As we gather to celebrate the culmination of our series, "Hope is Born," we find ourselves on the brink of Christmas, a time filled with both excitement and stress. Today, we pause to reflect on the profound events of 2,000 years ago that continue to inspire celebrations worldwide. Our focus is on the magi, often the most mysterious figures in the Christmas narrative. These wise men, likely practitioners of Zoroastrianism, embarked on a journey driven by their pursuit of truth, ultimately leading them to Jesus, the King of the universe.

The magi's story is a testament to the human longing for a leader worthy of worship. In a world where political and cultural figures often vie for our allegiance, the magi remind us that only Jesus is truly deserving of our devotion. Their journey, guided by a star, took them to Herod the Great, a ruler whose paranoia and desire for power mirrored the political tensions of our own time. Yet, the magi's unwavering commitment to truth led them to worship Jesus, recognizing Him as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies.

Their gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—symbolize Jesus' kingship, priesthood, and sacrificial death. These offerings underscore the magi's recognition of Jesus' divine authority and foreshadow His role as the Savior of humanity. Despite the humble setting of Jesus' home, the magi's worship was genuine and profound, a lesson for us in recognizing the worthiness of Jesus beyond our circumstances.

As we reflect on the magi's journey, we are challenged to examine our own lives. What or whom do we worship? Are we willing to seek truth, even if it leads us down unexpected paths? This Christmas, let us be like the magi, bringing our best gifts—our hearts and lives—to Jesus. In doing so, we acknowledge that He alone is the King worthy of our worship, the fulfillment of every promise, and the hope of all nations.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **The Pursuit of Truth:** The magi's journey exemplifies a relentless pursuit of truth, leading them to Jesus. Their story challenges us to seek truth with the same fervor, recognizing that true worship is directed towards the one who embodies ultimate truth and authority. [21:13]

2. **Worship Beyond Circumstances:** The magi worshiped Jesus despite His humble surroundings, teaching us that true worship is not contingent on our circumstances but on the recognition of Jesus' inherent worthiness. Our worship should be rooted in who God is, not what He does for us. [38:39]

3. **The Gifts of the Magi:** The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh symbolize Jesus' kingship, priesthood, and sacrificial death. These offerings remind us of the multifaceted nature of Jesus' mission and invite us to reflect on the depth of His role in our lives. [37:18]

4. **The Challenge of Lesser Kings:** Herod's response to Jesus' birth highlights the danger of allowing lesser kings—whether political, cultural, or personal—to take precedence in our lives. We are called to recognize and worship the one true King, Jesus, above all else. [29:45]

5. **A Fresh Appreciation for Christmas:** The magi's story invites us to approach Christmas with renewed wonder and gratitude. By focusing on the true gift of Jesus, we can experience the season with a deeper appreciation for the divine love and grace that Christmas represents. [43:20]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:00] - Introduction to the Series
- [04:30] - The Magi's Journey
- [07:45] - The Search for Truth
- [10:15] - Herod's Political Climate
- [13:30] - The Magi's Worship
- [16:45] - Significance of the Gifts
- [20:00] - The Challenge of Lesser Kings
- [23:15] - Worship Beyond Circumstances
- [26:30] - A Fresh Appreciation for Christmas
- [29:00] - The True Gift of Christmas
- [32:15] - Invitation to Reflect
- [35:00] - Closing Prayer

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Hope is Born"**

**Bible Reading:**
- Matthew 2:1-12

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**Observation Questions:**

1. What motivated the magi to embark on their journey, and how did they find their way to Jesus? [21:13]

2. How did Herod react to the news of Jesus' birth, and what actions did he take in response? [29:45]

3. What were the gifts presented by the magi to Jesus, and what significance did each gift hold? [37:18]

4. How did the magi's worship of Jesus differ from their interaction with Herod? [34:53]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

1. What does the magi's journey tell us about the pursuit of truth and its potential to lead us to unexpected places? [31:55]

2. How does the story of the magi challenge our understanding of worship, especially in terms of recognizing Jesus' worthiness beyond our circumstances? [38:39]

3. In what ways does Herod's response to Jesus' birth illustrate the dangers of allowing "lesser kings" to take precedence in our lives? [29:45]

