Three Groups of Worshippers - Part 3: The Wise Men

Turn if you would to Matthew chapter two this evening. We're going to look at a passage that revolves around the last verse of that song. So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh. Come peasant, king, to own him. The king of kings salvation brings.

Let loving hearts enthrone him. We looked at the peasants this morning. They were the shepherds. They're more like most of us. Now, tonight we're going to look at the kings.

If indeed they were kings, also call them wise men, probably a more apt description than kings. From Matthew chapter two, let's read verses one through 12. Now, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea 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. 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 Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily, called the wise men, inquired of them diligently, why time the star appeared? He said unto them, he said, he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search diligently for the young child and when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed and low 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 worshiped 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.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, we thank you for your word this evening. Lord, may we open our hearts to it. May you draw closer to you and may you Lord remind us of the opportunity, the privilege, and the responsibility that we have to worship our king this evening. In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen. We associate the story of the magi, kings or wise men from the East, with the Christmas story. But in reality, it seems that sometime had passed between Christ's birth and the coming of these notable figures from the East bearing gifts. A matter of fact, possibly as much as two years. But yet, it has become part of our Christmas tradition.

It's the only passage of scripture concerning Jesus during this time period of his life. He is still in Bethlehem. They have not yet returned back to Galilee. It was not uncommon for that to happen in those days because the trip back from Judea back to Galilee was a rather arduous trip, and being on foot or camel or donkey. And he may have to get a job and work for a while in order to earn the money, in order to make the return trip.

So, it wasn't uncommon for people to go to a certain place, stay there for a while before they were able to return. This seems to be the case with Jesus. When we read the account given in Matthew two, several questions immediately come to mind concerning these men. Who were they and how many were they? Well, the fact is, the answer to both questions is, well, we don't know.

We know not their names, we know not their nationality. We know not how many of them came, just how many gifts that they brought. They were keen observers, it would appear, of the happenings in the heavens, and were more likely astronomers astrologers than they were kings. Likely, they were well respected scientists of their day in their culture. But more than that, they were not just scientists, they were looking not only for a star or for a sign from the heavens, but they were looking for a sign that the Messiah, the king of the Jews had come.

So, they were more than just scientists. They were scientists who seemed to believe in the God of Israel. They were scientists who believed in the coming Messiah that is spoken of in the Old Testament. They must have had some exposure to the scriptures. Possibly from someone like Daniel or others that had been taken captive during captivity of Israel when Nebuchadnezzar overran Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, transplanted Jews all over the known world in that day and as the Jews went, they took the knowledge of the scriptures with them.

It is likely that some of these Jews planted a seed, the word of God, in the hearts of people in these foreign lands. As you read the book of Daniel, we are impressed with the fact that Daniel, as upheld by God in his faith, did not waver, purposed to take a stand against the culture in which he lived to follow faithfully the God whom he served. They could change his name. They could reeducate him, but they could not take his faith from him. And it is clear that he was an outstanding testimony along with his three friends in Babylon.

It is likely these men heard the word from one of these Jews but we are not told. We're not told specifically the passage or part of scripture from which they get their information. In Genesis chapter 12 in verse three, let me read it. It says, God says to Abraham, and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Not just the Jews, not just the descendants of Abraham, but all the families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham and his descendants.

It could be that they had been told. Of this passage or several like it, that made it clear that God was not only the God of the Jews, but he is the God of all, and calls all men to worship him. In Genesis 49 and verse 10, among others, our references to the coming of the king. In this case, the coming of the king out of the tribe of Judah. The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a law giver from between his feet until Shiloh that is the king, the ruler come.

And unto him shall the gathering of the people be. In Isaiah chapter nine, passage you're maybe more familiar with. We read a passage that may have come to their attention. For unto us, a child is born, unto us, a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called the wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. God gave this via prophecy through Isaiah to the children of Israel to give them hope. Hope as the captivity was approaching, that God was not through with them, but God would send one, a child who would become a king, who would rule from the throne of David once again forever, the King of the Jews. It is this King that these men, Gentiles it would seem, came seeking.

They were likely men of substance and power to have traveled such a distance bearing such precious and costly gifts as we'll see in a moment. Two of the gifts that they brought were of Arabic origin, leading one to suppose that these men from the East might have been from the Arab world across the desert sands to the East Of Israel. Their journey in that case would not have been an easy one, for to the East Of Canaan is mostly barren desert, and yet a trip they made. If these were men from further east than that, then the journey was only longer and the journey was only harder. Whoever they were, they came.

