The Wise Men's Journey: Seeking and Surrendering to Christ

Devotional

Day 1: What We Seek Shapes Our Surrender

In a season that can pull hearts toward comfort, control, and the next purchase, the wise men invite you to aim your life at a Person, not a place. They crossed deserts and borders because a King had come, and they believed He was worth the miles. The same choice is before you: pursue the Savior or the temporary. What you chase today will eventually claim your allegiance. Let your longings be re-aimed toward Jesus, and let your steps follow. He is worth every mile you walk to reach Him. [28:32]

Matthew 2:1–2: During Herod’s rule, travelers from the east arrived in Jerusalem asking about the One born King of the Jews. They had seen His star rise and set out so they could bow before Him.

Reflection: What is one specific ambition that has begun to shape your decisions more than Jesus, and what small choice this week would re-aim your pursuit toward Him?

Day 2: God Speaks Through Creation and Scripture

God met the wise men in their craft—through a precise, uncommon sign in the sky that only careful observers would notice. Herod’s courts missed it, but God’s whisper found those who were looking. Creation announced, and Scripture interpreted, leading them to Christ. Don’t fear honest study or the beauty of the world; let both lift your eyes to the Maker. Expect God to meet you in the patterns of your days and point you to Jesus. Stay attentive; He knows how to reach you. [12:59]

Matthew 2:9–10: After hearing the king, they continued on, and the very star they had first seen rose again, guiding them and halting above the place where the child was. Seeing it, their hearts overflowed with overwhelming joy.

Reflection: Where has God been quietly getting your attention—through nature, learning, or conversation—and how will you slow down this week to notice and respond?

Day 3: Scripture Is Our Star Today

The wise men likely knew the ancient promises; God’s Word didn’t just inform them—it moved them. You may not have a star, but you do have Scripture, and it is enough to guide your steps. Reading should lead to revelation, and revelation should lead to a faithful response. The better you know His Word, the clearer His voice becomes in the noise. Open the Scriptures with expectancy, and then act on what you see. Let the Word set your direction. [18:31]

Matthew 2:4–6: Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes to ask where the Messiah would be born. They answered, “In Bethlehem of Judea,” because the prophet had written that from that small town would come a ruler who would shepherd God’s people.

Reflection: What is one simple, concrete plan (book, time, place) you will adopt this week so that Scripture actively shapes a decision you’re facing?

Day 4: Joy Through Costly, Focused Pursuit of Jesus

The wise men didn’t trip into joy; they arrived at joy by choosing a long, costly road that led to Christ. Their rejoicing was the fruit of focused pursuit, not of comfort or ease. Fear often asks, “What will it cost?” but faith asks, “Who will I find?” Real joy is discovered at Jesus’ feet, after choosing to follow where He leads. If He is your destination, joy will meet you there. Keep walking; it’s worth it. [21:17]

Matthew 2:10–11: When they saw the star settled over the right place, they burst with great joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary, fell to the ground in worship, and opened their treasures—presenting gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Reflection: What one focused step of pursuit—time, conversation, or obedience—will you take this week that may feel costly now but aims you toward deeper joy in Jesus?

Day 5: Worship Looks Like Knees Bent and Hands Open

At the end of the road, they didn’t negotiate; they knelt. Their gifts declared who Jesus is: gold for the true King, frankincense for God-with-us, and myrrh for the One who would give His life. True worship is more than songs; it is surrender—time, talents, and treasures laid at His feet. God is not after your money; He desires your heart. What you seek, you will surrender to—so let your surrender be to the King who gave everything for you. Open your hands, and hold nothing back. [29:40]

Matthew 2:11–12: They entered the home, bowed low before the child, and offered costly gifts fit for royalty and deity, hinting at His future sacrifice. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their country by a different route.

Reflection: What is one specific area—your schedule, a relationship, or a resource—you sense Jesus inviting you to place at His feet, and what is your next small step to do that this week?

Sermon Summary

I invited us to imagine a long, costly trip—because the Magi didn’t take a stroll to the store. They undertook an 800–1,200 mile journey that took months, maybe a year, and their destination wasn’t a place but a Person. They came to bow before the newborn King. We cleared up a few misconceptions: they likely arrived well after the night of Jesus’ birth, they weren’t necessarily three, and they were Magi—learned men who studied the stars, likely influenced by the Scriptures preserved since Daniel’s day. God met them in a language they understood, not with a neon sign in the sky, but with a star subtle enough that Herod missed it, yet clear enough for practiced eyes to notice. It’s a reminder that God is Lord over creation and speaks in ways that fit the hearer.

