Advent Series: Getting Ready for Christmas 

What the Wise Men Have to Say 

Matthew 2:1-12 

CBC, Bishop, 12/14/03

In a nutshell: Taking their knowledge of a King being born, the Wise Men demonstrated their wisdom through characteristics of expectancy, risk, discovery, worship and obedience.

I. Introduction

A. Joke

On the Internet right now, there's a lot of revisionist thinking going on about the characters involved in the Christmas story.

One article I read suggested that things would have been considerably different if the wise men had actually been wise women. The author wrote…If it had been 'Wise Women' instead of 'Wise Men', they would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts from Baby's-R-Us, including diapers, wipes, bibs and formula.

B. Read the passage

Well, even if they were Wise Men and not Wise Women, they have a lot to teach us today about preparing for the reality that is "Christmas". If you have your Bibles, I'd invite you to turn with me to an account in Matthew's gospel, Matthew chapter 12, where we're going to read the story of when the Wise Men visited the child, Jesus.

Matthew 2:1-12 1 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 in the east and have come to worship him." 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 Christ 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 be the shepherd of 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 make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east 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 and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

C. Who were they?

Tradition tells us that there were 3 Wise Men. And some stories have even given each of them names. Their official title was "Magi". As I shared with you last week, a number of Bible scholars think they were Zoroastrian priests from one of the provinces in Persia. But that's all speculation. We really don't know how many there were or from where they came…except to say they came from the eastern part of the world.

But what we do know, for sure, is that these men were scientists, they studied astronomy, and they were seekers of the truth. And in their seeking, they had come upon some very intriguing knowledge-a new King of the Jewish nation was to be born.

But that knowledge alone is not what made them wise. It is what they did with that knowledge. You see, these wise men applied the truth that they had to their individual lives, and that is what made them wise.

So, what can these Magi teach us today in 2004? Do they give us an example to live by? Friends, I believe they do. In fact, this morning, I want to show you five characteristics of their wisdom, that if we're willing to apply to our lives, will enable us to live lives of true quality, fulfillment and abundance. So let's examine these 5 characteristics of the Magi.

II. Characteristics of the Magi

A. An Attitude of Expectancy

The first characteristic of these wise men was they had an attitude of expectancy. Being expectant motivated them to look for the child King.

Now, as I stated before, these men had gained knowledge that a King of the Jews was going to be born. In fact, they told Herod they had seen His star while they were still in the east. But just having the knowledge was not enough. -Now, they could have made note of the sighting of His star and written it in their scientific journals. -They could have recorded it for posterity, -but they wanted to see for themselves. They were filled with anticipation of what they might discover. So, they became men on a mission. A mission full of hope. They expected to find what they were looking for. In fact, they were so sure they would find Him that they brought three gifts along with them. This was no academic enterprise. They anticipated that this would affect their very lives.

You know, you find this same characteristic in little children. Children can hardly contain themselves with their anticipation of events and the future. -Christmas is coming! -My birthday is coming! -Boy, I can't wait till the weekend! -When I grow up, I'm going to be a fireman, doctor, football player, or scientist. Kids are always looking, with eager anticipation, toward the future. And Jesus said in…

Matthew 18:3 3 "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

It's expectancy that makes the difference. Expectancy can put you into the Kingdom of God, or if you lack it, it can keep you out. In order to come into the Kingdom, you must look to Jesus with hope. You must believe that a relationship; with Him can change your life. Expectancy says that Jesus Christ can make a difference.

On the other hand, you could live life with a negative, cynical attitude. And if that's you're attitude, then you're doomed to live life on the plain of the "what has been" instead of the "what can be." Things are not always what they seem. And if we look at life through cynical eyes, we will never be privileged to see what could happen if we had only dared to have hope.

Illustration: About 10 years ago the psychology department of Duke University carried out an interesting experiment. They wanted to see how long rats could swim. In one container they placed rats for whom there was no possibility of escape. They painted the walls of the container black. The rats swam for a few minutes and then ducked their heads under the water and drowned.

In the other container they painted scenes of shoreline and trees on the walls and made it look like the hope of escape was a possibility for the rats. The rats in this container swam for several hours before they finally drowned.

The conclusion of the experiment was just the opposite of what we commonly conclude. We usually say, "As long as there is life, there is hope." But the Duke experiment proved, "As long as there is hope, there is life." Expectancy is necessary for knowledge to become wisdom.