They came seeking the king of the Jews. They came with gifts. It's important also to note that the message of Jesus's birth did not reach them via the songs of angels, but a sign from heaven and from the scriptures that somehow had reached their ears of the coming of a king. Gentiles and not Jews. This morning, the shepherds we talked about were Jews.

Tonight, the kings that we look at were very likely Gentiles. God is again the God of the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Jesus Christ came to die for the sins of the world, not just the sins of Israel. These also were wise and wealthy, in contrast to the poor and lowly We saw in the shepherds this morning. Yes, Jesus spent most of his time with the poor and the lowly because they were the ones who wanted him to spend time with them.

Way were the ones who saw that they needed him. But Jesus did not ignore the wealthy. Whether it be Levi, who we know more likely as Matthew, a tax collector, or Zacchaeus, who we know as a wee little man, who was also a wealthy tax collector. Or the time that he took to speak with Nicodemus, who it would appear from Christ's burial was saved, or the rich young ruler as we call him who went away sorrowful because his riches were more important than his soul. This gospel is for all.

Poor, rich, lowly, noble, unknown, famous, powerful, slave. It is for all. For all are sinners and need a savior. So, we see that in the two groups we looked at today, the shepherds and the kings. What was the star that led them?

Well, in the Greek, the word used here for star, guess what it means? It means star. That's what it means. It is a general word for star, which means bright, shining, heavenly beacon. It could refer to several different celestial objects, could refer to an actual star, to what they called in that day a wandering star, which we today call planets, or any number of celestial objects.

God has used natural phenomenon throughout human history to indicate the importance of certain events, from rainbows to clouds, storms and floods, darkness and earthquakes, meteors, and the darkening of the moon during the days of the tribulation. God uses at his disposal nature and however he wishes to use it, to point people to Jesus. In this case, he used a star, a supernova, or a wandering planet through the constellations, or some other phenomenon to point people, these men, to Jesus Christ. The Bible says the heavens declare the glory of God. Some believe the constellations originally pointed to the story of Christ.

And with some effort, you can actually make that out. Someone in the constellations today, which were eventually twisted to fit heathen mythology, could be that as they looked up at the sky and where this particular star was, it told a story to them that is forgotten of us today. But nonetheless, it in the scriptures led them to the king of the Jews. I've heard some interesting theories about the star, but the important part is not the star. What it was?

How it happened? The important part is the part that God told us and that is where it led them and that is it led them to Jesus. When did they come? Well, we already mentioned that. That's another one of the things that God hasn't seen fit to make a major point in the story that he told us.

It would seem from Herod's command that goes out after the wise men depart another way to kill all of the children under the age of two in Bethlehem that Jesus might have been there for one or maybe nearly two years. We're not told. History records that Herod passed away in about April, and so it would have to have been preceding his death. Though conjecturing on the time of their arrival and their identity, and that of the star may be interesting, the facts God leaves out of scripture are just as important sometimes as the facts included. The historical event is not about the wise men themselves.

The identity of the star, or the exact time of their arrival. The story is about Jesus, his identity, the gifts and worship that these men gave to him. We see this about them. A, they traveled a great distance. They traveled a great distance seeking the king of the Jews, whom they regarded as someone worthy of such a high title, praise, and personal sacrifice.

Maybe they had read this passage in Daniel seven. There Daniel writes, I saw in the night visions and behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days. They brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away in his kingdom. That which shall not be destroyed.

Herod at least had a little understanding of the Hebrew prophecy for he inquired of where the Christ or the Messiah was to be born to which he was quoted in Micah five two that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem. Also, the scriptures give us an idea of when Jesus was to be born. Maybe the wise men had read this passage. Daniel nine twenty five. There Daniel writes, writes, know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until Messiah the prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks.

The street shall be built again, and the wall even in troublesome times. As we talked about several months ago, when we studied a portion of Revelation, and future things to come, those sixty nine weeks represent 69 sets of seven years, or four eighty three years. From the time the Jews went back to rebuild Jerusalem, until the time that Jesus walked into the gates of Jerusalem and his triumphal entry, four eighty three years. But the main point here is this, they came seeking Jesus. The Bible says, seek and ye shall what?

Seek and ye shall find. And they sought the Lord. People today, I've been asked, I don't know how many times. I think this is a sort of an excuse by many unbelievers, by many critics to dismiss the gospel, to dismiss Jesus Christ because they say, well, what about what about the the heathens? What about the people that live on the other side of the world that have never heard the gospel?

Well, Jesus says, seek and you shall what? Seek and you shall find. The Bible says, they were are without excuse. For they have creation to tell them many things about God who made it. They have a conscience which tells them that there is a god to whom they are accountable and many have heard pieces here and there.