4. How can the magi's story inspire a renewed appreciation for the true meaning of Christmas in our lives today? [43:20]

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**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on your own life: What or whom do you find yourself worshiping, and how can you redirect your worship towards Jesus, the one true King? [40:12]

2. The magi were willing to journey far to find Jesus. What steps can you take this Christmas season to seek truth and deepen your relationship with Him? [31:55]

3. Consider the gifts you bring to Jesus. How can you offer your heart and life as a genuine act of worship, regardless of your current circumstances? [38:39]

4. Herod allowed fear and power to cloud his judgment. Are there "lesser kings" in your life that you need to dethrone to make room for Jesus? [29:45]

5. How can you approach this Christmas with a fresh sense of wonder and gratitude, focusing on the true gift of Jesus rather than the material aspects of the season? [43:20]

6. The magi's story is one of seeking and finding. Who in your life might be on a similar journey, and how can you support them in discovering the truth of Jesus? [46:23]

7. As you reflect on the magi's unwavering commitment to truth, what is one specific area in your life where you feel called to pursue truth more fervently? [31:55]

Day 1: The Relentless Pursuit of Truth
The magi's journey is a powerful illustration of the human quest for truth. These wise men, likely Zoroastrian priests, were driven by a deep desire to find the one who embodied ultimate truth and authority. Their journey was not just a physical one but a spiritual quest that led them to Jesus, the King of the universe. In a world filled with competing voices and claims to truth, the magi's story challenges us to seek truth with the same fervor and dedication. True worship is directed towards the one who embodies ultimate truth, and the magi's journey reminds us that this truth is found in Jesus. [21:13]

Isaiah 55:6-7 (ESV): "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are seeking truth? How can you pursue this truth with the same dedication as the magi, and what steps can you take today to draw closer to Jesus in this pursuit?


Day 2: Worship Beyond Circumstances
The magi's worship of Jesus, despite His humble surroundings, teaches us that true worship is not contingent on our circumstances. The magi recognized Jesus' inherent worthiness and worshiped Him for who He is, not for what He could do for them. This challenges us to examine our own worship practices. Are we worshiping God only when things are going well, or are we able to worship Him in all circumstances? True worship is rooted in the recognition of God's inherent worthiness, and the magi's story invites us to worship God for who He is, regardless of our circumstances. [38:39]

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."

Reflection: Think of a challenging situation you are currently facing. How can you choose to worship God in the midst of this situation, recognizing His worthiness beyond your circumstances?


Day 3: The Symbolism of the Magi's Gifts
The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh presented by the magi to Jesus are rich in symbolism. Gold represents Jesus' kingship, frankincense His priesthood, and myrrh His sacrificial death. These offerings underscore the magi's recognition of Jesus' divine authority and foreshadow His role as the Savior of humanity. The depth of these gifts invites us to reflect on the multifaceted nature of Jesus' mission and His profound impact on our lives. As we consider the significance of these gifts, we are reminded of the depth of Jesus' role in our lives and the call to offer our own lives as gifts to Him. [37:18]

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV): "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: Reflect on the gifts of the magi and their symbolism. What is one area of your life that you can offer to Jesus as a gift today, acknowledging His kingship, priesthood, and sacrificial love?


Day 4: Recognizing the One True King
Herod's response to Jesus' birth highlights the danger of allowing lesser kings—whether political, cultural, or personal—to take precedence in our lives. Herod's paranoia and desire for power mirror the political tensions of our own time, reminding us of the challenge of lesser kings. The magi, however, recognized Jesus as the one true King and worshiped Him above all else. This calls us to examine our own lives and recognize the areas where we may be allowing lesser kings to take precedence. We are called to worship Jesus, the one true King, above all else. [29:45]

1 Samuel 8:6-7 (ESV): "But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.'"

Reflection: Identify a "lesser king" in your life that may be taking precedence over Jesus. How can you intentionally choose to recognize and worship Jesus as the one true King in this area today?


Day 5: A Renewed Appreciation for Christmas
The magi's story invites us to approach Christmas with renewed wonder and gratitude. By focusing on the true gift of Jesus, we can experience the season with a deeper appreciation for the divine love and grace that Christmas represents. The magi's journey and their recognition of Jesus as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies remind us of the hope and joy that Christmas brings. As we reflect on the magi's story, we are invited to approach this Christmas season with a fresh perspective, focusing on the true gift of Jesus and the hope He brings to all nations. [43:20]

Titus 2:11-14 (ESV): "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."