A big truth sits at the center: what we seek after today will be what we surrender to in the end. The Magi’s seeking wasn’t vague spirituality; it was Scripture-shaped and purpose-driven. Their reading led to revelation, and revelation produced response. That pattern is our path too. We don’t have a star, but we have a better light—God’s Word—to guide our steps, tune our ears to His voice, and prepare us for the journeys He calls us to take.

When the Magi finally saw Jesus, they “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” Joy didn’t surprise them at the end—it was the fruit of a long obedience in the same direction. They fell down and worshiped, then opened their treasures: gold proclaiming His kingship, frankincense acknowledging His deity, and myrrh foretelling His sacrifice. In other words, worship became concrete, costly, and Christ-exalting. That’s the shape of true adoration—knees bent, hands opened, treasures surrendered.

And yet, the point isn’t money. God isn’t short on resources; He is after our hearts. He wants our time, our talents, our treasures—but especially our lives, fully yielded. The star pointed to the gospel: we are sinners who cannot save ourselves, but God, rich in mercy, came near in Jesus—His life, death, burial, and resurrection opening the door to forgiveness and hope. Nothing here is worth clinging to if it keeps us from Him. Seek Him above all, and let your seeking become joyful surrender.

Key Takeaways

1. What you seek shapes your surrender Our daily pursuits are not neutral; they apprentice our hearts toward an eventual allegiance. The Magi teach us that desire becomes direction, and direction determines our destination. If we chase comfort, we will bow to comfort; if we chase Christ, we will gladly kneel before Him. The end of seeking is always surrender—to Someone or something. [04:31]
2. God meets us where we are The star wasn’t a billboard for everyone; it was a precise word to practiced stargazers. God speaks in ways that fit the hearer, yet never contradicts His Word. His providence weaves creation, conscience, and Scripture so that receptive people can truly hear. Pay attention to how He’s already been speaking your language. [12:59]
3. Let Scripture propel your pursuit The Magi didn’t only scan the skies; they knew the promises. Reading led to revelation, and revelation demanded response—that pattern still holds. A Scripture-shaped imagination recognizes God’s voice and direction in real time. Let the Word set your compass, not merely inform your opinions. [17:32]
4. Joy is born of costly worship Their “exceeding joy” wasn’t cheap; it came through miles, risk, and surrender at Jesus’ feet. Worship becomes authentic when it moves from songs to substance—from sentiment to sacrifice. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh say, “You are King, God, and Sacrifice,” and our lives should echo the same. Joy deepens where worship costs us something. [20:42]
5. God wants your heart, not payment He isn’t fundraising; He is forming worshipers. Giving without surrender is a way to keep control; surrender sanctifies our giving. Offer Him your whole self—time, talents, treasure—because He first offered Himself for you. When He has the heart, the rest follows in freedom and joy. [29:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - Long journeys worth taking
[03:31] - The Magi’s destination: a Person
[04:31] - Big truth: Seek determines surrender
[05:02] - Misconceptions about the Magi
[06:35] - Herod’s reign and Matthew 2:1–2
[08:53] - Who were the Magi? Daniel’s backdrop
[12:59] - God uses a star to speak
[14:59] - Prophecies foretell the King
[17:32] - Read, revelation, response
[19:01] - Seek the Savior, not stuff
[20:42] - Joy through costly pursuit
[23:56] - Gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh
[26:50] - Falling down in worship
[29:21] - God wants your heart

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Matthew 2:1–12

Observation questions

In Matthew 2:1–2, what did the Magi say they had seen and what purpose did they name for their journey?
Trace the sequence in Matthew 2:10–11. What did they do when they saw the star, when they entered the house, and when they saw the child?
What do the three gifts (gold, frankincense, myrrh) suggest about how the Magi understood who Jesus was (Matthew 2:11)?
According to the message, how far did the Magi likely travel, and what does that imply about their intentionality? ([08:11])

Interpretation questions

The pattern is clear: seeking leads to surrender (Matthew 2:1–2, 10–11). What about the Magi’s actions shows movement from curiosity to costly worship, and what does that teach about the nature of true worship?
God used a star in a way that the Magi could recognize, yet Herod missed it (Matthew 2:2, 7). How does this illustrate that God meets people where they are without making His guidance obvious to everyone at once? ([11:12])
Consider the likely background of Daniel 2 and the prophetic pointers (Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 9:6–7). Why would a Scripture-shaped imagination prepare someone to notice and respond to God’s leading in real time? ([16:10])
Matthew 2:10 says they rejoiced with “exceedingly great joy” before they bowed and gave. Why might deep joy be the fruit of a long, costly obedience rather than a momentary feeling? ([20:42])

