a very far journey at all.
From where they are in Jerusalem to get to Bethlehem, so.
Why did they not? Check it out.
I mean the magi. Had been travelling for months.
It's just what? It's just Bethlehem down the
road. Yeah, of course we'll go.
But these guys couldn't even journey those few kilometres to
Bethlehem from Jerusalem. It reminds me of a scripture.
In Amos chapter 6 verse one it says woe to those who are
complacent in Zion. They're in Zion, they're in
Jerusalem. They're so apathetic, so
complacent. They're at ease in comfort in
Zion. And there's a lesson.
There, you know, some people think they know enough Bible.
They've heard enough. Of the Bible stories.
They've even read it through, in fact, some.
People know a lot of Bible stuff and they can quote names and
they can give places and they can correct your
misunderstanding or misinformation even, and they'll
study it and they'll analyse it like these guys, these religious
leaders who could quote it. They'll look at it in the
original language, they'll chart it and map it all out, and
they'll know all of the Jewish. Practises and the customs and
they do everything. Except this.
Obey it everything except live it out and apply it.
They don't do it. That's this group of people.
And even in the church, there are some who are inoculated.
With a mild form of. Christianity.
So as to render them. Immune from the real thing.
Complacent in Zion, maybe. You know, people like that.
Especially as we approach. Easter might invite them along.
To church or over to your house? And they'll quote you the
scripture and the passages, and they'll give you, are we going
to sing this song? And they'll know the.
Lyrics. And that's the foolish man in
the story. The wise men, they ask the
question, where is he to be born?
King of the Jews? Herod freaks out.
He. Knows that he's a usurpate to
the throne and that there's trouble.
On the horizon, if there really is a a newborn king of the Jews
arrive and then these men who knew the scriptures, who knew
the passages could tell Herod where to go and where this king
was to be born and and send the wise men off in their journey
could not even be. Bothered to travel those couple
of kilometres themselves let's close with this the proper
adoration we go into the story now in verse 9 says when they
heard the. King.
That's Herod they. Departed and they left
Jerusalem, and behold. The star which they had seen in
the East went before them until it came, and stood over where
the young child was. When they saw the star, they
rejoiced with exceeding great joy, probably jumping.
Up and down a little bit. Pretty stoked, pretty excited.
West Coast one again and when they had come into the house.
They saw the young child notice child not a baby anymore.
Child with Mary, his mother. Fell down and worshipped him.
When they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts
to him, gold, frankincense and myrrh.
So whatever sort of wise. Men they were before this, now
they're really wise men now they're really showing their
wisdom as they come into the house.
I want you to notice that they worshipped him before they gave
their gifts, it said. You might say that.
The gift giving was part of their.
Worship, and certainly probably the case, but it says in the
text, they worshipped Him and then they gave their gifts.
I want you to notice that and it's so vital, so important.
In other words, they worship, they gave themselves 1st, and
then they gave their gifts to Him.
Notice to him I just want to say that's what.
God is interested in. He's more interested in your.
Heart than in your financial gift not that gifts there's not
that there's anything wrong with with us giving to the Lord and
we encourage that and it's scriptural but.
But God. Knows that when he has your
heart. Then he has.
All of you. So they did that.
They understood that. They bowed down in worship.
They fell and says they gave themselves 1st and then they
gave their gifts. Now, Speaking of the gifts, what
gifts did they give? Gold.
Frankincense. And myrrh.
And there's something. In this gold, we understand to
be the medal of kings, Speaking of royalty and it was customary
especially back in antiquity as we're we're examining this, that
if you approach a king, you will always bear a gift.
You don't approach a king and go, what's that?
What's happening mate? It's.
Not that casual thing. You you come bringing something.
And a typical gift to bring a king was gold.
Gold. Was a typical gift given to an
ancient king and. Since Matthew's theme all
through Gospel of Matthew here is to present Jesus as the King
of the Jews, it would make sense that Matthew would highlight
this. Gift that would be included.
In these wise men coming from the East to give the child.
Jesus, a gift of gold, the medal of kings.
Now, one thing we know. About Joseph and Mary and.
Here's God's practical. Intervention in their life.
We read of them having been appeared Joseph by God.
In a dream to go. To Egypt and they travel to
Egypt, but. Joseph and Mary are so poor that
when they go to the. Temple to give.
Their gift, their offering. They have to give the the
poorest gift. Of a dove, two birds, 2 pigeons,
2 turtle, 2 turtle doves these these gifts, which is what only
the poorest would bring. And yet now, with the gold, they
have enough. To be able to make their safe
journey and travel into Egypt. Amazing God's provision.
So gold is the first. Gift Second gift is
frankincense. Now frankincense, it's incense
very expensive fragrance, at least back then in that day, I'm
pretty sure it still is. If those of you who are into
your essential oils, frankincense one of the the
toughest ones to find, but in. Judaism.
It was used by the Jewish priesthood for the meal
offering. Would include frankincense as
well. I think that's significant
because it reminds us that Jesus.
So Jesus is the king, but he is also Jesus is our high priest.
