Wise Men’s Model: Seek Jesus, Surrender Your Treasures

Devotional

Day 1: Choose What You Chase: Set Your Heart on Jesus

The wise men fixed their desire on finding Jesus, not on comfort or convenience, and their focused pursuit teaches you to decide what will truly sit on the throne of your heart. Many things tug at your affections—scrolling, shopping, stacking—but none can satisfy the way the King does. Choosing Jesus means arranging your time, attention, and habits so that seeking Him becomes your first priority. When you set your affection on Him, your pursuits align, your joy deepens, and your life takes on a new direction toward worship. Ask Him today to be your first love and your clear pursuit above every rival. May your heart say, “We have come to worship Him,” and mean it with your calendar, your desires, and your steps. [03:50]

Matthew 2:1–2: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the days of Herod, travelers arrived from the east and asked, “Where is the child who is born King of the Jews?” They had noticed His star rising and made the journey so they could honor Him with worship.

Reflection: Which of the three “S’s” (scrolling, shopping, or stacking) most distracts your heart, and what is one concrete change you will make this week to pursue Jesus first?

Day 2: Continue the Journey When Challenges Come

The path toward Jesus often runs through cost, confusion, conflict, and the carelessness of people who should know better. The magi kept going when the star seemed to disappear, when an earthly king tried to manipulate them, and when others stayed home instead of traveling a simple six miles to worship. Persevering does not mean you never feel doubt; it means you keep walking toward the One who is faithful. When obstacles rise, anchor your soul in His unchanging grace and take the next obedient step. Joy often breaks in again—like a star reappearing—when you choose not to quit. Keep seeking Him; the journey will be worth it when it ends in worship. [17:28]

Matthew 2:9–10: After hearing the king, they set out, and the very star they had seen earlier appeared again and guided them until it hovered above the place where the child was; seeing it, their hearts exploded with great joy.

Reflection: Which obstacle—cost, confusion, conflict, or the carelessness of others—most tempts you to give up, and what small, faithful step can you take this week to keep moving toward Jesus?

Day 3: Worship the King: Bow Low, Lift Your Heart

When the wise men saw Jesus, they didn’t stand proud; they fell down and worshiped, opening their treasures in surrender. Their posture revealed their hearts: before the Creator in a humble home, status and titles meant nothing. They gave costly gifts with great meaning—gold for the King, frankincense for the presence of God with us, myrrh pointing to His sacrificial mission. True worship is not leftovers; it is intentional, humble, and wholehearted. Bring Jesus your best attention, your best affection, and your best obedience as an act of love. In His presence, kneeling becomes joy and surrender becomes freedom. [23:57]

Matthew 2:11: Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary; they bowed low, worshiped Him, and opened their chests to present gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Reflection: What would it look like for you to take a humble physical posture in prayer this week as a way to express inward surrender to King Jesus?

Day 4: Commit Your Treasures to Christ and His Kingdom

Jesus teaches that earthly treasures fade, break, rust, or get stolen, but investments in His kingdom endure. Generosity is not only about funding gospel work; it also shapes the affections of your heart—where your treasure goes, your heart follows. When you give to Jesus, you align your resources with eternal purposes that can never be lost. Your gift may feel small, yet God multiplies surrendered offerings far beyond what you can imagine. Let your generosity become worship, a declaration that Jesus—not money—holds first place. Open your hand, and watch your heart move toward heaven. [27:52]

Matthew 6:19–21: Don’t store up treasure where time and trouble can ruin it or thieves can take it; instead, store it in heaven, where it remains secure. Wherever you place your treasure, your heart will move in that same direction.

Reflection: What specific, realistic step of generosity—an amount, a percentage, or a planned habit—can you take this month to invest in what Jesus is doing?

Day 5: Guided by Scripture’s Promise: Seek Until You Find

The magi likely read the ancient promise that a star would rise from Jacob and a scepter from Israel, and Scripture stirred them to seek. God’s promises still light the way when the night feels long, guiding you toward Jesus and steadying your steps. Open God’s Word with expectancy; He delights to direct those who are willing to go where He leads. Keep seeking until you find Him, and when you do, respond with worship, obedience, and joy. Your life becomes a living “yes” to the King who is with you and worthy of everything. Follow the promise, and let it lead you to a fresh encounter with Jesus. [31:45]

Numbers 24:17: I can see Him in the distance—His time not yet, but certain; a star will rise from Jacob, and a ruler’s scepter will emerge from Israel.

Reflection: Where will you open Scripture this week to look for one clear promise to follow, and how will you act on it when God brings it to light?