Reflection: As you prepare for Christmas, how can you intentionally focus on the true gift of Jesus and the hope He brings? What specific actions can you take to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the divine love and grace that Christmas represents?

"And so when we take a step back and we look in a moment like this, I think the reason we are so prone to venerate our leaders is because we were made to worship an ultimate king, whether you call yourself a follower of Jesus or not. But what the Magi show us is that there is only one king worth worshiping." [00:22:53] (22 seconds)


"On the coming of 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 made his choice. He was going to try and trick the Magi into reporting back on the location of Jesus so that he could go worship him. No one is convinced of that, right? He wanted to eliminate the threat. He would continue with a plan to try and do just that. But the exact time that the star appeared is believed to be when Jesus was born." [00:33:51] (47 seconds)


"Even more than that, even more than the shepherds, right? They would have been much older and likely, just like we talked about with the shepherds, Jesus' earthly ministry would not start for decades. And so it's likely that none of these Magi were alive when Jesus preached his first sermon or performed his first miracle, and they were still confident that he was God. He had done nothing for them, and yet he was worthy of worship. We should pay attention to that. The shepherds and the Magi, they both teach us an incredibly important lesson about worshiping the only thing that is worthy of our worship." [00:38:39] (34 seconds)


"See, we often struggle with God when he doesn't meet our expectations. We are quick to worship God maybe for what we've been given or what he's done for us or what we've been able to accomplish. We, in that situation, are oftentimes not worshiping the giver. We're worshiping the gift, the thing that we want, the thing that we got. But that's not actually worship." [00:39:17] (22 seconds)


"Worship is thanking God for who he is. I want to just give you a couple little facets about this idea of worship that may make you uncomfortable. So if you're like the email me a mean email thing, just get your phone ready. If God never heals you, he's still worth your worship. If God never gives you that job, he's still worthy of your worship. If he never provides that relationship or restores that relationship or puts your family back together, he's still worthy of your worship." [00:39:38] (37 seconds)


"We worship God because we were created by him. We worship God because as a part of that creation, nothing can hold our worship or satisfy our soul. Other than him, we can be so grateful for all these things in our lives that God has provided. But never forget, God is worth your worship, no matter what he has done or not done for you. He's worth your worship because he's God." [00:40:37] (26 seconds)


"So as you reflect on this group of magi, lifetime worshipers of another God who are committed to the truth above everything else, what are you committed to this Christmas? I doubt that you have gold, frankincense, and myrrh underneath the Christmas tree, although if you do, that's cool, right? All the gifts that we have waiting for us and all the gifts you provided for someone else, they are reminders of the ultimate gift that Christmas is really about in Jesus." [00:41:02] (31 seconds)


"Maybe for some of you, I hope that it'll give you a chance to have greater appreciation for inviting a neighbor, a friend, just saying to somebody, do you want to come to Christmas Eve with us, with me? Somebody just told me this last service that they've been building a relationship with a friend who's a strong atheist, doesn't believe in God, and is willing to come to Christmas Eve with us. I hope that you'll have a chance to do that. Christmas Eve with them." [00:45:06] (25 seconds)

Well, good morning, Menlo Church, and welcome to our final Sunday in our series, "Hope is Born," as we prepare to celebrate Christmas over the next couple of days together.

And as I say that, some of you are so excited, especially if you're kids and you have little to no responsibilities related to all the festivities. And then some of you, I think we're called grown-ups, are so stressed out because there's like a lift, and me just saying a couple of days was triggering because you think about all the things that you have yet to do.

Over the next couple of minutes, what I hope we can do, though, is just push pause—push pause on the pressures and the expectations that might be waiting for you on the other side of this—and simply rest in the good news of the events of 2,000 years ago that set off this incredible string of celebrations over the last couple of millennia all around the world, celebrating the person and work of Jesus that we continue in.

As a multi-site church with locations throughout the Bay Area, I want to welcome those joining us in Saratoga, Mountain View, Menlo Park, San Mateo, and those of you watching around the world. We are so grateful that we get to share part of this celebration and season with you.

