Well, Christmas has come and gone again, but the Christ
Child, who was born to save us from our sins, lives and reigns to all eternity
and is still at work in our world! This
past Sunday, January 6, was the Feast of Epiphany – the 12th Day of
Christmas – and the, “12 drummers drumming,” bring the Christmas festivities to
an end. The decorations have come down
from the sanctuary, and we have entered the Season of Epiphany which focuses us
to see Jesus as the God-Man who came to save us. The season kicks off with the visit of the
Magi, which you can read about in Matthew
2:1-12.
It is interesting how the visit of the Magi has been
romanticized and sanitized. Many a nativity
scene shows these visitors from the Orient bowing offering their gifts at Jesus’
cradle, but the truth is Jesus’ family had moved into a house by the time the
Magi arrived, and He was likely a year-or-two old. Songs and legends refer to them as kings, but
they were not. Magi served kings. We also tend to call them wise men, and this
they were in a manner of speaking. They
were likely a mix of scientist and sorcerer, studying the stars and nature to
predict the future and harness their powers.
You might be wondering at this point, “What in the world
are people like that doing visiting Jesus and worshipping Him?” And if you are, I would argue that you have
hit on the point Matthew is making as he records this event.
The Magi were the worst kind of false religion
practitioners you can find, and they come to Jesus. Think through Jesus’ ministry. Was it the priests, Pharisees and scribes who
flocked to Jesus, or was it the tax-collectors, prostitutes, and “sinners”? As Jesus, Himself, said, “It is not the
healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)
Jesus comes for sinners.
He is the demonstration of God’s all-powerful love for people just like
you and me who disobey Him, rebel against Him, and even pretend we don’t need
Him. The Magi are a living picture of
the kind of people God redeems in Jesus.
Here is the rub for us in this scenario. Where do you want to be on the continuum
between Magi and Pharisee? Are you a
sinner who needs Jesus to shed His blood for you? Or are you basically a good person who just
occasionally messes up a little?
For my part, I am a sinner. Apart from the blood of Jesus, I have no hope
for salvation. I hope that you will join
me in that answer so that you can know the amazingness of God’s grace; that He
welcomes people like us into His presence through Jesus’ birth, life, death,
and resurrection.
P.S. This reading
also demonstrates the importance of reading the Bible to know what it actually
says. If you are not reading the Bible
please join me in reading through the New Testament this year. You can get the readings and a devotion based
on the readings through the church web site – here. Or you can follow through my web page here.
Questions to Ponder
-
Somehow the Magi knew a King of the Jews had
been born by observing the stars. There
is much speculation as to how they knew that Jesus had been born, but the
text is clear as to how they knew where He was born. How did they find out where Jesus was born?
-
What did King Herod say was his intention in
helping the Magi to find the newborn king?
What was his real intention? What
important information did Herod get from them Magi in v. 7?
-
What was the Magi’s response at seeing the star
after visiting Jerusalem?
-
If the visit of the Magi really shows that God
welcome’s sinners, what is the significance of having confession and absolution
in every worship service? What is your
response at hearing that your sins are forgiven?
-
Herod was not about to worship Jesus or
acknowledge Him as a true king. How do
you resist Jesus’ lordship in your life?
Where do you try to remain “king”?
-
How might knowing the scandalous background of
the Magi impact who you share the Gospel with?
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