Scriptures tell us that. So gold frankincense and then
you notice that the third. Gift is the gift of myrrh.
Now this. Is the strangest gift to give a
young. Baby.
It's the weirdest of the. 3 gold makes sense for a king.
Frankincense for a priest and. You know, as a sacrifice and
something that was. Used in that Mer Mer served 2
purposes. Back then, typically.
Was often mixed with wine as an anaesthetic.
To take away the pain. You know, if somebody had
chronic pain or episodic pain, that mixture would have been
given to the patient to help dull the pain.
That's what they tried to. Give Jesus when he was suffering
on the cross. He turned it away.
But also myrrh when it was mixed.
Not with. Wine as we read off.
For that anaesthetic property, but with aloes.
Was used to. Embalm the dead.
If you know in your Bible, in the Gospel of John, some 100 lbs
of that. Was was purchased?
Of mirror and aloes to wrap Jesus.
At that point in time and I would take the burial cloth,
soak it in that mixture and wrap the body to take away the stench
in the tomb. So can I just say that's a weird
gift to give a baby. Could you imagine today a baby
is born, somebody in the family? Says, oh, I've purchased their
coffin already. Oh.
Thank you. Imagine Mary and Joseph
embalming fluid. Just what we've always wanted.
But can I tell? You.
It makes perfect sense. Remember what the Angel said to
Joseph? Remember what the Angel said to
Mary? You shall call his name Jesus,
because he will save his people. From their sins.
How did he save people from sin? It's this week.
But going to the place where MUR was used in abundance to embalm.
So there's such significance built into this story of the
gold and of the frankincense of the myrrh.
By the way, something else interesting about myrrh as we're
nearly finishing here as we close this off.
You know, myrrh is a spice that only gives off its sweetness,
it's scent when it is crushed. When it's crushed.
What did Isaiah the prophet say would happen to Jesus?
Isaiah chapter 53, some 650 years before Jesus was even
born, Isaiah the prophet said of Jesus that he would be pierced
for our transgressions and crushed, bruised for our
iniquities. And it was that death, Jesus
death, that we head towards this week, that crushing, that was a.
Sweet smell to God. Because now God could say, now I
can forgive that payment, that penalty, and now I can forgive
you and you and you and all of us, gold, frankincense and
myrrh. So.
I want to begin. So begin.
It's like, oh. What have you been doing this
whole time? Want to end?
Don't freak out. You all just.
Went like Herod on me. So I want to end.
Asking this question. Who in this?
Story you most like you my most like Herod, are you?
Following the star of self. Maybe are you a little?
King sitting on the throne of your own Kingdom, and you don't
want to allow God to interfere? In your life in any way because
he interferes with your. Plans.
Your rule, your reign, you. Don't want any competition.
Even God's competition, and sadly, that's many people.
Today, isn't it? And sadly, like Herod, you might
even claim to be a worshipper. Oh, find out where he is, that I
may come and worship him too, Herod.
Wasn't a worshipper and sadly many people.
In the world and many people even in.
Pews today are still consumed with a star of self sitting as
illegitimate kings over their own lives.
Ruling and reigning their own. Little Kingdom that they've set
up. You like Herod, You like their
religious leaders. They're following a star, the
star of religion. They can quote the Bible.
They've got the academic. Knowledge they've got, the study
they analyse, but there's no real relationship or connection
to Almighty God. It's not actual.
In their lives, they they knew the Bible.
Yes, they knew prophecy. They knew the birth.
Place they had the right answer, but they had the wrong action.
No obedience, no follow through. Or, and I think this is the
answer for most #3 you, like the Magi, followed the star of
Christ. They took it as a sign and they
came. And they sought him out.
Where is he to be? Born king of the Jews, and they
fell down and worshipped and. They gave of their gifts.
They gave themselves. Around Christmas time, I don't.
Know if you've seen it. There's a bumper sticker that
often appears and maybe you've even got it on AT shirt or on a
coffee cup that says this. Wise men still seek him.
Are you a wise?
Man are. You a wise woman?
Seeking Jesus I just want to close on this note verse 12 look
at it really quickly says then being divinely warned in a dream
that they should not return to Herod.
They departed for their own country another way.
Now I know what that. Actually, literally means that
they. Took a different route than the
way that they came right they got.
Warned Don't go back to Jerusalem.
Don't go to Herod. He'll kill you.
And then they took. Another route home.
But I also want to say just let that verse sink into your heart
as we close, because that's what happens when a person encounters
Jesus the Christ. When you actually.
Come into contact with Jesus and you acknowledge him as the
Christ, as the King. You leave differently than when
you came. There's a change, there's a
transformation. We saw that pictured in baptism
observed this afternoon. The Bible says if any man is in
Christ, he is what a new creation.
The old things have passed away, and behold, all things become.
New. That's a promise.
For you, that's a truth, that's a reality.
For you in encountering Jesus Christ, you know only God can do
what needs to be done in your life.
Only God can fulfil the greatest plans and purposes that He has
for your life and bring peace and forgiveness and a clean
slate. And a reason to live.
So let him do that. Be wise, give yourself worship
before him just to know you. You must be his friend, my
friend.