Over the last few weeks, we've been diving into the events of that first Christmas through the lens and lives of Mary, Joseph, and then last week, we talked about the shepherds. This week, we are going to discuss the magi, oftentimes the stories least studied and most mysterious characters.

Now, before we get started, you know, this idea of spiritual that we can think about sometimes when people describe it, we are going to discover that actually, probably of all the Christmas characters of that first Christmas, the magi relate most to that modern-day label.

We find in them this idea that they would look to whatever thing they needed to find for more information that they would better understand the truth. They would look at different theories, different perspectives in the pursuit of truth, and what we'll see in their discovery is that they found Jesus as the worthy king of the universe worth worshiping, and that's especially important given their sort of previous worldviews we're going to talk about in a minute.

Before we get started, though, I'm going to pray for us, and if you've never been here before or never heard me speak, before I speak, I pray kneeling, and today that feels particularly fitting because in our passage today, the magi actually bow down, so we get to mirror that posture for just a minute before a child king in Jesus on that very first Christmas 2,000 years ago.

So no matter what you think about Jesus, no matter how you're preparing for Christmas or think of it, would you join me as we pray together?

God, thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you for the gift that it is to be able to, even now, thousands of years later, in our heart posture, bow before you to be able to say thank you so much. Thank you for the gift of salvation that you have offered through your son, Jesus. I pray that today we would grow in our admiration and worship of him, and for those that don't yet know it, God, that you would meet them where they are and show them the powerful reality that you are the truth. It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, the characters that we are learning from today specifically are completely dedicated to their craft. But somewhere in their discovery process, the work that they were trying to accomplish became politicized—certainly something that we could not relate to today, right?

We've talked about this a couple of times over the course of this year, but it is really easy for the pull of politics to shift and pull on our faith. Even the Time magazine Person of the Year has stirred up controversy because of their selection. And I think one of the underlying impulses that it reveals is our desire to worship.

See, we long to have leaders that are worthy of our admiration or even our worship, our allegiance. When we advocate for a leader, we tend to minimize their weaknesses and maximize their strengths. Every offhanded comment that we make or that they make, we have a nuanced explanation for. Any behavior that seems ill-fitting, we offer grace and empathy for them. And then we offer the exact opposite to our political opponents, right?

This is especially true when we've had times of greater unity for our leaders. If you can believe it, there was a time before our current climate of depolarization where there was a moment in U.S. history where there was a president with an 87% approval rating. Isn't that wild to think about?

Now, it was the president who got us out of World War II, President Harry S. Truman. So this is a pretty high bar, but as wild as it was, actually just a few years later, by the time he left office, that number was barely over 20%.

See, leaders are limited. The highs always bring the lows. After all, even the very best leaders are still human. This was true back when Jesus was born too. Israel was under the control of the Roman Empire, but they had appointed Herod the Great to rule them.

Herod was actually half Jewish, and early on in his rule over Israel, he was popular and successful, known for his skill as a diplomat in negotiations with the Jewish people and the Romans, as well as being a great advocate for public works to be able to offer improvements to the day-to-day lives of the Jewish people.

But as he got older, he became more and more paranoid about the threats to his power, and the passage that we're going to look at today is about the threats to his power. The passage that we're going to look at today is near the end of his time as ruler, and it underscores the thing that we've been talking about throughout this whole series, which is that this isn't a fairy tale. It's a historic event.

As a matter of fact, everything that I just told you about, I didn't learn in the Bible. Everything that I just told you about actually comes from history, and it just so happens to parallel the events that the Bible describes perfectly, almost like the Bible is designed itself to be a verifiable historic account of the events that we read from 2,000 years ago.

And so when we take a step back and we look in a moment like this, I think the reason we are so prone to venerate our leaders is because we were made to worship an ultimate king, whether you call yourself a follower of Jesus or not. But what the Magi show us is that there is only one king worth worshiping.

Maybe for you, it's a politician. Maybe for you, it's a church. Maybe for you, it's a pop star. I have a 12-year-old. I get it. Or maybe for you, it's just a person that you idolize in your life. And the instinct is right, but the object of our worship really matters. And we're going to talk a little bit about how the Magi discover that in Jesus.

