Look for the King!

 Look For the King!

Matthew 2:1-12 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, (6) And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. (7) Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. (8) And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. (9) When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. (10) When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. (11) And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (12) And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

In the United States, every four years, our country gets turned upside-down as we search, evaluate, and elect a new president to lead the direction of our country.  The process lasts for well over a year as we narrow the field to the final two and then the real fight, bickering, positioning, gaming, and politicking takes place.  As voters, we gather as much information as possible as we watch the debates, watch interviews with the candidates, listen to what others say about the candidates, examine each of their records, watch rallies and speeches…all to attempt to make the most informed decision as possible.

All this to select the person to lead a country for four to eight years.

What might we go through if we were selecting a King for life?  What should we then go through if we were searching for a King for Eternity?

In our text today, we find events surrounding the birth of Jesus.  Specifically we read of the wise men’s search for the recent birth of the “King of the Jews”.  I think there are 3 things that we can learn from these searchers.

1.  It was Wise Men that Searched for Jesus

Generally speaking, at each end of he spectrum we have two extremes:  Foolish and Wise.  I di not know of  a single person that would claim they  are aiming for or even want to fall on the side of the foolish.  Foolish people focus on trivial things that entertain them for the moment.  Wise people focus on how to improve their situation for the long term.

It is no accident that the Bible describes the men that searched for Jesus as “Wise Men”.  The men most likely would have been men of stature and significance in their far away lands.  They brought significantly valuable gifts, so they would have been men of means and influence.  And yet with all of these other characteristics, they understood the importance of  seeking Jesus the King!

2.  They Sacrificed to Find the King

These men did not come from down the street, or across town, or even from the same country.  They traveled a great distance from another country in the east to seek out Jesus.  Not only was time and inconvenience involved, they also brought him valuable gifts.  Sacrifice is a critical part of serving Jesus.  Jesus sacrificed his life to save ours and he expects us to make some sacrifices in out life that we might serve him.

3.  They Followed the Star

As these men searched for Jesus they were guided by a Star in the sky which led them to his location.  We may not have a physical star to guide us, the the principle is not much different.  In Psalms 119:105  it says  “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. “  We can find the King too because God similarly gave us a light to follow.  His Word is the ONLY thing that can lead us to the cross of Jesus.

4.  They Worshipped Him

When they found the King.  They worshipped him.  I think this is particularly significant because the “King of the Jews” had to be very different than the birth of other Kings.  There was no fan-fair.  There was no celebration.  They did not find him in a palace surrounded by a powerful family and riches.  They found a baby that few knew about and was born in the least likely a place for a King to be.  And yet, they did not let their blown expectations deter them.  They still knew he was THE King and they worshipped him.

Often times, people have unrealistic expectations of Jesus.  And when they discover he is different than they hoped they are like Naaman, the walk away mad.  The world has created a narrative about Jesus that man will not like.  But in the end, we must understand what God has told us about our King, accept it, and Worship him.  Because in the end, Our King is victorious and we need to be on his side.

You need to Look for the King if you have not already found him.  If you have questions, ask me.  I will shine the Light on the subject!

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com