Sermon Summary

We opened Matthew 2 and stepped into the desperation of the Magi—men who refused to let obstacles or distance stand between them and the King. I contrasted their single-minded pursuit with a lighthearted nod to Jingle All the Way, not because Christmas is about a toy, but because obsession reveals what we love most. The Magi show us that wise people choose what they will chase, continue when challenges come, and commit their treasures to Christ. They made intentional decisions: they read the Scriptures, watched the skies, shouldered the cost, and crossed borders to bow before Jesus.

I asked us to examine our own pursuits. If Jesus isn’t first, something else sits on the throne: scrolling for distraction, shopping for a dopamine hit, or stacking money for security. Those aren’t evil in themselves, but they make terrible gods. Our affections are formed by our habits, and our habits reveal our hope. The Magi invite us to choose differently.

Then, the journey. Real pursuit encounters real resistance—cost, confusion, conflict, and the carelessness of people who should know better. The star disappears for a while; Herod plots; religious experts stay home while worship sits six miles away. Yet the Magi keep moving, and in God’s timing, the star reappears. Faith doesn’t deny difficulty; it refuses to be defined by it.

Finally, worship becomes concrete. The Magi fall down before a toddler and open treasures: gold for the King, frankincense for God-with-us, myrrh for the Suffering Servant. Their gifts proclaim who Jesus is and fund what God will do next. I urged us to commit our treasures to Christ, not because the church needs tips, but because Jesus taught that our hearts follow our treasure. Everything else rusts, tears, or depreciates; kingdom investment doesn’t. So choose what you will chase. Continue when the shadows linger. And commit your best to the One who gave Himself for you. That’s how wise men and women walk—at Christmas and all year.

Key Takeaways

1. Choose what you will chase. What you pursue inevitably becomes your master. If Jesus is not first, you will sacrifice for something lesser that cannot hold the weight of your hope. Aim your affections by aiming your practices toward Him—Scripture, prayer, gathered worship, and obedience. The Magi did not drift into worship; they decided, then moved. [03:50]
2. Persevere when darkness hides God. The star disappeared; confusion did not mean abandonment. Faith keeps walking through the hallway between revelation and fulfillment, trusting the God who has already spoken. Expect cost, conflict, and the apathy of others; keep moving until the light returns. [11:03]
3. Commit your treasures to Christ. Giving is not God taxing you; it’s God freeing you. The gifts of the Magi proclaimed Jesus’ identity and resourced His mission—our giving can do the same. What you release to Jesus is never lost; it is sown into a harvest you cannot yet see. [17:28]
4. Worship with your whole posture. The most honored men in the room hit the floor before a child. True worship dethrones self-importance and centers the King, not our preferences. Bowing and bringing are not theatrics; they are the honest response to the presence of God. [22:58]
5. Let generosity disciple your heart. Jesus tied treasure to the trajectory of the heart; where you give shapes what you love. If you want a heart for the kingdom, place your money where your prayers are. Over time, your desires will follow your deposits. [27:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:38] - Jingle All the Way illustration
[02:36] - Prayer and big idea
[03:50] - Choose what you will chase
[07:26] - Prophecy and the rising star
[09:24] - Three S’s: scrolling, shopping, stacking
[11:03] - Continue when challenges come
[12:24] - Obstacles: cost, confusion, conflict, carelessness
[17:28] - Commit your treasures to Christ
[18:22] - Apple founder and investment lens
[22:58] - Magi bow and bring costly gifts
[24:26] - Gold, frankincense, myrrh explained
[27:12] - Treasures in heaven, heart follows
[28:45] - Turbo Man ending and generosity
[30:21] - Call to surrender and final charge

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 for what purpose did they come?
Compare Herod’s words in Matthew 2:7-8 with the Magi’s actions in Matthew 2:11. What contrasts do you notice between intent and response?
In Matthew 2:9-10, what happens with the star as the Magi leave Herod, and how do the Magi respond?
Four challenges were highlighted in the Magi’s journey: cost, confusion, conflict, and the carelessness of those who should have known better. Which of these can be seen in Matthew 2:1-12, and where? ([12:24])

Interpretation questions

The Magi read the Scriptures, watched the skies, and crossed borders to worship. What does their intentional pursuit say about how practices shape affections? How might this connect with the claim that the heart follows where treasure and habits lead? ([27:52])
The star’s disappearance created confusion for a time. What might God be teaching when guidance seems hidden, and how does one keep walking “between revelation and fulfillment”? ([13:16])
The Magi fell down before a child and brought costly gifts. What does this posture and generosity teach about who Jesus is and how worship becomes concrete? ([22:58]; [24:26])
Herod claimed he wanted to worship (2:8) while plotting to destroy. What does this reveal about the danger of religious language without surrendered hearts?

