CHRISTMAS – WHAT DO THE WISEMEN TEACH US?

“WHAT DO THE WISEMEN TEACH US?” is a question I wish to ask all of us, this morning, as we approach the Christmas day. Here under is what I could gather from the Wisemen’s visit. The Wisemen from East teach us that, for God Almighty, our heart, and its motives do matter the most. In fact, they are absolutely essential. God expects us to be trustworthy, truthful and transparent in all matters with Him, and be faithful and obedient to Him, in all things pertaining to our life.
– “​​1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet…11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:1-5,11

In the incident of the Wisemen from the East, who came seeking to see the King who is born, and Herod the king who hosted them briefly in Jerusalem – we see the stark reality of truthful, trustworthy and transparent hearts of the Wisemen, as against the wicked, evil, deceitful and scheming heart of Herod. Their hearts reveal their nature, their character, and to whom they owe their allegiance. One owed their allegiance to Light and Life, while the other to darkness and evil.

– The Wisemen studied the signs in the sky, and understood that, this unique star was pointing them to the birth of a King, who is of great significance. 
– The knowledge about this great King who would be born, is promptly followed up by them, by undertaking an arduous journey, to pay their respects to this King.
– They made a fatal mistake in assuming that such a King would naturally be born in a palace. More so, if this King is a person, at whose birth, a star is born, to declare His birth.
– Despite their mistake, they were led by God to the right place.
– They joyfully followed the Star of Bethlehem, led by God.
– When they arrived, they fell down and worshipped the Christ Child.
– They then opened the gifts befitting this King, who would save His people from their sins. They brought Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, which symbolically represent the purpose for which the King had come – His kingship, His suffering and His death.
– When God warned them about the danger, they implicitly obeyed Him, and followed it up by going back to their countries, by a different route – “12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” – Matthew 2:12

It all boils down to heart and its motives. When our hearts are clean and clear, the LORD will forgive and overlook our sins, and even our blunders. Just like the LORD overlooked the Wisemen’s mistake of assumption, rectified it, and helped them in fulfilling their sincere desire to see and worship the Christ Child, the King of kings.

On the other hand, Herod’s heart was bad, dark and evil, but his words were sounding noble, good and righteous. One should never be deceived by such tricks. Herod never had any intention to worship God. All Herod wanted was to eliminate the threat that this Messiah, the new King who is born, posed to his throne, to his power, and to his reign.
– “3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” – Matthew 2:3
– “16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.” – Matthew 2:16

What about us, this morning? The three things that we can learn from the Wisemen from East do, are the three lessons we can learn from them.
1- THEY CAME SEEKING TO SEE THE KING
2- THEY CAME TO WORSHIP THE KING OF KINGS
3- THEY CAME TO GIVE TO THE KING…NOT ASK FROM HIM

Even so, the LORD help us.