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 when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2.1-12 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 Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
Matthew 2.1-12 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 shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
Matthew 2.1-12 8 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.” 9 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.
Matthew 2.1-12 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, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
The Bible doesn’t say: They were 3 They were kings Their names (Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior)
Matthew presents Jesus as: The KING of Israel “the son of David, the son of Abraham” (1.1) The KING of kings “…what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (1.20)
3 REACTIONS 1) HEROD
3 REACTIONS 1) HEROD 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. (2.2) When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. (2.3)
3 REACTIONS 1) HEROD “It is safer being Herod's pig than Herod's son ” Gr: ὑ ς Gr: ὑ ιος — Augustus
3 REACTIONS 1) HEROD When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. (2.16)
3 REACTIONS 1) HEROD He sees Jesus as a THREAT
3 REACTIONS 2) 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…” (2.4-5)
3 REACTIONS 2) Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law They had knowledge, power and wealth They were extremely religious However, they did nothing to see Jesus
3 REACTIONS 2) Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law They see Jesus with INDIFFERENCE
3 REACTIONS 2) Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law I am a theologian — I spend my life reading, teaching, thinking, writing about God. But I must be honest — I have never experienced God, not really. I am embarrassed by piety; I am ill at ease with those who thrive on God-talk; I have no awareness of what one might mean by “presence of God” Confession of a American Theologian who decided to spend 3 months in a Trappist monastery
The Waning Authority of Christ in the Churches A W Tozer (1897-1963)
“The present position of Christ in the gospel churches may be likened to that of a king in a limited, constitutional monarchy. The king (sometimes depersonalized by the term "the Crown") is in such a country no more than a traditional rallying point, a pleasant symbol of unity and loyalty much like a fm ag or a national anthem. He is lauded, feted and supported, but his real authority is small. Nominally he is head over all, but in every crisis someone else makes the decisions. On formal occasions he appears in his royal attire to deliver the tame, colorless speech put into his mouth by the real rulers of the country.” A W Tozer (1897-1963)
3 REACTIONS 2) Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law They see Jesus with INDIFFERENCE
3 REACTIONS 3) THE WISE MEN We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. (2.2)
3 REACTIONS 3) THE WISE MEN 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, frankincense and myrrh. (2.11)
3 REACTIONS 3) THE WISE MEN They see Jesus with DEVOTION
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
“There must be light in the understanding as well as the fervency of heart, for if a heart has heat without light, there can be nothing divine heavenly in that heart, On the other hand, where there is light without heat, such as a head stored with notions and speculations but having a cold and una ff ected heart, there can be nothing divine in that light either.” Jonathan Edwards (Faith Beyond Feelings)
Hidden Treasure Pearl of great value discovery valuation action
3 REACTIONS 3) THE WISE MEN They see Jesus with DEVOTION
3 REACTIONS Chief Priests and Teachers Herod Wise Men of the Law HOSTILITY DEVOTION INDIFFERENCE
“For the true Christian the one supreme test for the present soundness and ultimate worth of everything religious must be the place our Lord occupies in it. Is He Lord or symbol? Is He in charge of the project or merely one of the crew? Does He decide things or only help to carry out the plans of others?” A W Tozer
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