Last week, we jumped forward a few months between the angelic visitations for Mary and Joseph to the shepherd's visit on the night of Jesus' birth. Most scholars believe that as we dive into the Magi's account, we are meeting up to two years into Jesus' life.

Now, I'm not trying to burst the bubble of your sweet nativity scene. Like, I'm sure it's amazing. Maybe you have a collection of them. That's great. But it is certain that the Magi did not visit Jesus on the night of his birth. It's undisputed. If anything, actually, the circumstances around their visit only reinforce the supernatural nature of Jesus' origins.

Now, I know that for some of you, I just ruined your nativity scene, and you're like, I'm not listening to you. Again, just stick with me for just a few minutes.

Now, we're back in the book of Matthew this week, and Matthew wrote a book of Jesus' biography primarily to the Jewish people. And because of that, he wanted to make sure that the connection between the Messianic promises, the future predictions about Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures, and their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus were explicit. He was connecting the dots very intentionally.

As a matter of fact, that's why there's been so much time that has elapsed by the time he's writing and so many competing perspectives, even in the time that he's writing the biography of Jesus, that we see a group of people who began with unfamiliar expectations even to their own Scriptures.

Matthew spent much of his first chapter in the biography he wrote of Jesus' life on the genealogical connection followed by Jesus' birth story. He's trying to make sure that for a Jewish reader, looking at those promises, they see them fulfilled in Jesus.

Our passage today begins this way:

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, 'Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah. For from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'"

So as we think about this passage and go, okay, wise men, magi, who are we really talking about? Who are these guys? This is a group of people that were first-century Christians. They were the first-century kind of in the Greco-Roman world. They were a group of people who followed likely a monotheistic faith called Zoroastrianism.

So if you have like a list of things you keep that you're gonna Google later or check with ChatGPT on, that's like one of them, right? Zoroastrianism. And it was one of the region's only major religions that believed in only one God other than Judaism. And they had dedicated their entire lives to the study of their faith.

And this group in particular seemed to really specifically focus on astrology. I have been looking as hard as I can to try and connect the dots and make a joke between the drone stuff on the East Coast and the magi and astrology. I haven't come up with it yet, but if you have a suggestion, please send it to me.

But they've been mapping out the sky and looking for anything different as a sign from God for them to follow. Even without all the context of the Hebrew Scriptures, in their mind, the star that they saw appeared and changed the trajectory of their lives.

They had likely seen many different signs throughout their lives in the skies and maybe even traveled to see what had caused them or what they meant, but this time was different for a couple of reasons.

First, the star directed them to a region that had been previously designed and specified through this prophecy about the Messiah, the rescuer of the world. Second, they believed so strongly in this sign that they went to Herod the Great and told him that they had come to worship the king of the Jews, which probably was surprising for Herod because he thought that was him, right?

They were taking a significant risk to be this bold, and what they believed they saw in the sky was worth it. Now, if they were coming from Persia or modern-day Iran, they would have likely traveled to a place where they could see between 1,200 and 1,400 miles. It would have taken them months to get there.

They may have been familiar with a passage in the book of Numbers in the Hebrew Scriptures that promises a connection to a star with the coming of the Messiah. These magi, they were the closest thing in a secular age, like non-Jewish people, they were the closest thing to a prophet that the culture had, and they took their job very, very seriously.

Over the last several years, like for you right now, maybe you have that friend that's been kind of obsessed with conspiracy theories, and at some point, you kind of stop listening to them as much, and you're like, okay, can we be done with this yet, you know?

And I know that for some of you, even as I say that, you're like, Phil, you just don't get it. Let me send you a podcast. No, like, we kind of all have tried to figure that out, but for the magi, we know that actually they took their job so seriously, and they were not the boy that cried wolf. They were not the ones that were regularly doing this because of how they were responded to.

See, they didn't get dismissed. They didn't get ridiculed. King Herod didn't kill them, which he absolutely could have. The passage tells us that Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled, which is one of the understatements of the passage, and they were scared because of the possibility of what an upheaval in government and their lives might look like.

If you read through the interactions that Jesus has with leaders and religious leaders in his life, specifically as you think about this title that the magi give him of King of the Jews that shows up near the end of his life, it's this idea that the leaders were really scared because if the Roman Empire caught wind of a potential rebellion, they would have gone to great lengths to quiet that rebellion.