Even the heathen mist like the the epic of Gilgamesh that talks about a great flood. This is a Sumerian, I think it is, epic, one of the oldest books we have side of scripture, speaks of something similar to the flood. Where do you think that came from? Well, there was a flood, a real flood recorded in scripture. Men twisted it, men changed it, but it was still in their heritage, still there.

They are without excuse. These men came seeking Jesus. They came to worship him, not merely to see or to study him, not to report back or quench their curiosity, or even offer their service and praise, but to humble themselves before him and worship him as the one true God. As the king of Israel. To bow before him as yet a babe in a what?

A babe in a manger. Well, probably wasn't in a manger then. But still, babe and still not a king, in a humble home in Bethlehem. They came to worship him as the king sent from heaven That we read about in Philippians two verses five through 11. When they found him, they offered him gifts which they perceived to be worthy of one so exalted, one so mighty.

Three gifts from whence we get our three kings, though we do not know if it could have been five kings that bought three gifts, or 12 kings, or two. The gifts must mean something, because God felt it necessary to record what those gifts were for us. So let's take a moment and let's look at the gifts, Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold indicates great wealth and sacrifice on the part of the giver. As such, it is a gift primarily given only to the most worthy, royalty, being the most likely recipient of such a tremendous gift.

Thus, gold would have certainly indicated Christ's identity as king. It is king's palaces that are inlaid in the ancient world in gold. It is their clothing that is sometimes inlaid with gold. It is their furniture, because only a king in most economies in the ancient world could afford such nice and beautiful things. This reminds us of the necessity of acknowledging Christ as Lord, and bowing before him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

For that's what these men did. They came all that distance bringing a precious gift that identified the one to whom they gave it as the king of kings and Lord of lords. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. How does that verse start? That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, that Jesus is Lord and he indeed is Lord and king, not just the king of the Jews but the king of all.

And is most certainly worthy of the precious gift of gold. The second of the gifts is frankincense. Frankincense is a most aromatic perfume. Was also highly sought after in Judea and parts of the East, a gift befitting a king, but also a priest as it was used in worship at the temple and may have been used by other religions in worship as well. Frankincense was nearly as expensive in their economy as gold.

Frankincense was known to be one of aromatic smelling perfumes in that day. And it was also used in the worship of Almighty God in the Old Testament. Turn if you would to Exodus chapter 30. Exodus chapter 30. Interesting to notice we're thinking about how frankincense was used in worship that most everything in the tabernacle was also inlaid with what?

With gold that we already looked at, the first gift. In Exodus 30, in verse 34, we read, and the Lord said unto Moses, take unto thee sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, these spices with pure what? Frankincense. Of each shall there be a like weight, and thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection, after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure, and holy, and thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put it, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle. That's the ark of the covenant of the congregation where I will meet with thee and it shall be unto you most holy.

So, we read about this being made to be placed before the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle was to be holy unto the Lord and used for no other purpose. This particular mixture which included what? Frankincense. Also, in Luke chapter two, I'm going to read you verses one and two. It says, and when any will offer a meat offering.

Now, a meat offering, we would probably call a grain offering or a a bread offering. Any, if any will offer a meat offering under the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour and he shall pour oil upon it and put frankincense thereon and he shall bring it to Aaron's sons and priests and he shall take there out his handful of flour thereof and of the oil thereof with all the frankincense thereof and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar to an offering made by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord. A sweet savor as it burned upon the altar, it released the fragrance of the the frankincense and it was a sacrifice of sweet savor. Unto God. The gift whether known to the Magi which gave it reminds us of the priestly ministry of Christ both in his death and in his resurrection.

As it was used in worship in the tabernacle, in the temple of the Old Testament, a sweet savor and sacrifice to God, so is Jesus Christ, our savior. That that baby that they came to worship to which they gave frankincense is our sacrifice and our high priest. First Timothy two five, there is only one mediator between God and man and who is that? The man, Christ Jesus. He is our high priest.

Hebrews three one says, wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession. Christ Jesus. Hebrews four fifteen, for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was an all pointed, in all points, tempted like as we are yet without sin. We are not in our sin a sweet smelling savor unto God. We are putrid.

We are vile. We are sinners. Jesus Christ, he was a sweet smelling savor unto the nostrils of God. As he died on that cross in our behalf, as he makes us a sweet smelling savor unto God, as we are robed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. For we weren't redeemed with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without spot and without blemish.

A sweet smelling savor unto our God. Our King, our High Priest. And then we have the third gift, myrrh. Myrrh was known primarily as a burial spice, as the aroma was very strong, but not quite as well pleasing as frankincense. It was sometimes used as an ointment, and it was mixed in to another mixture.

