Will you be 'wise' and seek out the King this Christmas?

FRIDAY, DEC. 23: Which one of the three responses will you give the King this season?

The story of the ‘three kings’ needless to say, is one of the most popular stories in the Bible.

If you are like me you might have been one of them in a Christmas play in elementary school or one of the other characters during the birth of Jesus. 

No doubt generations have seen the reenactment of the inn. 

When we read the Bible we learn a few things that God will help us to apply to our own lives.

Take time to read the account in Matthew 2:1-12 on your own, but let’s just look at the first six verses:

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.”

What a powerful and interesting story.

Let’s look at it a bit carefully. Overall, we know very little about these wise men or Magi or Kings. 

The word used refers to a group of scholars who studied the stars. 

God gave them a special sign, a miraculous star that announced the birth of the King… King Jesus. 

They came to Jerusalem where they discovered that God’s prophets foretold that the King Child would be born in Bethlehem. 

They then went to Bethlehem to worship the Christ-child in a house (not the stable as we commonly see portrayed in the Christmas plays, because these were two separate events. Jesus was an older child at this time). 

We don’t know how many there were, we are used to three only because of tradition, probably because three types of gifts are mentioned. 

What we do know is that when the caravan arrived in Jerusalem, it caused an uproar to some degree.

Not only was King Herod disturbed, but all Jerusalem with him. 

We do know that they were Gentiles, obviously rich, and scientists in their own right. 

Herod the Great was afraid because he was intimated by Jesus’ title as ‘King of the Jews” as he felt that only he should be king of all. 

King Herod was a cruel and crafty man, who was so intimidated by others that he had his wife and two brothers slain because he suspected them of treason.

Here Herod is intimated by the prophecy of Jesus and decides to attack him as well. 

He will soon decide to go on a rampage to kill Jewish babies in Israel, aged two and younger, hoping to wipe out the newly born King. 

However, there are some great lessons we can gather from this passage from the attitude and actions of the people mentioned in this account. 

The wise men are seeking King Jesus; Herod is opposing the King; and the Jewish priests are ignoring the king. 

Even though the priests knew the Scriptures, they did not worship Him themselves.

They quoted Micah 5:2, but did not obey it. 

They were only five miles from the very Son of God, yet they missed the opportunity to voluntarily see Him.

What response will have towards Jesus this season?

Are you opposing the things of Christ, or are you simply but dangerously ignoring Him?.

Remember He was born to die for us.

Make sure you believe in the now resurrected Christ as your personal Saviour (John 3:16).

Gary C Simons serves as the senior pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, presently meeting at CedarBridge Academy each Sunday at 10am.