B. Willing to Take a Risk

A second characteristic we see in the Wise Men was that they were willing to take a risk. Not only were they expectant, but they also were willing to risk that they might be wrong.

We've all heard the little cliché, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." There's a lot of truth to that statement. I say that because Jesus taught that same idea. He just used different words. He said…

Luke 11:9 9 "So I say to you:…seek and you will find;

In other words, He encourages us to act based on faith, if we want to find what we are seeking. The wise men were willing to put their faith to the test-the test of action.

And when you think about it, risk is really nothing more than faith in action. Risk is the step that puts faith to work. -For the Wise Men, it was hitching up the camels and starting out across the desert to follow the star. -For Peter it was stepping out of the boat to walk on the water. -For Moses it was being pursued by Pharaoh, and stretching out his rod to part the Red Sea. -For Abraham it was lifting the knife to sacrifice his son, Isaac, believing that God knew what He was doing. -For Joshua it was marching around the walled city of Jericho, trusting that God would bring the walls down. -For David it was going out to face a mighty giant, armed only with a sling and some rocks. -For Nehemiah and his men it was working with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other, rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. -For Daniel it was walking into the lion's den, refusing to give devotion to any other god but Jehovah. -For Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego it was being willing to be thrown into the fiery furnace rather than renounce their faith in God. -For the apostle Paul it was putting his life on the line in city after city in order to tell people about Jesus Christ.

You see, risk is exactly what we need. Risk is faith in action. And faith in action causes us to grow and mature. Being willing to risk, causes our faith to be stretched. It increases our capacity for being used of God. And ultimately, risk brings those things to pass which we desire to see.

In the book of James it says that faith without works is dead. I don't want our church family to operate on dead, lifeless and dull faith. We need to be a people who will venture out and act because we believe God is leading us somewhere. Venture will become adventure. Be willing to take the risk.

C. Discovery

So, the Wise Men began their journey with expectation and they took some risk. Then that expectation and risk turned into a third characteristic-discovery. Verse 11 says…

Matthew 2:11a 11a On coming to the house, they saw the child…

They had taken the risk and now they had arrived. They had pushed beyond their horizons. And now they were witnesses of the greatest event in all of history. They had discovered the Child who was King. What they came upon was the God of the universe, who had left His throne in glory to be made a man. They discovered, there in Bethlehem, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

And friends listen to this, just like the wise men found what they were looking for, so can you. If you are willing to take a step of faith, if you are willing to venture out, based on the claims of the Word of God and the expectation that because God loves you, He will meet you at the point of your need…, then you will discover the God who can and will change your life, make it abundant, and give you purpose.

But we're not done yet. There is a fourth characteristic we need to learn from the Wise Men.

D. Desired to Worship

You see, they didn't stop when they discovered. The Wise Men were wise because they desired to worship Jesus. When they found Jesus, they bowed down and presented the gifts they had brought. This was the culmination of their journey and it reveals their collective wisdom.

Psalms 14:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."

These Wise Men were not foolish. These Wise Men knew the truth, and I suspect that the truth set them free. They bowed before the King of Kings, who, at that time, was only a young child.

Herod, on the other hand, was not so wise. Look at verse 3, in this section again…

Matthew 2:3a 3a When King Herod heard this he was disturbed…,

In other words, he was threatened. He wanted no part of Jesus. He was threatened because he had chosen an evil path for his life. He was selfish and prideful. And what's so sad is that there are a lot of people who are in that place, today. They are taking the same course that Herod took. Their pride and selfishness make them try to destroy the source of the threat.

Now, I'm not saying that people are literally trying to destroy, like Herod did when he had the infants slaughtered in Bethlehem. But so many in our country are using mocking words, or hurtful actions, or legal maneuvering, in order to destroy the credibility of the Church or of Christians.

But that's a futile endeavor. You can't fight against God and win. If you do, you'll find yourself beating the air. Herod's efforts were in vain, and he was swept off the face of history into hell-condemned, not by Jesus, but by his own evil choices. You see, it's not enough to know about Jesus. A person must surrender his or her very life to His control.

When we look at the Wise Men's actions we find out what worship really means. They not only bowed before Him, but they gave out of what they had, to Him. -They gave gold, which is the gift for a king; -They gave frankincense, which is the gift for a priest; and -They gave myrrh, which is the gift for one who was to die.

They acknowledged Jesus for who He was, and they exhibited, by their actions, their allegiance to Him. True worship is giving-giving yourself-all that you are and all you have.

