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Wise Men
(Matthew 2:1-12)
Yearly Theme: “Goodness is… the Great I AM”
Series Title: “What Child is This”
December 22nd, 2024

Something to think about:
Have you ever considered that the GOD of all creation became a part of His creation in order to save it? The One who brought everything into existence through the breath of His Word, the One who formed the first human from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into Adam’s nostrils, would one take on human flesh by being born of a virgin? Unless you think I’m being fanatical, consider the words of John in the Gospel that bears his name:

John 1:14 (NLT), 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Now, let’s consider the story of the birth of GOD’s only Son, Jesus. But let’s consider it through the eyes of the Wise Men who came two years after His birth. Having been men of astronomy and astrology, they took their cues from the stars and ancient documents that foreshadowed coming events in human history. Noticing an anomaly forming in the sky, the wise men followed a star to the place where Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Having traveled from the East, their journey was a long one, but it would not be in vain. They would come face to face with not only the “King of the Jews,” but the very Creator of the Universe and everything in it. They would come face to face with the Christ, the “Word Made Flesh.” Let’s take a closer look:

Key Point:
The very One to whom the wise men came was the very One from whom all things came into existence.

Key Point: “The wise men brought gifts to a King whose gifts He had already created.”

Again, consider the words of John at the beginning of his Gospel:

John 1:1-5 (NLT), 1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

So, with this in mind, let’s look at the story of the Wise Men with a fresh set of eyes.

· The wise men came from ______________ and so did Jesus.

Matthew 2:1-2 (NLT), 1 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, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

· The wise men were ______________ and so was the Son of GOD.

Matthew 2:10-11 (NLT), 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 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.

· The wise men left their ________ with Jesus, and Jesus left His _______ for the world.

Matthew 2:10-11 (NLT), 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 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.

Something to take home:
As we have already read from John, so too, we read from the Apostle Paul about Christ:

Colossians 1:16-20 (NLT), 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

The Creator came into His creation as one of its own in order to save it from the devastating effects of sin and death. Jesus was (and is) the cure for the terminal illness of sin. Without faith in Him, there is no cure or hope for eternity. Again, the words of the Apostle John about Jesus ring true:

John 1:10-13 (NLT), 10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

As we consider the shepherds in the narrative of Jesus birth, why do you suppose that GOD decided to notify them first - of all people - of the birth of Jesus in the town of Bethlehem?

What was the initial response of the shepherds when the angel of the Lord appeared and the glory of the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them?How do you think you would have responded to this experience?

How does the “shepherd” theme play out in the Bible, specifically in the life of Jesus in the Gospels?(Consider the following:1 Samuel 17:13-15; Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:10-11; Matthew 18:10-14; John 10:1-11, 14-16; John 21:15-17.)

Other than Mary and Joseph, the shepherds were the first to see the newborn Christ.How must they have felt?How would you feel having been given the privilege to be the first ones there after He was born?

In addition to being the first ones at the manger scene, the shepherds were the first to herald the Good News of the angels and the birth of Jesus to everyone they came in contact with.How important is it that we continue to do this today?

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