January 8, 2006

Epiphany

The question has been posed: “What would have happened if there had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men?” The answer: They would have asked directions immediately upon commencing their trip, which would have allowed them to arrive on time; they would have helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole and brought cute little outfits that baby Jesus could have worn on his trip home.

As it happened, they were wise men (not wise women) – and while we think of these men as part of the Christmas story, they were not present on that first Christmas night. They didn’t arrive on the scene till some time later.  How many were there?  Most assume three (gifts) – but there probably many more.  We don’t know.  Who were they? They were called “Magi” (our word magician).  They were devoted to the study of the stars, but more than that, we don’t know.  Where were they from?  Arabia?  Babylon?  Persia?  We don’t know.

There is so much about these men that remains a mystery. All that we really know about these men is that they were called magi.  The question I would like to pose this morning is what makes these wise men so wise?  And even more to the point, how can we be just as wise today?

I. They Were Wise In Their Decision To Search For Jesus.  A. They Recognized God at Work in the World Surrounding Them.  The wise men, these men of science and the stars were brought to a decision to seek out and find “the King of the Jews”. They didn’t have all the facts when they started, but they had enough to know they needed to search.  Not every man of science has been led to acknowledge God; many in pride have turned away from the Lord, but the world around them brought these men to a conviction of God’s existence.

Romans 1 and Psalm 19 speak of God’s power and creative handiwork demonstrated in the heavens. As the wise men observed the heavens, their attention was drawn to one particular star. Some of our modern men of science have offered conjecture concerning this “star.” They have suggested that it was a comet, or a star that went nova, or perhaps a special alignment of the planets.  We don’t have to understand how God worked a particular miracle before accepting it.  In the beginning, God spoke the universe into existence so it was not too difficult for Him to put this star in the sky to reveal that He was up to something pretty amazing.

God gives people enough light that they might search for more. God works through the many circumstances of our lives to direct our attention to Him.  Look at the Biblical examples: Moses – tending sheep.  Gideon – harvesting wheat.  Peter – cleaning nets after a night of fishing.  Matthew – at a table collecting taxes.  Wise Men – in their study of the stars…Has God used events in your everyday life to direct you to Him?  Have things happened to make you start to question your life? What are you about? What is life all about?  God speaks to you in life.  Not to give you all the answers.  But to get you to begin your search for Him.

B. The Magi Recognized God At Work In The Word Revealed to Them.  At the time when these wise men made their search, the Old Testament was at their disposal. We have no way of knowing just how much of the Word they had actually read; but one thing we know – they had to have enough knowledge of scripture to know that a “Messiah” was coming. They didn’t have all the answers, but they had enough to give their souls a hunger for more.  They had enough that made them want to begin their search.

You and I have so much more information than these men did!  We have the complete inerrant, infallible Word of God – both the Old & New Testaments!  God wants to speak to you. He wants you to be into his Word!  Will you listen to Him there? Are you a wise man (wise woman) who will listen to God?  Because here He does give us the answers!

Where are you in your search? If you are here without Jesus as your Saviour, please do your soul a favor and seek out the truth about Jesus.  Get into this book – and read. Write your questions down.  Put down all your reasons why you don’t believe…and can’t believe…and then challenge God to prove you wrong!  Let God speak to you through His Word!  He will!

II. They Were Wise In The Way They Searched For Jesus.  A. They Were Determined In Their Search.  It’s possible these men traveled 1000 miles on their trek!  Their search was a long & diligent one!  They were determined to search until they found the answer. This wasn’t a religious fad or whim.  They saw their search through to the end.  Would you?

I bet they were ridiculed, too. (Chasing a star, are you)?  But if so, it didn’t deter them from their purpose. Their journey was costly; they would need to provide food and lodging for that entire period of time.  Did they ever grow tired? Were there times of sickness?  Did they ever get discouraged?  Did they ever feel like quitting?  I‘m sure the answer to all these questions is “yes” – but they persevered.  How about you?  Are you determined in your search for God?

B. They Were Dependent In Their Search.  God directed these men and they were dependent on his direction, even with the surprising place they were led to!  It is one thing to start a search; it is something else to accept where the search leads!  The wise men were wise enough not to be side-tracked by the pleasure and ease of the courts of Herod.  Hardship and danger lay on the road to Bethlehem and their trip home hiding from the spies of the King.  Does God’s answer for you need to be soft and easy and pleasurable? Are you the kind of person who is always asking “what do I get out of this?”  God’s direction may be difficult for you to accept!

