Transcript Document

Matthew 2:1-12
The Gifts of the
What kind of giving pleases God?
 1782 Famine in France
 Marquis de Lafayette
– Grain prices high
– Estate Manager - “This is the time to sell”
– Lafayette - “No, this is the time to give!”
– Real love is often measured by our
willingness to let go of what we possess
– The thing we grip most tightly is often the
very thing God asks us to hand over to Him!
The Wise Men
 Few biblical stories are as well known
– But clouded by myth and tradition
– Middle Ages legend
• They were kings
• They were three in number
• Their names were Casper, Balthazar, and Melchior
– Represent the sons of Noah - Shem, Japheth, and Ham
– One is often pictured as an Ethiopian
 In Matthew 2, we are not told
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Their number
Their names
Their means of transportation to Palestine
The specific country or countries from which they
came
The Magi – v. 1
1. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
wise men from the East came to Jerusalem
– “Wise Men” = “magos”
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Magi = Latin for the Greek “magos”
Behold! = astonishment, strong attention
getting word!
The Magi
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First appear in history in the 7th century bc
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A tribe of the Medes in eastern Mesopotamia
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Semites — like the Jews and Arabs — descendants of
Noah’s son Shem
Like Abraham from ancient Ur in Chaldea
Soon associated solely with the priesthood
within the tribe
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Skilled in astronomy and astrology
Had a sacrificial system like the one God gave to
Israel through Moses
Involved in sorcery and were noted for their ability
to interpret dreams
Magic and Magician are derived from Magi
The Magi
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Combined knowledge of science, agriculture,
mathematics, history, and the occult
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Religious and political influence grew
Became the most prominent and powerful group of
advisors in the Medo–Persian and then the
Babylonian empire
They often were referred to as “wise men”
“The law of the Medes and Persians” was
founded on the teachings of these magi
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Daniel 6:8, 12, 15
Esther 1:19
The Magi
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King Makers
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No Persian was ever able to become king without
mastering the science and religion of the magi
Controlled judicial appointments - Esther 1:13
Jeremiah 39:3 - Nergal–sar–ezer the Rab–mag,
chief of the Babylonian magi - with
Nebuchadnezzar when he attacked and conquered
Judah
Book of Daniel
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The magi were the highest–ranking officials in
Babylon
The interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
Daniel 2:48 - “Ruler over the whole province of
Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of
Babylon”
The Magi
 Daniel was highly regarded among the
magi
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His great wisdom
Daniel 2:24 - successfully pleaded for the
lives of the wise men who failed to interpret
the king’s dream
Daniel 6:4–9 - The plot against Daniel
resulting in the lions’ den was by the
satraps, not the magi
The Magi
 Daniel 9 & 12
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Prophecy of the 70 weeks until Messiah
The magi learned of the one true God, the
God of Israel
They understood His plans for the coming
glorious Messiah/King
 The “magi from the east”
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Literally “from the rising” of the sun
True magi came to see Jesus
They were waiting for His sign!
A Great Question
2. “Where is He Who has been born King of the
Jews?”
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The Magi were sincere seekers of God
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They saw His Star in the East - Why a star?
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Why? because of the way God led them and responded to
their needs
This is the Search we are all on
The shepherds in their fields, and the Magi as a sign in
heaven
God always reveals Himself in a way we can understand
They have come to worship Him
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Our heart’s need is to worship the Creator!
Following the light God gives will always lead us to
Christ!
The Quest of the Magi - vv. 1-10
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Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in
the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from
the East came to Jerusalem,
saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the
Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and
have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and
scribes of the people together, he inquired of them
where the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for
thus it is written by the prophet:
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not
the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you
shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people
Israel.’”
The Quest of the Magi - vv. 1-10
7.
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Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise
men, determined from them what time the star
appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and
search carefully for the young Child, and when you
have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may
come and worship Him also.”
When they heard the king, they departed; and
behold, the star which they had seen in the East went
before them, till it came and stood over where the
young Child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
exceedingly great joy.
The Star of Bethlehem
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God gave the Magi the sign of His star in the
east
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Much speculation about the identity of that star
Jupiter, the “king of the planets” in conjunction
with Regulus – the King star
Some say the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
Others that it was a low–hanging meteor, a comet,
or simply an inner vision
The Bible does not specifically identify the
star
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We cannot be dogmatic
It may have been the glory of the Lord - the same
that shone around the shepherds when Jesus’ birth
was announced to them by the angel - Luke 2:9
The Star of Bethlehem
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What is clear
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The magi were not following the star they had to inquire about where Jesus was
born
They saw His star in the east
The star reappeared and then stopped over
Bethlehem
The Purpose of the Magi
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They came from the east to Palestine
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To find the One born King of the Jews and
To worship Him!