E. Decision to Obey

Finally, we come to the fifth characteristic of the Wise Men-the fifth thing that shows their true wisdom-they decided to obey. The Wise Men were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, and they didn't.

It seems that as a result of their acknowledgment of who Jesus was by their worship of Him, God's Holy Spirit spoke to them. And through the Spirit, God gave them immediate instructions. And being as wise as they were, they obeyed God's instructions. You see, friends, deciding to obey is always a characteristic of wisdom.

The choice to obey is always the natural result of coming into contact with God's truth. God's truth always presents us with a clear choice. The choice is either obey God…or ignore God. There are really no other choices. I've met a number of Christians who think that just because they can intellectually agree with God's truth, that they've done their duty.

-"Yeah, I know the Bible teaches not to get drunk, but as long as I don't get behind the wheel of a car, I'm OK. -"I know the Bible says that to look at a woman lustfully is the same as committing adultery. But hey, as long as you eat at home, it doesn't matter where you work up your appetite." -"Get a fishing license? That's for tourists…I live here." -"I know God says not to have sex outside of marriage, but we're in love." -"Of course it's wrong to cheat, but I have to pass this test."

I put a statement from the great evangelist Dwight L. Moody on the front of your worship folders this morning. He said, There are very few who in their hearts do not believe in God, but what they will not do is give Him exclusive right of way. ... They are not ready to promise full allegiance to God alone. Many a professing Christian is a stumbling-block because his worship is divided. On Sunday he worships God; on week days God has little or no place in his thoughts. (from Weighed and Wanting)

Friends, to treat God's truth with disrespect by ignoring what it commands, is in the words of one writer, . being guilty of playing marbles with diamonds. (Vance Havner).

God's truth must be put into practice in our lives, without excuse, or complaint. We must apply what we know about God's wants, at every turn and in every decision. The wise men did. They had a choice…incur Herod's wrath, or God's wrath. They chose against Herod, and for God. That was a wise choice.

This last characteristic of the Wise Men is probably the most important for us to consider today. Because that characteristic is usually the main difference between wisdom and foolishness. Obedience is always the difference between… …Abundance or deficit. …Blessedness or drudgery. …Joy or regret.

III. Conclusion

Two thousand years after the fact, the Wise Men of Old, still have something to say to us. In their lives we see demonstrated virtues and characteristics that we would do well to follow: Expectancy, Risk, Discovery, Worship and Obedience. They speak to us about what can happen when you put your faith into action. They speak to us about an encounter with Jesus Christ that can change your life.

A. What is God saying?

Friends, God is looking for people who are willing to mean business with Him. Because when we do, then He'll do business with us.

What is God saying to you today? -Perhaps He is speaking to you about a change in your attitude. -Maybe He's saying your faith in yourself is greater than your faith in Him, and things need to be reversed. -Maybe you're being asked to take an unpopular stand for truth. -It could be that things are not going well in a relationship or with your finances, and God is asking you to trust Him for the next step, rather than trusting yourself. -Maybe God is speaking to you today about the need to step out in faith and put the faith you say you have into concrete action.

B. Examples

-There might be a friend at work who needs to hear the Gospel from you. -There may be an unpopular stand which you really do need to take based on Christian principles. -There might be uncharted territory into which you sense God calling you. And that may be the adventure which will open greater doors of ministry to you in the future. -Maybe God is speaking to you about both the quality and the quantity of your worship. -Maybe you haven't been spending the kind of time you need to spend in Bible reading and prayer. -Perhaps your attendance at the worship and Bible teaching services of the church has been poor. Did you know that the weaknesses of most Christians can be traced to a lack of spending time with God. To neglect time with Him, is the same as unplugging yourself from the source of power for living. -Or, God may be speaking to you about the level of your obedience. It is simply not enough to hear God's word and understand it. True life and joy comes from obedience. Only as we walk in the light will the light illuminate our path. Only as you obey the commands of Jesus will you receive the benefits and blessings which are yours in Christ.

C. Respond

Regardless of what He's nudging you to do today, you need to respond to Him in faith today. As you do, He will meet you. Expect Him to. Venture out in faith. Take the risk, and you will discover Him today. You will be able to worship and obey Him, to give Him the gifts of your life, and to receive more in return than you ever expected. Wise men still seek Him. They always will. My prayer is that each one of you and our church as a whole will be counted among the wise this Christmas.

Amen. (Give people time to reflect on what God may be saying to them.)