Application questions

Choose what you will chase: Looking at your last 7 days—calendar, screen time, purchases—what does your life say you are chasing? If “scrolling, shopping, or stacking” has crept onto the throne, what is one small habit you will change this week to aim your affections back toward Jesus? ([09:24])
Aim your practices: What specific, doable practice will you add or restore this week (Scripture, prayer, gathered worship, simple obedience) to move from drifting to deciding? When, where, and how will you do it? ([03:50])
Continue when challenges come: Where does it feel like the “star” has gone quiet in your life right now? What would persevering look like this week—one step you can take while you wait for light to return? Who can walk with you in it? ([11:03])
Face the four C’s: Which obstacle is most real for you right now—cost, confusion, conflict, or the carelessness of others? What is one faithful next step you can take despite that obstacle? ([12:24])
Worship with your whole posture: What might it look like for you to “hit the floor” before Jesus this week—kneeling in prayer, singing with engagement, confessing sin, or laying down a preference for the good of the body? What will you bring as your worship? ([22:58])
Commit your treasures to Christ: In light of “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” what concrete giving decision will you make (percentage, project, person, or ministry) to align your heart with the kingdom? How will you pre-decide it so it’s joyful and consistent? ([27:52])

Sermon Clips

Well, today we are going to discover three different ways to be a wise one this Christmas. We've got wise men, but as a body here, we're men and women, right? So this is what it means, three ways for us to be a wise one this Christmas. And as we walk through this passage, there are three different things that I believe God wants each one of us to know. Steps for each one of us to take, and the first one is to choose what you're going to chase. Choose what it is that's going to be the object of your pursuit. [00:03:28] (36 seconds) #BeWiseThisChristmas

I've got a question for you. If someone wrote a book about your life, if someone wrote a book about the last year of the way that you've been living, would whoever wrote that thing down be able to discern, learn, this man or this woman is pursuing Jesus as their top priority. The person, if they were to look at what's going on in your life, would they say, that person is going wherever it is that they can go to encounter God. They're making sure that they're getting to church on Sunday, even when it's a negative 22 real feel outside, right? [00:08:02] (39 seconds) #JesusFirstLife

It may be scrolling that you're turning to most often for your happiness. It may be shopping. It may be stacking. Stacking paper, that is. Making the money, being successful at work, feeling like you are coming in over and above your peers and gaining some sort of pride or satisfaction from that. My friends, that will not fulfill you. Each one of us, just as the wise men did, each one of us must choose what it is that we're going to chase. And my friends, I encourage you, choose wisely. [00:10:24] (38 seconds) #ChooseWhatYouChase

The other religious leaders who were there at Herod's disposal, they're serving Herod, helping out, pointing him, saying, yeah, here's what the Old Testament says, here's what the Scriptures say about it being born in Bethlehem. These local experts, they knew about the prophecy, but it doesn't seem that they bothered to go those six miles to where the creator of the universe, the God-man, the person who alone deserves all glory, honor, and praise for all eternity, Jesus Christ, they did not bother, it seems, to go those six miles to worship. [00:14:33] (36 seconds) #ProphecyWithoutWorship

Maybe for you as a follower of Jesus, you've experienced confusion. Maybe as doubts show up in your mind, or along your Christian journey, you realize a new place in your life that we are called to trust God. And that can be confusing when we have some of those things that we need to grapple with, and to work with. I want to encourage you, even in the cost, even in the confusion, don't abandon the journey. [00:16:29] (29 seconds) #TrustThroughConfusion

Can you picture this? Wise men, magi, honorable men with a whole lot of earthly status that for probably most of the places they went around, they were the people with the highest status in the room, but as they come in and they see the toddler Jesus, they decide that the correct posture before the creator of the universe, the king, is to bow down and to worship him, to open up their treasures, to offer him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. [00:23:24] (32 seconds) #HumbleBeforeTheKing

The gold, it points to kingship. Gold points to royalty. So gold tells us that Jesus is king. They also gave frankincense. Frankincense was a substance used in temple sacrifices, pointing to the fact that God is present with us. So frankincense points to the fact that Jesus is present. Myrrh was often used as a costly oil for embalming people after they had passed away. And that points to sacrifice, the burial of Jesus that he would endure before he rose again on the third day to defeat sin and death. [00:24:19] (50 seconds) #SymbolsOfJesus

``So I want to ask you first, if you're here today, I want to ask first, have you surrendered yourself to Jesus? Have you turned to Jesus and bowed the knee to King Jesus and said, yes, I bow the knee. Jesus is my Lord and Savior, the one who I will serve, the one who is the number one spot on the throne of my heart. I receive salvation through Jesus' finished work on the cross. If you've never done that, I want to encourage you to take that step today. Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. [00:30:39] (35 seconds) #SurrenderToJesus

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