Seeing Hope (You Are the Reason)

Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT)

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose,and we have come to worship him.”

 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”  After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

Have you ever wondered what would have been different had the wise men been wise women? (sorry my brain works this way sometimes)
1. They would have asked for directions before they arrived in Jerusalem to alert evil king Herod.
2. They would have arrived on time and helped deliver the baby
3. They would have cleaned the stable and brought something practical for the family– like a casserole, diapers, and baby wipes.
4. And there would have been peace on earth!

Who were the Magi?

The Magi Were God-Fearing Gentiles Who Were Looking Forward To The Coming Of The Jewish Messiah!

The Magi were from either Persia or Babylon. The word Magi comes from the Greek word magoi which is in turn a Persian word for a select set of priests. These priests functioned as the religious, civil, and political counsel to the kings of Media and Persia. In time their power grew to the extent that they became the “king-makers” whose duties included the election of the king of the realm. Their education included a mix of astronomy, astrology, science, and religion.

They studied the stars and the influence of the stars on the lives and destinies of people and nations. They were interpreters of dreams – as Daniel and his friends in the book of Daniel joined a group of wise men there.

The group of Magi who searched for the newborn King were men who had been influenced by the Jews and were looking forward to the coming of the King of the Jews. The fact that they undertook such a difficult journey in order to worship Him strongly suggests that they believed in the God of the Jews.

They learned of God primarily through the prophet Daniel. As a young man Daniel had been taken to Babylon as a prisoner of war but, because of his faith in God, he had risen to become an advisor first to the king of Babylon. He later continued in this role as advisor to the king of Persia after the Persians conquered Babylon. Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were probably called Magi, and one of the titles given to Daniel was Rab-mag, the Chief of the Magi.

How did they know there was a king of the Jews coming? Daniel told them. Daniel influenced kings and influenced the other Magi and what was taught.

Speaking through the prophet Daniel God told the world that His King (Messiah means anointed one) was coming. There is only one passage, and only one, in the whole of the Bible that foretells the time of the Messiah’s (first) coming. The passage is Daniel 9:24-26.

The angel Gabriel (the same angel who visited Mary) told Daniel that the King would come 483 years after a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. Given Daniel’s position as the chief advisor in the Persian court it seems likely that he told the rest of the advisory council about this prophecy.

Since the Magi were looking forward to the coming of the King, God sent them a supernatural signal that confirmed the arrival of Jesus: a unique star. (Numbers 24:17 is a passage that alludes to the fact that the wise men would have known to look for a star. They would have learned it from Daniel).

God used the star to signal to the Magi that the King had been born. The hope of the Magi was strong enough to compel them to undertake a costly and difficult journey to find Him. Their journey may have covered 1,000 miles and taken four to five months.

God was the source of hope for  the Magi. He guided them by His Word (Daniel) and by His star.

Hope is what starts this journey of faith.

• The Magi were convinced that he was the Messiah.
• They traveled close to a 1000 miles
• They brought gifts that only a king is worthy of.
• They paid the price.

Once you are convinced that he is the Messiah – your life changes. The Magi’s lives were forever changed. You learn, like the Magi,  that there is a price to be paid. It is not gold, frankincense, myrrh. The price to be paid is to die to self.

Those of you who are on this journey – haven’t your lives been forever changed? As you listened to Dave and Heather’s story this morning, you learned there lives have been changed forever because of the commitment they have made to follow Christ. The same is true for any body who willfully decides to follow Christ the rest of their life. Your life is forever changed.

You are the reason He put the star in the sky. He wants you and I to find Him. Why? Because your life will be changed for eternity!

Hope makes the supernatural happen. The hope we have in Christ changes us from the inside out in a supernatural way. Hope is what makes the supernatural possible. We might not see water turned to wine, the parting of the red sea, or water come from a rock.  But we see something far greater than any of those things. When someone finds hope – their lives are transformed.

The story about Larry Clarke

When Larry was in his 30’s he quit his job so that he could work full-time at his church for no pay. He never married. Never owned a home, and never went on an expensive vacation. He got his groceries by going through what his neighborhood grocery would throw out.

Larry befriended people. He saw potential. He invited people into groups, into opportunities to make friends and contribute. He saw potential in discouraged people. He had radar for lonely people. He told people what he thought they could become.

Larry was tragically killed while doing his routine jog in the morning. The service was packed and had to be moved to the sanctuary of the Willow Creek Church in Chicago. People kept sharing story after story of how they felt loved by Larry.

Larry gave people hope! Larry was their “guiding star” so to speak. Larry was leading them to Jesus.

When darkness was destroying people Larry would encourage them and give them a ray of hope. Larry became their friend. He told the what they could become.

Larry didn’t part the red sea,, turn water into wine or make water come out of a rock, but he gave hope away.

When you give hope away you become the “guiding star” that points the one who is feeling hopeless to the one who is Hope!

What can we learn from the Magi?

1. Look for Jesus

All of us are looking for something or someone who will satisfy us. No one and no thing can satisfy the longing in our heart. The Magi had gold, frankincense and myrrh. They had blinged out camels, they had servants, they had the riches of the world. But yet they traveled over 1000 miles at their own expense to find a baby wrapped in strips of cloths.

2. Stay focused on the star

With so many distractions it is hard to stay focused on anything. We have so many thing vying for our attention. We live in the “tyranny of the urgent”. Everything has to be done yesterday. All us in here are like Mary or  Martha. Martha made Jesus part of the 100 things she was doing. Mary made Jesus the only thing that mattered. Many followers of Christ  make following Jesus one of many things they do. They fit him into their schedule. They make time for Him. They make him a part of their day.

He doesn’t want to fit into your schedule – he wants to determine your schedule

He doesn’t want us to make time for Him – he wants to be with us always.

He doesn’t want us to make him part of our day – he wants us to be aware of him all day.

3.  Be convinced that this baby wrapped in strips of cloth is the Messiah

The Magi were convinced that this baby wrapped in strips of cloth was the Messiah. They paid a great price to get to Bethlehem. They traveled a great distance. They gave Him their best and most expensive gifts. They made a willful decision to look for what Daniel said would happen some 500 years ago before He was born.

Are we THAT convinced?

Are willing to pay a similar price?

Are we willing to go the distance?

Are willing to give him our best gifts?