¶ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found [him], bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
¶ When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw 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 exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Introduction
In our text, wise men came from the East to Jerusalem. They were wise men because they were intellectual, intelligent. Traditional Christmas says there were 3. The Bible doesn't say how many. Some have surmised that there could have been over 100. Who knows? I would like to submit to you that these wise men were wise for other reasons besides their education. Let me share the 5 observations from the Bible:
1. They Sought The Lord
"Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" (Verse 2). Wise men still seek Him. Especially with the time clock of humanity running out. Wise men will seek Him now. There will be time when He won't be able to be found Thus, the prophet Isaiah said, SEEK YE THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, call ye upon Him while He is near." (Isa. 55:6)
Have you sought the Lord? Have you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? God's gift is eternal life. What a gift to receive this Christmas. Ask Jesus to be your Savior today!
2. They Worshiped Christ
"... for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him." (Verse 2). "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, AND WORSHIPED HIM." (Verse 11)
Again, Isaiah the prophet told us that Jesus Christ is God. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: ... and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, the Prince of Peace," Isaiah 9:6. Only God is to be worshiped. That's why the wise men worshiped the Lord Jesus (See Luke 20:41-44.) The wise still worship the Lord.
3. They Were Directed By The Bible
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path," Psalms 119:105. The Bible is for direction in life. In this story, the wise men followed the direction of the prophet Micah, who told them that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. It's amazing to think that Micah would write about the little town of Bethlehem as the birth place of Christ 500 years before Christ. He didn't know, but God knew and told him what to write. The Bible is the Word of God, and not the word of man. You can trust your life with it. Be sure to read it and study it.
4. They Gave What They Had To Give
"... and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts gold, frankincense and myrrh." (Verse 11) in a day of selfishness and greed, it is still "More blessed to give than to receive," Acts 20:35. The Christian will be wise to be a giver, for "God loveth a cheerful giver," 2 Corinthians 9:7. A wise lady once said to me, "The first thing to put in the offering plate at church is yourself: God wants us. When He has us, everything we have will be His also."
5. They Followed Gods Leadership!
"And being warned of God ... they departed into their own country another way." (Verse 12) God has something to say about everything. It is always best for the individual and the human race. Men's troubles today stem from his NOT following God's Word. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord ..." Psalms 37:23.