Worship
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Full of meaning
The idea of falling down, prostrating
oneself, and kissing the feet or the hem of
the garment of the one worshipped
The Purpose of the Magi
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They were true seekers after God
Jeremiah 29:13 ‘You will seek Me and find Me
when you search for Me with all your heart’
When He spoke to them, they recognized God’s
voice and responded
They recognized the light God gave them
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A sign that led them to Jerusalem
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God will use extraordinary and even miraculous
means as necessary to get our attention
But He uses the Scriptures to speak His Truth to
us
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It was the Scriptures that guided them to Bethlehem
When we follow the light of Scripture, we will
not walk in darkness!
Finding the Will of God
 They rejoiced exceedingly with great
joy
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The Magi believed and acted on the
Scriptures as soon as they heard them
The Jewish religious leaders, even though
they studied and knew the scriptures, failed
to find the Messiah - and He was only 5
miles away from them!
Finding the Will of God
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Follow the light God gives you
God will confirm His will with His Word
Obey God without question
He will lead you each step of the way!
The Worship of the Magi - v. 11
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They came into the house to worship
Him
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These events probably occurred several
days or weeks after Jesus was born
From 2:11 - Jesus’ family was now staying
in a house rather than the stable where He
was born
Mary and Joseph offered “a pair of
turtledoves” (Luke 2:24) instead of the
normal lamb (Leviticus 12:6–8) says they
were poor
The Worship of the Magi
 They saw the child with Mary, His
mother
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A child who came to die for your sins
because God the Father loved you so!
The Worship of the Magi
 They saw the child with Mary, His
mother
 They fell down and worshiped Him
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Fall down and worship Him, just like the
Magi
He is the Messiah, the Lamb of God who
came to take away the sins of the world!
They worshiped only Jesus!
Only He was worthy of adoration
The Worship of the Magi
 They saw the child with Mary, His
mother
 They fell down and worshiped Him
 They opened their gifts
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Giving is a response to Him in worship
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They came prepared to give!
They committed their lives in pursuit of Him!
Their giving was not an addition to their
worship, but an integral part of it
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Right worship is the only basis for right giving
and right learning and right service
The Gifts of the Magi
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Gold
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Always considered the most precious of metals
The universal symbol of material value and wealth
A symbol of royalty
Matthew presents Christ as the King of the Jews
He is “the King of kings and Lord of lords”
Appropriately being presented with royal gifts of
gold
The Gifts of the Magi
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Gold
Frankincense
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A costly, beautiful–smelling incense
Used only for the most special of occasions
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In the grain offerings at the Tabernacle and Temple
In royal processions
At weddings if it could be afforded
Origen said frankincense was the incense of deity
In OT it was sprinkled on offerings as a symbol of
the people’s desire to please the Lord
“The sweet smell of sacrifice”
Speaks of Christ’s priestly role of offering the
sacrifice for our sins
The Gifts of the Magi
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Gold
Frankincense
Myrrh
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A valuable perfume
Represents the gift for a mortal, emphasizing
Jesus’ humanity
Mixed with wine it was also used as an anesthetic
Mixed with other spices it was used in preparation
of bodies for burial
Our Giving
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Picture of all of our giving, especially
Christmas giving!
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Gold – 1st and foremost - for the glory of God
Our Giving
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Picture of all of our giving, but especially
Christmas giving!
Gold – 1st and foremost - for the glory of God
Frankincense - The sweet smell of sacrifice!
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Like God’s giving - “For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son. . .”
God gives purely because He loves us!
Our giving is rarely to the point of sacrifice but God
gives without limit!
We usually give when some one cries out for help!
God gives to those who neither realize their need nor
appreciate His gift
Our giving is usually done to friends - God gave His own
Son who died for the ungodly!
Our Giving
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Picture of all of our giving, but especially
Christmas giving!
Gold – 1st and foremost - for the glory of God
Frankincense - The sweet smell of sacrifice!
Myrrh - Giving out of the death of self
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Live in total obedience to Him
Think of Jesus first, then others, and lastly, yourself
This is the only way you can give!
The Return of the Magi - v. 12
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Warned by God
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They were warned by God not to return the way
they had come
God will keep you from the evil one if you walks
in obedience to Him!
Departed by another way
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Anyone who comes to Christ will go home
differently and be a new creature!
2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new
The Gifts of the Magi
 Worship
– God calls each of us to come and worship the King
– God expects our worship to be giving of self to Him
for His glory!
– God expects us to leave by “another way” after we
worship the King!
Matthew 2:1-12
The Gifts of the