Matthew 2:1-18
Magi from the East Visited Jesus
Christmas is the only season when the whole
world will celebrate. Basically, everyone has somewhat heard about the person,
Jesus. However, the challenge issued by Christianity now is not so much the
question “Who is Jesus?”, but rather, “How would you treat Jesus?”
The Gospel of Matthew recorded that,
after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, two thousand years ago, during the time of King Herod, the 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.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and sent
them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as
you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on
their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it
stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star,
they were overjoyed. (v 1-10)
On coming to the house, they saw the child
with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they
opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense
and myrrh.
And having been warned in a
dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another
route.
Herod was furious when he found himself fooled
by the Magi. He tried all ways to kill the new born king, and he even commanded
those children who were below two in Bethlehem to be killed.
It was a violent act carried out by an
authoritarian ruler towards its own people. The family of Jesus was forced to
flee to Egypt.
The birth of Jesus had caused disturbance to
Herod. It was because Herod, though being the king of Jews, was not considered
pure in his pedigree as a Jew. He was more of the descent of Idumaean. He was
used as a political tool by the Roman Empire to have their control over the
Jews.
Herod was afraid that the Jews would enthrone
their new king and rebel against him. Hence, he resolved to hold on to his
position by all means.
But how about the disturbance of the people in
Jerusalem? Even the Jews were disturbed, for they fully understood in their
hearts that Herod would not allow anyone to be called the King of Jews, and he
would definitely stir a bloody storm for this.
The subsequent event that took place proved
them right. A massacre of the innocents had caused many infants to be killed.
The Jews in Jerusalem wanted to maintain stability at the cost of forsaking their
rightful Jewish King.
They thought that, faith was certainly
precious but life was even more important than faith! Though the new king was
honourable, Herod was definitely someone not to be offended!
Were these Jews not godly?
No! They followed rules to offer sacrifices in
their temple. They observed and celebrated their festivals accordingly. They
were well-versed with their scriptures. But they were also meticulous,
calculative and self-serving when confronted with challenges.
Many Christians hold this type of attitude
today. They have no issue with attending Sunday service. They are willing to
pay tithes. And they are comfortable with running a safe ministry. But they are
reluctant to pay a higher price or even to give up certain comforts of their
lifestyles.
Many Christians may think this way: Jesus has
to meet my needs and He is not supposed to change my way of living. I welcome
Jesus to solve my problems but I forbid Him to disrupt my life.
Jerusalem is about 8 km away from Bethlehem.
It takes two hours of walking distance to reach Bethlehem. But there was no one
traveling from Jerusalem to Bethlehem to visit the new born king then.
In contrast, let us have a look at the Magi
from the East:
Jesus was not born in their place. They were
unfamiliar with Jesus, and they did not see him as a threat to them. They knew
well that the new king was the king of the Jews, and they were basically
outsiders!
What was the point then to travel from afar to
meet the new born king? It looked like they had to travel for more than one
year in order for them to reach Bethlehem. It was not an 8km journey that took
two hours!
They spotted the Star of the King and they
longed to see Jesus, who was definitely an extraordinary king! Though Jesus was
born only for the Jews, they had no regret to take on a journey which would
take more than a year, and travelled from afar, they came to look for Him.
They persisted on undertaking the journey of
thousand miles despite the big prices they had to pay, the length of time they
had to spend and the high risk they had to take, simply because they recognized
the greatness and excellency of the new born king!
It is a kind of selfless and genuine worship.
A worship that goes all out and does not hesitate to lay down one’s own life
for God. It is something that every Christian should imitate.
The Magi sought after Jesus and worshipped
Him. They did that because Jesus was God. The Bible says that Jesus is the
eternal Word of God, and all things in the universe were created through Him
and by Him. God sent Jesus to come to rescue sinful men when the world had
fallen in sin.
The people in Jerusalem were feeling disturbed
and refused to visit the new born king. The Eastern Magi, who were outsiders,
had become Jesus’ own people. But the Jews in Jerusalem, who were His own
people, lost their privilege and they became outsiders.
May we who are here right now, whether we are
Christians or non-Christians, have hearts as pure as the Magi’s, and go all out
for Jesus, the new born king. Let us come and bow down to worship Him, and to
receive Him as our king.
We shall become Jesus’- the king’s own people.
Conclusion
Now, many people reject Jesus because they are
afraid, they will lose much of their freedom and fun in life when they choose
to trust in Jesus. It is a misconception.
Jesus said, “For whoever wants
to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will
find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world,
yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
(Matthew 16:25-26)
Jesus comes not to threaten us, but to give us
an abundant life. He comes so that we can be delivered from evil bondages. He
comes to set us free from frustration and despairs, and to restore unto us
peace, meaning and sense of direction in our lives. Jesus wants to enable us to
live a more wonderful and joyous life!
Today, there are many witnesses sitting in the
church. Their lives testify how Jesus has rescued them from their sin. They
were once entangled and haunted by all kinds of bad habits, drugs, negative
thoughts, bitterness, hurt, frustration and depression. But they are delivered
now and their lives have been changed.
Jesus is here today. So, do not be hesitant or
fearful. Let us walk this journey of faith, and let us offer to Jesus, the new
born King, the most precious and sincere adoration and worship from our hearts!
Receive Jesus as Saviour and King in your
heart, so that He could manage your life. He will shepherd you, and He will
make your life wholesome and blessed.
没有评论:
发表评论