God also made them wise enough to know the difference between reality and appearances. Christ did not look like a king. He looked like a poor Jewish boy from a poor Jewish family, but God helped them see beyond the physical appearances to realize the presence of God. You may not fully understand God’s answer when it comes to you. It is not a matter of “figuring it out.” It may not look right. God’s ways are not man’s ways.  But when God leads you to the verse that opens your soul, He won’t want you to trust your eyes, but trust his Word!

These wise men also weren’t side-tracked by pride.  They were very important men, but were humble enough to bow the knee to worship and recognize the greater glory of this little toddler standing before them. Are you willing to submit your will to the will of God?  In your spiritual search, do you really suppose God will let you “do it your way”?  Are you prepared to do it God’s way?  Because that’s the only way that’ll give your soul what it is really looking for!

III. They Were Wise In Their Devotion At The Conclusion Of their Search. When at last they had found the Christ, they bowed down and worshipped him. They presented him with gifts. Once we are led to faith in Christ and his forgiveness, then it is time to give Him our best in worship!  It is not a matter of what we get out of worship, but what God gets out of worship.

A. They gave Him Gold - A Gift Worthy of His Lordship.  Gold has obvious worth. It is a gift fit for royalty. God deserves the very best that we can bring in our hand; but more than that, God deserves the very best we can bring in our heart. Our sin against God is an act of rebellion and disloyalty. True worship includes trust in God for his forgiveness and thankfulness to Him for all that He has freely done for us!  It is an acknowledgement that He is our King!

B. They gave Him Frankincense - A Gift Worthy of His Holiness.  Frankincense was one of four sweet scents compounded together to make the ceremonial incense of the Jews. It was used in both sacrifices and prayer. Its aroma was always present in the Temple.  As such, frankincense is a picture of praise and worship of Christ as the Holy One of God come down in flesh among us.  Praise is always appropriate on the lips of God’s people – but more than holy praise on our lips, God desires holy practice in our lives.  That is our frankincense!  Acknowledging His holiness with our holy lives!

C. They also gave Him Myrrh - A Gift Worthy of His Sacrifice.  Myrrh might be the most unusual of the gifts.  It is an aromatic gum resin used throughout the East for embalming and anointing dead bodies. It was myrrh that was poured out on the feet of Jesus just a week before his death. Not a usual baby shower gift, but pretty prophetic, isn’t it? How prophetic to have myrrh as one of the gifts presented to him at his birth – this child was born to die.  This is why Jesus came here.  To be with the ones He loves.  To make a sacrifice for them.  That is why this gift was so appropriate.  It honoured his sacrifice, his love for us.

There is a remarkable story of this kind of love and sacrifice.  A man had been injured in a fire while attempting to save his parents from a burning house.  He couldn’t get to them.  They died.  His face was burned and disfigured.  He mistakenly interpreted his pain as God’s punishment.  The man wouldn’t let anyone see him – not even his wife.  She went to Dr. Maltz, a plastic surgeon, for help.  He told the woman not to worry. “I can restore his face.”  But she was unexcited, because her husband had repeatedly refused any help.  And she knew he would again.

So why did she even visit the doctor?  She said, “I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him!  If I can share in his pain, then maybe he will let me back into his life.”  Dr. Maltz was shocked.  He denied her request but was so moved by this woman’s love that he went to speak with her husband.  Knocking on the man’s bedroom door, he called loudly, “I’m a plastic surgeon, and I want you to know that I can restore your face.”  No response.  “Please come out.”  Again no answer.  Still speaking through the door, Dr. Maltz told the man of his wife’s proposal.  “She wants me to disfigure her face, to make her face like yours in the hope that you will let her back into your life.  That’s how much she loves you.”  There was a brief moment of silence, and then, ever so slowly, the doorknob began to turn.

The way the woman felt for her husband is the way God feels about us.  But God did more than make the offer.  He took on our face, our disfigurement!  He became like us!  He was willing to be born in this stable.  To be a toddler.  To live life here.  And then to make the ultimate sacrifice to make us right with God.  It was this love and sacrifice that brought those wise men from so far away and from such an important position in life to bow their knees to this toddler and give Him their finest gifts in worship.  It is this same love and sacrifice that, I pray, moves us to seek Him in our lives, listen to Him, and bow to Him in worship, giving Him our best!  What can we give Him?  Our gifts in thanks!  Our knees in worship!  Our lives in service!   Amen.

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