Application questions

“What we seek after today will be what we surrender to in the end.” Name one thing you are actively seeking right now. If that pursuit keeps training your heart, what will you likely bow to a year from now? ([28:32])
Where has God been “speaking your language” lately—through creation, conscience, community, circumstances, or Scripture—and what simple step of obedience will you take in response this week? ([12:59])
“We don’t have a star, but we have a better light”—God’s Word. What specific plan will you adopt over the next 30 days to let Scripture set your compass (reading plan, memorizing one passage, journaling, reading with a friend)? ([17:32])
Joy grows where worship costs us something. What is one concrete, costly act of worship you sense Jesus inviting you to take this week—time, comfort, schedule, resources—and how will you take the first step? ([20:42])
The gifts proclaim, “You are King (gold), God (frankincense), and Sacrifice (myrrh).” If you offered symbolic “gifts” this week, what would they be? What would it look like to honor Jesus as King over one decision you’re facing? ([24:15])
God is not fundraising; He is forming worshipers. Before you give or serve, how do you check your heart so it’s surrender, not control? What would “whole-self” surrender look like in one area of your life right now? ([29:21])
Where are you hesitating because following Jesus might cost comfort, control, or reputation? What is one next step—small but real—you will take in faith before your feelings catch up? ([21:38])

Sermon Clips

So the question I have for us is, what about us? What are we seeking this season? I know for me personally, I'm in a season of my life where I want to do my job well. Well, I want to have a house, and yeah, believe it or not, I do want to get married, guys. I want these things. And in my pursuit of those things, have I made those things the ultimate goal that I seek after? Have I made those what I'm chasing after? Or have I made pursuit of the Savior the goal of my life, right? [00:19:37] (36 seconds) #WhatAreYouSeeking

And a big misconception that the world likes to throw on us, and sometimes we believe it ourselves, about Christianity is that it's a joyless pursuit. And we have to sacrifice all these earthly pleasures in pursuit of something that is devoid of joy. Let's look at verse 10. Verse 10 says, The wise men didn't accidentally stumble into joy. Their joy was the result of a long, costly pursuit. It's a great reminder for us is that joy comes from a genuine pursuit of a relationship with Jesus. That's where true joy is found. [00:20:33] (47 seconds) #JoyInPursuitOfJesus

And for some of us, God is revealing where he wants us to go. God is revealing what he wants us to step into, or what he's calling us to surrender. But we get stuck worrying about what it may cost us here. What will I have to give up? What will I have to change? What will I have to lose? The truth is, it's all worth it. Whatever we have to give up here is worth it in pursuit of the joy that comes from a relationship with him. [00:21:19] (33 seconds) #SurrenderIsWorthIt

True joy is not found in comfort, or in our control, or in our security. But it's found in a relationship with him. The wise men understood this. The wise men knew this. They knew that the star wasn't just a sign in the sky, but the star meant hope for humanity. The star points us to the gospel, points us to the reason for the season. [00:21:53] (26 seconds) #JoyBeyondComfort

Each and every one of us in this room, whether we accept it or not, are sinners who have turned away from God. We deserve to be left in our sin, separated from him forever. But God, rich in his love and his mercy, sent his son through Jesus' life, death, burial, and resurrection. Through that, we are given hope. He did not leave us here where we were. He offers salvation to all of us, even when we don't deserve it. We can't earn it. We can't work for it. It is a free gift from God. [00:22:19] (34 seconds) #FreeGiftOfGrace

We see after this long journey that the wise men went through, they didn't arrive to the king empty-handed. They came bearing gifts. They brought gold. They brought frankincense and myrrh. And gold, what gold was, it was a gift for a king. Gold was a treasure of royalty. And by offering it, the wise men were declaring that Jesus was the king of kings. That he was greater than any earthly ruler. He was greater than Herod. He was greater than any king to come. He is the one king forever. [00:23:56] (34 seconds) #JesusKingOfKings

We see the frankincense points to the deity of who Jesus was. Frankincense was used in temple worship, and it was burned as incense before God. So by offering it, the wise men acknowledged that this child that was before them was not just a king, but that he was God in the flesh, worthy of their worship, praise, and surrender. That's what the frankincense pointed to. [00:24:35] (26 seconds) #WorshipTheIncarnateGod

And then the myrrh. Myrrh is a foretelling sacrifice. Myrrh was used in burial rituals and embalming. And what this gift does is it foretells the sacrifice that Jesus would make for us on the cross. It tells us that this baby was born to go to the cross for the salvation of the world. And the quantities of these gifts aren't specified here in Scripture. But we know that they didn't come all this way and give him their last. No, they didn't give him token samples. They gave him quantities worthy of giving to a king. [00:25:01] (41 seconds) #MyrrhForetellsTheCross

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