Matthew 2

Looking for Jesus

•Who is looking for Jesus here? - Not a trick question!

•The Magi (Wise Men)

•Not Kings / Not 3, but brought with them 3 types of gifts

•Probably men of magical arts / astrology

•They had seen something unusual in the stars

•All sorts of theories about what the star-light was: Alignment of planets; exploding nova; Halley’s comet; Sirius, the dog star (at the start of Egypt's Mesori month)

• It could even have been an inexplicable, supernatural event

•Whatever it was, these men were watching the skies for signs

•God’s Word has little on the topic of astrology...but:

• ‘Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame’ (Isa. 47:13–14)

• For certain, something where they were at, prompted them to go looking for the “king of the Jews”

•We have to look forward to Matt. 7:7-8

•Ask; Seek; Knock

•With genuine asking comes the giving

•With genuine seeking comes the finding

•With genuine knocking comes the opening

•Perhaps genuinely looking in the wrong place and knocking on the wrong door did lead them to Christ!

•Example, the pharisaical Saul of Tarsus = Paul

•King Herod

•He had enough belief to ask where the Messiah would be born

•His belief was so great that he killed all the baby boys

•Scribes & Teachers of The Law

•They had the information

•They taught the information

•They believed the information

• “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” - Micah 5:2

•Prophecy fulfilled!

•They should have remembered Hosea 11:1

•How do we respond to Jesus?

•Antagonism & Rejection (Herod)

•Who is on the throne of your life?

•Shallow Indifference (Scribes and Chief Priests)

• Is head knowledge enough for you?

•Humble Worship (Magi)

•Bow down and worship, open your treasures!

REJECT

NEGLECT

OR

ACCEPT

JESUS