Add to that that when King Herod asked the Jewish leaders where Jesus would be born to see if the star was connected, they quoted the book of Micah, a book that was written more than 600 years earlier, and in it you see this aging paranoid leader confirming a divine intervention of God's intervention in his moment that would likely take away his power.

See, Herod shows us this really important lesson, that when we forget what God said or we never learned it in the first place, we will live like we are God.

Recently, I had a chance to ride a horse for the first time in a long time, like decades long time. Back when I was younger, I had lots of experience riding horses. I actually helped run a horse camp when I was in college. It was great. But I got up on this horse, and for the first few minutes, it was a little nerve-wracking to sort of re-familiarize myself with the overall feel and mechanics of riding a horse.

It was great, and Alyssa did really well too, actually. But it reminded me of just how powerful that animal is, and it deserves respect. I needed to approach that animal understanding how much stronger it was than I am.

For Herod and for us, when we become complacent with the power of God, his power will be with us. His power can feel like a threat when it shows up. The only thing that the power of God threatens in our lives are the false gods that we worship in his place.

We will all worship whatever king we have placed in our lives. And around this time of the year, there are lots of them, but there is only one king worth worshiping.

Now, when our lesser kings are threatened by the one true king, we have a choice. And for Herod, he had a choice too. Unfortunately, he chose to try and eliminate any threat to his perceived power and to the reign that he had over the Jewish people.

As a matter of fact, if you just keep reading, he would go to unthinkable lengths to do that. Thankfully, the Magi were savvy enough to see it and become unlikely allies in the work of the Messiah and in God's work in the world.

Maybe you can think of a time when you had to work with people you wouldn't have considered your friends. You've had to work together for a common cause. We see it throughout the Bible. We see it in the Bible. We see it in the Bible. We see it throughout history, right?

From the U.S. and the Soviet Union in World War II to Abraham Lincoln and William Seward in the Civil War to Buddy the Elf and Walter Hobbes in the classic cinema masterpiece "Elf." Like, we see it over and over again that when the mission is bigger than the conflict, we lock arms.

The Magi, they were so committed to the truth that even if it led them down a path that was different than the one they'd been on their entire lives, they were going to head down that path.

I remember in grad school, I was reading a scholarly article, and there was a footnote in the article that I've never forgotten. The footnote just said, "In the free marketplace of ideas, truth wins."

You know, there's so many different competing agendas and priorities in our world, but the good news that God promises us is that if we seek him, we will find him. That he's actually seeking you proactively.

For the Magi, they had been working their entire lives to discover something that was this profound, that would result in this kind of a change for their life and the lives of those around them. And they found the Messiah. Nothing was going to stop them. But Herod, he was going to try.

Like I said, Matthew, in the rest of this section, records the lengths to which he would go. And before that, the passage reads this way:

"Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He 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 this, 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.

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 made his choice. He was going to try and trick the Magi into reporting back on the location of Jesus so that he could go worship him. No one is convinced of that, right? He wanted to eliminate the threat. He would continue with a plan to try and do just that.

But the exact time that the star appeared is believed to be when Jesus was born. And this is either months or even years after that when the Magi come to the region. They still hadn't arrived in Bethlehem at exactly the spot where Jesus was, but they came to find this king that they'd seen a star about.

It almost seems like the star traveled with them to Jerusalem and then stopped for their encounter with Herod and then continued to move. Herod didn't send anyone with them because he believed that he had fooled them into coming back and reporting Jesus' precise location. Thankfully, he did not.

And they followed it until it led them directly to where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were living. They got to whatever semi-permanent structure they had set up to live in in Bethlehem. It was at least better than a manger. We don't know exactly the conditions of it, but it was still unimpressive.

Keep in mind that the Magi had just left Herod the Great in Jerusalem, where there is no indication that they bowed down or worshiped him. And they came to a humble home, and they worshiped him. They worshiped a child.

Similar to what we saw in the shepherds, there is an instant recognition of who Jesus was. And this group of experts who had worshiped a different God their entire lives bowed down and worshiped Jesus, and then they gave him gifts.

And these specific gifts, these were not like normal gifts you got a child. They did not get these off the Target gift registry. These were different kinds of gifts. Each of these gifts represented something different and important.