We read about in Exodus 3,022 through 25 which was also used in the temple. I'll read that for you as I'm already here. Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses saying, take thou also unto the principal spices of pure myrrh, 500 shekels, of sweet cinnamon, half as much, even $2.50 shekels, and of sweet calamus $2.50 shekels, and of cassia 500 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil, olive, and hen. And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary, it shall be a holy anointing oil. Part of this oil was myrrh.

It was used to anoint the priest and to anoint the items in the tabernacle to be consecrated unto the worship and service of the Lord. So, we see myrrh used in this fashion in the Old Testament. We see it used in another way in Mark chapter 15 which was not uncommon. Turn if you would to Mark chapter 15 and look at verse 23. We see another way that myrrh was used.

It was a very strong smelling perfume of sorts but it was also bitter to the taste. It was used in some mixed drinks in Jesus's day and you look here in Mark 15 and verse 23, you'll see this, and they gave him that is Jesus to drink wine mingled with myrrh, but he received it not. You see, as they were getting ready to drive the nails in Christ's hands, they thought to give him something to blunt the pain a bit. So, they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, which he refused. Because his sacrifice required that he feel the pain of those nails going through his hands, and that he not partake of the alcohol that would dull it.

And so he refused it. Myrrh obviously reminds us of the death of Christ, not only here in Mark fifteen twenty three, but as a burial spice, it was used by Nicodemus. In John nineteen thirty nine, it says, and there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 100 pound weight that was to anoint his body for burial. Myrrh was very commonly used for that. And here we see myrrh connected with Jesus' death.

So, it's not a stretch to see gold as representative of the deity of Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews They came to worship. Of frankincense, the spice used most often in by the high priest in sacrifice unto the Lord who Jesus is our high priest. A sweet smelling savor, and myrrh to speak of his death, his burial, and his resurrection by which we are saved. The purpose of this message, knowing who Christ Jesus is and what he did for us on Calvary's Cross. How should we respond to him?

Well, the Bible says in Matthew six thirty three, but seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. These wise men obviously were quite wealthy. These wise men were obviously quite well educated for the day. These wise men had a greater need to seek Jesus. So they left their homes, their families, their responsibilities behind to go on a journey, bringing gifts to the one who was worthy, seeking a kingdom greater than the things of earth that they enjoyed.

This Christmas, we, even as Christians who already know him, might be reminded to seek first the things of God, and not be so distracted by the things of the world. Second of all, we should worship him. For these kings did not come, as I said, to study him or to quench their curiosity, but it is clear they came to what? To worship and to serve him. By the gifts that they brought.

For he is worthy of our worship. Sad to say as Christians sometimes even, we worship other things without even realizing it. When we put them before our savior. And often times, we spare so little time with him, to worship at his feet, to remember who he is and what he has done for us, to praise his name in private and in public, to humble ourselves before the king of kings and Lord of lords in prayer. For he is worthy of worship.

We will worship him in heaven forever. Amen. We can start now and we should. And finally, we should give to him our most precious treasures, for he is worthy. David came to make a sacrifice to the threshing floor of a man named Ornan because of a plague that he had brought upon Israel in second Chronicles.

And Ornan said, take it. Here, I give you the land. I give you the wood. I give you the animal. And David said, I will not offer unto the Lord that which cost me nothing.

We have little to bring, but we can bring what we have ourselves. Our finances that God has provided us with. Our time which he has given to us to serve him. Our service, our trust, the repentance of our sin we can bring and cling to our Lord and Savior. One day in heaven, we will set our crowns at his what?

His feet. Crowns that we didn't really earn. Crowns that God has given us by his grace, which we will lay at his feet in remembrance and of from whence they came and who is worthy of our lives. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your what? Reasonable service.

These who came that night seemed to know this, and they gave what they had. Things of earth which were really of little eternal value, but things that represented and illustrated to us things of great eternal value. The identity of Jesus as king, his ministry as high priest for us, and the sacrifice and death and resurrection by which we are saved. It is our privilege to serve him, to know him, to worship him, and to give unto him what we have and what he has given in praise for he is worthy. If you take your hymn books and turn to hymn 375, 375, and in just a moment, we'll sing, I gave my life for thee.

Lord, we thank you for coming to die for our sins, for your soon return to take your place as king of kings and Lord of lords. For the ministry as high priest and sacrifice by which we are offered salvation through you and you only. As the one, the way, the truth, and the life by which we can come to the father And I pray, Lord, as we celebrate this Christmas and we look forward to the new year, that we would give more of ourselves to our savior and keep less for ourselves. For you are worthy, Lord. In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen.