Find Matthew, Chapter two in your Bibles today, or on your phone or your iPad, or however you get God's word in 2024. Matthew, chapter two. This is part three of Christmas Questions, our seasonal sermon series.

Today it's Questions for the Wise Men. Did I mess you up too much last week? You didn't go home and throw your nativity scenes away, did you? No. Okay, good, because those are still good.

In fact, I'm going to mention that a little bit later. Matthew, chapter two, verses one through 12. I'm going to read our text today. 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 was 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 the 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. 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 found him, bring back word to me that I may come and worship him also. And 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. 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.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Let's bow in prayer. Father, thank you for the Scriptures. What a joy it is. And what a privilege that we can read the Bible publicly and we're free to do so.

There's no threat. And thank you for publishing your word for us in a book and putting it in our laps that we can hear your voice. And I pray that. I pray that souls would be saved today and sheep would be fed and the lamb would be praised. This is our prayer in Jesus name.

Amen. Christmas questions for the wise men. Let me ask you. Have you ever been gripped by an unshakable pull on the inside? Some kind of restless longing that pushed you to step into the unknown?

Have you ever had that feeling? Maybe it was a sudden move to another city and your life changed, or you made a career leap and you changed jobs, or you climbed the ladder and everything changed. Or maybe there was something on the inside of you saying it's time to develop a closer walk with God. Have you ever felt any of that? And isn't it true that those moments can be two things at the same time?

Terrifying and thrilling all at once? Well, today we're diving into a story about seekers. These were travelers who followed a star, and they followed the star, not knowing exactly where it would lead. But they trusted that the journey would be worth it. And they weren't Christians either, at least not yet.

And these weren't just any travelers. These were the wise men. Your Bible translation may call them the magi M A G I Do you see that there is a relationship between the word magi, wise men, and the word magic? Like they come from the same root. These were guys that practiced magic arts and they crossed deserts and they transversed kingdoms, and they did all of this chasing a flicker in the night sky.

Because wise men looked at the sky every night to see if they could hear from whatever God was out there. Here's the twist. Their story isn't just about them. It's also about us. So their questions are our questions.

Questions like, what would make you leave everything to seek out a king? And what would inspire you to offer your best and your most precious gifts? So that text that we just read together, let's step into it. I'm gonna take a few verses out. We're not going verse by verse today.

And let's wrestle with this call to follow and to seek and to give to the Lord like never before. So, are you ready? I have three questions for the wise men today that are also our questions. Question number one. Hey, guys, what made you leave everything to seek out a king?

You know what the answer is? It's not very spiritual and it's not overly religious or insightful. The answer is we followed a star. We looked at the stars every night, saw a different one, and felt a longing on the inside. Matthew 2.

1, 2. 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. Likewise in verse nine, 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 the.

And stood over where the young child was.

The first thing I want to tell you is that these wise men were good at their jobs. They were astrologers. They studied the stars, they looked at the heavens. They believed that when they mapped it all out and looked at it over and over again, they would find divine truths in the sky. And yet this wasn't just mere curiosity.

They were going on. Inside of them there was a hunger for something deeper. They said, hey, we've seen his star and we've come to worship him. They left everything behind because the truth that they sought was worth more than the life that they lived.

Let me give you more on this star in the sky. In his great commentary, G. Campbell Morgan wrote, it was an extraordinary and special movement in the stellar spaces designed to lead these men to Christ. Do you understand that the story of the wise men is the story of evangelism? It's the story of God saying, there are some unbelieving pagans in another land that I love that need my grace and I'm going to bring them to the Christ child so that they can believe and be saved and worship the real God.

This was not coincidence. It was divine pursuit. God had placed these wise men and everyone in their caravan in his crosshairs.

Even though their background was pagan, God had targeted them. With his grace, he's going to break through their unbelief in Matthew chapter two. Which makes me wonder as I speak to you today, what difference does it make? Well, is God targeting you in this moment? I wonder if God has you in his sights.

Are you sensing his pull to step out of the ordinary and into his story? Because God didn't put Matthew chapter two in your Bibles so that you could build a nativity scene with it. There's nothing wrong with that. He wants you to see that he loves sinners that lived in the east. And if he doesn't put a star in the sky and draw them to Himself, they'll never understand who Jesus is.

Psalm 14:2. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who understand who seek God. God is looking for seekers. I wonder if you might be one.

The wise men acted on the light that they had. They followed the star that God gave them. And it was imperfect it was limited. It may not have been bright every night, but it was compelling. Let me just say something here for a moment because at our church we have this, this grace phenomenon where you might be sitting around someone who's belonged to this church for more than 20 years.

There's a lot of folks just, they've come and they've stayed and they've been under the preaching ministry of this church. Mainly me. Not just me. We have excellent Bible teachers here and here's what that means. If you've heard 500 sermons at this church, God has given you much light.

He's taught you truths about him that some folks never hear one time in their whole life, you've learned it. But my question is, have you applied it? What have you done with the light that you have? Because if you're like me, you're educated biblically, far more than you obey. We know more than we do.

And so even the wise men speak to the most mature believers in the room. Act on the light that you have. Are we walking in the light that God has given us already? Or are you waiting for the perfect conditions before you take another step? I'm glad the magi said, I see a flicker in the night sky.

It's all I need to go on a journey.

Another question that comes under this first question is, are we seeking the right star? The wise men in their journey reminds us to follow the signs that God provides. But we could be chasing the wrong stars. I wonder if your life this next week will show that you've built everything that you do so that you can make some more money. I wonder if you've so built a light, so built a life, that everything you do.

Monday through next Friday will be in pursuit of another career milestone. There's just, there's just a goal that you have and it's to climb the ladder, to be better at what you do and to be known for that. I wonder, is that what your life's about? Or, or in the days of social media, have you built your existence around getting more likes and more thumbs ups and more hearts? Maybe not just for you, but before your children.

Public approval is what really life's about for you. When you're all alone and you just kind of get it down to the lowest common denominator, is it possible it's that, are we seeking the right star? Because those things I just listed, they may glimmer, but they don't lead to Jesus.

One of the most famous Proverbs is Proverbs 3, 6. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. You know, if you want to make sure you're on the road that God has for you, what precedes that is acknowledging him in all that you do. You can't leave God out. That's the opposite of in all your ways, acknowledge him.

So have you noticed the signs that God's giving you? He's a very good communicator. Maybe you felt his nudge from heaven in a conversation you had last week at lunch with a co worker who may not know him. And you're like, what's different about me? I feel something here.

Or maybe you were stirred during a prayer at church. Whatever it is, I remind you that the wise men saw their star and they acted on it. And the question then becomes, what will we do with the light that we have? Question number one. What made you leave everything to seek out a king?

The answer is, I saw his star. Question number two. We like to move expeditiously here. We're only going to give you three. Question number two.

Wise men, why did you offer such valuable gifts?

Here's Matthew 2:11.

When they'd come into the house. Will you circle house? When they'd come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to him. Gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Circle house. You guys remember last week's sermon about the house and the manger in the house? It's that house. So you can put your wise men back in your nativity sets. The reason.

Let me tell you why I know that when we read about King Herod In Matthew chapter 2, Jesus had to be born before King Herod died. Yes, because he sends out the decree, go kill all the babies in Bethlehem, 2 years old and younger, all the male children, because I'm getting rid of this rival king. We know when King Herod died. It's been written in history books. There's just no doubt about it.

He died in the week of the middle of the month of April, sometime between April 2 and April 14, 4 BC. So Jesus had to be born before April of 4 BC. And when you start counting back, the wise men have to come and see Jesus before April of 4 BC. And so we know that the wise men showed up to where the manger was when they had come into the house. The house.

They were staying in Bethlehem until they were sent to Egypt. And so the wise men show up. I believe we've been Right. All along Jesus, we can't say for certain, but we can get the ballpark. I believe Jesus was born late December, 5 B.C.

what does BC stand for? Do you even remember? Before Christ. Right. So Christ was born before Christ.

That's kind of funny. And you think, isn't he born at zero? No, he's born in 5B. He's born December, 5 B.C. the wise men come about 10 days, sometime eight to 10 days later, because the scriptures say that Mary completes her purification and takes the boy down to be circumcised.

And so the Roman Catholics have been getting this right for a long time. And they celebrate the epiphany on something like January 6th or 7th in memory of the wise men. So the wise men show up several days later after the birth of Jesus to the same house. And that's what we know. These men brought gifts.

Now, I want you to know that these men were professionals. They were men of power and influence. They were well educated. Well educated, powerful, ruling men. Never travel alone.

Now look, I'm not a big deal. Sometimes I go to McDonald's and eat by myself at lunch because I'm not a celebrity and I'm not building a brand. These guys would never, ever do that. We don't know if there were three wise men. We just know there were three major gifts.

I think a caravan showed up in Bethlehem in a little town, and these royal type people get out and they bring gifts. And these gifts were costly. But more importantly than them being costly, they were deliberate and symbolic. It's not like they opened up their treasure chest and says, well, what do we bring? We'll just give him that, you know, hey, do you have like a gift card drawer at your house?

You know, it's like, what do I have here? This is not what the wise men did before they left. And they're packing up the caravan, they say to the servants, put some gold in there. We're going to see a king. Put some frankincense in there, put some myrrh, put these things that we think are appropriate to who we're going to see.

You ought to think about what you give to God. Every year when the ancient Israelite pilgrims would leave their little small towns in Israel and go up to Jerusalem for one of the feasts, they would sing to pass the time. And what they would sing is found in your book of psalms. It's called the Egyptian Hallel. It's the praise to God for God's salvation of delivering the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage across the dry land of the Red Sea.

You guys remember the story? You seen the movie? And in the Egyptian Hallel, Psalm 113 to Psalm 118, they'd memorize it and sing it. And you get to Psalm 116, 12. And they're going up to Jerusalem to make sacrifices and bring gifts to the Lord.

And they say, what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

So the wise men go to Bethlehem on purpose and they bring some things deliberately. And each one of those gifts declares a profound truth about the king that they worshiped. Can we agree that gold is a gift fit for a king and it symbolizes Jesus divine right to rule? By the way, they didn't bring gold to a little baby who aspired to be king. And they didn't bring costly gold to a baby that they say one day you're going to make something out of yourself.

Now the scriptures say, where is he who was born king of the Jews? Can I tell you? Jesus has been king from the get go. So they bring him gold is fit for a king. And then they bring frankincense.

Not Frankenstein, that's later, right? Frankincense is a spice. It is a.

It's used in according to the book of Leviticus. It's used in the worship at the temple to make God's place smell good, to bring him honor by the priests. And here's what we read about Jesus.

He's the mediator between God and man. The man Christ Jesus. He's the only one worthy to stand between you and Almighty God and remove his holy wrath so that our sinfulness can come into his presence. Only Jesus can be our high priest. Isn't that true?

So it symbolized his priestly role as our mediator. And then you kind of got the little brother, the forgotten one. Some people think it was worth less than the first two by money. But I'll let you decide. The third gift's myrrh.

You know what myrrh is used for? It's used to cover the stench of a rotting dead body. It was used in embalming a cadaver, a corpse. Isn't it appropriate to give the baby Jesus some myrrh to point to his death? Isn't it possible that his death was the most important death that ever happened?

Not only is it possible that that's Bible. Yes. And so myrrh used for embalming foreshadowing the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. And First Corinthians 15, verses 1 and 3 starts this way on the third day, Christ died for our sins. That myrrh was to give you life to embalm a dead body.

And how long will he be embalmed? A few hours, right? A couple days. Because on the third day, that dead body awoke and rose from the grave. This is our hope.

Let me tell you. William Barclay in his great commentary says, this just brings it into perspective. Even at the cradle of Christ, the gifts foretold that he was to be the true king, the perfect high priest, and in the end, the supreme Savior. Those gifts point to something. And now you know what they point to.

Well, let's bring this closer to home. What in the world are we offering him today? Because Psalm 96. 8. This is why we do our public offerings.

When we do them once a month or so, 96.8of the book of Psalms. Give to the Lord the glory, do his name, bring an offering and come into his courts. Look, I'm like David. I want to live where he says. I want to offer God anything that costs me nothing.

And I don't want to come before him empty handed.

If pagan kings can bring Jesus thoughtful gifts, what can redeem sinners that are Christians? Bring him now. Can I tell you? Sometimes our gifts aren't golden frankincense. Sometimes they are.

Rearranging our schedules to give him our time and not live a whole week forgetting God and acting like he doesn't exist. We can bring him that. Sometimes our gift is our willingness to be inconvenienced, to help others. I don't know about you, but people in my life that end up needing my help never need my help on my schedule. Am I the only one like no courtesy at all?

If your life's falling apart, why can't it fall apart between nine and five? Amen.

No man loving God and loving others, it's always going to be an inconvenience. It's a gift we give. Here's another gift we give. Sacrificing our pride to forgive someone who hurt us and who doesn't deserve it. My soul.

That's a hard one, isn't it? I'd rather give my gold away. That's what we're thinking. Are we holding back from offering him the things that cost us the most?

I really don't care what sermon point I'm in. When I preach in Matthew chapter two about the wise men, I'm always giving you this quote, even if it doesn't fit. I think it fits today. But I want you to see what Dan Doriani wrote. The magi were pagans who served pagans, yet God spoke to them.

That's what he does. The gospel is not for insiders, it's for listeners. And I'm wondering, like those pagan wise men, they saw a star in the sky, but they also felt something on the inside. Have you been hearing the still small voice of God as you've been coming week after week to this gathering? I mean, we start off after every song.

I mean, lead off hitter for us. Here's a gospel presentation. Here's an opportunity for you to call on the Lord and be saved and become a Christian. Have you been hearing that every week going, you know what, maybe I need to do that. The gospel is for listeners.

I wonder if you're hearing him. The wise men didn't just give Jesus their leftovers, they gave him treasures. So what does it look like to give Jesus the best of what we have instead of what we have left? Wise men, why did you offer such valuable gifts? Final question today of the wise men guys, will you go back the same way?

Verse 12. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country. Don't miss it another way.

It's interesting to me that the wise men's journey ended differently than it began. It's almost as if their encounter with Jesus changed them. So they could not take the path back that they came in on. They couldn't go back Herod's way. And may I ask us, isn't this what happens when we truly encounter Jesus Christ?

That if you ever meet him, you can't go back to the old ways of thinking, you can't return to the old habits that showed you're God and He's not. And you can't go back and say all those old priorities, I got my salvation, I'm going to go back to the old priorities of my old life.

You know who C.S. lewis was? Clive Staples Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia and some other things, Mere Christianity, probably his best known book. C.S. lewis became a believer late, got married late too.

He wrote, look for Christ, you'll find him, and with him, everything else.

Have you been walking the same roads, expecting different destinations? Because just like the wise men, Jesus invites all of us to take a new path, one marked by faith, one marked by repentance, one marked by trust in Christ and obeying him and surrendering and being transformed. And I wonder if that's ever happened to you. Have you met him and he so changed your heart that you went a totally different direction than your old life in which you came, just like the wise men.

When did he change you? Because that's when you were rescued. Let me give you three application points and we're done. Here's how you can apply this message. These three questions.

Number one, seek Christ with purpose.

The wise men pursued Jesus with intention. They meant to do it. I wonder if your life after hearing this truth, you'll start walking with God because you meant to did it on purpose. Number two, offer your best to the Lord like the wise man. Honor him with treasures, not afterthoughts.

And number three, be willing to change direction.

Hear the truth of God's word, make a commitment, and let Jesus guide you in the new paths of purpose and fulfillment.

And then do what the wise men did as they followed Psalm 95. 6, even though they didn't know it. Oh, come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. No one goes into eternity without bowing their knee to Jesus and confessing that he's Lord and he's what reality is all about.

You'll either bow in this life, and then when you go into eternity, you'll hear, enjoy the. Enjoy the gift that my Father's given you, or you'll wait. You'll be your own Lord. You'll live your whole life as an unbeliever. You'll still die.

You can't stop that. And then you'll face Jesus and you'll bow your knee then and you'll say, jesus, you were Lord. I messed this whole thing up. I've ruined myself for eternity. And he'll say, depart from me.

I never knew you. Either way, you'll bow and worship him. I think you should do it today and not wait. Let this Christmas be a time of seeking. Let it be a time of giving.

And let it be a time of transforming for you and your children and your extended family. Because the wise men's journey is not just their story, it's also ours. So what star will you follow? What gift will you bring? And will you return by the same road?

Or will you let Christ lead you another way? Things to think about as we pray today. Father, thank you. Thank you for what we can learn from these wise men. Thank you for putting them back in our nativity scenes.

God, let us follow in their footsteps and be saved. Amen. You guys want to see a baptism? All right.

Come and join us this Sunday at the Great Commission Church for a truly remarkable and uplifting experience. Great Commission Church is not just any ordinary place of worship; it's a vibrant community where faith comes alive, hearts are filled with love, and lives are transformed. Our doors are wide open, ready to welcome you into the warm embrace of our congregation, where you'll discover the true essence of fellowship and spirituality. At Great Commission Church, we are more than just a congregation; we are a family united by a common mission – to follow the teachings of Christ and spread His love to the world. As you step inside Great Commission Church, you'll find a sanctuary that nurtures your faith and encourages you to be part of something greater than yourself.

We believe in the power of coming together as a community to worship, learn, and serve. Whether you're a long-time believer or just starting your spiritual journey, Great Commission Church welcomes people from all walks of life. Our vibrant services are filled with inspiring messages, beautiful music, and heartfelt prayers that will uplift your soul. Every Sunday at Great Commission Church is an opportunity to deepen your relationship with God and connect with others who share your faith and values.

At Great Commission Church, we believe that faith is not just a solitary endeavor but a shared experience that strengthens and enriches us all. Our church is a place where you can find purpose, belonging, and the encouragement to live a life in accordance with Christ's teachings. Join us this Sunday at Great Commission Church and experience the transformative power of faith in action. Be part of a loving and supportive community that is committed to making a positive impact in our world. Together, we strive to fulfill the great commission to go forth and make disciples of all nations. We look forward to having you with us at Great Commission Church this Sunday, where faith, love, and community intersect in a truly amazing way.

Great Commission Church is a non-denominational Christian church located in Olive Branch, Mississippi. We are a short drive from Germantown, Southaven, Collierville, Horn Lake, Memphis, Fairhaven, Mineral Wells, Pleasant Hill, Handy Corner, Lewisburg and Byhalia.

See you Sunday at Great Commission Church!