Gold was a gift of royalty. It showed their belief that Jesus was the king of the Jews. But as non-Jews themselves, it also indicated their belief that he was worthy of worship and he had authority over all people, not just the Jewish people.

All the items that we see that they give, they all have sort of specific connection to the Hebrew Scriptures and the messianic promises of the future. But this one in particular, the gold, it shows up multiple times as kind of a unique facet of identifying Jesus as the Messiah.

More than that, it's also believed that it was likely the thing that was used to finance Mary and Joseph and Jesus escaping Bethlehem to Egypt to get away from Herod.

The second gift was frankincense. It was a resin that was a part of temple worship, and it was used in burnt offerings. It shows Jesus' role not only as king but also as high priest. High priest at the time of Jesus would have been a temporary position for a Jewish person that was a temporary and imperfect mediator between humankind and God.

Jesus would become the permanent and perfect high priest for all of humankind and God that would be eternal. And the final gift was myrrh, which was actually another resin that was used in a number of different purposes, but one of them was medicinal.

And it points to the work of healing through the compassionate ministry of Jesus that he would do in the coming years. But whether the Magi meant for this to be the case or not, it was also used in burial practices. It carried the double meaning of Jesus' healing ministry and the mortality of his humanity, foreshadowing his death as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.

You know, as I read this, I wonder how long the Magi stayed, right? We talked about this with the shepherds. There's like an amount of time that you should stick around, and then you should go.

I wonder how the neighbors responded because Magi were a really big deal. And again, not trying to blow up your nativity scene, but there were definitely more than three of them. Church history thinks that there were three because there are three gifts, and so it's just been nice and honestly probably because it fit inside of a nativity scene.

But there were definitely more. They probably traveled with an entourage. Remember, they've traveled a lot of miles, people, to help them set up camp and make it all that journey. It probably caused quite the stir in the neighborhood.

Even more than that, even more than the shepherds, right? They would have been much older and likely, just like we talked about with the shepherds, Jesus' earthly ministry would not start for decades. And so it's likely that none of these Magi were alive when Jesus preached his first sermon or performed his first miracle, and they were still confident that he was God.

He had done nothing for them, and yet he was worthy of worship. We should pay attention to that. The shepherds and the Magi, they both teach us an incredibly important lesson about worshiping the only thing that is worthy of our worship.

See, we often struggle with God when he doesn't meet our expectations. We are quick to worship God maybe for what we've been given or what he's done for us or what we've been able to accomplish. We, in that situation, are oftentimes not worshiping the giver. We're worshiping the gift, the thing that we want, the thing that we got.

But that's not actually worship. Worship is thanking God for who he is. I want to just give you a couple little facets about this idea of worship that may make you uncomfortable. So if you're like the email me a mean email thing, just get your phone ready.

If God never heals you, he's still worth your worship. If God never gives you that job, he's still worthy of your worship. If he never provides that relationship or restores that relationship or puts your family back together, he's still worthy of your worship.

If God never sent Jesus to save you, he's still worthy of your worship. He's worthy of your worship. We don't worship him only when our candidate is in the White House. We don't worship God like the code to a cosmic ATM machine to get what we want.

We worship God because he is God. We worship God because we were created by him. We worship God because as a part of that creation, nothing can hold our worship or satisfy our soul other than him.

We can be so grateful for all these things in our lives that God has provided. But never forget, God is worth your worship, no matter what he has done or not done for you. He's worth your worship because he's God.

So as you reflect on this group of magi, lifetime worshipers of another God who are committed to the truth above everything else, what are you committed to this Christmas?

I doubt that you have gold, frankincense, and myrrh underneath the Christmas tree, although if you do, that's cool, right? All the gifts that we have waiting for us and all the gifts you provided for someone else, they are reminders of the ultimate gift that Christmas is really about in Jesus.

When we take a step back, right, and we remember that these events really did happen, this is a true story, it can bring different questions to the passage. I wonder how these stories were told to Jesus.

See, sometimes I think with Jesus, we take a step back and we think that it was like baby Jesus, but he was walking on the water and teaching sermons. Like he was little, but he was just fully, everything was good to go. But actually, while he was cute and sweet, I'm sure of it, he didn't really know what was happening.

