Star of Wonder, Shine So Bright

By Danny Saavedra

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written: “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 shepherd my people Israel.”’

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” Matthew 2:1–10 (NIV)

Some people spend their whole lives searching for the right job, the right spouse, the right house, the right car, etc. They search and search, yet they often discover it’s not easy to find what they’re looking for.

Sometimes, searches take us far from home to new and unfamiliar territory . . . just like the crew from the Enterprise on Star Trek! The mission of the Enterprise was “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Like the characters in Star Trek, the wise men boldly went on a mission in search of a King.

But who were these men? The word used in Greek often referred to a group of wise men, likely Persian or Babylonian (“the East”) priests and astrologers, who devoted their time to interpreting signs and prophecies. With the influence Daniel had on the government of Babylon and Persia 600 years prior, the detailed prophecies of the coming King (such as Daniel 9:24–26) found in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the large number of Jews that maintained a presence in the area after their return from exile, it makes sense that these magi would look to the Scriptures for great signs and miracles.

Many scholars believe the wise men knew to look for the star because of the reference in Numbers 24:17 about the star and scepter that was to come out of Jacob. Did they believe the God of Abraham was the true God? It’s possible. With everything that took place during the time of Daniel, Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah, from the great dreams of Nebuchadnezzar to the fiery furnace to the lion’s den, to the deliverance of the Jews from Haman and the rebuilding of the temple and the wall in Jerusalem, a pocket of Babylonian and Persian priests and scholars had likely been converted and passed this down from generation to generation.

Whatever their reasoning and background, what’s clear is that this group was determined to find the King. Consider that these men were comprised of Gentiles who accepted God’s Word as truth, so much so that as soon as they saw the star, they left their land and embarked on a long journey in search of the promised King and Messiah. Then, after seemingly hitting a dead end with Herod in Jerusalem, the star appeared again to light their way to the King they sought. And when they saw the star, they were filled with joy.

The Lord can use anything to get our attention and draw us to His Son. For these men from the East, it was a star. God can use a star, a stone, a book, an ad, nature, or you and me! If you think about it, He probably used someone to help guide you to Jesus, and He wants to guide others to Jesus through you. You can be the star that helps someone searching and seeking to find their way to the Savior!

But for God to use us to guide people to His Son, our lives must reflect the radiance and glory of Jesus. We must live “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27 HCSB). When we seek Christ Jesus, follow His example, and abide in Him, we will “shine among them like stars in the sky as [we] hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15–16 NIV).

Fellow Christ followers, this is why God has placed you where you are—in your current job, enrolled in the school you attend, in your neighborhood, in your family, etc. If you’ve ever aspired to be a big star, this is your chance! Be a star for Christ, one that leads people to worship Jesus. If you’ve never done this, Christmas is the perfect season to start! Invite a friend to church, do an outreach in your neighborhood, or invite someone over for Christmas and show them what this wonderful celebration is all about. Start shining today!

Pause: Why is it important for the magi, non-Jewish people, to be part of the Christmas story? What does this tell us about Jesus and His mission and work?

Practice: Today, invite someone to a Christmas Eve service at church!

Pray: Father, I thank You for the star set in the sky for these men to come and find Your Son. I thank You that every day, You use all manner of different aspects of Your creation, including us, to draw people to Yourself. This Christmas, I pray many would be drawn to You, that many would follow some sort of “star” and can rejoice with exceedingly great joy as they are brought to worship before the King of the Universe. Amen.