(Matthew 2:1-12 below)
Jesus - even those who don't know of Him get the notice of His arrival. The wise men stop and pursue the king of the Jews. Right away, jealousy and ulterior motives enter the story. Herod is disturbed. If Rome knows that the Jews have a king, Herod might lose his power. If the Jews have a king, they won't need Herod. If the Jews have a king, Herod might be liked less than Jesus. Herod feared that which he did not understand. Note also, all of Jerusalem is disturbed too. King of the Jews? Jerusalem doesn't want their apple cart upset either. Herod meets with the leaders and finds out where Jesus was to be born - Bethlehem. Herod gets the Magi to tell him of the time of arrival of the star that they followed. He traces back the dates and figures out the age of the child. Then, his ulterior motives kick in - find the child, let me know where he is so that I can worship him (sacrifice the child, actually.) The Magi find Jesus with His mother and they give Him the gifts and worship Him. Gold was given for His royal position, frankincense is said to represent life and is often used by Judaic, Christian and Islamic faiths to anoint infants and youth entering different phases of their lives. Myrrh - a substance used in embalming. Mary had to be confused with the variety of gifts. God comes to the Magi in a dream and they don't return to tell Herod where Jesus is. They leave by a different route than by which they arrived
Jesus has come to the world. Those who don't even worship Him are notified of His arrival. A king and all of Jerusalem are troubled by the threat to the status quo. Gifts are given, a mother is perplexed. God comes to wise men in a dream. What does this mean?
Jesus comes into our world everyday we awaken. We can be the star that notifies the non-believers of His birth into our lives. Will people have threats to their status quo about seeing Jesus in us? You bet they will. Can we give Jesus gifts by bringing others to Him? Yes. Will people look at the gifts given to Jesus in saved souls and be perplexed? Yes, God often takes what the world sees as unfit to perplex society and show His power. Once we help others see and accept Jesus and they give their selves to Him, they too will leave by different routes than by which they arrive.
Let's shine bright as stars to notify others of Jesus' birth into our lives. Let us be a gift everyday to Jesus. Let us bring others to Him to help His Kingdom thrive here on earth. If we can all love and share the Lord with our finite world we touch each day, the entire world can be changed, small worlds at a time. And many will return truly home by paths laid by salvation in Him.
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east[b] and have come to worship him."
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ[c] was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'[d]"
7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east[e] went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On 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 and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ[c] was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'[d]"
7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east[e] went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On 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 and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