Like he's a child. As a matter of fact, if you have little kids, can I just give you, save you some time? Birthday for when they turn one, birthday for when they turn two, don't do that much because they won't remember it, right? You're like, but Instagram will. Well, that's a different conversation.

But Luke, another follower of Jesus in the first century, writes a very detailed account of Jesus' life, and in his biography tells us that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature. And so this experience, this would have been one that, like, how did Jesus get this explained to him? Did he look at the gifts? Were they situated prominently in their home?

For years, I had a gentleman in our church who worked for a well-known Christian publishing company, and he would give me the newest books in spiritual formation and church leadership that were coming out. And I was young in ministry, and it sounds hilarious to say it now, but I didn't feel like I had the time to slow down and read them.

Years later, I finally got started digging into these books, and they served as a tremendously valuable library that I was too young to appreciate when I first received them. But I grew to understand my need for them and their impact on my life.

Christmas, it may be something that somewhere along the way you've decided you've outgrown. Christmas is for your kids, or it's for your grandkids, or it's for somebody else, but not for you.

But when we understand the real gift of God at Christmas, that the God of the universe gave you more than you could appreciate in a hundred lifetimes, well, you can approach Christmas differently.

What does it look like this year to appreciate Christmas in a fresh way for the depths of your life? What does it look like this year to appreciate Christmas in a fresh way for the depths of your life?

What does it look like this year to appreciate Christmas in a fresh way for the depths of a God worthy of your worship, no matter what he does or doesn't do, and yet he still sent his son in your place?

Maybe you'll read the Christmas story with the curiosity of a real-life event for the first time. Or maybe you'll spend time praying as you look at the presents under the tree, and you'll say, "God, give me the enthusiasm for your gift that a small child has for these gifts."

Maybe you'll ask God for the kind of appreciation that you want to grow into this year for you. You're a student, and you think this year to appreciate God, it might mean that you're going to change the traditions you most look forward to.

Instead of what's under the tree, what if you thought about what's happening around the table? Instead of what's waiting for you in that stocking, what if the time to sit down either yourself or with your family and read through the Christmas story and remember that first Christmas that started all of it, we celebrate it with these amazing decorations and very, very well-planned, that's amazing, but remember that first year and the manger that God was willing to step into to show that he really is God with us.

Maybe for some of you, I hope that it'll give you a chance to have greater appreciation for inviting a neighbor, a friend, just saying to somebody, "Do you want to come to Christmas Eve with us, with me?"

Somebody just told me this last service that they've been building a relationship with a friend who's a strong atheist, doesn't believe in God, and is willing to come to Christmas Eve with us. I hope that you'll have a chance to do that. Christmas Eve with them.

And as a pastor, you just think, no pressure. Maybe that's part of your Christmas Eve experience this year.

See, as we stand at the threshold of Christmas, let's choose to be like the magi, seekers of truth willing to journey any distance to find the one true king. They brought their best gifts to Jesus.

Perhaps the greatest gift that you can offer this year is your surrendered heart to God. This season, let's lay down our distractions, our lesser kings, and bow before Jesus, the only king worthy of our worship.

Remember, the magi, they didn't let uncertainty, distance, or the draw of earthly power distract them. Neither should we. Let's fix our eyes on Jesus, the fulfillment of every promise, the hope of all nations, because when we find him, we find everything.

There is only one king worth worshiping. May we seek him, find him, and worship him this Christmas and every day after.

Would you pray with me?

God, as we reflect back on this very first Christmas, I know, I just know, God, for all of us, there are so many things waiting to grab our attention in the moments to come, but God, just help us to lean into and remember the unbelievable miracle-working power that you have for us.

God, that you have given us the strength to break into our existence. That in human history, God, when you would have had every right to ignore us, to give up on us, and you would have still been worth our worship, you are so good, you are so loving, you are so gracious that you didn't.

That you still stepped in and made a way. And so for us, God, that are appreciating that anew today, would you give us a deeper understanding of that? Help us to walk in greater, lighter light of that.

And for those, God, who aren't sure yet, who don't maybe even know who you are, would you use this story about a group of people who had dedicated their entire lives to find the truth and found it in you, to spark in them a curiosity to do the same? It's in Jesus' name.